CAVE SPRING, Va. – “We just wanted a place where we could all hang out and we figured if we liked it, then other people would like it too.”
Co-owner, Jeff Tate, recalls the vision he and three of his friends had before opening Cast Plates and Pints a year ago - a pool table, screens for the game and awesome food.
He tells us, “I’m built in with three other partners, and we just kind-of considered ourselves a cast.”
A lot of characters make up this menu that’s meant to encompass what he calls, ‘American comfort fusion.’
The opening scene features “Southern food too with fried green tomatoes,” topped with creole remoulade, pimento cheese and arugula.
Some extras on the set include, “Fettuccini noodles. We make our own gnocchi. We also have really good hand-pattied burgers, and we’ve got sandwiches.”
Then, we get to some of the stars. One of them, the Cuban Panini, quickly became my favorite. It’s pressed down with pulled pork, Tasso ham, pork loin, swiss cheese, pickle and Dijon mustard.
Then, there’s the big dog, which includes a “Chicago dog with really big smoked sausages.” This isn’t for the faint of heart, but it’s bursting with flavor and color. Neon relish, sport peppers, tomato and pickle all go on top of the dog.
Lastly, the protagonist of this menu is the filet. Tate tells us it has a, “Garlic mushroom butter compound to top it and kind of sear it on the top of it. I think that sets it apart and gives it more flavor.”
Add in the dozen cocktails and a game of pool, and you can see why this corner spot in Cave Spring has gained such popularity in just a short amount of time.
The crew (or cast) also offers brunch, so be sure to check out their site for more info on that.