August 30, 2007
Easy lunch by the pound
Down at the corner of Campbell Avenue and Jefferson Street, in the old Rabbit Patch Cafe location, there's a new international food market that specializes in Thai and Chinese food by the pound.
The owner is the man who opened the first Thai restaurant on Salem Avenue several years ago.
On our way back from an assignment today, my buddy Pete and I loaded up our to-go boxes with lo mein, spicy tofu, hunan chicken, pad thai and a couple of other dishes. In addition, this spot has a medium-sized salad bar and a cold bar with fruit and cold salads like pasta salad and chicken salad.
The buffet does include a couple of items that seem slightly out of place, including spaghetti with meatballs and grilled salmon. But hey, this is an international cuisine spot so I guess they can get away with just about anything!
The price per pound is $4.99, and a pound adds up pretty quickly. My total came to about $7.25, a little more than I wanted to spend for lunch, but that's my own fault. Next time, I think I'll build a nice salad and then grab just a taste of the best-looking hot dishes.
The restaurant has a window bar with stools, but it isn't air-conditioned so there was no way I would eat in there on a day like today. Perhaps as the weather cools down, those stools will be more inviting.
My very first, drive-by impression of the food is that it is of the same quality you would find on a lot of Chinese buffets around town. A little on the oily side, but still very tasty. It's the concept that appeals to me the most-- a very fast, serve yourself kind of place where you are in control of exactly how much food you get and how long you spend on your lunch break.
Comments
[August 30, 2007 10:19 PM]
JordanI love the Thai restaurant on Salem, but I liked the original better. Why did he sell it (or change ownership, or whatever he did)?
[August 31, 2007 10:09 AM]
LindseyJordan, he told me that he couldn't afford to staff the Thai restaurant-- it was too big for him and his wife to run. This new place only requires the two of them. I think she cooks and he handles the front.
[August 31, 2007 3:21 PM]
JordanCool -- I stopped by there today on your suggestion and it was great. You're right, it would be better with some A/C, but the food was 7/10. Not perfect, but still pretty good.
[July 11, 2008 1:27 PM]
Jordan : →http://www.roanoke.comTo update this post -- I've been there several times in the past few months and they're still great. My meals average around $5.00. I'd put the taste around 8/10 -- but they make up for it in creativity. I had plum chicken today -- the other day it was a mustard/dill chicken. I like that they have a lot of vegetarian options, too -- even though I'm an avid meat eater, I'm not always in the mood for it. The salad bar keeps me thinking I'm eating healthy -- which probably isn't true since I load up on the hot foods. But still... tasty, quick, and affordable.