Category Archives: You Should Eat Here!

Triadfoodies Favorite Things & Holiday Gift Guide

Happy Ho-Ho-Holidays, foodies. It’s our absolute favorite time of year and we are back once again to share with you so many of our favorite things and drop them all into our annual Holiday Gift Guide of Glorious Deliciousness. I forget how many years we’ve done this, but we are thrilled to be back with our favorites of 2022. We hope this guide inspires you to grab a an item or two for a loved one’s stocking or re-create this guide and be more popular than Santa himself. Everything you see here is available at local markets and of course, online. And we are happy to be giving away this basket to a lucky winner. Keep reading to find out how to win.

sippin SNAX

Our newest discovery! When it comes to noshing, a little snack mix can’t be beat. Have you ever sat at the bar, drink in hand and found yourself munching away at the salty bar snack? Melissa Wallace definitely had her eureka moment when she thought of sippin SNAX, a selection of crunchable goodies that specifically pair with wine, beer, and cocktails. With seasoned pretzels or peanuts for beer and red wine, the choices are quite fun. sippin SNAX, like all of our gift guide items, make great stocking stuffers, but they are the perfect housewarming gift. If you know a realtor, tell them about these treats for their client baskets, or you can be the star of the gift giving when you arrive with your bountiful selection. We highly encourage the sampler pack which can be delivered right to your door. We find ours at Deep Roots Market in Greensboro and sippinsnax.com

Whole Hive Honey

Your breakfast biscuit just leveled up…literally. From up here in the High Country, Whole Hive Honey has enjoyed several years of popularity and if you’re a visitor to the Boone area, you’ll see their honey on many shelves. The Hive recently released “Sweet Heat,” a hot honey that is incredible. Enjoy it on toast or biscuits, but I highly encourage you to add it to homemade dressings and sauces to add the slightest kick. Its side kicks are the maple flavored honey that is spectacular in its own right and great in a glaze for roasted chicken or your holiday ham or on a biscuit with a little sprinkling of salt, and the Better than Butter biscuit honey is a newbie as well. You’ll be reaching for these sweeties again and again. wholehivehoney.com

Gorilla Grains

My love for the Gorilla runs long and strong. We are rarely without our favorite granola in our home. I’m pretty sure that a long, long time ago, Gorilla Grains was one of our first published “favorite things,” and so he makes his return for 2022. This year’s holiday spice tastes like a Moravian Sugar Spice cookie so we encourage you to seek that out online or in stores like Buie’s Market and the Greensboro Farmers Curb Market, Saxapahaw General Store, or buy online. I am telling you, this granola…it’s righteous…Its crispy, buttery goodness is unforgettable. There is absolutely no other granola like it. gorillagrains.com

Spicewalla Spice Blend Buxton Chicken Rub

If you’ve been to Asheville’s Buxton Hall, you know the flavors of smoking and grilling and Southern goodness abound. If you’ve been to Meherwan Irani’s Chai Pani then you know why it’s a James Beard Award winner. Irani’s spice company, Spicewalla, has created Buxton’s Chicken Rub and let me tell you, you will use it on all the things. Yes, chicken, but also roasted potatoes, veggies, pork chops, steak, next year’s turkey. It is wonderful. You can order Spicewalla online or you can find it in some local stores but do not deny yourself a trip to the spicewallabrand.com where the choices and flavors are seemingly endless.

Fisher’s Christmas Whiskey

I feel like I’d be remiss if I didn’t add a spirit to our holiday gift guide. Fainting Goat Spirits Christmas whiskey can be a bit hard to find once it’s released. This infusion of cinnamon, ginger, cloves, nutmeg and orange peel is bottled in limited quantities at the distillery for a short time. And if by the time you read this, the ship has sailed, let not your heart be troubled. Look for it again next year. It’s best to get on their email list. The winner gets a bottle of this incredibly popular spirit. Check out FaintingGoatSpirits.com for more information or visit the distillery in downtown Greensboro.

