Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: WEDNESDAY, February 6, 1991 TAG: 9102060104
SECTION: EXTRA PAGE: 1 EDITION: METRO
SOURCE: Leila Albrecht
DATELINE: LENGTH: Medium
When Corned Beef & Co. moved out of the City Market Building in order to get ready to reopen a block away in the old Brotherhood Mercantile, it left behind the tile-topped tables and black-and-white tile floors.
So when you walk into what is now the New Market Grill, you may have a sense of deja vu - but only until you begin perusing the menu.
That menu makes marvelous reading, with good copy-writing that makes everything sound delicious - even an ordinary thing like nachos, at $5.95 the most expensive appetizer on the menu. They're listed as "deluxe" nachos and justifiably: "Corn chips topped with chili, cheddar, Monterey Jack, sour cream, shredded lettuce, fresh salsa and jalapenos."
That description would reform an ardent nachos hater; it did me.
One day I shared with my luncheon date his appetizer of Orange and Oregano Wings ($3.95). Now there's a zinger: eight intriguingly seasoned drummettes, that plump little segment of a chicken's wing, broiled to a nice crispness, with each contrasting flavor standing out loud and clear. There was a small accompanying cup of spicy tomato salsa dip which, surprisingly, augmented rather than blotted out that great marinade.
Another time, after opening night of a marvelous History Museum exhibit of Hotel Roanoke memorabilia, it was an easy step across Campbell Avenue to try out the New Market Grill. We wanted just a light supper after all the hors d'oeuvres we'd already had. The Center Special ($3.95) was mine. A sandwich of smoked turkey slices, a layer of chopped fresh vegetables nicely seasoned, and then a layer of baby Swiss. Of the bread choices, I selected marble rye.
Packed with goodies as it was, the sandwich was cleverly speared together by the longest tassle-topped pick I've ever seen. The New Market Grilled Cheese & Ham ($4.25) proves that sandwiches can be a fine substitution for a full meal. This one certainly was: smoked ham, Wisconsin Cheddar cheese, fresh tomato slices and brown sugar mustard sauce, toasted meltingly on marble rye. It was great.
Also, it shows off another of the New Market Grill's small, bright ideas: the use of cheeses other than processed slices. Danish Havarti is meltingly good on the Vegetarian Loaf, an Italian sub roll hollowed and stuffed with small cucumber, mushroom and tomato chunks, sprinkled with alfalfa sprouts and shredded lettuce, tossed with a creamy and complex "special dressing" and then covered with melted Havarti. A $3.75 triumph.
Now, to the "real stuff," the entrees, starting at the top with the most expensive: three of them include small ribeye steaks "cooked to your taste"; the one I tried certainly was. The blackened one, a la Cajun, is 10 ounces cooked in a hot iron skillet ($10.25). I particularly like the idea, though I haven't tasted, of the Grill's Corn Crepe with blackened ribeye gussied up with chopped green onions and mushrooms and "tangy Espanol sauce" ($8.50).
I haven't yet sampled the fresh seafood of the day (market prices), but the Chicken Primavera ($7.95) is very fine. It consists of a baked chicken breast slit and stuffed with a shrimp mousseline (which could stand to have more shrimp flavor), and also with fresh vegetables, along with a tasty roasted red pepper sauce ($7.95).
The other day at lunch (although the same menu prevails day and night) I had a mountainous plate of "Fresh Vegetable Saute" (6.95). The fresh vegetables were julienned and quickly sauteed with good fresh fettuccine, then stir fried to a beautiful al dente. It was superb, and voluminous enough for me to take home half of it for that night's dinner.
However, the esoteric pecan basil pesto the mix was said to be tossed with needs more ooomph; it is far too subtle for my taste buds to discern.
Ditto the Grilled Potato Relish, a small cup of which centers each sandwich plate. It has no discernible seasoning or taste, other than that of cold potatoes. I see absolutely no reason for its being except as a possible repository for unused grilled potatoes.
Of the New Market Grill's three desserts ($2.95 to $3.25), I've sampled only the white chocolate cheesecake, but it was divine. I can't wait to try the banana cream pie with gingersnap crust and hazelnut whipped cream, and the praline torte with chocolate mousse.
Dining Out's evaluations of restaurant accessibility to the handicapped are conducted by the Center for Independence for the Disabled, a non-profit organization.
\ NEW MARKET GRILL
32 Market Square, Roanoke 342-9790
Hours: Monday, 11:30 a.m. - 8:30 p.m.; Tuesday - Thursday, 11:30 a.m. - 10:30 p.m.; Friday - Saturday, 11:30 a.m. - 2 a.m.
Price Range: $1.95 - $10.95.
Beverages: Full service bar
Credit Cards: American Express, Mastercard and Visa.
Non-Smoking Section? yes
Handicapped Accessible: no
by CNB