CENTURY OLD HOT DOG STAND

After having driven by JS Pulliams on a daily basis for over a year, I decided it was time to find out what I could about how they came to be.  Also prompting this interview was the fact that they were mentioned on WXII News 12’s website as one of the top 10 places to see in North Carolina.  The building that houses Pulliams and their famous hot dogs looks like an old train depot from a small rural town.

Pulliams originally opened in Winston Salem back in 1910 near the old fairgrounds.  They moved to their current location in 1938 when the builder of the building, Mr. Cox, held an auction to sell it. As the story was told to me by the owner Mark Flynt, there were only two bidders and when one of them found out that he was bidding against John Pulliam, he pulled his hat out of the ring. It kind of makes you wonder what John was like and why someone did not want to go up against him in a bid for an empty building.  The current owners are the children of Mr. Pulliam’s predecessor Big Ed.  Evidently Big Ed was working part time with Mr. Pulliam and going to school at the same time.  When Ed outgrew the school desks, he decided to quit school and start working full time.  Ed eventually took over the business in 1958.

While talking to Mark, I learned that they are still doing things the way that Mr. Pulliam started them. The recipes are the same and they are still prepared using the old methods.  Pulliam’s specializes in toasted hot dogs and bbq.  Most of the food is still made from scratch, the way it was when NASCAR president Bill France would fly into Smith Reynolds just for a hot dog.  There are also rumors floating around that President Dwight Eisenhower also frequented the hot dog stand.  Pulliams was, is and always will be considered a hot dog stand, due to the fact that there is no place to sit.  They were also recently voted one of the top 3 hot dog’s in the southeast.

So if you are looking for a great hot dog or some excellent BBQ, check out the century old Hot Dog stand on Old Walkertown Rd in Winston Salem.  When you walk in, you will be treated to Mark’s philosophy of “treat your customers like you want to be treated”. There is even an old crocheted sign that says “If you don’t enter with a smile, then take one with you”.

As always, thanks for taking the time to read about the great food joints inNorth Carolina. Remember if you are opening a restaurant or just need some help with the one you own, look no further than The Restaurant Insurance Store.

Happy Eating,

Gina

FORGOTTEN FAVORITE IN OLD SALEM

For those of us who have ever had an out of town guest, a stop in Old Salem is a must.  But like a myopic giant, so many of us locals may have overlooked a real dining gem right under our noses. .  Old Salem Tavern manager Scott Hamilton says that they get plenty of foot traffic from tourists, but it is the locals that he would like to see more of. This must see of the local Winston Salem tourist attractions is in a building built in 1816.  The latest restoration was completed in 1969 and the current owner Gail Winston purchased the tavern in 1984. Originally operated by the Moravian Church, the Old Salem Tavern was a favorite of travelers along North Carolina’s back country roads.

The tavern features six small dining rooms with wide planked floors and welcoming hearths.  Each room also offers the quaint feeling of days gone by with candles on rustic wooden tables.  While the tavern keeps to the theme of Old Salem with their costumed servers, their menu offerings are anything but traditional. Their chef John Dreschler takes pride in offering a dinner menu that goes from southern to Asian.  When asked about their most well known and well loved meal, the answer was the Moravian Chicken Pie.

If you are looking for something to do locally on a weekend or even during the week, why not visit Old Salem and stop in at the Old Salem tavern for a chicken pie. If the weather is nice, you can sit out on the back patio where in the Spring and Summer, the wisteria arbor offers aromatic smells and beautiful colors.

This is not the only property in owner Gail Winston’s quiver. Gail also runs the River House in Ashe County. This bed and breakfast is on the banks of the New River and was originally owned by a local doctor.  All of the property has been converted into rooms, including the chicken coop.  All rooms offer whirlpools and outside reservations are accepted for dinner.

So if you are in Old Salem and find your stomach rumbling or  you find your self wanting a weekend getaway contact The Old Salem Tavern or the River House (near West Jefferson NC).

