June 29, 2007
Do you ever have one of those days when you've finished some big projects and you just have a bunch of loose ends to address? I like to call those "odds and ends" days, and it helps when they fall on a Friday because they make for a much more casual day at work.
It is also an "odds and ends" day on this blog, because I've heard several comments from readers about various entries from the past week and I'd like to address them all in one place.
Debi jokingly berated me for not telling her where I found the tastiest bagels in Roanoke until my column comes out next week. And Pisces Girl predicts that they will end up being good bagels, but only by Roanoke standards.
I'll tell you something that might make you even more curious, Pisces-- two of my friends, Seth and Christina, are native New Yorkers and they have both put their stamp of approval on these bagels. Christina says they rival the bagels in New York. Seth just complains that the Roanoke place is closed on Sundays, which he finds a little ironic since bagels are standard Jewish fare and Sunday is a big eating day for the Jewish. I guess he has to go out on Saturday and pick up a few extra for the next day.
Anyway, I'm trying to keep this a secret only so you guys will read my print column. But I will say that it's pretty darn easy to figure out what I'm tallking about since there's really only one real bagel shop in Roanoke anyway.
On to peaches, or the lack thereof. That was the topic of yesterday's column.
Continue reading "Odds and Ends" »
June 28, 2007
Well, I'm bummed out and my husband is thrilled that our peach tree has produced not a single peach this year. It was blooming beautifully when those killer frosts descended a few months ago, so I guess that literally nipped it in the bud. He won't have to pick up rotten, yellow jacket-infested peaches before he mows every week, but I won't be able to make any fresh peach cobbler.
Farmers down on the market have said much if not all of their peach and plum crops were ruined by the cold weather. By this point, it's pretty much old news, but I do think the results are having a bit of a ripple effect.
Today, I was working on an upcoming story about food exhibits at the Salem Fair when I found out that both fresh produce and canned produce entries are down this year. Some of that may be weather related and some may not. But coordinators Carolyn Bass and Darlene Brightwell said they usually see far more entries in both of those categories. This year, there wasn't a single tomato entered and only one cabbage. I didn't see any canned peaches or peach preserves at all, either.
Also, I just got a press release about the Peach Festival in Elmwood Park on Aug. 3 and 4 this year. In it, festival coordinator Lavette Powell wrote: "We had to make some changes to the event this year because of the weather and will possibly incur additional costs to put this fundraiser on."
I don't know where the peaches are coming from for this festival, but they say they'll still sell peach cobbler, peach shortcakes and peach milkshakes (hold me back.) They are taking advance orders for the peach cobbler with ice cream, which is $5 at the stand and $5.50 if delivered. They will only deliver orders of 10 or more to downtown Roanoke businesses. It's a good cause-- sales benefit the Northwest Child Development Center.
To place an advance order, go to the Web site at http://www.peachfestival.blogspot.com/
June 27, 2007
Whatever you do to remain calm-- whether it be breathing deeply, keeping up with your meds or shouting "Serenity now!"-- you should be prepared to do it if you head to Ukrop's today, their grand opening day.
I'm not trying to discourage anyone from going, I'm just warning that the wait for a parking space is reportedly about 10 minutes. I know I sat behind a line of cars filled with people trying to find spots in the underground parking garage for about that long when I ventured over this afternoon.
If you think it's annoying when a driver stops and waits in front of you for a car to pull out of the first space they see, just imagine what it's like when that happens in a parking garage. Not fun.
However, most folks seem to think it's worth the wait once they get inside the store.
Not since Fresh Market first opened have I seen grocery shoppers with such delighted expressions on their faces. They're standing patiently in line for free hot dogs, chili and cheese samples or just a look at the fresh meats and seafoods in the meat cases.
Kevin Hade, Ukrop's vice president for sales and operations, told me the bakery, sushi, meat and seafood cases had been the biggest draws throughout the day. The store had already run out of their signature White House rolls by about 2 p.m. and were expecting an emergency truck at any minute.
In addition, the store already had 10 orders for decorated cakes after only two hours of being open this morning. Perhaps the July 4 holiday and all the summer birthdays were keeping them hopping.
