The Big Eat: Week One

I always look forward to the Big Eat. It’s that time of year when everyone has a little less money in their pockets after the holidays and dining out is a luxury that most choose not to partake. But the Big Eat makes it affordable to go out to dinner in January and February, and it gives downtown restaurants a boost in a time where sales are traditionally low.

I worked in restaurants for twelve years, and I know that I had to save tips from the holiday season to get by until Valentine’s Day. Monday and Tuesday nights were always the lowest yield for the service industry, but the Big Eat is out there to change all that.

Thirty downtown restaurants are participating this year (yes THIRTY) so there is surely something to please everyone. The menus for the Big Eat are posted about five days in advance so you have time to plan your strategy, and if the restaurant takes reservations, I suggest you make them as early as possible.

I should be in town each Tuesday until the Big Eat is over on Feb 26^th, so expect at least a weekly post. I know it’s been way too long, but I have been pinching pennies and the Big Eat is getting me out there again. Hooray!

Big Eat- Week One: Community Arts Café (CAC)

The Big Eat special was the Café Burger. At $3.49 this is one heck of a burger. (At full price of $6.99, this is one heck of a burger!) Served on a corn-dusted Kaiser roll, the 7 oz. burger is topped with Dublin Irish cheddar, and lettuce, tomato & red onion and a pickle on the side. You also have your choice of a side item: kettle chips, fruit salad, or roasted sweet potatoes with goat cheese.

The burger is cooked on a flattop which seals in the juices and cooks the burger evenly. The toppings are fresh and the Dublin Irish Cheese is rich, melted goodness that seeps into the nooks and crannies of the  beefy burger. The fresh lettuce, tomato and pickle on the side allow you to build your burger to suit your taste. The bun is flavorful and firm enough to hold all the goodness inside. (Very important!)

The signature side is roasted sweet potatoes that spend a minute on the grill to add a little extra crunch to the outside, and then topped with crumbles of fresh goat cheese. I never knew that sweet potatoes and goat cheese could complement each other so well, but man-o-man, it’s delicious!

The Cafe Burger will also be the Big Eat special in Week Two of the Big Eat at the CAC, but there are two other notable dishes you can try in the meantime. The Sweet Potato Quesadilla is made with roasted sweet potatoes, avocado, cilantro and cheddar cheese with a chipotle sour cream. It's sweet, savory, and spicy so your taste buds will be happy! Pictured here with a side of fresh fruit, this $6.99 meal is perfect for meat lovers or vegetarians.

  

Finally, I love the homemade Chicken Salad on a Croissant. A substantial portion, the chicken salad is made fresh and you can taste the difference. Freshly cooked chicken with just enough mayo to bind the chicken together. I think that chicken salad was made for croissants, it just gives it that little extra buttery flavor. Served here with the roasted sweet potatoes with goat cheese.

One of my favorite things about the Community Arts Café is that there is not a single item on the menu that is over $8.99. If you are looking for a great meal, fresh ingredients, substantial portions that is kind to your wallet, then the Community Arts Café is the place to dine.

The restaurant is located at the 411 W. Fourth Street

Vegetarian and Gluten Free Options

View the menu

Hours:

Monday – Friday 9am-2pm
Saturday and Sunday 10am-2pm
Tuesday Nights (during the Big Eat)-  5pm-9:30pm

Mozelle's Firecracker Salmon Salad

Today I had lunch with the #BWT (Broads Who Tweet) group at Mozelle's. We had a lovely lunch, catching up with each other in real life, rather than following each other on Twitter, Facebook, and LinkedIn. (It was also nice to communicate in more than 140 characters.)

It was a warm day, but very comfortable on the covered patio, still getting to enjoy the fresh air. A variety of dishes were ordered, but I decided to break from my norm of Tomato Pie and try the Firecracker Salmon Salad. The salad included a lot of my favorite ingredients: salmon, baby greens,  soba noodles, and a ginger dressing, but it also included cucumber kim chee (thinly sliced cucumber and onion in a sweet vinegar, ginger, and garlic) - which I had never tried before but will now add it to my list of favorites. Great blend of flavors in this dish and great for a late spring lunch.

