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Sam Dean | The Roanoke Times

A variety of dishes, including the mango, salmon and shrimp skewer (center) at The Isaacs restaurant on Memorial Avenue.

Roanoke's restaurant scene has changed in the short time since I began reviewing restaurants for this newspaper in the summer of 2007. They seem to come and go at a feverish pace -- one even closed between the time I wrote the review and the time I submitted it to the paper.

But others have been rejuvenated, renovated or relocated, as if to shout to the masses, "I am still here and I plan on being here for some time!"

I decided these "new" and hopefully improved eateries were worth revisiting.

The Isaacs Mediterranean Restaurant

In my first review of The Isaacs, I described the restaurant as consisting of "about 13 tables in the somewhat spartan (some might say minimalist) dining room." Thanks to a significant renovation in 2008, the considerably larger, more refined interior is bathed in a colorful palette of soft oranges, yellows and blues with light wood accents. The decor is now perfectly in tune with the vibrant Mediterranean fare.

The Isaacs' evolution from neighborhood hot spot to destination eatery heralds the arrival of a restaurant that succeeded first and foremost on the merit of its food and, like many great restaurants, by working its way up the ranks. Luckily, the delicious, healthy Mediterranean menu remains, and the newest version includes a broader array of entrees.

On a recent lunch visit, I ate the same delicious gyro ($8.45) that I tried during my previous review. It was still an exuberantly fresh mixture of spiced beef and lamb, red onions, lettuce, tomatoes and tzatziki.

The restaurant seemed understaffed for lunch, as there appeared to be only one waiter available for our half of the place. We waited 15 minutes or so for a fairly simple appetizer of roasted garlic hummus and warmed pita points ($4.75) to arrive at our table. That was excessive for a weekday lunch crowd with limited time, but this was only a slight misstep.

The taste of freshly ground chickpeas made for a delightful hummus, though the garlic was muted. The kale sautéed with garlic and olive oil is a mouthwatering standout that alone warrants a trip.

Both of my co-workers ordered chicken -- one had the kabobs ($12.95), the other had souvlaki ($10), with chunks of yogurt-marinated chicken served on a pita with lettuce, onion, tomato, and tzatziki. I recommend the souvlaki, which had more meat and costs less.

My family's dinner on a recent Sunday hit a snag early on when the waitress informed us the most promising toddler dishes, chicken tenders and fried ravioli, were unavailable. Luckily, my 2-year old had eaten a late lunch and was content to sit, color and play with packets of artificial sweetener.

Our pleasant server made very good recommendations and applauded our appetizer choice, a wonderful sampler ($8.95) of Mediterranean favorites like spanakopita, falafel (think hushpuppies made of ground chickpeas and spices) and beef samosas. The appetizers arrived piping hot, and the server (not our waitress) carefully described each of the sauces while suggesting pairings.

The spanakopita's creamy spinach and feta filling was almost buttery and created a perfect contrast to the crispy phyllo pastry. Though the falafel was tasty, the ground beef samosas with ginger and cilantro slathered with cold ginger-mango chutney offered a delightful contradiction between hot and cold, spicy and sweet. They were an easy favorite, and sweet mint tea made a perfect companion.

For the main course, an indulgent roasted red pepper and walnut sauce topped my skin-on roasted, boneless chicken breast stuffed with herbed goat cheese. Twirling each bite of chicken and cheese through the sauce, I could just make out the nuttiness beyond the spice of the red pepper. Divine!

Two quibbles: the side of couscous was a tad dry and the sautéed kale was, on this particular visit, lukewarm.

My wife's moussaka ($10.95), a lasagna-like dish of layered eggplant, potatoes and spiced, minced beef topped with béchamel sauce, was heavy and filling, though the richness of the béchamel detracted from the earthy flavor of the meat and vegetables. And as much as I wanted to like it, the unusual carrot cake was so dense and moist it was more like a torte than a cake. Although the server cautioned that it was spicy, I found any spiciness smothered by its density, though I enjoyed the smooth mascarpone/cream cheese icing.

At The Isaacs, there are none of the foams, froths or jellies that seemed to be so in vogue among trendy eateries during those heady days, not so long ago, when house prices rose in perpetuity and home loans could be acquired at an ATM. One will find, however, something that never goes out of style -- a real destination restaurant in Grandin Village that I hope will continue serving its excellent food for years to come.

Pitt Boss BBQ

In my prior review of the Pitt Boss, I remarked that it occupied "a small space" that "offer[ed] the type of no-frills but friendly atmosphere you should look for in a barbecue restaurant."

With its recent move to vastly larger digs farther down Brambleton Avenue, Pitt Boss has apparently set its sights on becoming a major player in the valley's barbecue scene.

The new log cabin-style building sits under a bright red roof and a huge yellow "BBQ" sign. The same décor continues inside with faux stone and log walls accented by yellows and reds. There's now a separate, full-service bar on one side of the restaurant and a large dining area on the other.

While the new location certainly provides a roomier and more comfortable atmosphere, it somehow seems disappointingly sterile; a challenge to those of us who believe that the more decrepit the building, the better tasting the barbecue.

During my two separate visits to the new Pitt Boss, I was pleased to find the pulled pork as smoky and delicious as before. But some dishes satisfied while others disappointed.

On my first visit, with a large group of friends, I had the opportunity to sample several dishes and was particularly intrigued by the new and disconcertingly named PIC burger (PIC stands for "Pig In Cow") ($8.99). This juicy, flavorful and undoubtedly fattening half-pound beef-and-pork burger comes topped with cheese, bacon, lettuce, tomato, mayonnaise, barbecue sauce and an onion ring. Although the burger was delicious, I have two minor gripes: they didn't hold the mayo as requested, and it came on a bun, particularly the bottom half, that was much too small for the burger.

I found the smoked chicken tasty, tender and full of the same hickory flavor as the pork. The chilled bourbon pecan pie arrived, quite obviously, straight from the cooler, but it was delectably moist and dense, with large pecans and a distinct bourbon taste.

There were some major missteps as well. The dry-rubbed baby back ribs ($12.49 for a half rack) were unremarkably seasoned, fatty and on the chewy side. I had previously praised the collard greens, but this time they were so inexplicably sweet that I couldn't eat them.

Finally, in my earlier review, I said that "I plan to return for a sandwich that caught my eye" called the Roanoke Turkey ($8.29). Unfortunately, I did indeed return and can easily describe the taste of the Bavarian pretzel roll's pile of smoked turkey, Havarti cheese, bacon, lettuce and tomato -- it tasted entirely like Pitt Boss's sweet, yellow mustard-based barbecue sauce. The turkey and all its fixings were swimming -- no, drowning in a deluge of sauce.

Despite this, I still managed to taste a few pieces of smoked turkey protruding, unsullied, from the sandwich. The turkey by itself had a definite smoky taste and could have otherwise made a delicious sandwich. Hoping that my prior visit was an aberration, I again ordered the collard greens with the same dreadful results. Perplexingly, Pitt Boss's owner, James Tedesco, said the recipe hasn't changed.

Pitt Boss's larger seating area obviously required additional staff, and despite the short time since opening, my service on both occasions was quick and attentive, notwithstanding my large group's demands during the first visit. A bill totaling $11.08 for the sandwich, collards and tea seemed high.

Given the extent of the renovations, Pitt Boss has obviously made substantial commitment to its new location, which offers more space, creature comforts (such as flat panel televisions on the walls) and a larger menu, though with a slightly inauthentic feel.

With any menu, there tends to be some winners and few losers; Pitt Boss is no exception.