Triad City Bites February 2018

SPECIAL ADVERTISING SECTION

Curated By:

DinnerGuest

How I became a food writer

Vintage Sofa Bar $$

vintagesofabar.com 1001 Burke St. WS, 336.905.9008,

H

ere’s the short version: It was kind of by accident.

The longer version starts in back in 1994, when I was still tending bar full-time in New Orleans and trying to jump-start my writing career. An old professor had gotten me some face time with Rich Collins, who was the editor of the venerated altweekly the Gambit, and I figured I had the opportunity to make one solid pitch.

by Brian Clarey At the time, the New Orleans gentlemen’s clubs had been experimenting with actual cuisine, hiring chefs to create menus that rivaled those in the French Quarter’s finest old dining establishments — or, at least, they tried to. I knew this because one of those young, up-andcoming chefs was a regular bar customer of mine, trained under Wolfgang Puck and putting out badass seven-course meals at Rick’s Cabaret, on the smelliest part of Bourbon Street.

Collins took the pitch and I had my first clip. A couple months later, Jamie Bernstein, my editor at another paper, the monthly Where Y’at?, mentioned he was looking for someone to write about the city’s greatest restaurants for the paper. I immediately stepped forward.

I had no special training or knowledge, other than active residency in the greatest food city in the world. I had worked in bars for about five years at that point, and knew hundreds of servers, line cooks and actual chefs with whom I regularly held robust discussions about food and restaurants and ingredients and technique. I had good taste, lots of restaurant experience, and I could cook. And when the time came, I got the job basically by raising my hand.

Bernstein, BTW, veered into music and acting after I left the city, with bit roles in “Treme” and a recurring part as a caveman in the “Preacher” series.

I wrote about food for six years in New Orleans, and another dozen or so after I got to North Carolina, with a few years waiting tables at nice restaurants tucked in there. I learned about meat working in a steakhouse on Long Island. My wine knowledge began to accumulate with a champagne training at Que Sera on St. Charles Avenue in New Orleans. I learned about cheese at Trilogy in Greensboro. And at Mosaic and Bert’s Seafood Grill, under Mary Lacklen, my knowledge of seafood, fusion cooking, wine pairing and table service reached new depths.

Then I wrote a few hundred food stories, where the real learning took place.

I took myself off the food beat in 2014, handing the fork and knife over to Eric Ginsburg when we started Triad City Beat so I could avoid conflicts of interest and focus on larger things. Ginsburg soon learned what I did: The food beat is the best beat at the paper. When you write about food, you write about personalities and dishes and places, yes, but you also write about agriculture, history, custom, business, chemistry, the law. People love to read it because everybody’s gotta eat, and sooner or later just about everyone goes to a restaurant.

When Ginsburg left the paper, we passed the mantle on to Lauren Barber, who is just beginning her food-writing journey, something I’m eager to watch as it unfolds.

And I’m bringing my own food writing here, to the Dinner Guest column in Triad City Bites, where, free from conflict, I’ll be writing about the restaurant industry, exploring some of the issues it faces and perhaps telling old war stories, which never get old to me.

When the time came to build his own bar, Tony Stevens knew exactly what he wanted to do with the Burke Street space, which he would call Vintage Sofa Bar. Couches and conversation areas, leisurely table sports, a sunken patio, cocktails from true mixologists and a wine list curated by a sommelier.

And Vintage is home to the best bar menu in the Triad, created by Chef Stevens himself, with homemade beef jerky, house-cured olives, small-batch charcuterie and a rotating cast of small plates that relies on the ingredients at hand and the whims of the chef. Open four nights a week, with brunch on Sundays, there’s no dress code at Vintage and no cover charge; $5 gets you a lifetime membership. It’s dog-friendly, available for catering and private events, and there’s a private parking lot out back. It’s everything a grown-up could ask for.

Brian Clarey stopped writing about food when he became a newspaper owner. Looks like he’s started up again.