I love a salad but hate that sometimes I am still hungry after eating one. This salad was the perfect blend of flavor, and sustanance and is highly recommended.

Cobblestone Market is Open for the Season!

Today is a very, very happy day. Today the new Cobblestone Farmer's Market opened across the street from its former location at Krankies on Patterson Ave. The Cobblestone Farmers Market is operated by Cultivate Piedmont, a program of the Carolina Farm Stewardship Association (www.carolinafarmstewards.org). The Cobblestone Farmers Market is an all-local, producers-only market that brings fresh, healthy foods into downtown Winston-Salem. Vendors are invited to participate on the basis of their healthy, sustainable, and humane practices.

Today I stopped by to look around and see what they had to offer. It is a little early in the growing season but there were several farmers out with "greens," eggs, and breads. I will also be bringing my dull knives next week as they have knife sharpening on site! It's awesome.

Each week, a local restaurant has a chef on hand for a cooking demonstration. The Screaming Rooster was the local restaurant of the week and chef Kevin Fisher was showing how to cook greens, which was very timely considering the bounty of greens available. (This just in: New Hours at the Screaming Rooster! Tues-Thurs open 9am-8pm, Friday & Saturday from 9am-9pm serving brunch, lunch, and dinner. Breakfast and lunch items are served all day. Brunch on Sun. will be from 8am-2pm.)

The Triad Community Kitchen was on hand serving their hot meal of the market. I got the Pasta and One Meatball special for $6. ($8 gets you two meatballs and Momma Mia, whatta meatball!) I am calling the pasta squiggly tube pasta, for lack of knowing the real name. Fresh marina (the best that I have had in a really long time) and a giant meatball makes this an amazing lunch. Fresh parmesan was an option, but I decided to have mine nekkid. I was the envy of all Cubetopia.

Add the Cobblestone Market to your Tuesday To Do List until November.

Local Love,
Susan

Waldo's Wings

Before I moved south to NC, I had never been a fan of wings. In fact, I don't know that I ever had one prior to a few years ago. I tried several of the chain wing joints all of which were ok, but it wasn't until I found Waldo's that I entered my first support group to limit my wing intake. Waldo's has a good ol' mom & pop atmosphere with a sports bar theme, so I always feel at home when I stop in for lunch. Never being one for insanely hot things I started with the medium wings, but over the years have progressed to hot. It's not 'burn your taste buds' hot, but it's got a great flavor with a good kick to it. In fact, I have yet to try a wing sauce from anywhere that rivals Waldo's. I usually find that wings are either undercooked or overcooked, but not here - perfect every time! So next time you're out Reynolda Road, stop in for some Hot Wings w/ ranch and cheese bread and a sweet tea. You won't be disappointed!

Old Fourth Street Filling Station: Grilled Salmon Salad

Today was one of those rare November days where the temperature was 63 degree and the sun was shining. We opted for a place where we could enjoy this beautiful weather and enjoy lunch on a patio. The Old Fourth Street Filling Station has an award winning patio (Smitty's Notes Best of Winston-Salem), so it seemed like the best location for our party of nine.

Trying to eat healthier, (seriously, you guys have seen what I have eaten in the last 5 months) I decided to try the Grilled Salmon Salad. This a fabulous combination of sweet and savory, and it is a great portion for a lighter-fare lunch. Mixed greens, grilled salmon, goat cheese, purple onions and candied pecans. I highly recommend the balasmic vinegrette for this salad because the tangy/smokey/sweet is a perfect compliment to the salmon and does not overwhelm the lighter mixed greens. The two items that make this salad so special is the goat cheese and the candied pecans. I could have eaten just these two items and I would have been satisfied. The goat cheese was fresh and creamy, while the pecans added a sweet crunch. Finally, to give it a little extra somethin-somethin, they give you a muffin made of lemony-poppyseed goodness. This may be my new favorite item at the Filling Station. Simple and delightful.

