Generals' Reviews - The Bistro

This week the Generals' Review takes a look at a little fancier (but not too much) establishment as tasted by sophomore Catherine Klinedinst!

 Bistro is a casual, but elegant restaurant located in the heart of Lexington, on Main Street- a very easy walk from campus. It is open for lunch and dinner Tuesday-Saturday, and has a excellent brunch on Sundays from 11-2. It's a great spot to go with a group of friends or on a date, and is always where I ask my family to take me when they come to Lexington. There is also a lounge area where the above 21 group can get drinks which has extended hours.

The food at Bistro is excellent, and is by far the best in Lexington. The varied menu features everything from delicious salads (the bistro salad is a favorite of many), pasta dishes, seafood, steak, and the famous Bistro Burger. There are also always fantastic specials. The ingredients are fresh, local and sometimes organic. Some of my personal favorites include the ahi tuna sashimi appetizer and the Greek salad with salmon. The absolute best thing about Bistro is the infamous beer bread that they bring out as a complementary appetizer. When I say this bread is infamous I honestly mean it, it is probably one of the most talked about foods on campus! Everyone loves it, and I always ask for extra to go. You can also purchase a loaf for only $5- a great bargain that I highly recommend!

Another great thing about bistro is that take out is available, incase you don't have the time or desire to sit through a dinner. The service is also excellent at Bistro, so whether you dine in or just get a loaf of beer bread to go this restaurant is an absolute must.

Thank you to Catherine for filling us in on some of her favorites at the Bistro!  Next week another General takes us to another Lexington staple!

Generals' Reviews - Salerno's

This week the Generals' Review gets an Italian treat as seen and tasted by sophomore Sarah Gray Erickson!

           Salerno’s is a casual Italian restaurant near campus- definitely one of the top three restaurants in town.  The restaurant is perfect for all types of occasions: after a hard practice, after a day on the river or even before a formal. Another great thing about Salerno’s is that it is perfectly acceptable to be in the restaurant wearing those respective outfits: practice clothes, a swimsuit or a formal dress (all of which I have done with success). 

          Customers order food from the front counter. The line is usually not too bad unless one of the large groups that tend to frequent Salerno’s is in front of you (in which case I would head on over to Tong or another place because your food will be a while). They offer a wide variety of the typical Italian staples: pizza, subs, salads and pastas. An individual slice of pizza is huge and makes the perfect size meal for me. Another crowd pleaser is the Penne Vodka. The portion of pasta is huge itself and comes with salad and garlic bread. I advise not to eat all the salad and garlic bread they bring you first because typically, you won’t have room for the pasta. Penne Vodka can also be ordered in large trays and is perfect for serving a group.

One of the best things about Salerno’s is the large upper-level filled with tables that accommodates large groups. I have been there with a group of 20-25 people and had no problems making one big table. Again, the wait can be very, very long with a group of this size. This leads to half the table finishing their meal before the other half even gets their food.  Actually, every time I go to Salerno’s with a group of 5 or more this is the case (see picture of Cara looking impatient while waiting to be served at Salerno’s).

Lastly, Salerno’s is great for take out. Call at least fifteen minutes ahead of time and there will be no problem taking your meal to go… then you can enjoy your Penne Vodka wherever you like! (see picture of Penne Vodka on a couch… classic)

In all, Salerno’s offers middle-quality Italian food perfect for any occasion if you can settle for waiting a little for your food!

So if you've got a little time on your hands for lunch or dinner, SG suggests heading over to Salerno's for a not so quick, but tasty bite to eat!

Generals' Reviews - Blue Sky

The newest edition to our blog is the creation of "Generals' Reviews".  These little gems let you into not only the minds of the Generals laxers, but their stomaches as well!  In the coming weeks get prepared for your mouth to water as our laxers turn into foodies and tell you about their favorite spots in Lexington.  This week Katie McCartin '15 is our first reviewer!

Forecast in Lexington, Virginia calls for Blue Sky. 

Blue Sky Bakery that is! Located at the corner of Lee Avenue and West Nelson Street this lunchtime hotspot is a little slice of heaven in the small town of Lexington.  From freshly baked bagels to scrumptious sandwich creations to divine desserts this bakery has everything to keep locals and Washington and Lee students alike coming back for more...and more. In fact stop in Blue Sky around twelve Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, or Friday and you will see just that: people waiting in line,usually passed the door, for more. 

What, you may ask sparks this Blue Sky obsession? It could be the mouthwatering menu which offers customers a variety of soup, salad, and sandwich options and even the chance to customize their sandwich however they desire! It may be the delicious desserts placed strategically on display to temp those who peek. Or it might be the cozy atmosphere, created by mismatched but welcoming tables and chairs, old photos and articles attracting attention on the walls, and the friendly bakers cheerfully serving customers. Whatever it is that draws you in, I guarantee you'll be back soon because no matter what the forecast Blue Sky Bakery will brighten your day!

Why I'm an expert? After careful review my bank statement shows 200$ worth of charges at blue sky....in 3 months.

Fun fact: For those who are on the go there is always the option to phone in an order for pick up. 

My favorites

Salad: caesar with chicken salad on top

Soup: chicken noodle

Sandwich: mikes bqq (a Thursday special) or the chipotle club ( turkey, lettuce, tomato, bacon, and chipotle mayo all on homemade focaccia bread) *all sandwiches come with chips or homemade black bean salad

Dessert: chocolate chip cookie 

The essentials

Address: 125 West Nelson St.

Phone #: 540-463-6546

Hours: Monday thru Friday 7:30-4

Price: menu items range from around 3-10$

McCartin may not have picked a major yet, but restaurant reviewer could be a future career path for her!  Check back next week as Generals' Reviews takes you to a favorite Italian eatery enjoyed by the whole team!

This Week In Lexington

In case you haven't been following the news down in Lexington lately, we wanted to update you on a bit of the craziness that has gone on this week!  

We have gone from...

 torrential rain, winds, and hail, causing serious traffic heading out through VMI to...

 some pretty serious damage to a lot of trees and power lines in the area.

 Not to worry dads, the golf course is back up and running just missing a few key spots of shade now!  Many people in the area lost power at the end of the week and still do not have it back.  W&L and VMI have both opened their doors for showers for those in the community without water.  VMI is also a designated cooling center.  While most of campus and both lacrosse coaches' houses survived the storm without any real damage, Baner is sweating his butt off trying to get things ready for everyone's return to campus even though the stadium is still without power!

While the beginning of the week really rained down on us with more thunderstorms, by the time the 4th rolled around the only noises coming from the sky were the fireworks!

These photos were taken from one of our players' favorite spots in Lexington... the Pink Hut parking lot!  Little did I know that it was a premier spot to watch the fireworks from until the parking lot was more full than I have ever seen it as the sun began to set!  While the real estate was great for watching a pretty fantastic display, the line at Pink Hut was a little long, so I thought it best to indulge in another one of our players' favorite spots in Lexington...

We hope that everyone had a happy and safe 4th of July, and we also hope that everyone in the area who is struggling through this heat without power and water quickly have things returned to normal!