kagi's Profile
New in and around Greenville, NC
Just thought I'd mention, since nobody else has, that the folks from Jerusalem Market have relocated to West 5th St., under the name "Munchy's." And they're only doing the Jamaican, though they've got a lot of Middle Eastern groceries. Same stuff: jerk chicken, curries and roti on the steam tray (pretty good) and frozen beef patties (which I kind of like, in a perverse, Hot Pockety kind of way). I wonder if they'd make some of their other recipes, if you asked.
Also noticed on West 5th, though I was there too late to check it out: the Gold Post Cafe, open for breakfast, lunch, and fish fry on Fridays. Looks intriguing!
New in and around Greenville, NC
I tried Pop's; I gotta disagree with you. I thought the burgers were WAY overcooked -- dry, pucklike -- , the buns were cheap, the slaw and chili toppings pretty flavorless. Not even remotely close to Five Guys. Decent fries, but nothing special. Maybe I went on a bad night, but I can't say I was impressed.
So, I think this calls for a Best Burger in Greenville discussion. I'll go with Five Guys, but is there a better local option?
New in and around Greenville, NC
Anybody heard any news from Chef and the Farmer? That fire was a major bummer. Here's hoping they get their business up and running again soon. Good luck, folks.
http://blogs.newsobserver.com/food/kinstons-chef-the-farmer-suffers-fire
New in and around Greenville, NC
I just found your blog, ForagingFoodie. I didn't know about the Nile Asian Market and will definitely check it out. I generally agree with your judgments -- keep up the good work!
New in and around Greenville, NC
Good description of the Scullery -- they make the best coffee in town, IMO, and the homemade ice cream and lemonade-type drinks are great. The sandwiches I've had were just so-so.
I also hear that there's a new chef at Atlantic Grille and he's both better and more ambitious than the last one. Haven't tested that claim yet, though.
As for fro-yo: Local Yogurt is pretty good; Peppermints, not so much. I have been happy to see the Local Yogurt truck at a few events around town -- we could use more good food trucks 'round here.
Where's Chang?
Just went back to Peter Chang's in Charlottesville -- the last time we were there was May 2011, and in the meantime my wife visited the Atlanta location. We also ate at the old C'ville Taste of China location on 29N a few times, so we're pretty familiar with what he does. This time, while the food was definitely still tasty, we noticed that the spice level seemed to have been turned WAY down. Usually the dry-fried eggplant / bamboo fish is delicious, but just about as hot as I can take; this time, it barely registered as hot. Has anybody noticed this change? I did have a big group of conspicuously white people with me this time, but dang, it never stopped 'em before.
Also, I've got a new favorite, which was on the specials menu this time: cold shredded chicken and cucumbers in spicy mustard sauce. OMG.
Visting Staunton, VA Recommendations???
To resurrect an old thread: I had an outstanding dinner at Staunton Grocery this Saturday .
For appetizers we had excellent mussels with chorizo, and a really delicious salad of crispy local Granny Smith apples, radishes, and aged cheddar. For mains, we had butternut squash gnocchi with chanterelle mushrooms (yum) and possibly the best pork tenderloin I've ever had. Really perfectly cooked, and accompanied with a surprisingly delicious pumpkin puree. But the best might have been the last: panna cotta with apple-parsley sorbet. Oh, wow.
Also, the flight of three half-glasses of Virginia wines was a good deal for $15; the Chardonnay was outstanding, the "Crozé" rosé pretty good, and the cabernet franc just meh. Sorry I can't remember the vineyards, but I think Barboursville and White Hall may have been represented.
I lived in Charlottesville for 10 years and ate at all the local restaurants; I now live in NC and have been to many others in the same genre (e.g. Chef and the Farmer, Magnolia Grille), and I do think that Staunton Grocery is at the top of my list for farm-to-table New Southern cooking. Good job, y'all!
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The Staunton Grocery
105 West Beverley Street, Staunton, VA 24401
New in and around Greenville, NC
Hey -- anybody got anything new to add in and around Greenville, NC? My only "new" rec is Cafe Duo in Chocowinity (for some reason I never went, when they were on Memorial). Tasty Italian food -- mainly pasta, and mainly not red sauce. Very reasonably priced wine. Portions are kinda small, though. Anybody else tried anything new?
Brooklyn - Dinner Recs.
Okay, I'll hijack this thread: I visit friends in Brooklyn at least twice a year, and one of them lives on Smith St., so I know about most of the standards. So: what's new, cool, and unexpected? Cheap is good; I'm unlikely to go fancy on this trip, but I might, next time I come back. Near Carroll Gardens is a plus, but I'm willing to travel. What's the news?
Taco Express, Greenville NC
Sorry I missed this post, Naco -- is that the place in cursed formerly Middle Eastern spot on Moye?
