Cedars, October 2010

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CU Review

Restaurant Review:

Williams Eatery

The cornfields of Cedarville seem far away at

Williams Eatery and Gathering Place. Posted

at the corner of Corry and Dayton Street in

Yellow Springs, Williams is a unique getaway,

a journey into American-Peruvian dining.

Like Yellow Springs itself, the eatery main-

tains its personality and warmth in everything

from the smells to the colors, to the music and

the food. Customers may choose between two

dining areas: the warm, indoor, low-lit formal

room (furnished with Italian-style checkered

tablecloths and traditional Peruvian wall-

hangings) or the adjoining light-filled parlor.

Throughout the eatery, local art ornaments

the walls alongside lush, green plant life, com-

pliments of The Village Greenery.

The colorful atmosphere of Williams is de-

lightful, but nothing can compare to the piz-

zazz of the names on the menu: Lomo Saltado,

Aji de Pollo, Pollo a la Brasa, y Pappas Relle-

nas, to name a few. Each time a dish is rushed

sizzling into the room, it is easy to second-

guess your order (“I only hope my meal tastes

as good as that smells”). As a general rule, the

rhythm of the name matches the energy of the

taste. For $13.99, a patron can order the best-

selling Pollo a la Brasa, a rosemary-dashed

rotisserie chicken, along with one side dish (I

recommend the garlic potatoes) and a fresh-

greens dinner salad. Most entrees range from

$9.99 - $17.99 and come with freshly baked

bread and olive oil.

The flavors are rich and the smells are pun-

gent, but save room for dessert. The tradi-

tional Peruvian desserts are truly wonderful,

including Arroz con Leche, Alfajores con

Manjar and Bolitas de Coco. In some dishes,

however, the American part of the American-

Peruvian cuisine wins out. We recommend

“The Elvis,” an inexpensive dessert inspired

by its namesake’s favorite sweet-tooth ap-

peasement: a peanut butter and banana

sandwich, baked and drizzled with chocolate.

The Peruvian desserts are delightful, but “The

Elvis” hits the spot.

Williams’ service is friendly but efficient.

Catch them on a slower evening and a meal

can be out in about 10-15 minutes. Even if

they’re busy, a trip to the eatery is always

worth the effort. Escape the cornfields this

weekend and expand your culinary horizons

in Williams’ small but thriving micro-culture

in Yellow Springs. Your stomach will thank

you!

Book Review: “The Screwtape Letters”

Movie Review: “Scott Pilgrim vs. The World”

Based on a series of graphic novels by Bryan

Lee O’Malley, the movie “Scott Pilgrim vs.

The World” is about love, trouble, self-dis-

covery and music. The overdramatic action

scenes and unexplained stunts are perfect

elements in the film that draw out each char-

acter’s personality and, despite a few sexual

references that made me roll my eyes, this

movie was a blast to experience.

I say experience because Scott Pilgrim is

more interactive than the U-Scans at Wal-

Mart. Every scene is colorful and fun. Expres-

sion can be found far beyond the mannerisms

of the actors; the environment itself comes

alive. From beginning to end, you feel like a

kid again.

This movie could easily be renamed “Homage

to the Video Game Generation.” Reminiscent

of the Mario Brothers of old, the bad guys

turn into coins when they die. Combos build

during rapid action. And at the delivery of a

final blow, opponents are KO’d. Even though

not all of us are hardcore gamers, we can still

appreciate the flavor that the Mario Bros,

Legend of Zelda, and Pac-Man have added to

our culture.

Scott Pilgrim pinpoints gaming references

and comic book styles and brings them to life

through film. Because of the general playful-

ness of the film, this movie had the audience

smiling from start to finish.

by Rachel Thompson

by Tina Neely

by Holly McClellan

CU Review

Last year while attending a staged perfor-

mance of C.S. Lewis’s “The Screwtape Let-

ters,” I noticed the program included a quote

from Martin Luther, which stated that the

best way to drive out a devil is to make fun

of him. This statement puzzled the woman

sitting next to me, and I overheard her men-

tioning to her friend that she thought the

best course of action was to pretend devils

don’t exist. That, says Screwtape, is exactly

what they want you to think.

In our thoroughly realistic world with its

concrete problems, spiritual warfare often

seems like an irrelevant issue. But the fact

remains that Christians are no less suscepti-

ble to temptation — in fact, are perhaps even

more so — than when C.S. Lewis wrote “The

Screwtape Letters” in 1942. Since then, the

book has become a classic among Christian

readers for its witty and accessible spiritual

insight.

In these letters, Lewis adopts the persona of

Screwtape, an experienced demon advis-

ing his nephew Wormwood on how best to

lead followers of Christ astray. This reversed

viewpoint incisively brings to light dozens

of spiritual pitfalls and blind spots Chris-

tians encounter every day. “The safest path

to hell is a gradual one,” writes Screwtape,

illuminating the ease with which we allow

distractions, desires and well-intentioned

but misguided efforts to render us ineffective

in our work for God.

The letters provide enlightenment on a wide

variety of subjects, including fear, prayer,

anger, pride, patience, salvation and rela-

tionships with friends and family. Particu-

larly powerful is Screwtape’s examination of

the human relationship with God. Readers

can gain a deeper appreciation of God’s love

and mercy when they see through the eyes of

a demon the unworthiness of humanity.

A relatively short read, the book merits

several re-readings because more can be

revealed each time, based on the reader’s

spiritual maturity. By turns both convicting

and encouraging, “The Screwtape Letters” is

a worthwhile read for those at any point on

their journey with God.

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