I watched many shoppers head back to their cars with no bags in hand, a sign that some folks ventured out just to get a look at what the store had to offer. But just as many were leaving with loaded carts, and Hade says the opening today could break records for the company.
I left with a small cup of broccoli-cheddar soup, which was a little on the bland side. A sample of the chili revealed that the kidney beans were slightly undercooked, but the flavor was good. I figure the chefs are still new to the store and deserve a little time to perfect their food production, just like any new restaurant needs a few weeks to work out the kinks.
From the look of the parking lot and the wide-eyed shoppers, it's going to take more than a couple of hard beans to ward Roanokers off Ukrop's. Especially when "courtesy clerks" will walk you out to your car in the rain with an umbrella.
This looks like a good summer dish:
Grilled Sweet Potato Salad
2 lb. sweet potatoes, peeled and sliced 3/8-inch thick
1 red bell pepper, diced
2 scallions, white and tender green parts sliced
3 Tbsp. orange, mango or pineapple juice
Salt and pepper to taste
Cilantro-Lime vinaigrette (recipe follows)
1. Prepare medium-low charcoal fire or preheat gas grill.
2. Make vinaigrette.
3. Add sweet potato slices to vinaigrette and let marinate about 15 minutes. Using a slotted spoon, transfer potatoes to the grill. Turn occasionally, basting with the remaining vinaigrette. Cook until tender when pierced with a fork, about 10-15 minutes.
4. Return grilled potatoes to vinaigrette and add red pepper, scallions, juice, salt and pepper; toss gently. Serve immediately.
Cilantro-Lime Vinaigrette
1 tsp. grated or minced lime zest
3 Tbsp. fresh lime juice
1 Tbsp. white wine vinegar
1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
2 Tbsp. chopped cilantro
2 cloves garlic, minced
Salt to taste
Combine lime zest, juice and vinegar in large bowl. Whisk in oil until completely blended. Stir in cilantro, garlic and salt.
Source: Vegetarian Times
June 26, 2007
I took advantage of Media Day at the new Ukrop's on Franklin Road today to get a sneak peek at the store and do a little comparison pricing between Ukrop's and the nearby Kroger at Tower's Mall.
While our business reporter, Jenny, did a very efficient job of interviewing Ukrop's personnel and shooting a video interview with Ukrop's president Bobby Ukrop, I basically wandered around the store, ogled the food and jotted down prices for a very unscientific comparison with the nearby Kroger.
When I left for Kroger, I had no preconceived notions about which store would be more affordable. I've already said that I think the two will match up pretty closely on typical grocery items, but Ukrop's will top Kroger's prepared foods in both quality and price.
Here's how my shopping list turned out. Keep in mind that these are REGULAR prices on everything and that both stores run weekly sales on certain items. I can't tell you whether one store puts more food on sale more often. I have bold-faced the winning store on each comparison:
Continue reading "Ukrop's vs. Kroger" »
A few readers have written in about my bagel post yesterday, including Nathan, who says he bakes his own bagels at home because he has a hard time finding a good bagel in Southwest Virginia.
First he broils it, then boils it, then bakes it. He says it would be most convenient to have two ovens.
OK, this guy is incredibly motivated! I love bagels, but I'm not much of a breadmaker myself and the idea of making my own bagels from scratch at home seems so daunting. I'd much rather there were several shops in Roanoke that sell quality homemade bagels.
Anytime I travel to larger cities, such as Richmond or Washington, D.C. and thereabouts, I see bagel shops. Many are chains, granted, but at least they have a Chesapeake Bagel Co. or some other bagel shops to choose from. I've never even known there to be a chain bagel shop in Roanoke. But I've only been here for about 9 years now. Maybe we had one before and it didn't work out.
Keep those ideas and suggestions coming. And Nathan, you're the man.
June 25, 2007
The state of bagels in Roanoke has distressed me for some time. The simple truth is that it's just not easy to get your hands on a great bagel in these parts.
Having grown up in Alleghany County, I'm well aware that we live in the South and the South just isn't as fond of bagels as the North. We are biscuit bakers and biscuit eaters. But that doesn't mean that Southerners like me don't love a delicious, fresh-baked bagel once in a while.
