Top 10 QBs

When I was driving home today, I made the mistake of turning the radio over to ESPN. I couldn't handle more than five minutes of the mindless banter from Freddie Coleman and Jonathan Coachman, but they did mention an interesting question of whether or not Tony Romo is one of the ten best quarterbacks in the NFL. They believed he was a top ten QB, which they also say about 30 other quarterbacks from around the league. Now, basing my decision on the best quarterbacks I would take to win a game, I've come up with my own Top 10 list:

Discount Double Check!

1. Aaron Rodgers - Rodgers is playing at a different level from the rest of the league right now. He is picking secondaries apart with relative ease and has the athletic ability to escape pressure from blitzes. With his incredible play, Rodgers has turned Brett Favre into a distant memory for Green Bay fans and could become even more legendary if he could deliver a second straight Super Bowl title.
2. Tom Brady - He has sustained a level of excellence in a way that makes people forget about how great he is. Until the 4th quarter of last week's game against Washington, Brady hadn't thrown an interception in four consecutive games. He will remain an unpopular figure because he is the face of a hated franchise, but it's difficult to argue with his success. Three Super Bowl rings on his resume and he might not be finished.
3. Drew Brees - I think Drew Brees has the type of impact on the Saints that Peyton Manning has on the Colts. Now, the Saints wouldn't be 0-12 right now if Brees wasn't playing, but I doubt they would be in playoff contention. His accuracy makes him one of the best in the game, and his leadership makes him an elite player in the league.
4. Ben Roethlisberger - I hate that I'm listing Big Ben as one of the top five quarterbacks in the game - mainly because I dislike him. That being said, he is the embodiment of the Pittsburgh Steelers organization - tough, resilient, and successful. There isn't much that's pretty about Roethlisberger's game, except his Super Bowl rings and the home-field advantage Pittsburgh seems to get every year because of his ability to lead them to victories.
5. Eli Manning - I'm probably making this decision from a "What have you done for me lately?" perspective. I've always considered Manning to be a talented player, but a very inconsistent one. He would make great plays and 4th quarter comebacks, but also put his team in difficult positions with costly turnovers. However, this year he has played at an MVP level for the Giants. And he might be in the discussion for the award if Aaron Rodgers were playing in the Canadian Football League.
6. Philip Rivers - This pick has nothing to do with this season. If it did, I'm not sure Rivers would be one of the top ten quarterbacks in the AFC. Still, I'm considering this season a fluke and would still take Rivers to win a big game.

Matt Schaub is great...when he isn't hurt.

7. Matt Schaub - If he can stay healthy, he has one of the best arms in the game. Schaub's problem has never been ability - it's been durability.
8. Matt Ryan - Ironically, I think Ryan is more effective when he isn't a huge part of the Falcons offense. He has proven capable of performing in the clutch and helped change the culture of the organization.
9. Tony Romo - I guess I agree with the guys from ESPN radio. Similar to Matt Ryan, Romo is at his best when the Cowboys have a successful running game. When he makes good decisions, he is one of the most effective QB's in the game.
10. Jay Cutler - I like Jay Cutler about as much as I like Ben Roethlisberger, but he deserves credit for carrying the Chicago Bears offense. Losing Matt Forte hasn't helped, but the Bears have been inept without Cutler at the helm.

Best & Worst

Best - The Army vs. Navy Game

Navy QB Kriss Proctor

I'm coming at this from a biased perspective, but there is something special and unique about an Army-Navy football game. Most nationally televised games feature players and coaches who are doing everything they can to promote themselves for a better job or a chance at the NFL - the next step has already been decided for the players from both of these service academies. Even if you aren't a fan of college football or sports in general, you can watch this game and feel an incredible sense of pride and patriotism in seeing some of the best leaders our nation has to offer, on the field and in the stands.

Now, as a Navy fan, yesterday's game was a great way to end the season. For a team that has had so many struggles and heartbreaking losses, it was awesome to see the Midshipmen be able to finish a close game. A defense that has been torched all season came up with big turnovers and a huge stop in the 4th quarter, a senior kicker who has a had a nightmare season hit a clutch field goal, and a quarterback who's battled injuries all year made some key runs to help his senior class go out on top. In a way, it's just a football game - and in a way, it means everything. Every day of the year, these two schools think about beating each other. At Navy, they say "BEAT ARMY!" after nearly everything they do. "BEAT ARMY" as they turn the corner to go down the hall. "BEAT ARMY!" as a plebe finishes a set of push ups. And for the 10th year in a row, "BEAT ARMY!" on the football field. Mission accomplished. Go Navy!


Worst - The Cincinnati vs. Xavier Brawl

Yancy Gates looking for more...

If the Army-Navy game is the standard for everything great about college athletics, the end of the Cincinnati-Xavier men's basketball game is the standard for everything wrong with college athletics. In a rivalry game that had turned into a blowout (Xavier won 76-53), the game finished with an on-court brawl. It began with trash talking from both teams and quickly escalated into a fight with Cincinnati's Yancy Gates punching a Xavier player in the head and then other Bearcats kicking the Xavier player while he was on the ground. It didn't get any better after the game - Xavier's players were proud of how they stuck up for themselves and didn't back down from a fight while Mick Cronin, Cincinnati's Head Coach, promised heavy consequences for his players.

A strong message would have been dismissing Yancy Gates, the team's best post player, off the team. Instead, the university announced it will suspend Gates for six games. How convenient that five of those games will be against insignificant non-conference opponents. Gates will miss also miss the Big East conference opener against Pittsburgh. No Xavier player will be suspended for more than one game. In short, both teams displayed embarrassing and unacceptable behavior - and neither institution or coach has enough backbone to assess the discipline and consequence the players deserve. It doesn't get much worse than that.

