Island Eating

I'm so far behind now with posting restaurant reviews that I can't worry about posting them in any sort of order. It'd be nice if I could write something roughly around the time when I eat at these restaurants, but alas...I'm just not that good! Between work, puppy training, traveling, and getting various other new technology toys (now a proud member of the iPhone family), writing blog posts has become more of a novelty concept for me. Luckily, eating has not!

A few weeks ago, my dad uttered a phrase I never thought I'd hear him say..."Want to try that Jamaican place out Shenandoah Avenue?" Uhhhh...heck yes! Depending on the type of person you are, this is the sort of restaurant you would drive by and either be really excited or really frightened. It is in an "interesting" part of town and there's not much in the way or advertising or marketing, but it definitely appeared to be authentic. The restaurant is called Little Jamaica, and they are serving up some unique Caribbean cuisine.

I had driven by Little Jamaica a couple times on the way to puppy obedience school and my dad had heard good things about it from one of his employees at work, so we decided to try it for lunch one day. He brought his employee along with us to help navigate the menu and we were the only people in the restaurant when we walked in. The menu featured an assortment of curry and stew dishes as well as a variety of meats, including chicken, fish, goat, and oxtail. I decided to have the Jerk Chicken, which came with black beans and rice, cabbage, and plantain chips.

After having eaten meals in various countries in the Caribbean, I can't deny that this dish was authentic. The jerk chicken had a strong amount of heat from the spices and the chicken was cooked on the bone, which meant having to deal with the bones while trying to eat. I mentioned I'd had a dining experience like this before, only it was in a slum town in South Africa called Ntabankulu. I never thought ANYTHING would remind of that place. The chicken was probably the least impressive part of the meal - there were too many bones and not enough edible meat, which made it not even worth the trouble. Again, probably a bit too authentic for my tastes. I tried some of my dad's oxtail and was much more impressed with the flavor and tenderness of his dish. However, the rice & beans and cabbage had good flavor and the portions were very well sized. It was a little expensive at around $9 for a plate, but I probably could have stretched it to two meals if I'd wanted to.

The restaurant offers very little in terms of atmosphere, and they appear to do a decent amount of takeout. We sat at a table outside and noticed a few people come pick up food and eat while sitting on the hoods of their cars - must be some sort of insider thing. I don't know if I would rush to bring a visitor here, but these are the sorts of restaurants that a give a town's dining scene true character. It's easy to find fancy and flashy restaurants when you hang out in the popular parts of town where everyone is trying to be seen. But it's more of an adventure to try the places that are full of character and off the beaten path. And Little Jamaica offers such an experience.

My Week in Pictures

The past week has been busy, crazy, and fun - all at the same time. There are times when a routine is helpful for being efficient and productive and organized. And there are other times when it's good to do something different, like taking a random trip, or enjoying a bizarre meal, or treating yourself...I did all three this past week. Here's some of the highlights in pictures:

Last Sunday, Nicole and I did something we never do...go to the movies. We don't feel like spending the money and we usually just rent things from the library. But we made an exception to go see The Hunger Games. We are big fans of the books and really enjoyed the movie. Already looking forward to the next one!

On Wednesday, Nicole and I drove to Richmond for the Virginia Food & Beverage Expo. This event featured hundreds of local food companies, many of them being small family businesses. We had a great time sampling their products and learning about their companies. It was also my first time hanging out in Richmond and it was a lot of fun - other than the miserable 8 hours of driving in one day.

Friday, I had lunch at a restaurant in Roanoke called Little Jamaica. I plan to write a full review, but I'll go ahead and say that this place had character. My jerk chicken and my dad's ox tail were legit...maybe even too legit. 

Yesterday, we went to Blacksburg and hung out at Virginia Tech's International Street Fair. As I wrote in yesterday's post, I was surprised at how big the event was and much diversity there was. I found out today that over 10,000 people attended the Fair and there were over 40 countries represented. I feel so cultured.

And then today, we did something I had been wanting to do for a long time - we hiked Mill Mountain. We started at the base of the mountain and made our way up to the Star. I wasn't able to get any good pictures but it was a good hike, minus all the bugs. To celebrate, we went downtown and enjoyed a snowball from Bayou Snowballs, another place I plan to write a review about soon.

I hope this coming week is just as fun!

