It’s no secret that appetizers are the best part of any restaurant menu. Winston-Salem’s own 6th & Vine on West 6th Street has enough appetizers and small plates to make a whole meal out of them – and we did just that. Aside from the fun of mini portions and getting a taste of everything, several dishes really worked well together. Here were our favorite combos:
1. Italian Combo
Start with: Tomato and artichoke flatbread pizza
The tomato and artichoke pizza was a gourmet-looking flatbread-style dish with just enough sauce to keep it interesting, but not so much that it drowned the pizza. The artichokes also can be your “veggies” for the day. Because the best vegetables are the ones covered in cheese.
Photo by Kelly McAdam
Next: Blackened shrimp bruschetta
The tomato sauce and tomato toppings paired well with the shrimp bruschetta, by far the best small plate on the menu. Crispy baguettes, blackened shrimp, diced tomatoes, fresh basil, and boursin cheese, artfully drizzled with balsamic. You might want to order two.
Finish with: Blue mussels
The blue mussels followed the bruschetta, with a sherry cream sauce echoing the cheese on the shrimp plate. Pro tip: stick an empty mussel shell in the tines of your fork to make a spoon and drink up more of the delish broth, soup-style.
2. Thai Combo
Start with: Tahini hummus
This lighter appetizer was super shareable. Creamy hummus with an army of dippables: carrots, tomato slices, bell peppers, and the best pita you’ll get in Winston-Salem. Bonus points for guilt-free snacking – hummus is full of protein and the “good” kind of fat. Like avocados. Or cashews. Or chocolate if no one sees you eat it.
Next: Thai chicken
The chicken has a little bit of a spicy kick, but the peanut-ginger sauce keeps a Mediterranean feel to this small-plate combo. It’s also a healthier trio, complete with stir-fried veggies that make this a heartier dish – definitely the closest to a main course.
Photo by Kelly McAdam
Finish with: Baked brie
This sweet and buttery baked brie is almost a dessert. After the hummus and chicken, it was a sweet end after two savory small plates. The brie is baked in a puff pastry and comes with apple slices, crackers, and 2 sauces—a strawberry jam and a honey-garlic sauce. And yeah, it’s the bad kind of fat—but it’s worth it for this one.
These choices are just a sample of all the combinations that could be created, but by the end of the meal, a few simple “rules” were developed for ordering appetizers. First, be creative, branch out from traditional combinations. Second, salty and sweet works. Go from a savory dish to one with a more dessert feel. Lastly, order a lot of them — especially at 6th & Vine.
Address: 209 W 6th St, Winston-Salem, NC 27101
Hours: 11 am-10 pm Tuesday-Sunday; closed Mondays
Can’t get enough of these mini courses? Here are three more articles to satisfy your appetizer fix: