Triad City Bites April 2019

SPECIAL ADVERTISING SECTION

APRIL 2019

Strawberry Day at Greensboro Farmers Curb Market Also featured in this month’s Issue: Supper Clubs

Curated By:

Dinner Guest

The secret society of supper clubs

T

he cast-iron Dutch oven was heavy. When the lid came off, steam billowed from the open vessel.

Along with it came a smoky, aromatic scent

by Nikki Miller-Ka that goes with slowroasted meats onions, garlic and herbs. A peek inside revealed several fat duck legs with skin that had crisped up and curled like a blanket protecting the tender, succulent meat. All nestled in a pile of glistening dark red beans swimming in a deep, rich amber sauce seasoned aggressively with black peppercorns and garnished lightly with fresh herbs. Someone wielded two forks and purposefully shredded the meat, tossing aside the crispy skin to reveal strands of perfectly roasted bits of fowl. This was the fourth course of nearly 10 presented during a private supper club dinner where the invitation was the reward after 5 long years on the waiting list.

Supper clubs of the past were brick-andmortar establishments: entertainment-anchored, alcohol-fueled, social meccas full of secondrate food with an air of weathered sophistication. At least that’s how they were described through archives and the words of journalists past. Plantation Supper Club, Green’s on US 29 and the Tropicana on High Point Road all had their time and place within the area’s dining culture.

These establishments were for people to let their hair down, get glammed up and to meet and greet each other on Saturday nights when there wasn’t much else going on. During the week, these supper clubs still opened to packed rooms with live bands and mounds of food, but none of that was what drew people in. It was the lure of social interaction; to see and be seen, the promise of a good time.

Fast forward to the 21st Century and supper clubs have changed. You can still find old-school, traditional supper clubs in the Midwest, but in many cities, supper clubs operate as sort of a secret society. The music may be a Spotify playlist. The alcohol is

BYOB with an option of a pre-dinner cocktail provided by the host. The dress code is come-as-you-are. The guest list is curated by a hidden, unspoken electronic invitation extended through social media accounts and listservs. Most operate the same as a restaurant or prix fixe wine dinner. Some are run by current and former industry people. Personally, I know of four different supper clubs in Greensboro who are filling the bill for this mid-century throwback.

Once you’ve been granted admission, you never know who else will be joining.

Each dinner has a theme with multiple courses with as much, if not more, care and attention than restaurant plating has.

In some cases, the menu is revealed after you arrive. In most cases, there are surprises, lagniappes and takeaways. All accept donations and suggest an amount simply to cover costs. And of course, tips are always appreciated.

There’s always a bit of hesitation and curiosity when you arrive, like being a guest for the first time at a new friend’s home. All of those feelings are shed, just like your coat, once you enter and are greeted by the hosts. Fast friends are made. The cameraderie and shared experiences are free. The crowd could be well-seasoned veterans who hold fountains of wealth of knowledge about the dining scene over the years. The crowd could be young professionals who like to eat and Instagram their meals. The crowd could be a mix of young, old, neophytes or transplants. Tales of domestic and international travel dance across the table. Once, a woman wove a personal narrative about leaving her rent-controlled apartment in the Lower East side of Manhattan to follow love, ending up in Greensboro and making a life for herself after the union dissolved.

The food brought us together, but the conversation around the meal is what sets each event apart from the others.

Ask a friend or ask me and I will tell you: these underground suppers are here and they are not going away any time soon.

While the supper clubs of the past may not exist anymore, the present of communal dining has taken on a new look and the future looks good and highly flavored.

The future of communal dining might come from a home kitchen.

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Triad City Bites

6th and Vine $-$$

6thandvine.com 209 W. Sixth St. WS, 336.725.5577

When springtime comes to Winston-Salem’s Arts District, 6th and Vine responds like a flower opening itself to the sun. Downtown’s living room doubles in size as the back and side patios make perfect spots to take in afternoon sun or warm evenings.

And that means more space in the dining room, on the vintage sofas, at the long and welcoming bar. A new menu and wine list will launch with the seasons and as local ingredients become more available, but for now the chef still makes an incredible blackberry duck and signature mocha sirloin with a white chocolate cognac cream sauce. Brunch service on Saturdays and Sundays from 11-3 is a great option, plus Sundays offer half-price wine by the bottle.

Craft beer and signature cocktails round out the list, as well as an extensive wine selection by the glass, upon which Sixth & Vine has built its reputation.