There were several large parties on the patio today, but the service was on top of things and our large party was able to get in and out in about an hour and fifteen minutes. Enjoying the beautiful weather, I secretly wished that it had taken twice as long. :)

Rose's Deli - #8 Club Spinach Wrap

The second dish in my workweek rotation is the club wrap from Rose’s Deli. If you find yourself resistant to trying a restaurant that shares the same building as a gas station, fear not, it’s actually a really cool place with decent indoor seating and a spacious patio with heating for the winter. They have a friendly staff that knows how to move a line through, so grab a menu on your way in. All of the ingredients are fresh and I haven’t tried anything that I did not like there, however, I have settled on the #8 club sub (on a spinach wrap instead), fries and a drink.

The wrap has fresh ham, turkey, bacon, lettuce, tomato, mayonnaise, and two cheeses. I don’t know how they cram all of this into a wrap, but it’s a generously portioned meal. I’m also not much of a fry person, but these fries are like crack cocaine deep-fried to crispy golden perfection. (*Disclaimer: I have never tried crack cocaine nor do I think you can actually deep-fry it. I may be wrong.)

All in all, it’s a great casual place to stop in for a quick FRESH meal that won’t break the bank.

They also have a few beers on tap and I imagine this becomes a chill evening hangout for Wake students, though I’ve never ventured back to this side of town for supper or a beer. Rose’s Deli is located on the corner of University Parkway and Bethabara Park Blvd.

Big Shotz Tavern: Fish Tacos

I went to Big Shotz Tavern on Stratford Road for lunch* today and they have such a diverse menu in food and price point, it is easy to find something for everyone. I ordered the Fish Tacos, three soft flour tacos filled with grilled tilapia, fresh pineapple salsa, and Asian slaw. The ingredients were fresh and delicious. The pineapple salsa and Asian slaw are what makes this dish so unique from others I have tried. The flavors are sweet and the crunch from the Asian slaw gives the tacos a really nice texture. Three tacos is the perfect amount and the side of fresh fruit allowed me to be satisfied without feeling stuffed. Service was fast, in and out in less than an hour, which is important to those of us who have a tight lunch schedule.

Big Shotz has two locations:

Big Shotz Tavern - Clemmons Location
1480 River Ridge Drive, Clemmons

Big Shotz Tavern - Winston-Salem Location
109 South Stratford Road, Winston-Salem

*The lunch that I attended was a Lunch & Learn hosted by Professional Women of Winston-Salem. Lunch & Learns are a great way to learn about a topic of interest, while getting out of your dining comfort zone and trying someplace new. While I enjoyed my fish tacos, I learned about effective blogging tips from Sara Wilson, editor, skirt! Winston-Salem.

Putter's Patio Bar and Grill

As a new contributor to the blog, I figured I should pay homage to the places and dishes I frequent most. Thus begins part 1 of the 5 restaurants in my workweek rotation: Putter’s Patio and Grill. As with the others in my short-but-sweet list of restaurants that no longer require any verbal exchange to produce “my usual”, I’ve tried quite a bit from the menu and finally settled on 1 favorite dish, in this case – the Steak and Cheese Sub with Soft Chips and Ranch, coupled with a sweet tea. Since I have been eating this sandwich for the last…oh, 6 years, I have to rave about their consistency – both in food and service. It always takes the same amount of time to complete a meal there, and it is always prepared the same. Staff is always friendly, prompt, and even the owner, Bill, is often there to greet or check in mid-meal. It’s a wonderful 30-40 minute lunch you can enjoy in front of a big screen TV (always on ESPN), or reading the WS Journal (several copies always laying around).

You will certainly enjoy this 8” sub, stuffed…no…overflowing with tender steak and melted cheese, with lettuce, tomato and mayonnaise. The soft chips have a tendency to get greasy, so if that’s not your bag, I’d get the hard chips. Another tip I can share, is to make sure to get a knife to push the contents down into the sub before eating it…otherwise it will be all over your plate and not in your mouth. If you’re not into the sandwhich thing, they also have an excellent lunch rib eye at an excellent lunch price.

Putter's is located at the corner of University Pkwy and Deacon Blvd (behind IHOP)

Bahn Mi Saigon Sandwiches and Bakery

Ever since watching the great food truck race I have been craving a bahn mi sandwich, which I haven't had since I moved here from LA 5 years ago. Since this is not something one can find in Winston, I knew that I would have to look in Greensboro which has a much larger Asian population and greater variety of Asian food options, including a number of Vietnamese restaurants and shops. I had to make a run over there to drop of some dive gear for servicing, so I decided to go in search of a bahn mi for lunch.

