The Grapes of Half!

Have you ever wondered on which nights certain restaurants and bars had half price wine by the bottle or the glass?

Did you know that this list was simple to find by just Googling "Half Price Wine in Winston-Salem?" - yeah, me either.

So now I am sharing the list that with you, the community, because this is important information for everyone who loves wine and a bargain!

List of Half Price Wine Nights in Winston-Salem

www.localwinedeals.com is very helpful and includes not only the half price wine and a calendar of NC and VA wine festivals... but that's not all!
If you like them on Facebook, the will send reminders of half price nights to your wall.

Upcoming Wine Events:
12th Annual North Carolina Wine Festival - Clemmons, NC May 26, 2012 noon to 6:30pm www.ncwinefestival.com

7th Annual Salute! The North Carolina Wine Celebration - Winston Salem, NC June 2, 2012 www.salutencwine.com

Dioli's Trattoria: Italian Comes Downtown

My friend, Dieter, and I joined another couple, the Bray's, at the new Dioli's Trattoria downtown for dinner. The patio was full, even though it was a hot, June evening; we dined inside where it was a little bit cooler and got to enjoy the dining room that has wonderful family photos adorning the walls, several small tables, and the buzz of happy diners.

One thing that I really liked about the wine menu is that all of the bottles, Italian wines, were the same price: $25. All wines were also available by the glass or carafe, another nice touch.

We stared with two appetizers, Calamari and Pancetta-wrapped cheese. The calamari was lightly breaded, which gave the tender pieces a nice crunch. The fresh marinara was delicious. The mild, salty flavor of the pancetta was a nice compliment to soft cheese inside. (Sadly, we dug in as soon as the appetizers as soon as they reached the table so there are no pictures. I will go back very soon to remedy this situation, however.)

For the second night in a row, with competely different diners, the women ordered identical entrees, as did the men.

The ladies enjoyed the stuffed porkloin which was butterflied and rolled with polenta and mushroom stuffing, then roasted and served with mixed vegetables. The pork was so tender, you could cut it with a fork. It was perfectly seasoned and the mixed vegetables were delicious in the light gravy topped the porkloin. This is a very generous portion and could easily be split if you want to enjoy an appetizer and dessert.

The gentleman had the veal picatta which were three veal scallops, breaded and sauteed with a lemon caper sauce. A side of linguini in a garlic cream sauce substituted for the mashed potatoes, and grilled asparagus. Both gentleman commented how delicious their meals were, which was evident when conversation slowed, ever-so-slightly, as we ate our entrees.



And then there was dessert. I am a lover of tiramisu and my friend agreed to share one with me. Our dinner companions ordered the same. Another waitress emerged from the kitchen with a tiramisu for the table next to us and I knew that I had made the right decision.  Our lovely server returned from the kitchen moments later to say that they just served the last tiramisu. My eyes immediately went to the next table where the couple eating the LAST tiramisu looked really, really happy. (Heavy sigh)

Our waitress recited the other choices available and Dieter and I decided to try the chocolate mousse torte. The Bray's chose a raspberry torte that they allowed us to sample and was quite delicious with a haint of almond in the pastry portion and a nice layer of raspberry puree at the bottom. (The picture that we took does not do it justice because I took the photo with my phone. I have learned that a proper camera is needed to take this photos and I will start carrying it around with me.) I will update with a much better photo, soon.)

The staff at Dioli's was very impressive for a restuarant that has only ben open for a couple of weeks. From the knowledgeable waitress, who helped us select a delicious red wine, to the bus boy who kept our table clear of clutter. The owners stopped by the table, which was a personal touch that we enjoyed. Dioli's is a welcome addition to Fourth Street and we look forward to our next visit.

Hutch & Harris: Crab Cakes and Malbec

This entree from Hutch & Harris is two sweet lump crab cakes broiled in lemon butter over angel hair pasta & served with lemon caper sauce and fresh spring vegetables. The crabcake is more crab than cake and is both light and delicious. The tatar sauce was not needed with the lemony flavor from the caper sauce.We split the entree and a bottle of Gouguenheim Malbec (I know, seafood "should" be served with white wine, but we prefer red and the bottle was 1/2 price on Wednesday). The patio is great for running into friends on Fourth Street or just watching the action.

-Contributed by Susan M.