July 2008

Smitty’s Notes First Annual “Best of Winston-Salem” Awards

Welcome to Smitty’s Notes Best of Winston-Salem awards, where we gauged who has the best of what we like and appreciated about our fair city, and add to our general quality of life here as recommended by you – Smittyheads!

Votes we compiled by a survey passed around to those on the Smitty’s Notes e-newsletter listserv and posted on the SmittysNotes.com web site during the month of June. Although not a scientific polling, but due to the great response, we can say it is a good sampling of what businesses, people and place you like about Winston-Salem. Remarkably, there were few attempts of ballot stuffing that occurred, but some e-mail “lobby” for your favorites among friends. Yes, we knew how to track those. However, did not sway the voting in any category.

The voting tabulation for each category each had a Winner (clear choice) Runner Up (highest second choice) Honorable Mention (enough votes to get noticed) and; where applicable, Best Quote (a comment worth noting or too hilarious it deserved a mention) and Smitty Comment (if I felt like putting my two cents in). In compiling the list, some “obvious” categories were missed by our crack team. However, we felt adding a special “Honorable Choice” at the end will give them their due, if there was a consensus for the category. Their a couple of comments about the length of the survey. However, I ask those - Where would you cut categories that mean something to someone else? Trust me. It could have been longer.

In reading it, I hope you find places and people you've known all about for a while, found lesser-known highlights in the city and like myself, plan to visit (or even meet) some of the places and people I didn’t know about and worthy of a look. I hope you find as much joy exploring as Smitty’s Notes did putting together it’s annual “Best of Winston-Salem Contest”

General Comments on this year’s awards or input for “2009 Best of Winston-Salem” Contest.  Email “Best of Winston-Salem Contest Comments”

Bakery

Winner:  Dewey's Bakery

Runner Up: Ollie's Bakery

Honorable Mention:

Best Quote (s): "DEWEY'S -  "The pink lemonade cake squares are the bomb! I can eat 1,000!r"

BBQ

Winner:  Little Richards

Runner Up: Mr. Barbeque

Buffalo wings

Winner:  East Coast Wings

Runner Up: Wild  Wings Cafe

Best Quote (s): “I don't really like wings, there isn't enough meat for me!”

 Breakfast

Winner:  Mary’s Of Course

Runner Up: Midtown Café & Dessert-ery

Best Quote (s): Mary's Of Course - “fantastic , eclectic food and company! What a great way to start the day!”  "This is THE place to be for the fun crowd on Sunday."

Coffee

Winner:  Krankie’s

Runner Up: Starbucks

Honorable Mention: Chelsee’s

Best Quote (s): “Krankies -   "A  little grungy for me, but the coffee's great ” " Brew Nerds has the freshest and best coffee in the galaxy!!!"

Coffee House

Winner:  Krankie’s

Runner Up: Chelsee’s

Best Quote (s):   Krankie's - "it's what the sixties should have been." "Still don't drink coffee"

Bagel

Winner:  Bagel Station

Runner Up: Bruegger's Bagels

Honorable Mention:

Best Quote (s): Bagel Station - "No one else is even close!"  "The shop on Knollwoods or is it the other street. I confuse them sometimes, but you know which one -- the first Bagel shop in Winston - Yum"

Dessert

Winner:  Midtown Cafe and Dessertery

Runner Up: Village Tavern

Best Quote (s): Village Tavern - "That caramel apple ice cream gooey thing...yum"

Ice Cream

Winner: Blue Ridge Ice Cream

Runner Up: Cold Stone Creamery

Best Quote (s): Blue Ridge Ice Cream - "Gotta support the local businesses and this one is WELL worth supporting!"

Hamburger

Winner:  Cook Out

Runner Up: Fuddruckers

Best Quote (s): “The 10$ burger at Milners is so yummy with that pimento cheese - i can't resist”

Hot dog

Winner:  Skippy's

Runner Up: PB's Hotdogs

Honorable Mention:  Pulliam BBQ

Best Quote (s): “PB'S TAKEOUT!!!! Man, I am groovin' for that chili!!!."