What a Crock

As the temperature begins to drop, it becomes the perfect time of year to enjoy a cup of soup. I love soups, stews, chowders and I really should eat them more often. It's a great way to try a variety of vegetables and spices and there are so many different ways to mix flavors. It is also the sort of thing you can make ahead of time and eat over the course of a week. A little creativity and planning can give you a cheap, healthy, and filling meal that is perfect for cold weather days.

However, this post isn't about soup I made - it's about soup made by the folks at Crock and Roll. My dad and I stopped in for lunch a couple weeks ago on a cold, windy day when a cup of soup would hit the spot. I wouldn't be surprised if most people in the Roanoke Valley have never heard of Crock and Roll. It's tucked away in a corner in the Towers Shopping Center, making it very easy to miss if you're not looking for it. I have never seen any sort of advertising for them and I think it would be a great type of place to offer a Daily Deal sort of promotion to help with marketing and publicity.

When we went for lunch, there was no one else in the restaurant. They have a few tables where people can sit (which we did), but most of their business was being done through take-out orders. It looked like many people had called ahead with an order and took their food to go. The woman working at the register and serving the soup was extremely friendly and offered us samples of anything we wanted to try. She also seemed to know many of the people coming in - making me think they have a number of regular customers.

Sweet Potato & Sausage Soup

For my sample, I tried the Sweet Potato & Sausage soup. One sip...sold. The soup had a sweet and creamy flavor from the sweet potato and I'm guessing some sort of milk or cream, which made it quite rich. The sausage provided texture and a hearty flavor. It really was delicious. Only problem was that it was served piping HOT. Too hot to eat for the first ten minutes. I even dropped in a couple ice cubes to bring the temperature down below the level of the surface of the sun. The soup was also served with a homemade roll that reminded me or the cheddar bay biscuits from Red Lobster. Breaking the roll into pieces and dropping it into the soup was a good decision and I give myself credit for putting two and two together.

The only thing keeping me from giving a stellar recommendation for Crock and Roll would be the price. For a cup of soup and a roll, the price was around $8. Both of the items were very good, but it still seems steep for the cost. I've heard the owner tries to use local and organic ingredients in all his soups, which is great, but I was still surprised it cost two people $16 for two cups of soup and two rolls. It's very good, but I'd expect to pay around $5-$6 for what we ordered. However, if the good people at Crock and Roll are able to charge that amount and maintain a successful and profitable business, good for them! There are times when a great cup of soup is tough to beat.

An Asian Surprise

Usually, I have low expectations of restaurants located in grocery store strip malls. I have even lower expectations of Asian restaurants in said strip malls. I've come to expect quality similar to what you'd find from a bad Chinese restaurant in a mall food court. Typically, there's not much atmosphere, variety, or flavor with the food. Cafe Asia did not fit this criteria.

Cafe Asia is located in the Kroger Shopping Center in Bonsack off Route 460. From the outside, nothing really stands out to make you think it's different than any other strip mall Asian restaurant. Fortunately, I'd heard very good things from other people who eat there regularly and I had high expectations. When we arrived, I was impressed with the design and decor of the interior. There was a sushi bar, hardwood floors, and plenty of room in what seems like a limited amount of space. It also appeared they did a large number of take out orders.

The food was some of the best Asian food I've had in Roanoke. We ordered two appetizers before the meal - edamame and crab wontons. The edamame was good and the crab wontons had a good mix of crab and cream cheese - not quite as good as Pei Wei but not bad at all.  For an entree, I decided to order the Chicken Curry. I had a tough time deciding between all the entrees and noodle dishes but the flavors of the curry were intriguing. I wasn't disappointed when a giant bowl filled with chicken, onion, peas, carrots, and pineapple in a delicious sauce was served. The chicken was incredibly tender (sit in the crock-pot all day sort of tender) and everything had fresh and bold flavor. There was some spice in the sauce, but the sweetness of the pineapple helped balance it out nicely. It was also served with a side of rice. For $8, I was shocked at how big the portion was. I don't think I was able to eat half of it and was able to have leftovers for two additional meals. I'd definitely go back for the curry, but I'd also be interested in trying many of the other entrees. I've also heard good things about the sushi, which I would try at lunch when the prices are more reasonable. All this to say, a few more trips out to Cafe Asia are in order.

It's been a while since I can remember having a go-to Asian restaurant in Roanoke (other than getting sushi at Wasabi's) but Cafe Asia could become that place. The prices and portions were great and I loved the taste of the food. I just need to make my way over to Bonsack more often.

New National Champion

I'd like to congratulate the LSU Tigers on winning the 2011 National Championship in college football. The Bayou Bengals have completed one of the most dominant regular seasons in the history of college football and deserve a place in the discussion of all-time best teams. LSU's undefeated record combined with a dominant scoring margin is impressive and it's virtually unbelievable when you consider the competition they played against.

LSU's destruction of Georgia yesterday was their 7th victory against a ranked team this season. It was their 4th time beating a team ranked in the Top 15. Even more ridiculous - they've defeated three teams that were ranked in the Top 3 at the time of the game! Along with the scheduling, to rub it in to the rest of the country, the only game LSU hasn't won by at least 13 points was their 9-6 victory over Alabama. The Tigers haven't just won big games, they've crushed the opposition. Slight side note - God bless LSU for not being afraid to go on the road and play big non-conference games. It says a lot about your program and the mindset of your football team when you are willing to play great teams from other conferences and I admire the Tigers for taking everyone's best shot. Actually, I'd probably take LSU to win the AFC West in the NFL.

Honey Badger don't care...

In my mind, LSU has already done enough to deserve the title of National Champions. Yet, they still have to play (and likely win) one more game. As of now, it's uncertain who the Tigers will face in the BCS Championship game in New Orleans on January 9, but I'd make the argument that it shouldn't matter. If LSU plays Alabama and loses, I think they still have a more impressive resume than the Crimson Tide. LSU already won on the road in Tuscaloosa - how could a neutral site victory by Alabama be more impressive? (Ironically, I think Alabama is a better team than LSU but missed too many opportunities in their game against the Tigers.) If LSU loses to Oklahoma State, they'd have one loss to the 2nd ranked team in the country - still sounds a lot better than Oklahoma State's one loss to an unranked Iowa State team. Fortunately, even though I'm making the case for not even playing the game, the boys from Baton Rouge don't care who they play on January 9 because they'll take on anybody. They're not concerned about who the opponent is - their primary goal is to leave no doubt about who the best is.

