La Cocina de Mama

Located at 1002 Gardner Hill Drive in Jamestown, La Cocina de Mama serves Dominican cuisine. It is open from 8 a.m. to 9 p.m. Monday-Saturday and 8 to 8 on Sunday.

 

I was thrilled to see La Cocina de Mama open up right near my work. Having tried them for both lunch and breakfast, I can easily see myself becoming a regular here. Like any brand new restaurant, they are still ironing a few things out, but on food alone, they are off to a very strong start.

 La Cocina de Mama’s offerings run the gamut from breakfasts (egg/fried cheese/salami paired with different sides) to sandwiches, empanadas, and mofongos (fried and mashed plantains) to beef/chicken/fish entrees and more. They offer several juices and coffees as well.

 

So far, the food has been very good. I stopped by for lunch to go on my first visit and had a Cuban sandwich and a morir sonando (orange juice, milk, and ice). The Cuban was not the traditional Cubano, and if you come looking for pickles and mustard in a sandwich pressed on a plancha, you may be disappointed. Taken on its own terms, however, the sandwich was still quite tasty. The pork was tender, and the thicker bread held everything in nicely. It came with a side of thin, well-salted fries that were miles ahead of a frozen offering. The morrir sonando was creamy and refreshing. 

For my second visit, I dined in for breakfast and went with a mangu (the aforementioned breakfast ingredients with mashed plantains and pickled onions) and a passionfruit juice. Though I might request eggs scrambled rather than fried in the future, everything on that plate was delicious. The plantains were hearty without feeling heavy. The Dominican salami reminded me of Taylor ham, only better (sorry, fellow New Jersians). Juices seem to be a house specialty here as the passionfruit did not disappoint.

 

The folks who run this place are friendly, and the pricing is quite reasonable given the quality and quantity of the food. That said, “good food takes time” definitely applies here, so you may be in for a bit of a wait. If dining in, you can at least take in some of the ambiance (interesting wall art and a pool table in a corner) while you do.

 

All told, La Cocina de Mama is a welcome change of pace for not only the cuisine that it offers but also the care with which it is made.

Peppers Indian Grill and Bar

 

Located at 727 West Main Street in Jamestown, Peppers Indian Bar and Grill offers Indian cuisine for lunch and dinner. It is open from 11:30 to 3 daily and from 4:30 to 9:30 (or 10 on Fridays and Saturdays). There is a full bar, and a lunch buffet is offered on the weekends. Online ordering is available as are catering and private dining/an event space.

I was sad to see the frequently excellent and just as frequently understaffed Namaste Lumbini close its doors. Thankfully, Peppers, which opened in the same spot, retains some of the Nepalese offerings. Add to that some experienced hands in both the front and back of house as well as a buffet, and there’s a lot of potential here.

 

My wife and I stopped by on a Sunday to try the aforementioned buffet, and we were impressed with the variety of offerings. There were multiple soups and chicken dishes, a paneer, a lamb, a biryani, a fish, several apps, salads, desserts, and even multiple beverage options, all of which were conveniently labelled. At $17ish per person, it was a good value. Though the buffet side of the restaurant was fairly busy, the hard-working staff did a good job of keeping up with the demand: none of the buffet stations stayed empty for long. 

As with Namaste Lumbini before it, the food at Peppers is better than you’d expect. The succulent tandoori chicken was among the best versions I’ve had, and the watermelon drink was very refreshing. Certain dishes (i.e. the fish) had a lot of tiny bones, but blame nature rather than Peppers for that one.

I don’t know if Peppers will have staying power, but given what their kitchen is capable of, one can hope. In the meantime, I look forward to returning for chicken 65, jhol momo, and other favorites while I can.

Poke One

 

Located at 4835 West Wendover Avenue in Jamestown, Poke One offers poke and ramen for lunch and dinner. It is open from 11 to 9 on weekdays and 11:30 to 9 on weekends. Online ordering is available.