Meal under $5

Winner:  K&W Cafeteria

Runner Up: Skippy's

Best Quote (s): :  "Is there really such a thing????"

Italian restaurant

Winner: Vincenzo's

Runner Up: Paul's

Best Quote (s): "Carraba's (as much as it pains me to choose a chain)"

Mexican Restaurant

Winner: Las Estrellas

Runner Up:  Mi Pueblo

Best Quote (s): Las Estrellas - "The family that owns it is fantastic and part of the charm."  La Botana - "rewards exploration, teaches me Mexican geography"

Soul Food

Winner: Sweet Potatoes

Runner Up: Meta's

Honorable Mention: Bell Brother's and Nitty Gitty Soul Food Cafe

Best Quote (s): "My friend Pookie's house (for real) she is the best of the best!!"  Meta's - "If I had had these greens when younger, I, too, would have been Popeye."

Steak

Winner: Ryan's

Runner Up: Twin City Chop House

Best Quote (s): Chop House - "Not as much competition as there should be in this category that's not national chain. I like the select your cut table-side experience." " Filet mignon bought at Fresh Market and cooked yourself"

Chicken

Winner: Mountain Fried Chicken 

Runner Up: Ted's Kickin' Chicken

Best Quote (s): "Mountain Fried Chicken, it's the best!!"  "Milner's fried chicken is a mouthgasum"

Asian restaurant

Winner:  Downtown Thai

Runner Up: Xia Asian Fusion Cuisine

Honorable Mention: Oriental Cafe

Best Quote (s): "Downtown Thai is Fabulous!!"  "Xia's is the best! Beats PF Chang's any day."

Brunch

Winner: Mary's Of Course 

Runner Up: Fourth Street Filling Station

Honorable Mention: Village Tavern

Best Quote (s): Mary's Of Course- "We just wish they served their Eggs Benedict every day rather than just weekends!" Old Fourth Street Filling Station - "On a sunny day, the fruit says to me, "isn't it nice to brunch outdoors?"

Ethnic (Other)

Winner:  Nawab Indian Cuisine

Runner Up: Athena Greek Taverna

Honorable Mention: Turmeric

Best Quote (s): "Nawab's Indian is always good and their staff is friendly and professional." Athena Greek Taverna - "Best traditional Greek food ever!!! Everyone must try this place and support it."

Romantic dinner

Winner: Ryan's Restaurant

Runner Up: Meridian Restaurant

Honorable Mention: Zevely House

Best Quote (s): “Been Married to long to know what that is.” Ryan's - "Something about being in a treehouse in the woods with your girl..." Texas Roadhouse - ."Food is good and atmosphere is not so quiet that if it is a bad date you are not twiddling your thumbs!!!"  'Sixth and Vine - worked for me!!"

Fine dining restaurant

Winner:  Nobles Grille

Runner Up: Meridian Restaurant

Honorable Mention: Milner's

Best Quote (s): Meridian Restaurant - "By far the nicest restaurant in town with the most creative menu and a huge wine selection."

Family friendly restaurant

Winner:  West End Cafe

Runner Up:  The Loop

Honorable Mention: Mellow Mushroom

Best Quote (s): K&W Restaurant - "Everyone can find something they like here. Keep your hands off my baked spaghetti."

Seafood restaurant

Winner:  Jimmy's Seafood and Oyster Bar

Runner Up: Bonefish Grill

Honorable Mention: Seafood Shack (Walkertown)

Best Quote (s):  "I miss the Mayflower."

Late Night Place To Eat

Winner:  Burke Street Pizza

Runner Up: Cook Out

Honorable Mention: Waffle House

Best Quote (s): “I can't stay up late enough to eat at a late night place.”

Pizza Parlor

Winner:  Burke Street Pizza

Runner Up: Mario's Pizza

Honorable Mention:  Mellow Mushroom

Best Quote (s):  "Burke Street -- only thing resembling NY Style Pizza outside of the Northeast" Mario's - the most authentic "New York" style pizza around.

