Wednesday, January 21, 2009
1 night, 8 restaurants
Lexington's "Sample of the City" is a progressive dinner tour of eight downtown restaurants.
Food writer Lindsey Nair
- lindsey.nair@roanoke.com | (540) 981-3343
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Roanoke has a fair number of restaurants, but not so many that I don't sometimes wish for a fresh dining experience.
Fortunately, it isn't much trouble to point the car toward places like Charlottesville, Richmond and Washington when it's time for a change.
Even closer to Roanoke, though, is a charming, historic city with a healthy handful of restaurants worth checking out. I'm talking about Lexington, which is a straight, hourlong shot up Interstate 81 from the Star City.
If you don't know enough about Lexington restaurants to make an informed decision about where to dine, I have good news for you: The city is hosting its third "Sample of the City" event Monday evening.
For the reasonable price of $25 per person, guests get to visit eight different restaurants, all within walking distance of each other in the heart of Lexington. Each eatery will serve a small tasting plate that reflects the cuisine it serves every day.
That means Italian food at Tuscany, locally grown food at The Red Hen, freshly baked desserts at Sweet Treats Bakery... need I go on? Eight small plates will quickly add up to a very filling evening, and some restaurants will sell cocktails, beer or wine to accompany the tastings.
Here's a rundown of the restaurants involved:
Bistro on Main
8 N. Main St.
(540) 464-4888
The Bistro opened in 2003 and was remodeled in 2006 to include a lounge and full bar.
Bistro serves a casual lunch that includes a burrito and a local beef hamburger.
Dinner entrees, many of which are seafood, top out at $24 for filet mignon. Each night the restaurant features several dinner specials.
Sheridan Livery Inn
35 N. Main St.
(540) 464-1887
The inn was originally an Irish immigrant's stable and carriage service, which opened in 1887. The Sheridan Livery Inn and Restaurant now serves lunch and dinner seven days a week.
Entrees start at $16 for herb roasted chicken to $27 for an Angus filet. The restaurant also has eight sandwiches and several soups and salads on the menu each day.
Southern Inn
37 S. Main St.
(540) 463- 3612
The Southern Inn offers "casual elegance" with a contemporary menu. It has been a fixture in Lexington since 1932.
Entrees range from $14.95 for meatloaf or liver and onions to $32.95 for the New York strip. In between, you'll find roast duck, sea scallops, lamb, pasta and more. They also serve salads and sandwiches and have an extensive appetizer menu. Open for lunch Wednesday through Saturday, dinner every night and brunch on Sundays.
The Red Hen
11 E. Washington St.
(540) 464-4401
This is the newest restaurant on the tour. It opened in September 2008 after extensive renovations to the historic building.
The menu changes daily according to what chef Tucker Yoder can get fresh and in season from local producers. It is the only restaurant I know of, besides the Local Roots Cafe in Roanoke, that is supplied almost exclusively by local farmers.
Entrees range from $16 to $32. The restaurant serves lunch, dinner and Sunday brunch.
The Patisserie
107 N. Main St.
(540) 462-6000
The Patisserie, a combination of a cafe and a takeout meal service, has been under new management since October. It sells sandwiches, homemade soups, salads and a quiche du jour, along with baked breakfast items and desserts. Dine-in prices are reasonable ($2.95 for a slice of quiche; $3.95 for a bowl of soup; $5.95 for sandwiches).
For the busy customer, the cafe has ready-to-heat meals such as meatloaf, roasted salmon or beef tenderloin for $7.95 to $12.95. They also have side dishes to go and vegetarian options.
Tuscany Italian Restaurant
24 N. Main St.
www.tuscanyitalianrestaurant.com
(540) 463-9888
Tuscany is a four-year-old family owned Italian restaurant serving homemade traditional dishes such as eggplant parmigiana, chicken cacciatore, bruschetta and risotto. You can also fill up on pizza, calzones and homemade tiramisu or cannoli.
The restaurant serves lunch and dinner. Dinner entrees range from an $11 pizza to a $24 filet mignon.
Diners can come casual for pizza or dress up for a special occasion and enjoy the live piano music.
Salerno Family Restaurant
115 S. Jefferson St.
(540) 463-5757
This casual Italian-American restaurant has been serving subs, pizza and pasta dishes in Lexington for about a decade. The portions are big and the menu is the same for both lunch and dinner.
The highest entree price is $10.95 for dishes such as penne pasta with clams or homemade lasagna. In addition to standard pizza toppings, Salerno sells specialty pizzas like the popular chicken-ranch.
Barb's Bakery, run by a relative of the Salerno family, just opened last week inside the restaurant. Barb has been selling a variety of cakes, cookies, pies and breads.
Sweet Treats Bakery
19 W. Washington St.
(540) 463-3611
The name would seem to say it all, but Sweet Treats is not all about desserts and breakfast pastries. The 312-year-old bakery also serves hot breakfasts of omelets, eggs and bacon, freshly baked waffles and pancakes.
At lunch, the bakery dishes up an impressive array of sandwiches, from a hot Cuban to a clam cake pita.