New in and around Greenville, NC
Just tried the Atlantic Grill (new-ish, near the intersection of 5th and 10th) over the weekend. Verdict: decent. Similar to Starlight or Copper and Vine in both style and quality, though a little more on the traditional side (oversize pepper grinders, y'know). I had the special: a "cajun sirloin" with fried shrimp, sweet potatoes and haricots verts. The steak was just OK, a little tough, but at least they did a real medium rare. Salads and bread were skimpy (though the bread was pretty good for Greenville). Crème brûlée was good, but nothing special. The cocktail menu looked a little heavy on the sorority-girl flavored vodka drinks, but my companions enjoyed theirs; I didn't look at the wine; I will say that they made an excellent cup of coffee. I wouldn't go out of my way to eat here, but since it's in my neighborhood, I'll definitely consider going back.
Good Food in Greenville, NC?
Update: I went to Thai 360 on Evans tonight. Not bad at all! Completely generic Thai menu, but everything was done really well. We got some basics, just to see how they did: Pad Thai, Hot Basil Stir-fried Tofu, Tom Kha soup, vegetable rolls. All fresh and tasty (maybe a little salty...maybe). The hot ginger tea was particularly enjoyable, as well. Excellent service, and they've done a nice job with the location. All in all, it's at least as good as Saeng Thai used to be, and a great addition to downtown Greenville!
Good Food in Greenville, NC?
As usual, Naco nails it. Barbecue, Mexican, or takeout from Sakura Asian Express. Chef and the Farmer is excellent, but it's a 45-minute drive.
Just thought I'd add that if you want to stay downtown and you want something edible, Dale's on Evans makes perfectly ordinary Indian food, and Starlight Cafe makes serviceable but overpriced yuppie-Southern. Their drinks, however, are excellent and NOT overpriced. Ask for Jimmy the bartender.
Otherwise, there's not much to get excited about here, right now.
New in and around Greenville, NC
Incidentally, Naco, I just figured out that you can read the full Reflector online through the Sheppard Library homepage -- you just need a library card number. Hot Dish awaits.
Fresh Grill, new in Bethesda
Went recently with a party of four; we all had burgers and everyone was pleased. I had the "Dragon's Breath," which was totally tasty in a gut-destroying kind of way (grilled jalapeños, hot sauce, pepper jack, slaw). I do not regret it. I also got the seasoned fries -- quite good.
This place makes excellent burgers (much better than, say, Five Guys); seems like they could use a better name, though.
New in and around Greenville, NC
Finally made it to Copper and Vine for dinner. I can't say it blew me away, but anything new is welcome in Greenville. For starters, we had chevre-stuffed-and-chorizo-wrapped dates (excellent), crab dip (mayonnaisey, which I don't like, but the big chunks of crabmeat were delicious), and something like an Asian spring roll, but wrapped in steamed or parboiled collards (didn't quite work, but points for trying). For mains, we had lamb "lollipops" (pretty good) and duck breast (meh...kind of flavorless, but I did like the spicy sweet potatoes a lot). I'm no wine expert, but the list looked interesting to me, we liked both glasses we ordered, and I could definitely see myself coming in for a drink and a snack some time.
In another city I'd call this place Just OK, but in the context of Greenville I think it rises to Pretty Good. Similar in quality and focus to Starlight (but with more emphasis on small plates); not as good as Chef and the Farmer.
Go Guo's Korean BBQ, Greenville NC
Agreed. My wife and I had the shabu-shabu hot pot; the broths just weren't good. Bland, verging on unpleasant. Dumplings also bland. I think our friends liked their "Korean" bbq better.
I would disagree with the poster above who complained about small portion sizes, though; it was a lot of food. Just not very good food.
New in and around Greenville, NC
To revive an old thread --
I finally went to the "indoor discount mall" on Greene St. today. There's now a lot going on there -- the Jerusalem Market has pretty extensive Middle Eastern and Indo-Pakistani groceries, including halal meat. They also have a restaurant with counter service and booths, serving shawarma, hummus, etc. I had a chicken tanab (sp?) wrap, and it was FABULOUS -- great spices, well cooked. I asked if they sold fresh pita to go -- one of the really maddening things I can't seem to find in Greenville -- and they said they were sold out, but in the morning they'd have it.
At the same counter with the Middle Eastern food, there's also Jamaican food on a steam tray -- goat, chicken and oxtail curry, rice & beans, etc. Looked and smelled good, but I didn't have any.
Finally, they have some Mexican groceries and make tacos too (along with hot dogs and hamburgers). They seem to be covering all the bases. Anyway, it was nice to be able to have a Jamaican ginger beer with my spicy chicken. I'd go back.
Where is the best no frills Seafood in all of Florida?
Hull's in Ormond Beach is a pretty good contender. They have their own boats, and until a few years ago they were just a market, not a restaurant. I grew up in Ormond and can say that it's been the locals' choice for...geez, at least 25 years, probably more. Fresh fish and not much else.
+1 on Down the Hatch, too.
Thai Kitchen, Greenville NC
So, it looks like Saeng Thai is closed, at least for now -- I heard there was a dispute with the landlord, but I can't vouch for that -- so Thai Kitchen is pretty much the best thing out there.
On that note, I tried a new place on Memorial called Sakura Asian Express. It was better than I expected for a mostly-take-out place. The thai basil fried rice and pad thai were good, and the Shanghai curry noodles were very good.
Best fried chicken in Greenville, NC?