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Natty Greene’s Kitchen + Market $$-$$$ nattygreeneskitchenandmarket.com 2003 Yanceyville Street GSO 336.656.2410

After changing the face of downtown Greensboro in 2004 with the opening of the original brewpub on Elm Street, Natty Greene’s kicked off a massive project at Revolution Mill with the opening of Kitchen + Market. The large dining room and bar area has menus offering everything from house-ground burgers and sausages, and house-cut steaks to fun cocktails, wine and, of course, the full cadre of Natty’s signature beers. Under the same roof you will find the in-house Butcher, Baker and Marketplace, offering all the best things on the menu to take home. Everything is made fresh from scratch, daily.

Undercurrent Restaurant $$$ undercurrentrestaurant.com 327 Battleground Ave. GSO 336.370.1266

For 20 years Undercurrent Restaurant has been a destination for an elegant farm-to-table dining experience in downtown Greensboro.

Over the last two decades, in both its original Elm Street location and its current spot at the end of Battleground Avenue, the commitment to seasonal menus, quality service and memorable events have remained a constant thread.

Brothers Wesley and Chris Wheeler proudly continue the flavorful tradition while looking toward the future as downtown Greensboro continues to grow and thrive. Open for lunch, cocktails and dinner daily as well as brunch on Sunday, Undercurrent’s menu changes with the seasons but the quality remains the same.

Have you made plans for Valentine’s Day? If not, Undercurrent Restaurant is the downtown Greensboro destination you want to celebrate the love of your life or to pop the question.

Reservations strongly recommended.

February 2018

Triad City Bites

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Mission Pizza $-$$

missionpizzanapoletana.com 707 Trade St. WS 336.893.8217 At Mission Pizza Napoletana, the mission is to combine outstanding food and warm hospitality in a convivial atmosphere. It’s an osteria masquerading as a pizzeria, where traditional Italian pastas share the menu with seasonal vegetables, fresh salads and unique specials.

NC’s first genuine Napoletana pizzeria, MPN has garnered much acclaim for its traditional pizzas, which feature premium imported and local ingredients, and emerge charred and blistered from the 1000-degree Stefano Ferrara oven, with a light, soft cornicione and a crispy veneer.

Blue Denim $$

bluedenimgso.com 217 S. Elm St. GSO 336.676.5689

Chef Jody Morphis honed his Cajun cooking chops in restaurants and kitchens from western Mississippi to Decatur Street in the French Quarter of New Orleans. At Blue Denim, he marries that rich culinary tradition with the fabric that put Jeansboro on the map: denim. Lunch and dinner menus boil over with Southern delicacies like gumbo (both seafood and sausage), fried green tomatoes, shrimp and grits, po-boys and beignets, with all manner of crawfish and oyster dishes on board. A slate of burgers reminiscent of the old Fincastle’s menu and a rotating list of one-of-a-kind dishes round things out.

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Triad City Bites

February 2018

Jerusalem Market $$

jerusalemmarket.com 310 S. Elm St., 5002 High Point Road GSO

Bites & Pints Gastropub $ bitesandpintsgastropub.com 2503 Spring Garden St. GSO 336.617.5185

Since 1989, the Triad’s favorite Middle Eastern Grocery built a loyal following near Adams Farm with its international market and sandwich counter in the back. Jerusalem Market specializes in imported groceries and ingredients, and the most unusual soft-drink cooler in town. It’s newest location, downtown on South Elm Street, carries a full board of specialty sandwiches using ingredients like Italian mortadella and salami, Turkish dried sausage and in-house butchered lamb and beef. Fresh-made baba ghanouj, tabouleh and “the best hummos in the world” every day, with organic produce and locally-sourced ingredients whenever possible.

Open for lunch and dinner. “You will be pleased.”