Remember if you are looking for the best in restaurant insurance, look no further than Clinard Insurance

As always thanks for taking the time to visit my blog.  Check back frequently as I continue to let you know about great places to eat all across North Carolina.

Gina

 

 

NEW FLAVOR COMES TO WINSTON SALEM

After my several month haitus, this blog feels like the first one all over again.  My journey this time has taken me to a bistro in the Historic Railroad Building near Old Salem and the Children’s Museum in Winston Salem, NC.  Today I got to sit down with Will Kingery, the owner of a great place called Willow’s Bistro.  I was turned on to this quaint restaurant by my employer and his wife who have enjoyed fabulous meals there and love the outdoor dining on the veranda.

Will has been in the restaurant business for over 15 years but the name for the restaurant came from Will’s senior project at Guilford Tech.  He had to build (on paper) a restaurant from the beginning and the name chosen for his imaginary restaurant was Willow’s Bistro.  Not only did the name come from his senior project but the location itself came from a kitchen remodel that he had done for the previous owner.  Will actually handled the remodel of this location himself and so, when he took over as owner, the restaurant was basically a turnkey deal for him and he had very little renovations to do.  One of the biggest obstacles was agreeing on the current paint color. Will wanted to paint the walls red, and his partner thought that would be too much, so they settled for a nice shade of pumpkin which lends soft welcoming warmth to the interior. Will however did get his splash of red in the pendant lights hanging from the industrial ceiling.

Will’s goals for the bistro, which opened on June 7^th, 2010 are to reach diners that have a creative side to their appetites. He does that by offering unique dishes such as the homemade hummus which is changed daily and fresh homemade desserts.  He cares about the food that he is serving and wants his clientele to care about the food that they are being served.  This is why he goes to great lengths to purchase as much locally grown product as possible including coffee from a little place I previously wrote about called Café Roche Coffeehouse.  One great example of this is with his daily features, instead of “clearing the kitchen” for them, he will contact his suppliers and see what they have fresh.  So the snapper that was caught today would become the feature for this evening.  Will did mention that his goal for the menu is to keep up with the changing of the seasons.

All this fresh food is prepared in an open concept kitchen which you can see while sitting at the bar.  One thing you might notice is missing is a microwave.  Will doesn’t believe in using one and did not allow one in his kitchen.

As for opening his own restaurant, Will says the most difficult thing was finding the financing.  This also carries over to his advice for anyone wanting to start their own business. “have a financial cushion” is his one big piece of advice.  The other advice is to care about what you are doing, never become content and always expect continuous change.  When you talk to Will, and you will if you visit Willow’s, you can see the great joy he receives from being the owner.  While we were talking, he kept a continual eye on the patrons and the kitchen, at one point he even got up and went to talk to customers. This welcoming attitude from the owner has definitely carried itself over to the restaurant as a whole.  When you walk in you feel an instant warmth and relaxation. Like this is a place where you can sit and visit with old friends or meet new ones. His next project is to create a concept sports bar that will also have an offering of as many fresh foods as he can find. 

One last thing that Will wanted me to include in this blog was the thanks that he wants to give to his staff.  He says that he could never have done this without them and that the good team he has assembled is what makes for a successful restaurant.

So if you find yourself visiting the Children’s’ Museum, Old Salem, or if you just want a great, downtown dining experience,  stop by Willow’s Bistro.  You can find a listing of their standard menu items as well as their alcohol choices on their website www.willowsbistro.net, or follow them on Facebook.  After you dine at Willow’s, you will probably find yourself wanting to find Will’s professor that required he start this project on paper just to say thanks. 

Remember,  if you are looking for great advice on your own restaurant, please visit The Restaurant Insurance Store. 

As always, thanks for taking the time to visit my blog. I will continue to feed you information about great places to eat in North and South Carolina.

