A Great Idea for an Early Valentine's Day: Battledish Winston-Salem

Plan ahead this Valentine's Day! For only a $15 entry fee, you and your Valentine can enjoy small dishes and signature cocktails from eight local chefs.
*Note each dish and cocktail at each restaurant is a $5 additional fee, so you are paying a la carte.

Battledish, an international chef competition, comes to Winston-Salem this February!  Local chefs will compete for various titles such as most delicious, most creative, best modern, best cocktail, and most authentic dish. 

Battledish will kick off its first North Carolina event in downtown Winston-Salem with six lucky chefs on Saturday, February 8 at 2pm.  All ticket holders will have a chance to vote for their favorites in the competition along with an esteemed panel of featured guest judges.  Only one chef will emerge King of Battledish!

On Saturday, February 8, you can take a self-guided tour of six Downtown restaurants where chefs will present small dishes and a cocktail for the honor of being named King of Downtown Winston-Salem. And wait until you see and taste what's in store. Check this dish out...

Butter Poached Lobster Tail atop Jumbo Lump Crab & Fire-Roasted Filet

Mignon with Roasted Mushrooms atop Cracked Pink Peppercorn Linguine with Garlic, Herb, & Breadcrumb Crusted Soft-Cooked Egg

And his cocktail:  

Millionaire's Row Margarita with 150 Year Old Grand Marnier "Foam" garnished with Hawaiian Black Sea Salt

                      --Chef Tim Grandinetti, Spring House Restaurant, Kitchen & Bar

And that's just one of the six plates and cocktails you'll enjoy! 

Admission is $15 in advance and ticket packages along with additional information are available here.

Restaurants featured in this epic battle: 

Spring House Restaurant, Kitchen & Bar--Chef Tim Grandinetti

Foothills Brewing--Chef Shane Moore

Small Batch Brewing--Chef Tim Walker

Carolina Tap Room--Chef Stuart Ford

Artisan Restaurant--Chef Kevin Reddick

Bib’s Downtown--Pitmaster Mark Little

More info and registration

Accepting Bids for Centennial Scavenger Hunt After Party

The Winston-Salem Centennial Celebration is almost upon us!

On Saturday, May 11 there will be a Centennial Scavenger Hunt where participants will enjoy an after party at BB&T Ballpark. We are looking for cold appetizers provided by local restaurants for the participants to enjoy at the after party. While there are 250 people expected, we are asking several food vendors to provide enough food for 50 people, so we will have a larger variety.

Food donations are appreciated, but a budget is in place. You will also the opportunity to promote your restaurant with a sign at the event, and hand out business cards/ coupons to participants.

If you would like to participate with a bid, please e-mail Susan Morris at wscentennialhunt@gmail.com

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

Bone Appetit is Tonight! 09/11/12

On this one special day, area restaurants will contribute a portion of their sales to aid homeless and helpless animals in our area.

 

You can do your part by simply dining at one of the participating restaurants below:

(Please let the restaurants know you are dining for AARF)

 

B.L.L. Rotisserie Factory - 380 Knollwood Street, Suite A

Breakfast, of Course! Mary’s Too – 723 N. Trade Street

Burke Street Pizza – 1140 Burke Street

Burke Street Pizza – 3352 Robinhood Road

Café Arthur’s – 1416 S. Hawthorne Road

Cagney’s of Kernersville – 801 S. Main St., Kernersville

Diamondback Grill – 751 N. Avalon Road (off Robinhood)

Downtown Diamondback Grill – 101 N. Cherry Street

First Street Draught House – 1500 W. First Street

Foothills Brewing – 638 W. 4^th Street

Kimono Japanese Restaurant – 4910 Old Country Club Road

Kimono Japanese Restaurant – 324 Summit Square Boulevard

Kimono Japanese Restaurant – 6655 Old US Hwy 52, Welcome

Lighthouse Restaurant – 905 Burke Street

Mellow Mushroom – 314 West 4^th Street

New Town Bistro and Bar – 420-U Jonestown Road

Pizza Wings n’ Things – 1358 US Hwy 601 S., Mocksville

Plaza Restaurant – 806 NC Hwy 66 South, Ste. D, Kernersville

Sociale Gourmet - 380 Knollwood Street, Suite M

Stratford Station Grill – 828 S. Stratford Road

Szechuan Palace – 3040 Healy Drive

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

Grapes and Small Plates

Some local restaurant owners have taken it upon themselves to promote local dining during traditional "slow" periods in April. They have been very busy adding locally-owned restaurants to their list of restaurants participating in the April Event.

