The Roanoker - March/April 2015 - 63

and again. The meal manages to balance the sweet
and sour of tamarind with the rich, almost woodsy
flavor of duck which makes for a satisfying late fall
or winter dinner.
Similarly, the guajillo-chile rubbed lamb chops provide another Latin-influenced dish that's sure to be
a crowd pleaser. Guajillo chiles, by default, are mild,
but smoky, making them a perfect introduction to
a chile spiced dish. These chops, cooked to a pink
medium, serve as the perfect canvas for the guajillo
rub and could easily open a diner's horizons to more
adventures Latin fare.
Some dishes I found to be a little less successful,
like the chiles rellenos. While billed fairly traditionally - roasted poblano peppers stuffed with a mix of
manchego and queso blanco - the two times I ordered
them, I found the cheese to be more solid than molten, the pepitas used a bit too enthusiastically. Instead
of a warm, gooey dish, this one was almost crunchy
at times, and the under-seasoned side of black beans
did little to resurrect a potentially engaging vegetarian
main dish. Plenty of other vegetarian options like the
large and vibrant grilled romaine salad or the roasted
acorn squash with quinoa, however, pack a punch for
vegetarian diners, so all is not lost in that department.
You would be remiss to not order from the ex-

tensive wine list that Byrd has curated from mostly
Latin American wines (with a few Continentals and
U.S. bottles thrown in occasionally). It's one of the
few restaurants in town that my oenophile friends
enjoy visiting, if only for options like the Crios Rosé
of Malbec from Argentina or the Gran Familia Rioja
from Spain, the latter of which will only set you back
a mere $22 for a bottle. That's the beauty of this wine
list - it's budget friendly with plenty of bang for your
buck. Byrd managed the wine at Rockfish for more
than five years and brings his expertise to Nopales.
If you're lucky, catch him at the bar and chat with
him about his favorites, he'll quickly steer you to your
new one.
This cue to settle in and find a new favorite is what
makes Nopales so successful as a neighborhood restaurant. It's easy to make friends with the staff, order
your usual, and, maybe, experiment a little with a
glass of a wine you haven't tried before. What could
potentially come off as predictable actually reads as
comfortable and welcoming, with fantastic food to
boot - much like the cultures Nopales interprets in
its dishes.
Nopales Restaurant.
1329 Grandin Road S.W., Roanoke. 540-342-1000.
http://nopalesrestaurant.com

PHOTOS BY JOHN PARK

AMERICAN PUB FARE IN
HISTORIC GRANDIN VILLAGE
DRAFT BEER
SELECTIONS
COMPANY PARTIES // CORPORATE

DINNERS // REHEARSAL DINNERS
HOLIDAY PARTIES
Take out and gift cards available
1910 MEMORIAL AVE. | ROANOKE, VA
(540) 562-8951
www.1906alehouse.com | events@1906alehouse.com
THE

R OANOKER.COM

MARCH/APRIL 2015

http://www.nopalesrestaurant.com http://WWW.FAMOUSANTHONYS.COM http://www.1906alehouse.com http://www.THEROANOKER.COM

The Roanoker - March/April 2015

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