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Willows Bistro’s Chef Travis Myers is Ready to Take on the Competition

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Chef Travis’ entry dish

The Man Who Ate the Town Podcast past-guest, Chef Travis Myers of Willows Bistro, will be competing in the finals of the NC Restaurant and Lodging Association’s (NCRLA) third annual Chef Showdown. He gets that distinction along with Chef Cody Middleton of the Forsyth Country Club.

They both will compete with 19 other chefs Aug. 27 at Aria at Founders Hall in the Bank of America Center in Charlotte.

I’m not sure what Chef Cody prepared to get into the finals but Chef Travis made was Whiskey Chip-Smoked Crispy Duck and “Same Bird” Confit Leg with Celery Root Purée, Foraged Sochan & Serviceberry, Mostarda with Maitake.

The whiskey chips were from Topo Organic Spirits. The duck and celery root were from Harmony Ridge Farms. The Sochan and Serviceberries were from New Appalachia Food which were foraged from around NC. The Serviceberry Mostarda is homemade by Chef Travis made, in part, from Serviceberries, Lusty Monk Mustard and Boots N Bees Honey. And, the maitake mushrooms were from Urban Gourmet Farms.

“I think it’s a great event to showcase farms and local foragers. It’s a whos-who of chefs and restaurateurs statewide. I’m just honored to be part of it. I’ve already met several chefs that I’ve never known before. It’s a great opportunity to meet new folks and get the word out about the farms in NC. We want to move the supply chain from commercial to local,” says Chef Travis.

The finalists are sorted into savory and sweet food categories and are vying for the “Chef of the Year” and “Pastry Chef of the Year” awards. Chef Travis is in the savory category and Chef Cody is in the pastry category. We want to wish both of them much luck in this competition. I think Chef Travis should win, but then again, I’m biased.

Willows Bistro and Wise Man Brewing Making Wonderful Tastes Together

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On Sunday, February 25, Willows Bistro‘s Chef Travis Myers and his fantastic crew and staff provided guests an opportunity to pair their culinary delights with the liquid gold that is Wise Man Brewing‘s beer.

Amuse-Bouche

Chef Travis wanted to showcase the quality of beer that is made here in Winston-Salem and what better way to do that than with one of the top chefs in the area? And, he delivered. He delivered big. What diners were treated with was a ten-course (which turned into around 12 courses) pairing with five Wise Man brews.

There was no one who left out of there not satisfied. I know of no one complaining they didn’t get enough food.

Let’s talk about the courses.

Mountain Calling Beer Cheese

Amuse-Bouche
Starting off the shindig was the pork rinds from Harmony Ridge Farms. Willows do them in-house but the skins come from the hog that they butcher. It’s deep-fried and spiced with scallion ash and micro shungiku from Fair Share Farms. When you bite into it, it’s crispy but then it melts in your mouth – and I mean melts. Delicious.

NC Coconut Shrimp and Beer Battered Onion Rings

Mountain Calling ‘Beer Cheese’ Chowder
Beautiful pancetta, monkfish from Low Country Shellfish, fingerling potatoes, micro ruby streaks and scallion ash from Fair Share Farms and this was paired with the Wise Man Dance in the Sun Kölsch and the Mountain Calling West Coast IPA. The idea was to have both beers and see which one you thought paired better with the dish. The beer cheese chowder was creamy and delicious. The monkfish, which Chef Travis calls the “poor man’s lobster,” was tender and perfectly cooked, it also nicely complemented the salty pancetta. And, since it has been a while since I have written a pairing review, let me state, right off the bat that I love any micro-green that comes from Fair Share Farms. Eliot and Em create tiny green miracles in their greenhouses. I am not the world’s biggest IPA fan so the Dance in the Sun Kölsch wins that contest.

Coconut Fried NC Shrimp & Mountain Calling Beer Battered Onion Rings
Coconut Fried NC Shrimp & Mountain Calling Beer Battered Onion Rings, Dance in the Sun-wasabi aïoli, Plum Granny Farm‘s ginger glaze, NC shrimp powder mad in-house by the Willows folk from all the leftover shells that don’t get used for stocks and other cooking needs (I think that’s clever), topped with orange zest. This too was paired with both the Dance in the Sun and Mountain Calling IPA. Again, the Kölsh wins that battle. I love when chefs take beer and incorporate it into other things like batter for the onion rings (and possibly the shrimp) and creating a wasabi aïoli. I especially like it when it’s done with the beer that you’re tasting. That’s keeping the theme. The shrimp wasn’t overcooked. Chef Travis told the secret to great shrimp during his introductions. He knows what he’s doing.

