taste of the city | february 2008

Of the twelve restaurants in the Grandin Village area, some have been there for far longer than 30 years, some only a month or two. Together with the kitschy and cool shops, the theater, the Roanoke Natural Foods Co-op, the healing center and Too Many Books, this area is becoming a Mecca for many. A quiet Saturday morning stroll and a cup of great coffee, a seen-and- be-seen Friday night over appetizers and a nice bottle of wine, a long and satisfying browse in the book store, followed by lovely pizza … you can do all this and spend days in the Grandin Road/Memorial Avenue area and never want to take a break.

Among the oldies and still goodies is The Community Inn (1304 Grandin Road), whose fans love its soups and burgers. The most popular soups are the chili, the vegetable beef, and the potato. The menu is extensive, ranging from breakfast to late-night snacks such as French fries, grilled cheese sandwiches, and tuna melts.

Spikes (1914 Memorial Avenue) has also been around for 30-plus years, many of those spent holding up the same clientele. It is the epitome of the friendly neighborhood bar that boasts six-ounce, 90% lean hamburgers and lunch specials and is open until 2 a.m., Sunday through Saturday.

Another place that provides good eats, good company and some games— either pool, pin ball, or the like — is the Village Grill (1802 Memorial Avenue). Word is the wraps are phenomenal. Word also is that the atmosphere is welcoming and laid-back. Not in the mood for a burger? Try one of their seven versions of the quesadilla, seven different salads, or 15 varieties of wraps, along with an extensive sandwich selection.

If what you’re after is a quiet, intimate meal and you don’t want to bet on a new restaurant, the standby is Norberto’s (1908 Memorial Avenue), with a warm atmosphere and a Brazilian touch to their Mediterranean cuisine. You can also order that luxury, veal, in a wide variety of ways — parmigiana, scaloppini, Francese, picatta, and saltimboca.

Grandin Village has expanded greatly in the last several years, adding fun spots for families and serious dining destinations for those after a fine selection of wine or beer and gourmet food. In the fun category falls Pop’s Ice Cream and Soda Bar (1916 Memorial Avenue), which looks just like something from Mayberry RFD on the inside. And the quality is also reminiscent of old-fashioned goodness: I recommend trying one of their ice cream sodas (sarsaparilla, anyone?) or a grilled cheese sandwich. But these are not just your American cheese slapped-together deals: They come in choices such as cinnamon cream cheese, smoked Gouda, blue cheese with onion and figs, and even a sun dried tomato-pesto-parmesan-mozzarella combination. But let’s not forget that they also have a PBJ made with, of course, grape jelly.

There has never been a time when I’ve walked into Grace’s Place pizzeria that I haven’t encountered a happy, full, and satisfied family gathered into a booth. And why shouldn’t they be? There’s far more than pizza to satisfy your Italian cravings at Grace’s, from baked pasta and calzone to pasta specials and pizza that will practically undo you. You can dress up your pizza with sprinklings of roasted red peppers, jalapenos, red onions, anchovies or feta.

The Isaac’s Restaurant (1910 Memorial Avenue) may be best known for their homemade hummus, but the food they serve, “from the center of civilization,” the owners tout, is great. In my humble opinion, their samosas—flaky and meltingly delicious—should be something everyone orders. While many have tried to do a gyro, most have not reached the level of perfection that The Isaac’s has. And their chicken Shawarma is equally successful.

The newest restaurant in the area is Local Roots Café, which also offers pizza, but this one is rather off the beaten path. Not that it’s not dynamite: It is. So is the rest of their food. The premise of this lovely restaurant, tucked into Grandin Gardens (1731 Grandin Road), is the use of local and organic produce. It, and the owner/chef, Rives Elliot, make all the difference. I had a slice of the harvest pizza. Its homemade crust was loaded with fresh mozzarella, yams, whole cloves of roasted garlic, sautéed kale and feta cheese, and it was scrumptious. So was their Reuben, made with grass-fed corned beef from Mountain Run Farm, and their butternut squash soup, in a cute and tasty rosemary and sun dried tomato bread bowl.

For organic and well-made meals, you can also stop by the aptly-named Happy Belly Deli. It resides in the back of the Roanoke Natural Foods Co-op (1319 Grandin Road) and serves lunch-type food every day of the week. Locally grown produce; nitrate, hormone, and antibiotic-free meats; local eggs; hormone-free milk; and even reverse osmosis-filtered water should make you feel just slightly superior, but even if you don’t, your tummy will be smiling. The side dishes you can bank on: Spicy peanutty pasta, tabouli, and Asian-baked tofu are among the choices. Also, always ask what’s in their dessert case—it’s fresh and it’s delicious.

Coda, just down the street from the co-op, (1327 Grandin) serves up great coffee, nice wines, tidbits, crepes, and sandwiches. It may be known more for its weekly musical jams, but it’s a great place to stop in with a friend and have a long talk over a bottle of wine, a cup of latte, or even a delectable dessert.
A couple of friends of mine swear by the Surf-n-Turf restaurant (1329 Grandin Road), saying that the service is exemplary. They go almost every week, and by the time they are seated their favorite drinks are at their elbows. This restaurant even ordered, for them, a bottle of brandy to make the brandy old-fashioned. “They make you feel like you’re appreciated,” one of these devotees said. While the restaurant’s specialty is seafood, it has nice tenderloins and a to-rave-about balsamic vinaigrette.

The Rockfish (1402 Grandin) has recently expanded its menu to include brunch on Sundays from 11 a.m. – 2 p.m. Now you can catch its superior food Wednesday through Sunday nights as well as Sunday mornings, and wash it down with a well-chosen variety of wines. Homemade flour tortilla chips to set the mood, asparagus grilled to al dente perfection, osso bucco with risotto, and herb-crusted flank steak with a rosemary mambo sauce are specials or on the dinner menu. Live music, good service, and great soup round out this undeniably winning experience.

Breakfast and coffee, pizza for lunch, homemade dessert for that late afternoon pick-me-up, high dining for dinner, and then grab a game of pool and a bowl of fries: That’s the Grandin Road Village. Don’t pass it by.

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