Benjamin’s in Forest, Tuscany Italian Restaurant in Lexington, and Over The Moon in Floyd

My serendipitous experiences can be your intentional forays into dining outside of the Roanoke area. Not too far away, perhaps after a quick hike to the top of Buffalo Mountain in Floyd County, a visit to Lee’s Chapel at Washington & Lee University in Lexington, or a view of the D-Day Memorial in Bedford, you will be prompted stop in for one of these dining experiences that I guarantee will satisfy and surprise your palate: Benjamin’s in Forest, Tuscany Italian Restaurant in Lexington, and Over The Moon in Floyd.

Forest, VA: It was one of those moments of bliss that come out of nowhere. My friend and I had dropped off our sons to warm up for an American Legion baseball game and had an hour to kill off appetites before the first pitch. We drove down 221 in Forest, she pointing out places, I rejecting them, until we saw this rather nondescript building on the side of the road with a large parking lot. A chalkboard outside on the narrow porch enticed us, while I still questioned the validity of her taste. I should have known better, especially after we glanced at the menu. I will tease you the way the jumbo lump crab and blue cheese quesadilla, sprinkled with bacon, mushrooms, and scallions (the appetizer is $9) teased me. The country-style, low-slung setting, much like an old cowboy swaying into the thousand rides he’s taken before, belied a menu as sophisticated as any in Roanoke, and included a Portobello mushroom stack (stuffed with spinach, roasted red peppers and caramelized onions, topped with provolone and Parmigiano, and served on a sun-dried tomato cream sauce; this entrée was $12); and “Dueling Grilled Shrimp Skewers” served with a side of coconut Thai sauce for $17. Hamburgers, hand cut steaks, salads and soups, boxed lunches, beer, and a nice wine list round out this complete surprise at the side of the road. For more information, check out their website: www.cowsandcrabs.com, or call (434) 534-6077. It is located at 14900 Forest Road Forest.

Lexington, VA: After a long, college-touring trip that included a bunch of schools my daughter never ended up applying to, we were crabby, tired, and hungry. We couldn’t wait 45 minutes longer to get home and fix a sandwich, so we delved off I-81 into Lexington, that pretty little town that is home to both the long gray line (VMI) and an academically tough party school (W&L). Meandering down Main Street, past the historic shops, buttoned-down uniforms, and too-short khakis worn paired with no socks and topsiders; we were in no mood to dicker about which restaurant to choose. We parked outside of something that looked promising, as we all could love a nice big plate of pasta at any given moment. Tuscany Italian Restaurant gave us this and so much more. It is not a cozy, intimate place, but accommodates a large crowd. The thick minestrone soup that my daughter ordered rivaled any that I have made from Marcella Hazan’s recipe. The rigatoni carbonara was a true carbonara—simple, fresh ingredients that popped with taste. This restaurant offers handmade pizza dough, a full bar and homemade desserts. We left joyous, and on that day this was an achievement. Tuscany Italian Restaurant is located at 24 N. Main Street, Lexington (http://www.tuscanyitalianrestaurant.com) and can be contacted by calling 540.463.9888.

Floyd, VA: Floyd is wonderful on a gray day, but when the leaves rattle in a cacophony of color and the sun shines enough to melt the frost; you can get to the top of the world. Which is what my friend and I intended, with a climb to the peak of Buffalo Mountain that, at 3,971 feet, looks out on a panorama of distant ridges in both directions. We had come well equipped, with food-to-go from Over the Moon cafe, which is literally over the Harvest Moon store on Locust Street in Floyd. This is half artisans’ gallery, half gourmet coffee bar, half bistro, and half—on Friday nights—live entertainment, which to my math-feeble mind means it has exponential possibilities. The menu is a bit lunar, as in Half Moons are the appetizers (such as mixed greens with apricot vinaigrette, $6, suggested to be paired with a Heron chardonnay); Full Moons are entrees (how about the wild-caught teriyaki salmon with mirin cucumber salad over organic greens, $15, perhaps paired with a Heron pinot noir?); to be ended, on a fine evening, with a Lunar Eclipse (pick from Black Forest, raspberry or cardamom cheesecake, $5, paired with a specialty coffee or a Spanish rioja).

Do not think for one small second that this restaurant, because it’s in Floyd and over a natural foods store, offers tasteless grains and falls from apple trees. First of all, we’re in a new century of slow-food appreciation, where Scott Hutchinson and owner Margie Redditt use as many local, fresh products as they can, including a full selection of meats (buffalo among the choices) and baked goods. Speaking of which, those had us slavering as we perched on top of a rock, licked our fingers free of every last crumb, and strapped on our packs for a quick and fun ascent to the scenery of Floyd County. Over the Moon has a well-priced, interesting wine and beer list, homemade soups and stews, beautiful salads and entrees, and entertainment on Friday nights. It can be contacted by calling 540.745.2782.

Posted: January 1st, 2008 under Taste of the City.
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