 

Poke-and-ramen seems to be the High Point area’s latest restaurant trend, and while Poke One loses some of the novelty by not getting there first, it otherwise seems poised to hold its own. Housed in the former Rockaway Eatery location, it’s clean, colorful, and spacious. The menu boasts a few Japanese apps (edamame, Takoyaki, shumai, and, oddly enough, fries) as well as milk and fruit teas, but poke (in bowl or burrito form) and ramen are the core offerings. There are about a half-dozen varieties of each, and you can also build your own of the former. Poke One wisely supplies paper menus that can be filled out to make BYO ordering efficient and convenient.

 

For our first visit, my wife and I each got a build your own poke bowl and a milk tea (taro and strawberry, respectively). Our orders were completed very quickly, and the brightly colored bowls looked amazing. Fortunately, the flavors matched the presentation. I went with a mixture of hot (spicy salmon, spicy mayo), sour (pickled ginger, pickled radish), and sweet (mango). Add to that some cucumber for refreshment, and the bowl was nicely balanced. The ingredients were also fresh, and they don’t skimp on quantity here. The tea was rather sweet, however. Next time, I’ll go with a classic rather than a fruit flavor.

 

What sets Poke One apart from other local options is the competitive pricing. At $11.95 for a poke bowl and $5.70 for a milk tea with bubbles, Poke One is cheaper than either Poke Dream or Ninja Café/Kung Fu Tea.

 

Poke One may not be an innovator, but being able to provide fresh, tasty food quickly makes it a welcome addition nevertheless.

New in 2022 High Point/Jamestown Coffee Shop Roundup

 Though it was hardly lacking in coffee options beforehand, the High Point area welcomed several new coffeeshops onto the scene in 2022. I tried three of them – Message Coffee, Kindred Coffee, and Core Coffee – during the past month. Here’s how the cups stack up.

 

Message Coffee

Message Coffee is located inside of the Stock + Grain Assembly Food Hall in downtown High Point, which is both a blessing and a curse. Plenty of tasty food is but a few steps away, but during peak hours, foot traffic can be intense. Given the location, a reading/work space this is not.

Message offers hot and cold coffees, teas, and refreshers as well as a few pastries (from Camino Bakery). I went with an iced Salted Honeycomb for my first visit and found it quite sweet but not unpleasant. As with every Stock + Grain business, you end up overpaying for the location. Still, if you happen to be downtown and catch a coffee craving, you could do worse than overpaying to support these folks.

 

Kindred Coffee

 

Kindred Coffee is the newest tenant in the former Miller's Market space in Jamestown, but they are not new to the coffee game. If you remember buying coffee from a VW Bus (Cause Roast) in the former Black Dog Home lot a few years back, these are the same folks. They are on a limited coffee-only menu while they are starting out but will be adding food (and nitro cold brew) in the future.

As with the building's previous occupant, Kindred's space is bright and clean. The proprietors are personable and passionate about what they do, and they use a quality product (HEX Coffee, a specialty roaster out of Charlotte). The caramel latte I tried was smooth and satisfying (low acidity, good flavor, not too sweet).

That said, Kindred managed to be even more expensive than Message. My 12-ounce latte ran $5.75, and a 12-ounce peppermint mocha with oat milk was $6.75. Coffee that was miles ahead of everything available locally could perhaps justify the cost, but that wasn't the case here.

I will likely reappraise once Kindred has gotten a chance to expand its offerings. For their sake (and mine - it would be very convenient to have a coffee stop on the way to work), I hope that they are able to stick.

 

Core Coffee

 

Housed in Carolina Core Wellness on an offshoot of Penny Road, Core Coffee is considerably off the beaten path. Location aside, however, there is a lot to like here. The coffee shop is spacious and bright with comfortable-looking chairs and tasteful artwork. The baristas are kind, and, thankfully, patient. Core's fairly extensive repertoire of teas, coffees (they use Fortuna beans), and smoothies includes everything from nitro to a dozen seasonal drinks, which can make for a tough decision.

I opted for a Moravian Cookie Latte and picked up a lavender soy latte for my wife. The former included welcome spice notes that did not overpower, and my wife reported that the latter passed her "not too sweet" test. Prices here are reasonable (a 24-ounce latte ran $6), and they also offer Happy Hour discounts from 2 to 4 p.m.