I ended up at Bahn Mi Saigon Sandwiches and Bakery on High Point Rd. It is an easy place to miss, located in a run down, ugly strip mall, and the interior atmosphere isn't much better. But the sandwiches are good (and cheap - sandwich+ bottle of water for $4.50) I opted for the roasted pork, which was on the specials board and it seemed to have a hint of some type of curry. It is served on a house baked baguette. As I was telling Susan Morris in the morning, the Bahn Mi is all about the toppings and this one came with a healthy dose of cilantro, onions, carrots, daikons, jalapenos, and cucumber, plus the special mayo and soy sauce, all of which adds lots of crunch and wonderful texture and flavors. I typically go for a chicken bahn mi, so I will have to go back to try that one (there are about 6-7 different sandwiches on the menu, plus specials) and I would love to hear recommendations of other places to try for bahn mi.

-Contributed by Tari H.

River Birch Lodge: Lunch on a Time Crunch

I was on my own for lunch today. The weather inspired soup so I tried to think of a place that I had not been to in a while, but I knew had good soups on the menu. Today’s lunch destination was River Birch Lodge. I work on the eastern edge of downtown, so the risk of getting to and from River Birch (halfway across town) and eating originally gave me some concern, but I had a few minutes to play with today so I risked it. I left the office at 12:05. When I got to the parking lot at 12:15, my apprehension continued because there was not a parking space to be found. Because River Birch is in a shopping center, I was able to find parking easily behind the restaurant. By doing so, I noticed they have a patio! Not really a patio day but I will keep that in the back of my mind. Inside, the place was packed. (Evidently, just because I don’t come here often on a Wednesday during lunch, it doesn’t mean that everyone else doesn’t.)

I told the hostess that I was alone and I requested to sit at the bar. The bar area has a long bar and several tables as well. The bartender, Paul, was waiting on two six-tops (tables of six) and another table of two. The bar itself was all mine so I took a seat and waited less than a minute for Paul to take my order. Let me tell you, this guy can multitask! He asked if I would like some bread while I waited and even though I didn’t need it, I said yes. The bread was warm and the butter was soft. We are off to a great start.

12:20: I ordered the soup and ½ sandwich. I decided to try the soup of the day, a vegetarian black bean chili with their homemade chicken salad sandwich. The meal also comes with a side and I had the fresh fruit. I spent some time checking e-mail on my phone, watching ESPN on one of their two TVs in the bar, and watching Paul buzz about the bar area filling drinks, boxing food to go, and making drink orders for the wait staff. It was quite impressive. After running some food to one of the bar tables, Travis -the Executive Chef, stopped by the bar to ask how I was doing. Travis did not know who I was, so I found this to be just another area where the service at River Birch excels.

12:34: My food arrives and it is delicious! The black bean vegetarian chili was fantastic. It was loaded with fresh vegetables and tons of black beans. The soup was exactly what I wanted when I started my quest for soup. The chicken salad is made with oven roasted sage-pesto chicken and served on wheat bread with lettuce and tomato. This is a hearty sandwich, not to mayonaisey and great roasted flavor from the chicken. The fruit was a great medley for this time of year- including melons, blackberries, strawberries and fresh pineapple.

12:55: I ask for my check as I finish up the last of my meal. Paul asks me if I would like an iced tea to go and I accept. He makes me a fresh iced tea and left the lid slightly ajar so that I can add my yellow sweetener before I head on my way. It was that little extra something that made my experience that much more memorable.

1:06: Back in the office, enjoying my tea from River Birch. My hunger and craving for soup are both satisfied. I was extremely impressed with the food, speed, and quality of service.

3:00 Update: I am usually reaching for a snack around 3pm in the office, I am still satisfied from the half a sandwich, soup, and fruit.



