Fork in the Alley is Simple, Fun Dining

Larry Bly, Roanoke.com Columnist

I seldom review a restaurant that's just opened. Reasons vary, one being that it might not be around in a couple of weeks.  Secondly, it's difficult to tell right off whether the public will take to a new restaurant.

But people have taken to Fork in the Alley so thoroughly and completely that the chef tells me they literally ran out of food the first weekend of opening.

I went there on arecent chilly spring night, and the place was packed -- inside and out. There's more outside than there is inside, so it should be a great warm-weather place to meet. Those of us sitting outside were grateful for the big heater facing down from the ceiling, but there were a lot of people hovering particularly close their hot pizzas.

Fork in the Alley is, indeed, in an alley. In an old South Roanoke carriage house or garage (I'm not sure which). In a tight little space between a 7-Eleven Store and another restaurant. But it works and it's already popular with kids, parents, grandparents and everyone in between.

The menu is simple with just a few entrees. Mostly, you can get soups, salads, pizzas, sandwiches, specialty hotdogs, burgers and one dessert. They've kept it simple and fun. And it won't cost you an arm and a leg.

Inside is a full bar, an open brick-oven kitchen and a few tables. Tables inside are at a premium and people had them staked out like valuable real estate. The smug bunch never left them for a moment -- that I could tell. But it's OK. Those of us outside had a blast and visited each other's tables to see what was being ordered.

The beer selection is excellent: a goodly number of imports and dark ales as well as the domestic stuff; and the wine list runs almost as long as the menu. We had a little bit of everything -- trying to knock the chill off, of course.

We started with an Echelon Chardonnay, which can be ordered by the glass. It's a Central Coast California wine that's fairly decent. We then ordered glasses of Yalumba Oxford Landing Cabernet/Shiraz. Shiraz isn't my favorite wine, I can tell you. Often it has an off-putting odor (like wet dogs) but this one, an Australian wine, was quite good, with a nice oaky taste. There are 12 listed wines -- viogner, riesling, rose', shiraz , sangiovese -- and the list will eventually expand, I'm told.

The appetizers list is short, but interesting: spinach-artichoke bruchetta, quesadillas, Tuscan cheese bread with fresh rosemary, and the one I tried -- Welsh Rarebit, which you seldom see on menus in these parts. I thought it was nice, but a bit tame and could have used a bit more heat. My table felt that all food items could have been hotter (not spicy hot, just hot), a common problem when first starting up it seems.

I went for one of the five regular entree items listed: Pollo Vera Cruz, a delightful dish of sliced chicken breast sautéed in olive oil with fresh tomato, garlic, green and black olives, capers and mushrooms in a light tomato, white wine sauce tossed in vermicelli and served with garlic foccacia. It was a great choice, very delicious, and a value at only $15. Other entrees include spaghetti, chipotle chicken, Jamaican pot pie and something called Choucroute Garni, which is a dish of Frenched sauerkraut and cooked sausages garnished with potatoes and served with wilted spinach and ratatouille, $12.

Miss Cynthia, my dining partner, opted for a big bowl of white chili which was, if not piping hot, certainly some of the best "white" chili I've ever tasted. You can also order something called "Triple Fork Chili" (they really work this "fork thing" hard on the menu), which features ground beef, ancho, spice and no beans. I've discovered few people realize that competition chili does not allow beans. I was a finalist judge for the state chili cook-off at the Roanoke City Market for nearly 20 years, so I learned a lot about how to make great chili without beans -- though I prefer it with them.

There are a couple of salads, and at least two very interesting sandwiches. One is called the Teleras de la Southwest con Pollo. I don't know about the sandwich, but the name's certainly a mouthfull. Another one of interest is the F.I.T.A. Missouri Club. You probably remember this yummy signature dish of the Miller & Rhoads Tea Room before in closed in downtown Roanoke . It's a club sandwich with sliced ham, chicken, bacon and tomato topped with cheese and put under the broiler. The original had a secret "cheese sauce" that made it very special. I have no idea if that's the case here. I can tell you that I have the original Miller & Rhoad's recipe for the sandwich and sauce. It's all very time-consuming to make, but well worth it.

Specialty pizzas looked to be wonderful, perfectly baked in the open brick ovens. The guys in the kitchen are twirling the dough and running about, making it fun to watch. There's the Italia, the Caribe (includes mandarin orange), the Espania (chorizo, roasted poblano, olives, etc.) and the Bikini and Hawaiian versions as well.

For those with more pedestrian tastes, set yourself free with any number of burgers (including one called The Lipes Burger, using Tinnell's pimento cheese and pickle) worth trying. A hungry friend tried two of the numerous "dogs" offered -- the All American (Kosher beef with yellow mustard, onion and chili) and a slaw dog (you can probably figure it out). There are a few fun ones as well, like the Joe Cool -- chorizo with chili, firehouse BBQ, cole slaw, and cheddar cheese. Or the Padoopi Dog -- a half-smoke with Dijon mustard, chili, Cholula picante, onion and slaw. These neighborhood dogs are in the $1.95 to $3.50 range.

Finally, there's one simple dessert, but we didn't get around to trying it. It's the Brick oven S'mores, melted in the wood fired oven. You can add raspberry liqueur to jazz it up a bit if chocolate, graham crackers and marshmallow aren't enough to titillate you.

This is a fun place that doesn't take itself too seriously. You'll like the food, you'll run into friends, and you'll most likely enjoy the experience. I can hardly wait for warmer weather.

FORK IN THE ALLEY
Brick oven pub
2123 Crystal Spring Ave.
11 a.m. - 11 p.m. most days
11 a.m. - 2 a.m. Friday and Saturday
11 a.m. - 9 p.m. Sunday
540-982-3675 (F O R K)