April 2019

Mary’s Gourmet Diner $$ marysgourmetdiner.net 723 Trade St. WS, 336.723.7239

Small Batch $-$$

burgerbatch.com 2760 NC 68 HP 336.875.4082 237 W. 5th St. WS 336.893.6395

The burgers at Small Batch have become legendary — an array of crafted designs that stand out, even though great burgers are everywhere. The Figgy Piggy has fig jam, bacon and goat cheese; the Hellboy brings salami, fresh mozzarella and cherry peppers to the party. The hand-cut fries are appropriate with any burger, and also on their own. Now, along with its bespoke brews, Small Batch has a craft-cocktail menu, a wine list and shooter board. They even have milkshakes that truly test the limits of the form. One of them is garnished with a slice of cake. Brunch has become a big deal at Small Batch in both downtown Winston-Salem and High Point, with a menu that adheres to the ethos of the brand. A workday lunch following appreciates the timeliness and quality of the orders. And dinner has always been a good call at Small Batch, with something for everyone in the crew. But perhaps Small Batch is at its best at night, after the dinner crowd has gone home and the place becomes what it was always intended to be: a really great bar, with an interesting menu and fantastic beer.

April 2019

A staple of the Arts District in WinstonSalem for nearly 20 years, Mary’s Gourmet Diner is a hip and homey breakfast/ lunch operation serving creative American classics from local ingredients. Original owner Mary Hagland and new partner Mike Millan produce different specials from Unicorn French Toast to Texas Pete eggs Benedicts 7 days a week. Check out local artist Jason Blevin’s interpretation of the Garden of Eden and other unique pieces of art on the walls.

The Quiet Pint $$

facebook.com/quietpinttavern 1420 W. First St. WS, 336.893.6881 Straddling the Ardmore and West End neighborhoods, the Pint debuted a new brunch menu in early April complete with new salads, burgers, frittatas, Benedicts, skillets, small plates and more. Liquid refreshment comes as beer, wine or choices from the fullservice bar.

Triad City Bites

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Greensboro Farmers Curb Kitchen Connects: Growing local food entrepreneurs

Fermentology specializes in kraut and kimchi.

Kitchen Connects helps local food entrepreneurs get on their feet with support, education and infrastructure.

Kitchen Connects GSO, the area’s first dedicated food artisan incubator program, is accepting applications to its program through May 15 for its final session.

Greensboro Farmers Market, Inc. facilitates the six week training program that offers participants business 101, merchandising and marketing classes as well as one on one mentoring. In addition, participants that pass the food safety course taught by the Guilford County Coop Extension get a chance to prepare their foods at no cost at the shared-use community kitchen operated by Out of the Garden.

Upon completion of the classes, the food artisans have the opportunity to test-market their products for valuable feedback at the Greensboro Farmers Curb Market. Executive Director Lee Mortensen notes, “Kitchen Connects GSO was the first of its kind in the area that brought together food safety and small-business training classes, access to a shared-use kitchen and guest-vending to create a unique, local food incubator program.”

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Triad City Bites

COURTESY IMAGE

Kitchen Connects GSO is particularly interested in farmers, diversity of food and ethnic culinary products that can help support underserved communities and create new economic development for the city of Greensboro. Applicants with ideas and recipes for small-batch, processed foods using locally-sourced ingredients are encouraged to apply through the website, www.kitchenconnectsgso.com.

The program has churned out 67 graduates to date with several participating weekly at the Greensboro Farmers Curb Market as vendors.

Graduates include Poppy’s Pickles, Breez Cheez, Haw River Mushroom, River’s Finest, Fermentology, PaleoLove Company, Empasta, with value-added products from pickles and ferments to mushroom jerky and vegan cheese sauce.

Kitchen Connects GSO is made possible through a partnership with city of Greensboro and funded through a USDA Local Foods Promotion Program grant.

Poppy’s Pickles grew out of the Kitchen Connects progr

April 2019

b Market: Strawberry Day: May 4

HIRO TAKASE

Strawberry season is here! The Greensboro Farmers Curb Market will hold its annual May fundraiser, Strawberry Pancake & Celebration Day, on Saturday, May 4, beginning at 8 am. This community favorite event will take place on the Market lawn with Guest chefs Alex and Tim Amoroso of Cheesecakes

by Alex whipping up their famous, fluffy pancakes topped with strawberries from Rudd Farm. Seating will be available inside and outside or you can bring blankets or chairs for your own cozy breakfast picnic!

