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.

No Joke

Novak Djokovic defeated Rafael Nadal yesterday to win the 2011 U.S. Open, making it his third major title of the year. Djokovic took down Nadal in four sets and maintained his firm grip on the top spot in the tennis rankings. Not only has Djokovic established himself as the best player in the world, his performance in the U.S. Open cemented a place as one of the greatest individual seasons in the history of men's tennis.

A few years ago, the only topic of conversation in men's tennis was the rivalry between Roger Federer and Rafael Nadal. And even that wasn't particularly interesting for a variety of reasons. It wasn't a major rivalry because the two like each other too much. They were both dominant on different surfaces - Nadal on clay and Federer on grass. Things really only seemed to get exciting in the big matches on hard courts. Insert: Novak Djokovic.

This Serbian brings a different dimension to the elite level of men's tennis. Djokovic has transformed himself from being a talented player with work ethic and other mental weaknesses, into a confident player with the ability to hit any shot on any surface. No one ever questioned his talent or his shot-making skills. People doubted him because of his tendency to withdraw from matches due to mysterious injuries or just mail in his performance once he would trail. I think he's dealt with that in the easiest way you can - don't trail in matches.

"Not Djokovic again!"

With his win Monday, Djokovic brought his 2011 record to 64-2, which is absurd. His only two losses of the season have come at the hands of Roger Federer and Andy Murray, two of the top players in the game. He won the Australian Open, Wimbledon, and now the U.S. Open in 2011 - along with SEVEN other tournaments. Before losing to Federer in the semifinals of the French Open, Djokovic had a 43 match winning streak. His play this season has been nothing short of dominant. He even has a chance to finish the season with the best record in the modern era - John McEnroe went 82-3 in 1984 but only won two major championships.

The craziest thing to me about Novak Djokovic is he seems to now be entering his prime. At 24, this is his time to shine. Federer is on the downside of his career. Nadal has trouble staying healthy with his violent and aggressive style of play. And Djokovic now seems to be in Rafa's head. While Andy Murray seems to be the new Andy Roddick - big game but can't finish in the majors. Djokovic is the most complete player in tennis. He is the model young players should be using to perfect their strokes. Great server. Beautiful ground strokes. Amazing returner of serves. And solid around the net. If he can stay healthy, he has all the talent to win many more major championships.

Before, opponents used to think they can get in The Joker's head. Now, he blocks out any of the distractions and can't hear the criticism. Maybe he can't hear it because he's too busy polishing his championship trophies.

Andale-jandro's

Nicole's parents came to visit over Labor Day weekend and it was the first time they'd been to Roanoke. I had this grand idea of planning the weekend with unique activities in the area and trying to act like the perfect local tour guide. As a way to kick off the weekend, I thought everyone would enjoy going to Catawba Mountain for a Saturday morning hike up McAfee Knob. The weather was nice, the views are amazing, and I thought it would only take a couple hours and have us ready to enjoy lunch somewhere in downtown Roanoke. Five hours later, when were exhausted and still hiking down the mountain, I realized it didn't work out the way I was hoping. Starving for food and wanting something cold to drink, we found the closest parking spot we could find to the restaurant and limped our way to Alejandro's.

From what I've read and the people I've talked to, Alejandro's seems to be the most popular Mexican restaurant in Roanoke. We had been one time before for lunch and remembered it being good - and it's always crowded - so we decided it would be a good place to take Nicole's parents, who love Mexican food. The restaurant was about half full when we arrived, but I was surprised they were even half full since it was around 4:00. We loaded up on chips and all the different types of salsa from the salsa bar and attempted to re-hydrate after our trek on the Trail while we looked over the menu.

I'll admit that I'm a weakling when it comes to handling levels of spice/heat, but I had a hard time with most of the different types of salsa. I can normally handle medium and mild salsas from most restaurants, but I was struggling with every flavor from Alejandro's except for the creamy salsa (almost dressing) that reminded me of El Rodeo. Even the Pico de Gallo tasted like it was loaded with jalapenos. I'm not sure if it depends on who makes the salsa on a given day but someone was a fan of adding extra heat.

Photo courtesy of The Roanoke Times.

For an entree, I decided to order the California style burrito. The burrito was filled grilled chicken, black beans, rice, pico de gallo, chipotle taco sauce, cheese, and guacamole. It was good and very filling - but again with the spice! The pico and the chipotle sauce had me pounding water during the entire meal. For $7.25 for a burrito and bottomless chips and salsa, it's not a bad deal. However, I'd say the flavors and ingredients of the burrito from Alejandro's can't hold a candle to a burrito from Chipotle.

Nicole's parents loved everything about Alejandro's. They were excited about being able to enjoy some cold beer, chips and salsa, along with tacos and nachos. Nicole's dad was a big fan of the chili lime tacos and her mom really liked the nachos. And since they like spicy food, they thought everything had great flavor.

In all, Alejandro's accomplished the goal I was hoping for. It was a local restaurant in downtown Roanoke with reasonable prices and good food. Nicole's parents enjoyed their dishes, the atmosphere, and that we were able to relax after the brutal hike. Personally, I think I'll need to return again and order something else to get a more definitive opinion. For now, I'd consider myself 'undecided.'

Week 2 - Let's Go!

There are some very interesting match-ups this week in college football. I like that some teams are taking the challenge and playing some good non-conference opponents. Here are three games I'm most intrigued by this weekend:


Brigham Young vs. No. 24 Texas - Austin, TX - Brigham Young won an ugly game last week at Ole' Miss to get their first win as an independent. Now, they face a legitimate college football team. Playing on the road against Ole' Miss means a lot of beautiful women get to see you play. Playing on the road against a Texas team that is looking to bounce back after a down year will be a new challenge for Bronco Mendenhall. It'll be interesting to see if BYU can match the athleticism of Texas and if the Longhorns can limit their own mistakes.

