Boulder's Bar & Grill

Located at 2758 NC 68 Suite 103 in the Heron Village shopping center in High Point, Boulder’s Bar & Grill serves pub fare. It is open from 11-9 Tuesday-Sunday and closed Monday. Outdoor seating on a dog-friendly patio and online ordering (via Toast) are available.

Named for the owners’ late Yellow Lab, Boulder’s features a canine motif throughout. This, the establishment’s cleanliness, and a few intriguing menu options help distinguish it from the average sports bar despite the requisite noise and screens. As a newcomer to High Point, it’s off to a good start, albeit with room for improvement.

Boulder’s is seat yourself, and between the dining room, the bar, and the patio, there’s a good chance you’ll be able to. The menu offers the wings, apps, and burgers that you’d expect as well as a few pleasant surprises. They offer several variations of a fancy grilled cheese, grouper in a sandwich or in fried bites, and a surprising number of salads.

For our first visit, my wife and I went with a pretzel app and then the pimento bacon burger and the meatloaf sandwich, respectively. Overall, the food was satisfying if unremarkable. The soft pretzels were in sticks rather than twists, and they came with a pair of dipping sauces: a mustard (OK) and a queso (tasty, with a nice green chili kick). The meatloaf sandwich was simple – meatloaf, ketchup, and Swiss on sourdough – though it made for a deceptively filling meal. While the meatloaf was seasoned well (savory with just a hint of sweet), the “spicy” ketchup didn’t deliver any heat. I went with onion rings for my side, and they were crisp and nicely battered. The burger was good if a bit of a mess to try to eat.

New restaurants often need a little time to get the hang of service, but that wasn’t the case here. Our server was on top of things, and the kitchen turned around food fairly promptly. You’ll pay in the mid-teens for a burger or a sandwich (side included) here, which isn’t unreasonable. The onion rings were a dollar upcharge and well worth it, but a dollar to swap the burger’s onions for pickles seemed excessive.

Boulder’s has potential, and I’m curious to see what kind of specials they come up with when they are further established. In the meantime, it’s a solid option if you want a lively atmosphere.

The Old Fourth Street Filling Station

 

Located at 871 West Fourth Street in Winston-Salem’s West End, the Fourth Street FillingStation offers American cuisine for lunch and dinner. It is open from 11-9 Monday-Thursday, 11-10 on Saturday, and 11-3 for brunch on Sunday. Online ordering, reservations through Open Table, and outdoor seating are available.

While the name calls to mind a gas station-turned-pub, the Fourth Street Filling Station is a bit more upmarket than that. It isn’t fine dining but rather a place where you can get a steak. The worst that can be said about this place is that it isn’t terrible innovative: apps, salads, sandwiches, a few seafood and pasta dishes, and the aforementioned steaks. In the grand scheme of things, however, there are far greater culinary sins than not offering anything unique.

The Filling Station boasts a spacious patio, and even as it got busier, our group of four was able to enjoy a comfortable meal. Our server was friendly and helpfully offered drink recommendations, and the kitchen didn’t leave us waiting long for our food.

The menu boldly claims Winston’s Best Calamari, so we decided to put that to the test. While there may be a match out there somewhere, the Filling Station’s version is quite good: a generous portion, well-breaded, not overcooked, and paired with both a superb cocktail sauce and a tangy remoulade. My entrée – a jambalaya – was likewise very satisfying. I’ve had jambalayas that were disappointingly dry, and I appreciated the gravy in this one. Though it offered no heat, it was still flavorful, and the shrimp were sizeable.

 

The Filling Station isn’t cheap – most entrees in the twenties and sandwiches in the mid-teens – but given rising food costs, the prices aren’t out of line for what they offer.

If you’re looking for a “nice meal” destination with solid food and plenty of seating, the Filling Station presents an appealing option provided that you are OK with the somewhat predictable menu.  

Jerusalem Market on Elm

Located at 310 South Elm Street in Downtown Greensboro (the original retail store location remains open in the Sedgefield area), Jerusalem Market serves Middle Eastern cuisine for lunch and dinner. It is open from 11-7 Tuesday-Thursday, 11-8 Friday-Saturday, and closed Sunday and Monday. Online ordering is available, and specials change regularly.

