Harper Hill Commons Shopping Center
4926 Country Club Road • Winston-Salem, NC 27104
336.529.6230
MacAndNellisWS.com
The life of a restaurant reviewer is… well, what can I say? It’s awesome. And when I had the opportunity to review Winston-Salem’s own Mac & Nelli’s for the January issue, I was super excited! After all – great food, great atmosphere, and a diverse menu for the whole family! What’s not to love?! When we arrived, we met our server, Tamas, and the kitchen manager, Anthony. As I listened to Anthony go through the list of what we would be sampling, I was very happy that I’d arrived hungry.
We started with a Caprese Flatbread. Y’all – Mac & Nelli’s has amazing flatbread pizzas. Historically, I’ve always gone for the Apple Bacon Brie because I love the savory and sweet combo on a crispy crust, but the Caprese was a huge hit at our table. You really can’t go wrong with fresh mozzarella, tomatoes, and basil – but when you serve them up on Mac & Nelli’s signature crispy crust with a drizzle of balsamic glaze… Yeah, you just find that counting carbs no longer matters. Ah. Maz. Ing.
We also sampled Mac & Nelli’s signature Buffalo Wings. You may already know that Mac & Nelli’s is known for their wings. With weekly 35 cent wing nights on Monday – word about a good thing gets out. But I hadn’t had a chance to try them myself. Meaty and flavorful! You’ll go through a stack of napkins with these things, but isn’t that part of the fun when it comes to eating wings?
The temptation to try the Giant Pretzel was too great to ignore. And it was everything we hoped for and more. Creatively served on a hook with two dipping sauces – a Queso cheese dip and a Brown Sugar Mustard. Both worked beautifully with the warm pretzel bread.
Next, our server brought out a Spinach Salad with Grilled Salmon. I later had to do a drive around the parking lot to see where they were hiding the garden. The spinach was so fresh; you’d swear they just picked it! A generous portion of spinach was tossed with onions, tomatoes, dried cranberries, candied pecans, and bacon. A serving of Raspberry Vinaigrette was the perfect addition. As mentioned, we had our salad served with a delicious grilled salmon – but chicken is an option, too. This salad is a meal by itself, or it could be shared as a pre-meal salad.
As we waited for our entrees to arrive, we were introduced to two specialty drinks from the bar. First, Cherry Limeade. Two magical words that make a brilliant burst of flavor that is delightful any time of day. But this adult-only version of Cherry Limeade was extra special. Made with grenadine, lime, and sprite – it also had a grown-up splash of pomegranate vodka and triple sec added for a more mature flavor.
And though we hadn’t reached dessert time yet, we also tried the Chocolate Martini(who said chocolate has to wait for the end of the meal?!) Stoli, Kahlua, Bailey’s fresh cream, and Hershey’s syrup. Need I say more? Let’s just say – this drink could be dangerous. Very, very dangerous. But oh, so yummy!
Entrees began to arrive, and up first was one of Mac & Nelli’s most popular dishes – the Shrimp & Grits. It’s a favorite for good reasons. It’s creamy, a great portion size, buttery, and full of fresh shrimp! For the Southern seafood lover – it’s all that’s right and good in the world. Except it’s in a bowl.
I discovered a new favorite with Chicken Piccata. I don’t order chicken at restaurants very often (I don’t know why), but when I sample a dish like this, I know I’ll be ordering it again. The chicken breast is butterflied and panko crusted before being cooked to tender perfection. It’s served over a bed of pasta which is tossed with sautéed spinach. The sauce has a lemony accent that perfectly complements the chicken — an excellent choice.
Y’all know I love a good burger and when the Three Cheese Bacon Burger arrived – I was ready for something good. And oh, yes. Let’s talk about a melted, gooey blend of cheddar, American, and Swiss cheeses and the bacon crossed on the top – well, if X marks the spot, here you go. The Three Cheese Bacon Burger arrived with a side of French Fries. A classic.
It’s never a Rosey’s Review without dessert! We tried three. First – a NY Style Cheesecake with Fresh Strawberries. It’s really hard to beat a creamy serving of traditional cheesecake goodness. But the Turtle Cheesecake was a strong contender. The mix of chocolate and caramel with cheesecake and graham cracker crust? This is the dessert you break your diet for.
We wrapped up our meal with a Cookie Skillet. And I have to admit it – it was my favorite. We almost ended up in a spoon war of epic proportions as my dinner mates and I all dived into a warm, gooey, chocolate chip cookie topped with vanilla ice cream. It is designed to share, but honestly – I wouldn’t judge you if you didn’t.
That wrapped up our evening at Mac & Nelli’s! We had a wonderful time! The service was wonderful, and the food was excellent! I can’t wait to go back! Maybe I’ll see you there. If I miss you though, be sure to tell them that Rosey sent ya!
