Pomegranate

Great food and great service.  We had a big party and I can't say enough good about the food or hospitality experienced at this restaurant. Alejandro the manager went WAY WAY out of his way to make our night special. Really very accommodating.  Adrianne our waitress was great.  Took care of a big party and was on top of everything.  Food was fantastic as were the apps we started with.  People raved about the steak.  I had the pork and was great. Deserts very good too.  Even the coffee is something to mention - great coffee at end of the meal and its served in the biggest cups I've ever seen.

Would definitely go back!

We were a table of five on a Wednesday evening....four of whom are pretty serious "foodies".  We ordered a wide diversity of tastes from the small plates menu:  rabbit sausage with white beans, Moroccan duck leg, shrimp w/grits, pepper stuffed with goat cheese, scallops w/leeks, lump crab cakes, and ham and cheese fritters.  All were delicious but the outstanding dish was the duck leg...moist and full of flavor.  After ordering a second round of the pepper, we moved to a large strip steak with two sauces:  blue cheese cream and red wine reduction.  The steak was perfectly cooked and the accompanying blue cheese sauce was rich and flavorful.  Sides were creamed spinach and potatoes au gratin.  I know....sounds like a LOT of food but each dish was so well-balanced that we had to try a dessert:  chocolate cake with hot cherry sauce and vanilla ice cream.  Wow...so full of flavor and again...balanced.  But the most surprising aspect of the meal was the incredible price.  Oh, but before I give you the total let me add that we ALSO had 3 mocha stout ales, 2 passion fruit iced teas, and a coffee.  Can you believe all of this for only (drum roll) 30 bucks per person???  The casually elegant atmosphere and good service are a plus but the real story here is the food.

Ok, so we tried this restaurent again (been of 4 or 5 times in the past,  bar restaurant and outside)  due to four wonderful Daily Deal coupons from the Roanoke Times. They have two new chefs, one being Tony Pope, who has a broken bone and did not cook.

We were restricted to a four course tasting menu, so went ahead and took the wine flight with it.  Salad good, Duck confit good but not true confit. interesting lentil and mushroom thingy underneath, hubby liked that a lot. I don't like fish so my substitute was filet, No one told me what I was getting or asked my how I wanted it cooked. I guess I was not in the driving seat. That said, it was good, bearing in mind I can eat rare and raw meat, if the preparation is right and this was. My son would have fainted dead away on the spot. Others had sea bass and enjoyed it. Dessert good.

On the whole a good experience, better than previous visits Wait staff good. Wine flight, nothing memorable and a little pricey for the amount poured.  Cocktails over priced, lacking inventiveness and strength. Overall impression expensive, decor, food and ambiance does not live up to high prices, but nice for a change if you don't want to drive downtown.  

We will try again, but at this price there are other restaurants to spend our money in. I had hoped that this would be a place for us to stop by for a martini and a couple of wonderful snacks on a regular basis, but perhaps not.