Batistini Farms Vanishing Grape Balsamic

From dressings on salad (ahem, toss some pickles in it…ahem) to drizzles on risotto, this white grape balsamic from Clemmons’ Batistini Farms is liquid gold in my house. It is tangy and sweet and will forever have a place in our pantry and in our gift guide. Find it b-farms.com.

Black Mountain Chocolate Fruit Cake

She’s the living Queen of our Favorite Things. Take her to a party and be the “popular one.” Pair it with some sipping SNAX for a salty sweet treat. Pick up more than one as she freezes great. Enjoy her all season long and find her at Black Mountain Chocolate in Winston-Salem. blackmountainchocolate.com

Now you have your list, no need to check twice. So go out and support local small businesses. We will be giving the entire contents of the holiday gift guide to a lucky winner. Follow YES! Weekly on Facebook leave a comment on the gift guide post about what you’re most excited to try. We will announce the winner on Friday, December 9, and the winner can collect their basket on or after December 14.

Triadfoodies Chef’s Table Recap: Cille & Scoe

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As the sun set on a popular restaurant in downtown Greensboro, a new concept emerged. Forged from a childhood spent with grandparents on an urban farm. a dream was being woven and a little boy learned how to grow his own food each season, harvest it, and prepare it for dinner. That lifelong love and learning of a true farm to table experience has brought to life a restaurant, that calls itself “Southern, redefined.”

Lucille and Roscoe Reaves taught Chef Sean Reaves so much of everything that he knows, that the namesakes and their passion for growing their own food are at the heart of ‘Cille & ‘Scoe, affectionately adopting the nicknames of the two people who’ve impacted him the most.

I usually don’t inundate (haha) a new restaurant with one of our events so soon, but to know Sean and his wife, Tara, is to love them, and I couldn’t wait to show them off a little bit. I strongly encourage you to listen to my podcast as we interviewed this beautiful couple about their life, Sean’s career, their family and this new “baby” they’re nurturing. Speaking of babies, the Reaves already have two very little “littles” and another one on the way. Yes. They’ve been busy.

Open for about a month in the location that once was 1618 Downtown, we enjoyed a November Chef’s Table at ‘Cille & ‘Scoe where our sold out “small group” of 25 shared multiple courses family-style. The place was jumping, no question about that and what goodness it was to our eyes to see this early on. Let’s take a look at the courses, shall we?

Course One: Charcuterie

Course 2: Shrimp & Grit Cakes

Course 3: 4-Day Chicken (this chicken has been brined, dry rubbed over then coure of 4 days, then roasted)

Course 4: The R & R, Rabbit Ravioli

Course 5:

Beef & Beet (Beef with homemade spaetzle and beet consomme)

It was so nice to meet Sean and Tara and I know our guests enjoyed talking to him toward the conclusion of the evening.

We think ‘Cille & ‘Scoe have a successful road ahead. As many restaurants that are new and young, the Reaves are working out some of those early kinks with execution and getting things to the table quickly. And some dishes are so popular, they’ve sold out of them on some nights. The love affair with local is real and you can see the passion in Sean’s and Tara’s eyes. If you attended our Chef’s Table, we thank you so much for supporting our local chefs. We’ll see you again at the table in the new year!

Wanna go?
‘Cille & ‘Scoe is located at 312 S. Elm Street, Greensboro
336-522-6592
cilleandscoe.com

A Review of Winston-Salem’s Newest Chicken Sandwiches

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When last we visited the fair Camel City, we decided to check out two very different chicken sammies. One is huge and packs some heat and the other is also a good size, yet more traditional. Let’s take a stroll to 5th Street downtown…

