Thursday, July 24, 2008
Good name, good food at the lake
Larry Bly
Larry Bly runs an ad agency and does freelance writing in the Roanoke area.
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Reds, Wines & Blues is one clever name for a restaurant; and even better, it's a very good restaurant besides.
Chef Amber Steele is the owner. Previously she had worked at other successful restaurants around Smith Mountain Lake and I have known of her excellent cooking skills.
According to Amber, who graciously gave me a few minutes of her time before the busy 6 p.m. hour, she saw an opportunity to buy this established restaurant (under another name) and decided to take the plunge.
Owning, she will be the first to admit, is very different than being the executive chef or working the line for someone else. So many responsibilities and so many more hours. But she seems none the worse for the wear. In fact, she balances restaurant cooking with a successful catering business, having recently done an elegant wedding party up at Valhalla Vineyards.
Amber, when not in her chef togs, looks much like the long-haired lovely artwork on her business cards, and in one mural on the dining room wall, as I recall.
Located in a strip mall called the Lakewood Professional Center, it's a nondescript kind of place on the outside, but very much a classy restaurant and lounge on the inside.
Let's talk about that lounge.
Upon entering, a smiling and professional bar-keep welcomed us. He was keenly aware that we had arrived a bit early (making sure we could locate the place) and thus should consider sitting down at the bar for a drink, which we did.
This charming guy from North Carolina by the name of Brian was just the right combination of light chatter and helpful information. Should we come back around 9 p.m. or so, the front lounge hosts great bands and dancing. Unfortunately we would be on the other side of the lake that night -- not conducive to such activities. He took mental note of our names when we got there and wished us well much later when we departed. Brian is an asset to the place, no doubt.
While one cannot (or should not) judge an entire restaurant on a single dinner -- which I normally would not do -- the fact that I've experienced Chef Amber's inventive dishes in the past helped me decide that I didn't have to.
It was an early and older crowd that arrived promptly at 6, nearly filling the smallish dining room. And most people seemed to know each other, visiting from table to table and talking loudly between other tables. Very neighborly and relaxing. Most diners wore shorts and other casual clothes.
Service was fast and friendly. Drink service was quick as well. We had a lovely wine upon being seated. If I may offer only one small bit of advice, it would be that a place that calls itself Reds, Wines & Blues should have more variety on the wine list. We found some nice ones, but the list is fairly short for such an upscale menu.
The menu offers everything imaginable: lovely salads, sandwiches, great appetizers, entrees galore. Menu prices are so reasonable that it's uncanny, considering the quality of food she's preparing here.
I went for a Friday Night Feature, one of two offered at a quick and easy price. For $17.95, here's what my friend had: a medallion of succulent chicken breast, rolled in panko breadcrumbs, pan fried, paired with a lump crab cake, topped with a golden fried green tomato and velvet cheese sauce. All of that with sugar snap peas and choice of potato, soup, or salad. Great value and done to perfection.
Even better: the chef will allow you to change out the menu a bit and mix it up any way you like, within reason.
I had the prosciutto wrapped sirloin mignon sitting on a bed of lovely, sweet brandied peaches. Center cut, wrapped with prosciutto and seared to my taste, accompanied by the evening's veggies of sugar snap peas -- and in my case, a salad, rather than soup or potato. Again, this is a $17.95 special.
Nearby a diner had a meat and potato pie. Others had traditional pork chop and chicken entrees. Everyone seemed pleased and many diners asked each other about how much they liked their dishes. I seemed to be only stranger.
The snug dining room is made to feel larger with mirrored faux windows. The mural of Amber on one end of the room is really quite soothing and lovely. The tables have chairs of varying woods and styles, but it sort of ads to the eclectic, warm feel of the place.
One last thing. Bread comes piping hot to the table, served with the traditional olive oil and salt and pepper for dipping. The bread is crusty on the outside and soft on the inside. The olive oil is a house-herbed special and quite delicious.
You can also stop in for deli meats and such at the front of the lobby and a while bunch of other great sandwiches and salamis.
Reds, Wines &Blues is just down from the Dairy Queen in Moneta, less than 40 minutes drive from downtown Roanoke. Full bar service. Live entertainment on weekends.
REDS, WINES & BLUES
Lakewood Professional Center
Moneta, VA
(540) 721-6445