HIRO Local musician, Laura Jane Vincent, will perform live The strawberries are ripe for eating this TAKASE during the event and lawn games and children’s actime of year. tivities will be available for family fun. Market farmers will have local strawberries from Rudd Farm, Smith Farms, Farlow Farm, Byrley Gardens, Sugar Hill Produce, Gate City Harvest, Phillip’s Farm, Vern’s Farm, Smith Century Farm, Mighty Tendril and Between the Branches Bee Co. Jams and jellies featuring strawberries will be available and bakers across the Market will be creating strawberry specialty items to take home or to eat on the spot. Did you know? North Carolina is the fourth-largest producer of strawberries in the nation with more than 2,000 acres that generate more than $20 million in sales annually! Come celebrate the “strawberry” and support local when you buy strawberries at the Curb Market. All Curb Market fundraising events are first come, first served while supplies last. Event proceeds provide vital funds for five food security programs at the Curb Market.

MADE 4 Market: May 5

ram AT THE GFCM.

MARY CATHERINE YOUNG

April 2019

The Greensboro Farmers Curb Market will host their annual spring artisan show, MADE 4 Market Local Makers Show, on Sunday, May 5th from 11 am to 4 pm. featuring more than 100 local artisans offering unique, locally produced crafts and goods such as pottery, specialty foods, jewelry, artwork, body care products and more. Find the perfect gift for Mother’s Day, Father’s Day, baby showers, graduations, weddings and maybe even a few special things just for you. Members from NC Specialty Foods Association and Got to Be NC will have sweet and salty treats that make ideal gifts for the “foodie” in your life. Make your HIRO own edible gift basket with handmade chocolates The annual market will feature more than 100 TAKASE local artisans.

by Special Treats; caramels by Postre Caramels; potato chips by 1 in 6 Snacks; dip mixes by Cherry Orchard; salsas by Cilantro Artisan Foods; jerk sauce by Pluto Inc. and many more.

Attendees can also enjoy live music from singer, songwriter John Stevens and traditional American cuisine and coffee from local food trucks, Pearl Kitchen and Grinder Café. Admission and parking are free; support talented, local artisans by buying direct from them at MADE 4 Market at the Greensboro Farmers Curb Market.

Triad City Bites

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GIA Drink. Eat. Listen. $$-$$$ 1941 New Garden Rd.,GSO drinkeatlisten.com

Twin City Hive Coffee Lounge $ 301 Brookstown Ave.,W-S twincityhive.com

Old World charm and contemporary flavors are what best describe brunch at GIA Drink Eat Listen. Innovative dishes along with classic favorites make the perfect pairing for half-priced bubbles each and every Sunday. Brunch served Sundays 10:30 am-2:30 pm.

Rascal’s Tavern $$

rascalsgreensboro.com 2270 Golden Gate Drive GSO,

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Triad City Bites

Rascal’s serves brunch on Sundays, and it is quickly becoming a regular weekly stop in Irving Park. The menu covers all the basics, like blueberry pancakes, eggs Benedict and a French toast topped with peachbourbon glaze. A hash made from either pulled pork or brisket stands out as unique.

Serving since 2014, Twin City Hive is a locally acclaimed coffee shop that offers baked goods, chocolates, espresso, coffees, teas, cookies and local sundries. Owner Terry Miller is also responsible for creating an in-house roasting facility to produce proprietary blends for the new Hotel Indigo, Sir Winston Restaurant and other properties around WinstonSalem.

April 2019

The Katharine Brasserie $$ 401 North Main St.,W-S, katharinebrasserie.com

Jerusalem Market $$

jerusalemmarket.com 310 S. Elm St. GSO, 336.279.7025 5002 High Point Road GSO, 336.547.0220

The Katharine’s uniquely crafted menu blends traditional brasserie fare with Southern cooking and a peek into the beautiful exhibition kitchen. The bustling bar features local beer selections, an extensive wine list and craft cocktails as companions to flavorful dishes and lively conversation.

Mindfully Made $ Mayamike.com

In some ways it’s business as usual at Jerusalem Market — both the one on Elm Street and its predecessor near Adams Farm: a solid menu of Middle Eastern classics like tabbouleh, baba ghanouj, grape leaves — “dolmathes” on the menu, tahini, feta and yogurt sauce.