Funny thing about this whole post for me - I don't like LSU! I admire and respect their program but I don't like the players or the fans. Still, I can't deny how dominant they've been this season. They've answered the bell time and again, which is why think the crystal ball should already be on display in Baton Rouge. I don't think any outcome on January 9 is going to change my opinion on that. LSU has earned the title of champion and deserves to be talked about as one of the best ever. 2011 was another great season for college football, but the discussion about who the champion is should be over.

Just Do It

10 straight calls for celebration.

In all likelihood, LSU will comfortably beat Georgia for the SEC Championship next weekend. LSU has more talent, big game experience, plays with better discipline, and has plenty of confidence coming into this game. Aside from Alabama, the Bayou Bengals haven't been challenged since the opening week of the season against Oregon. If Georgia ends up losing by three touchdowns, no one should be too surprised.

On the other hand, I think the Dawgs have a chance to pull the upset. After reeling off 10 straight wins, it's obvious this is a different team than the one that opened the season with a terrible performance in the Georgia Dome against Boise State. Aaron Murray is playing his best ball of the season and has multiple weapons at receiver as well as the ability to make plays with his legs. And the Georgia defense is playing with an aggressiveness reminiscent of the days when Brian Van Gorder was the defensive coordinator.

Initially, I thought Georgia would have an advantage by not having to deal with any additional pressure. It looked like LSU would be playing with a spot in the National Championship on the line while the Dawgs would be playing with house money. I was hoping this would give the Georgia a chance to play loose and aggressive while LSU might struggle with the pressure and play tight. Unfortunately, it looks like LSU has already wrapped up a spot in the title game, regardless of what happens in the SEC Championship. Still, if Georgia can keep the game close until the 4th quarter and force Les Miles to make some tough decisions, you have to wonder if the Tigers will begin to feel the pressure of an undefeated season.

For Mark Richt and Georgia, I think they are in a great situation (or as good as it can be having to face LSU). The Georgia fan base is ecstatic with the current 10 game winning streak and the goal was to win the SEC East and see what could happen after that. A season where the Dawgs are playing for a championship and record victories against Tennessee, Auburn, Florida, & Georgia Tech will provide Mark Richt with some much-needed job security. Now, unlike the pressure filled game to open the season, UGA can head to the Georgia Dome and have some fun. Let it all hang out and see what happens - it's not like anyone actually expects them to win anyway. It reminds me of when VCU made the Final Four this past season and Shaka Smart told his team, "Now that we've shocked the world and made it here. Let's go try and win the * thing!"

Go Dawgs!

Helping the Market

City Market Building

The re-opening of the City Market Building in downtown Roanoke has added a new set of restaurant possibilities for a weekday lunch. With my office being just a short walk over the railroad tracks, I can be downtown in less than five minutes, and the market building is a great spot to grab something quick. Although they currently only have four restaurants, I'm excited about the plans for the future with the new places and types of food that will be available. So far, I've tried three of the four restaurants in the building and I'd say Allsports Cafe on the Market has emerged as my early favorite.

I was biased when I heard Allsports Cafe would be opening a new location downtown because I was familiar with their food. They serve great wings and are one of the cooler local sports bars in the area, so I figured they would be successful in the market building. It's interesting to see them in the market building in a food court style set-up instead of as a sports bar, but I'm pretty sure they have plans to expand and utilize more space in the future. For now, they are essentially a carryout location.

The menu isn't quite as big as the other two Allsports Cafe locations, but it still features many of their most popular items. This location serves wings, sandwiches, wraps, burgers, salads, and a few other things, and most of the menu items are served as a combo, which means they come with fries and a drink. For such a small kitchen space, it's impressive to watch the staff prepare the food fresh and get it out very quickly. As of now, they appear to be the market building standard for handling a long line and getting people's food to them in a short amount of time (someone from Queso Southwestern should come over and take notes).

Allsports Cafe on the Market

I've liked everything I've ever ordered from Allsports Cafe, but I also haven't branched out with the menu. I think the wings are the best I've had in Roanoke, and it appears many Roanoke residents agree. Allsports Cafe was recently given the honor of having the "Best Wings" in The Roanoker Magazine's 2011 Dining Awards. The honey BBQ sauce is my favorite for the wings. Another item I'd recommend would be the chicken tender wrap. The description in the menu says the tenders are tossed in their hot sauce, but this can be substituted for any other sauce - again, I chose the honey BBQ. The honey bbq chicken tenders with the lettuce, tomato, cheese, and ranch dressing is a great combination. Throw in a side of hot french fries and a cold drink and you've got a great (though unhealthy) lunch. And for a price of around $8, it's a relatively good deal.

I think Allsports Cafe on the Market is a great addition to the downtown dining scene. Sometimes people are overwhelmed with all the varieties of cuisines in the market area, and they just want simple American food. It can't get much more American than burgers, wings, and sandwiches and they serve you with a smile. If the other restaurants can be as successful as Allsports Cafe already appears to be, the City Market Building will again become a popular place to be.

A Charming Bistro

Yesterday, we made another trip to Lexington to see my cousin play soccer. He's on the team at Washington & Lee and they had their first game in the ODAC Conference Tournament. Turns out it would be their only game in the tournament as they lost 1-0, which ends the season. Following the soccer, he recommended we try a new restaurant and we hoped the results would be better than the game.

After reading previous reviews on Urbanspoon, I had high hopes for Bistro on Main. And from visiting their website, it seemed like a place that would have a nice atmosphere with quality food without being overly fancy. It didn't disappoint. If I had to describe it in one word, I would say "cozy." It's not a big restaurant, but it's not so small you feel claustrophobic. The lighting, service, and atmosphere combine to create an environment that is very welcoming, yet not overwhelming. It's casual and classy.