I had what I would call a perfect bagel at H&H Bagels in New York City last October. Not only was it my favorite flavor-- sesame-- it was fresh out of the oven, soft on the inside and chewy on the outside. Mmmmmmmmmmm. Now THAT was a bagel.
Where do you look for great bagels in Roanoke? That's a question I will attempt to answer in my next column. They definitely must be properly made-- boiled first, then baked. Many bagels at chain establishments are simply baked from a frozen state.
I could order bagels from H&H and have them shipped to me, but that would be expensive and the bagels certainly would not be hot from the oven when they finally reached my doorstep several days later.
In next week's column, I'll be telling you about what became of Five Boro Bagels and where the Roanoke Bagel Co. out at Oak Grove Plaza fits into the picture now.
If you ever eat at Roanoke Bagel Co., I'd be interested to hear your thoughts. And if you think you know of a different source for delicious bagels, I'm begging you to please send me a comment. While you're at it, you might as well tell me what your favorite bagel flavor is and why. Do you think a person's favorite bagel says something about their personality? I hope not, because then I would just be seedy.
June 22, 2007
My sister used to throw hair picks at me in the bathroom because I was infringing on her hair- styling space. Now, she e-mails me from South Carolina to give me a figurative kick in the butt for not posting on my blog today.
It's been a busy day, and for that reason, I am totally and completely ready for quitting time to roll around so I can take advantage of a happy hour deal or two in downtown Roanoke.
But first, I will note a few restaurant rumors and observations from the latter part of this week.
The ethnic variety on the Roanoke food scene continues to expand with the addition of a Caribbean Creole restaurant at 5th Street and Campbell Avenue called Marie's. And a place called The Isaacs Restaurant has gone in at the old Kneadful Things spot on Memorial Avenue near the Grandin Theater. Isaacs serves Mediterranean cuisine like hummus and gyros. I'm going to check it out for lunch one day next week and let you know what I think.
On my way to an interview today, I also noticed a new restaurant at Lafayette Boulevard and 24th Street called The Venue. I know nothing about it other than the fact that it appears new and there's an ABC notice in the window. More on that later.
Also, in case you have not heard, the old Dolce location on Campbell Ave. will be the scene of a new bar and restaurant called Mix One 6 Club. Alan Devers, who used to tend bar at Awful Arthur's, will be the general manager. Alan is an acquaintance of mine who also DJs on the side. If it works out, I expect Mix One 6 could be a popular destination for dancing.
Interesting how many new restaurants around here have numbers in the name-- Mix One 6, 202 Market, Table 50, and Blue 5, which is supposed to go in at the old Noketown spot. That observation has absolutely no significance whatsoever, so I'll move on to cocktails.
In case you are interested in splurging a little bit this weekend, the Barefoot Bubbly champagne folks sent me a few delicious, summery recipes for champagne cocktails. So whip up a few appetizers, invite over a couple of friends and sip in style. Have a great weekend!
Continue reading "Restaurants and cocktail recipes" »
June 21, 2007
This is my co-worker's banana peel. It is also a vehicle for an advertisement for Reese's dessert sauce.
Where will ads turn up next? Probably on your child's forehead.
I've added a few more links to the Fridge Magnet blog. If you scroll down and keep your eyes on the right side of the main page, you'll find easy access to a few of my favorite food blogs and recipe sites, as well as some other food-related endeavors from The Roanoke Times and its freelancers.
A mysterious local guy who only calls himself "Not Larry Bly" maintains Big Lick Restaurant Reviews, a well-written blog about the local restaurant scene. NLB and his significant other are regularly checking out new restaurants in the valley and posting their findings.
You might also want to check out the Dining Hall page at the Big Lick University Web site. BLU is a virtual Southwest Virginia college campus, and the Dining Hall page includes restaurant ratings and news.
A few of my favorite national food blogs, Slashfood and Serious Eats, are there for your clicking delight, as well. Slashfood never ceases to amaze me with the quirky, funny topics they take on.
