After crossing the James River bridge in the deep, late-morning fog and weaving my way through the sleepy streets of the primarily residential enclave of Port Norfolk, I parked in front of a low brick building on Detroit Street. In its promotional material, Stove’s location is described as being in “the trendy SONO area of Port Norfolk.” But if there’s anything trendy going on there, it’s probably limited to this single block. Not only was STOVE printed in hot pink and red above the front door, but a two-sided painting of an actual, funky green stove flapped in the wind by the big front windows. “Eat here,” it said on one side, “eat heer” on the other. How bizarre, I thought. From inside the stove’s oven, a caricature of a man grinned and waved. A chef happy in the heat? Now that’s a good sign.
Both intrigued and a few minutes late for my appointment, I slipped inside. I had a few seconds to scan the quirky, colorful elegance of this little place before a slightly plump, green-haired man wearing orange clogs and a chocolate-brown Stove t-shirt greeted me with wide eyes, a warm handshake and a deep Southern accent. Meet Sydney Meers, visionary artist, local personality, raconteur and dazzling chef-restaurateur. It’s rare to meet such a tour-de-force as Meers. Days later, I am still absorbing the stories, sights and flavors of my experience at Stove. I’ve been “Stove-i-fied,” I guess he’d say.
Sydney served me hot coffee in the cool lounge area of his tiny 32-seater restaurant, which opened—tellingly—on Halloween night, 2006. The décor is pure Meers—soothing sea-foam green walls punctuated by terra-cotta red accents (mesh and bamboo chairs, sculpted polystyrene planters filled with plastic grass and flowers, striped silk curtains), a gallery of his fascinating, acrylic-on-foam board paintings and, for the holidays, a Barbie doll dressed in a plush red and white Santa suit and lounging on a (fake) poinsettia wreath.
Somehow, even otherwise tacky elements (like the Barbie) take on a tasteful quality in the meticulously composed interior of Stove. It’s an oasis of artistry where pleasure and hospitality are encouraged, but modern-day distractions like television are, thankfully, prohibited. “Sometimes you can get too in touch with reality,” Meers says.
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