I was very impressed with the service we received. Our waitress was friendly and fun without being obnoxious or awkward, which can be a fine line with good service. She made sure our glasses were full, checked on us regularly throughout the meal, and brought our dishes at the appropriate time. I wish I could remember her name to give her the credit she deserves. She did an excellent job throughout the meal.

Grilled Salmon

The food was on par with the service. First, they serve homemade beer bread to your table before your food arrives. This beer bread was heavenly. A perfect crust with a sweet flavor that almost reminds you of cake. After tasting the bread and needing a second to return to Earth, I had a difficult time deciding what to order. The menu featured a variety of dishes I would have enjoyed, but I went with the grilled salmon. The salmon was topped with a mango salsa and served with sides of mashed sweet potatoes and cooked spinach. The salmon with the mango salsa was delicious. The combination of grilled fish and fruit (especially citrus fruits) is one of my favorites, and the Bistro on Main did a great job preparing this dish. Initially, I was skeptical of the sides when I saw them on the plate, but they won me over in a hurry. The cooked spinach had delicious flavor and the mashed sweet potatoes had very good texture and hints of cinnamon. Two sides I'd consider as perfect for fall weather paired with a fish and topping that reminds me of summer. Maybe not everyone's preference, but I loved it.

Near the end of the meal, I realized why Bistro on Main seemed so familiar. It reminded me of Last Resort Grill, one of the best restaurants in Athens. Both have a cool atmosphere and serve awesome food with fresh ingredients. To find a place in this area that would remind me of Last Resort is a huge compliment to Bistro on Main. After this experience, the other restaurants in Lexington have a very difficult standard to meet.

Try some Thai

I love Asian food. When you get past the american-ized dishes of general tso's chicken and random sushi rolls, Asian food features a ton of unique and fresh flavors. And while I'll always enjoy a good Chinese or Japanese meal, I think Thai might be favorite type of Asian cuisine. Good Thai is usually full or flavor, including various uses of nuts, citrus, and other spices and herbs, which make for some very interesting meals. So when I had a chance to try Thai Continental Cuisine a few weeks ago, I was very excited about it.

Thai Continental Cuisine is located in downtown Roanoke on Market Street, right across from the newly re-opened City Market Building. There's nothing flashy about the entrance and they don't really advertise, but don't let the exterior or lack of a marketing plan deceive you. The interior of the restaurant is very clean and the staff, who all appeared to be Asian, seem intent on creating an enjoyable experience by serving great Thai food. It's the type of place where your waiter might not speak in perfect English, which gives you confidence in the authenticity of the food.

Drunken Noodles

When we arrived for lunch around noon, there were a few open tables but the restaurant quickly filled up. It's obvious this is a very popular weekday lunch spot for all the people who work downtown. They offer a good variety of lunch entrees along with their regular entrees, soups, salads, appetizers, etc. and most of the lunch entrees are priced around $7-$9. All the entrees are also served with a small salad, making the price and value very reasonable. To start the meal, we ordered the pork dumplings as an appetizer. One twist I liked about the dumplings was the addition of fresh cilantro, which added another layer of flavor I wasn't expecting. While I had a tough time choosing my entree, I decided to order the Drunken Noodles with chicken - and I requested the dish be prepared with a mild amount of spice/heat. This dish was great! It was loaded with chicken and fresh vegetables (peppers, onions, tomatoes) and the Thai rice noodles were cooked perfectly. There was a good amount of spice, but not so much that I was unable to taste the rest of the ingredients. I'd highly recommend this dish, especially to someone who might be unfamiliar with Thai cuisine.

My only complaint about eating at Thai Continental Cuisine would be the amount of time it took us to eat there. As I mentioned, we arrived at noon and had a tough time making it out before 1pm. Although the servers were friendly, it took them a while to get our orders and our entrees seemed to be pretty slow getting to our table. I'm all about having freshly prepared food, but most downtown restaurants are really good about being able to move tables through in under an hour, which people need so they can get back to work. I'd think Thai Continental would be no different and we just happened to catch them on a slower day. It definitely wouldn't keep me from going back.

Thai food is so underrated. If you've never had it, you really should give it a try. I know there are a few other Thai restaurants in Roanoke and I look forward to trying them. If they are anything like Thai Continental, Roanoke is in very good shape.

A Pitt Stop

One of the nice things about all the daily deal companies that have become so popular is they feature businesses you might not have previously known about. For me, an example of this was Pitt Boss BBQ. I don't spend a lot of time in southwest Roanoke, and I rarely make it out past the corner of Brambleton and 419, so I'd never seen Pitt Boss before going a few weeks ago. Of course, we went a little overboard and had two of the daily deal specials, which led to eating there twice over the span of about a week.

The design of the building is interesting. I don't think I've ever been to a BBQ restaurant with a log cabin exterior - it seemed like the architect was a big fan of Lincoln Logs. And the aroma as you come into the parking lot is enough to make your stomach growl. The interior of the restaurant is divide into two parts - one as a sports bar and the other as a casual dining room. Both sides feature multiple TV's, which would make Pitt Boss a good place to watch a game - a relaxed atmosphere that wouldn't be too crowded or loud. The service was good and the kitchen seemed to be able to have the orders ready in a reasonable amount of time.

