Chow down with John Batchelor at Rooster’s, A Noble Grill

Over the more than 40 years I’ve been writing about restaurants, a small number evoke nostalgia. High on that list is Restaurant J. Basul Noble in High Point. Chef-proprietor Jim Noble expanded to Greensboro and Winston-Salem, then Charlotte, eventually relocating to that city, himself, for personal (see kingskitchen.org.) as well as professional reasons. There is no one in the culinary world I admire more. 

Of those restaurants, the Charlotte and Winston-Salem properties, both now named Rooster’s, continue in operation, and in the case of the Winston-Salem location, going on 30 years. Such longevity is rare, but in this case, it’s easy to understand.

Before you even enter, you smell the place. The aroma from the wood-fired grill is enticing, and experiences inside sustain that initial impression. Lots of wood creates an elegant look, while avoiding formality or stuffiness. Even in wintry weather, patio seating is available, a function of well-placed heaters. Personnel were uniformly masked. They are also well-versed regarding the food, and able to make informed recommendations regarding beverage selections. 

The wine list is substantial. I recognized a few selections from the BTG section, but tastes are provided to elucidate the pairing process. My wife and I seldom imbibe cocktails, but the Cran-Mule caught her attention. It turned out to be a real winner.

Bread-hard-crusted sourdough slices- earns special commendation. 

One column of the menu is devoted to “the creamery” (cheeses) and “the larder” (meats and smoked seafoods). In “the sea” listing, there are three items I would consider conventional appetizers. Of these, I chose Fried Oysters — pleasantly plump and moist, coated with a light batter, fried crisp. A large swirl of homemade cocktail sauce lends bite.

Two soups round out the starters. The Noble’s restaurants are famous for Tomato Basil Bisque. Most recently, my wife and I tried a du jour offering, based on a broth of beef, pork, and chicken with chunks of meat and vegetables. The taste I tried contained excellent chorizo sausage. Hearty and most welcome on a chilly night.

The “small plates” section of the menu in most cases just means a protein with no vegetables. We wanted to try the Bolognese, considered a specialty here, so we split a portion in the absence of other starters, as a first course. It’s outstanding- a hearty, meaty sauce of ground beef and pork, simmered with fresh tomatoes, over homemade inch wide noodles. This is not an Italian restaurant, but I’ve never had this dish anywhere else that was better, regardless of nationality.

Grilled Salmon arrives in about a five-ounce portion, moist and tender and freshly flavorful with an excellent crust. Although marked with an asterisk, which the menu explains means “may be served undercooked or raw,” I would characterize the cooking level as medium, or just right.

Not so the Wahoo. Four slices appeared opaque and produced virtually no flavor, with a soft texture that I found most unappealing. Our server explained that it was “torched” as opposed to more conventional methods of cooking. This was decorated with crème fraîche, black butter nage, and caper aioli, surrounded by bok choy hosting benne tahini carrots. I cannot testify regarding the latter enhancements because I don’t think it’s fair to keep eating something I know I’m going to send back. The manager visited our table, the charge was removed, and an alternative entrée was provided (at full cost). (On a subsequent visit, I noticed that the Wahoo had been removed from the menu.)

The replacement that night, from the “large plates” section of the menu, was Striped Bass — seared in a cast-iron skillet to a firm, dark crust — cooked a bit more than I would have expected, although still good (was the kitchen sending me a message?). This too, was marked with an asterisk. So, in general, I don’t find the menu a reliable predictor of how the food will actually be cooked. Don’t hesitate to ask or specify what you want in advance. The fish was presented over a potato and fennel root gratin — complex, outstanding in flavor. 

Filet Mignon is seared in a cast-iron skillet. Ordered medium, as soon as our server checked back and saw it, he commented, “That’s too done, isn’t it?” Grey all the way through, it was clearly well done, with an almost black exterior. A replacement was just right — excellent crust, giving way to exceptional depth of flavor. This comes with bordelaise sauce, fresh roasted asparagus, and roasted potatoes with peppers and onions. When cooked right, as good a steak as I’ve ever had.

From “the pasture” list, I ordered Roast Chicken. The bird is from Joyce farms (as are other fowl and most meats). This is an elite North Carolina provider whose home is Winston-Salem. The tender texture, rich natural flavor, and abundant juices testified to the chicken’s quality, subtly infused with smoke from the wood grill. Another superlative — simply the best roast chicken I’ve ever had. And you get a half chicken — enough to share or have some for lunch the next day. 

Read the menu carefully to determine if a green vegetable is included in the serving. In the case of the Striped Bass, a green side is needed, which elevates an already high price ($44) to stratospheric levels (green sides start at $6). The half chicken on the other hand, is a bargain at $18, even with an added vegetable or salad cost.

I would rank all the vegetables I have had in the top echelon, and portion sizes are large enough to share. Frites are crisp and abundantly flavorful of real potato. Brussels Sprouts are halved and roasted, al dente, their flavor extended with goat cheese, bacon, mellow balsamic vinegar, scattered with bits of roasted sweet potato. Succotash uses traditional southern ingredients — corn and lima beans, both fresh. 

In sum, the structure of Rooster’s menu provides flexibility, so you can control costs to some extent, but no matter what I chose, the final tab turned out to be elevated. Mistakes cannot be ignored in this price range, but they can be forgiven when corrected. My wife and I agreed that the rewards here justify the prices. We would go back. This column contains a striking number of superlatives.

The chef is Michael Spencer. He is from Southport, where he grew up cooking for and learning from his grandmother. He has been at Rooster’s about three years. Hannah Shaffner is manager. She started at Rooster’s as a server 20 years ago.