2009.05.19
Retro Menu Madness!
I would like to introduce a new and very exciting feature on the Fridge Magnet blog. This journey along Nostalgia Lane is brought to you thanks to a junk drawer clean-up in the Nair/Swank household.
While engrossed in this clean-up, I came across a plastic grocery bag stuffed full of restaurant to-go menus. A certain male someone in the Nair/Swank household has an affinity for to-go menus and seems to collect them voraciously and then keep them for years after a restaurant served its last meal.
As we went through them and sorted out all of the ones for restaurants that no longer exist, it occurred to me that perhaps these menus might be of interest to somebody. Somebody like my hubby, who has lived in Roanoke for all of his life and can remember eating at just about every restaurant that ever opened -- and then closed.
Introducing Retro Menu Madness! On an occasional basis, I'll put up an old menu on the blog and see how many readers remember eating at that particular restaurant. Drumroll please for the first ever retro menu, below the jump...
Lindsey Nair/The Roanoke Times
Remember this one, folks? The pasta, the veal scalloppini and chicken cacciatore and sausage sandwich and pizza pies? Just look at that romantic dinner those folks are having. But why does it look like a nurse is waiting on them? And why does the man have two glasses of wine while the woman has none?
Villa was a great place to eat! And that little older short lady who was the hostess was the best! I very much miss that place.
Comment by Tami — May 19, 2009 @ 11:24 am
Geez, was hubby even alive when that menu was created?? I think that was left in the drawer from the previous homeowner!! I think the poor female diner is about to slap her companion and steal his beverage. He's probably saying something cheesy and by the way, where is his left hand? Waitress?!
Comment by Kim — May 19, 2009 @ 11:38 am
I have 3 grown children -- and this is the restaurant where we took each of them for their first dinner out. Everyone knew us and our children and welcomed the kids each time. The walls were painted with scenes from Italy and of course there were plastic grapes hanging from the ceiling. One of my children thought the guy in the gondola scene was a monkey -- so that was always a joke for us. Loved the pizza,lasagna and our waitress, Ruth. We still miss the food, fun, and atmosphere of the Villa.
Comment by Susan — May 19, 2009 @ 11:42 am
The best Italian place in the valley! I loved the atmosphere, the murals on the walls, and the food! the Bomb!!!
Believe it or not, it used to be a daycare center, the old Greenvale Nursery school, before it was Villa Sorrento. I know because I was a dropout! After 4 days! Mom said I cried every day, so she quit taking me.
Comment by Kathy — May 19, 2009 @ 12:40 pm
Awesome food, the best pizza ever. Weight Lifting trophies. I have found a small place here in WV that comes close. I hardly ever remember having to wait for a seat, like now when dining out.
Comment by Greg Prillaman — May 19, 2009 @ 1:44 pm
Are you certain that not a shot and a Beer back?
I would like to be able to read that menu. It would bring back alot of good times.
RAYJ1
Comment by Ray Jamison — May 19, 2009 @ 2:10 pm
Believe it or not, that menu was from the 90's. I guess they figured
"It's worked since the 60's, why change now?" The food was great though.
I held on to the menu hoping they might come back.
Comment by Howard — May 19, 2009 @ 2:35 pm
The little short lady, hostess was Mama and unfortunately Papa Joe passed away in the last year or maybe 2. Ruth is still alive. Their kids tried to make a go of it but just can't reproduce the atmosphere and Joe's pizza pie! The rolls....... There are none that compare! We would always order a dozen to go and fight over who got the last one! Great memory. This place has been in my husband's life forever as he went to school with Caroline and the rest of the kids.
Comment by D — May 19, 2009 @ 2:51 pm
You could frame those menus and hang them in your kitchen or dining room. Great conversation pieces.
Comment by Kathy — May 19, 2009 @ 3:10 pm
I kinda remember the place, but, I can't remember where it was.
Comment by Kim — May 19, 2009 @ 4:57 pm
Yeah where was it located?
Comment by Evie Krebs — May 19, 2009 @ 7:22 pm
Kim, it was on Patterson Ave where what is now the west end center.