It's put up or shut up for the O-line.

No. 12 South Carolina vs. Georgia - Athens, GA - For Mark Richt, this is it. There's really no other way to view this than a must-win game for Richt and the Georgia program. After all the talk of major offseason changes and a new attitude and commitment, the Bulldogs took a hard face-plant against Boise State. The offense showed glimpses of life in the second half against Boise State, but the offensive line needs to be much more physical to hold up against the South Carolina defensive line. As is the case with most SEC games, this one will be decided in the trenches. Can the Georgia defensive line put pressure on Stephen Garcia and neutralize Marcus Lattimore? And can the Georgia offensive line protect Aaron Murray from the great pass rushers of South Carolina. One thing is for certain - the winner of this game gets the inside track to the SEC Championship.

Utah vs. USC - Los Angeles, CA - I love this match-up. Could there be more of a contrast between the culture of two programs? USC is one of the most high-profile, flashy programs in the country. Utah goes about their business with very little national attention. USC has a young, arrogant coach who is disliked by most of the country. Most college football fans around the country can't even name Utah's coach. Both teams picked up wins against mediocre opponents last week, but this is a great way to kick off the new Pac-12.

Kick it Off!

It's time for another season of college football! One of the things I missed about not being in the U.S. last fall was the ability to watch football on Saturday afternoons. Because we were in Switzerland, I would stay up and try to follow games during the middle of the night and see if I could find any websites that were streaming games. I know this is hard to believe, but it wasn't quite the same. After losing last year, I'm definitely excited about getting this season started. Here are 3 games I'm looking forward to this weekend.

Will LaMichael James run wild?

#3 Oregon vs. #4 LSU - Cowboys Stadium - 8:00pm ET.
This is the game that is receiving all the hype. And with two preseason top 5 teams, it should be the one receiving the hype. ESPN's College Gameday will be set up in Dallas, and all the story lines surrounding LSU over the past few weeks have made this game even bigger. I'm looking forward to seeing the match up of Oregon's blazing offense against LSU's ferocious defense. And I'm interested to see which uniforms the Ducks break out. However, if this game ends up being lopsided and doesn't live up to expectations, I don't think the media should blame the losing team. Blame the media for screwing up with the USELESS preseason rankings.

#5 Boise St. vs. #19 Georgia - Georgia Dome - 8:00pm ET.
As a Georgia fan, this game brings some nervous excitement. I'm excited because I hope this is the beginning of a turnaround season for Mark Richt and the Bulldogs. I'm nervous because I'm worried Georgia might continue to struggle and be the first team from the SEC to lose to Boise State. It's a definite possibility. Boise State jumped all over Virginia Tech to start their opening game last season and the Hokies were unable to recover. I'm hoping Georgia will be the more physical team from the opening kick and be able to impose their will against the Broncos. I also hope Georgia's defense will be able to constantly put pressure on Kellen Moore. And please, NO STUPID PENALTIES!

#14 TCU vs. Baylor - Waco, TX - Friday, 8:00pm ET.

Can TCU stop Robert Griffin III?

If this game is anything like last season, it won't be exciting at all - TCU won 45-10. This year, they are playing at Baylor and the Horned Frogs no longer have Andy Dalton leading the team at quarterback. Instead, Baylor will be the team with the best quarterback and might have a dark horse Heisman candidate in Robert Griffin III. You know Gary Patterson will do a great job with the TCU defense so it'll be a fun match up to see how they handle Griffin and the duel-threat ability he provides. One amazing stat about TCU - they haven't lost a regular season game since 2008! Unbelievable.

Bad Form

Earlier this week, my dad and I decided to have lunch at Formosa. Normally, we head to Wasabi's for sushi, but wanted to change it up and give Formosa a shot. Formosa is located downtown on Campbell Avenue, between Alejandro's and Mill Mountain Coffee.

When we arrived around noon, the place was nearly empty. Business started to pick up about 30 minutes later but it was still nowhere near as busy as Wasabi's or some of the other popular downtown lunch locations. They offer outdoor seating as well as a dining room and sushi bar. The interior is very modern and clean looking - and I think they might become more of a lounge and club later at night.

The service was very good, which shouldn't be too difficult when there are so few people in the restaurant. Our waitress brought us hot towels as we looked over our menus and was friendly and prompt with everything during the meal. After the meal, she brought us hot towels and chocolate mints - a nice little touch.

All the extracurricular aspects of Formosa make it a nice place - but I wasn't impressed with the food or the prices. They have a nice selection of lunch dishes with different choices for sushi or cooked dishes like rice or noodles. I decided to have the Sushi Special with miso soup. The sushi special is a six-piece California roll and 4 pieces of nigiri that are selected by the chef - my four pieces were tuna, albacore tuna, flounder, and salmon. The soup that came out before the entree was good - served hot with plenty of flavor and not too salty, which can be a problem with miso soup. However, the sushi was a disappointment. The California roll lacked flavor because the crab meat in the roll tasted very pedestrian. The pieces of nigiri were very small and the rice began to crumble apart as soon as I would pick up a piece. Overall, the entire plate of food was small. The flavors were okay, but I found myself thinking, "that's it?" after I finished. Actually, the best part of the meal was the drink my dad ordered. If you haven't heard of bubble tea, you really should give it a try!

I'd compare the entire sushi experience to something similar you could get from the sushi counter at Kroger or Publix. And for $10.50 for the Sushi Special, I didn't think there was anything very special about it. I'm glad I gave Formosa a try because I'd been curious about how it compared to Wasabi's. Now, I know. Now, I appreciate Wasabi's even more.