But technique and presentation lifts their menu above the rest. The shawarma comes as charred chunks of actual cuts of lamb and beef, not the ground or shredded product some are accustomed to, which by necessity must be served sliced. “It’s like the burnt ends on a brisket,” owner Easa Hanhan explains. The bulk of their produce is local — through Gate City Harvest; their slate of wraps, which rely on ingredients like dried beef and sausages, imported cheeses and house-made sauces, are completely unique. Their vegetarian selections are ample. And their hummus is the best in the world.

April 2019

Marie Sharp is best known in this country for her array of hot sauces rooted in deep Scoville territory by virtue of the noble habanero pepper. But in her home country of Belize, the line of tropical jams and jellies shares equal billing. Look for green or red habanero jellies, mango chutney and jams of banana, pineapple and papaya.

Order it online at mayamike.com.

Triad City Bites

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Burke Street Pizza $

burkestreetpizza.com 1140 Burke St. WS, 336.721.0011 3352 Robinhood Road WS, 336.760.4888

Local 27101 $

thelocal.ws 310 W. Fourth St. WS, 336.725.3900

There’s nothing revolutionary about Local 27101. It’s a lunch place on Fourth Street, right in the heart of downtown Winston-Salem’s Restaurant Row. The menu, as created by Executive Chef Patrick Rafferty and owner Greg Carlyle, has a stable of classic lunch dishes: Burgers with seasoned crinkle-cut and sweet-potato fries. A legendary hot dog. Fresh shrimp and oysters for po-boys. Made-to-order salads that go beyond the basic. It’s fresh food made fast, and Local 27101 stands by that promise with in-house delivery throughout downtown and the West End during lunch service — order from the restaurant or online at thelocal.ws for speedy and free service. Catering is available either through the Local or on-site at the Millennium Center. Call for details.

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Triad City Bites

A traditional New York pizzeria with all the trimmings, open for lunch, dinner and latenight feasts. The menu goes beyond thin-crust pizza with salads and subs, specialty pies and appetizers. Both the Burke Street and Robinhood Road locations deliver — order online at burkestreetpizza.com or call the restaurant. Look for upcoming renovations to the Robinhood Road location. Find them on Instagram at @BurkeStreetPizza.

Uncle Buzzy’s Fried Food $ Find them on Facebook.

1510 First St. WS

Spring is the season for Uncle Buzzy’s! WinstonSalem’s only carnivalfood stand has classic roast beef sandwiches, a full menu of fries and tater tots, poutine, smoked mac and cheese, pulled-pork meat cones, and the best burgers, wings and hot dogs in town. Now, in addition to ice cream tacos, Uncle Buzzy’s serves ice-cream cones hand-dipped in cherry, blue-raspberry, butterscotch or chocolate shell. There are box lunches, sandwich trays, wing platters and more on the catering menu — hot dog trays are great for March Madness and birthday parties alike. And Uncle Buzzy’s proudly introduces in-house delivery — order directly from the store or at the website with no delivery charges.

April 2019

Flash in the Pan:

Mosulian Dolmas The details of how to roll and stuff grape leaves and veggies is difficult to convey in words alone, nor is there space. The best way to learn is to do, fail, figure out the tolerances of what each veggie can handle and, if possible, consult YouTube.

Onions and cabbage should be separated into individual layers and leaves, respectively, and steamed.

Once you get the hang of filling vegetables with Iraqi dolma rice, you will be ready to make them with almost anything your garden can grow.

Japanese eggplant make wonderful dolma, Nabeeha says. She also likes using chard leaves as a wrapper.

Grape leaves will always be the anchor of most dolma pots, the mortar that anchors the shape.

But mixing in an assortment of other veggies, and playing around with the bottom/top, add diversity and balance to the dolma pot.

Serves 10

Dolma Doctrine

I

n the small kitchen of a pale green trailer adorned with American flags and Easter eggs, a pot of dolmas rested on a stovetop, swaddled in towels. My dolma instructor Nabeeha Alkhosho, who made them,

by Ari LeVaux came to the US with her family six years ago from Mosul, Iraq. I had eaten dolmas before, or so I thought. When I first tried Nabeeha’s, it felt like an awakening. As if every dolma I had eaten until that point was a fraud.

“Dolma” is a busy word. It comes from the Turkish dolmak, which means “to fill.” It’s an appropriately general name, given a wide dolma diaspora that includes sweet, sour and salty incarnations. Best known are the Mediterranean-style grape leaves filled with plain, lemony rice, but the word “dolma” can also refer to a nut-filled apple in northern India, or a bulgur-stuffed eggplant in Turkey.

