ROANOKE, Va. – International cuisine has now taken the place of Blue 5 in downtown Roanoke. Now, it’s 2 Chill. The purpose of the restaurant is literally in the name. Owner, Anny Hernandez, had the vision to add something new and refreshing to Roanoke’s food scene.
She says, “It’s fresh. It’s healthy. It’s full of flavor. It’s beautiful, and there’s nothing like it around.”
She, along with Chef Christian, teamed up to make the ideal menu full of, “Fusion of international cuisine and international food, so the idea is to be healthy. The idea is to bring a little bit of everything from everywhere around the world.”
Starters range from the Crisp Pork Belly with fried yucca and a refreshing cucumber salad to Dumplins. These have a crunchy shell that envelops braised short ribs and caramelized onions. You can dip these tasty starters in two different sauces.
One of the entrees is a vegetarian favorite - Portobello Mushrooms. Colors pop off this dish, as Chef Christian loads it up with quinoa, cherry tomatoes, goat cheese and salad.
Then, there’s the Chilean Sea Bass laid atop a bed of lemon risotto and sugar snap peas. This has been a a hit early on!
You can also opt for more familiar options like a Pan-Seared Ribeye or chicken dishes.
2 Chill is waiting on its ABC license, which should come any day now. To hold you over, Hernandez tells us, “We do have mocktails that are a little twist of our regular cocktails.”
The Campfire and Key West Is the Best are the two headliners for the mocktail list for now. Big plans are on the way, though, for its basement at the end of the month.
“Speakeasy bar in there, so people can literally have a lounge area. Have a drink, chat and relax.”
You can finish all this off with a dessert of either New York Cheescake or Tiramisu.
Sit back, relax and support an up-and-coming local business with big plans for its future.