100 Main: A favorite dining spot falls short of expectations on mid-week visit

Editor's Note: Reviews are based on a single, unannounced, and anonymous visit. Your experience may differ from what is presented here.

The evening was getting late when we decided to make our way to 100 Main Restaurant & Bar in Valdese. Marshall and I don’t have a set dinnertime, but I suspect we typically eat later than most. One of the advantages of our eating habits is we often miss the dinner rush and its associated chaos.

I was pleasantly surprised at the number of cars parked along Main Street and we found a spot within two blocks of the restaurant. Outside 100 Main, three tables were filled with people enjoying the last of their meals. Inside was equally busy with a half dozen people at the bar and more than half the restaurant full. Two empty tables needed to be cleared of their dishes. The hostess led us to the one clean table, near the center of the dining room.

When I asked earlier around the newsroom what I should order, Staff Writer Saydie Bean suggested the chicken parmesan sandwich. I’ve not eaten a chicken parm in years. Excellent suggestion I thought. We have dined at 100 Main once before and I remembered that much of their menu is made in-house so I was eager to try their version of the Italian sandwich.

Our server Morgan arrived at our table within a few minutes and exchanged the typical pleasantries. We asked a few questions about the menu. She said that basically everything is made in-house except for the fries, potato salad, and chicken tenders.

“But the potato salad has bacon and it is soooo gooood,” she said.

While she described her love of the potato salad, I was still stuck on the chicken tenders — the foundation of the chicken parm sandwich — coming in frozen on a truck. I decided to choose a different meal instead. We ordered our drinks and asked for a few more minutes to review the menu.

I ordered the Reuben ($11.95), which the menu describes as “Our slow roasted, house made corned beef, fresh sauerkraut, house made 1000 Island dressing, and Swiss cheese on marbled rye.” Instead of one of the regular sides, I opted for the tomato basil soup, a $1.50 upcharge.

Marshall went with the Pasta Fresca ($12.95): “Fettucine tossed with olive oil, fresh garlic, fresh spinach, sauteed mushrooms, and grape tomatoes, and garnished with parmesan cheese.” His meal came with a soup or salad. He chose the salad.

We ordered at 7:56 p.m. At 8:10 p.m., another person brought out the food. Marshall had expected to enjoy his salad before his meal. That didn’t happen. The pasta and my sandwich were brought to the table at the same time. My Reuben arrived with onion rings, not the soup I ordered. Marshall’s salad was overlooked.

The young person gave us the deer-in-headlights look when we told her what was missing. She stared blankly, hurried away, and then returned with the salad and the soup.

After a few minutes, our server had not stopped to check on us. Marshall flagged down the hostess and asked for some mustard for the onion rings still on the table. The onion rings were crispy and hot, and the order had the combination of thicker and smaller slices that I like. No, I could not resist the siren call of onion rings.

In full transparency, this was not my first visit to 100 Main. I remember the Reuben being filled with particularly tender corned beef. That was not the case this time. My heart sank. 

The sandwich was dry, something I thought more 1000 Island dressing could help rectify. But we still hadn’t seen the waitress, so I devoted my attention to the tomato basil soup. The soup did not disappoint. Hearty flavors, fresh basil, and a touch of garlic. I had finished the cup when the bartender came through and asked if we needed anything. He quickly brought me the extra dressing for my sandwich.

Marshall had the winning dish overall this visit. The fettuccine noodles were al dente, and the vegetables were fresh. This dish is particularly good for those whose stomachs are bothered by tomato sauce. Anyone who wants to avoid gluten can ask for this dish to be made with gluten-free pasta. Gluten-free bread is also available for sandwiches and burgers.

Throughout our meal, we watched as Morgan zipped around the restaurant. She did eventually check on us about 20 minutes after our food arrived. I asked her if she was on the floor alone. Yes, two people had “called out” that evening, she said. That probably explains a few things.

Angela Kuper Copeland is editor of The Paper. She may be reached at angela@thepaper.media or 828-445-8595.