Chef Kris Fuller, queen of the Crafted empire in Greensboro and WinstonSalem, joined with longtime Westerwood Tavern owner Mike Bosco to create Greensboro’s only true gastropub. Fuller’s menu takes bar food to the next level, with an eclectic slate of delectables suitable for sharing or grubbing down solo: boiled peanuts, shrimp tempura, chicken and waffles, melts, salads, a full component of burgers and hot dogs and even a kids’ menu. Bosco’s bar has all the necessary accoutrements. Open every day in the Lindley Park section of Spring Garden Street.

February 2018

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1618 Concepts — the inevitable empire 1618concepts.com 1618 Seafood Grille 1618 W. Friendly Ave. GSO 1618seafoodgrille.com 1618 Downtown 312 S. Elm St. GSO 1618downtown.com 1618 Midtown 1724 Battleground Ave. 1618 On Location nick@1618concepts.com

Nick Wilson and George Neal didn’t set out to build an empire.

Truth be told, they don’t like it when people refer to their restaurant group, 1618 Concepts, as an “empire,” or even, really, a “restaurant group.”

They really do think of it as a family.

Between the flagship spot, 1618 Seafood Grille, and the downtown and Midtown locations, Wilson and Neal have more than 70 employees, some of whom have been around since 2004, when the Seafood Grille opened, and both readily admit their brand wouldn’t be possible without them.

It all started at the intersection of Friendly and Radiance, where in 2004 the 1618 Seafood Grille took root, coming along at a time when most seafood options in town involved cornmeal and a deep fryer. 1618 took a different approach, more banquet than fish-fry, with sophisticated table service, signature cocktails and a deep wine cellar. Now, Wilson says, “it’s our most traditional restaurant.”

1618 Midtown came along in 2011, a reflection of the team’s growing development that sought new forms of expression. Midtown is a fancy hangout that began as more bar than restaurant, but where the food eventually crept into the spotlight, with a crowd that appreciates the curated wines and spirits, and the raft of small plates that change with the seasons. “It’s a fun evolution of what our customers were looking for,” Wilson says.

1618 Downtown has the look and feel of a boutique restaurant in Uptown Manhattan, with a long bar and a narrow dining room filled most nights with small and large plates, and exciting chatter.

“I believe in downtown Greensboro,” Wilson says. “It’s really amazing, the last 10 or 12 years, people have been starting to see the bigger picture. They’re starting to get it.”

Wilson, who came to Greensboro to attend UNCG and never looked back, wanted to contribute to the urbanization of the city.

“The Elm Street restaurant has a kind of central, downtown, big-city feel,” Wilson says. “It’s the kind of place where you can push the envelope a little more because it’s not as much of a commitment. If you want to try something different you don’t have to get a full entrée that’s out of your comfort zone.”

The downtown establishment quickly became the spot for power lunches on South Elm Street; a glance through the picture window at noon might reveal city council members, developers and custodians of the culture.

And with 1618 On Location, a catering arm of the group, the 1618 experience becomes a moveable feast.

The common thread, Wilson says, is the staff — hand-picked, highly trained and prized for their knowledge.

“The whole reason for our growth is our staff,” Wilson says. “With every new concept we wanted to launch, we were fortunate enough to have a strong talent pool and people on the team who were idle enough to take it on.”

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Triad City Bites

1618 Seafood Grille

This is more than an empty sentiment; Wilson says he and Neal eventually plan to incorporate long-term employees into ownership positions, much in the way another successful restaurant group, Quaintance Weaver, did with its employees at Lucky 32 and the O Henry and Proximity hotels.

February 2018

For Wilson an before buying th “I’m not a big you just get this

nd Neal, who started in the organization as employees he original Seafood Grille, it’s just the right thing to do. g believer in the legacy thing,” Wilson says. “It’s not like s golden ticket and you keep it for the rest of your life.”

