SIGN-UP for Village Anchor Pub & Roost

Mark, the rent is $22.00 per sq. foot. If I am not mistaken it is a NNN lease on top of that!

Mark, the rent is $22.00 per sq. foot. If I am not mistaken it is a NNN lease on top of that!

That's certainly steep for a restaurant to swallow, I wonder if it's the same for the third floor and the veranda area?

I believe so!

I actually liked my food a lot (save those greasy O Rings) and didn't feel the price out of line at all. I had small dishes so I could taste more things. I thought the scallops were very good- 2 well seasoned scallops with a vanilla woodford butter with asperagus and cheryy tomatoes-$12. Followed by the curiously named Cobb Roll, which you can order by the piece. Turns out it is a small smoked pig shank with a BBQ sauce on the side-$5. I forget how much the O Rings were. I ate lightly because I wanted carrot cake- but missed the server asking about dessert. Thanks Linda for coming to my rescue- I had two bites of hers and that was all I needed- it was yummy.
It's way off my beaten path but I will definitely take out of town guests there on nice spring and summer days.
It was great seeing old and new friends again. Alison- I tried to get over to see you but couldn't get my ample bum through the garden of cast iron chairs- I nearly neutered myself in the attempt.

Allison it was nice to finally to put a face, and an accent to a name!
My name was Heather, and I am glad you are feeling less "delicate" today.
We all thought that was a classic line, and will use it to our advantage!

Gary, I know what you mean about those chairs, they were SO heavy. Heather, thankyou, yes I am feeling a lot less "delicate" this morning.

Does Village Anchor have a seasonal or rotating menu?

[Robin Garr]

Does Village Anchor have a seasonal or rotating menu?

They built this menu over their first four weeks, introducing more dishes each week - that's why it's kind of higgeldy-piggely right now. April said a while back that they'll eventually compile it all in a more organized way, and also that Chef Geoff (like that rhyme) will add new stuff from time to time. I don't get the sense that they'll do a full remake every season, but can't really say for sure.

Susi and I enjoyed the company and the ambiance of the Village Pub at the meet-up. I would not put it on my destination list, seems more like a neighborhood pub and grill than innovative cuisine. I had the mussels, I've had worse and better, a little on the small side, but hard to go wrong with dipping bread into white wine and brine. I had the fish tacos, nice tender fried fish but once again, a little on the small side, but not bad at all. Susi had the meatloaf burger which was a bone of contention for many, being too spicy. Susi enjoyed it, though I found it a little dry. The sweet potato fries were good, but so are ours, and most everywhere. The service was very good, and our waiter had his share to put up with. All in all a very nice evening and only wish we had been at several large tables instead of the four tops. They should do well. Nothing but money out that way.... I excepted more, but that is my fault. If I lived in the neighborhood, I'd be there all the time.

In my sincere opinion, I do think they'll stick. You've got to consider that they've got more selection on the menu. You guys are judging them on a Reuben and a Hot Brown and comparing them to local deli and diner versions. But how about their ahi tuna? Their fish tacos? The Chilean sea bass or the filet? Chef Heyde brings CIA training to the table. April Adams is one of the top young front-of-the-house people in town. Kevin Grainger brings a canny PR sensitivity that earned him a national reputation. They've got a significant capital expenditure in a beautiful venue, and they've got Schnatter money behind turning downtown Anchorage into a destination.

I just don't see basing a judgement on all that on the Reuben being different from Stevens & Stevens.

Or, frankly, on bistro prices, particularly when the menu is such that you can tailor a $20 meal or a $100 meal and get value for your money either way. $9 Hoptimus? It's a pint. And bear in mind that the new Falls City, which is a delightful lager that blows away the mega-breweries, was $5 a pint. Lots of good $6 craft pints on draft, and the bottle list is also well chosen and fairly priced. The wine list is fairly priced.

In fairness, I found a ding or two in my review, but still gave them a point rating in the high 80s. Marty seemed so blown away that he lost all skepticism.

