A town for foods

Why start a blog about Harrisonburg dining? Well, I think our little town has incredible eats. How many other towns this size can boast three Thai restaurants, two Indian restaurants, two Peruvian restaurants, and more Mexican restaurants than you can shake a stick at? When I started working in Harrisonburg in the fall of 2005, I had no idea the gustatory delights that awaited me. Unfortunately, Harrisonburg is a city that keeps its treasures hidden. You really have to know where to go. Am I the only person who has to circle through the Lowe's parking lot to figure out where to turn for Dona Rosa's? And who would guess from a glance at the exterior that Saigon Cafe is such a treasure? I only discovered all the delicious secrets of Harrisonburg by having friends tell me about them, drawing maps on the backs of envelopes and scribbling directions like, "Park at the tire store, but only after hours."

I lived in Staunton for three years, and during that time, it would never have occurred to me to trek up the highway for a great meal, even though the selections for ethnic food in Staunton at that time were really limited (basically, it was Baja Bean for Mexican, the now-defunct Joey's for Italian, or some random crappy Chinese buffet). I think that demonstrates a major failing on the part of Harrisonburg's tourism board. How could I live half an hour away from the confusingly-named American Indian Cafe (where the food is, rumor has it, Nepalese) for three years, and not have any idea? Harrisonburg should be the FOOD CITY, in the same way that Staunton is Shakespeareville. We should have it on our bumper stickers. I actually went to talk with someone at the tourism board about this, but I don't think she got it. She pointed out that we have the International Festival. Well, it's a fine event, but that comes only once per year--and how many people from neighboring cities have heard of that? So I'm taking things into my own hands. Taste of Harrisonburg, here we go.

A few notes about what to expect:

• Each entry will feature one restaurant or other food source in the Harrisonburg area. 
• I will include directions, pricing, a review of the atmosphere and the food, and, where possible, some notes on the business history. 
• I'll try to have a dining partner with me, so that you get multiple points of view. 
• I'll note my own biases, so you know where I'm coming from. 
• No one is paying me to write this stuff. If a restaurant offers me a free meal, I'll say so--and still review it fairly. 
• I don't work for any restaurants, nor have I ever worked for a restaurant in Harrisonburg. I don't even have close friends who work at the Harrisonburg restaurants, at least not at the moment. 
• All opinions expressed on this blog are my own and shouldn't be construed as any one else's.