Sparkle City Eateries

[Sparkleman]

I spoke with one of the partners of Rockers (there are 3) about this the other day and he told me that they have called on that account several times as they do all accounts where they do not have the business. He said it is a management issue where they are set in there ways of trying to carry which beers are hot on the market right now. I guess I'll have to live with that opinion, but I am pretty sure we will not be back for a while. I also agree about all the smoke in the joint right there in the front which sucks. I really wish the "SC" would ban smoking in all restaurants.

Just off the top of my head I cannot think of a chain restaurant in Spartanburg that I go to that offers brew off the tap other than MM.

[Spartan]

I'm pretty sure Fatz and Applebee's and the like have taps... I just don't think any of them carry microbrews.

Either way, this is why supporting locally owned restaurants is important.

[Spartan]

I took an unscheduled trip to Spartanburg to have dinner at Brasserie Ecosse. I'm very impressed with that place. The food there is as good as anything I've had here in Charlotte.

I've also heard that Dudley's on Fernwood-Glendale Rd (in the former Captain Tony's) is good.

Also the place on Ribault St (I forget the name, but I think it was called the Ribalut St Cafe) was expanded and turned into an upscale restaurant that I've heard good things about.

In other news, Spartanburg has made it to Urban Spoon under Greenville.

[lifeisajourney]

Also the place on Ribault St (I forget the name, but I think it was called the Ribalut St Cafe) was expanded and turned into an upscale restaurant that I've heard good things about.

It is called II Samuels (http://www.ribaultcatering.com/ii-samuels-restaurant). I haven't eaten there, but it sits right at the beginning of the rail trail so I see it a lot.

[drexel]

My wife and I went to Dudley's last night. They are now SMOKE FRIENDLY, and not just confined to the bar. Although the service and food were good, I do not plan on going back. Guess I will have to try Two Samuels soon. Are there any other places that have changed their smoking policy? (from/to smoking/non-smoking)

[Sparkleman]

My wife and I went to Dudley's last night. They are now SMOKE FRIENDLY, and not just confined to the bar. Although the service and food were good, I do not plan on going back. Guess I will have to try Two Samuels soon. Are there any other places that have changed their smoking policy? (from/to smoking/non-smoking)

Why not? I was in there Friday night with my wife for a couple of drinks and had a good time.

[drexel]

Why not? I was in there Friday night with my wife for a couple of drinks and had a good time.

Please read my post again. Dudley's opened as non-smoking, but is now smoke friendly. As a cancer survior, as well as my wife I look for non-smoking bars and resturaunts. Where I lived in Georgia the area has been smoke-free for about 10 years. Guess I have to move to a more progressive place like Sumter, (yes Sumter) to not worry about second-hand smoke. I would be happy with a law that bans smoking for any resturant that allows people under 21. That way places like Lil'ds and the cigar bar can have smoking. You might want to check out the health hazards of second-hand smoke.

[Spartan]

Do they advertise as "smoke friendly," or is it just that there's a smoking section? There's a big difference IMO.

[drexel]

Do they advertise as "smoke friendly," or is it just that there's a smoking section? There's a big difference IMO.

To my knowledge when they first opened they advertised as non-smoking inside the entire resturaunt. This weekend people where smoking at the bar as well as the at the tall tables at the TVs. The place is wide open, so in my opinion there is no way to have a true smoking section. Having a smoking section does not prevent the health hazards of second-hand smoke. Last time I ate at Billy Ds I could still smell the smoke even though they have a partition at the bar. This is the southeast, go outside and smoke, it aint that cold.

[Spartan]

As much as I dislike Denny's food, I think that as a good corporate citizen they should open a downtown location somewhere on Main St.

[lifeisajourney]

Five Spices recently changed ownership and reopened as Namaste. The buffet price actually dropped to $6.99, and it seemed to be as good as, if not better than, Five Spices. There have been a few cosmetic changes on the inside, but it remains relatively the same as before.

The Herald Journal had a feature on it today: http://www.goupstate.com/article/20100513/ARTICLES/5131000/1101?Title=East-side-eatery-Namaste-translates-to-good-food

[Sparkleman]

I took an unscheduled trip to Spartanburg to have dinner at Brasserie Ecosse. I'm very impressed with that place. The food there is as good as anything I've had here in Charlotte.

I've also heard that Dudley's on Fernwood-Glendale Rd (in the former Captain Tony's) is good.

Also the place on Ribault St (I forget the name, but I think it was called the Ribalut St Cafe) was expanded and turned into an upscale restaurant that I've heard good things about.

In other news, Spartanburg has made it to Urban Spoon under Greenville.

I heard from a friend that "Braveheart" formerly the Brasserie has closed. Apparently the dude is in some deep financial sh*t and is moving back to Holland. I also saw where the owner of Cornbread & Cavier was caught stealing some money from the Sun Ttust drive through. It was apparently in the paper but I didn't see it. This is not a good situation.

