Petersburg: Cambodian native's first dine-in seafood restaurant - Progress Index

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Server Moonie Taylor loves the fried flounder platter with steak fries, hushpuppies, bread

PETERSBURG — Are you a lover of seafood? Sam's Crab House Sports Bar and Grill which offers indoor/outdoor dining is now open.

The restaurant owned by Sam Chhay of Chester opened on March 22. The space was previously occupied by Plaza Mexico Bar and Grill. He is no stranger to operating an eatery. He is the former owner of Sam's Crab House takeout restaurant in Richmond on Route 1.

Recently, I met Chhay's son Sam, Jr. and his wife Vannda. They both roll up their sleeves and assist with their family's first dine-in restaurant. According to Sam Jr., his father was born and raised in Cambodia.

In the spacious interior, diners can opt to be seated at the bar, a table or a booth. It has three bars, televisions, a game room and a large stage. On Thursdays, they have karaoke from 5 - 9 p.m. Recently, they hosted a paint and sip night.

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Petersburg: Sam's Crab House Sports Bar and Grill Menu

If you're all about the appetizers, you can begin your meal with mozzarella sticks, crab sticks, fried calamari, egg rolls [2], boom boom shrimp [1/2 pound] and sweet/spicy shrimp [1/2 pound] which range in price from $5.99 - $11.99.

A whiting, catfish, tilapia, lake trout, flounder or pork chop sandwich served with one side will cost diners between $8.99 - $10.99.

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Most sides cost $3.99. They include fries [steak or Cajun], red bliss potatoes, cabbage, collard greens, hushpuppies, mac and cheese, sautéed mushrooms, baked beans, onion rings and corn on the cob.

The menu offers house, Caesar, crab, shrimp and potato salads, and the soup of the day may be either she crab, clam chowder or gumbo. Raw clams and oysters will be seasonally available.

If you like wing dings or whole wings, they are on the menu as well. Customers select a sauce: regular, hot, mild or barbecue.

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A variety of platters are available between $12.99 and $24.99. The selection includes fried whiting, catfish, tilapia, flounder, lake trout and oysters, grilled salmon, fried fish and shrimp as well as pork chops and ribs. Each platter is served with a side, bread and hushpuppies.

Combos served with a garlic butter, original cajun, fire cajun or lemon pepper sauce can be created. Choices include shrimp, top neck clams, crawfish, black mussels, lobster tail and crab legs.

There is a special menu for children 12 and under. The entrees, grilled cheese, hamburger, wing dings, catfish bites, chicken tenders and popcorn shrimp basket, range in price from $7.99 - $10.99. Each are served with one side, fries or mac and cheese.

Server Moonie Taylor's favorite meal is the flounder platter with steak fries.

On April 7, Janice Grant of Richmond posted the following on Facebook, "The she crab soup is tasty and full of meat."

The following day, Crystal Hawthorne of Richmond posted Sam's Crab House is "pretty good."

A month ago, Demetria Chavis of Petersburg gave one of Petersburg's newest restaurants a try. "They're working out the kinks, but the food was good, no complaints," posted Chavis.

Sam's Crab House is open Wednesday - Sunday from 11 am. - 10 p.m. at 3270 S. Crater Rd. in Petersburg. Follow them on Facebook for more information.

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— Kristi K. Higgins aka The Social Butterfly, an award-winning columnist, is the trending topics and food Q&A reporter at The Progress-Index voted the 2022 Tri-Cities Best of the Best Social Media Personality. Have a news tip on local trends or businesses? Contact Kristi (she, her) at khiggins@progress-index.com, follow @KHiggins_PI on Twitter @socialbutterflykristi on Instagram.