A couple of weeks ago I went to do a hockey demonstration at MDA Camp. Occasionally, we will get new recruits out of trips like this, but the main purpose is to let kids get exposed to the sport. We just want to show them that there are alternatives outside of watching television and playing video games.
When traveling I try to find new places to eat just to add to my experience. This trip wasn’t any different. MDA Camp is located in Stokesdale, which is an area that doesn’t have many dining options. Of course, we could have stopped at a McDonald’s or another fast food franchise, but we decided to stop at a little place called StokeRidge Tavern & Grille.
After getting a positive review from a stranger in the parking lot, we decided to try the tavern. Upon entering, I was already impressed. In many cases, taverns or sports bars try to stuff as many tables and even stairs in their restaurants, which make it less wheelchair friendly. This was not the case at STG. It was by far the most spacious tavern I have ever seen. I could sit anywhere, with the exception of the booths, but booths are a pain in all restaurants because I have to move my wheelchair all the time to let people in and out of their seats.
STG also has huge televisions on every wall! Most places have 1 large television and some small ones in the corners. Of course, the large television is never in an accessible seating area. However, at STG I was able to watch the Olympics at a table right in front of a beautiful 80” Sharp AQUOS. I really appreciated the accessibility at the tavern and would recommend it on that aspect alone.
But wait there’s more! The food at STG is great! Their menu has a wide variety, so everyone can find something to try. There were 3 or 4 things I thought about ordering, but I went with the BBQ Sundae. Sounds gross, right? Don’t worry, it’s not ice cream! It’s like an open-faced sandwich with slaw and pulled pork on top of a corn bread pancake instead of a boring old bun. It’s drizzled with sauce, so it does look like a sundae with syrup when it arrives. I didn’t try the slaw as I was more interested in the meat, but everything was great! Dad got the pork chops and he was so happy with them that we had to go to the grocery store next door and buy the sauce used at STG!
On Food Network shows you always see how much love chefs put into preparing their food. Sometimes we lose that aspect because there is such an emphasis on getting the food done FAST. You can tell the cooks at STG really love what they do. The best example is something as simple as my “sandwich.” In North Carolina it’s not hard to find a pulled pork sandwich. Actually, they are so popular, you can order a “BBQ sandwich” and you get pulled pork. I have been in other states where you have to clarify whether you mean pork, beef, chicken, or turkey. And in most NC restaurants, they just scoop it up out of a pile of pork, put it on a bun, wrap it and your done. At STG, they went the extra mile and made a NC staple memorable. You can tell they love preparing their food.
I would recommend to StokeRidge Tavern & Grill to anyone. I’ll definitely be stopping there again when in the area.