Health food

Winner:  Whole Foods Food Bar

Runner Up: Mary's Of Course

Honorable Mention:  Fresh Market

Best Quote (s): “What??? who eats healthy!”

Guilty pleasure (Food)

Winner:  Krispy Kreme

Honorable Mention: The Filling Stations' Crab Wontons -- TO DIE FOR!; Midtown - chocolate chip pancakes chased with a slice of cake!; Love the Breakfast Burrito and black bean chimi at La Botana; Kernerl Kustard - Carmel popcorn is the best ever! Sea salt & buttered popcorn also good; Fried Ravioli's at Burke Street Pizza~ Just take the grease and the melty ricotta cheese and rub it directly on my thighs! Yummmmmm!; A slice of anything from the Dessertery

Sushi

Winner: Ishi

Runner Up: Ichiban

Honorable Mention: Sakura

Best Quote (s): None – “You mean raw fish? Is that food or bait?”

Vegetarian food

Winner:  Whole Foods Market

Runner Up: Mary's of Course

Honorable Mention: Nawab Indian Cuisine

Best Quote (s): "The Village Tavern has an awesome spaghetti squash dish, I don't know if it's there all the time, but it's soooo good."  "If it don't moo I don't want it."

Wine list

Winner:  Sixth and Vine Wine Bar

Runner Up: Camel City Cafe

Honorable Mention: Meridian Restaurant

Best Quote (s): "Ringo's Drink house in Southside (if you are a patron, you'll know where it is)"

Chef

Winner:  Meridian Restaurant

Runner Up: Milner's

Best Quote (s): "Chef Dan (Meridian) We take the cooking class there and have learned so much from all the great chefs; they are good at what they do and so great with customer care, we wish we could eat there every night!"  "I'm too busy stuffing my face to pay attention to the chef."

Restaurant Service

Winner: Village Tavern 

Runner Up: West End Cafe

Honorable Mention: Fabian's, Milner's

Best Quote (s): West End Cafe - "Wait staff is always entertaining!"

Wait Person (Server)

Winner:  Pamela Lillard - West End Cafe

Runner Up: Shane Ward - Sixth and Vine 

Honorable Mention: West End Staff, Big Shotz Staff"

Annual event/Festival

Winner:  Rock the Block!!

Runner Up: Greek Festival

Honorable Mention: The Dixie Classic Fair!, North Carolina Wine Festival @ Tanglewood,  Salute! The North Carolina Wine Celebration in Downtown Winston; Twin City Ribfest

Tourist attraction

Winner:  Old Salem

Runner Up: Reynolda House and Gardens

Honorable Mention: Shell Station on Sprague Street, RJ Reynolds Building

Best Quote (s): “Old Salem is a real treasure. Not many cities have a historic district like this."

People watching

Winner:  Hanes Mall

Runner Up: Downtown Winston (Fourth Street and The Arts District)

Honorable Mention: The Dixie Classic Fair!; Bowman Gray Stadium on Saturday Night (Racing)

Best Quote (s): Hanes Mall -  "Hands down. It's the melting pot of the Triad." Krankie's - "Some of those hairdo's and getups must take a lot of work to seem so effortless!" "Dixie Classic Fair - "There's nothing like it! Trust me, just sit on a bench, relax and take it all in!"

Park

Winner:  Tanglewood Park

Runner Up: Hanes Park

Honorable Mention: Washington Park

Bike riding

Winner:  Salem Lake

Runner Up: Tanglewood

Honorable Mention: Washington Park

Best Quote (s): Salem Lake - "Well-kept, and appreciated.";   "Only on my stationary bike these days"

Walking trails

Winner:  Salem Lake

Runner Up: Reynolda Gardens

Honorable Mention: Historic Bethabara Park

Place for the pet

Winner:  Washington Park

Runner Up: Historic Bethabara Park

Honorable Mention: Tanglewood

Best Quote (s): “Mine are in aquariums, except for my African tortoise and he only gets out in the backyard :)”

Best View of Winston-Salem

Winner: Piedmont Club

Runner Up: Nissen Building

Honorable Mention: Top of Washington Park (Doune, Main, Broad); South Main towards Downtown; From Broad Street near the Business 40 interchange, you can see the hospital and the downtown skyscrapers; Hwy 52 North near the Waughtown Exit

TV news personality, male (Any Triad Station)

Winner:  Cameron Kent - WXII.

