Corner Booth: Hanging Rock Tavern Opens, Bookstore Pub on Tap, Indian Food Truck Returns, Mixed Review for Donnie D's

Welcome to our food column, Corner Booth, where each month Layla Khoury-Hanold will guide us through what’s happening in Roanoke’s food scene. We’ll feature restaurant openings and closings, changes in cuisine concepts or locations, a first-impression review of a new eatery, and our Ask Layla section, where Rambler members can get their burning questions answered on the best places to eat or drink for any occasion. Simply leave a comment with your question or email us at editor@roanokerambler.com. Enjoy! 😋

Hanging Rock Tavern brings smoked meats, craft beer and live music to Salem

Hanging Rock Tavern, a restaurant, smokehouse, brewery, biergarten and live music venue, opened in Salem on March 8 at 1790 Thompson Memorial Dr. (which formerly housed Billy’s Barn).

Upon arrival, you’ll likely detect the aroma of barbecue emanating from the smoke house out back, tended to by executive chef Schuyler Van Montfrans. Smoked meats are featured on signature flatbreads and sandwiches, like the early fan-favorite brisket melt ($16), as well as à la carte barbecue options including pulled chicken ($10), pulled pork ($12) or beef brisket ($15), served as a platter or on a bun (a gluten-free option is available) with a choice of a side and two pickles. Vegetarians can opt for smoked tempeh, either à la carte or on the Trailblazer, where it’s stacked onto a brioche bun with onion rings, slaw, Monterey Jack and sweet BBQ sauce.

The tap list features domestic and local suds as well as Hanging Rock’s own craft beer, which is primarily brewed at their farm and outdoor venue, Hanging Rock Outdoors (there is a small on-site facility at Hanging Rock Tavern). Many of the beers land on the lower end of the ABV, making it an approachable list; try Farmer Brown Ale, described as “a robust version of an English Brown with a hint of tartness in its malty backbone,” or SIPA, a session IPA brewed in the style of west coast American Pale Ales (both $6).

There’s an outdoor biergarten behind the main building with cabanas, and co-owner Alex Faught said the team plans to add picnic tables and finish building out the “beer shack.” In the meantime, you can order pints and nosh from the “walk-up menu” from the bar inside, say an order of dry-rubbed, smoked chicken wings served with your choice of barbecue sauce, to enjoy outside (also a good move if you have to wait for an indoor table).

The BiblioPub to bring bar, books in old Downshift space

The BiblioPub, a bookstore, bar and cafe will open this spring in downtown Roanoke at 416 Campbell Ave. SW (the former Downshift space). “I wanted to create a space for people that may want a quieter place to meet up with a friend after work or find a new book to read on a Saturday afternoon,” said owner Ellen Seay, a former ESL and special education teacher. “I was inspired to open it because I felt that the city lacked this type of community space — a cozy, low key place to hang out by yourself or with a friend and enjoy a beer or a coffee.” The BiblioPub will sell mostly used books to begin with and the bar and food menus will highlight local vendors. Beverages will include craft beers, wines, tea and coffee, while food offerings will include sandwiches, soups and pastries for dine-in or to-go. Seay plans to curate a relaxing, cool vibe — think rich wood tones, dark colors, vintage furniture and eclectic art — in partnership with Sarah Call Interior Design and Erica Cundiff of Blue Honey Rose. Local artists interested in displaying art for sale can contact Seay through the business’s Instagram page (@thebibliopub).

Closing Valhalla Vineyards to offer wine deals

After 30 years in business, Valhalla Vineyards will close its doors. Owner and winemaker Debra Vascik has been making wine since 1994, when she and her husband, Jim, turned a 200-acre peach orchard atop Mount Chestnut into a vineyard and helped establish the North Fork of Roanoke as a Virginia AVA (American Viticultural Area). Vascik shares that after more than 30 years in business and after her husband passed away three years ago, she is ready to retire and sell the land. Vascik has earned a reputation for her bold reds, including cellar-worthy Bordeaux style blends (Valkyrie), Cabernet Sauvignon and Syrah, including the notable 1998 Syrah which won the 2000 Governor’s Cup, a prestigious Virginia wine competition. 

Valhalla will be open for a final weekend April 5 and 6, noon to 5 p.m. when cases of wine will be available for purchase for $60 to $100 plus tax. The tasting room will not be serving wine but will have glassware available so customers can open bottles from purchased cases and enjoy sips and views one last time. Vascik recommends snapping up signature reds, including a Gotterdammerung Cabernet Franc-Merlot blend, and Cornucopia, a red blend crafted specifically to pair with Thanksgiving and Christmas meals. The current inventory is available on their website.

Poser Bakes expands pop-up schedule

Poser Bakes, a pop-up bakery helmed by Danielle Fasshauer, will now offer its pastries at Altar Coffee (inside Gladheart Wine & Brews) once a month (next date is April 19). Fasshauer has been selling her signature bakes since October and gained a dedicated following for goods like miso banana bread and laminated pastries like almond croissants and morning buns; the Earl Grey morning bun pairs particularly well with Altar Coffee’s Honey Alpine Black tea (pastries range from $4 to $7). Fasshauer will also bake weekly desserts for Grandin Village bar Show Pony, like a recent pistachio and raspberry custard pie. Fasshauer said she is looking forward to baking seasonal diner-style pies with local summer fruit. Check out @poser.roanoke on Instagram for up-to-date schedules and menus.