Crispy Duck

Pork Belly Croquette

Harmony Ridge Farms Crispy Duck
Crispy Duck from Isaac at Harmony Ridge Farms with Alt Acquaintance fermented mustard seeds, Fair Share Farms’ ruby streaks, fermented green tomato from Gnomestead Hollow – pickled and jus vinaigrette, pickled seed powder. This was paired w/ Alt Acquaintance – Altbier from Wise Man. I could have eaten a whole plate of the duck. That was delicious. Duck sometimes can be gamey but these ducks are exercised and allowed to roam the property at Harmony Ridge, it was tender and not at all gamey with a nice crispy shell, done to the perfect temperature. This matched perfectly with the malty Alt Acquaintance. More on that beer later. One of my favorite dishes of the evening.

Harmony Ridge Farms Pork Belly Croquette 
Ever since Stephanie and I spent time in Europe and fell in love with croquettes, we have wanted to try to make our own and we try to eat them anywhere we can find them. This pork belly and smoked risotto version of it was amazing. The risotto was creamy and the pork belly rich in flavor. The pickled mustard seed, confit pearl onion, pot likker, as well as the nasturtium & micro chard from Fair Share Farms were an ideal accompaniment. It was creamy and savory and the onions were very tender, too. This was once again paired w/ Mountain Calling IPA and that made for a fine dish. Another of my faves.

Pickled Okra

Plum Granny Farm Cajun Jewel Pickled Okra
The Cajun Jewel from the great folks at Plum Granny Farms pickled in brine, with extra virgin olive oil from Olinda Olives with micro shungiku from Fair Share Farms. I don’t like okra and I ate every bit of it. So that is telling you something, right?

Roasted Carrots

Roasted Local Carrot Variations
As the name implies, this is a group of roasted local carrot variations. I saw them peeling and prepping them earlier in the day. Take those carrots, roast them and top them with Fair Share Farms’ micro carrot tops, Bertie County Peanuts, red curry, seed oil and Sea Love Sea Salt‘s garlic salt, then shave a bit of Goat Lady Dairy‘s Providence cheese and you have some flavor bursts here.  If you’ve not had Goat Lady Dairy’s Providence, it’s earthy, nutty, creamy and a little bit umami. I can eat that on its own. This course was paired with the Alt Acquaintance and the malty altbier mixed fabulously with that Providence cheese.

Hen Roulade

Joyce Farms Hen Roulade
Hen from Joyce Farms with a Shiitake soubise from Myers Mushroom with Harmony Ridge Farms celery root and Fair Share Farms pea shoots all in a broth made from Miso Master miso and Plum Granny Farms’ ginger. This is paired with Noble Alchemy, Farmhouse/Saison. Rolled and filled hen was earthy and meaty. Doused in the miso-ginger broth, the savory saltiness lends a good dichotomy to the earthiness of the mushrooms and micro greens.

Bone Marrow

Bone Marrow
Southern Food’s bone marrow (in-bone) with Myers Mushrooms’ shiitake mushrooms fried in pork fat from Yellow Wolf Farm, creole-miso aïoli from Miso Master, ponzu, zest, Fair Share Farm’s micro cilantro and Sea Love’s citrus salt. This, too, was paired with Noble Alchemy Farmhouse/Saison. Perhaps the scariest plate of the night. Really, it was just imposing. It was a half bone with the marrow right in there. Chef Travis had us scoop it out with a spoon. This was a bit pasty but that was just how you wanted it. Chef Travis loves charred bread and he highly recommended that you put the marrow on the bread. When you spread it and tasted it, it was kind of like butter. Earthy, umami-like which was very nice with the shiitake. I heard some people around me moaning; that’s how well it was liked. I preferred it without the bread because I don’t like hard bread. It tears up the roof of my mouth. The high malt/low hop profile of the Noble Alchemy was good with the buttery umami of the marrow. I also know that several folks took the bones home to their dogs.