You can visit River Birch Lodge at 3324 Robinhood Road, Winston-Salem, NC 27106 (in the parking lot of Sherwood Plaza Shopping Center)

Prissy Polly's BBQ

I was spoiled for barbeque when I taught elementary school in Kernersville. I had the pleasure of teaching the daughter of the owners of Prissy Polly's BBQ. When we had field day, all the other classes had hot dogs, hamburgers, or pizza- but we had Prissy Polly's barbeque and Brunswick stew. It was heavenly then. It is heavenly now.

I had an appointment in High Point so I stopped off on Hwy 66  to grab some lunch at Prissy Polly's. I ordered the regular Lexington Barbecue pork sandwich with barbeque slaw. One of my FAVORITE things about Prissy Polly's is that no matter what you order, even if it just a sandwich, they throw in some of their hush puppies. Some look like 8s, some look like Os. They are both crunchy and corny and fabulous.

People in these parts are very particular about their barbeque, and I respect the opinions of others, but Prissy Polly's is my favorite by far.

Mozelle's Fresh Southern Bistro

Has anyone tried Mozelle's Tomato Pie? It is chock full of tomatoes and cheese and the buttery crust is hmm hmm good. It's served with a side of creamy succotash. Order yours the next time you head out to Mozelle's, you won't be sorry.

Pulliam's BBQ - This place is Da Bomb

I visited J.S. Pulliman BBQ today, not for the barbecue, but for what I consider the best hot dog in Winston-Salem and one of the top two best hot dogs in the entire state of North Carolina. Pulliam's is located on 4538 Old Walkertown Road just a few doors down from the, now defunct, Bell Brothers Cafeteria. I didn't realize it until today but there is an old photo hanging inside that says J.S Pulliam began operating in 1910. Now in its centennial year, the hot dogs are simply outstanding. Served on a buttery toasted bun, an "all the way" is mustard, chili, onion, and cole slaw. To enhance the experience I recommend adding a stream of the house BBQ sauce called Big Ed's. It comes in two variations, Mildly Hot and my favorite, Extremely Hot. Extremely hot means what it says. I find a thin steam of the extremely hot added along the top of the dog to be a perfect addition. Sweet, savory with some mouth filling heat. that takes a few seconds to notice but pleasantly lingers for awhile. Yes! Big Ed's sauce is for sale for $2.50 a bottle here. Don't leave without a bottle or two. One of each is my routine. A variety of beverages are sold out of those old fashioned, chest type, machines. You know. Those machines that are probably older than your granddaddy. My beverage choice today was a old style bottle of NuGrape soda. A classic combination with the dog. B&G Fruit Pies are available for dessert.


A word for the uninitiated. The hot dogs are those red ones. "Gourmet" tubes not necessary. There are no seats here. You belly up to the small stainless steel bar and eat them standing or you can take them outside and sit down and eat them on the tree stumps out back. I'm not kidding. Another option is to use you car as a table. I just prefer to squeeze in between other patrons and eat them inside so I can re-add the hot sauce if necessary. Don't be shy, just squeeze in. No fries are offered on the short menu. No website, Facebook, or Twitter. The phone number is 336-767-2211. Hours are 10AM - 5:30PM, Tuesday-Saturday. Be sure to view some of the old vintage racing photos while there. The staff will be tickled to tell you all about them and the history of the place. The clientele will often range from corporate types to working stiffs all on equal footing and with a common purpose of dining on one of the best hot dogs served anywhere.

This is one of those places where you really should eat in the restaurant to get the full experience.I never do takeout at Pulliam's. Service is quick and polite. Don't be intimidated by the spartan appearance. The hot dogs are the main attraction. Places like this stay in business for 100 years for a very good reason. Just some of the nicest people you'll ever meet. I have never tried the BBQ so I can't comment.

Note: Forgive the poor photo quality. My son, Thomas, was with me and he ate three almost before I could get one down so I snapped in a hurry before this one totally disappeared.

-Contributed by Doug G.

Lunch at West End Cafe

Dropped in to have lunch at West End Cafe. O ordered Rob's Choice salad. It was HUGE. He couldn't get through all of it. There was lettuce, of course, but also cheese, veggies, chicken salad, ham, olives, sunflower seeds, croutons, hard boiled egg, sprouts - you get the picture. And just in case you don't, we took a picture.