The two nights we went for dinner, they were running a special on half-price hush puppies and hot dogs. I wasn't interested in the hot dogs, but the hush puppies served as a good appetizer. They are served in a giant, hollowed out beer bottle with a side of butter, which makes for a cool presentation. The hush puppies are served piping hot, but have good sweetness and crunch along with a hint of onion (although not overpowering). The first time I ate at Pitt Boss, I ordered the smoked turkey sandwich on a pretzel roll. The meat on the sandwich is served dry because they offer a variety of sauces on the table, and I had a tough time choosing because I liked most of them. I can't remember the name of the sauce I had but it had a nice sweet and smoky flavor. The sandwich was also topped with lettuce, tomato, and cheese, but the best part about it was the pretzel roll, which gave it a nice twist a difference in texture. It also helped hold the sandwich together, which was loaded with meat and toppings. The sandwich came with a choice of a side and I picked the collard greens, which again had smoky flavor - perfect for a BBQ restaurant. The second time I was there, I ordered a platter with smoked chicken, cole slaw, and collard greens again. Again, the meat had good flavor and tenderness and I loved both of the sides.

The prices at Pitt Boss are very reasonable. Most sandwiches and entrees are under $10, which makes them cheaper than Blues BBQ and a menu that has more variety than what'd you get at Henry's Memphis BBQ. I don't think I'll become a regular at Pitt Boss because of the location, but it will definitely serve as a good change of pace from time to time.

Down by the Bayou!

Cajun cuisine has arrived in the Roanoke Valley and it appears it's here to stay. The Quarter is owned and was started by Chip Moore, who has already had great success with two of south Roanoke's most popular restaurants, Annie Moore's Irish Pub and the Brambleton Deli. Now, Moore is introducing a New Orleans-style menu and atmosphere to downtown Roanoke and it seems to be a big hit. The Quarter was recently voted as the winner of the best new restaurant in town in The Roanoker magazine's 2011 Readers' Choice Dining Awards.

I've been to The Quarter a couple times over the past month, and I like the addition it brings to the downtown dining scene. The atmosphere, while a bit cliche, is really cool. Lots of hardwood, an impressive chandelier over the bar, and a beautiful outdoor courtyard provide an enjoyable environment whether you choose to dine in-or-outside. The service has been good both times I've been there, once for lunch and once for dinner, and the servers were friendly and prompt.

The Courtyard

When I went for dinner, I was very impressed with the food. I ordered sweet tea to drink and thought it was great - sweeter than most people like but perfect for my tastes. For an appetizer, we tried the crawfish tails, which are fried and served with a remoulade sauce. The crawfish were nicely breaded and had a good salty taste, which paired well with the creamy remoulade sauce. I had the jambalaya as my entree, which had good spice (both heat and flavor) and a very generous portion. The jambalaya had shrimp (which were rather small), sausage, chicken, rice, and a variety of vegetables. The flavors mixed well together and I ended up taking half of it home. I scaled it back when I went for lunch and ordered a shrimp po'boy. The sandwich was decent but rather skimpy on the shrimp and the bread overpowered everything else. A few more shrimp on the sandwich and it would have been a winner.

The value for The Quarter isn't bad. For lunch, they have a good selection of entrees in the $6-$10 price range and dinner entrees fit more in the $10-$15 range. They also have a nice looking brunch menu, which is available on the weekend. The menu has a number of things I look forward to trying, whether it's for brunch, lunch, or dinner. After receiving a few less than favorable reviews when they first opened, I think The Quarter has been able to iron out most of the kinks and are now well on their way to becoming a downtown staple.

Don't Attend Church!

I'm long overdue with posting on the blog and I have some serious catching up to do. Lots going on in sports. Lots of food and restaurants to review. And lots of stuff happening in life. So, I'm hoping to get back into posting more regularly. First up, a needed review on a Roanoke restaurant.

A few weeks ago, I had lunch with a few people at 24 Church Avenue Italian Sideboard & Spirits in downtown Roanoke. Having previously checked out the restaurant's website, I was intrigued by their $5.99 Italian lunch buffet and their famous giant slices of pizza. I mentioned this to my dad and he rounded up some people from his office and we decided to make our way over to Church Avenue to give it a try.

I should have known we were making a mistake when we walked in the door. First, there was a sign on the door saying they could only accept cash - which isn't too strange but did seem rather weird for a place that also serves as a bar at night. Next, the decor and layout of the place was terrible. There is a pool table as you enter and a dimly lit dining area with basic chairs and tables, and on one side of the room is a bar that looks like it was thrown together with scrap pieces of wood from a construction project. As if these weren't strong enough hints, there was NO ONE eating in the restaurant when we walked in at a little after 12pm, which is the prime hour for lunch spots downtown. Again, it was stupid of me to not pick up on the warning signs but I told myself, "maybe the atmosphere is terrible but the food makes up for it."

Our group picked out a table and then made our way to the "buffet." It's difficult to describe the layout of everything because it was so ridiculous, but one side featured salad, the middle area featured "entrees," and the other side featured pizza. The salad was probably the highlight of the meal. It was just mixed greens, like the kind you'd get in a container at the grocery store, and the staff at 24 Church managed to get something right in just getting those into dishes for people to serve themselves.

The "entree" portion of the buffet was a disgrace. First, everything is protected by an enclosure - so you have to hand your plate over to a wonderfully friendly (NOT!) server who tells you what everything is and asks you what you'd like. At an ITALIAN buffet, he told me my choices were: lasagna, spaghetti, chicken parmesan, macaroni & cheese, beef & broccoli, roasted potatoes, and hot wings. Yes, beef & broccoli and hot wings. Although nothing looked appetizing, I tried the lasagna and chicken parmesan. Another mistake. The lasagna tasted crusty, old, and dry - I would say it was clearly frozen lasagna but that would be an insult to all frozen lasagna dishes. I'm really not sure how 24 Church managed to get it to taste so bad. As for the chicken parmesan, I'm still not sure what the meat was, but there's no way it was chicken and the marinara sauce was non-existent.

And I'm sure this is no surprise, but the pizza was another huge disappointment. The crust was paper thin - too thin to be able to hold any toppings, so the chef avoids this problem by not putting any toppings on the pizza. No sauce. Barely any cheese (or what seemed to be dried cheese powder). And toppings that fall off as soon as you try to pick up a slice. Of course, it had no flavor other than a slight hint of wax paper, which might have been used in the making of the crust. By the end of the meal, I was angry with myself for having stayed in this restaurant for longer than three seconds and really felt like throwing up.

