By NANCY DEARING ROSSBACHER
For THE FREE LANCE-STAR
She: We were studying the two large chalkboard menus on the wall in Elmwood at Sparks when a new arrival loudly demanded of a server, "Is this the city of Orange?"
He: Tourist alert!
She: Forgive us our immoderate laughter. I give the server credit for refraining from responding, "Why, yes, this is the teeming metropolis of greater downtown Orange."
An hour later, having experienced new owner-chef Randy Cooper's cuisine, I wondered if sleepy Orange had, indeed, become urbane enough to rank as a city.
He: The venerable Sparks Building, as it is known, has housed a procession of sandwich and deli shops over the decades, and the new owner has created a look that is sunny, streamlined and herb-inspired. Sprigs of green appear on the covers at the 11 tables, and live herbs in traditional clay pots rest atop them. An eye-catching but simple lineup of more pots bearing rosemary, chive and nasturtium rest in brackets along one wall.
She: The rest of the wall decor represents a move both bold and humble: framed menus from other restaurants, some bearing the autograph of the chef. From this I inferred that Chef Cooper, whose previous experience includes the Prince Michel Vineyard, is generous when it comes to praising others' cookery while remaining self-confident about his own skills.
He: There's an eye for quiet detail and clean lines throughout, from the weighty, elegant silverware to the large white serving dishes to the spare but serious menu. Some selections are solidly on the menu, and others vary according to the chef's whim: a couple of daily soups, a handful of salads, a quiche or two, a half-dozen sandwiches and three entrees. Orders are placed and paid for at the counter at the back, then delivered to the diners' tables.
Bottled and fountain soft drinks are get-it-yourself at a station near the ordering counter, and I recommend the refreshing iced tea ($1.25), which is made on-site.
She: Simple decor, simple menu, simple ordering method and there, in our experience, the simplicity ended. Each of the dishes we tried was more complex than expected, and delightfully so.
A chicken salad sandwich. Ho-hum, right? Wrong. At Elmwood at Sparks, where it shows up on the specials board often enough to be called a regular, the chicken salad ($6) was sizable chunks of tender white meat glazed in homemade mayonnaise, gently sweetened with plump red grapes and heaped on a bed of mixed greens on a large, buttery croissant. On the side was a glistening, colorful jumble of pineapple and melon slices.
This isn't your grandma's chicken salad sandwich.
He: The most expensive item on the affordable menu tops out at $12: the grilled ribeye salad. A couple of strips of steak on a salad, right? Wrong. A large bowl arrived bearing a bounty of fresh mixed greens, meticulously peeled and seeded cucumber slices, and bright tomatoes bathed in a light red wine vinaigrette. Candied walnuts were scattered throughout, and chunks of blue cheese appeared here and there. On top was an entire sizable, bone-in ribeye steak that was tender and cooked, although I hadn't been asked, to my preference of medium-rare.
She: A salad-and-quiche combo ($6.50) is available for those wishing to sample not one but two specials of the day. The French onion soup, served piping hot in a smallish earthenware crock, was not of the gooey-cheese variety but was rather a deeply oniony and satisfying broth with a thick round of bread nestled at the bottom.
If a complaint could be lodged against any of the dishes we sampled, it would likely be about the quiche, which was not of the height commonly encountered. Even so, the flavors in a feta cheese, onion and ham rendition were beautifully melded in a memorably rich base, and the authoritative crust belonged in a bake-off.
He: The portobello mushroom sandwich ($6.50) didn't need to even be a sandwich. Scored and expertly grilled, and topped with sheep's cheese, roasted red peppers and Bermuda onion, the massive mushroom was a more than creditable standalone.
She: In keeping with Elmwood at Sparks' emphasis on homemade offerings, several of the desserts are made on-site. The large and popular cookies ($1) are not, but the lemon tarts ($2.50) are, and they showcase the chef's talent for texture, eye appeal and flavor. The crescent-shaped confections have a soft raspberry topping on a combination of crisp pastry and lingering lemon that strikes an ideal note between sweet and tart.
He: The commendable cannoli shells are not made on-site, but the rich, creamy, chocolate-chip-studded filling is ($1.75).
Last thoughts: a first-rate lunch spot for those seeking fine bistro-caliber dishes at reasonable prices.
She: Elmwood at Sparks may have country prices in a small village setting, but close your eyes when sampling Chef Cooper's creations, and maybe it is the city of Orange after all.
Nancy Dearing Rossbacher and Stephen W. Sylvia publish a Civil War magazine together. She likes to cook. He likes to eat. To reach Rossbacher and Sylvia, e-mail them at
Email: editor@nstcivilwar.com. Or call 540/374-5448 with comments about today's restaurant review.
ELMWOOD AT SPARKS Address: 124 W. Main St., Orange, across from the post office Phone: 540/672-0060 Hours: Lunch only, 11 a.m.-3 p.m., Tuesday-Sunday Prices: Soups and salads: $4-$7 Sandwiches: $6.25-$6.75 Entrees: $11-$12 Sunday brunch dishes: $4.50-$12 Takeout and catering available. Atmosphere: Casual, in a small but airy setting, with pleasant service. Due to the open-kitchen floor plan and spare decor, it can be noisy. The quietest spots are near the front window. Nonsmoking, wheelchair accessible. Payment: Major credit cards accepted. |