As O and I were finishing our lunches he remarked, "you know, we've always had great service here." And he's right. We always have. You should drop in and experience their good service too.

Bun Curry from Soup's Vietnamese Pho & Grille

I have been craving Curry lately and so I stopped by my Soup's Vietnamese Pho & Grille today to try their unique Bun Curry. Instead of rice to accompany the bowl of awesomeness, you are given rice noodles, shredded lettuce, and crunchy bean sprouts. Inside the curry bowl I chose chicken rather than beef or tofu. Along with the chicken is carrots, potatoes, and the typical taste of coconut milk and a light cream. When you go, this is item V16 on the menu and it is well worth the selection.

Skippys: Hot Dog and Fries

Miss Mel and Doug frankly relish Skippy's hot dogs. I prefer the Chicago dog (left) and Miss Mel likes hers all the way (right).

-Contributed by Doug G.

Mozelle's: Chicken, Portabella and Spinach Pasta

After reading the description of Mozelle's lunch special on my Facebook feed, I knew that is where I would be having lunch. Great garlic flavor, mild cream sauce, fresh tomatoes, tender chicken and giant slices of portabello mushrooms made this a wonderful dish.

If you would like to get Mozelle's specials on your own Facebook feed, you can "like" them. I would love them, but Facebook won't let me have that kind of relationship.

6th & Vine: Chicken Skewers and Panini

From the Small Plate Menu:
Jamaican Jerk Chicken Skewers $8.99
Chicken skewers with roasted red curry coconut dipping sauce.

Smoked Turkey Panini $8.99

Sliced smoked turkey served with applewood-smoked
bacon, havarti and a pesto aioli; on grilled sourdough
panini bread.
Delicious!

-Contributed by Courtney T.

Bib's Downtown: Turkey and a Pulled Pork Plate

I love that Bib's Downtown has such a diverse menu. Ribs, chicken, turkey, brisket in addition to the pulled pork that is beloved in this area. If you are a carnivore, this could easily be your paradise. If you are a vegetarian, you can leave here full and satisfied with a combination of their vegetarian side items.

I met KM for lunch today. She had never been to Bib's and had it on her list of places that she wanted to try. We arrived at 11:45 and our order was taken at the counter promptly.

I decided to get one of the "plates" which are served with your choice of meat, choice of red or white slaw, hush puppies, and Texas toast. I chose the Turkey Plate which was slices of extremely tender turkey breast brushed lightly with a mild barbecue sauce, the red slaw, and green beans.

KM went with the pulled pork plate with red slaw and macaroni and cheese. I must say, the mac and cheese was tempting and KM assured be that it was quite fabulous. I believe she enjoyed her first visit to Bib's and we will definitely keep it high on the list for lunchtime meeting spots.

Simplyummy: Simply Delicious

We are doing our best to go outside our culinary comfort zone and try new local places. We both had Monday off because the Fourth of July fell on a Sunday. It was a beautiful day and a patio was a nice idea. Joe had never been to Simplyummy at Reynolda Village so that was our lunch destination.

Joe had the Humming Hippie, a wrap with roasted red pepper hummus, baby spinach, cucumber, tomato, red onion and shredded carrots. The wrap was fresh, light, and surprisingly filling.  For his side item, he chose the soup of the day (small upcharge) which was a chilled cucumber, avocado & dill soup. The flavor of the soup was quite delicious and had a nice spiciness to it.

I enjoyed the Village Gobbler, a in-house roasted turkey, havarti, tomato jam mayo, baby spinach and shredded carrots on toasted foccacia. I chose a side salad for my side (no upcharge) that was made of the vegetables my body craved. The in-house roasted turkey makes all the difference in this sandwich. It is truly like eating a sandwich on Thanksgiving day. I am also a fan of the foccacia that they use.

And then there were cookies...we had some friends who were bragging about the cookies at Simplyummy. They enjoyed them so much in fact, that even after eating a cookie at a grocery store two miles away, they remembered the deliciousness of the Simplyummy cookies, drove to Simplyummy, and consumed two additional cookies. We tried the chocolate chunk and the oatmeal cookie with butterscotch chips. Tasty cookie goodness and the size allowed half of each to make it home for a second treat.