Front Burner: New restaurant to occupy Lipes Pharmacy space
From left: Lee and Karri Atwood, Lauren and Whit Ellerman, and chef Aaron Deal. Photo by Eric Brady l The Roanoke Times
For the past few months, two Roanoke couples have been sneaking around the former Lipes Pharmacy building in South Roanoke, unwilling to divulge what’s going on behind those brown-papered windows.
Now, Whit and Lauren Ellerman, and Lee and Karri Atwood are ready to let me unload their secret: They’re opening a restaurant in the venerable Crystal Spring space, and they’ve hired Aaron Deal, a 29-year-old executive chef with a 4-diamond restaurant rating and a James Beard award nomination under his toque.
Keeping the project under wraps has been difficult at times, they said, especially considering the number of curious folks who pass through South Roanoke Village every day.
“We’ve had lots of occasions of standing outside, sort of whistling and then darting in,” Whit Ellerman said.
But the owners are confident that their surreptitious behavior will be worth it when The River and Rail opens about spring 2012.
“This is an idea that came out of a lot of conversations,” Whit Ellerman said, “but also because of shared values.”
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Check out Aaron Deal’s recipe for Autumn Sunchoke Au Gratin here.
November 16, 2011 - 10:42 AM
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I wonder what the pricepoint is going to be?
I get a whole lot about “values” and “authentic” and absolutely nothing about “We have any clue how to run a restaurant” from these folks. Hopefully their young, talented chef can make the front of the house run, but that rarely seems to work.
Five jobs in six years. Hope they can keep him.
I can’t imagine they’d try to do this without a good front-of-the-house manager.
@Meghan, I’m not sure about price point and menu yet, but if I learn more I will pass that along.
Kristen,
It is nice to see you are so supportive. I’m not sure it’s your business whether they know the business. Of course, you must be running a successful restaurant to be so critical.
Good luck to these young folks for taking a chance.
Lindsey I’m having Tony Pope PTSD flashbacks.
The recipe for the Lipes honey buns – remove said honey bun from package (I believe Rainbow), slather it with butter, stick it in the hot dog bun steamer for a couple of hearty pumps, and then, place it on a plate for an appreciative child awaiting its arrival in a booth.
No James, it’s probably not, on the other hand if you don’t want people commenting on your business you’d probably not get yourself interviewed for a blog. As for being “supportive”, I’ll probably eat there 5 times before you get there once. Which really is the only kind of support a restaurant needs, wouldn’t you agree?
Bill, are you serious? That sounds perfectly terrible for the arteries but delicious for the taste buds!
It’s always good to be skeptical. That said, I believe you will find Chef Aaron Deal to be ideal for this situation. In addition to his considerable culinary chops, he is an as affable Southern boy as you could meet.
I had the pleasure of dining many times at Tristan in Charleston during Aaron’s tenure. It eventually became my favorite place in a culinary town which may well be the best in the South.
I always found his cuisine sophisticated but but still sensible, with the focus always on the freshest (typically local) primary ingredients.
From the description of this new establishment, it sounds like a perfect fit. I envy you Roanoke folk what I feel sure will soon be a new source of pride in your city.
-bb in MIA
It is the truth! I couldn’t imagine eating them now, but they were quite a delight when I was younger.
Lindsey,what’s up with the Pho Viet Nam on Orange ave? It’s where that old Chinese buffet used to be right down from the title loan place.