I read an article recently that stated there are some 48,000 food bloggers on the internet these days. I don't think I can link to them all, but if you've got a favorite site I'm missing, please share it with us.
June 20, 2007
Regular blog reader ShutEye Thinkin' just posted such a long and informative comment about his recent trip to the new pub downtown that I thought I would just make it a guest blog entry.
He wrote:
I visited Gunther O'Darby's Tuesday evening (6/19/07) around 5:00, arriving without having high expectations due to what I had previously heard about it. So, as I entered I had visions of the past, remembering back a few years when it was Kara O'Caen's Irish Pub.
Boy, was I surprised! And in a good way.
I immediately noticed that it was brighter inside. As I walked back towards the bar area, I noticed that some of the tables were different. Gone were the tables made from oak barrels. All of the tables inside now looked fresher, neater. I could actually see the walls this time. Not sure if I ever did get a good glimpse of them before. Gone were the multi-pane window dividers which were mounted on the bar counter, dividing the bar seating into 3 or 4 sections. I always thought that was kind of neat. Gone was the Guinness draft (Oh no!). There were three TVs, none of which was playing soccer, which some pubs must feel compelled to play in an attempt to give the place a European feel. This can be especially boring if you're not into soccer. Instead, there were good ol' ESPN and FOX or CNN News. The sound system wasn't playing Irish music, rather, it was playing WROV radio, which was really rockin'. Jimi Hendrix was wailin'.
Continue reading "ShutEye rates O'Darby's" »
Blog reader Michelle gets the gold star this week for being a real sweetheart and thinking of other readers. After Debi wrote in about needing more healthy, low sugar recipes to control her diabetes, Michelle passed along this delicious blueberry cake recipe.
The recipe calls for a sweetener like Splenda, but you can substitute real sugar if you aren't concerned about that. Anything with blueberries always gets my attention, and I love to see readers interacting with each other.
Here's the recipe:
Continue reading "Michelle rocks" »
June 19, 2007
Well, what do you know?
I post something about Ukrop's still having a squishy opening date and I get a press release declaring that Ukrop's Grand Opening will take place next Wednesday, June 27. So I guess that false date that was circulating may not be the same date.
The new store is set to open at 7 a.m. that morning, and I'll bet it will be jam-packed. In fact, it will probably be packed for the next month or two.
Here's an excerpt from the release. Some of it is a repeat of what we've already reported, but I figured it would still interest you guys:
Continue reading "Ask and ye shall receive!" »
My better half was at the YMCA last week and noticed a Ukrop's representative there signing up potential customers for shopper cards. He went ahead and signed up both of us for a card. After talking with the representative, she told him the new grocery store would open at Franklin and Wonju on June 27. That's next Wednesday.
Roanoke Times Business reporter Jenny Kincaid Boone has been carefully following the Ukrop's story and has reported opening delays several times over the past several months.
Now, Jenny tells me the June 27 date may not even be correct. Here's what she said in an e-mail yesterday: "Ukrop's corporate office told me today that there's no confirmed opening date yet, though they understand that there's a false date circulating around."
Hmmm. Jenny plans to keep her eye on the date and let me know what she finds out. The lesson in all of this: Don't hold your breath for that famous chicken salad just yet.
June 18, 2007
I heard on the radio this morning that today is Splurge Day, a day when everyone is supposed to treat themselves to something they wouldn't normally eat or do.
Who's the genius who put Splurge Day on a Monday? I already overflowed my quota for shamefully fattening food and beverages over the weekend. Isn't that when everyone usually splurges?
I think I'll rebel against Splurge Day in honor of a regular blog reader named Debi. Debi says she suffers from diabetes and is always on the lookout for low fat, low sugar recipes with high flavor.
"I've been eating a lot of grilled chicken breasts on salad greens. I'd love some ideas to jazz up the breasts. I usually marinate them in Italian dressing or sprinkle with Old Bay or Mrs Dash," Debi wrote.
She says she also enjoys baked or broiled fish filets but wouldn't mind some ideas to ratchet up the flavor on those.
Well, the simplest way to add flavor to grilled chicken is marinade, but many store bought marinades may contain unwanted sugar. And barbecue sauces are typically pretty sugary, too.
