Daniel B.
Yelp
From Asheville to Durham, The Katharine is one of the very best restaurants we've been to in North Carolina. And it's in downtown Winston-Salem, of all places. For fine dining, this place is phenomenal and I highly recommend it. That's all you need to know. If you want the details, read on.
The Katharine is located in the Kimpton Cardinal Hotel, a boutique hotel in Winston's historic Reynolds Building, an art-deco skyscraper that opened in 1929. It's historic because it used to be the headquarters for R.J. Reynolds Tobacco Company. The Katharine Brasserie & Bar is named after R.J. Reynolds' wife, Katharine Reynolds. The cuisine is French with some American Southern touches, hence "brasserie," which is a type of French restaurant.
Reservations are recommended. The Katharine is on OpenTable, but unfortunately is part of the small percentage of OpenTable restaurants that does not award points.
Parking is complimentary valet. Just pull up to the front of the hotel on N Main St and tell the valet you're headed to The Katharine. Bring cash to tip. You can't miss the restaurant as its storefront is prominent alongside the hotel's main entrance.
Inside, the restaurant and bar are stunning, floor to ceiling. The bar and dining room are in two separate, yet equally beautiful, spaces. The vibe was elegant and classy, perfect for a romantic date or special occasion. We brought my mom here for her birthday and she loved it. There was a special birthday card, signed by The Katharine staff, waiting for her at our table. How neat. I've been to plenty of restaurants for birthdays over the years and this was the first to do something like that (that I can remember).
Here's what four of us ordered:
Inspirational Sips
* Marche des Fiertes 'March of Pride' ($18) - Hendrick's infused with cucumber, lime, rosemary simple, soda water, topped with an Empress Gin & Orange Liqueur float and fresh fruit (The Katharine donated $1 per cocktail sold to Pride Winston-Salem)
* Juneteenth Old Fashioned ($18) - Uncle Nearest 1888, Scrappy's Black Lemon Bitters, lemon simple, orange and lemon peel (The Katharine donated $1 per cocktail sold to The National Urban League of Winston-Salem)
Seasonal Spritzers
* Passionate Lillet ($16) - Lillet Rouge, Passoa Passionfruit Liqueur, fruit juice and fresh fruit, topped with soda water
Hors d'Oeuvres
* Huitres (6 for $20) x2 - oysters on the half shell, rose champagne migonette
* Moules Marinieres ($22) - mussels served with tarragon, shallot, garlic, lemon, white wine, crushed pepper maitre d'hotel butter, grilled baguette
* Escargot a la Bourguignonne ($16) - cognac and garlic herb butter, puff pastry
* Tartare de Filet de Boeuf ($22) - minced beef tenderloin tartare, sous vide egg, espelette aioli, cornichons, grain mustard, pickled shallot, charred crostini
Steak Frites - served with frites and an accompaniment of "your choosing"
* 14 oz Ribeye ($42) with horseradish and honey creme fraiche butter; sauteed baby bok choy subbed in for the frites (+$3)
* 12 oz NY Strip ($38) with foie gras butter; upgraded regular frites with truffle frites (+$2)
Plats Principaux (entrees)
* Truite de North Carolina ($30) - pistachio-dusted NC trout, crispy salt & vinegar potatoes, chive creme fraiche, bacon frisee, charred lemon
* Canard a l'Orange ($32) - seared duck breast, Grand Marnier and bitter orange jus, sauteed rainbow chard, potatoes sarladaises
Le Dessert
* Apple Tart ($12) - Granny Smith apple tart served warm with vanilla bean ice cream, housemade caramel sauce, candied pumpkin seeds
Everything was outstanding, in both presentation and taste. We loved the cocktails. I've had a lot of old fashioneds and The Katharine's version may have been the best I've had. The cocktails tasted as good as they looked. All were well balanced and thought out.
The oysters were local to NC and some of the best I've had in the state. They were high quality, fresh, and clean. The mussels were terrific and we didn't waste a single drop of that sauce. The escargot were fantastic. Like the oysters, they were high quality and fresh. The beef tartare was good as well, probably my least-favorite of the apps, but I'm splitting hairs.
The steaks were extremely good. I had the strip and my dad had the ribeye. We had our steaks cooked medium rare and they came out perfect. Wonderful, rich flavor and texture. The trout and duck breast were very good too. My wife described the trout as a modern, playful, lighter version of fish and chips. I really liked the duck breast. Like the steak, the duck was cooked to perfection.
The apple tart was absolutely delicious and not too sweet. Tasty, flaky crust. Apples weren't too mushy either.
Service was excellent. Our server, Algene, was friendly and personable. He made great recommendations.
TL;DR version - Our Winston friends who recommended this place to us, the husband said it best: "It's our favorite upscale restaurant in Winston. Consistently good, and great cocktails."