Porchetta

Yellow Wolf Farms Porchetta
Kune Kune Porchetta from Yellow Wolf Farms with Moss Farms‘ Mutsu apple mostarda, Lusty Munk Mustard‘s Original Sin, Mountain Foods‘ butternut squash, golden beet from Harmony Ridge Farms, Fair Share Farms’ micro beet, seed & pancetta powder, apple cider and 3-day pork demi. This was paired with Dancing Problems English Brown from Wise Man. Absolutely my favorite dish of the night. I love porchetta. I love the top cut with the belly rolled up into a delicious bundle just waiting for me to bite into it. And, what goes better with pork but apples and mustard, right? Man, this was the pièce de résistance. The English Brown and its chocolatey maltiness also lent to this dish being so fantastic. That porchetta, though…

Beer Float

Satisfy My Soul Beer Float
Wise Man’s Satisfy My Soul Stout with salted caramel, vanilla ice cream, nuts turtle style! Scott from Wise Man said, “just stir it all up and drink it!” The salted caramel with the salty nuts and this chocolatey stout, well, that’s the beginning of a beautiful friendship. You needed a spoon and then you just chugged it, nuts and all. Rich and creamy but delicious.

Macaroon

The Humblebee German Chocolate Macaroon
The Man Who Ate the Town official sponsor, The Humblebee Shoppe, and our dear friend Brittany McGee, created a magical cookie sandwich with a ganache that makes you say “oh my gosh.” Yeah, that’s cheesy, but it’s true. I can’t tell you or describe in words how good this was. This is paired w/ Alt Acquaintance – Altbier and Satisfy My Soul Stout. Macaroons aren’t easy to make and Brittany is a macaroon maven. I loved both the altbier and the stout but the stout won the contest.

Apple Tart

Apple Tart
In probably the absolute most perfect beer pairing of the night, in my opinion, this apple tart, made with custard, spiced crumb, a variety of apples from Moss Farms and cheddar cheese-laced crust, was paired with the Mountain Calling – West Coast IPA. I know I talk that I don’t really care for IPAs but, wow. In this case, however, the spices and the cheddar cheese were made to marry the flavors in this IPA. I was darn-near stuffed when I had this put in front of me. I am not a fan of apples, either, but the flavors in this dessert popped and popped hard. The porchetta was my favorite dish but this was my favorite pairing. 

The Beer
Wise Man, since arriving on the scene just over a year ago, has taken this town by storm with their flavors and their mastery of the brew. Sam Victory, the head brewer, is the Wizard of Hops if you ask me.

Mountain Calling West Coast IPA – Dry-hopped with a pound and a half per barrel of Citra, this clean and crisp IPA resonates with strong citrus and floral qualities. It’s hoppy but it’s not offensive to the tongue. It’s pretty easy to drink, especially with its pairings (and extra especially with the apple tart). 

Dance In the Sun Kölsch – The Kolsch is a delicate and elegant, crisp and quaffable brew originating in the city of Cologne. A tantalizing touch of sweet apple on the front leads into a light base of German pilsner malt, with Noble Saaz overtones. I love when I can taste “hay” in the beer. That crispness, especially with the apple notes, that’s just splendid and I preferred it with its pairings over the IPA.

Alt Acquaintance Altbier – A rich and clean malt profile is balanced with wonderful German hop character. Toast, nuttiness, and a hint of cherry mark the palate, while a smooth finish concludes this cup of kindness. The nuttiness and hints of cherry were fantastic and, again, paired perfectly with that crispy duck!

Noble Alchemy Saison / Farmhouse Ale – Dry-hopping adds a blast of orange to a rustic base of fruit, herbs, and spice. The beer transcends its roots, awash with gold and nutmeg spice, and presents a mid-palate pop of bubblegum ester, banana, and a dozen other impressions. Low impact but formidable in flavor, nonetheless. Sam and pals did a good job with this one.

Dancing Problems English Brown Ale – Get on the good foot with this Northern English brown ale. Rich mocha and brown sugar slide in with each sip, while almonds and spice linger to dance on your tongue. Put that with the porchetta and you have a dream in your mouth and in your belly!