I love the idea of fresh toppings for grilled meats, such as salsas or relishes.
I'm attaching a tasty-looking recipe for a black bean salad. It contains just one tablespoon of olive oil and a tablespoon of sugar, which could be omitted. This salad can be eaten alone but would also be delicious scooped over a fish filet. Or add a spoonful to your grilled chicken salad and you've put a Santa Fe twist on it.
Another of my favorites over chicken or fish is fruit salsa. If you get a fresh fruit allowance once and a while, this would be a tasty way to fulfill it. Just Google fruit salsa for a whole bunch of different recipes and find one that suits you.
Homemade sauces get a bad rap for being fattening, but not all have to include butter and heavy cream. Here's my chance to share an unusual but healthy recipe for grilled chicken and asparagus with pink grapefruit and mustard sauce, below. According to the recipe, you can substitute shrimp or scallops for the chicken. Perhaps fish would work, too.
I'm always a big fan of grilling in aluminum foil packages, too, to keep the moisture and flavor sealed inside. Try wrapping up your chicken with fresh tomatoes and mushrooms, then sprinkle with a nice herb blend like Herbes de Provence (available at Fresh Market) and drizzle with olive oil.
I'll see what else I can come across for Debi throughout the next week or so. If anyone else has a great recipe or idea for her, please post a comment and pass it along.
Continue reading "Boycotting Splurge Day" »
June 15, 2007
Roanoke Times reporter Katrina Waugh, who covers the Salem Avalanche, dropped by my desk today to share an observation.
It seems that Duke's mayonnaise is sponsoring the Avs this year, and some of the promotional material says something like, "Duke's, proud sponsor of the Salem Avalanche baseball AND potato salad, macaroni salad..." and so on with a list of favorite recipes that involve mayo.
Katrina was puzzled by the inclusion of fudge brownies in that list. I told her it didn't surprise me a bit because I'm familiar with an old favorite called mayonnaise cake.
I'll bet a lot of you have heard of chocolate cake made with mayonnaise. But it never fails that someone in the crowd has never heard of such a thing and finds the thought of it repulsive.
Think about this, though: mayonnaise is essentially a mixture of eggs and oil, the very same ingredients that are right at home in a cake or brownie recipe. I can remember my mother making a moist chocolate mayonnaise cake, and I've found a similar recipe on Duke's Web site. I'm going to attach it below. Note that this recipe does not call for eggs at all.
Also on the list of Duke's favorite recipes is the grilled cheese sandwich. Lots of old-timers (and some new-timers) don't know to make grilled cheese without mayonnaise. My grandma always whipped up grilled cheese by spreading butter on the outside and mayonnaise on the inside, with the cheese.
I'm a grilled cheese purist. Nothing inside but the cheese, and that includes hot mayonnaise. Blech. But Grandma and Grandpa thought it added an extra tang and I was too shy to tell them to leave it off.
I'm curious about whether anyone else bakes mayonnaise cake or spreads mayo on their grilled cheese. And maybe the refrigerator staple has other secret uses, too.
Continue reading "Mayonnaise cake" »
June 14, 2007
Word on the street today is that Tong's Thai will open its second location on Franklin Road within the next couple of days.
Mr. Bond, the fellow who opened Tong's Thai on Salem Avenue in downtown Roanoke a couple of years ago, has been remodeling the old Christopher's and Buck Mountain Grill location near Montano's on Franklin Road for several months now.
And while I'm blogging, I'll direct all hard-working, easy recipe-needing people to an amusing cooking show called 2 for 10 by Melissa.
Check out her demonstrations for some fun and simple recipes and let me know what you think.
Here's a new gadget for you-- the amazing One Click Butter Cutter.
That's right, now you can store your butter in a vertical container that also dispenses perfect pats of butter with one easy click. It even comes in a variety of colors. I'm thinking about getting the American flag model.
Here's my favorite feature, according to the site: "Cut slices individually as wanted or cut an entire stick of butter into slices in less than one minute!"
Whew! That's a darn good thing, because I'm always in need of an entire stick of butter cut into pats in under a minute.
