Part of the delight in eating is trying new foods or combinations of flavors. Good restaurants have chefs that will change their menus seasonally and this is exactly what Callie Opie’s does.
Life & Times caught up with owner Mike Kavros recently to learn more about his culinary staff and summer menu.
“I actually have two chefs; a young chef and a senior chef. They work together. Shayla Williams and Terry Walline are our culinary team. Shayla is a local from the CTE Culinary Program at Louisa High School. She’s our longest tenured employee, here since soon after we opened in 2017.”
Kavros noted Walline came to Callie Opie’s with over 30 years experience from working at a restaurant called Brian’s Grill in northern Virginia.
“He coincidently has a lake place and we met through mutual friends.“
Kavros told L&T he likes to change the menu every three months to coincide with seasons.
“The proteins don’t generally change, but the sauces and sides will depending on what is seasonally available.
“We typically will keep three or four meat proteins, everything from our semi-famous half-pound Callie Opie’s Burger to the 16-oz. ribeye steak.
“We’re the only restaurant in the lake area that uses certified Angus beef (CAB). You cannot just buy it. You have to meet certain requirements to buy it and serve it. It’s a cut above regular beef.”
Kavros also noted he likes to mix up the appetizers, either bringing in new ones or bringing back favorites. The Bang Bang shrimp are a good example of an app people go crazy for.
Along with the meat protein dishes Karvros likes to have three or four seafood entres. There’s almost always a nice Norweigian salmon and sea scallops on the menu as well as a very popular shrimp and chicken scampi on ocassion.
In addition to the regular dinner menu, Callie Opie’s has been doing two specials a week.
“We do well with our Secret Recipe fried chicken on Wednesday nights. On Thursdays we have been running a seafood influenced special.
“Most but not all of our desserts are made in-house, an we’ve gained a large following for our apple brown Betty and our gluten free/sugar free peach cobbler,” Kavros explained.
During weekend entertainment Callie Opie’s offers brick over pizza.
