One of my favorite activities is traveling the beautiful backroads of Virginia in search of hidden gourmet treasures. Such a discovery is Perky�s, located on Route 29 just north of Altavista.

If you�ve never eaten at Perky�s, or are unaware of its reputation, you might easily drive right past it. However, even with its unassuming exterior, there are signs that Perky�s is no run-of-the-mill restaurant. I was at Perky�s a little after 4 on a Saturday evening, and the parking lot was already packed. My mom, the ultimate seeker of great restaurants, always said that the best indicator of a good restaurant is the volume of cars in the parking lot.

My visit confirmed that Perky�s is a treat you don�t want to miss. The three things that impressed me most about Perky�s were the food�s exceptional taste and quality, the friendly atmosphere, and the highly efficient wait and cooking staff. On a very busy night, I was amazed at how well the entire food-service process worked. Everyone at Perky�s works together to deliver a great dining experience.

Perky�s was started 23 years ago by Gay and the late Lee Perkins, or �Perky,� as he was known by his friends.

 �Perky was a great cook and we were looking for a place to open a restaurant in a nice community,� says Gay. �An Army buddy of Perky was from Lynchburg, and he encouraged us to move from Maryland to open a restaurant at the current location.�

Gay continues, �The early days were tough, because the restaurant was formerly a local honky-tonk with a less-than-stellar reputation. We proved to many local naysayers that we could build a successful food-serving establishment, despite its checkered past.�

A big reason for Perky�s success is Gay�s son, who is the restaurant�s head chef, Greg Toren. He started working at the age of 16, washing dishes.

 �I learned very quickly my trade when one busy Friday night our chef, at the time, just walked out and left me literally holding down the grill. Everything just seemed to come naturally after that,� says Greg. One of the distinctive things about Perky�s is that the grill is located right behind the front counter, in view of the diners. So you enjoy an extravaganza of sights, aromas, and sizzle as your meal is being prepared. This gourmet sensory symphony enhances the dining experience.

The rest of Perky�s interior is also memorable. You�re greeted in the restaurant foyer with a tribute to our military personnel, featuring pictures and remembrances of past and current heroes. The walls are decorated with more than 400 license plates from all over the world, including Europe and Saudi Arabia. Also, as Greg says, �Our favorite decorations are our happy customers, many of whom we see often and have for many years.�

Perky�s is not just a steak place. It has a very extensive menu with selections that cover a wide range of tastes and flavors. I first ordered an appetizer of Cajun Crawfish, which was served in a light sauce highlighted with mild Cajun spices. Mmm � delightful! My dining companion ordered onion straws, which were also just the thing to get the taste buds in gear for the main entrees.

In addition to the main menu, Perky�s offers a number of specials. The night of my visit, there was rack of lamb, and as you may know from my past articles, �The Rack� is always one of my favorites. Greg�s culinary skills were in full bloom with my selection. The lamb was meaty, juicy, and full of flavor. I am tempted to say this was one of the best rack-of-lamb dishes I have tried, and that includes gourmet havens such as New York, France, and beyond. My other dinner companions had the salmon and steak filet selections. Of course, I had to sample those and was delighted with their delicious flavors. Even in the winter (the season of my visit), when it�s difficult to get fresh vegetables, our sides of corn, potatoes, and green beans were enjoyable. For dessert, our table split servings of key lime pie and tollhouse cookie pie, just the right end to a wonderful meal.

We finished our meal, paid the bill, and settled in for the two-and-a-half-hour ride across Virginia�s beautiful rolling countryside back to Richmond. The starless, chilly night did not seem daunting at all after our delightful and memorable dining experience at Perky�s. Great job, Gay and Greg!

If you plan a visit, I strongly recommend that you call ahead for reservations.

All my restaurant experiences start with recommendations from Cooperative Living readers. Let me know of hidden treasure restaurants you have found by emailing me at [email protected].

BE OF GOOD CHEER!