I wanted to write a review about this place to get the word out, but it really is difficult to describe how bad it truly was. I've seen more appetizing food on the streets of Haiti. However, one of my favorite moments came from the people I was eating with who were also grossed out. At one point, one girl said, "I think that's a live wire that's just dangling over the buffet." She was right. And later we heard one of the servers get visibly angry when other people walked into the restaurant, which forced him to yell into the back, "WE NEED TO MAKE MORE FOOD!" I guess they only had one microwave available in the kitchen.

I've never said this about a restaurant, but I believe this place should be investigated. Promoting themselves as a restaurant that makes everything from scratch is a lie. They can't honestly be trying to make it as a dining establishment, because that's just unbelievable. There might be a lot more going on behind their black curtain to the kitchen other than serving up disgusting food. This is, by far, the worst restaurant I've ever been to in Roanoke. I don't care what your religion is, don't ever go to 24 Church!

Sabbatical

Without warning or planning, I seem to have taken a sabbatical from blogging. I wasn't tired of writing and I didn't run out of topics to write about - I simply haven't been posting on the blog lately. Our internet can be a bit tricky, which can make it difficult to get a blog posted. We have had a busy stretch over the past couple weeks with various things going on during the week and traveling a bit on the weekends. And, I have seen my responsibilities at work increase, which is a lot of fun, but causes me to have no interest in being on the computer when I get home. Not to mention, the weather over the past couple weeks has been absolutely gorgeous - seeing the leaves change in Southwest Virginia during the fall is one of the prettiest things you'll see. So, instead of just sitting around on my computer, I've been out enjoying life. So, my apologies for the lack of recent posts. I'm sorry...not really! :)

Week Five Football

There are some great games featuring Top 15 teams this weekend. As the college football season moves deeper into conference play, we'll begin to see the contenders who will compete for a spot in the BCS Championship game. I could have easily picked 3 intriguing games from the SEC this weekend, but there are a couple other match ups that could turn into instant classics.

#13 Clemson vs. #11 Virginia Tech, Blacksburg, VA. - It's time for the Virginia Tech football season to begin. After four games to start the season against cupcakes, the Hokies will face a different kind of test with Clemson. Finally a game Virginia Tech fans can be excited about. For Clemson, this is their opportunity to really prove something. Beating an overrated Auburn team and a beat up Florida State team on your home field  doesn't say a whole lot. The play of Tajh Boyd and the emergence of Sammy Watkins has been huge for Clemson and the play of these two will be critical to Clemson's success. If Boyd can run the offense and deal with the Virginia Tech crowd and Watkins can find some holes in the Virginia Tech secondary, Clemson could pull the upset. And if David Wilson can have a big performance for Virginia Tech, it could be a long night for Dabo Swinney.

#3 Alabama vs. #12 Florida, Gainesville, FL. - Alabama takes it's freight train of a team to a showdown in the Swamp against the Gators. Similar to Virginia Tech, Florida has been able to test drive its new offense against some weak opponents. Now, they get to see how it works against the Alabama house of horrors. I can't wait to see the head games that take place between Nick Saban and Charlie Weiss. Saban seemed to solve Bobby Petrino and the Arkansas offense with relative ease last weekend, so we'll see if the speed of Florida can make a difference. This will also be the first major test for Alabama's quarterback, A.J. McCarron. If McCarron can manage the game and avoid turnovers, Alabama can rely on Trent Richardson and the powerful Crimson Tide offensive line. And if Richardson gets going again, the Tide will continue to roll.

#8 Nebraska vs. #7 Wisconsin, Madison, WI. - This is quite a welcome party for Nebraska to the Big 10. Playing against Wisconsin for a night game in Madison is never easy and the Badgers have been playing at an extremely high level. To me, the key for both of these teams will be the play of the quarterbacks. Taylor Martinez has the ability to carry the Nebraska offense or run it into the ground. He needs to be able to make big plays without making big mistakes. On the other end, Russell Wilson just needs to keep doing what he's been doing for Wisconsin. If Wilson is accurate and effective with the play action pass, Wisconsin should be in very good shape.

Taste of Italy

Last weekend, we made the short trip up to Lexington to visit my cousin. He is a freshman at Washington & Lee and playing on the soccer team, so we are trying to get to as many of his games as we can. There isn't a lot going on in Lexington, but there are a number of little restaurants scattered around town and we tried an Italian place after his game last Saturday.

If it isn't obvious by their sign, Salerno is a small, family owned restaurant in downtown Lexington. The atmosphere is very casual - much more of a local pizza pub/sandwich shop than a fancy Italian restaurant. There is a TV in one corner of the room and sports memorabilia all over the walls. Actually, it seems like they are trying to put up t-shirts from as many universities as possible as a sort of collection. You place your order at the counter, seat yourself, and the food is served to your table.

The menu is full of Italian style food. They have traditional Italian entrees (lasagna, ravioli, pasta, etc.) as well as pizza, sandwiches, calzones, & salads. Most items are priced between $7-$15 and the portions are more than generous. I decided to order the Meatball Parmigiana sub, which was 9 inch. long. The sub is filled with homemade meatballs and covered in melted mozzarella cheese and marinara sauce. The meatballs and sauce had good flavor from the Italian spices, but I would have liked it more if the bread was more toasted. I was also very impressed with the pizzas and calzones I saw other people ordering. Both were HUGE and loaded with toppings and people weren't leaving many leftovers on their tables.

In terms of Italian restaurants in Lexington, I don't know if Salerno has a ton of competition. It's obvious that many of their regular customers are students at W&L and VMI and they do a good job of offering various specials for really good deals. They also serve a lunch buffet that I would assume is very good. In all, I'm glad we were able to find a good local Italian place in a space where we wouldn't expect it.