Gina

Update

Wow what an end to the year 2010. Due to some missing staff members at work, I was unable to conduct any interviews or write any blogs in the last 3 months. Now that we are back to a full staff, I hope that those who are reading this will accept my deepest apologies for the lack of current content.

However, I am back to scheduling interviews and should have a new blog posted within the next week. So hang in there and watch for new and exciting information about all the best local restaurants.

Happy eating.

Gina

 

Where Lunch Never Ends

For those who have been in Winston Salem for years, you may be familiar with the subject of this week’s restaurant news, West End Café.   I recently spoke with Rob Shay, one of the owners of West End Café in downtown Winston Salem.  And just to give you some perspective, West End Cafe originally opened 30 years ago.

When the West End Café first opened, it seated only 30 people. Not a lot by today’s standards but more than enough for the restaurant’s original owners Jason & Mary.  They were ready to get out of the restaurant business and decided to place an ad in the classifieds of the local paper. That ad is what brought Rob to this established business.  In 1997 Rob and his partners David and Stacey moved to their current location which overlooks Grace Court. When I asked Rob why he chose that location, he replied, “Because the view will never change”. And what a view it is.  Grace Court Park is teeming with beautiful flowers almost all year long.  If the view of the park is not enough then you can sit outside of the restaurant and gaze into a large koi pond.   This pond has served to keep customers occupied while waiting for a table, and frankly is just irresistible entertainment for the children in your group.

The move to their current location also expanded their seating form the original 30 people to 100 today.  Rob says that the transition from old to new was one of the most difficult things he has encountered while owning West End.  The first week of that transition ended with a grill fire that while not funny at the time, Rob chalks it up now to just another day.  Rob started out in the ‘business” bussing tables and has done just about everything involved in a restaurant since then.  When I asked if that list  includes being a waiter, he hesitated then said yes, but he only did that kind of work for a short time.  I asked why a short time and he told me a story about how he as a waiter had gotten distracted and almost forgot to take food to a customer. Fortunately that was the last time he forgot the food. Today you can find him handling a lot of the behind the scenes work but he still makes time for the front of the house.

The front of the house offers a welcoming and relaxing atmosphere where you can dine on the “Rob’s choice salad” and a variety of other items including but not limited to salads, sandwiches, “west end” burgers and more. If you are there in the evening be sure to check for their dinner specials which start at 5pm.

Should you find yourself in downtown and not sure where to dine, visit the West End Café and their koi pond They are open Mon-Friday from 11a-10p and Saturday from 12 noon to 10p.

Are you looking to start or grow your own restaurant business? Visit Clinard Insurance for lots of helpful tips.

As always, thanks for taking the time to visit my blog. I will continue to feed you information about great places to eat in North and South Carolina.

Gina

The Coast comes to Clemmons

As you may or may not know, there is an oyster bar in Clemmons that has gotten rave reviews and been open since July 4^th weekend, 2003.  This past week, I had the opportunity to speak to Rob Fox who with the owner’s son Rob Russell manages the Full Moon Oyster Bar. The actual owner is Randy Russell.  Randy and 4 of his friends are avid anglers with a love of seafood.

Randy’s drive behind opening the bar was that he and his 4 friends wanted an old fashioned coastal style oyster steam house closer to his home in Lewisville. He travelled up and down the East coast exploring and asking questions about what it would take to make a successful oyster steam house. The result is a bar that seats 50 and an interior designed to make you think you are at the coast (any coast). There are no tables, so as with most bars, by the end of your meal you have met the person next to you who may turn into a friend. The motto of the bar is “Come as a stranger and leave as a friend”.

Rob says that opening the restaurant turned into a Labor of Love due to all of the hands that came forward to pitch in with building the interior of the bar.  By the time they put the open sign up there were people lined up ready willing and able to eat. Rob calls that time a “honeymoon” period. 

