NORFOLK, Va. — After years of working in five-star resorts, chef Greg Barnhill moved to Hampton Roads.
In his first year here, he realized something was missing.
“I needed food that was multicultural, but authentic," he said. "I needed the authentic taste.”
Barnhill searched for dishes that reminded him of California, Mexico, Korea and other places he had been. He realized this may be an endeavor he needed to take on himself.
In February of 2020, chef Barnhill opened A World of Good in Ocean View.
The restaurant's goal is to take humbled, average street food and "chef it up."
Every dish is inspired from around the globe, made fresh in house, and Barnhill prides himself on the authentic taste - bringing you a nice flavor accompanied with a memory.
“My hope is that if you're from Nicaragua or Colombia, you have one of our arepas, and you taste it and you say, 'Oh my God, I'm home!'" said Barnhill.
Barnhill served up 13NewsNow the quesabirria, which is their biggest seller. This dish is a mix between a taco, quesadilla and a French dip sandwich. It is delicious. It bursts with flavors, reminding many of Mexico and San Jose street tacos.
The next best seller is the Bulgogi. This is a Korean inspired dish, and the Asian flavors are unmistakable.
Immediately you can taste the familiar Korean beef, and then comes the kick of spice from the sriracha. This dish will take your taste buds on a much-welcomed vacation. A filling bowl - and you’ll want to eat every bite!
Food isn’t all that makes A World of Good, good. The restaurant is right next to the bay. Barnhill says he can’t look at this beautiful area and not think about helping the environment.
“God forbid we’re going to have some of our plasticware caught over there, so we don’t have any,” he said.
The biggest obstacle for the small business so far is the pandemic.
They opened in February, and then in March things came to a halt. Now, even with COVID-19 restrictions, they are back on the up and up.
Seating inside is open, but the line for takeout is long. This food goes fast and it’s first-come first-serve.
“Once we’re out, we’re out," Barnhill said. "At first some people didn’t understand that. Now, they are starting to get used to just dealing with saying, 'Sorry, we’re out.' This is because we do make everything fresh.”
Outside of the food, environment friendly vibes, and the good they do for the community - there’s another reason to love this place. Most of the A World of Good workers are former military.
“They’re so into serving because that’s what they did, was serve their nation. Now, they’re serving in a different way,” Barnhill explained.
A World of Good is just as the title says. It's a trip around the world and a whole lot of good. You can visit its website for more information, or pay them a visit at 905 E Ocean View Ave. in Norfolk.