Runner Up: Austin Caviness -  WXII

Honorable Mention: Neill McNeill - Fox 8

Best Quote (s): Cameron Kent - "He seems the most genuine.";  “Austin Caviness - He rules! He is so freakin' jolly, gotta luv him."

TV news personality, female (Any Triad Station)

Winner:  Wanda Starke - WXIII

Runner Up: Cindy Farmer - Fox 8

Honorable Mention:, Jenny Stencil - WXII

Best Quote (s): "Wanda Starke - The most dignified presence on local television"; Jenny Stencil - "I admire her because she is not afraid to offend but also does not make offense her priority."

Radio personality, male (Any Triad Station)

Winner:   Jack Murphy, Murphy in the Morning Show. 107.5 KZL

Runner Up: Two Guys named Chris - Rock 92

Honorable Mention: Jeff Tiberi -  WFDD

Radio personality, female (Any Triad Station)

Winner: Katie O'Brien, Murphy in the Morning Show  - 107.5 KZL

Runner Up: Denise Franklin -  WFDD

Honorable Mention: Deidre James, Two Guys named Chris - Rock 92

Best blog

Winner:  Life in Forsyth by Esbee

Runner Up: alphabitch.org

Honorable Mention: Jennie Stencil's Blog - WXII; http://sarahsouth.blogspot.com; Journalnow Blogs

Local politician (City, County or State Representative)

Winner:  Winston-Salem Mayor Allen Joines

Runner Up: United States Senator Richard Burr, North Carolina (lives in Winston-Salem)

Honorable Mention: Winston-Salem City Council Members  -  Molly Leight and Dan Beese

Smitty Comment: Mayor Joines blew out the competition for a second straight year.  Nobody came even close to him in the voting.  I can't argue with you either ;-)

Tap beer

Winner:  Foothills Brewery

Runner Up: Mellow Mushroom

Honorable Mention: Finnegan's Wake;  1st Street Draught House; Recreation Billiards

Best Quote (s): "Sexual Chocolate - Foothills Brewing Company".

Dive Bar

Winner:  Silver Moon Saloon

Runner Up:  Recreation Billiards

Honorable Mention: Swaim's Grocery; Carilise's;  West End Opera House (WEOH”)

Best Quote (s): "Silver Moon Saloon-- "The real skinny building bar downtown on Trade Street - can't remember the name."

Smitty Comment: I'm all about Dive Bars. Great place to actually sit down and talk to someone. Your choices were right on point. They were also my favorites ;-)

Restaurant Bar

Winner: Sixth and Vine

Runner Up: Village Tavern  (Reynolda Village and Hanes Mall Boulevard)

Honorable Mention:  Big Shotz Tavern;; Hutch and Harris;  Finnegan's Wake; 1st Street Draught House,

Bartender, male (Location)

Winner:  Joe Thomas -  Sixth and Vine Wine Bar

Runner Up: Doug Hawkins - Silver Moon / Mellow Mushroom / The Garage

Honorable Mention: Norm Kirby - Finnagan's Wake, Parker Whitt - Big Shotz (Clemmons); Jeff Pemperton, - New Town Bistro

 Best Quote (s): "I used to be, until I started to be my own best customer.";  "The guy with the moustache at Mellow mushroom who used to work at Silver Moon Saloon and was in Tommygun"

Bartender, female (Location)

Winner:  Amber Marshall, 6th and Vine

Runner Up: Jade Moore - Big Shotz Tavern (Clemmons)

Honorable Mention: Jennifer "Jee" John - Silver Moon Saloon; Michelle Russell - Meridian

Best Quote (s): “I know I suck, because I don't know her name, but it is only because I am always drunk when she tells it to me! The girl with the long hair at Mellow Mushroom though.”