In spite of this diversity, somehow the name itself has remained unchanged, from Crete to Tbilisi. As long as something is filled with something, it’s a dolma.

Nabeeha, bespectacled and earnest with her hair in two long braids, had generously invited me into her home to show me the Mosulian way of dolma making. She showed me how to prepare the rice, fill the dolmas, and cook them. Now the finished pot of dolmas rested on the stove, and it was time for the grand finale. She placed a metal platter atop the dolma pot. With one hand below the pot and the other pressing down on the platter, she lifted everything above her head, deftly flipped the whole assembly, and placed it gently on the table, like a pool shark racking up cue balls in 3D. She gave the pot a quick spin left and right, slapped a few beats on the side, and lifted, revealing a perfectly round tower of dolma.

Stuffed grape leaves formed the bulk of the edifice, but it also contained sweet peppers, rolled cabbage and onions, hollowed out tomatoes and zucchini, and feisty jalapenos, all filled with spicy tomato rice and capped with caramelized garlic, cauliflower and carrots.

In English, her daughter Anne explained the importance of this layer of browned goodness, which she referred to simply as “bottom.” Composed of large chunks of vegetables and/or meats, it cooks in the lemony dolma juices. The bottom can be rich, elaborate and whimsical. The Alkhosho family pines for mutton for the bottom, but it’s hard to get and lamb is expensive. When their neighbor, a taxidermist, offers wild game, it’s a much-appreciated substitute. At serving time, when the pot is flipped, this juicy, browned bot-

April 2019

tom becomes the top.

Anne, statuesque with curly hair, calls the whole structure a “shape.”

“There are many shapes,” she said, scrolling through images of freshly-flipped pots of Iraqi dolmas on her phone. She paused on a photo with a bottom of caramelized lamb chops atop the dolma tower. “That one is cute.”

Nabeeha shook the tower of dolma. It collapsed into a steaming heap of color and flavor.

The plump dolma glistened, bursting with a tangy, sour flavor that was spicy yet smooth, with no single element jumping out as dominant.

Iraqi dolmas typically have tomato sauce mixed in with the rice. This Mosul-style recipe is uses a lot of mint, and they sometimes add parsley. But the real secret, Anne says “is how we balance the salt, sour, and water.”

“Too much water damages the shape.”

I watched them make the dolmas in front of me, and took copious notes, and still it took me many attempts to get it right in my dolma pot, on my stove, with my brand of rice.

If you don’t use the right amount of water, or pack them tightly in the pot, or cook them properly, the shape will crumble and scatter. Worse, the dolma can be soggy, with tough, fibrous grape leaves. Maybe they fall apart and scatter rice everywhere, and the bottom can blacken beyond recognition. But I’d take my worst attempt at an Iraqi dolma over any other dolma I’d eaten before my apprenticeship. The chubby green fingers in the deli case, little more than starchy mush wrapped in frail grape leaves, are empty calories to me now.

½ cup grated potato ½ cup grated carrot ½ cup thinly-sliced onion 2 cloves of garlic, minced 3 cups white rice 6 teaspoons dried mint 2 tsp salt 2 tsp pepper 1 tsp paprika 1 tsp hot chile powder, like allepo or cayenne 1 tsp cinnamon 1 can tomato sauce A cup or so of bottom ingredients, either vegetables, meat or some combination 1 cup lemon juice 1 cup olive oil

Fry the potato, carrot, onion and garlic in 3 tablespoons olive oil on medium heat until everything is shriveled and golden. Set aside. Rinse the rice in a bowl by adding water, swishing it around, draining, and repeating until the water stays clear.

Drain. Add 1 teaspoon of salt, all of the dried spices, the fried veggies and the tomato sauce to the rice. Mix well. Place bottom ingredients loosely about the bottom of the pot.

Fill the dolmas — easier said than done — and stack them in the pot, interlocking the pieces so as to help hold the structure together.

When the dolmas are filled, add a teaspoon of salt to the pot, followed by the lemon juice, the rest of the olive oil and about ½ cup of water — or until the water level is just below the top of the dolmas. Cook on medium for about 45-60 minutes, watching for when the water disappears, and smelling for the line between browned and burned. Swaddle with towels on the stove, and let it rest for 20 minutes. Invert and serve.

Triad City Bites

9

SPECIAL ADVERTISING SECTION

In the Weeds

W

e arrive on the third floor via an elevator tucked-away in a side hall. Fred’s never visited Black Horse Studio before and the building’s owner gives us a short tour of this remarkable old factory.