OK, now I'm just being snarky and unfair. When you think about it, it would save a little time. Instead of getting out the butter dish and a knife, you just squeeze and this thing produces a perfect pat. No need to dirty a knife.
But what do you do when you need more than a pat or you have to measure out a quarter cup of butter or something? How many pats equal a quarter cup?
That's a mystery for another day.
This day has flown by like a drag racing crotch rocket. Here it is 4 p.m. and I'm just now making my daily blog entry.
I have been forced to do a little socializing in some local restaurants over the past two days (I know, how terrible), and what a strange coincidence that both establishments were celebrating the anniversary of their opening date.
Last night at Four Nineteen West, I joined four girlfriends for dinner and drinks at 7 p.m. The restaurant was quiet but the bar was loudly overflowing with folks who were there to wish the restaurant a happy 5th birthday. It amazed me that the place has been open that long because it really doesn't seem that long. These days, five years is a pretty good run in the restaurant scene in Roanoke.
They must be doing something right over there. It doesn't hurt that every single thing we ordered was tasty and attractive.
Captain Morgan stopped by for the party with a treasure chest full of free shots and an entourage of skinny damsels. Sadly, I was seated outside and he only stopped by our table on his way out with an empty chest. Boo.
Lunch today was at Table 50, a fine dining spot that is celebrating its first birthday today. With all the pricey restaurants downtown, it is a credit to those guys over at Table 50 that they're still hanging in there.
The food we ate was delicious-- it might have been some of the best curried chicken salad I've tasted in a long time. Problem is, the waitress served our lunches and then disappeared for an interminably long time. Not even a "How's the food?" or a refill on our drinks.
My dining partner actually had to get up and find someone to remove our empty plates and bring us coffee. Then, the checks had to be straightened out twice.
Sheesh! The only thing I can say is if they expect to be celebrating their second anniversary one year from today, they had better be more consistent about the service. Even a scrumptious meal does not forgive an inattentive server.
June 13, 2007
If you're a culinary historian, or at least fascinated by old cookbooks, you might want to check out a neat Web site called OldCookbooks.com. The site is dedicated entirely to-- you got it-- old cookbooks. But they claim to have information about more than 15,000 rare and out-of-print cookbooks, some from the 1800s.
Even better, the site has launched an intriguing blog about the same topic. One recent entry was about a book devoted in part to making dainty little finger sandwiches out of such ingredients as nasturtiums, the edible flower that I happen to have blooming in my garden right this moment.
While you're at it, if you are in the mood for a laugh and have not seen Wendy McClure's site about the 1974 Weight Watcher recipe cards she found in her parents' basement, go here. And be sure to click on the cards for her hilarious captions on such recipes as "Fluffy Mackerel Pudding."
June 12, 2007
I got a potato salad recipe today that I'll be trying out the very next time I'm called upon to bring a side dish to somebody's barbecue. Which should not be long, since it's barbecue season.
This recipe came from the United States Potato Board. Didn't I say there's a national board for every food in existence?
This one includes some tantalizing Indian flavors like cucumber, turmeric, yogurt and cilantro. It also promises to carry a bit of a kick, which always intrigues me.
Check it out:
Continue reading "Spicy roasted potato salad" »
I just disregarded a fruit allergy to try a "Grapple," which is an apple that's supposed to taste like a Concord grape.
Now my ears and throat are itching like mad. Even if they weren't, I'd be completely unimpressed with the Grapple. Which, according to the packaging, you are supposed to pronounce "Grape-L."
Why would anyone want an apple that tastes like a grape? I don't know, and it doesn't really taste like a grape to me anyway, it just smells like grape Kool-Aid.
A co-worker named David was more generous about the grape flavor. He said it tasted like an apple marinated in grape Kool-Aid. But then he declared it "revolting."
The packaging also says the Grapple is "extremely versatile."
"They're great eaten out of hand, sliced up in salads, served as before dinner appetizers or after dinner snacks."
It says to try them with a wedge of your favorite cheese, too.
So, pretty much the same things you would do with an apple.
Perhaps it is a ploy to get kids to eat their apples. I can see why that would be a valuable thing.
