Charlie McCurry, Contributing Writer

One of Winston-Salem’s best mom-and-pop sandwich shops is not actually a mom-and-pop place at all. A mother and her son-in-law run the Carving Board in Thruway Shopping Center. This little deli has been serving up delicious homemade sandwiches and salads for many years now. The establishment is also well loved among Wake students, who relish the opportunity to truly “eat fresh.”
As you might have deduced, The Carving Board is renowned for its sandwiches. You will not find your run-of-the-mill turkey subs here. There are endless varieties of meats, toppings, and bread. You can try one of their specials, which change periodically, or you might be inclined to create your own sandwich. Old staples, like pastrami on rye, are available and usually draw good reviews. The roast beef with horseradish is quite tasty. I once tasted a pecan-crusted chicken sandwich with honey mustard on special that was too amazing to describe. Another past special was a roasted turkey breast sandwich with cheddar and cranberry sauce on a French baguette. And when I say turkey, I mean the one you cook for hours on Thanksgiving Day. There are no cold cuts at Carving Board.

If sandwiches are not your bag or you prefer a side dish that is not a bag of potato chips, Carving Board offers some terrific salads. Chicken salad, tuna salad, tomato and mozzarella salad, pasta salad, potato salad, rice salad, broccoli salad, spinach salad, egg salad…you name it and they probably have a recipe for it. The salads are sold in containers by the pound and are on full display in a big glass case where you place your order. You can order enough for lunch and take the rest back to campus for a great late night snack.

Waiting in line to order can be an arduous process during the lunch hour. Many afternoons during the week, the line can be out the door, as it winds through the small shop. There are two upsides of this fact, however. First, long lines are a sign of a good restaurant. Second, who’s who of the Winston-Salem business world stops in for lunch at the Carving Board. I would suggest taking the opportunity to network. During the lunch hour, seating is also hard to come by. Most customers take-out but the small dining room on the left-hand side of the window front shop is quite pleasant and cozy. If you are in a hurry, you can call your order in ahead of time and go pick it up.

Unfortunately, the Carving Board is not cheap. One of their hearty sandwiches, an individual salad and a drink will run you about 10 or 11 bucks. Then again, you get what you pay for. Good food is worth every penny and the 10% discount for Wake students who show their ID is not a bad thing either.