The Roanoker - July/August 2020 - 68

NORBERTO'S

Eric Fitzpatrick

Outside of the five summers spent painting
and teaching art in Italy, award-winning artist
Eric Fitzpatrick has always lived in Roanoke.
He travels a great deal for his work. And while
he finds it thrilling to paint on location in
Tuscany, the Greek Isles, Mexico, Maine
and more, Fitzpatrick loves coming home
to the beauty, mountains and culture of his
hometown. " I love this place, " says Fitzpatrick,
" and I hope it shows in my work. "
" My favorite restaurant no longer in
existence is Norberto's Italian Ristorante over
in Grandin Village. Their chicken saltimbocca
was something special! I also loved the
coziness and atmosphere. It was small enough
that it felt communal...like family.
" I can't wait to get back to Carlos
Brazilian International Cuisine. I love the
vistas, and the frango tropical with fried
bananas! And the bread, which I could be
perfectly happy with as an entrée.
" The things I find common to Norberto's
and Carlos would be the exotic dishes, great
atmosphere and the feeling when there, that
you had gotten out of your daily life and into a
special experience. This is a wonderful treat for
one who-for the most part-does not cook. "

SHARI DRAGOVICH is a freelance writer whose work appears in regional
magazines throughout the Southeast. Her favorite pursuits include all things story,
all things community and all things wine. She, along with her husband and five
teenaged kids, think it a beautiful gift to call Roanoke home.

American female council member. She is active
in several service organizations, as well as her
church, High Street Baptist Church. Of all
Price's achievements, however, she seems most
proud to be a mother to three grown daughters
and grandmother to ten grandchildren.
" My favorite dining spot no longer open
is, without a doubt, Thelma's Chicken and
Waffles. The food was amazing-good,
Southern comfort food. Thelma's had the
best fried fish and chicken ever! Whenever
we had out-of-town guests, that's where
my husband and I took them. I would also
recommend Thelma's to people coming to
our area and visiting the Harrison Museum.
I cried when they closed. There is no other
place like Thelma's in our area.
" I'm looking forward to eating at Gina's
in Salem. I miss her good comfort food,
especially her mac and cheese. And on
Sundays, Gina's has an awesome jazz brunch.
" The similarities between Thelma's and
Gina's are great comfort food done in a
traditional southern style. Especially over
these past months, it's what we all need! "

Brent Watts

WDBJ7 Chief Meteorologist Brent Watts
can pinpoint the moment he became
fascinated with weather. It was the Flood
of 1985, when his hometown of Buchanan
nearly went underwater. Since joining the
WDBJ7 news team in 1997, Watts has been
on-duty during some of the region's most
dramatic weather events. He's been awarded

the American Meteorological Society's Seal
of Approval, and received an EMMY Award
in 2015 for his look back at the anniversary
of the Flood of 1985. When he's not tracking
weather, Watts is likely outside enjoying it.
" One of my favorite restaurants from
the past is Norberto's Italian Ristorante
in Grandin Village. It was a family-owned
restaurant a former WDBJ7 co-worker of
mine, Patrick Evans, recommended. Evans,
Italian himself, knew the best pasta spots in
town. The fettuccine alfredo was to die for.
" Roanoke has so many amazing local
restaurants. It 's hard to narrow down a
favorite. I'm looking forward to visiting Table
50 once everything reopens. My wife and I are
celebrating our twentieth wedding anniversary
in May. We always have dinner at Table 50 to
celebrate. No matter what entrée we order, we
start with the sweet potato gnocchi appetizer.
They literally melt in your mouth.
" Billy's is another go-to I look forward
to visiting. The big windows are perfect
for people-watching. We've had countless
meetups with friends for a drink or two on
the patio. The space makes you feel like you're
in a totally different place.
" I'm a big fan of historic architecture, and
all my favorite restaurants are located inside
Roanoke's historic buildings. They are also
local places we've discovered while dining
with friends. "
What are your favorite restaurants from the
past? Where will you go f irst for a great meal
out tonight? Share with us on our social media
pages! And in the meantime, happy dining! I

THELMA'S

Anita Price

68

JULY/AUGUST 2020

THELMA'S: DAVID HUNGATE

City Council woman Anita Price moved to
Roanoke in 1977-her husband's hometown.
The Arlington, Virginia native worked in the
Roanoke City schools for 35 years, retiring
in 2010. Price was elected to Roanoke's City
Council in 2008 as the city's first African

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