Comment by D — May 19, 2009 @ 9:39 pm
Next Door to the West End Center on Patterson ave.
Comment by Ray Jamison — May 20, 2009 @ 8:30 am
I'm with Susan - I loved the waitress, Ruth! She was always such a sweetheart. When my husband and I got engaged she noticed my ring before we could tell her, and she made an announcement to the entire restaurant.
And those hot rolls. *sigh* Beauty for the belly!
Comment by Amy — May 20, 2009 @ 9:50 am
I thought it was out in north Roanoke, on the west side of Williamson Road just north of Hershberger? Maybe it moved before finally closing?
Or am I thinking of another place entirely?
Comment by Mason — May 20, 2009 @ 11:06 am
NOW I know where all those menus hanging on the wall of YHS's Newsroom came from!!! Excellent Mr. Swank!!
rp
Comment by Richard Provolone — May 20, 2009 @ 2:36 pm
We loved the Villa Sorrento! One time when I took my wife and son there for dinner we were starving! We ordered a large pepperoni pizza and sat there drooling just thinking about it. When the little lady brought our pizza out she got to our table...and dropped it upside down on the floor!! I almost cried! She was so upset and we told her it was OK, she went and made us another. If I remember right she tried to give it to us but we wouldn't let her. It really was some of the best pizza ever! The real thing!
Comment by Dennis — May 20, 2009 @ 2:56 pm
Lindsey, I have a menu you'd like to see! Kind of giving away my "oldness" but I worked at the Red Lobster in Daytona Beach, FL in 1969. It was very early in the "life" of the chain, and it was an entirely different type of restaurant than it is today. Anyway, I have a regular dining menu from then..and it's a hoot looking at it. Highest price entree on the menu: Steak and Lobster w/ all the "fixings." Price...one of your drumrolls, please; $3.65!!!! Yes, you read that right, $3.65! Many interesting things on that menu, and many stories to tell about the place as well!
Comment by Dennis — May 20, 2009 @ 3:03 pm
Does he perchance have one from the Boiler Room?
Comment by David Farnham — May 21, 2009 @ 10:58 am
It was Johnny's Tavern that was in the location remembered by Mason.
Comment by David Farnham — May 21, 2009 @ 10:59 am
Mason, there was a 2nd Villa Sorrento in the 90's, but it was on Brambleton ave. Where are you talking about on Williamson?
Comment by Howard — May 21, 2009 @ 12:10 pm
Mason is talking about the building located on the left almost across from the old Charcoal Steakhouse -- the place that Bad Wolf BBQ took over. I believe the "next generation" of Villa Sorrento was there for a while.
David, I don't think Howard has the Boiler Room menu. Where was that?
Comment by Lindsey Nair — May 21, 2009 @ 12:28 pm
The Boiler Room was a bar and grill on Jefferson Street, just about where Twists and Turns is but just a few feet down. Really good cheeseburgers and a sandwich they called The Special. You can get a Special now at Abbott's on Garden City Boulevard. You used to be able to get one at Ernie's on the market, who also ran the Boiler Room. It's been a while since I've been in Ernie's, not sure if they still have it on the menu.
Comment by Kathy — May 21, 2009 @ 1:40 pm
I remember WAY "back in the day" that The Boiler Room had a sign in the window stating that women were not allowed! Can't remember the wording exactly, but either "Men Only" or "No Women Allowed!" Imagine that! This would have been in the early to mid 60's I expect.
Comment by Dennis — May 30, 2009 @ 12:05 pm
i can remember when archie's seafood was on williamson road across from burger king and then it was also the first red lobster and is now an old run down hotel (anyone remember that)!!!! miss the good ol days
Comment by rsuggs132 — June 9, 2009 @ 9:15 pm
Archie's was the only place in town that had a live lobster tank that they would get their lobsters from to fix for you at your choosing. It always scared me as a child that anyone would eat those ugly little monsters. Now I love them with lots of drawn butter. But they are still ugly.
Comment by Kathy — June 10, 2009 @ 12:51 pm