February 2018

Find out more at 1618seafoodgrille.com Triad City Bites

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The Quiet Pint $$

Mary’s Gourmet Diner $$

Away from the downtown bustle but close enough to see the lights, the Quiet Pint anchors First Street with a great neighborhood barroom and patio. It’s a modern tavern, with a menu that incorporates classic pub traditions with food-truck sensibility: tacos, burgers, flatbreads, street food, and even mac and cheese that go beyond mere bar food, and a new late-night menu perfect for that last stop before heading home. Also, as its name implies, a massive, curated beer selection rotates daily, heavy on North Carolina product.

Mary Haglund owns breakfast in Winston-Salem. Her first venture, Mary’s of Course! Which opened in 2000, was the original farm-to-fork restaurant in the city. There she solidified her relationships with local purveyors and her commitment to real, local ingredients, as well as her biscuit recipe. Her egg dishes are legendary, her pancakes sublime. And the specials board always has something interesting. Open only for breakfast and lunch and the sweet spot in between, Mary’s Gourmet Diner is a Winston-Salem original.

thequietpint.com 1420 W. First Street WS, 336.893.6881,

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Triad City Bites

marysgourmetdiner.net 723 Trade St. WS 336.723.7239

February 2018

Burke Street Pizza $

Burkestreetpizza.com 1140 Burke Street WS, 336.721.0011 3352 Robinhood Road WS, 336.760.4888 2223 Fleming Road GSO, 336.500.8781 Dave Hillman is from Long Island, so he knows what pizza is supposed to taste like. He took that knowledge and opened his first classic pizza joint after the turn of the century, when Burke Street was the epicenter of Winston-Salem nightlife. He served pies and slices and everything else a neighborhood pizzeria should, he stayed open late and developed a following that spread to a second location, on Robinhood Road, and then a third in Greensboro, in the Cardinal neighborhood, all with in-house lunch and dinner specials and delivery every night. At all three locations the pizza stays true to the New York style, hot and fresh from the oven.

Speakeasy Tavern $$

speakeasytavern.com 1706 Battleground Ave. GSO 336.378.0006 Speakeasy is more than just a dive bar with a pin-up sensibility — though it is that, with drink specials, late nights and occasional live bands. There’s a menu, too, with sit-down versions of barroom classics like wings, nachos, chili and crab dip. Look for sandwiches, burgers, quesadillas and tacos, too. You can even eat at the bar. And if you’re just there to drink, that’s okay too.

February 2018

Triad City Bites

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Flash in the Pan:

Feeling seedy

A

s another year begins, and another crop of seed catalogs arrives in the mail, my thoughts turn to next summer’s garden. And usually, at about that time, I remember the words of the outdoorsy writer Tim Cahill.

by Ari LeVaux “I am a man who sits around at home reading wilderness survival books the way some people peruse seed catalogs or accounts of classic chess games,” Cahill wrote, in the introduction to a book of adventure stories called Jaguars Ripped my Flesh.

As a peruser of seed catalogs myself, I appreciate being lumped together with the chess nerds and the mountain men. It suggests that gardening, like chess or being lost in the wilderness, is a matter of survival.

And if you want to be good at any of these pursuits you have to put in work during the offseason. With a steaming cup of tea.

Successful gardeners must hold within them the farmers market, when you can buy them by the box for a good price. best characteristics of both chess master and woodsman, combining the The only thing I grow in large enough quantities to store is garlic. The patience of the former and the endurance of the later, with a survivalist’s rest of the garden, I plant to eat. And to frolic among. Berries and peas intimate knowledge of the landscape and a strategy that’s gazing many for the kids, bitter greens and basil for the adults. moves ahead.