Didn't some other companies try to create hybrid produce? Wasn't there some combination of broccoli and cauliflower at some point? Broccoflower? Caulicoli? I can recall seeing a chartreuse bundle in the produce department.
So much for this randomness. I'll be back later to give you a delicious potato salad recipe.
My ears itch.
June 11, 2007
This is just a reminder that I'm putting together a list of the best, cheapest lunch deals in the Roanoke and New River Valleys for Inside Out, the Thursday entertainment tab in The Roanoke Times.
This list will be much better if you guys help me come up with deserving deals instead of me brainstorming them all myself. Who cares what I think anyway?
I do reserve the right to add my two faves, which are the half-order of pad thai in the market building for $3.50 and the red beans and rice with salad and garlic bread at Pasta Perfection for $3.25.
So far, folks have written in about hot dogs at Texas Tavern, teriyaki chicken at Sakura in Salem and some specific lunch specials at China Kitchen and El Guads in Blacksburg.
If you tell me your favorite place to score a quick, delicious and filling lunch for $6 or less, it might make the list. So bring it on!
Well, The Roanoke Times and Roanoke.com have run two reviews of Annie Moore's Irish Pub, the new establishment on U.S. 419 opened by the owner of Brambleton Deli. One was written by a contributor named Tony Barbour; the other by online reviewer Larry Bly.
Fridge Magnet reader Shuteye Thinkin' had this to say about those reviews:
"I'm appalled by the very amatuerish (almost kiss-%$#-ish critiques by Tony Barbour and Larry Blye regarding Annie Moore's Irish Pub. They were very, very close to testimonials, not objective critique. How could Larry possibly be genuine and state that Annie's is an authentic a pub? That smells. I smell something very fishy here regarding both articles. Nobody, I mean nobody, who has any taste for a genuine Irish pub, would honestly state the gargage they spouted. They were advertisements, plain and simple. I don't think that the recent comments submitted to your blog support these guy's articles. Why doesn't the Roanoke Times send a real critic to Annie's, one who has some objectiveness, to give us the real scoop? Sorry to sound bad, but I've now seen two articles in the paper which are so wishy-washy that I'm forced to question the paper's intentions here."
Continue reading "Rosy reviews make reader smell something fishy" »
June 9, 2007
Compiled from my own thoughts and those of blog readers:
1. Sandwiches dressed with sliced tomatoes without the green stem/core removed. Hard, chewy, nasty.
2. Mexican restaurants that pre-bag chips for to-go orders. Don't they know how quickly those things go stale?
3. Drinks that aren't filled up all the way. Especially high balls.
4. A restaurant that won't serve lemons with water anymore because not everyone actually squeezes them into the water. You know who you are!
5. Waitresses who won't bring you a new lemon with your refilled water.
6. Failing to remove dirty dishes from the table after guests have eaten but are still socializing.
7. Waitresses who carry fresh drinks with their fingers inside the rims. Hey, that's where our lips go!
8. Servers who take empty glasses for refills from several tables at once. Kinda freaky to think about drinking from some stranger's glass. Just bring fresh drinks!
9. Silverware with crud on it. Nothing can make me lose my appetite faster. Or make me use my fingers more readily.
Well, I've returned from my weeklong beach vacation only to find that my house is 90 degrees, one of my window air conditioning units is on the fritz, my husband's hanging clothes rod collapsed in his closet-- along with part of the wall-- and there's a line of microscopic ants (which, not inappropriately, my father has always called piss ants) marching a determined path from the front door to my garbage can.
Hmmmmm. Can I just go back to vacation, please?
I guess if I squeeze my eyes shut and think of all the great, fresh seafood I got my hands on at the beach it will Calgon me away a bit.
I'm a soup comparer. And when I go to the shore, I must always check out a cup of any cream-based, seafood-involved soup on the menu. My favorite is New England clam chowder, but in the Outer Banks they have Hatteras clam chowder, which is broth-based instead. I know my tastes are rich, but ew. As for Manhattan clam chowder, double ew.
Instead, I had two enchanting cups of she-crab soup. Both were delicious but with distinctly different driving forces. One was on the sweet side, the other salty. But both brought out the crab flavoring in subtly different ways, so I'd have to give them both a thumbs-up.