One thing that stands out to the patrons is the freshness of the seafood. Rob says that most of the food hits the table within 36 hours of it being caught. Some of that comes from the owner also owning the Big Tuna seafood Company right here in Winston. That wholesale company was born of necessity when Randy wanted more control over what he was getting. The 125 restaurants it serves get the best of the best in their choices of fresh seafood from around the globe.  At the Oyster bar, besides the fresh seafood, you can also enjoy steak & chicken.  The most often asked for meal is the Full Moon Entrée, which has a dose of just about everything and will satisfy the hunger of 2 people.

Rob and I also talked about the customers that come in. When you visit, you could be seated next to families with visiting relatives or business associates conducting meetings. That diversity makes for an enjoyable and welcoming experience for all.

The Full Moon Bar is open to have franchises but according to Rob it will take blood sweat and tears to make it successful. Part of that success comes from having a staff of “shuckers” who are friendly, and full of personality. Evidently some of them even have their own following.

If you have a love of seafood or just want to expand your taste buds, visit the Full Moon Oyster Bar in Clemmons, North Carolina. Rob and his team will make it a memorable experience. The restaurant is located at 1473 River Ridge Dr., Clemmons, NC. The phone number is (336)-712-8200. They are open at 4pm every day with varied closing times.

If you are looking to start your own seafood place or any other restaurant, visiting the website: TheRestaurantInsurancestore.com just makes sense.

As always, thanks for reading and I will continue to feed you the great places to eat in North and South Carolina

Gina

Ardmore Area Treasure

Meet Justin and Sarah Hummell, current owners of the Café Roche Coffeehouse, formerly Roche Coffee.  Justin and Sarah hail from Buffalo New York, where Sarah at the young age of 16 started working in her first coffee shop.

Her employer at the time believed in knowing your coffee and was known to travel the globe to learn as much as she could about coffee from the “crop to the cup”.  Sarah tells me that she and her fellow workers were subjected to weekly written tests and demonstrations on the proper way to prepare the various kinds of coffee drinks.  After she had been there about 6 months, Sarah says she had an epiphany, while wiping down tables, that she “could totally do this”, meaning own a coffee shop.  So she picked a college that would help her achieve that goal. During her years at college and the first jobs after college, she knew she was on a great path but felt that there was something missing.  That something ended up coming in the form of Roche Coffee house in the Ardmore area of Winston Salem.

Her husband Justin had been transferred to Winston and was just waiting for Sarah to join him when he had a meeting at the local coffee shop.  Justin talked to the owner about what it would take to open their own shop. Imagine his surprise when Mr. Roche told him “why don’t you just buy this one”. Justin immediately called Sarah who in disbelief hung up on him twice; then she took the next flight here.  They bought the business and reopened under the name Café Roche on June 1, 2008. Sarah says the biggest obstacle they face with taking over ownership was gaining the respect of the previous owners loyal customers. Most thought that Sarah at 26 was just too young to know how to run a business much less know anything about coffee.  In time she gained their respect and most have continued their patronage.

Sarah loves what she is doing and that shows in her knowledge of coffee and the pride she has taken in the décor of the coffeehouse.  Sarah, like her mentor has travelled all over and drags Justin into every coffee shop she sees.  Café Roche offers many varieties of coffee and she is proud to say that all offered are either direct-trade or fair-trade certified brands.  Upon entering the door you are welcomed by the warm colors and the fabulous smells.  There is quirkiness to the place which makes it totally welcoming.  For all those who never thought they could be Barbie or Ken, here all it takes is using the restroom, the doors of which are labeled “Barbie & Ken”.  You have to admit that is an inventive and unique spin on the old standards.  In the back of the house, there is a small lounge with comfortable seating and starting December 2, 2010 they will be offering open acoustic nights on Thursdays.

So if you want to get your “fix” or have Sarah whip you up something you have never tried, I would suggest visiting Café Roche Coffee house which can be found at 1316 Hawthorne Rd in Winston Salem.  While it is a great idea to support local shops, Café Roche makes that easier to do by their philosophy on giving back to the community.  Sarah tells me that she is not one to decline a request for donations when asked.  The most recent recipients of their generosity were Operation Sweet Tooth and Habitat for Humanity.