Get Her to the Greek

Our Tuesday night schedule did not allow us the opportunity to celebrate Valentine's Day. So, Nicole and I decided to have a belated Valentine's Day celebration by having lunch together on Thursday at The Isaacs Restaurant in Grandin Village. From the people I'd talked to, I wouldn't say The Isaacs has the best reputation, but they have recently changed ownership and we were hoping for a good experience. It's always fun to try a new place, especially one with a little international flair.

Even though The Isaacs focuses on serving Greek/Mediterranean food, we weren't particularly adventurous with our lunch choices. We both ordered the salad bar, which was all-you-can-eat and also came with a selection of three different soups. I tried the potato & feta soup (it was decent but not anything worth bragging about) and loaded up on multiple trips to the salad bar.  At first glance, the salad bar seemed small, but it actually had a good selection of items. Along with a choice of mixed greens or spinach, they had tons of fresh veggies - including red & green peppers, red onions, broccoli, tomatoes, cucumbers, almonds, and cauliflower. There were also some unique additions such as homemade croutons, dill potatoes, greek yogurt, and curried chicken salad. I believe the salad dressings were also homemade. For a simple salad bar, I was rather impressed.

I'd say the salad bar lunch is a very reasonable deal at around $7. My only complaint about our lunch would be that the restaurant seemed under-staffed. For a rather large dining area with a decent amount of people, I only saw one server waiting tables. We had to wait to be seated, it took a while to receive our drinks, and we ended up with a pile of dishes on our table by the end of the meal. I wouldn't blame the server - I'd blame management for not having more people working to provide the waiter some help. They were also pretty slow with keeping the salad bar stocked, which is dangerous when Nicole and I are on the prowl!

Overall, I think the new owners at The Isaacs have things going in the right direction. The food tasted fresh and the prices made for a very good value. I'd assume they are in a transition period and trying to be very careful about labor and costs, but they need to make sure customers are receiving great service. If they can get those issues worked out, I think The Isaacs will do very well.

A Trip to Lew's

Last Friday night, we experienced another culinary adventure thanks to the purchase of a Daily Deal coupon. When I first learned about Groupon, Living Social, and other sorts of daily coupon websites, I thought this was a great idea. Now, I just think these coupons end up being a trap that entices you to spend money to go to a restaurant you have little interest going to - and you end up going right before the expiration date to make sure you even use the coupon. This exact thing happens to us all the time, and it did again this past Friday night when we went to Lew's, a restaurant in north Roanoke on Williamson Road.

I knew very little about Lew's, other than hearing my grandparents constantly rave about it. However, my grandparents tend to have strange tastes in food and restaurants, so this did not give me a great deal of confidence. I was very skeptical when I would hear my grandmother say, "it's so good because they make everything fresh." When we pulled into the parking lot, Lew's did not strike me as the type of place that would place a high priority on fresh ingredients. The decor is...interesting. It reminds me of a basement that someone is trying to decorate with whatever they find at garage/yard sales and thrift stores. The booth didn't really fit against the wall and they had a nice TV but it was kind of tucked away awkwardly in the corner. It wasn't terrible, but seemed to be "under construction."

Deluxe Pizza

As for the menu, it looked to be typical American/Sports Bar food. They offered burgers, sandwiches, salads, pizzas, and a few entrees. We ordered a plate of Beer Fries for the table and I ordered a Deluxe Pizza as my meal. The Beer Fries arrived before the rest of the food and I thought these were the highlight. A bit on the greasy side, but crispy and had good flavor. My pizza was more on the underwhelming side. As a Deluxe Pizza, it was topped with pepperoni, sausage, ham, mushrooms, peppers, & onions. I would have liked it more had they put the veggies on while the pizza was in the oven, but those were thrown on after the pizza had already cooked. The sauce wasn't particularly good and the crust was nothing memorable. It wasn't disastrous, but not worth getting again. Actually, that reflects my thoughts on the entire experience.

I'm not sure I understand the appeal of Lew's. The service was okay, but we had to wait a while before anyone noticed our table. I wouldn't consider returning based on the flavor of the food. And the atmosphere certainly leaves a lot to be desired. Suffice to say, next time Lew's puts up a Daily Deal coupon, we'll show better judgement and hold off on making that purchase.

Euro Bake for Me

Last Saturday, Nicole and I had the chance to spend the entire day together, which is the first time we've been able to in a long time due to our crazy schedules. We had the chance to sleep in and be lazy Saturday morning - something that can be much needed every once in a while. Then, we decided to spend the day exploring various parts of Roanoke and checking out new things. Between shopping downtown and exploring the various treasures (and nightmares - see: Happy's Flea Market) that exist along Williamson Road, we stopped in the City Market Building and made our way over to Euro Bakery.