While there may be more readily accessible java options elsewhere in town, if you're in the Palladium area and want a break from chain coffee, give Core a try.

Namaste Lumbini Restaurant and Bar

 

Located at 727 West Main Street in Jamestown, Namaste Lumbini serves Indian, Nepalese, and Tibetan cuisine. It is open from 11 a.m. to 9 p.m. Mondays, Wednesdays, and Thursdays, 11-9:30 Fridays and Saturdays, and closed Tuesday. Online ordering is available.

 

The latest eatery to occupy the former Penny’s and El Agavero location, Namaste Lumbini brings something different to the Jamestown area. Time will tell if it has staying power, but service and food quality are strong right out of the gate.

 

My wife and I arrived before 6 p.m. on a Saturday to find Namaste Lumbini mostly empty, not a good sign. By the time we left, however, business had picked up considerably. The restaurant has the space to accommodate groups should anyone need a place for a get-together. While the building is old, the interior has been touched up nicely.

 

Namaste Lumbini’s menu is impressively deep. It boasts many familiar Indian dishes – tandooris and tikkas masalas and biryanis – but it also offers Indo-Chinese selections as well as momo (Nepalese dumplings). There are plenty of vegetarian options, and there are also thalis for the indecisive/those who want to try a little bit of everything.

 

My wife and I opted to split a vegetable samosa, a chicken 65, and a vegetarian thali. Our food came out promptly, and it was preceded by a complementary papadam with tamarind and mint chutneys. I will offer a caveat in that if you want your food spicy, you will have to request it as such. Only the billed-as-spicy chicken 65 brought any heat, and it was about medium. That said, while spiciness may have been subdued, flavors were not. The chicken 65 was nice and tangy, and the thali’s saag paneer, aloo gobi, and dal were tasty and comforting. Naan was included, and it performed sauce mop-up commendably.

 

Namaste Lumbini’s service is attentive and polite. We were greeted upon entry and checked on throughout the meal. Prices here are moderate with entrees in the teens.

 

Given the food and service quality and the vast swaths of menu left to explore, we will almost certainly be back. If its execution remains consistent, Namaste Lumbini could easily become the go-to for Indian eats in the Jamestown/east High Point area. 

The Miller's Market

 

Located at 116-A East Main Street in Jamestown, The Miller’s Market sells locally made specialty foods, grab and go meals, and fresh salads, sandwiches, coffees, and homemade breads. The market is open from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Wednesday through Saturday and serves lunch from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. Patio seating is available.

 

A long-anticipated venture from the owner of Black Powder Smokehouse, The Miller’s Market is part specialty foods store, part café. It’s an interesting concept and a boon to Jamestown, but some may not see the appeal.

 

Housed in a former Edward Jones office in the heart of Jamestown, The Miller’s Market is a bright and airy space featuring handcrafted tables. The large coolers stock salads, butters, and grab-and-go meals while a number of locally made snacks and seasonings are on display toward the front. Places to pick up unique local items have been few and far between since The Budding Artichoke closed up shop, and so The Miller’s Market helps fill that niche.

 

As for the café, it’s the kind of place that charges $11 for a grilled cheese sandwich (with fig jam and a side included, but still). High as the prices for some items may be, there’s no arguing with the quality. A honey cinnamon latte was satisfyingly sweet pick-me-up, and the savory scones won’t let you down, but the flourless chocolate torte is next-level. It’s like a giant truffle (in the best way possible), and if you have one, you will be back for more.

As a café, The Miller’s Market is pricy, and as a market, the selection is limited, but as a place that offers a bit of this and that with local ingredients in a convenient location, The Miller’s Market is worth checking out.

Full Moon Oyster Bar

 

Located at 103 West Main Street in Jamestown, the Full Moon Oyster Bar serves seafood for lunch and dinner daily. There is a full bar including beers brewed in-house. Patio seating is available and specials change daily.