The mantle of best Middle Eastern in Greensboro is a matter of considerable debate, but for those seeking this type of food anywhere near downtown, Jerusalem Market should be a no-brainer. Upon entry, you’ll see a drinks and dessert case and minimal seating, but don’t let that dissuade you: there’s a more spacious dining room in the back. It’s low-key but tastefully appointed.

Jerusalem Market’s menu offers platters, salads, mezze (small plates), and wraps. There are plenty of vegetarian options as well as lamb/beef/chicken options plus combination plates for those who want a little bit of everything. You order at the counter and take a number back to your table. Staff are friendly and welcoming.

I went with the Armenian wrap, which featured basterma (thinly sliced seasoned dried beef), provolone, baba ganoush, and cucumber yogurt with zaatar pita chips on the side. My wife was hoping for the Turk (similar but with sojouk sausage instead of beef) and upon finding they were out opted for the lamb burger on special instead. Given the day’s humidity, hibiscus iced tea seemed too good to pass up.

Jerusalem Market makes everything fresh, so the food understandably took a bit to arrive. However, it was well worth the wait. The basterma was salty, and the refreshing yogurt balanced it nicely. The zaatar chips were crisp and full of flavor and dangerously addictive (seriously, I could eat a bagful). My wife enjoyed the lamb burger with feta and a side salad, and we were both glad that we went with the hibiscus tea (free refills).

While they may not have the huge portions of a Nazareth Bread, Jerusalem Market’s prices aren’t unreasonable given the downtown location. The wrap was $14 or so and the burger $16.

All told, Jerusalem Market promises a healthy meal using quality ingredients and prepared with care.

Miam Breakfast House

Located at 4005 Precision Way in High Point (with another location in Winston-Salem), MiamBreakfast House serves diner fare from 7 a.m. to 3 p.m. daily. Online ordering is available through DoorDash and Uber Eats. 

The name is French (it means “Yum”), the owner is Albanian, and the cuisine is largely American (with a few Mediterranean influences), but no matter what you call it, Miam has all the makings of a very solid breakfast/brunch option. It opened recently in the former Cagney’s location near the Palladium, a spacious building with plenty of seating. Paintings for sale by local artists adorn the walls, and the interior is bright and clean.

Miam has no shortage of breakfast options, including lighter and (very few) gluten free offerings. Amid the various permutations of eggs/meat/bread, you’ll find plenty that looks familiar (omeletes, waffles, benedicts, etc.) as well as a few dishes that set Miam apart such as blueberry hushpuppies. Miam is also one of the few places in the area to offer a Monte Cristo on the daily menu.

While this variety is definitely appreciated, some of Miam’s naming conventions are idiosyncratic to say the least. The Mexican omelet is called The Mixture, and while The Island calls to mind Hawaiian, here it’s corned beef…with brie in place of cheddar (?!). This was too much of a curiosity to pass up, so I went with the Island and home fries while my wife opted for Red, White, and Blue French Toast.

Both meals hit the spot. The French Toast, which gets its name from the strawberry/blueberry/banana topping, was served on thick bread with fresh fruit. The omelet – meat, caramelized onions, spinach, and tomatoes inside/melted brie on top – was cooked to an appealing golden brown. The corned beef seemed to be made in-house, thankfully (the canned stuff ranges from passable to revolting), and the brie added creaminess to each bite. The home fries were nothing fancy, but they were nice and crispy.

Though Miam was decently busy when we arrived, we didn’t have to wait for a table, nor was the wait for our food terribly long. Bishma provided attentive service throughout the meal though I did have to wait longer than expected for the check. Miam’s prices are slightly higher relative to Cagney’s (our dishes were $12 apiece), but you do get plenty of food for your money.

Every so often, “Where can I get a good breakfast?” makes its rounds in local social media groups, and while the same few reliable options that get trotted out each time shouldn’t be dropped, Miam should definitely be added to that conversation.