Learn more about this grass-roots effort at http://grapesandsmallplates.com/

Like them on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/grapesandsmallplates
Follow them on Twitter: @grapessmplates

Lots of AMAZING restaurants on this list. Please support your local restaurants whenever possible.

Beta Verde Preserves and Homemade Ice Cream

While not a local restaurant, last night's dessert was compliments of locals. Beta Verde is a local treasure that can be found at the Cobblestone Farmer's Market on Tuesdays. Last week I stopped by the market with tomatoes on my mind. However, I stopped by the Beta Verde tent and tried their variety of blueberry preserves. Is owned and operated by Beta Verde, Margaret and Salem Norfleet Neff, a mother-daughter team who have a local farm and create some of the most creative and delicious foods you can think of. After trying samples on fresh baked bread, I chose the blueberry mint preserves. I am not a huge jelly/jam/preserves fan but I thought it would be something that my husband would enjoy. Margaret and Salem suggested that I try it over ice cream and I was sold.

Something this good deserved homemade ice cream so I broke out the machine (easy peasy and idiot proof) and waited the 30 minutes it takes to have creamy, homemade ice cream. I topped it with some of the blueberry mint preserves and oh-my-heavenly-goodness it was amazing. So hopefully they will have more next week so that you can try this for yourself. Seriously, if you could taste summer, this is what it would taste like.

Hey Windsor, do you wanna go to...

Windsor is our furry kid and we love to take him as many places as possible. One of his favorite places is Old Winston Social Club, where he can sit outside and enjoy a breeze or take a nap on a lap on one of the large black leather sofas. They have a large water bowl and are very welcoming of well-behaved pets.

With so many furry kids in our area, we need to know the places that accept them on their patios or have special events just for them. We are adding a "Pet Friendly" tab to all of the Local Dish locations that allow our furry friends to enjoy a dining experience out and about in the community.

So Winston-Salem, where can Windsor go?

Note: Just because a place is listed as Pet Friendly, it is up to the owner to make sure that you have a Friendly Pet. Please only bring well-behaved pets to a restaurant, bar, or event.

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!

Sweet Tooth Cupcakes

I know, I know, it's been a while. But we are BACK, so I will get on with it...

Recently I won a dozen cupcakes from Sweet Tooth, a local business that makes wonderful baked goods from an in-home kitchen. (So when they say that it is "home made," they mean it!) One of the wonderful things about Sweet Tooth is that they "specialize in sweets and treats for vegetarians, vegans, or people with allergies; Basically anyone who wants to have their cake..and eat it too!!!" I mean, how great is that. With food allergies becoming more prominent these days, it is nice to have options.

I got to choose my cupcakes from their selection on their FB page (go "Like" them while you are there) and I chose chocolate carob cupcakes with a chocolate/peanutbutter frosting. Delicious!

Not wanting to kill the diet, I shared these with my office and became an instant Rock Star! Check them out and get some sweets. Custom orders are available.

Take a Walk on the Dark Side

Is it time for your annual review? Do you need to leave early one day this week? Do you want to be a hero for the day for being the one who brought the doughnuts? Do you want to distract your coworkers from something stupid you may have done?*

Krispy Kreme has released their new seasonal doughnut and it’s dark. Dark Chocolate Kreme doughnut that’s filled with dark chocolate KREME, then dipped in dark chocolate icing and drizzled with milk chocolate.

While I think that it is great that Krispy Kreme can be found in many local convenient stores and grocery stores, there is something about heading to the “doughnut factory” when I see that neon “Hot Doughnuts Now” sign glowing in the distance. The people who work there are always nice and can get you in an out in just a few minutes.

It was like Christmas morning when everyone saw the box of assorted and box of hot doughnuts in the break room this morning.

*I forgot to empty the metal coffee thermos before brewing a new pot. Coffee overflowed and went everywhere. We got it cleaned up quickly and since there were doughnuts, no one really cared.

