Foothills Brewing
638 West Fourth Street, Winston-Salem • (336) 777-3348
Sunday – Tuesday: 11 AM – 12 AM • Wednesday – Saturday: 11 AM – 2 AM
Footnote Coffee & Cocktail
634 4th Street Ste. #120, Winston-Salem • (336) 602-1087
Monday – Thursday: 8 AM – 10 PM • Friday – Saturday: 8 AM – 11 PM • Sunday: 9 AM – 6 PM
Okay, so this month was a first! A TWO-VENUE Rosey’s Review! And it was crazy awesome! We reviewed sister-locations, Foothills Brewing and Footnote Coffee & Cocktail. Sure, they are next door to each other, but they technically have different addresses, so we’re marking this one as a two-for-one experience! Plus – it was one of my favorite kinds of reviews – a preview of a new menu! Y’all, I love it when we’re invited to preview a menu. Besides the prestige of being the first to try great new food, it just makes me feel all warm and special. Foothills may be known for their beer – but the food should never take second stage! Extraordinary cuisine in a great, casual atmosphere!
Before we get started, let me tell you that Foothills Brewing Chef Shane Moore takes the whole “scratch made” attitude very seriously. Everything – and I mean everything – is scratch made. They even make their own ketchup and mustard! That’s a major commitment to excellence!
Let’s get started! First up, let me tell you about the prettiest salad I’ve ever seen. The Fresh Berry Saladwas a vibrant bed of gorgeous greens topped with fresh berries – including raspberries (yum!), blueberries (yummy!), strawberries (yummier!), and blackberries (my favs!). The dressing on this salad was the real showstopper, though – Basil Vinaigrette. Friends, I could have stuck a straw in a bottle of this and drunk it straight. It was that good. I told Chef Shane to call me the moment they start bottling it… they are a brewery after all… surely they have some extra bottles lying around somewhere! This is a brand new menu item, and undoubtedly, it’s going to be popular! Add your choice of protein to the salad to make it a bit heartier for lunch – it would be divine with grilled chicken!
Next up, we tried the new Brunch Bowl. Foothills is creating a brunch menu, and this dish is a hearty addition that any brunch enthusiast is going to love! Forget hash browns – Chef Shane knows what we love! He made this bowl of deliciousness with Tater Tots! Yes! Top those off with some spinach, fried eggs, bacon, and beer cheese – you have a hearty meal that is worthy of the name Brunch.
The Elote Pasta is going to be a crowd-pleaser, for sure! The pasta’s name translates to Mexican Street Corn Pasta and it’s made with corn, chorizo, Parmesan, and a chipotle cream sauce drizzled on top of grilled chicken. It’s a hybrid that boasts elements from both Italian and Mexican cuisine, and the two cultures go together beautifully on this plate! There was a slightly smoky flavor to this, as well as a fantastic spicy kick!
The other new dish we sampled was called The Best Pork Tenderloin Ever. Actually, its real name is Coconut Lime Marinated Pork Tenderloin. This hearty entrée has hints of the tropics, and I absolutely loved the creamy blend of coconut and lime flavors. Served with sautéed Napa cabbage and Jasmine rice, it was a meal that was unique and incredible.
We also sampled a few items from the current menu, including Hickory Smoked Wings. We were looking forward to these as we were intrigued by the cooking method… These wings are smoked, and then flash fried. They are coated with an incredible brown sugar rub that gives just a hint of sweetness to the smoky taste of the wings. I confess that, as much as I like wings, I get really weird about eating meat on the bone. But these wings were so meaty, I didn’t have to worry about that. They were flavorful and delicious!
Shrimp and Grits is, without question, a Southern staple. But honestly, the Foothills version is one of the best. The Grit Cakes would make any Southerner proud. They were creamy and delicious. Topped with the freshest shrimp, the whole dish is covered with a rich and flavorful roasted garlic cream sauce. Divine!
This may be a pub, but the food is anything but pub-grub. However, any self-respecting pub is going to offer its share of burger options. We sampled the Dirty South Burger. Every element of what constitutes a good burger is found here. Bacon. Tomatoes. Cheese. But not just any cheese – pimento cheese is melted on the burger. And pickles… but we’re not talking about plain ‘ole dill pickles. These were fried pickles. And as we all know, there are few things as delicious as fried pickles! De. Licious. Our burger came with a hearty portion of Onion Rings that were light, and not remotely greasy. They were fantastic!
We also tried the Winston Hot Chicken. And when they say “hot chicken,” they mean “HOT chicken.” “Hot” is a bit of an understatement. I don’t say that to deter you, but simply offer a word of caution. If you love spicy – you’re going to love this. I am married to a man who eats jalapenos right off the bush, so he’s going to go nuts over this when I take him to try it. It’s a deep-fried piece of chicken that is tossed in Winston-Salem Hot Sauce. Served with a house-made ranch on a brioche bun, it’s a huge, hearty (and did I mention hot?) meal! Our side for this dish was the Black Bean and Corn Salad, and it was the perfect side. The mild, cool flavors blended beautifully with the chicken.
Desserts rotate at Foothills. For dessert (can you believe we had room?!), we tried the Oreo Cheesecake. This could almost be referred to as a deconstructed cheesecake. It was served in a parfait glass and had a creamy, mousse-like texture. It was very rich and large enough to be shared.
We also tried the Strawberry White Chocolate Ombre Cake. This is the perfect choice for someone who doesn’t want something too sweet. It was a beautiful blend of flavors. Light and not super heavy after a large meal!
After all that – we rolled over, I mean walked over to Footnote for our after-dinner review. As a coffee aficionado, it didn’t matter that I was full up to my gills with food – I was going to try some coffee. Especially when those coffee beans are locally roasted by Footnote! It’s responsibly sourced and roasted. Technically, we can’t say that a Footnote’s cup of joe is named for the head roaster, but his name really is Joe. That should count for something in my book! I tried a cup of the Cameroon Java. It’s coffee with hints of chocolate, y’all so I was in coffee heaven. Freshly ground, perfectly roasted, perfectly brewed, and totally fresh. Check off all the boxes of exactly what a great cup of coffee is supposed to be! Plus – it’s right beside of BookMarks. Coffee. And books. It’s basically my version of Disney World.
Since we were there, we also tried the Big ‘Ole Cookie. Or as Marketing Director Ray Goodrich more accurately describes it, the “Cookie the Size of Your Head.” It’s seriously a huge cookie, but the good news for dieters – this is the kind of cookie you want to have in hand when you say, “But I’m only going to have one.” Nom nom nom!
And thus concludes a fabulous Rosey experience! We had a great time at Foothills! The food is exceptional, and the staff is unparalleled! Go! Try their new menu for yourself! And if Chef Shane doesn’t start bottling Basil Vinaigrette by summer, I’ll start the online petition. Until then, be sure to tell them that Rosey sent ya!