Visit the Café Roche Facebook page and their website for all the latest items on their menus.  Remember for all your restaurant questions; check out Clinard Insurance’s The restaurant Insurance Store.

As always, thanks for taking the time to visit. I will continue to feed you information about great places to eat and drink in North and South Carolina.

Gina

Smoke on the Square

What better name for this blog than the name of the restaurant that will be featured. I tried to think of an actual title, but this seemed to flow.  Once again we are visiting the Shelby area where it is evident that my readers down there have a wealth of great places to dine.

Smoke on the Square appropriately enough is in the location of the original Shelby firehouse. That firehouse which was built in 1909 also housed the first A&P and was the first location of the city council for Shelby.  Thomas Tessneer and his business partner father honor those that have come before them with a mural painted by Gaffney, NC artist Shane White, which depicts the town as it used to be with the landscape to reflect the current efforts to revitalize the uptown area. Thomas a native of Patterson Springs comes to the restaurant business with a wealth of knowledge, experience and a bit of pride in his hometown.  He started out about 15 years ago doing chili contests and is a member of the Kansas City BBQ society.  In 2007 his Mountain Magic BBQ ranked 32^nd out of over 8000 teams at the annual Jack Daniels barbecue world championship in Lynchburg, TN. Most recently he claimed the coveted 1^st prizes, at the local Hog Happenin, individually in the meat, stew/gumbo & seafood categories.  His main reason for opening his restaurant according to him was simply because he loves it. 

According to Thomas, what drives him to make this endeavor successful is the desire to bring “life back to uptown, in his hometown”. He is making his mark doing this by buying as much locally grown and harvested food as he can. He scours local farmers markets looking for the freshest and best ingredients.  Those ingredients are what make menu items like his grilled shrimp and grits a hit with anyone who tries them.  

We talked about his childhood friend Clayton Wilkinson taking over as head chef in February when he graduates from culinary school.  Clayton currently works in the kitchen at Smoke on the Square but is looking forward to the promotion.  When this transition happens, they will still be offering their award winning low country cuisine and steakhouse fare.  One thing I found out during this conversation was that Thomas and his staff only uses steaks that have been aged for 29 days. 

Thomas’ advice for new business owners is to do it only if “your heart is in it”.  Having that heart made dealing with the local politics very much worth it.  His biggest headache before opening on November 17, 2009 was getting all the required permits (i.e. city, fire, etc). 

So if you are looking to dine out in an upscale atmosphere that is family friendly try out Smoke on the Square where you can also book his private party room which features seating for 40 and boasts a big screen television. You can also try his catering business which offers features like a sauté station, ice sculptures, fruit carvings, etc.   If for nothing else visit Thomas and his staff because they are helping to revitalize the uptown area and are proud to do so.

The website for the restaurant is www.smokeonthesquare.com.  The physical address is: 5 East Marion Street, Shelby, NC 28150 (704) 406-9246().  They can also be found on the Clinard Insurance partners Page and on Facebook. 

One last thing, if you are in the restaurant business and could use help growing your business or have general insurance questions, visit the restaurant guide at Clinard Insurance | The Restaurant Insurance Store. 

As always, thanks for taking the time to visit. I will continue to feed you information about great places to eat in North and South Carolina

Gina

AWARD WINNING BBQ IN CLEVELAND COUNTY

What started out as a hobby for North Carolina native Eric Pardo of Big E’s Barbq, has turned into a thriving catering business and restaurant.  While working as an electrician full time and cooking barbecue for family and friends, Eric started his part-time catering business. According to Eric, “more people tried it and liked it” and that started him experimenting with seasoning and flavors. As the catering was growing, he would receive orders on Thursday, cook all day on Friday and make deliveries on Saturday, still working as an electrician the rest of the week. Eric told me that he enjoyed the catering so much that he decided to go with that full time and started thinking about opening his own restaurant.