 

As a seafood fan, I’ve long been intrigued by Full Moon, but as someone who hates loud and crowded spaces, the setup (stools clustered around a large bar) kept me away. Figuring that 2:20 p.m. on a Friday would be as good a time as any to avoid a crowd, my wife and I finally bit the bullet and decided to give it a try. We were glad that we did.

 

While I wouldn’t relish the prospect of eating elbow-to-elbow with strangers when Full Moon is at capacity, it was decidedly not crowded when we rolled in for lunch. It offers a casual vibe, and the fast and friendly bartenders are great.

 

Though Full Moon’s menu boasts everything from grilled fish to heaping piles of steamed crab legs, I was on a quest to get one last sandwich in before going breadless for Passover. A half and half (oysters and shrimp) Po Boy seemed like a perfect fit. Fish and chips were available as a Friday lunch special, and my wife pounced on that. Both came with complimentary sides of slaw and potatoes, an unexpected but thoroughly welcome perk.

 

The food was, without qualification, phenomenal. If anyone is skeptical about finding a legitimate Po Boy this far inland, don’t be. The French bread was authentic, the shrimp were large, and both they and the oysters were a perfect golden brown. The fish was coated in a delicious crunchy beer batter, and the fries that accompanied both dishes were nicely salted. Even the free sides were a hit. The slaw was, mercifully, shredded rather than chopped to hell, and the roasted potatoes were addictively buttery.

 

Full Moon Oyster Bar made for one of the best lunch experiences I’ve had in some time, and I will almost certainly be back. The only question is whether or not I will try to wait for another off-hour to pay them a visit.

El Agavero Mexicano

 

Located at 727 West Main Street in Jamestown, El Agavero Mexicano offers Mexican cuisine for lunch and dinner seven days a week. Online ordering is available, and drink specials are offered daily.

 

El Agavero opened in February in the former Penny’s location, from which it inherited plenty of space but a dated look and feel. Going by appearances, there is nothing that would separate El Agavero from several other interchangeable bog-standard Mexican eateries in the area. That, however, would be selling this restaurant considerably short.

 

The menu here is about what you’d expect, give or take a few additions (Mexican pizza and pollo palenque) and omissions (no chile verde). The execution, however, surpasses that expectation. The torta Cubana was part Cuban sandwich, part Mexican sloppy joe. It was stuffed full of tasty meats (of which, only the pork was a bit chewy), and the accompanying fries – hot, fresh, and crispy – were surprisingly good. A cheesy, spicy chile poblano was similarly satisfying.

 

Staff here are friendly. Though our server was still learning the menu, this did not cause us any problems, and our food came relatively quickly. By pricing and portion size, Agavero is a good value, too.

 

It may not beat your go-to spot, but its convenient location and better-than-you’d think food make El Agovero worth trying for anyone in Jamestown or eastern High Point.

Cakes by B's Blue House Bakery

Located at 113 East Main Street in Jamestown, Blue House Bakery offers coffee drinks, baked goods, and ice cream. Offerings rotate regularly, and made-to-order custom cakes are available.

Blessed with a personal touch and lacking the boisterous atmosphere of many a java den, this azure establishment beside Potent Potables may be the most inviting coffeeshop/bakery in the area. The owner, Bridgid, is both a kind person and a skilled baker: I’ve tried mini-pies, cupcakes, cookies, and more, and most have been hits. The Apple Delight, an apple streusel/cinnamon roll mashup, is especially good when warm. The selection of coffee drinks is small, but the weekly specials (which recently included a gingerbread white mocha) are usually promising. The ambiance also helps to set Blue House apart. Not only is the building deceptively spacious, but its rooms are quiet, comfortable, and homey.

Admittedly, the location and the dearth of competition score Blue House some points by default, but even if it were located in Greensboro instead of Jamestown, it would be a winning choice for a coffee or a baked good.

Black Powder Smokehouse

Located at 302 East Main Street in Jamestown, Black Powder Smokehouse serves BBQ for breakfast and lunch with dinner service scheduled to resume in the near future. Catering is available, and there are plans to add online ordering and live music.

