For those of you familiar with Roanoke, Tanglewood Mall has for many years been more or less synonymous with "decline:" it's small, many of the spaces are unleased, and its location gives it little room for expansion on the kind of megastore scale popular today. However, the place is experiencing a bit of a renaissance: TJ Maxx is upgrading to a snazzy new spot, they've opened an A.C. Moore crafts store, and the mall seems to be generally prospering. The in-mall Applebee's is popular. The food court, alas, is practically non-existent. One of its offerings is a Chik-Fil-A, and the less said about people who put pickles on chicken sandwiches, the better. The other...
Hot Rock Cafe
inside Tanglewood Mall, Roanoke, VA
The Food--I was first introduced to the place via a sample of its Voodoo Stew, and the soups, particularly the seafood chowder and tomato-basil, are outstanding. The pizza is generally likewise, and their shrimp alfredo pizza is nothing short of affordable magnificence.
The Service--Hit-or-miss, but once you get the staff's attention they're very nice about helping you select your food.
The Ambience--It's the food court of an elderly shopping mall: that said, a few years ago Tanglewood put garden-themed murals on the food court walls in an attempt to brighten the space--an effort which has been underappreciated. More comfortable chairs would be a definite help, though.
Special Touches--The Hot Rock has recently merged with the mall's coffee shop, so you can now get great desserts there too; and the soup samples really are a great touch. The restaurant also gets points for being a local phenomenon.
Overall: ***1/2 (three point five stars out of five; would be four but for the waffle-patterned wire chairs)
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