Satisfy My Soul Stout – A less-attenuative English ale yeast allows the beer to keep a hint of residual sweetness that expresses bready, chocolatey, and lightly roasted notes from the complex malt bill. I think it was like a roasted marshmallow and was perfect with the ice cream float.

Of course, the food offerings were special but you can find culinary delights at Willows Bistro in form of daily specials or even on their everyday menu. You can find them at 300 S Liberty Street.

Wise Man produces beer year-round and their taproom is open 7 days a week.

I highly recommend you try both of them because it will certainly be worth your time.

Thank you to Chef Travis, Chef Brent, Chef Terrell, the rest of the kitchen staff, Lele, Erica, Jamie and, of course, Ryan for all you always do at Willows and thank you Scott for bring the beer to us and making us happy!

The Food Pairing Series: The Willow’s Bistro Bourbon Dinner

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Within a month, we were privy to not one but two amazing bourbon dinners in our little culinary hideaway, Winston-Salem, NC or as we locals like to call it, WSNC. This time we delve into Chef Travis Myers’ bourbon wonderland event at Willow’s Bistro. These drinks and cocktails were from the Jim Beam family of bourbons and the food pairings were right on point, making it a fantastic marriage of goodness. Chef Myers has taken Chef Will Kingery’s vision of Willow’s Bistro and enhanced Will’s baby to blossom into a foodie paradise. Let’s look at this pairing dinner.

Amuse Bouche: Country-Style Cajun Gumbo

Take pork belly mix it 2016-03-17 09.38.34with seafood, scallions and a spicy gumbo broth, toss in a dollop of white rice and what do you have? Yumminess, that’s what. The salty pork with spicy broth was a great marriage of the earthy flavor. Oysters and scallions took the earthy to a lovely place in the sea with herbal essence and made the dish pop. The dish wasn’t overly spicy as Stephanie was afraid it would be since it is “Cajun.” Any self-respecting Cajun would want to pat Chef Travis on the back, I’m sure. A great starter, indeed.

This was paired with a Jim Beam Apple Mule which was fresh muddled mint, apple cider and Jim Beam Apple Whiskey all topped with ginger beer. When you take this drink and let it mix with the spicy gumbo, your tongue is at conflict with itself, but that’s a good thing. The cool crisp with the savory spice sends your taste buds into a flavor frenzy and really, what could be better?

Rabbit Rillettes

Hunter Farms mutsu apples and cherry compote, charred bread, house pickles, candied pistachio, Lusty Monk grain mustard and Fair Share Farms microgreens. I have said it before and I’ll say it again: microgreens, while usually a 2016-03-17 09.40.14minor addition, can take a relatively understated dish and turn it out like a debutante at her ball. That’s exactly what happens here, other than the dish wasn’t understated. It was a clever re-imagining of rabbit. The rabbit was ground and served pate style beneath the charred bread, covered with the compote with the pickles strategically placed between bread pieces and then dollop of mustard to the side. The microgreens, along with the pistachios, were scattered about the plate, in a controlled chaos. The rabbit wasn’t gamey but light and tasty. Take a piece of the bread, place a bit of rabbit on it, a small bit of pickle and compote and, trust me, you only need a small bit of the mustard and you have yourself a treat. Follow that up with a candied pistachio chaser and you’re in business. The mustard is delicious but if you put a lot in your mouth at one time, you’ll clear up, not only your sinuses, but any future sinus problem you may have in the next two weeks. But, that flavor is amazing, especially with that rabbit.

This was paired with a Basil Berry Martini which is fresh muddled basil and blueberries, Basil Hayden’s bourbon, fresh squeezed lime juice and simple syrup. They served it in a dainty little martini glass with a single blueberry. It was better than a lot of berry martinis that I’ve had. Understandably, you have to go light on these pairing dinners but I could have used a bit more of this one. It cooled off the mustard if you got too much. And the berry aspect went well with the rabbit, as well.

