Belle's Bites

By: Laura Giovanelli | Winston-Salem Journal
Published: May 28, 2009

River Birch Lodge

3324 Robinhood Road.

Phone: 768-1111. $$$. ABC. NS.

Mountain-lodge cuisine comes to suburbia. Venison, cedar-planked salmon, trout ... and brie and huckleberry jam baked in phyllo dough. Also serves weekend brunch.

Mary's Of Course

301 Brookstown Ave.

Phone: 725-5764. $. S/NS.

It's a joy to taste what's on chef and owner Mary Haglund's mind and her specials board: chilled fruit soup, crab cake eggs benedict, vegetarian this and that. Sunday brunch is legendary, but come with the newspaper and be prepared to get in line.

The Old Fourth Street Filling Station

871 W. Fourth St.

Phone: 724-7600. $$. ABC. S/NS.

The best part about this renovated old gas station is that it is a good place to sit in the sun with a glass of wine. Big salads, sandwiches, wraps, pizza, pasta and daily lunch specials.

Undercurrent Restaurant

327 Battleground Ave., Greensboro.

Phone: 336-370-1266. $$$. ABC. NS.

A little French, a little Asian. A sample menu includes pate with blackberry compote and toasted brioche, and roasted chicken with herb and corn pudding.

Ketchie Creek Bakery

844 Valley Road, Mocksville.

Phone: 336-751-9147. $. NS.

For the Martha Stewart-at-heart: At Christmas, this bakery will make you a handmade gingerbread house. Lunch, too.

6th and Vine Wine Bar and Cafe

209 W. Sixth St. Phone: 725-5577. $$$. ABC. S/NS.

Great list of wines by the glass, but I've found them to have an inconsistent dinner menu. Share some appetizers (the garlic shrimp is especially good) with a group along with a bottle of Rioja or Albarino. Or try the bountiful antipasti platter.

Midtown Cafe and Dessertery

151 S. Stratford Road.

Phone: 724-9800. $$. BW/NS.

One style of pancakes? Try more than 10, among them sweet potato and corn meal. You can try them all day long -- breakfast is served here anytime.

O'Brien's Deli

4001-C Country Club Road.

Phone: 765-9722. $. ABC/NS.

One word: Reuben! This is the real-deal New York deli, with egg creams, homemade German potato salad and Carnegie Deli cheesecake.

Christopher's

712 Brookstown Ave.

Phone: 724-1395. $$$-$$$$. NS.

Chef Christopher Fulk has jumped on the creative comfort-food bandwagon. His version includes ribeye with rosemary truffle frites, as well as carryovers from the old menu, such as lobster mac and cheese.

Finnigan's Wake

620 N. Trade St.

Phone: 723-0322. $$-$$$. ABC/S/NS.

Though the service is chronically lackadasicial, the traditional Irish selections here make this a menu to seek out if you're in the mood for unusual, rib-sticking pub food. Brunch is especially good here and the best deal on the menu.