renaissancegrrl's Profile
Winston Salem - Looking for good pate'
Sometimes Whole Foods carries Fabre Delice pates, though not as often as I'd like, and rarely the Mousse Truffe (the best). I think Fresh Market carries Three Little Pigs and Fabre Delice, but they are over-priced. Better to order a bloc-de-fois-gras-de-canard online from canada or make your own.
Winston Salem - Vietnamese
It sucks, but there are ZERO vietnamese restos in W-S- terrible because there is a Vietnamese community, and they work in all the Japanese restos. Which perhaps explains why there are no authentic Japanese restos in W-S either.
Head to Greensboro for vermicelli at Saigon (nowhere near the best Vietnamese I've had, which was right outside of DC), and Van Loi for Pho (excellent) as well as Pahk Side Cafe for the best and cheapest Banh Mi ever (run-down shopping center near the projects on the corner of Freeman Mill Road and Florida Street, exit 218 off the old 40, which you get to from the new 40 by following the signs to "Bryan Blvd and Downtown"- misleading, I know- but sooo worth it. Make sure you go during the daylight and bring cash as they don't take credit cards).
I've been to Xia once. I thought the food was terrible. I won't go back.
Real Mexican food in Winston Salem, NC
Best tacqueria BY FAR is La Perlita on Waughtown. Bring someone who speaks Spanish.
NB: Most of winston-salem's mexican community hails from Guadalajara, Jalisco in Mexico so that's why you tend to see a lot of seafood on the menu at places like Estrellas and Tacqueria Guadalajara. It's not tex-mex at all- tex-mex is a really a misnomer for any of the mexican you'll find in winston, unless you go to a national chain.
Another great place for authentic mexican is the Latino grocery store on Silas Creek Parkway (around the corner from Las Estrellas), Compare Foods. In addition to amazing torillas, Lala sour cream and ultra-cheap avocados, their prepared meats are all seasoned with excellent traditional mexican seasoning and they can tell you how to cook them on the grill or back at home (but it helps if you speak Spanish).
Durham, Raleigh, W-S, Greensboro, Charlotte
Certainly it's "not there yet" if the only places you can mention are boring ones like Westend and Meridian. What about The Cotton Mill, Christopher's New Global Cuisine, and Milner's?
Lunch in Winston Salem. Anything better than Noble's?
Sweet Potatoes is best for lunch. I'm surprised no one has mentioned 6th and Vine around the corner- they're only so-so (very late 90s fusion) for dinner, but their lunches and brunches are excellent mid-range, and a lovely atmosphere. I'd expect Christopher's and Cotton Mill are better than Noble's for lunch- they have replaced Noble's for high end dinner over the past 3 or 4 years.
Hutch & Harris, Winston-Salem. Anyone lived through a visit?
Not bad, just very new. I think it opened only a couple of months ago. As did Wolfie's, the frozen custard spot two doors down.
Winston Salem - Sunday brunch?
Mary's Of Course is excellent for the atmosphere, but in my opinion the food is over-rated. They serve canned fruit, and the quality of the eggs benedict is unpredictable to say the least. For the type of place it is, they really ought to work on their food, but they get away with the mediocrity because they're so popular and arty. For a really delicious sunday brunch, with high quality ingredients and care, head to 6th and Vine, off Trade Street. Christopher's also has a lovely Sunday Brunch which is a bit more upscale. I haven't tried The Cotton Mill's brunch (Winston's newest high end Southern Comfortfood resto, across the street from Mary's), but their dinners are great, if a bit over-the-top (they try too hard), so I'm guessing their brunches are on par with Christopher's.
If you're from Asheville, you'll probably be a little disappointed with Mary's- it's Winston-Salem trying to bring a bit of the Asheville vibe down from the Mountains but without enough attention to the food (or at least haphazard attention). It does have a nice ambience though, and is usually packed full of families and NCSA art students and profs from Wake and NCSA every weekend.
Which branch of Teaism is best? What do you order?
I like the one in Dupont circle because they have the japanese green tea rice and salmon soup- perfect lunch, only $7.
But far and away my favorite tea shop for ambiance isn't teaism, but the chinese tea shop Ching Ching Cha, on Wisconsin below M in Georgetown. Amazing, delicate teas; amazing delicate food; bright and airy, authentic seating.