A complete overhaul of an old gas station, this highly anticipated BBQ joint opened two weeks ago to much fanfare. How much fanfare? Black Powder was open for lunch and dinner during that time but sold out well before dinner every day. And while that is undoubtedly a source of consternation for many would-be patrons, the level of demand usually says something about the food quality.

It is, thankfully, not all hype. Black Powder has some of the best smoked meats in the Triad though enjoying them involves more than a little bit of luck. To wit: the restaurant opened at 11 a.m. this past Saturday, and my wife and I arrived just a few minutes thereafter to find a line to the door. Said line only grew longer as noon grew closer. Standing and waiting to order is a fact of life here.

At least you will be standing and waiting in style. The restaurant is handsomely appointed with a sleek bar area and a few long tables alongside more conventional seating. If the aesthetics don’t strike you as inviting, the wonderful smoky smell certainly will.

Black Powder’s compact menu is similarly appealing. The meats, available in quarter, half, pound, or sandwich portions, include pulled pork, chopped chicken, brisket, turkey breast, smoked salmon, and a rotating selection of sausages. Ribs and chicken quarters and halves round out the roster. They are joined by sides such as slaw (red or white), gouda mac n cheese, molasses baked beans, braised collard greens, Carolina caviar, pimento hushpuppies, and hot boiled peanuts (?!), all available in small or large portions.

Assuming the line doesn’t deter you, co-owner (a big, bearded guy from BBQ Pitmaster central casting) is an amiable presence at the carving station, and his staff are equally personable despite the constant influx of customers. Given the sheer volume, food wait times could be a whole lot worse.

For our early lunch visit, my wife and I split a quarter-pound each of pulled pork, brisket, and sausage, which we paired with gouda mac, white slaw, and pimento puppies. The plate looked amazing, a welcome relief to anyone who’s ever winced after glimpsing pre-sauced pork at Stamey’s. While the sides were smallish, we were able to cobble together a filling lunch for two for about $20, which was practically a steal.

The food was worth every penny and then some. The pork was a touch dry, but that was easily remedied by an application of one of the three sauces (Eastern, Western, and the far-superior BP Signature) available. The brisket – smoky and tender and fatty without being greasy – was outrageously good. We ended up with andouille as that day’s sausage, and it delivered both a spicy kick and a firm bite. The slaw was satisfyingly creamy and offered hints of carraway (?), and the pimento puppies were like the golden child of a hushpuppy and a jalapeno popper. The gouda mac delivered in the flavor department though it was rather thick.

Whether or not Black Powder Smokehouse becomes your new favorite Jamestown eatery/barbeque restaurant/converted gas station (apologies, Lindley Filling) or a colossal disappointment depends largely on the luck of the draw. Get in while the wait is manageable (ten-fifteen minutes) and the meats are in-stock, and it’s excellent. But catch them at the wrong time, and you may walk away jaded (if not also hungry).

Southern Roots

Located at 119 East Main Street in Jamestown, Southern Roots serves Southern-inspired cuisine for lunch and dinner Tuesday through Friday and dinner on Saturday. There is a full bar, a patio for outdoor seating, and catering is available.

Thanks to its proximity to both work and home, its local ownership and use of locally inspired ingredients, and its tantalizing menu, Southern Roots had occupied a spot on my to-try list for quite some time. I finally got my chance today, and while it was an uneven experience, I am glad that I did.

Nestled in downtown (if one can call it that) Jamestown across from the post office, Southern Roots is a fairly attractive space inside and out. It features an inviting patio, an elegant long bar, and plenty of wall art though the palette is very muted.

My wife and I arrived for lunch to celebrate our anniversary just after noon and had our pick of inside or outside seating. We opted for the former, which ended up being a mistake as we found ourselves in close proximity to two large groups. This made for a louder meal with slower service than anticipated, and one can hope that is the exception rather than the norm here.

