Believe it or not, I've been at Wake three years and I had never been to Fourth Street Filling Station. Disgraceful, I know. I had heard rave reviews from numerous friends, so when I found out the dining staff needed someone to review it, I jumped on the opportunity. What better excuse to drag myself downtown on a random Tuesday night and have a fabulous meal?

Walking into the restaurant, my date and I were met by the bar, which was surprisingly full for a Tuesday night in Winston-Salem. I didn't question it very long though because soon the well dressed host was leading us through the intimate and elegant dining area to a back booth. Low recessed lighting, candles on the tables, a large flickering fireplace, dark red carpet â€" the atmosphere was definitely relaxing and even romantic. Across the dining room, through French doors, I could see a covered, heated patio area enclosed by a brick wall with lots of patrons enjoying their meals.

"Hey - that's why there are so many people at the bar!" I had just noticed the description of the daily specials. "All house Martinis and Cosmos are $3.00, and free appetizer Happy Hour from 4-6 on Tuesdays." Well, we just barely missed the free appetizer which is too bad given the handful of great choices. The dinner menu offers several appetizers including a creamy crab dip, fried calamari and unique crab wontons. All of these would make a great compliment to one of 4th Street's house drinks. Speaking of which, what kind of reviewer would I be if I didn't try one of these drink specials out and let you guys know if they're any good? If it's any indication, my friends and I are already planning a trip back next week to make sure that the bar is full again.

As I made my way through the menu, I could tell this wasn't going to be an easy decision. All of my favorites were there - Filet Mignon, Crab Cakes and a sophisticated Swordfish. 4th Street also offers a variety of pizzas ranging from a typical four cheese pie to a fresh California veggie. There is also a pasta section on the menu with a few different types of pasta dishes. The shrimp and pesto pasta looked pretty tasty and smelled delicious. Of course there is also a group of sandwich selections for the less adventurous. After all, you can't go wrong with a grilled chicken sandwich! When our friendly young waiter came around, I had it narrowed down to two options, so I asked him which he would choose. We decided on Tuscan Chicken for me and my date ordered the Grilled Ribeye.

Soon a steamy, soft crusted roll of bread was delivered with a creamy, sweet whipped butter to spread. Our meals included a house salad (always a good thing) and those came next. There are all kinds of things that can go wrong with a house salad - like wilted lettuce or mushy tomatoes. Attention to details is what keeps me coming back and that salad did not let me down. Crisp mixed greens, amazingly fresh cherry tomatoes and possibly the greatest raspberry vinaigrette I've ever had made this first course memorable. If your heart is set on a salad for dinner, 4th Street has plenty to choose from. These options include salads with oysters, chicken or salmon.

My Tuscan Chicken was amazing, even the memory of it makes my mouth water. Two lightly breaded chicken breasts served with a generous, creamy pile of mashed potatoes - artfully arranged on the plate and smothered with tomatoes, olive oil, white wine, parmesan…talk about a lot of flavor. After the first bite just melted away in my mouth, I knew that this was my kind of chicken. And of course, I had the "obligation" to try my date's steak and veggies. "It's not an $18 steak" he warned me, "but the mashed potatoes and the atmosphere and everything else is so great, it works for me." They don't claim to be a steakhouse and I wouldn't try to make them one. The steak was good but my chicken eclipsed it completely. I did, however, steal almost all of my date's perfectly grilled and seasoned zucchini and squash while he wasn't looking.

Next time you feel like going out for a good time, consider Fourth Street Filling Station. Get a little dressed up if you want and have a romantic dinner. There are specials all week, so take a group and hit up the Cosmos on Tuesday or the $2.50 drafts and live jazz band on Thursday. You could even take your parents on their next visit. Any excuse you can find to eat a good meal is worth the effort and Fourth Street has my recommendation any day.

** Fourth Street Filling Station also offers 1/2 price bottles of wine on Wednesday nights!**