It's a good place. And yeah, I think it will stick. I think it will change, evolve and grow, but I think it has the facilities and the staff to make it big. But it may be appealing to a certain demographic and not worrying too much about trying to please everyone.

Robin,

I'm beginning to think there must be some pictures of you naked floating around somewhere...and someone at the Village anchor has 'em.

So... Geoff and I frequent the same bar. After seeing him repeatedly, I finally introduced myself and had a decent conversation about his restaurant and the things they're trying to accomplish there.

I knew at the time that there was an offline planned for his restaurant and I asked him if he was ready for the judgements that were about to be laid by the members of this site. He took it in stride and basically just said that Village Anchor is a whole different animal and what they do may not be for everyone. That being said, he also added that they are constantly busy and have no problem putting butts in seats. He realizes this is still the honeymoon period but sales are exceeding expectations and the future looks bright.

Speculation about whether this restaurant will be around 5 years from now is asinine. It only serves the egos of those who are trying to out "foodie" each other. You may not like the concept, or think they are charging too much for comfort food, but the menu exists by design and the prices are placed in accordance to the location. Geoff actually said they did a lot of polling of the local community when designing the menu. The locals had a big hand in determing what did and did not make the menu.

I made my first trip there the other day. I think it was Robin who called it "comfort food with a twist". He's right. It is what it is. It may not be for everyone, but for a board that makes such a priority out of supporting local restaurants, why are there so many negative comments regarding a new place that is doing something out of the norm?

Gary, Let's say I looked at an Andrew Wyeth painting, and re-created it. Instead of a blank plate in front of a window, I put some food on it, and charged the art community $50,0000 above it's appraised value.
Called it "plate with a twist," the Fine Arts community would certainly have something to say about it.
If they did not they would not be protecting the integrity of the artist or the craft.

At our table we had someone (including myself) from NYC , that ordered a "Rueben sandwich, and Rueben Kulakofsky (the originator )would be rolling over in his grave if he knew someone created a sandwich that of which Village Anchor serves.

We were told by the owner, that he was in Australia, had this sandwich, picked apart, and re-created and brought it back to Kentucky where he would serve it in his fancy schmancy restaurant, and charge $15.00. Now, a Rueben at Stage, 2nd Ave, Carnegie, and oh, let's not forget Katz's deli's charge at least $24.00 for their sandwiches and they are the original.

We are the "Fine arts committee" voicing our opinions in hopes to protect the integrity of classic food creations that stand the test of time, not because someone has a lot of money, and nothing else to do.

I remain.

[Robin Garr]

At our table we had someone (including myself) from NYC , that ordered a "Rueben sandwich, and Rueben Kulakofsky (the originator )would be rolling over in his grave if he knew someone created a sandwich that of which Village Anchor serves.

Heather, I'm a sometimes New Yorker, too, but the Reuben sandwich originated in eateries around the stockyards in Omaha.

I'm still just a little befuddled by folks who've read the many discussions about the VAPR on the forum, in my review, in the CJ's review, and then going there and judging it on the basis of a deli sandwich.

Robin, Rueben Kulakofsky was from Nebraska. It was famed famous in the Delis of NYC

Robin, My experience is not based on a Deli sandwich, if you are trying to be something you are not, and being pompous and arrogant about it, you lose my vote. There are other venues in this town that deserve my money more for the thought and hard work that they put into their livelihood, and their love of food.
No disrepect to Geoff, he is doing what the owner wants him to do.

There are a lot of folks in this town who turn to the restaurant business for lack of something else to do, (there are those who would say that about me too, but not to my face for sure) just as people who are losing their jobs as engineers, bankers, teachers, etc (which is a horrible thing) are turning to serving in local restaurants, or trying their hand as chefs.

I would wholeheartedly support anyone who tries to make it in this business, if they had the customers interest at heart. The fact that the "community" around the restaurant wanted those menu items is silly,
If the people of Anchorage are the only folks that had a say in the menu there, then Kevin should have opened up a She She Community Center.