Photos by Kyle Green | The Roanoke Times

Service is prompt and servers are knowledgeable, both of which make for a pleasant dining experience.

Vegetables sit in Mason jars along a wall at Local Roots.

North Carolina clams are cooked with locally grown tomatoes, bacon, garlic and white wine in a wood-fired oven.

Local Roots is a farm-to-table restaurant where the ingredients are sourced from local farmers and purveyors. This lends to having the freshest vegetables, meats, dairy and seafood. Executive chef Joshua Smith is trying to prove through his dynamic cuisine that fresh and local food is better.

Local Roots Restaurant is owned by Diane Elliot, who this year relocated the restaurant a short distance from the original location on Grandin Road in Roanoke. Smith, a graduate of the Culinary Institute of America, was once the sous chef at Metro! and 202 Market downtown.

The vibe

The first thing I noticed when I entered the restaurant was the casual feel. The walls and tin ceilings are painted in a soft shade of yellow, complementing the simple wooden tables and chairs.

The bar seats about 10 patrons, who have a stellar view of the beautiful wood-fired brick oven in the kitchen. If you're celebrating a special occasion, I suggest reserving one of the semiprivate booths near the back of the dining room.

The menu

Smith has created a fun, ever-changing seasonal menu, which provides the names of the local purveyors who supplied ingredients.

The night of my visit, the menu boasted seven starters, ranging in price from $2 to $12. To name a few: Winter Point oysters ($2 each), roasted vegetable salad ($9), butternut squash soup ($9) and aged cow's milk cheese with country ham and 12-year balsamic vinegar ($10).

The eight main courses ranged in price from $15 to $34. Here's a tasty sampling of our choices the evening we visited: heirloom pencil cob grits with parsnips, shiitake mushroom and fall vegetable ragout, and the ever-so-popular heritage pork belly with Sea Island red peas, charred chili and braised heirloom apples. Also offered was a roasted half-chicken with rapini (broccoli rabe), crimini mushrooms, Kennebec potatoes and chicken gravy, as well as the classic braised lamb shoulder with farro grain, black garlic, mushrooms, onion and dates.

The four side dishes offered were buttered local beets and pecorino cheese ($7), roasted turnips with sea salt ($7), wood-fired Kennebec potatoes ($7) and baked Sea Island red peas with bacon ($8). The hearty side dishes are enough for two to share.

What we ate

My dining partner and I made a weeknight reservation. When we arrived, we were immediately seated in one of the three relaxing booths. Our cordial server was very knowledgeable about each menu item.

We started with day boat scallops with Brussels sprout, Benton's bacon (a Tennessee product), butternut squash and brown butter balsamic sauce ($12). They arrived quickly, and the presentation was flawless.

We anxiously cut into the lightly seared scallops and gave them a swirl in the luscious sauce. With each bite, they literally melted in our mouths. The scallops in all their freshness married perfectly with the bacon and sauce.

For our main course, I ordered the Ancient White Park New York strip with wood-fired Kennebec potatoes, beets, and onion gravy ($32). Ancient White Park is a special breed of cattle; Kennebec potatoes are a variety that is growing in popularity among chefs. My dining partner ordered the rainbow trout with sunchokes, butternut squash, heirloom baby carrots and Carolina gold rice ($22). We also ordered a side of the red peas with bacon ($7).

While waiting for dinner, we tried Corvidae Wise Guy Sauvignon Blanc 2009 for $6 per glass. Local Roots offers a full bar and extensive wine list. Ten wines by the glass are priced from $6 to $8. Bottles range in price from $26 to $180. When dinner came, we were once again wowed by the chef's skill and meticulous plate presentation. To my surprise, the New York strip was sliced prior to service for presentation and was cooked to a perfect medium-rare. My first bite of steak screamed prime beef at its peak of freshness. Each tender bite dipped in the onion gravy was heavenly. The vegetables were roasted perfectly, with a tender, creamy center.

My partner's plate was just as stunning, with four perfectly cooked trout filets atop four mounds of rice, and vegetables artistically arranged on the plate. It was as delicious as it looked -- the rice was a perfect complement to the delicate, flaky fish, which tasted as if it had just been pulled from a cold Virginia stream. The baked peas were good but a little dry.

Although we were stuffed from the generous portions, we decided to try Smith's version of cheesecake crumble ($6). The cheesecake is frozen in liquid nitrogen, then broken into pieces and served with house-made sorbet. The sorbet, not overly sweet, was very smooth and creamy, while the rich, silky cheesecake reminded me of the frozen Dreamsicles I ate as a kid.

For my second visit, I tried the recently introduced Sunday supper, where each guest chooses a main course and the table shares two side dishes ($15 for adults, $8 for kids 6 to 12, free for 5 and under). Dessert is offered for an additional $3.

From the four main dishes offered that day, I chose the roasted chicken. Another diner at my table chose the Big Pine Trout Farm trout with rice and brown butter. We decided on the roasted skillet potatoes and rainbow chard as our sides.

A fresh salad consisting of baby lettuce, roasted root veggies and cubes of sweet cornbread in place of croutons was served before dinner. We all enjoyed the salad, which was dressed with red wine vinaigrette.

Shortly after our salad plates were removed, the attentive waitress brought our dinners. Everything looked great, but I soon noticed my chicken leg quarter was not fully cooked. The waitress immediately replaced the dish, and, while I found the chicken to be very fresh and moist, it lacked seasoning.

The trout was good, but the rice was very bland and sticky. The roasted skillet potatoes were a big hit with everyone, as was the sauteed rainbow chard.

The dessert of lemon curd, Pavlova (a meringue) and whipped cream met all expectations. The lemon curd was silky and flavorful, while the crunchy Pavlova and whipped cream added just the right texture.

Bottom line

The chef's attention to detail and the knowledgeable staff are enough to warrant giving this place a try. My only critique is with the Sunday supper, where I think a little more seasoning and consistency would improve the dining experience. If you're looking for a place to eat fresh, homegrown and locally sourced food, give Local Roots a try. You will not be disappointed.