Smitty Comment: Again, we had a lot of "That cutie at...." Or, "The brunette at that bar...." Folks, if you appreciate your bartender, get to know them and learn their name ;-)

Outdoor patio

Winner:  4th St. Filling Station

Runner Up: Village Tavern (Reynolda Village)

Honorable Mention: 6th & Vine Wine Bar, Finnigan's Wake, Christopher’s New Global Cuisine, Zevely House; Big Shotz Tavern (Stratford Rd and Clemmons)

Best Quote (s): “Old Fourth Street Filling Station - a nicer spot for a beverage and conversation with friends is hard to think of..”

Dancing

Winner: The 411 

Runner Up: Club Odyssey

Honorable Mention: Sixth and Vine

Best Quote (s):  “We have dancing in Winston-Salem?";   Wish I had someone to go dancing with"

Smitty Comment: This was a toughie since we lack ongoing dance venues, but you folks worked with what we have ;-)

Pool tables

Winner:  Recreation Billiards

Runner Up: Fox and Hound

Honorable Mention: West End Opera House;

Best Quote (s):  “Rec Room (Plus, they've got Pete)”;  "Aren't most pool tables about equal?"

Live Music venue

Winner:  The Garage

Runner Up: Speakeasy Jazz,

Honorable Mention:  Music in the Streets Series; Sixth and Vine

Best Quote (s): "I miss Ziggy's"

Sports bar

Winner: Fox and Hound

Runner Up: Big Shotz Tavern

Honorable Mention: Buffalo Wild Wings

Best Quote (s): Buffalo Wild Wings on Hanes Mall Blvd. Great place to be to watch a game, have a beer and meet fun people

Best place smoke-free (Establishment)

Winner: West End Cafe

Runner Up: Meridian Restaurant

Honorable Mention: River Birch Lodge, Swaim’s Grocery

Best Quote (s) "In Winston Salem?!"

Best place to meet “date worthy” people

Winner: 6th and Vine

Runner Up: Big Shotz Tavern

Honorable Mention: The  Internet

Best Quote (s): "For septuagenarians? Your'e kidding";  "My husband put a stop to this.";  "My spouse reports that I don't drink enough to answer that. ;)"; "Well there is good women to meet at church or the library, but the best way to meet women is to get in good with their daddy"

Smitty Comment: Y'all are funny. Real funny ;-)

Grocery Store

Winner:  Whole Foods Market

Runner Up: Fresh Market

Honorable Mention: Lowes Foods; Harris Teeter

Best Quote (s): "Whole Foods...excellent gourmet selections and difficult to find ingredients"; "Harris Teeter at Cloverdale - friendliest people around!"

Beer and/or Wine Shop

Winner: City Beverage

Runner Up: Total Wine and More

Honorable Mention: Wine Merchants Gourmet

Best Quote (s): "City Beverage - "Great choices, knowledgeable staff, and community tastings - making friends!";  Total Wine - "Awesome! And the staff are very helpful with their suggestions."

Gifts for relatives and other people you barely know (Shop/Boutique)

Winner: Patina

Runner Up: Pink Mink  

Honorable Mention: Sweetie's, Earthbound Arts, Body and Soul

Shopping Center

Winner: Thruway Center

Runner Up: Hanes Mall

Honorable Mention: Downtown Arts District, Reynolda Village

Day Spa

Winner: Tranquility Salon and Day Spa

Runner Up:  Van Davis Aveda

Honorable Mention: Lamberti's; European Touch

Best Quote (s): "Tranquility for the atmosphere, Van Davis for the quality. Now, if we could only combine the two....";  "I'm a guy."

Bookstore

Winner: Borders Books and Music

Runner Up: Barnes & Nobles

Honorable Mention: Edward McKay

Best Quote (s): "Borders for technology and weirdness, Barnes and Noble for everything else"; "I miss Rainbow News and Cafe. May I just leave it at that...?"

Bargains

Winner: