July 13, 2001 We stopped by to check out another find from Urbanspoon. We were on our way to The Homestead to attend some meetings, and stayed overnight in Staunton, VA. Our hotel was nearby, and decided to try out the offerings at the Mill Street Grill.

We arrived on a Wednesday evening, and there was a jazz group playing. The music added a little atmosphere to the restaurant. We did have to wait for seating, but there was nobody in front of us when we arrived. We were seated after about five minutes.

We took a look over the menus, and saw a large variety of offerings. Our only challenge was deciding what to order. We decided on an appetizer called poke, which is tuna, marinated in vinegar and other seasonings, over some seaweed salad, barbecued beef brisket and Pan Seared Golden Tilefish.

First, some bread was brought to the table. Not just any bread, but some tri-colored bread in a metal bowl. It was served with some banana butter. You can see this creation below. The bread was an enjoyable experience, but the banana butter redefined sweet. However, it was easy enough to enjoy the bread without the banana butter.

Three Kinds of Bread (click to enlarge)

The poke arrived next. The first thing we noticed is that the fish is slightly grey. The color change is brought on by the acid reaction with the fish, making the dish a little odd to look at. However, one taste made us very happy we ordered it. It was served with avocado and some seaweed salad. This was a great dish to start out with.

Next, the main dishes arrived. Mrs. Alphageek's tilefish was well cooked. The flavor was very whitefish, without much excitement. The fried green tomatoes were simply great to eat and were obviously made from a great tomato to start the process. Given the price, the next time we come by, we might try another dinner item instead.

My barbecued beef brisket (pictured below) was a generous serving of excellently prepared beef brisket. It was smokey, and almost fell apart on its own. I am not one of those people that likes only one style of bbq, so I tend to like them all. I thought this one was great, and would get it again sometime. The corn it was served with was some of the best corn on the cob I have eaten in a restaurant in many years. The cole slaw was fresh tasting, and the dressing did not overpower the dish.

Barbecued Beef Brisket (click to enlarge)

The meal ended with some peppermint ice cream. I might stop by sometime, just for ice cream.

All in all, this was a good place to stop while on vacation. The food and atmosphere made for a great evening.

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