Food Truck Sudha’s Kitchen is back in business

Sudha’s Kitchen, a food truck specializing in South Indian cuisine, celebrated a grand re-opening March 15 and 16 after a year-long hiatus. Owner Sudha Tumuluri, whose family originally hails from Hyderabad, is known for her signature dosas, savory lentil-and-rice crepes that can be ordered plain ($9.99) or with a variety of fillings, including curried potatoes spiced with ginger and an excellent paneer dosa ($10.99), stuffed with the ubiquitous Indian soft cheese. Another dish not typically found in local Indian restaurants are idli ($6.99), steamed cakes made from a fermented rice and lentil batter that gives the fluffy discs a slight tang. The dosas and idli are accompanied by a cup of lentil soup, ideal for dipping idli, and a creamy peanut-coconut sauce with a pleasing heat, perfect for dunking pieces of dosa into. Soon, Tumuluri hopes to bring back puri, a deep-fried whole wheat bread, paired with channa masala, spiced chickpeas. The truck is regularly parked at 3664 Colonial Avenue, Tuesday to Sunday, but special events and schedule changes are posted on Facebook.

Get a sneak peek of Dorothy restaurant, at bloom’s The Big Night-inspired dinner

This month’s hottest food event ticket is an immersive Southern Italian dinner inspired by the film The Big Night. Business partners Thomas Ceddia and Nate Sloan, who will soon open their dual-concept downtown restaurant Dorothy and Franks Wild Years, are hosting a specialty four-course dinner with cocktails and wine pairings at Sloan’s Wasena restaurant, bloom (1109 Main St. SW), on April 13. One of the menu highlights includes a second course of “la porcetta,” a porchetta-inspired dish of herb-stuffed, slow-roasted heritage pork belly and loin paired with salsa verde and a cannellini bean and fennel salad, a version of which is slated for Dorothy’s opening menu.  Visit Eventbrite for more information and to purchase tickets ($105 including gratuity).

First Impressions: Donnie D’s Bagels & Deli

I often declared that Donnie D’s Bagels & Deli in Daleville was worth the one-hour round trip drive from Roanoke for the closest thing I could find to New York bagels (even though they’re a full ounce larger than standard NY bagels to accommodate sandwich fillings). So, I was especially excited when I heard that Donnie D’s was opening a Roanoke location.

On my first visit, I ordered a bacon, egg and cheese on a toasted everything bagel, my go-to order at New York delis, bagel shops and bodegas. The counter service was friendly, but the sandwich took nearly 10 minutes to come out of the kitchen (which in the scheme of from-scratch cooking might not seem like a lot, but for a deli-style format it felt long). I found the bagel and its contents to be under seasoned; even the bacon lacked a savory smack. 

Usually, an everything bagel carries a lot of flavor thanks to its coating — a medley of dried onion, garlic, sesame and poppy seeds — but it was oddly bland. The jalapeno cheddar bagel I toasted at home the next morning had much more flavor and a pleasing chew, so that might be the move for my next sandwich, though I might opt for Taylor Ham (aka pork roll), a New Jersey specialty, instead of bacon. I love that they have a drive-thru, but there’s ample seating in an airy dining room and plenty of sandwich options for lunch too, so I’m definitely planning to give it another try.

Ask Layla: Where to Eat

“Where should I take my dad for a nice dinner that’s outside his usual steakhouse vibe? I want it to still feel approachable, and great cocktails and desserts are non-negotiable.” — Amy H., Roanoke

My pick for a restaurant that’s nice enough for a special occasion but also comfortable enough for a fancy-ish weeknight supper is Brood Restaurant and Bar in downtown Salem. Chef Ted Polfelt’s menu is anchored by approachable American classics and European-leaning bistro dishes amped up with unexpected twists, like braised beef short ribs with mustard jus or lobster pasta cloaked in a sherry cream sauce and finished with a pistachio-lemon crumb. My favorite dish is the chicken schnitzel; you’ll want to spear some of each component on your fork — crispy chicken cutlet, tangy Alabama white sauce, pickled mustard seeds, vinegary braised collards and cheesy heirloom grits — to ensure peak flavor fireworks. 

The cocktails are strong yet balanced; try signatures like The Pink Bowtie, which drinks like an herbaceous riff on the Cosmo with notes of fresh rosemary and floral pink peppercorns, or the Brood Old Fashion, crafted with Maker’s Mark bourbon and garnished with a lemon peel. In case mimosas and Bloody Marys are more your vibe, Brood launched Saturday brunch service on March 1 (there’s a good-looking chicken schnitzel and eggs listed on the menu too). For dessert, you can’t go wrong with the crème brûlée or the Belgian waffle bread pudding (request a scoop of vanilla ice cream to go with).