Top: Timmy’s Hot Chicken’s The Tim Bottom: Skrimp Shack Chicken Samwich

Timmy’s Hot Chicken 237 W. Fifth Street

We flew in on Timmy’s Hot Chicken’s second day open. Not something I usually do, but it’s not Tim’s first rodeo. We ordered The Tim ($8) which is as “basic” as it gets: chicken, pickles and comeback sauce. Although I like spicy food, I ordered it medium because I was scared 🙂 …It’s GIANT with two good-sized perfectly crispy thighs that are super juicy on the inside, a light schmear of comeback sauce and a few pickles. Pic of size does not do it justice. I removed one of the thighs and still wasn’t able to finish the entire sandwich. The goal was to share it anyway, but my entire table wanted their own sandwich (only my husband could finish his). With medium. it still had a kick but wasn’t uncomfortable. I’d be willing to share the Hot with mr. foodie one day. You can get as many toppings as you want, all the way up to The Timothy ($10) which is basically loaded with slaw, bacon, cheese and sauce. Not into bread? You can also order chicken tenders, thighs or beyond chicken if you prefer a protein to go with a side. A plethora of sides are available at Timmy’s and we especially enjoyed the mac & cheese. The slaw is a nice accompaniment to the rich chicken. We didn’t try the collard greens, but if you do, let us know what you think! All in all, the sandwich is a good value for the size. Sides are not included in the sandwich price.

I highly recommend the bread pudding as a dessert. It wasn’t full of layers like you are used to as it was really like pudding, but you could really taste the banana and it had a nice depth of flavor.

Oh and if you love a challenge and are so inclined, Timmy’s invites you to try the Hellfire wings and eat them in 10 minutes or less and you get your name on a plate! Note: Tim told me that hellfire is ridiculously spicy.

Across town at the Skrimp Shack (1103 Silas Creek Parkway)…we were invited to pop in and try their new Chicken Thigh Samwich which features their crispy signature breading, slaw, pickles and their own “sweet sauce” that was created just for the sandwich. The sauce will remind you of a comeback sauce or a bit like a white barbecue too, albeit less spicy than Timmy’s.

Skrimp’s chicken samwich isn’t as huge as Timmy’s, which means you’ll likely be able to finish if you didn’t just eat half of The Tim, lol. This is the sandwich you’ll want when you want to eat local, fast, inexpensive and you want your chicken sandwich traditional. We don’t always need bells and whistles, y’all, right? The sandwich comes with slaw and feel free to get yours the way it comes, but I like to taste the main event in a sandwich so I ordered my slaw on the side. Skrimp Shack’s slaw is really good, I just ususally prefer slaw not on my sandwich. If you’re not in the mood for a sandwich or even chicken at Skrimp Shack, by all means order some freshly fried oysters, shrimp or fish as they never disappoint. They even have terrific fish tacos. Sides are too many to mention but we do love Skrimp Shack’s mac & cheese.

Chicken Thigh Samwich, slaw on the side and an order of mac & cheese

Again, this is not a best or better review…simply a tell-all about chicken sandwiches, but if you love you some banana pudding, Skrimp Shack has it too and it’s a big one …big enough to share and it has the layers like you may know and love. It has more of a vanilla pudding base with bananas layered in. Super old school and yummy.

Oh and fun fact! If you can’t eat your whole sandwich and you happen to have an air fryer, these chicken thighs reheat incredibly well. I literally had 2 whole chicken thighs and 2 half sandwiches to eat when we got home and they made some delicious leftovers.

With that foodies, I send you out into the world to eat local and try some locally-owned chicken sandwiches. Where do you find your favorite non-chain chicken sandwiches? Let us know below or comment on our instagram post!

A Look Back at Our Chef’s Table at Sixth and Vine with Chef Ebony Warfield

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A Chef’s Table is an experience. What started five years ago as a handful of people letting the chef surprise us has transcended into a gathering of friends that seem to extend beyond itself as we see new faces each month. When we sat together at 6t h and Vine to get to know Chef Ebony Warfield, there was an unmistakable magic in the air and by the end of the evening, Chef Ebony felt the magic and the love.

Ebony Warfield is the new executive chef at 6th and Vine, a restaurant located on 6th Street that has become somewhat of a Winston-Salem icon. Ebony is the first Black Executive Chef in Winston-Salem. It’s even more special because the restaurant is also woman-owned as Kathleen Barnes has remained an integral part of WSNC food scene for a number of years. You can learn more about Ebony and Kathleen in my podcast on the Triad Podcast Network. With a military background and a number of years working locally in some of our top dining establishments, this wife and mother’s dedication to her profession is inspiring. I knew I NEEDED to feature Ebony at a Chef’s Table. She and Kathleen promptly said “yes,” and once we went live, the event sold out in just a few hours.