Conference Play is Underway: Week Four

Before I get to the three games I am looking forward to this weekend, what the heck has happened to N.C. State? Has it really been that long since Philip Rivers and T.A. McLendon had the Wolfpack competing at the top of the ACC? Last night, N.C. State was DOMINATED by Cincinnati and the 30 point margin doesn't indicated how bad it really was. I'm guessing there will be a new head coach in Raleigh next year. Now, onto the weekend's games.

Trent Richardson shedding defenders.

#14 Arkansas vs. #3 Alabama, Tuscaloosa, AL. - The offensive wizard against the defensive mastermind. Bobby Petrino and his high powered offenses have never defeated Nick Saban. It will be interesting to see how Arkansas quarterback, Tyler Wilson, handles starting in his first SEC road game and the Crimson Tide secondary. It would help Wilson a great deal if Arkansas can manage to establish some sort of running game with Ronnie Wingo Jr. On the other side of the ball, Arkansas must figure out a way to stop the two-headed monster rushing attack of Trent Richardson and Eddie Lacy. In three years of watching Alabama, I still don't know if I've seen Trent Richardson tackled by one defender. Arkansas must stop the run and force A.J. McCarron to throw the ball for the Alabama offense. In their first three games, Alabama has yet to really be tested. We'll see if Arkansas can put up a fight.

Justin Blackmon is scary good.

#7 Oklahoma State vs. #8 Texas A&M, College Station, TX. - Defense could be optional in this one. Oklahoma State comes into this game averaging 52 points per game. Texas A&M is averaging 41.5. Last year, Oklahoma State won 38-35. On paper, you would think this will be an absolute shootout. With all the hype about the offenses, we'll probably get a turnover filled battle full of field possession and field goals. I hope not. There will be a tremendous amount of offensive talent on the field. Oklahoma State wide receiver, Justin Blackmon, is a legitimate Heisman Trophy candidate and Texas A&M has great offensive balance with Ryan Tannehill and Cyrus Gray. As is the case when good teams play each other, limiting mistakes and capitalizing on turnovers will be huge. The crowd at Kyle Field could also be a major factor. 

Ga. Tech is annoyed with defense.

North Carolina vs. #25 Georgia Tech, Atlanta, GA. - In their first three games, Georgia Tech has put up video game statistics. They lead the nation in points per game (59!) and total offense per game (675 yards!). Actually, that's even hard to do in a video game unless you play quarters that are longer than 5 minutes, which means you're lame anyway. I heard that Roddy Jones was tweeting about how amazing this offense is and couldn't believe he gets to see it, which prompted an angry Joe Hamilton to call in to a sports radio show in Atlanta and chastise Jones for not being more involved in the offense. We're still awaiting word on Reggie Ball's opinion because he forgot which day he was supposed to call in to the show. This weekend, Georgia Tech will finally face a true opponent. I look forward to seeing if North Carolina's speed can present a challenge to the Georgia Tech triple option.

Burger in the Square

In honor of May being National Burger Month, I'm giving a shout out to one of the best places to get a burger in Roanoke. I hadn't been to this place before a month ago, but I now consider myself a big fan of Burger in the Square. Burger in the Square used to be located in the Market Building (which is being remodeled) in downtown Roanoke, but has moved to Brambleton Avenue and has, ironically, kept the same name. They have been known for years as being one of the best places to get a burger in the Roanoke area and have received numerous dining awards from The Roanoker magazine.

The new location on Brambleton isn't exactly spacious - it can probably fit 20-30 people, and that's not necessarily comfortably - and there's not a ton of parking. There seems to be a constant flow of people coming in and I think they do a good percentage of take-out orders as well. We have been fortunate to not have to wait for a table the past couple times, but we were lucky and there's not really seating for any more than groups of six.

There's not a ton of variety on the menu - but they are known for their burgers and they do a great job with them. You can create your own burger with a variety of toppings or you can get a specialty burger with a combination of toppings they have already chosen. I've done one of each and thought both of them were excellent. The beef tasted great, the toppings were fresh, and the burger was huge! I recommend The Dreamer with bacon, grilled onions & mushrooms, lettuce, tomato, & cheddar cheese. They could have served me two pieces of bread with the grilled onions and I would have been happy. Also, the waffle fries that you can order as a side are very good. I haven't tried the other things on the menu, but they serve chicken sandwiches, hot dogs, grilled cheese, soup, chili, & salad.

The prices aren't bad at about $6 for a burger and fries, and it's around $7 for a combo with a drink. And I don't know if this is permanent or a short-term promotion but they offer buy one-get one half off burgers on Saturday nights. The service is good and they get things out as quick as they can while continuing to serve fresh food. I like the well-known burger chains like Five Guys and Red Robin that are in Roanoke, but I always prefer to find a local place if they serve great food and Burger in the Square fits the bill. It doesn't matter if the name no longer makes sense, I'll keep going regardless of where they are located!

Fork It Over

Fork in the Alley isn't the easiest place to find because it's tucked away in an alley. Go figure! However, once you're able to find this quirky little pub in Crystal Spring, you have a chance to enjoy some very good food.

F.I.T.A Burger

I've been to F.I.T.A. multiple times, and most of the time everything has been very good. There was one occasion when the service was slow and our waitress was rather rude, but that usually isn't a problem. Because of the layout (lots of outdoor seating spread out over different parts of their property) and the small kitchen, I understand why service can be slow when there are big crowds. Fortunately, we've happened to be there at times when the crowds aren't bad at all. On our most recent visit, we took Nicole's parents for a Sunday lunch. We had the opportunity to sit outside and enjoy the beautiful weather, and it ended up being a great meal everyone enjoyed.

In my opinion, the menu offers a good amount of variety. They make a number of different dishes - making it easy for everyone to find something they'd like - but the menu isn't so big that you wonder how there can be much quality or attention to detail in any of the food. There are sandwiches, burgers, hot dogs, salads, pizzas, and an assortment of entrees to choose from.