I checked out some blue crabs, too, and if you've been reading the blog for long you'll tell me to shut up about the stupid blue crabs. So instead, I want to share a succulent, easy shrimp recipe I concocted for a grill night at our beach house.
We ended up using this for scallops and a nice filet of red snapper one evening, too.
You'll have to find some good, fresh, shell-on shrimp for this, but the recipe is worth it and easy. And I do mean it is simple-- I don't do anything TOO complicated on vacation.
Continue reading "Steaming house vs. steamed seafood" »
June 5, 2007
You might have noticed that I haven't blogged in a day or two when I typically try to blog every day. Well, I'm just taking a little break this week but will be checking in once or twice to see what kinds of discussion are underway.
Sounds like one reader can't stand Ben Gui-- calls it the "best restroom" in Roanoke. Other than slow service (extremely slow on some occasions) I've always enjoyed the sushi at Ben Gui. So what gives? Do tell!
ShutEye is worried about my initial report on the new Irish pub in downtown Roanoke. All I can say is that I understand his concerns about a few things like no Guinness on tap. But we'll have to give them a chance to get their ABC license and figure a few things out before anyone comes down on them too hard. It's definitely worth having one of our reviewers take a look after they've been up and running for more than a month. And ShutEye has got one thing right: the old ambiance of Kara O'Caen's is still intact, which gives the new place a few points to start out.
Thanks to those of you who have posted about food and restaurant pet peeves. One reader is bugged by servers who refill water but not lemons. Another hates it when servers don't clear empty glasses from the table after bringing a refill. I completely agree with that one. I also get irritated when stacks of dirty dishes are left on the table. Even if customers are sitting around chatting after the meal doesn't mean they want to do it over that grungy, empty nacho plate.
Here's a new challenge for you guys this week:
I want to do a piece, perhaps in Inside Out or in my Wednesday column, about the best lunch deals in town. That includes both Roanoke Valley and New River Valley, and I'm not talking about restaurants in general. I'm in search of specific dishes that are the best, cheap lunch.
Two of mine are going to be the half-order of pad thai at the Chinese restaurant in the market building for $3.50 and the red beans and rice with salad and garlic bread at Pasta Perfection for $3.25. It doesn't get much cheaper than that!
If you've got a great one to add to the list, let me know!
June 1, 2007
I say "sorta" because Gunther O'Darby's Pub in the old Kara O'Caen's location on Jefferson Street is sort of open and it's sort of an Irish pub.
Owner Dean Bostic says the establishment has been open for lunch for about the two past weeks. But he's still waiting for a beer license to come through from the Virginia Department of Alcoholic Beverage Control, so he hasn't been staying open for dinner and has had 15 or 20 customers turn around and leave because they couldn't get a cold one.
Bostic told me he was planning to have a grand opening tonight, but will not. He does expect to have his beer license by early next week. Once he gets it, he plans to sell Guinness by the bottle, Harp's on tap and a selection of other domestic and imported beers, including some German ones.
Continue reading "New Irish pub open-- sorta" »
Because I'm feeling trivial, I've decided to post a couple of my own personal food and restaurant pet peeves. If you've got any you'd like to add, shoot me a comment and I'll add them to the list. What fun we will all have being picky complainers.
1. Sandwiches dressed with sliced tomatoes without the green stem/core removed. Hard, chewy, nasty.
2. Mexican restaurants that pre-bag chips for to-go orders. Don't they know how quickly those things go stale?
3. Drinks that aren't filled up all the way. Especially high balls.
4. A restaurant that won't serve lemons with water anymore because not everyone actually squeezes them into the water. You know who you are!
If anyone wants to add to my list, feel free. If not, I'll just find something else to complain about. I'm kidding, of course!
Starting today, everything at Bel Pasto will be 25% off for their closing sale. Owner Pam Martin said in a customer e-mail that they still have a large selection of wines to choose from, so if you're a wine lover looking for great deals, head on over there this weekend and peruse the selection. If you're just a Bel Pasto fan, stop in and say goodbye.
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