Southern Roots offers an appealing menu full of local and regional specialties and a few surprises. Fried green tomatoes, pulled pork, and country steak mingle alongside artisanal pizzas (okra with caramelized onions, anyone?), sandwiches, salads, and more. Quinoas and quiches rotate daily, and one can cobble together a vegetarian plate from any four of the dozen-plus sides.

My wife and I split the fried green tomatoes (one of our go-to dishes) and went with the Cobb wrap (guac, house-smoked turkey, bacon, tomato, greens, and blue cheese) and seafood risotto (scallops, shrimp, crab, portabellas, and a parmesan cream sauce) respectively. The tomatoes were crispy and very nicely battered, but the dish could have used some more spiciness/smokiness (more pimento, perhaps?) to balance the potent sweetness of the accompanying applewood bacon jam. A similar theme could be found in the Cobb wrap. The turkey was great (as were the accompanying sweet potato fries), but there weren’t enough vegetables to counter the pungent strength of the blue cheese. The risotto, on the other hand, was magical. Scallops were perfectly seared yet not the least bit tough, shrimp were generously sized, portabella slivers fit in well, and the whole thing was cheesy, creamy perfection.

While a pricy dinner option, Southern Roots made for a more affordable than expected lunch. Our app was $8, the wrap was $9 (with one side included), and the seafood risotto was $16. Our server was apologetic regarding delays and acquitted himself well otherwise.

All told, while Lucky 32 remains my favorite for upscale Southern, I would still give Southern Roots another try. It would be worth it to learn if this place is ever not busy and if anything on the menu touches the quality of the risotto.

Rockaway Eatery

Located at 4835 West Wendover Avenue in Jamestown, Rockaway Eatery serves globally influenced cuisine for breakfast, lunch, and dinner as well as coffee drinks. It is open seven days per week, and specials change regularly. Catering is also available.

It is a common practice for pizza places and delis in this area to advertise their Big Apple bonafides (or delusions thereof). Restaurants with Manhattan, Brooklyn, or even just New York in their name are hard to miss. Rockaway Eatery, on the other hand, takes its moniker from a peninsula in Queens. This appeal to (relative, and by the standards of the area, at least) obscurity is just one of many ways the eclectic eatery bucks the norm.

Walk inside, and you may immediately find yourself wondering if you made the right decision. The interior features bright orange paint and an almost comically large wrap-around front counter. Said counter’s dimensions are necessary to provide enough room to display the full extent of the menu. For the fickle and indecisive, this place is a nightmare.

Everyone else, however, will likely see uncertainty fade into joy upon perusing the menu. Want bagels or a breakfast sandwich? Rockaway has them. Want a burger, salad, or wrap? Rockaway has those too. How about a vegetable and rice bowl featuring jerk chicken, tikka masala, or Salisbury steak? Check, check, and check. What about those same toppings….over fries with cheese curds? Yes, Rockaway Eatery offers several kinds of poutine as well. Add to that coffees, smoothies, and desserts, and one would be very hard pressed to run out of interesting things to try here.

Fortunately, there is more to Rockaway then just a fun and funky menu. During our visit, staff were patient and accommodating while my wife and I figured out what we wanted, and our food came out relatively quickly. She opted for a southwest burger while I went for the Salisbury steak poutine and a lean green smoothie (because balance). The flavors all around left no room for complaint. The poutine’s gravy was rich and savory while the burger came with a delicious chipotle ranch sauce. Both dishes used Rockaway’s tri-blend meat, which was quality. The fries, in either their regular or gravy-slathered incarnations, were salty and crisp while the smoothie (mango, pineapple, banana, spinach, kale, and apple juice) was suitably refreshing. The only demerit goes to the burger being served somewhere between medium well and well done instead of the requested medium.

Much like the similarly eclectic Toshi’s Café, Rockaway Eatery isn’t a cheap breakfast or lunch option. Smoothies come in a 24-ounce size only and run $5.50, poutine goes for $7.50 to $9, and burgers are $8.50 to $11.50, fries included. Also much like Toshi’s, the quality relative to nearby fast food/fast casual makes the prices paid worthwhile.