All these can be ordered from a seed catalog and planted directly, But while gardening could be about survival like the other pursuits without having to be grown inside. Climbing plants like Cahill mentions, that’s not really why we do it. We do beans, planted next to a fence or sunflowers, are a no it for the full-contact grappling contest with nature, the Because my garden brainer to me. But then, I’m the type of gardener who bees and the rain and the weeds and the dirt. We do it will literally throw seeds by the handful toward empty because it feels like the thing to do. Am I right? And we isn’t for filling the spots in the garden, so plants that can climb out of the do it because the garden also offers us specific things freezer. It’s a net for resulting jungle have a special place in my heart. for specific individuals. For me, the garden is a place While some people keep their gardens neat and for whimsy, creativity and relaxation. It’s more about fun catching some fleetorderly, my garden is where I relish a bit in the fruits of than production. chaos. But it’s also a place for trying new things. Like ing, lovely moments Whatever your precise goals may be, it’s important to planning ahead. of summer. be clear about your expectations. Especially now, when I will leave you with a recipe for PastaPestoPrego, a you have a bunch of seed catalogs spread before you. If recipe that I developed in college. It’s a glimpse at what you’re anything like me, seed catalogs make your credit you can make if you plan ahead, and get on the year-long cycle that this card itch. So before you go crazy, make a plan. Brew that cup of coffee, recipe demands. and think many moves ahead.

PastaPestoPrego leverages the little-known fact that one needn’t I like to simplify things by skipping any plants that need to be started choose between pesto and red sauce, as they go great together. On inside. I’m done with using a sunny windowsill to start my tomatoes. top of that, this recipe manages to push most any button that a 20-yearUnless you have a real grow space and the proper gear, starting seeds old boy might possess, including the likes of noodles and cheese, and indoors is a losing proposition. Your tomato seedlings will probably be capable of such large servings. an embarrassment compared to the greenhouse-grown beauties you But it wasn’t just the satisfaction it delivered that made the meal legcould have purchased at the farmers market. endary on the dorm block. It was the sheer speed and fluidity with which I’ve got a small stable of growers from whom I buy tomato plants, I could prepare it. And if the proverbial pesto and Prego are in place in farmers who grow beautiful specimens of interesting varieties that your freezer, you can too. produce delicious, eclectic crops through the summer. These are not If you want to get on the cycle, the only immediate job is to order tomatoes with which I make the sauce that fills my freezer, but juicy nets basil seeds, because basil is so damn expensive and easy to grow you for catching some fleeting, lovely moments of summer. Sliced with oil, really should. Order a big bag and plant them everywhere. As soon as vinegar, salt and a few basil leaves, perhaps. Or gobbled whole straight the threat of frost has passed. And plant them inside, too. You can forget off the vine. what I said about growing things inside. Basil is easy.

The tomatoes for my freezer will be purchased months later, also at the With your garden-fresh basil and tomatoes, make PastaPestoPrego all

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Triad City Bites

February 2018

summer long. In fall, buy bulk quantities of tomato and basil and make a winter stash of tomato sauce and pesto.

Back in the day, the pesto I used was purchased in a little plastic tub, and the Prego (or Ragu) came in a jar. Today, my “Prego” is a stack of quart freezer bags filled with oven-roasted tomato sauce in my freezer, while pesto, similarly frozen, only consists of basil, salt and oil. I add the nuts, garlic and cheese when I’m cooking.

Whatever else you have on your plate, be it a game of chess, a surprise encounter with a grizzly bear or trying to plan your seed order, having a belly full of PastaPestoPrego will give the energy you need to have a fighting chance.

But remember, while students of chess and wilderness survival look to history for guidance, perusers of seed catalogs must look forward, focused on what is new and hitherto unknown. (Yeah, pineapple strawberries, I’m talking to you.)

Or focused on things that, for whatever reason, are less available on the open market, like radicchio.

The garden is a reflection of yourself. It’s also a tool for self-improvement. It can be whatever you need it to be.

And now is the time to start figuring out what that is.

February 2018

PastaPestoPrego Big pot of boiling water Half and onion, minced Two garlic cloves, pressed, grated or minced Pesto (basil, garlic, hard cheese, olive oil, nuts; all pulverized) Red sauce (tomatoes, onions, wine, oregano. You know, red sauce.)

Cheese, such as Parmesan or Romano Ground meat (optional) Before you even take off your backpack, get the pasta water going. Quickly chop half an onion and put in in a pan with olive oil with oregano on medium. Add meat if using.

