Belle's Bites

By: Laura Giovanelli | Winston-Salem Journal
Published: October 15, 2009

Caribbean Restaurant

1345 Lockland Ave.

Phone: 722-9001. $$. ABC. S/NS.

Family cooking from Puerto Rico, the Dominican Republic and Cuba includes ropa vieja (Cuban beef stew), paella, ceviche, mahi-mahi in coconut milk, flan and tres leches cake.

Century Kitchen

2133 Flint Hill Road, East Bend.

Phone: 336-699-4455. $$$$. NS.

Some delicious choices -- mole-braised pork tenderloin, scallops with seasame bok choy -- among the safe offerings of filet mignon and salmon at the resident restaurant of the Flint Hill Vineyards. Small, changing menu.

Diamondback Grill

751 N. Avalon Road.

Phone: 722-0006. $$$. ABC. S/NS.

A sports bar, a seafood restaurant and a spiffed-up diner all in one. Food to-go and daily drink specials.

Liberty Oak

100-D W. Washington St., Greensboro

Phone: 273-7057. $$-$$$. ABC. S/NS.

I wish there were a Liberty Oak in Winston-Salem. It's a dream of a neighborhood restaurant, with soulful blue-plate specials and creative comfort food. The soups are usually good, such as a gingery sweet potato.

Ollie's Bakery

300 S. Marshall St.

Phone: 727-0404. $. NS.

Does Ollie's technically count as a restaurant? No. Does it mean you shouldn't go there and try every type of deliciously crafted foccacia, pain au chocolat, bread, broiche, bun, brownie, cookie, cake and tart possible? No.

West End Cafe

926 W. Fourth St.

Phone: 723-4774. $$. ABC. S/NS.

Lunch is king at this neighborhood café, and you can get the same salads, sandwiches and burgers at dinner, but consider the more adventuresome dinner specials, such as cedar-roasted ostrich and sautéed trout over a blue-crab corn cake.

Zevely House

901 W. Fourth St.

Phone: 725-6666. $$$. ABC. S/NS.
A landmark. A mix of classic French -- escargots, steak au poivre -- and Winston-Salem. The nicest place around to eat outside if the weather is good. Listen to the specials -- they are often seasonal and more delicious than some of the standbys.

Sweet Potatoes

529 N. Trade St.

Phone: 727-4844. $$. ABC. NS (except at bar).

Sultry Southern cooking in downtown's Arts District. Jazz, lazy ceiling fans, fried okra and green tomatoes, and sweet potato everything.