Thursday, September 04, 2008
New pub offers feed first
Larry Bly
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The Market Street Pub hasn't been open very long, so they're not much of a pub, thanks to the ABC laws of Virginia. In fact, iced tea is about as strong it gets in this pub -- for now, at least. Once they reach appropriate required food sales, then it can serve adult beverages. Presently it's a nice empty bar (but a great place to sit and watch the downtown Roanoke City Market crowd go by) and lots of tables and chairs. I'd hope that once they're making some bucks, perhaps a few high wooden booths would be installed around the walls to give it a more pub-like, intimate feel.
The menu is kept to a minimum, catering mostly to the luncheon crowd, wisely at that. Entrees only number six for now. It doesn't look or feel like a dinner place, but entrees are served after 4 p.m. There's a veggie lasagna, fettuccine chicken alfredo (nice sauce), manicotti with salad and breadsticks, cheesy chicken and mushroom with garlic mashed potatoes, crab cakes and a Cajun shrimp and scallop fettuccine. All in the reasonable $10.99-$15 range.
For me, a recent soup and sandwich experience was superb. I tried the homemade chicken salad and a bowl (huge) of the soup du jour, which happened to be a thick and creamy cheese broccoli. A bit heavy for my lunch taste, the soup was delicious and just chocked full of fresh broccoli pieces. The chicken salad truly is homemade and may be about the best I've ever had, including my own. It's made up fresh daily and worth a try.
The submarine sandwiches being served looked ample and full of goodness: the Downtowner being tender shaved sirloin steak with roasted red pepper and onion, Swiss cheese and served hot with lettuce and tomato and mustard on an 8" sub roll. The Italian is a really good one -- we have so many versions of this around town these days -- with baked ham, bologna, pepperoni, provolone cheese and all the toppings plus Italian dressing. Or choose the Mill Mt. (turkey, ham and roast beef) or the Tower (ham, roast beef, bologna provolone and all the toppings.) Sandwiches are all priced at $7.95. This restaurant is obviously trying to keep lunches in that magical affordable range. There seems to be some customer resistance just now with the cost of gasoline and other inflationary problems.
The grilled sourdough panini sandwiches are plentiful here: Black forest (ham, Swiss and the works), a veggie panini of spread, roasted red pepper, artichoke and basil mayo (I could live off of this one, and I eat meat), the Fulton (grilled chicken, cheddar cheese, onion and pesto) the Billy's Ritz (the old Billy's is now shuttered and will soon become a four-star hotel with tony shops on the first floor where we used to get sloshed at the bar), which is tender roast beef, Swiss cheese, roasted red pepper, tomato and brown mustard.
(Speaking of Billy's, lets take a moment to remember their excellent ratatouille. It was a perennial favorite!)
The salads are large and filling: tuna or chicken, grilled chicken salad, Caesar and House.
Sandwiches and wraps abound: Classic BLT (nice no-nonsense presentation), chicken or tuna, roasted turkey, grilled chicken, shaved corned beef with Swiss, and a veggie sandwich which is made enticing with the use of guacamole.
Because this place aspires to be a pub, just as the name implies, there are appetizers appropriate for such an establishment: wings, quesodilla, nachos, spinach dip, etc. Pretty much what you'd expect.
The service is quick and friendly, desserts are limited to two items: cookies (made fresh daily) and brownies. For now, choose tea, Coke, Mr. Pibb, Sprite or Orange soda.
THE MARKET STREET PUB
106 Market St.
Roanoke, VA 24011
Open Monday-Saturday 10:30 a.m.-10 p.m.
540-982-6618