Dewey's Bakery: Anniversary Cake

My husband and I celebrated our 15th wedding anniversary yesterday. We married in an old Victorian house on 9th Avenue in Pensacola, FL just five days after he proposed. Needing a witness, Joe's grandfather stepped in as Maid of Honor and Best Man. We were young and excited to start a life together. Our families in North Carolina sent champagne and a box filled with something old, something new, something borrowed, something blue, and a special penny for my shoe. It was a glorious November day in Pensacola, much like it was in Winston-Salem yesterday, with clear skies, and temperatures in the mid 60s. We went to the beach, enjoyed lunch and dinner at favorite restaurants, and spent the night at a local B&B as a gift from our families. It was the perfect, no-stress wedding day that we both remember fondly.

The one thing that was missing, however, was a wedding cake made by Dewey's Bakery. So many birthdays and celebrations in both of our lives included a Dewey's cake with white cake and white icing. There were local bakeries in the area, but none that could capture the flavor and the happy memories that Dewey's can with a simple cake and frosting. So this year, and every year since we have returned to Winston-Salem, we have celebrated with a Dewey's Anniversary cake. Thank you, Dewey's for being a part of our happy memories for so many years and the years to come.

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.

Washington Perk and Provision Co

O and I wanted to grab a quick bite and we kept meaning to check out our own little neighborhood store so we combined the two. We wandered the aisles to see what all we could buy to support our local spot and then we headed over to the counter to order dinner.

They have some great wines and beers to grab if you want to swing by and pick up something to go with dinner. They offer some great coffee selections to go or to enjoy there. They also support some local farms and have fresh, local veggies, eggs, milk, etc. I for one took home some ice-cream from Homeland Creamery.

We both ordered sandwiches. I ordered a basic grilled cheese and O ordered the ham sandwich. I also grabbed a bag of chips, which I begrudgingly shared with O. We both picked up bottles of yumminess from the cooler and then (after paying) headed outside to eat. I noticed on the way out that they offer a book exchange if you need to pick up (or drop off) some reading material.

The sandwiches were good. O picked up a Chai Cola, which reminded him of a drink he used to have as a child and I enjoyed a root beer - because really who doesn't enjoy a root beer - and we watched the traffic drive by as we ate.

Stop by and grab some groceries or a sandwich to go, or both. :)

Screaming Rooster: A Whole Lotta Fresh and Local Goodness

I have to admit, at times I take pictures of the food and then I get behind. I have eaten at the Screaming Rooster three times in the last two weeks, so I am doing a cumulative post. One of the things that I like about the Screaming Rooster is how fresh the food is every time I visit. When I go to a restaurant, I like to try a variety of things, but often I get "repeat" items to test for consistency.

The Rooster is consistent and the flavors are good. The menu has staples that many people like, but gets very creative with the specials that they offer- often based on ingredients that have been purchased at one of the local Farmer's Markets earlier in the week. As a result, there is a nice variety with a local and fresh combination. The Rooster is open for breakfast and lunch only, but they are open and have a special menu for brunch on Saturday and Sunday.

Below are some of the items that my dining companions and I have enjoyed.

Scrambled eggs, bacon, hashbrowns,
fruit and sourdough toast

Cranberry and Pecan Pancakes
with fruit & a side of scrambled eggs

Chicken and Waffles, fresh fruit, and Cheese Grits
(Brunch Special)

Bacon & Tomato Quiche, fresh fruit,
and apple cinnamon muffin

Lunch items



Tomato and Squash Quiche
with bluberry muffin
and fruit 



Chicken Salad with Walnuts,
served with a side salad and fruit



Breakfast of Course: Pear Streusel Coffee Cake

Pear Streusel Coffee Cake

While browsing updates on Facebook yesterday, I see a posting from Breakfast of Course, Mary's Too. I am usually a savory breakfast girl- bacon and eggs in some shape or form is what I usually go for- but I started planning my breakfast for the following day about 20 hours in advance after seeing the FB post for the Pear Streusel Coffee Cake. This is no ordinary coffee cake, it is made with pears from Walter Farm, from a tree that is over 100 years old. When you eat this coffee cake, you may be happy the it is all organic and whole grain, but there is the bonus of eating the fruit from a tree that has seen decades of sunshine. How can you top decades of sunshine? (Evidently with butter, sugar and cinnamon.) Nature never tasted so good.

Here is my personal slice, consumed with a cup of hot coffee. (Hot husband not pictured, but also made the dining experience a treat.) We arrived at 7:15am to assure that I would not miss out on such deliciousness. It was a wonderful way to start the day.

You can get your own updates of deliciousness from the BOC Facebook Page.  Local Dish is not responsible for cravings that this may create.