New Orleans Barbecued Shrimp, Grit Cakes and Chives

Grit cakes made from Old Mill of Guilford Stone-ground Grits covered with a pair of shrimp properly smothered in a bourbon-infused barbecue sauce and sprinkled with chives. The sauce was tangy and easy, not too heavy. The 2016-03-17 09.41.54shrimp was firm but tender and the chives have an herbal lightening-up of the glazing you had with the sauce.  The Old Mill of Guilford grit cakes offered the texture you needed with the shrimp and those cakes were delicious. I’ve only come into grit maturity in the last three or four years and I love it when I find something that rocks me like these cakes. It was on the bottom of the pile but I think it was the best supporting actor in the dish. The only bad thing about having the tails left on the shrimp is: with a dinner like this, I find it improper to pick up the tails and suck the leftover meat from it.

This was paired with Willow’s Twisted Old Fashioned made with Maker’s 46. Combine the Maker’s 46 with a crushed brown sugar cube, Crude orange & fig bitters, muddled orange slice and Bordeaux cherries topped with a splash of soda. The Old Fashioned is my absolute favorite classic cocktail and when I can get it made with new elements or with a few twists and turns in its concocting, that’s even better. This is especially true when you have it with a dish like the barbecued shrimp. Delicious.

Blood Orange & Beet braised Lamb Neck, Rice Grits, Dirty Style Barrel Aged Bourbon Gastrique

Border Springs lamb neck, succulent, delicious, tender. I don’t know how many more words I could fit in to describe this lamb. Combine that with the Anson Mills Carolina rice grits and you have a savory textured delight that is 2016-03-17 09.43.41doused in a blood orange and beet sauce. Then surround it with a bourbon gastrique and this is a party in your mouth. But, guess what makes it all spectaculicious? That’s right, microgreens. I’m telling you, if you’re not on the microgreens train, no matter the style, you’re truly missing a treat. These babies really bring everything to a head and your dishes, and those who taste them, will thank you for it. There was nothing left on my plate when I finished this dish.

Another twist on a classic cocktail, this dish was paired with “Not Your Father’s Manhattan.” This was made with Baker’s Bourbon, dry vermouth, Crude lavender bitters all shaken with a cherry and garnished with a lemon twist. This was also served in the itsy-bitsy martini glass. A thing of beauty. I think the lavender bitters was the over-the-edge push on this one. The bitter  (not the bitters) flavor of this drink was a perfectly compliment to the rice grit and lamb neck dish. A wonderful dish.

Palate Cleanser

The palate cleanser for the evening was called The Sunbeam. Gray and Jessica, Willow’s mixologists/bartenders 2016-03-17 09.44.58for the evening, took good ol’ Jim Beam and mixed it with local WSNC staple Sunshine Drink and juice from one to two limes. Light and refreshing with the patented “Pick Me Up” from the Sunshine with the grand old taste of Jim Beam’s classic bourbon and you were ripped and ready to hit the next course. It didn’t hurt that it was a delicious beverage.

Venison Loin w/Juniper Salt, Fig-Bourbon Gastrique, Black Trumpet Mushroom, Bacon Jam, Potato Pave ‘Tater Tots’ and Microgreens

When I was growing up, my father (who is still an avid deer hunter) would bring home deer meat and my mother would fry it up beyond recognition and I could never figure out why I hated it so. I steered far away from venison until way after I’d reached adulthood. When I realized that I like my steak and most other non-fowl meats at most cooked medium (I prefer most red meat to be rare/medium-rare), I decided to give venison another chance. I had it as our 2016-03-17 09.47.40wedding dinner in Edinburgh, Scotland and I loved it. Now, I try it anywhere I have say in its cooked temperature or know the chef will not steer me wrong. This venison loin was made with juniper salt and cooked just medium rare. It was drizzled with the fig-bourbon gastrique and was fantastic with the bacon jam that accompanied it. That brought an extra saltiness to the deer. The potato pavé style tater tots were very flavorful for potatoes. I think sometimes potatoes have a tendency to just be plain. These weren’t plain and weren’t typical tater tots if that’s what you are looking for. Tater tots tend to be squishy and mushy. These tots were firm. Not a huge fan of mushrooms of any kind so I can’t really comment on those but what I can comment on: microgreens from Fair Share Farms! Add them to the bacon jam and the deer and that’s earthy, salty and savory all in one package. Très magnifique!

