If you remember Melissa’s, or any of the establishments that came before it on that corner of Stafford and Main streets, you probably won’t believe your eyes when you see The White Dog, the latest effort to turn this location into a magnet for the hungry.
Judging from our first impression, it looks like all the right ingredients have been included for Fan success.
The White Dog was opened in early March by owner Barry Pruitt, a former part-owner of both Avenue 805 and Davis & Main. It’s a super-clean, basement dining spot with freshly painted white walls and sharply polished wood booths. It has a slick, bistrolike atmosphere tempered by low music and soft lights that give the restaurant a friendly, casual glow.
“I’m calling [the menu] assimilated American,” says Pruitt. The medium-sized menu boasts such diverse selections as Hungarian beef goulash ($12) and stir-fried shrimp and vegetables in a hoisin sauce ($14).
You’re sure to find the appetizer and salad menu equally interesting, with choices like fried spring rolls in apricot chutney and catfish fingers with a spicy jalepe¤o dip.
Don’t forget to turn over the last page for a look at The White Dog’s ample wine menu, featuring standard flavors from California and France, along with newer selections from New Zealand and South Africa. And don’t worry, there are enough taps behind the bar to keep the thirstiest beer fan happy.
The White Dog is open for dinner Tuesday through Sunday, 5 p.m.-2 a.m. 2329 W. Main St. 340-1975.