Euro Bakery had caught our eye before and we were very intrigued. I'm always on the lookout for new restaurants, especially downtown, and Nicole is always interested in anything that includes the word "Bakery." They serve a variety of pastries and other baked goods, but the thing that stuck out the most to us was something we weren't sure how to pronounce. The bureks (puff pastry filled with different ingredients) were rotating in a glass case, a la pizza from 7-Eleven style, and I was curious as to whether or not they would be delicious or disgusting. The Euro Bakery offers a few different types of bureks: ham & mozzarella, roast beef & mozzarella, spinach & mozzarella, and one other I can't remember - we ordered one filled with ham & mozzarella. 

I was pleasantly surprised when the server removed the burek from the glass case and placed it in the oven to make sure it was warm and toasty. Next, she slid it into a plate, cut it into multiple bite-sized squares and served it with a side of marinara sauce and we were ready to dig in. I still don't know how to say it - but I do know I like it. The ham was thinly sliced, the pastry was light and airy, and the melted cheese helped hold everything together. Add a bit of marinara sauce and you have a lighter version of a stromboli. Nicole also had the idea of adding mustard instead of marinara and that also worked very well. We polished off our entire burek and I am quite certain the one filled with spinach and mozzarella will be calling my name soon. And the cost (~$6) makes this a good alternative to the typical sandwich. So our Saturday was a day of adventure - adventurous shopping, adventurous flea marketing, and adventurous eating. All were great fun and Euro Bakery was quite tasty.

Shake It, Don't Break It

If nothing else, I wanted to write a post about Shakers Restaurant so that I could use one of the greatest song lyrics of all time - "Shake it, don't break it! It took your momma nine months to make it!" Thank you TobyMac. Thank you so much! Along with that, I wanted to write about Shakers because I have been eating there for years and I think they serve one of the best salads in the Roanoke Valley.

When I was younger, Shakers seemed to be a regular on the list of restaurants my family enjoyed. It was a popular pick for Sunday lunch after church and a good place to have dinner during the week, but we eventually stopped going and I'm not sure why. Everyone liked the food and the menu had a good amount of variety, and it was a busy restaurant but I don't remember us having to wait very often. What I do remember is that I always knew what I wanted when we went...cheese toast (not sure why, there's nothing special about this), chicken fingers, and honey mustard. All three were magical in my 10 year old, food obsessed mind.

After reading about their recent remodeling project in the past couple months, I was reminded of Shakers and wanted to take a stroll down memory lane. After an adventure at the airport, my dad and I went over for dinner. The remodeling of the restaurant is very nice - the entrance is more impressive, the host area more useful, and the seating is arranged to provide a different feel depending on which dining area you choose. A casual dining area with plenty of windows, a sports bar area with tables and booths with views of various TV's, and a separate dining room that appears to be more formal. You can still see similarities to the old Shakers look, but it definitely feels like it has been cleaned up.

Original Southern Fried Salad

When we sat down, the hostess gave us our menus, and I'm not even sure why I looked at it - I knew what I would be ordering. The Original Southern Fried Chicken Salad is one of my favorite salads to get from any restaurant...anywhere. Here's the description from the menu: "Shakers famous chicken tenders, shaved ham, cheddar cheese, tomatoes, croutons, and almonds over mixed greens." It probably doesn't sound like anything special, but they aren't playing when they mention their famous chicken tenders. Many consider them to be the best chicken tenders in the area, and I'd agree. Juicy, well seasoned, crunchy, not overly greasy - wonderful! And to go along with these amazing chicken tenders, they serve a house-made honey mustard dressing that is just as delicious. I'm talking, "Waitress, please bring me a pitcher of honey mustard" delicious. Usually, I try to use a minimal amount of dressing with a salad, but that just doesn't fit with this bowl of goodness. Don't kid yourself into thinking you are being healthy by getting a "salad" - this tastes way too good to be healthy. And just as I'd always remembered, it was still outstanding. It's a great combination of flavors and the portion is huge, reminiscent of a salad from The Cheesecake Factory, and the chicken tenders can't be beat. Now, I need to combine the chicken from Shakers with a waffle from Thelma's and all will be right with the culinary world.

So alas, I say "Thank You" to Shakers Restaurant. The remodeling is nice and the additions to the menu are appealing, but the chicken tenders remain the same. And some things are meant to stay the same.

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.

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.

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!

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.

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.

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.'