By Sherman Shifflett
Imagine a fine restaurant uniquely situated in the middle of nowhere. I’m referring to the Palisades Restaurant in Giles County, in the quaint little village of Eggleston overlooking the New River.
The Palisades Restaurant is located in an old converted general store, with the proprietor’s name, Q.M Pyne Mdse., still displayed above the entrance. The name Palisades has been painted on the big glass window. Shelves from the original store still line the walls, where books, dishes and country-store items are displayed.
Two years ago, Doug Turner and his wife Margie, who live in Pearisburg, near Eggleston, invited Ava and me down for a visit. Doug is a friend and a former football teammate at Ferrum College. Doug and Margie introduced us to the Palisades Restaurant and treated us to dinner. I ordered steak and Ava selected chicken. Both entrees were fantastic. Ava’s chicken had been baked with bourbon and brown sugar. We also enjoyed the whipped sweet potatoes.
Because we enjoyed that meal so much, we decided to return to the Palisades this past March. It was St. Patrick’s Day, March 17. Doug and Margie joined us and some friends from home happened to be at Virginia Tech that day, so they joined us too. The Palisades had an Irish band playing and patrons were dancing – the jig, I suppose. The place was rocking.
This time I decided to try chicken and it was outstanding. It had been marinated in Virginia Ale, baked, smothered in spicy BBQ sauce and sprinkled with diced apples. It was so good I felt like jumping up and slapping someone. For dessert, I had homemade ice cream.
Ava went for chicken again. Another member of our group ordered a pork chop. When he was halfway through eating, the waiter brought him another one because his “was too small”. I sampled that too, and it was delicious. While we were there, the owner visited every table. It was an evening of great food, great fellowship and a great atmosphere.
For an excellent dining experience, I recommend the Palisades. Make reservations though.
Mountain Lake Resort is fairly close (20 minutes) and is a convenient place to spend the night. Lodging is also available in Pearisburg.
The Palisades Restaurant is located at 168 Village Street in Eggleston. Call (540) 626-2828 for reservations or for more information.
