Restaurant Receives Review from Blogger

Martinsville, VA (November 2, 2011) - Restaurant owner Will Pearson and his staff were pleasantly surprised on Friday when a particular customer walked into Wild Magnolia on Church Street in Martinsville. The special visitor was Steve Post, a trackside reporter for Motor Racing Network (MRN) Radio and author of the blog AroundTheTrackOnline.com.

In his downtime between covering NASCAR race events Post hunts for unique restaurants in the communities near tracks to review for his blog. In past years, he has written about the World Famous Martinsville Speedway Hotdog, Fenderz Drive-In, Clarence's Steak & Seafood House, Checkered Pig BBQ, Biscuitville and People's Gas For Less in Ridgeway, known for their hotdog that is almost as good as a Martinsville Speedway Hotdog.

Post found out about Wild Magnolia, a casual restaurant known for its hand prepared eclectic southern cuisine, from the Martinsville-Henry County EDC's Tourism & Film Division. He joined the division's Director of Tourism, Jennifer Doss, and Tourism Associate Felicia Rupert for lunch to experience the local hot spot.

Wild Magnolia has been open for three years, tucked away behind Patrick Henry Mall, the restaurant is truly a hidden gem in Martinsville. Post enjoyed the crab stuffed mushroom appetizer and his entrée was the Super Cheese Chicken, which consisted of a generous portioned chicken breast slathered with pimento cheese made by local caterer Ratatouille along with a side of fresh steamed vegetables and jasmine rice. At the request of Pearson, the group also sampled the same Ratatouille pimento cheese on an Angus burger to experience the incredible flavor combination.

According to Post, "The food was phenomenal, I love Pimento Cheese but have never had it on a burger before so this was a real treat. The spread was creamy and had just the right amount of kick to it." Post enjoyed the "warm atmosphere and friendly staff" at the establishment and was delighted when Pearson shared his trade secret for the sandwich's smoky flavor. He snapped photos of his meal throughout the visit to share with fans on the Around the Track Facebook page.

Pearson noted that, "We enjoy watching food trends and bringing those new and interesting culinary concepts to Martinsville and Henry County."

According to Doss, "We are very proud to have unique and interesting places to dine in Martinsville-Henry County, such as Wild Magnolia and hope that the national publicity given to the establishment by Mr. Post's blog will drive new guests to our community to experience these restaurants for themselves."

Wild Magnolia is located at 730 East Church Street in Martinsville. It is owned and operated by Will Pearson and Mike Pashley and is open Sunday through Thursday 11 a.m. to midnight and on Friday and Saturday from 11 a.m. to 2 a.m. Information about this and other area restaurants can be found online at www.VisitMartinsville.com.

The mission of the Martinsville-Henry County Economic Development Corporation is to create new job opportunities and expand the tax base for the area. The organization strives to support and develop local industry, as well as market Martinsville-Henry County globally as an exceptional place to live, work and play.

The EDC is a public-private partnership between the City of Martinsville, Henry County, the Martinsville-Henry County Chamber of Commerce, the Martinsville-Henry County Chamber's Partnership for Economic Growth (C-PEG) and the Harvest Foundation of the Piedmont.