Thursday, September 13, 2007
Not the same old grinder
Larry Bly
Larry Bly has plenty on his plate these days. He's got two TV shows on Cox Cable Roanoke. Click ahead for details and showtimes.
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And what exactly is a "grinder?" Despite their attempt to convince me otherwise, it's just another name for a sub. As lore has it, the term "grinder" is traced back to the East Coast, where during World War I, Italian immigrants set up sandwich shops close to the shipyards where hard-working men ground off rivets on metal warships. The men were called "grinders." The sandwiches and subs that they ordered were called the same thing.
While we haven't seen many ships or rivets in these parts of the woods, we are now seeing some mighty fine "grinders," thanks to Bellacino's.
The Italian Grinder is thus far my favorite and the house specialty. The bread is baked fresh daily and is sent through a machine designed to perfectly saw it in half, lengthwise.
Then it's just packed (and I do mean packed) with ham, sausage, salami, mushrooms, onions, pepper, cheese, lettuce, tomatoes and mayo. Warning: These things are mighty big. I got a half grinder (the 9") that was enough for two. You may also choose an 18" version, big enough and juicy enough to please more than one. This is one very fine sub!!
The lasagna comes plated with garlic toast all around; it is a big mound of pasta with a slightly sweet and delicious sauce over top and plenty of meat inside. I found it to be better than some local Italian lasagnas, which tend to be a bit dry. Not this one. You may also buy a "lasagna meal," which includes a side salad and small drink.
The salads were being delivered to tables all around me and they're a big bowl-full, just brimming with fresh fixins. You may choose from six, all in the $6-7 range. There are nine listed dressings which to choose.
Specialty pizzas are another feature of the house, delivered to the tables on those fancy pizza stands that make for a nice presentation. The pizzas are cheesy, with ample toppings and again feature a slightly-sweet Italian sauce, which I happen to like a lot. There are 8", 12", 16" versions and you can pick from nearly 20 toppings. Pizzas are served in a reasonable amount of time (as are all entrees) and piping hot.
There's a "light," heart-healthy section of the menu, featuring sandwiches that contain 9 grams of fat or less. Throw in the salads and you can eat quite sensibly.
But the real heart of Bellacino's menu belongs to the 23 choices of grinders, subs and clubs. The Bellacino's Bayou is worth a try if you like a taste of New Orleans: marinated broiled chicken breast rubbed with Cajun seasoning and covered with onions, cheese and mayo.
There's even a "crab and seafood" sub, with crab, seafood, lettuce, tomatoes, cheese and mayo.
Grinders, subs, clubs and other sandwiches are reasonably priced: around $5-6 for half and about $10-11 for a whole, give or take a few pennies. You may pick up drinks and chips on your way to the cash register.
Despite using actual names instead of numbers for table delivery, the whole thing works pretty seamlessly and the wait is quite reasonable, even for pizzas and lasagnas, which can take a while.
In my several visits there, the place seems to have caught on very well with young families, probably because of its pricing structure. And the fresh ingredients, of course.
Bellacino's Pizza and Grinders
5373 Starkey Road (The Old Country Buffett shopping center)
Roanoke, VA 24018
540-989-2009
