District Roof Top Bar and Grille

After hearing mixed reviews about District Roof Top Bar & Grille, I knew I had to check it out for myself. I was pleasantly surprised. A recent addition to downtown Winston-Salem, District is the perfect spot for a cold beer on the roof top patio, overlooking the skyline on a hot summer afternoon. Since it was a rainy 37 degrees when I went, I resigned to sitting in the dining room. The bar and private room in the "basement" provide additional seating.

Thoughtful and attentive service over the course of the evening wins major points. Warm rolls and butter are presented, alongside a light and fruity Angeline Pinot Noir. "Tiki" Scallops are served atop wilted spinach and a divine, luscious lemon butter sauce. Two plump scallops are wrapped with bacon, which heavily infuse the scallop. Succulent.

District Sticky Ribs aren’t as messy as they sound, but are as delicious as you would imagine. Four large pork ribs are slow roasted and slathered with a brown sugar barbeque sauce, with fried corn on the cob and the best macaroni and cheese I’ve had in a restaurant in a long time. The few bites of gristle didn’t distract from the ribs – there was plenty of meat on them bones. This is the State Fair, or a summer cookout, on a plate. Black Grouper is cut thick, also drizzled with that tasty lemon butter sauce, which goes nicely with asparagus. A side salad to supplement includes cucumber, red onion and cherry tomatoes, though the request for dressing on the side was not honored.

What do you get when you encrust a New York Strip steak with spicy bleu cheese and fried onions? Perfection. As if a medium rare New York Strip needed any improvement, the savory blue cheese slightly melted into the steak, making it rich, while the fried onions provided the slightest salty crunch. Red potatoes, wilted spinach and even more fried onion strings are perfect sides for this innovative “meat and two.”

Forget what you heard about District and check it out. They’ve got a good thing going, and you can look for me on the roof come May.