The site for the restaurant is an old Burger King close to I-85 in Kings Mountain, North Carolina. While the bare bones were there for a restaurant, Eric had plenty of choices to make when it came to setting up the kitchen. Keep in mind that he was running a catering business at the same time. Everything came together and he was able to open in June of 2009.

Prior to opening his restaurant, he entered the Gastonia Cook off in 2008 and won the Blue Ribbon for his barbecue pork, also that same year he took home 1^st prize for his ribs at a cook off in Lincolnton. He tells me that the secret to a great barbecue is the seasoning. He makes 6 to 9 gallons of his own sauce everyday and serves it with just about everything on his menu. He also makes his own coleslaw and several other dishes.

When asked what has surprised him the most, he replied the success of his steaks. He says “they are really starting to take off”. Along with those mouth watering steaks, you can find brisket, pulled/chopped/sliced bbq, homemade mac n cheese, fresh cut French fries, bakes beans and many other southern bbq favorites.

On the catering side of the business, he stays booked about 1 month in advance and can cater anything from 10 to 1000 people. He recently catered a barbecue for the Cleveland County employees of which there were about 900 people.

So if you are driving through Kings Mountain, live in the area, or if you need to have an event catered, check out Big E’s Barbq for mouth watering, prize winning barbecue.  His website is www.bigebarbq.com .  You can also find him on Facebook @ http://www.facebook.com/group.php?gid=61725467947

Are you looking to start or grow your own restaurant business? Visit Clinard Insurance for lots of helpful tips. As always, thanks for taking the time to visit my blog. I will continue to feed you information about great places to eat in North and South Carolina

Comfort food at its best

Are you looking for a great place for breakfast or lunch in the Charlotte area. Why not try Carolina Family Restaurant. This is a family owned and operated business that has been open since 1976.  For this interview I talked to the daughter of the original owner, Maria Kotrotsios.  Her dad opened the restaurant in 1976 after working his way up the restaurant chain since his arrival in America at age 13. Maria’s dad began his career working for his uncle’s restaurant doing the dishes and busing tables.

Carolina Family Restaurant was not the first for this Greek native. When he was forced to close the second restaurant after a lease ran out, he purchased a prime airport location for his newest endeavor. Maria and her brother have worked in this new restaurant from the time they started school.  Maria left briefly to attend school to become a paralegal, however her passion for food kept bringing her back. And in her words she would never consider leaving. You can just feel the family pride when she talks about this place. She has two children and in 20 years you may find them working the tables, grill or any other job. 

This family style restaurant offers a variety of good old American comfort food but their specialties are their club sandwiches, homemade soups and just about anything  on their breakfast menu. The daily breakfast special is 2 eggs, bacon and toast for only $3.99. Due to their location 4 minutes from the Charlotte airport, I can’t think of a better place to spend some time before jetting off to other parts of the country or for starting your day off on the right foot.  

When I asked Maria about their customers, she said that people who were coming in when she was a child are now bringing in their children and grandchildren.  Those same customers are the reason that they need no advertising. Word of mouth keeps them busy. I would guess so when even the airport cab drivers are recommending them to their fares.  They get plenty of business from the airport employees themselves, even the commissioner of the airport has stopped in. And for you music fans out there, here’s a bit of trivia: Hootie and the Blowfish popped in while in town for a concert. 

Carolina Family Restaurant is open Monday thru Friday 6am -3:30pm and on Saturday from 6am – 2pm. So again if you find yourselves with time on your hands while waiting to catch a plane or time to kill during flight delays, pop on over and meet Maria, her husband and her brother. You won’t be disappointed and may find yourself with a new favorite.  You can follow what is going on at the restaurant on their facebook page  http://www.facebook.com/home.php?#!/pages/Charlotte-NC/Carolina-Family-Restaurant/112347945447921.

As always thanks for taking the time to visit my blog.  Check back frequently as I continue to blog about great places to eat all across North Carolina.