Collegiate Times

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Green’s Grill and Sushi Bar is a brightly lit and simply decorated restaurant offering a welcoming atmosphere, a fair-priced menu and an eclectic mix of food that reflects the diverse background of its owner, George Elabboud.

Born in Lebanon and trained as a chef in Los Angeles, Elabboud opened Green’s at the beginning of summer 2009.

“I have worked in kitchens and as a bartender before,” Elabboud said of his inspiration for the restaurant, “and a sushi bar combines both.”

Green’s offers an assorted menu with specialties in sushi and Middle Eastern grill items. The combination of affordable prices with a healthy and varied menu has made Green’s a local favorite of both students and professionals in the Blacksburg area.

A local resident for more than seven years, Elabboud previously cooked at his family’s restaurant, More Than Coffee, now called Pita Vera, located on North Main Street, before branching off on his own. He describes the Green’s menu as being “balanced, with popular local favorites being the special rolls and platters.”

The main advantage for the grill and sushi bar is a varied menu, which includes everything from a homemade veggie burger, to shrimp tempura to the exotic Katia tuna, with most entrees priced between $4 and $9. Elabboud looks forward to also offering wine, sake and beer.

Everything from the nigiri rolls to the specialty subs and salads are made with fresh and healthy ingredients, something Elabboud believes is important.

“Everything is homemade, including the dressings and sauces,” he said, pausing for a minute by the bar and overseeing his busy kitchen and waitstaff.

Biological sciences major Henry Wakley, who has worked at Green’s for three months, explained that at the hybrid restaurant there is a little something for everyone.

“There is vegetarian stuff, regular hamburgers and Mediterranean- style food,” he said. “That’s (the) one way to know the food is good is because everyone who works there eats there too.”

While Green’s may be smaller and less showy than some of its other downtown counterparts, its simplicity and friendly staff lends it charm and a relaxed atmosphere.

True to his heritage and experience, Elabboud’s dishes, as stated on the restaurant’s website, “bring together a multitude of flavors from across the world,” that feel like a perfect addition to Blacksburg’s growing international community.

A version of this article appeared in the Sep 1 issue of the Collegiate Times.