Roanoke Times
                 Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.

DATE: WEDNESDAY, November 8, 1995                   TAG: 9511080001
SECTION: EXTRA                    PAGE: 1   EDITION: METRO 
SOURCE: DARRELL GLEASON THE VIRGINIAN-REVIEW
DATELINE: LOW MOOR (AP)                                LENGTH: Medium

THE CAT & OWL HAS BEEN ON THE RIGHT TRACK FOR 24 YEARS

Bruce Proffitt, owner of the Cat & Owl Steak & Seafood House at Low Moor, says he relies on customers for word-of-mouth advertising.

``We see a lot of business travelers in here on Mondays through Thursdays. Some of my best customers live 1,000 miles away. On weekends, most of our customers are locals. My restaurant is not the type that you drive by and see. Normally, our customers are referred to us by someone else,'' Proffitt said.

Proffitt's father and uncle opened the Cat & Owl 24 years ago in hopes of appealing to railroad workers in nearby Clifton Forge. The restaurant got its name from the former Chesapeake & Ohio Railway. There already was a C&O Restaurant in Clifton Forge in 1971, so it was named the Cat & Owl to symbolize the first letters of the railway's name.

``Cat & Owl is kind of a catchy name, and a lot of our customers make fun of it while they chat over a meal. We get a big kick out of people cracking jokes about the name,'' Proffitt said.

The Cat & Owl prepares its food on a charbroiler, and fresh seafood accounts for 45 percent of the business. The menu includes fresh scallops, oysters, tuna steaks, salmon fillets and swordfish steaks.

``Our charbroiled shrimp are the item that we base our business on. We clean and peel about 10 pounds of fresh shrimp a day,'' Proffitt said.

Other menu staples include filet mignons and ribeye steaks that are cut fresh from beef loins at the time of the order. Stuffed potatoes, whipped up from an old family recipe, are popular with diners. The top-selling dessert is deep-fried banana fritters, covered with a chocolate or butterscotch topping.

A concourse covers the walkway to the Cat & Owl's entrance, giving it the appearance of a railroad passenger depot. The interior is decorated in a Victorian style that features rail memorabilia and antiques such as a barber chair, a player piano and a machine once used to crank out personalized pencils.

``It's not a trendy type atmosphere,'' Proffitt said. ``It's kind of timeless. We aren't that big, and that's one of the secrets to our success. This restaurant has a unique but comfortable atmosphere, and it's just as popular with kids on their way to a prom as it with senior citizens.''

recipe for: STUFFED BAKED POTATOES

The Cat & Owl Steak and Seafood House

Address: 110 Karnes Road, Low Moor Phone: 540-862-5808 Specialty: Fresh beef, seafood, pork and chicken Price range: $10.95-$17.95; children's menu available Hours: 5 p.m.-9 p.m. Monday-Saturday Reservations: Suggested but not required Dress: Casual Payment: Visa, MasterCard, Discover, American Express Alcoholic beverages: Liquor, wine, beer Nonsmoking section: Yes Handicapped accessible: N