On the good news front, Dudleys is absolutely bringing it. I pass it on the way home most days and the parking lot is loaded. We have been there a few times for happy hour and it is a good time especially now that you can sit outside.

I'm still trying to get to Ribault St, but haven't made it so far.

[westsider28]

Sheesh. Can we please get some competent and financially stable individuals to open some decent restaurants in downtown Spartanburg that last more than 1-2 years, for a change?

[Sparkleman]

I heard the guy that owned Braveheart aka Brasserie was 40K in the red and behind on payments to the bank and employees. He should have gotten out sooner than this.

[Spartan]

That's really a shame. I think Spartanburg can handle multiple high-end restaurants, but they need better locations than in the fringe areas of downtown. Maybe somewhere along Main St or around the Square itself. I always thought the Hub-bub location was weird for a restaurant. We need more infill development along Daniel Morgan (a long with a road diet) to make a restaurant there more feasible.

[Sparkleman]

Is anyone surprised that no one has put up any kind of restaurant along Magnolia St between St. John and the RR tracks? I am thinking of the old Magnolia St Pub in particular. You would be across from the courthouse, and within walking distance of Wofford, the "George", & the new V-COM school going up.

[Ezekiel]

Is anyone surprised that no one has put up any kind of restaurant along Magnolia St between St. John and the RR tracks? I am thinking of the old Magnolia St Pub in particular. You would be across from the courthouse, and within walking distance of Wofford, the "George", & the new V-COM school going up.

Good point. I bet someone will try as V-COM nears completion. Remember the Piedmont Steakhouse once occupied the building on the NW corner of Magnolia and Daniel Morgan. The old Baber-Rhyne building next to the train station had a sandwich shop for a long time, and the building across the street housed the Whistestop Cafe for a few years. The Baber-Rhyne might be a good spot for something new, especially if the city lets people park near the train station/railroad museum.

[Spartan]

Ah the Piedmont Steakhouse was great. Fond memories of that place.

[Sparkleman]

I emailed the following to the head of Citizen Spartanburg (of which I am a member). She has posted a link on our facebook page to get members to contact a restaurant through email to see if we can sway them to come to Spartanburg. I wanted to post this here to see if any of you guys/gals would do the same. I will post the links below.

Tammy:

Do you think our group could have any influence over whether a restaurant from the lower part of the state decided to open a restaurant here? My wife and I and some friends visited a Mexican place down in Charleston (Folly Beach to be exact) a while back and loved it. It was a special kind of Mexican unlike the stuff we have up here where all the ingredients were fresh and cheese was not poured all over every meal.

>

> Anyway the owner of this place is looking at locations in the upstate and Asheville and had almost decided on Greenville before a buddy of mine (who is a banker) called the owner and told her to visit Spartanburg. She did and loved our town but is not totally sold on it. If she went to Greenville I feel the place would probably do well, but it would be just another restaurant among many. Here I think it would be very special and if she were to put it at say the old Brasserie, it might really jump start the Grain District.

>

> If we were to do an email or call campaign, do you think it might sway her to come to Spartanburg? The restaurant is called Taco Boy.

http://www.tacoboy.net

http://www.facebook.com/pages/Citizen-Spartanburg/190151364316

[Spartan]

Don't we have a Taco Boy at Hillcrest?

[westsider28]

I sent them an e-mail. I've always thought we've needed a good Mexican restaurant downtown. I hope they decide to locate in Spartanburg!

Spartan, I think that's a Taco Dog. Confusing, I know.

Edited June 1, 2010 by westsider28

[drexel]

I sent them an e-mail. I've always thought we've needed a good Mexican restaurant downtown. I hope they decide to locate in Spartanburg!

Spartan, I think that's a Taco Dog. Confusing, I know.

Taco Boy is a great place. When Justin's closed I sent an email to the landlord about Taco Boy. I also mentioned it to Spartanburg's Economic Development Director Patty Bock. A good downtown Mexican place should make it!!!

[Spartan]

Taco Dog. Oops...

Anyway, downtown mexican seems like a no-brainer. They were going to put one in the former "Bijou Market" on Main St. Obviously that died a few years ago, but everyone I knew was excited about it.

[Sparkleman]

I got a message back from someone down in economic development as my message from Citizen Spartanburg got passed over to them. The folks from Taco Boy were just in town scouting locations. They did not tell me where all they looked but did mention that the brasserie was too big. Apparently they are looking for a smaller place that has a deck or room to build one. Sonny's most resembles the kind of place they have at Folly Beach, so thats kind of what they are looking for. Off the the top of my head, nothing is coming to me w/o building something new. Everywhere I think of is too big even if the location is great.

Does anyone have any ideas that maybe their realtor did not bring up?

[Spartan]

If you remove part of the parking lot behind the old Carolina Cash Co (Broad St & Wall St) then that would be a good location. Similarly, the area behind Imagination Station or the Blood Bank would be a good location. Spartanburg needs to start thinking about where surface lot parking can be removed and exchanged for on-street parking (or parking decks) like normal cities.