Now that Miss Vinegar is up to, oh, perhaps three or four readers on this space, questions are being asked as to why she hasn't yet written up her "local." There are reasons, but she will endeavor to make a clean breast of them and get down to the food.
Awful Arthur's
Two locations in Roanoke,one in nearby Salem, and a few scattered elsewhere in Virginia
Reservations (Not That Kind)--Miss Vinegar has heretofore given Awful Arthur's a miss because, in brief:
1. They serve food here? The fact is, Miss Vinegar doesn't generally check into Awful Arthur's just for food: the location at Towers shopping center in Roanoke is a popular venue for local music, and then there's Miss Vinegar's unholy addiction to Buzztime Trivia-–-born of a deep desire to take off her hat and gloves once in a while, straighten her dress, and beat someone to death with her brain.
Also, one meets such nice people. Even people who might read Miss Vinegar's column!
2. Your mileage may vary. The quality of food can vary widely from restaurant to restaurant in this small chain, even from meal to meal--the crab balls appetizer seems to be particularly subject to the winds of culinary change. As for service...having been ejected from the bar at the downtown Awful Arthur's before she could order food, because another patron wanted the window seat, Miss Vinegar perforce has some complaints. Not to mention a few revenge fantasies.
3. Sheer nit-pickery. Miss Vinegar is not sure in what category to put this, but does want to commend Awful Arthur's for excellent spelling on their raw-bar chalkboards. (She's sure anyone who might hear her grouse about misplaced apostrophes paving the path to hell commends them as well.)
On with the review!
The Food--Awful Arthur's has been instrumental in helping Miss Vinegar overcome her prejudice against seafood in the mountains, and several dishes are excellent: Most of the appetizer menu, the pepperjack crab soup, and the pan-seared tuna salad, with its peppercorn-crusted tuna atop spinach and feta, are particular favorites. There's also a raw bar that offers oysters, shrimp, crawfish and more. Awful Arthur's is that rare place where it is possible to get something good to eat no matter how much one has to spend.
The Service--Those to whom the idea of a seafood dinner entails masterful servers in long white aprons will be disappointed, but otherwise good.
The Ambience--Very like a casual, beachfront seafood restaurant, including the bar.
Overall: *** 1/2 (three point five stars out of five, because trivia machines don't count)
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