This is paired with a Willow’s staple: The Capone. The bartenders smoke each glass individually over hickory chips then add Booker’s bourbon, maple honey simple syrup, Crude smoke & salt bitters and top it with ginger ale and peppered bacon. Holy smokes (pun intended)!! Bacon, maple, honey, smoke? All that in itself would be perfect but then add some Booker’s on top and you’ve got yourself “Amazing in a Glass.” All that with the venison? There are no words.

Olive Oil Cake, Bourbon Caramel, Buttermilk Ice Cream, Glass Pecan Soil, Fig Syrup

The big finish. Two mini olive oil muffin/cupcakes. Between them lays a scoop of buttermilk ice cream and they’re all covered with a flavorful caramel made from bourbon and a fig syrup? Oh yes. Scattered upon these treats is a soil 2016-03-17 09.49.04made of pecan glass in which Chef Travis told how they made but I was too busy eating the cake and marveling over the drink pairing to remember what he said. The cakes were moist, as you’d expect something made of olive oil to be and the caramel was buttery, again, as you’d expect. It was a little thick and sticky but the flavor was spot on. I mentioned the drink pairing:

It was a Bourbon Float. Read that again, a bourbon float. One made of Jim Beam Single Barrel Bourbon mixed with Uncle Scott’s Root Beer (non-alcoholic) and throw in a scoop of vanilla ice cream. The ice cream frothed right up as it does in a root beer float and then you get the kick of the single barrel bourbon in there, as well. Don’t forget the fluffy whipped cream garnish, either. A sweet ending to a great night of food and bourbons.

I don’t want to leave off the fact that Lele Nguyen and her staff were on top of everything and we never wanted for a new eating utensil or a water refresher or whatever our needs were. The kitchen staff were functioning like a well oiled-machine and Chef Travis and his team seemed to be having fun. Gray and Jessica, again, getting that many drinks out in such a timely manner, was a feat in and of itself. Kudos to the entire Willow’s crew for making the night memorable. And thanks to Beam Suntory Brands for having such beautiful bourbons for our entertainment. The portions of this dinner were just right; not too heavy, not too big, not too much bourbon (with all that we had). Stephanie and I felt like we left satisfied, well-fed and not over-stuffed. The food was all delicious and just shows the genius that Chef Travis Myers is. Chef Will Kingery has to be proud.

Chef Travis has a lot of ideas and plans to have a lot of themed dinners. You can visit Willow’s Facebook Page to find out more about these dinners (for some reason their website isn’t working). Willow’s Bistro is located at 300 S. Liberty Street, Suite 125 in Winston-Salem. Their phone number is (336) 293-4601. Another great resource for all things good happening at Willow’s Bistro is to follow Chef Travis on Twitter and Instagram both @Chef_Myers

One last thing, anytime you’re tagging Willow’s, Chef Travis or anything to do with the restaurants, be sure to include the hashtag: #SOB40 (South of Business 40). Bon appetit!

The Willow’s Wine Dinner Part II

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When we last left off, we had imbibed three good wines and some delicious oysters, goat cheese truffles and tilefish with lamb belly at Chef Travis Myers‘ wine dinner at Willow’s Bistro. This time we’ll start off from the second course and on through to dessert. Let’s do it.

Second Course: Crispy Skin

Harmony Ridge Farms Duck Confit Leg with Chef John Bobby‘s (Rooster’s: A Noble Grille) andouille & gnocchi hash, Shore Farm Organic‘s bok choy, more of Fair Share Farms delicious mircogreens, an apricot & cherry mostarda with Lusty Monk Mustard. This was paired with Hartford ‘Russian River’ Pinot Noir.

In the past, I’ve not been a fan of duck. I don’t like dark meat fowl as a general rule. WillowsDinner4However, I have found over the last bit, that I like duck confit (which means it’s cooked in its own fat), perhaps because of the fat. The closer to the bone the meat, the darker it is. This was a very meaty piece of bird and didn’t hold too much of the dark flavor that I don’t like. Again, a good thing. The mostarda with the Lusty Monk Mustard was a great ‘sauce’ to go with the gamy bird. I did wish there was more of the bok choy, but, again, the secret weapon of the dish was the inclusion of the microgreens. It’s amazing how much difference that itty-bitty plant can make. There’s a strong yet subtle (if that’s possible) flavor that rushes out from the microgreens. Overall, one of my favorite dishes of the night. Definitely, my favorite wine of the evening. I’ve always been a white and sweet wine kind of guy but both Stephanie and I agree that we’re becoming real fans of Pinot Noir. This one, was jammy and we really liked that.There was definite fruit flavor here and it went perfectly with the duck. I kind of wish it had been the wine for the main course.