Ebony introduced the evening that was about to commence as “…dinner at your grandma’s house, if your grandma went to culinary school.” Soul-filling and nourishing dishes that inspired by her upbringing and training were nudged into creative iterations that dazzled our eyes and palates. The attention to flavor and detail was remarkable. At the end of the evening, Ebony received a well-deserved standing ovation, which led to her tears and our tears. She felt it! It was special. If you were there, thank you for being a part of it. Thank you for showing this talented chef all the admiration she’s due. If you missed it, fear not, foodie. She’s in the kitchen of 6th and Vine dazzling diners 5 days a week including Saturday/Sunday brunch.

Let’s take a look at our four course Chef’s Table with Chef Ebony Warfield.

Course 1: Southern Charcuterie with homemade cornbread, pimento cheese, pickled collards, homemade jam, homemade toasted & caramelized pecans

Course 2: Pureed White Bean Soup, Ham Cup, Parley Oil

Course 3: Roasted Chicken with Local Seasonal Vegetables

Course 4: Lemon Blueberry Upside Down Cake

We hope you get a chance to visit 6th & Vine and see what Ebony and her team are churning out. While the menu has stayed the same in many ways, because Ebony didn’t want to mess with what was working, her touches are evident and the specials always look amazing.

Tears of joy with a standing ovation

Chef Ebony Warfield, 6th & Vine owner Kathleen Barnes, Mary Haglund

Our next Chef’s Table is September 15 at Spring House Restaurant, Kitchen and Bar featuring Chef Tim Grandinetti. It’s SOLD OUT but stay tuned for more Chef’s Tables in the coming months.

A Chef’s Table is Back! Meridian Restaurant w/ Mark Grohman

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It’s been a loooooonnng 16 months since our last Chef’s Table. We had a great launch in 2020, but things went downhill fast after everything was shut down in March last year due to the pandemic. Staying open with takeout was one thing. Reopening to dine-in was another. From staffing issues to supply problems, we weren’t quite sure when we might be able to offer events again.

But one day, mr. foodie traveled for business in the beautiful city of Winston-Salem, stayed at the Brookstown Inn and walked over to his favorite, Meridian Restaurant, for dinner and cocktails and my Mark and Chef Mark resurrected the Chef’s Table.

Meridian Restaurant is located at 411 Marshall Street SW, in the beautiful Brookstown area of downtown Winston-Salem. To say Meridian is one of our top restaurants in the Triad is an understatement. From tapas to a delicious steak, excellent wine pairings and cocktails, Meridian has never disappointed. It’s modern, beautiful and elegant but unpretentious. You can have dinner in your jeans and still feel comfortable. And Chef Mark Grohman knows how to treat his guests.

Chef & owner of Meridan, Mark Grohman, always brings his best game.

Once the ticket sales for the Chef’s Table went live, it sold out in about six hours. In keeping with the spirit of distancing, we kept the event as close to 30 as we could. And on June 15, 36 happy faces greeted one another with hugs and excitement. This is meaningful because after 5 years of Chef’s Tables and it’s evolution over the years, many of our returning patrons have become friends with me and with each other! Each month, it’s like a reunion with veterans and newbies. It was so great to see everyone again. We are back!

Before I show you the courses, I’d like to invite you to take a listen to my podcast, “At The Table With Triadfoodies” on Triad Podcast Network on Apple and here on the web. I talked with Chef Mark about navigating the last 16 months, particularly at the beginning of the pandemic, and what that was like as a business owner. What he had to say was really insightful from a business owner and employer’s perspective and I think you’d enjoy it.

Chef Mark wanted to simply give us a “Taste of Meridian,” five courses that represent the flavors of the restaurant. A little something different along with traditional fare we might be accustomed to seeing at this gleaming restaurant. Let’s take a look at the courses.