Capri Pizza

For my meal, I decided to have the F.I.T.A. burger - a lean burger with cheddar, lettuce, tomato, & onion. It was a good example of using simple ingredients but creating a burger with great flavor. Nicole and her dad both ordered salads they really enjoyed, and Nicole's mom had a pizza. The pizza took the prize as the favorite dish at the table. The pizza was topped with pepperoni, sausage, olives, mushrooms, and onions and it was cooked in a brick oven. The crust had that great, crispy flavor that comes from a brick oven and the toppings tasted delicious. It was the type of pizza you know you should stop eating because your full, but you can't because it tastes too good to stop. I'm thinking Fork in the Alley can make a strong claim for having the best pizza in Roanoke. I'm not sure I've found any better.

Fork in the Alley is also Roanoke's first certified green restaurant. They have placed an emphasis on serving quality ingredients and running their business in a way the negates their harm on the environment. The prices are reasonable, the flavors are great, and the atmosphere is cool. It's a hidden location, but the food stands out.

Week Three in College Football

Regarding the three games I said would be worth watching last weekend, I ask, "WERE YOU NOT ENTERTAINED?!" Georgia and South Carolina put on quite a show. Texas came up big in the 4th quarter against BYU. And USC made a key special teams play to put the game away against Utah. I really don't think this weekend will be as exciting, but here are three more I'm looking forward to.

Can Maryland top these?

No. 18 West Virginia vs. Maryland - College Park, MD. - If nothing else, everyone is excited to see what uniforms the Terrapins will break out for this game. After surprising everyone with their uniforms for the opener against Miami, the wardrobe choices for the Terps have been quite the buzz. Regardless of the outfits, I think this game will reveal a lot about these two teams. How will the West Virginia offense fare against a legitimate opponent? Can West Virginia avoid the slow starts that have plagued them in their previous two games? Will Maryland quarterback, Danny O'Brien, be able to build on his strong performance against Miami in the season opener? If Maryland is able to knock off the Mountaineers and go to 2-0, fans in College Park should feel very good about the direction of the program under Randy Edsall.

No. 21 Auburn vs. Clemson - Clemson, SC. - Clemson fans are probably still upset about the outcome of last year's game against Auburn. Like nearly every other opponent the Auburn faced, Clemson had the Tigers on the ropes before giving up a lead and watching Cam Newton lead his team to an improbable comeback victory. This season, it has been the same song with a different cast of characters for Auburn. In their first two games, Gene Chizik's team has narrowly escaped defeat by making clutch plays down the stretch. On one hand, you feel like Auburn has played with fire for the past 15 games and their luck is bound to run out at some point. On the other hand, you think Auburn has now been in so many close games that the pressure doesn't affect them anymore. The first two victories came in the friendly confines of Jordan-Hare Stadium. We'll see how much of their mojo travels with them for a road game at Clemson.

Even the mascot was intimidating in the 1990s.

No. 1 Oklahoma vs. No. 5 Florida State - Tallahassee, FL. - It must be nice to pull for a team that isn't afraid to play a strong non-conference schedule. Georgia's Athletic Director, Greg McGarity, has basically said the Dawgs are finished playing tough non-conference opponents while he has a role in the scheduling. Way to expect greatness! Saturday night, Oklahoma heads to Tallahassee for a game that will capture most of the attention of the college football audience. The game is in primetime on ABC and I'm sure people at Florida State are talking about this game as an opportunity to show that the 'Noles are back. If you ask some, this could be the match up of the best offense in the country (Oklahoma) against the best defense in the country (FSU). I don't know if that's the case, but I do know there will be a LOT of talent on the field Saturday night. In my opinion, I don't know if Florida State will ever get back to the level the program was at in the 1990's. The talent and intimidation level of those teams was incredible. They beat teams before the games even started with the way they could intimidate an opponent in warm ups. You never expected them to lose a game. Ever. Actually, it's the same feeling I get when I watch Alabama play.

Wild at Heart

Last week, I had the opportunity to have lunch at Wildflour. I had been to Wildflour a LONG time ago and am kicking myself for not having returned sooner.

The restaurant is located in the Old Southwest neighborhood of Roanoke on 4th street and couldn't have a more charming spot. It has the perfect, quaint neighborhood vibe that fits so well in this section of town. They offer a few tables in front of the restaurant for outdoor seating and they have comfortably sized dining room - I was actually surprised at how big it is. When I went for lunch on a Friday, it was around 1:30 and there was still a steady flow of people coming in and out. Parking can be a bit tricky, but it isn't too difficult to find a spot on one of the surrounding side streets.

When I started to look through the menu, I was again surprised at how big it was. I had always known Wildflour for their baked goods: breads, cakes, etc. I assumed the sandwiches would be very good, but I didn't realize there would be so many other entree selections. They had an entire page of vegetarian entrees, and I was very tempted to try the Evie's Red Beans and Rice. However, I was in the mood for something lighter and decided to have a turkey sandwich and cup of soup. The sandwich was good, especially with the homemade bread, but the soup was the star. The soup for that day was Potato Feta, and I was ready to lick my cup clean by the end of it. It was served hot and the feta wasn't too overpowering, and the fresh herbs were unbelievably flavorful. It was the best cup of soup I've had in a long time.

Because I didn't have Nicole with me, I decided to pass on dessert. They have a reputation for having the best cakes in Roanoke, and they are where I first learned about Better Than Sex Cake. When I return with Nicole, I'm sure trying some of the cakes for dessert will be a requirement. Can't complain about that.

In my opinion, the prices were pretty standard. It costs $8.25 for the soup & sandwich, which is comparable to the You Pick 2 deal at Panera. I'd take the turkey sandwich at Panera over Wildflour's but the Potato Feta soup blows everything else out of the water. And most of the other lunch entrees and sandwiches appeared to be in the $6-$9 range.

Roanoke has something special in Wildflour. The owners do a terrific job and you can see their hard work shine through the quality of their food. I enjoyed everything about my experience and plan to return again very soon.