Neither of these are as great as Camellia Sinensis in Montreal, but they come close.
dim sum in Greensboro, NC?
I too am looking for a place that serves Dim Sum in the Triad. I *do* know of very worthy Chinese in Winston- Sampan Restaurant on Peter's Creek Parkway. You have to ask for the authentic menu with pictures, but everything I've had from that has been fresh, flavorful, and delicious (especially the authentic aromatic and herbal casserole dishes, the stuffed eggplant and tofu; the Shan Bei and Dong Gui chicken). I keep asking them to do Dim Sum, but the Chinese community in the Triad just isn't big enough for it to be worth the cost, I think.
So W-S has great chinese, but still no Vietnamese. Why, why, why? I'm tired of driving 40 min. to Greensboro for Pho and Banh Mi.
Best Indian in the Triangle, NC?
Turmeric in Winston-Salem. It's new. They have the best dosas, uppam, uthapam and curry I've found outside of London. Also pretty good n. Indian- try their Keema Matar. Saffron is only good for tandoori (Nawab is the W-S spot the Saffron owners have)- they don't use fresh vegetables and spices are too mild.
Banh Mi in Durham, NC?
If you don't mind driving 45 minutes, there's some truly authentic, excellent Banh Mi to be had in Greensboro, which has a huge Vietnamese community. In particular, the "Pahk Sandwich Shop" in the tiny run down shopping center on the corner of Florida and Freeman Mill Road (right of I40) makes near-perfect Banh Mi, and the options include Vietnamese Pate (terrine), grilled pork, ham, chicken, etc. And it's only $2.50! Get it to go with Pate and Grilled Pork, with a side of papaya salad and the freshly made Vietnamese Iced Coffee- the whole thing is under $5.
What's good in the Winston-Salem area?
I'm probably echoing a lot of others who have already posted, but here are my 3 cents:
1. Chinese: Sampan. Make sure you ask for the "authentic menu" which has pictures and ask lots of questions. The owner, Sandy Lo really knows her chinese cuisine and will tell you how everything is prepared. My favorites so far are the eggplant casserole and the lo-hon vegetable rolls on the authentic menu. The shrip-past stuffed eggplant is also amazing. This is real cantonese cuisine, not pseudo-cantonese chinese american stuff!
2. Japanese- Sakura. I have yet to find a Japanese owned and run Japanese restaurant in Winston, but this is still quite good. It's Indonesian run and owned. The sushi is the best in town, very fresh. They can make any roll spicy, you just have to ask. The chefs are inventive- try the Hidden Dragon and the Pink Panther rolls (too complicated to list here). Forego the other, non-sushi stuff (it doesn't really taste Japanese).
3. Indian- Nawab. Very good, almost everything is very fresh, high points are anything Tandoori, and the homemade yogurt raita. Forego the saag paneer though.
4. Vietnamese- head to Greensboro. For fine vietnamese, Saigon. For Banh Mi and thick, strong, sweet iced coffee, there's a tiny shop off Freeman Mill Road in a run down shopping center run by a very friendly middle aged Vietnamese man. Ridiculously cheap and very fresh ($4 for the whole bill), so tip generously! I always stop there on my way back from G'boro. I think there's a good Pho shop down the street from Saigon.
5. Southern- Sweet Potatoes on Trade Street. Wonderful, wonderful, high end Southern comfort food. Try the bbq duck, the shrimp and grits appetizer, the fried okra side, and the sweet potato pie.
6. Carribean- Miss Annie's Cafe. Cute, colorful, romantic atmosphere, wonderful high-ish end jerk dishes, creme brulee is TO DIE FOR. Tucked away in a shopping center, such a hidden gem.
7. Fried Chicken- Keatons, on Cool Springs road in Cleveland, NC (about a 40 minute drive). Utterly, totally, unconditionally worth the drive. Get it "hot" and order the spicy vinegar slaw, a tall sweet tea, and the side of mac and cheese (they don't do hushpuppies). Make sure you order enough chicken to take home with you because it's just as good cold the next day.
8. Mexican- for nice, sit-down coastal mexican cuisine you can't do better than Las Estrellas on Silas Creek. For deliciously fresh soft pork tacos, La Perlita on Waughtown is the best. A colleague claims it's the best in town (and she's originally from Columbia and grew up in LA!)
