Loose Leaf Notes

-The following was first published at Floyd Times on January 6, 2026.

The Plum House Ramen Noodle Bar welcomed patrons to a special preview of its offerings on Friday evening. The official opening of the new downtown eatery, located in the plum-colored house on 101 Old Hensley Road, is scheduled for January 9th from 5- 8pm.

Soft opening diners were presented with an Asian-inspired menu offering dishes from Japan, Korea and Thailand. They were nourished and warmed with spring rolls and noodle bowls featuring broths and sauces with add-on choices of pork, chicken of tofu. Some sipped hot tea and sake, a Japanese rice wine.

Several diners commented on the restaurant’s warm atmosphere, the lighting and décor, which is not surprising since the Plum Noodle House owner, Barbara Gillespie, has an artful sensibility and was the ambiance director at the original Floydfest site for many years.

“The ambiance here is artsy and comforting at the same time,” said Stephanie Weisman, who was enjoying a shared dish of kimchi (house-made salted and fermented vegetables seasoned with garlic, ginger and red chili powder) with friends.

“It’s very traditional,” Sudha Wilburn said about the Noodle House decor.  Wilburn, who has been to Japan on a walking pilgrimage and enjoyed the food there, spoke highly of the Noodle House cuisine and showed off her Bim Bop bowl of sautéed vegetables black rice, sesame seeds and soft eggs.  “I love it. I’m very impressed,” she said.

Gillespie was the baker/owner of Grateful Bread Bakery, adjacent to the Noodle House, for years and is currently the owner and operator of Outer Space, the popular and whimsical outdoor food court and music venue on Locust Street. Outer space, which closes during the winter months, is known for its healthy local food, and Gillespie, the menu creator and head chef, has extended that standard to the Noodle House.

“We make all our own broths and sauces in-house. We take pride in that,” Gillespie said. “We buy fresh noodles and will eventually make our own.” She also noted that they will eventually do take-out and that there is parking for the restaurant (including handicap parking) in front of the Grateful Bread Bakery house.

The idea for the Plum House came to Gillespie when she was making repairs to the rental house (before it was purple/plum) that her father and his wife owned. After all the scraping, caulking and priming she started painting and enjoyed using purple because she wanted something bold and fun. “You’re painting it purple?” someone questioned. “It’s Plum,” she answered, and the idea of a Plum House Ramen Noodle Bar came to her in a flash, Gillespie said.

Gillespie is joined by her skilled staff, Holly Mae, Meridith Tillery and Lindsey Gillespie, who work as hostesses, servers, assistant and back-up cooks. She reported that the Noodle House will be open year-round, Thursday, Friday and Saturday with winter hours from 5 to 8 pm. “We encourage reservations,” Gillespie said, which can be made by calling 540-745-PLUM or texting (540) 558-9395. ____Colleen Redman