With Nod to N'awlins, Blue Sea Seafood and Bar to Open Wednesday in Shirlington

Blue Sea Seafood and Bar will open its doors Wednesday in Shirlington Village. The restaurant is located at 4251 Campbell Ave., next door to Busboys and Poets and the Hilton Garden Inn. There's street parking or a parking garage across the street.

The exterior features a stone facade with framework painted blue; an orange awning displays the restaurant's name. The interior features blue lighting, a stone fireplace, booths and tables and a big screen TV behind the bar.

The restaurant's hours will be, Sunday through Thursday, from 11 a.m. to 10 p.m. Fridays and Saturdays the restaurant will be open from 11 a.m. to midnight. The restaurant owners expect to add live music on Saturday nights.

Executive Chef Daniel Marteny was at the restaurant Thursday, preparing for the opening. Marteny, who grew up in nearby Annandale, worked most recently at T.J. Stones in Old Town.

The menu lists a dozen appetizers priced from a $9 Cajun Crab Artichoke Dip to a $13 Creole BBQ or Buffalo Shrimp. Entrees are priced between $18 for Pecan Crusted Catfish served over a Jalapeno Cornbread Waffle topped with Bourbon-Maple Beurre Blanc and Cajun Bacon to a $31 Ribeye served with Yukon Gold Garlic Mashed Potatoes and Sauteed Heirloom Red Baby Spinach. There are also several entrees — Grilled Lobster and Blue Sea Surf 'n Turf that are market prices.

The menu also includes soups and salads, including The Shirlington, which features Baby Heirloom Red Spinach, Cajun Bacon Lardons, Red Onion, Cucumber, Tomatoes and Fried Goat Cheese; you can also add chicken, salmon, fried oysters or shrimp to your salad.

In addition to the entrees and salads, you'll also find N'Awlins Po' Boys on the menu featuring either fried catfish, fried crawfish, fried oyster, vegetarian, fried shrimp or fried gator. Sandwiches include the Ultimate Cajun Blue Sea Burger for $14: a half-pound of 100 percent angus beef grilled to order topped with everything from fried pickles to "Redneck Sauce."

The dessert menu offers another nod to New Orleans, with beignets and Bourbon Pecan Pie. You'll also find on the dessert menu a root beer float, molten lava chocolate cake, cheese cake, chocolate-cherry bread pudding and cream puff.