Palate Cleanser: Moss Farms Granny Smith & Calvados Sorbet

WillowsDinner5Made with Cloister Honey‘s wildflower honey, Sea Love Sea Salt and an apple crisp garnish. This was a perfect palate cleanser. Cool, flavorful, sweet and that little sliver of crisp apple was surprisingly apple-y. I didn’t expect that to have as much flavor as thin it was, but it was great. It did its job, cleansed the palate, gave a sweet break from the savory and wine and prepared us for the main course. No alcohol was included in this course, and rightly so.

Main Course: Carolina Bison 3-hour Braised Short Ribs

The large block of tender bison was accented with a cauliflower puree and wilted Dino kale, roasted parsnips, Let It Grow Produce‘s persimmon preserves, Fair Share Farms microgreens, Sea Love Sea Salt and a savory, natural jus. This is paired with a Ferrari-Carano ‘Trésor’ Red.

The kale with this dish was unusual for me. I find kale to be somewhat offensive, usually, but with the savoriness of the jus and the cauliflower puree, it was more there for flavorful texture than anything else, at least to me. The toasted parsnips are like crunchy WillowsDinner6curly-cues. The bison fell apart as I cut it to take a bite. Its temperature was perfect. Once again, the secret weapon was the microgreens. I know you’re tired of hearing me go on about the microgreens but they are truly an amazing supercharge to the savory dishes we’ve encountered tonight. While we did like the ‘Trésor’ Red, it didn’t have the same depth of flavor as the Hartford Pinot Noir. I mentioned this, but I would have rather had that with this, but the Ferrari-Carano wasn’t a bad choice. It did bring the bison to the forefront and set its profile off. Great dish, Chef.

Dessert Course: Sticky Toffee Cake

Red molasses ice cream, Willow’s candied pecan soil, date gastrique, orange zest, vanilla & date sablès and a pickled Bradford Watermelon rind. It was paired with Gloria Ferrer‘s ‘Va de Vi.’

WillowsDinner7The watermelon rind was chewy and tart. I do think it was at odds with the overall dessert, but it didn’t offend the idea, at all. The red molasses ice cream was hard to keep on the “cookie” top as both slid from the “soil” base and the ice cream was starting to melt. I think the ice cream was the star of this dish, though. So, melting or not; sliding or not, the ice cream was fantastic. The ‘Va de Vi’ is a bubbly blend of the Pinot Noir grape and chardonnay with just a hint of moscato. It went well with the sweeter fruits in the dessert.

We have been privileged to have been involved with so many tastings lately. I don’t report on them to say, ‘hey look what we did’ as much as I am trying to  bring awareness to the beautiful and exquisitely flavored dishes that the chefs in our town are creating. Those chefs taking their visions and creating masterpieces of gastronomical proportions are the ones that stand out; the ones I highlight. As Chuck King, from American Premium Beverage said during this event: “this gives the chef’s a chance to show off,” and I think he’s absolutely correct.

These are called wine dinners but it’s more about the food, in my eyes (and mouth). I will say that Chuck did a great job in picking the right vino accompaniment, though. But, the real star is the food. I believe my two favorite dishes were the fish course (because of the lamb belly) and the duck confit. The duck may move ahead slightly just because of the Pinot Noir. Much thanks to Chef Will Kingery and Chef Myers for being the gracious hosts they are. Much thanks, too, to the talented kitchen staff, the bartenders, the dish washers and the awesome servers that were always there to make sure that our waters were filled, our silverware was always replaced and when minute errors happen, they were the ones to make things right (there was only one little snafu that’s not even worth mentioning, it was that minute). Willow’s is a class act and this was their way of showing off. So, I say show off!!

Willow’s Bistro is located at 300 South Liberty Street, Suite 125 in Downtown Winston-Salem. Keep an eye on their Facebook page, Chef Myers and Chef Will’s Twitter and/or Instagram pages and you’ll know when the next pairing dinner will be.