Cook until delicious. Season as necessary.

Add noodles to boiling water. Take off backpack.Add red sauce to pan when the meat and onions are ready.

When noodles are done to your liking, drain them and toss with olive oil and minced garlic. This, right here, is the most important trick you need to know about pasta: The garlic will cook in the hot oiled noodles and the house will smell amazing.

Then stir in the cheese and pesto. Finally, toss in the red sauce. Add more grated cheese, if necessary, and proceed to eat until it hurts.

Ari LeVaux is a food writer based in Missoula, Montana. His work has appeared in hundreds of national and regional publications, including Outside magazine, Grist, Slate, TheAtlantic.com, NationalGeographic.com, High Country News and The Weather Channel

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SPECIAL ADVERTISING SECTION

COFFEESHOP/BAKERY Camino Bakery

caminobakery.com 310B W. 4th St. (downtown), 300 S. Marshall St. (Brookstown) and Wake Forest Baptist Medical Center WS The full-service coffeeshop and bakery, known for breads, pastries and unique libations also serves as a popular meeting spot.

Cheesecakes by Alex

cheesecakesbyalex.com 315 S. Elm St. GSO 336.273.0970 Alex Amoroso perfected his cheesecake recipe before opening his downtown Greensboro shop, which also boasts a full coffee menu and complement of baked goods.

Common Grounds

commongrounds.coffee 602 S. Elam Ave. GSO 336.698.3888 This movie-themed coffeeshop anchors the corner of Walker and Elam in Lindley Park, with wine, beer, live music several nights a week and a small screening room in the back.

Geeksboro Coffee & Beverage Co.

geeksboro.com 2134 Lawndale Drive GSO 336.355.7180 Besides serving coffee, beer, ice cream and soft drinks, Geeksboro serves as a shrine to nerd culture, from video games to comic books. Check the website for events geared toward board games, TV shows, trivia, film screenings, art, performance and more.

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Triad City Bites

The Green Bean

Preyer Brewing

Krankies

FOOD TRUCKS

gsobean.com 341 S. Elm St. and 2204 Golden Gate Drive GSO Downtown Greensboro’s first coffee shop and its sister café in Golden Gate Shopping Center serve Joe Van Gogh coffee for aficionados, with breakfast and lunch menus with surprisingly sophisticated choices. krankiescoffee.com 211 E. 3rd St. WS 336.722.3016 From an artists’ squat to a small-batch coffee roaster, restaurant, bakery and performance space, the history of Krankies is the history of modern downtown Winston-Salem.

BREWPUBS

Hoots Roller Bar

hootspublic.com 840 Mill Works St. WS One of the original tenants of the West End Mill Works, Hoots Roller Bar is more of a bar that makes its own beer than a brewpub that has a bar. Pinball machines, regular food-truck rotations and community events make this a key spot on the cultural circuit.

Joymongers Brewing Co.

joymongers.com 576 N. Eugene St. GSO 336.763.5255 Joymongers, which opened on the Downtown Greenway 2016, does not sell their beer anywhere but the Greensboro brewery — until their Winston-Salem barrel house opens later this year. The brewpub features a wide patio on the greenway, regular food trucks and live music

preyerbrewing.com 600 Battleground Ave. GSO 336.256.9450 Anchoring Greensboro’s LoFi neighborhood, Preyer makes adventurous beers in a cozy setting, with chairs, couches and small tables. A window into Rafted Street Food allows foodservice in the brewpub.

Bahtmobile

@bahtmobile facebook.com/bahtmobile 336.283.5086 Southeast Asian street food, with regular spots in Winston-Salem.

King-Queen Haitian Cuisine

@kingqueen.haitian.cuisinefacebook. com/kingqueen.haitian.cuisine Haitian and Caribbean food, with regular posts around Greensboro and WinstonSalem.

Don’t see your business?

Call Brian at 336.681.0704 to get listed.

February 2018