There is something to be said about a restaurant that has people lining up the moment it opens and especially so when it happens outside of a weekend rush. No sooner did the door at Dredge unlock and the open flag go up that hungry diners started filing in on a rainy Wednesday evening. Chef and owner Bryan Byrd has built a loyal following, not to mention a collection of awards, since he opened the restaurant in his Irvington hometown back in 2019.
Now three years later, a few things have changed. “We had to evolve,” Byrd said. Online ordering and a rebuilt patio were a response to COVID-19, but the food truck that started it all, now sits idle, a casualty of Dredge’s popularity and perhaps Byrd’s status as a new father. But the important things, namely the personal connections, have remained. “I’ve got my blood, sweat and tears into this,” he said, as does much of his family. The restaurant continues to be a family enterprise, with Byrd’s mother, wife and sisters all playing vital roles in front of the house, kitchen and office. Meaningful touches in the restaurant decor include a portrait of The Dixie, a deadrise that belonged to his waterman stepfather, which hangs opposite of a mural depicting Byrd diving among the Caribbean sea life he grew to love during his time in Key West.
The menu choices are also very personal. “I built the menu from what I missed in the Keys,” Byrd said. That means incorporating food and flavors and the farm- and boat-to-table philosophy of using the freshest local ingredients whenever possible.
Sister Kasey and her husband Russell Haynie run Black Sheep Farm in Lively, which provides much of the fresh, local produce and beef for the popular Dredge Burger. The resulting menu mix includes the fried Rappahannock Oyster tacos that created his food truck following alongside grilled mahi-mahi and jambalaya. There are also non-seafood options like Jamaican jerk chicken or roasted Cuban pork. When asked to pick a favorite, Byrd simply can’t. “I want people to step out of their comfort zone and try something different.” That could certainly be said of menu items like tater tot nachos or the fried oysters and waffles.
Byrd loves to talk about combining food and flavors, especially when it comes to beverage pairings. In addition to a full bar, Dredge offers a pretty extensive selection of craft cocktails, beer and wines from all over, chosen to complement the food menu’s flavors. “It makes it a whole different experience, ” Byrd said.
My husband and I started our dinner with appetizers: the shrimp quesadilla and the pimento mac and cheese. The quesadillas included a generous share of shrimp and gooey cheese, all wrapped in a flour tortilla with a perfectly crispy crust. What really shined were the fresh Pico de Gallo, sour cream and an absolutely yummy, smoky adobo crema which were served along with it. The pimento mac and cheese was comfort food at its best—warm and filling—but it also had just hint of heat and spice. A prelude of the entree to come.
For entrees, the perfect way to savor Caribbean foods and flavors is with blackened mahi-mahi. Not only was the blackened preparation a wonderful contrast to the sweet flaky fish, the key lime tartar sauce, black beans and rice, and fried plantains worked together to bring a taste of the islands. What could be better than that? Well, I say the jambalaya. So much is packed into a bowl—shrimp, chicken, andouille sausage, steamed rice, peppers, tomatoes and a house sauce that brings the heat! If you enjoy foods with a kick, this one will not disappoint.
They say you cannot go wrong with dessert, but in this case, it was especially true. The key lime pie, made in-house using wife Nichole’s recipe, was such a cool, creamy complement to the heat and spice of the jambalaya. Plus, it was just plain delicious. To keep with the island theme you can also choose fried plantains in chocolate sauce or order from dessert specials like Oreo cheesecake and peanut butter pie.
A visit to Dredge is an opportunity to try uncommon flavors and ingredients, prepared with the care and attention to detail that you cannot find just anywhere. “Everything is made from scratch,” Byrd said. So much work goes into the preparation of the menu that the kitchen staff works a full 40-hour week, although the restaurant is only open roughly half that time. Not that Byrd is complaining. After decades in the restaurant business, as busboy and bartender to now chef of his own restaurant, “I’m still excited.”
With a menu to explore and a casual, welcoming vibe that encourages you to return, you might soon find yourself part of the crowd waiting for the doors to open.