Thanks, you two. I ended up just picking up some Bojangles for my picnic, but next time I'll definitely give GK Cafe a try.
Best fried chicken in Greenville, NC?
Hello, eastern NC chowhounds. So, what's your pick for best fried chicken in or near Greenville? I don't really care whether it's a chain or not -- KFC and Bojangles are both contenders, IMO -- just whether it's good. Your preferences?
Unflavored chewing gum?
In case anyone's interested, I ended up buying a pound of unflavored natural chicle pellets from Glee Gum: http://www.gleegum.com/refill-kit-ingredients.htm
It's exactly what I was looking for; not cheap, though. I haven't been able to find any other sources for unflavored chicle.
Eastern NC Taqueria/Authentic Mexican thread
Yeah, Naco, thanks for your efforts -- without your recommendations, I'd be dyin' in this town.
BTW, on your tip I finally got a torta at El Rancho today: milanesa (chicken-fried steak, basically) with cheese and avocado. YUM. Best sandwich I've had in Greenville.
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El Rancho
1115 Cedar Lane Rd, Greenville, SC 29617
Thai Kitchen, Greenville NC
Hey, Naco. In my experience, Saeng Thai has a slight edge on Thai Kitchen -- everyday standards like Tom Kha Gai and Pad Thai seem a little bit fresher. But I have friends who eat at the Thai Kitchen every week and love it. And OTOH, on my last visit to Saeng Thai I got some truly wretched, rotten-tasting black mushrooms (I probably should have known better than to order that, though -- stick with the high-volume chicken and shrimp). So really, I'd say it's a toss-up. Both are decent, but neither excels.
By the way, Chowhound seems to have stuck a link to a Thai Kitchen in Georgia to your post -- the Greenville, NC Thai Kitchen is at 2400 S. Memorial Dr.
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Thai Kitchen & Sushi Bar
2400 S Memorial Dr, Greenville, NC 27834
Admit it... There's Some Dishes at Chain Restaurants You Like
I'm glad I'm not the only one who loves Boston Market chicken. Most of the sides are pretty good, too.
Also agree about Taco Bell -- the original Hard Taco Supreme is about as far from Mexican as you can get, but it rules. Also the 7-Layer Burrito. To me, Taco Bell is the taste of adolescence. One bite and I've got a skateboard and Agent Orange on my walkman. So, I'm not sure I can really be objective. But I do love it.
In a different way, Chipotle rules, too.
For burger chains, 5 Guys on the East Coast and In-n-Out on the West Coast. And I've always loved Wendy's chicken sandwiches -- but you need to ask for the chili seasoning in the gold packet.
And Krispy Kreme. Oh, Krispy Kreme. Better donuts certainly exist, but KK is close to the top.
Chef & the Farmer - Kinston, NC
Just wanted to add a little more praise for The Chef and the Farmer. We went down there on Wednesday; they didn't have the tasting menu going, but it was a great experience anyway.
Appetizers: the pizza with homemade sausage and broccoli rabe was very good, but the fried oyster toast was inexplicably delicious.
Mains were both perfect: scallops with winter vegetables and the sage-crusted Berkshire pork chop with smoked kale. Possibly the best pork I've had in eastern NC, which is saying something.
Dessert: one of the best creme brulees I've had. If I'd not had to drive home, I'd've been all over the $7 glasses of Tokaj.
I'm not very knowledgeable about wine, but the list looked fantastic to me and the two glasses we had (a Spanish Albarino and an Oregon Pinot Noir) were delicious.
They also have great bread -- I would pay some serious money to get bread like that in Greenville. Does anyone know if they bake it in-house?
All in all, I'd be thrilled to find this restaurant in any city, and in Kinston it's a miracle.
Greenville, NC: Where to buy seafood?
No, they're not. But that doesn't mean that Captain Jim's wouldn't sell them. They definitely sell crabs; I'm just not sure whether they take them up to Greenville.
Greenville, NC: Where to buy seafood?
Welcome to Greenville, OaktonWhitney.
It's a little bit inconvenient, but you can still get really good seafood on Thursdays: Mark from Captain Jim's Seafood in Morehead City ( http://www.captjimsseafood.com/ ) drives up, even though the Thursday farmer's market has ended for the season. You need to call or email him ahead of time with your order, then meet him at Cornerstone Baptist Church between 5 and 6pm on Thursdays. Very nice guy, very fresh seafood. Not sure about crabs or lobsters, but you should ask.
I also hear that the Spring Run Market ( http://www.springrunmarket.com/ ) will soon have another seafood vendor coming up from Morehead.
Restaurants in New Bern, NC
I just tried to go to the Stingray Cafe last night; even though the sign in the window says they're open 'til 9pm, the door was locked (and staff were putting the chairs up) at 8. So, call ahead and make sure they're actually open, I guess.
Instead, we went to MJ's, and were really impressed. The catch-of-the-day mahi mahi was fresh and perfectly broiled, with a tasty-but-subtle garlic-pepper rub. The crab cake impressed my patriotic-Maryland-native fiancée. The crab dip appetizer was excellent, too -- not too mayonnaisey. Even the mashed potatoes were delicious. Would definitely go back.