The top floor is vacant, a vast open room showcasing the original oak

by James Douglas flooring, old white paint covering an even older red-brick wall that peeks out with its age.

This room serves as a studio space, and character like this can only be earned with time. Black Horse Studio was originally home of the Nissen Wagon Works; its unique layout and design always a welcome piece of Downtown Winston-Salem. But the party we’re attending is on the first floor.

River Run Film Festival is Winston-Salem’s annual opportunity to see great films, attend great parties, and for the working stiffs in the service industry, make some extra cash working these events. It’s an opportunity to network and have a change from the usual. We have no shortage of these things throughout the year, be it High Point’s Furniture Market, the National Black Theatre Festival or our most recent yearly multiday event, Gears and Guitars. Most industry professionals clamor for these gigs. They like the change of pace and new, albeit temporary, coworkers.

Below us, the caterers hustle, lighting sternos and stocking the bar with last minute additions.

People slowly arrive. The River Run Film Festival is a couple days from wrapping up and Fred, one of my regulars, has invited me to come to a filmmaker’s party at the space. We arrive a little early, so the owner has time to give us a tour. The last time I ventured into this building during the late ’90s, it was vastly different. It’s now cared for. Curated.

We arrive back downstairs to see everyone in their place and guests starting to find their way in. From the building’s large turret, a projection of the festival logo beams down and lights the way to the entrance. I find Britney working the door, checking passes. She’s a service-industry veteran who comes in for a drink every so often. I’m sure it’s not the first event she’s worked this week. Having to work a similar event the next day, I’d be exchanging courtesies with the previous night’s workers as I served them a beer instead of roaming, as I was doing tonight.

You work some, you attend some.

The folks in the service industry have their steady gigs, most stay enthusiastic about picking up extra work. I know so many who work festivals, conferences and concerts in

addition to the shifts they already have. The money tends to be better, the change of scenery is nice and there’s an excitement with certain events that most feed on.

The week before, a caravan of us bartenders and event workers traveled to Raleigh to provide backup at J. Cole’s Dreamville Festival. Sixteen hours of directing traffic and putting out fires is intensely tiring, but fun all the same.

Chad, a recent import from Chicago, is bartending tonight. Tomorrow, I will see him again, organizing a showing of the Dick Van Dyke masterpiece Chitty Chitty Bang Bang as I set up the bar. If anything, Chitty Chitty Bang Bang gave me night terrors as a kid. Good to see the terror being passed to today’s unsuspecting youth. I’d serve beer and watch future therapy bills increase. Something about that car, man.

Fred and I mingle a bit, see some Winston-Salem regulars, speak to some filmmakers and festival organizers, take advantage of the food and drink, and enjoy the space. But the whole time, an undercurrent of anxiety is consuming me. I’m not used to attending these things, mostly just working them. The whole time I’m gracious, appreciative and certainly don’t avoid conversation, but every plate or glass left on a table I want (need) to pick up and take to a dish bin.

I want (need) to ask if the director I’m chatting up wants (needs) another drink. I look at the time and wonder what the clean-up over/under is. Two hours, tops. Two-and-a-half if there’s no dishwasher. I overtip the bar, even though the drinks are free. I feel like a big faker. “HA! Joke’s on you, I should be SERVING you tonight! I’M A FRAUD, I’M NOT ONE OF YOU!” My mind goes terrible places when I let it.

Fred vanishes, so I figure that’s my cue. I also respect and utilize the Irish Goodbye, so I voicelessly excuse myself and begin the trek back to my car on Trade Street.

The night’s pleasant, and I stroll with no real timeframe. I pass bars and restaurants, couples on their way to this or that. Laughter and music echo down the streets. I wander

by Millennium Center and see a huge, well-dressed party through the tall windows. A bartender I know, Michael, is slinging cocktails as fast as he can. I know that game, too.

I end up at a familiar bar that’s not too busy yet. Not quite ready to go home, I sidle up next to a woman wearing the familiar black pants and white shirt that all servers recognize. The High Point Furniture Market is wrapping up the week’s festivities, and she’s just returned from working that night’s event. The ever-present shot of Fernet Branca and $2 Tecate are being contemplated in front of her. The bartender turns to me.

“I’ll have what she’s having.”

Sixteen hours of directing traffic and putting out fires is tiring, but fun all the same.

FOOD+DRINK

Friday night in Event Town

Interested in Triad City Bites? Call Brian at 336.681.0704 to find out more.