Having sampled only a fraction of what Rockaway Eatery has to offer, it would be difficult to gauge whether the rest of the food is as tasty as the few items we tried. With a menu that large, there are bound to be weak spots. However, the breadth of options available, coupled with friendly service, encourages several return visits. 

Simply Thai and Sushi Bar

Located at 122 E. Main St. in Jamestown, Simply Thai serves Thai cuisine and sushi for lunch and dinner Tuesday through Saturday and dinner only on Sundays. Lunch specials are $8.95 (more for shrimp or steak) and rotate daily.  

An affiliate of the same-named restaurant in Elon, Simply Thai is neither the best of Thais nor the worst of Thais though it does fulfill a need for the immediate area.

Inside, Simply Thai’s décor is minimalist. There’s a nice mural along the back wall, but you will otherwise find yourself staring at lots of brick. Though not the most capacious restaurant, there was plenty of available seating at the time of my midday Tuesday visit.

At first glance, the menu here seems to hew largely to the tried and true. Pad Thai, curries, basil dishes, and wraps are all present and accounted for. Dig a little deeper, however, and you’ll find some pleasant surprises. There are Lao dishes (sausage), Japanese dishes (udon), Vietnamese dishes (pho, which can be had with duck!!), and more. The lunch special menu is more restrictive – four dishes are offered on any given day – but between the regular menu and the sushi menu, there are plenty of options.

For my first visit, I went with a panang curry with steak off the lunch menu. The dish was preceded by a veggie spring roll and came out quickly. Simply Thai does not seem to offer levels of spiciness (at least not by default though they may do so upon request), which in my experience, defaults to bland. Thankfully, this proved not to be the case. The peanut sauce had a bit of a kick, and neither steak nor veggies were overcooked.

That said, the portion size seemed small for the $10.95 charged, and in depth of flavor, Simply Thai’s rendition lagged behind Greensboro’s best. Emily did provide excellent service, however.

Given that Jamestown proper could always benefit from more dining options, Simply Thai is a welcome addition for those who live and work in the area. Its menu and attentive staff make it an attractive option. However, for those who have access to other Thai nearby, Simply Thai is simply OK.

7.5/10

Taste of Troy

Located at 1236 Guilford College Road in the Guilford Crossing Shopping Center at the edge of Jamestown, Taste of Troy offers Greek and Mediterranean fare for lunch and dinner. Specials change weekly and takeout is available.

I am spoiled by having decent Greek and Mediterranean options within walking distance of home, but the recommendation of a (Turkish) former student led me to give Taste of Troy a shot. While it isn’t a place I would hurry back to, it made for a satisfying lunch.

Taste of Troy can be found on the side of the shopping plaza facing Piedmont Parkway. It’s a small space though there is enough signage to avoid passing it by. There are a few tables and some counter seating inside. It’s a cozy joint, but compared to blue-and-white appointments of Mythos and Mad Greek, it comes off looking a bit Spartan (pun intended).

The menu offers little in the way of novelty, but if you’re craving a gyro, kebab, or mezes (spanakopita, baba ganoush, etc.), you’ll find it here. I went with a gyro and a side of fries and did not regret it. The gyro was well-seasoned, the meat was flavorful, and the accompanying veggies (lettuce, tomato, and cucumber) were fresh. The thick-cut fries could have done with more seasoning, but at least they were crisp. The staff here are friendly, and the food arrived quickly.

If there is one area where Taste of Troy lags behind, it is pricing. The gyro runs $7.25 if you are willing to settle for chips as a side; fries are $1.75 more, and a small Greek salad is $3.95 more. By way of comparison, Mythos offers a $7.45 lunch combo that includes a gyro, fries, and a drink. The entrees are even worse offenders. Kebab platters start at $12.95 and top out at $16.95 for a mixed combo. Nazareth Bread’s mixed grill is listed at $11.99. Tasty as it may be, Taste of Troy’s food is not far enough ahead of the competition to justify what they charge.

Food quality and service make Taste of Troy an appealing option for those traveling along Guilford College Road, but the pricing is simply not competitive.

7.75/10