durhamois's Profile
Bread n Kabob, Durham
Had dinner with a group of friends at Bread n Kabob this evening. This place was one of my favorite spots for cheap eats when it opened the first time around. I went tonight expecting that it would have a bar now, but apparently they have recently eliminated all alcohol. They don't even have beer or wine. That said, it was great to eat there, and enjoy the flavors I hadn't had in way too long. They have a buffet now which has several vegetables and a couple of chicken dishes. I did the buffet with a small side of lamb kabobs. Unfortunately, their menu no longer has a kabob plate with two veggies, as it used to. But the food still tastes the same as it did, and their fresh hot bread, while not quite as good as it was when they first opened the last time around, is still pretty great. The red and green sauces are still fantastic. If you loved Bread n Kabob before, you'll still love it now; if you missed it the first go 'round, I recommend checking it out now.
L'Uva in Durham Now Open
Anyone else eaten at L'Uva lately? I'm ready to give it a second chance, unless there's a good reason not to.
Authentic szechwan option in Durham
I got takeout from Happy China just after it opened, which was several months ago. If I remember correctly, I got the fish in Szechwan sauce and the eggplant in garlic sauce. My socks weren't knocked off, but I would certainly give it another chance. In fact, I may give it another chance tomorrow, on xmas day, in keeping with Jewish tradition.
Battistella's New Orleans Kitchen, Raleigh
I ate at Battistella's on Sat night with two friends who are New Orleans natives that only moved to the Triangle post-Katrina. We all thought it was very good, and a reasonable value. The dining room has lots of New Orleans charm, and the location is beautiful, with large windows looking out onto a very appealing street view. I enjoyed a nice St. Germain-based cocktail whose name escapes me. But it was a beautiful color and it came in a lovely, vintage-looking martini glass that made me super happy. We ordered fried oyster po' boys, the crawfish etoufee, and bread pudding with white chocolate sauce for desert. Rafeco gives a great description of the etoufee above, and I have nothing to add. One of my friends noted that the only thing that was inauthentic about the po' boys is that Battistella's uses better bread than you would normally find on a po' boy in NO. The bread pudding in white chocolate sauce tasted okay, but was so unappealing to look at that it can hardly be exaggerated. I'll leave the description to your imagination.
They have a large chalk board just outside the kitchen that lists all the regional producers from which they source their ingredients. My only other criticism, and it is indeed a small one, is that they don't make their own mayonnaise. It's such a small, easy thing to do, and it makes such a huge qualitative difference, that I find it unfathomable that any good restaurant uses mayo out of a jar. In any case, if you're in the mood for New Orleans cooking, and you find yourself in Raleigh, I think Battistella's is a good bet.
Addictive Snow Cones at Pelican's, Durham
I tried including a link to their website in my original post, but for some reason it wouldn't allow it. Trying again:
http://www.pelicanssnoballs.com/
Addictive Snow Cones at Pelican's, Durham
Yesterday I took my kids to Pelican's SnoBalls on N. Roxboro Rd in Durham (Bragtown area), a NC-based snow cone joint. I wasn't really expecting much, except a treat for my kids that was a little different. But the snow cones there are totally addictive. The ice is shaved super finely, like powdery snow, and they have over 100 flavors to choose from. Yes, it's all artificial color and flavor, but I don't care, because as you eat your way down to the bottom they just get sweeter and more delicious. I've already taken my kids back -- twice. They are only open through the end of October, so if you want to try them, you better do it soon. Apparently they have several other locations in NC, including Cary and Apex.
Gregoria's Kitchen in Durham
This sounds like the most intriguing new restaurant news I have heard in awhile. I had no idea that this was even in the works. It's in the location of the old Peddler Steakhouse, where I used to beg my parents to take me as a child, but they wouldn't do it because they said we can make perfectly good steak at home. (Restaurant dining in my family was reserved primarily for Chinese and Italian, cuisines which at the time were considered to have such exotic ingredients that they could not possibly be prepared at home.) In any case, I think this is a terrific location for a new restaurant, and the the place has a very inviting website and menu. I'll check it out asap.
Best Frozen Yogurt in the Triangle?
Wow, thanks for the warning about Sweet Frog. I've been to Tutti Frutti, which my kids love. I saw an article somewhere saying that TCBY is going to that same self-serve business model. Those seem to be popping up everywhere. I think they all probably make their product with a packaged mix, and I doubt the quality of the ingredients is all that terrific. Local Yogurt tastes great, but I think it's ridiculously overpriced. I requested blueberries as a topping on my small yogurt there, and paid $1 extra for 5 blueberries.
For a something cool, refreshing, and a little different, I like Chill Bubble Tea on Franklin St. Haven't been in awhile, but it's a nice warm-weather treat. It's tough to be in a bad mood when you're sipping bubble tea.
north carolina foodie towns?
Without a doubt, the highest concentration of top restaurants is in the Triangle Area, with Durham being the foodiest of the foodie towns.
Great grilled cheese in the Raleigh/Durham/Chapel Hill?
Reliable Cheese, in Downtown Durham, next to Rue Cler. They have a number of cheese sandwiches that you can pick up to to as is, or that they will grill to order on a panini press. They'll also make a custom sandwich sometimes, if they have extra bread on hand. They often get their bread from Loaf, but the focus of course is on the cheese. Check it out.
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Rue Cler Restaurant
401 E Chapel Hill St, Durham, NC 27701
L'Uva in Durham Now Open
We ate at L'Uva for the first time this evening. I dearly wish I were sitting down at the computer to write a rave review about our dining experience, because I'm really pulling for L'Uva to be something special. And I think it has that potential. But tonight, it wasn't that. There was nothing really bad about our experience, it's just that it was rather... ordinary.
Unfortunately, the weather was not being cooperative, because I would have liked to have dined in the outdoor, glass-walled patio. There is a cozy looking fire on one side of it, and what looks like a mini-bar. But it was cold and drizzly out, so we opted to eat indoors. The decor is simple, the seats were comfortable, and while the restaurant was pretty full, the ambient noise level was perfectly acceptable. We had no problem hearing our dining companions. My first little disappointment of the evening is that their liquor license only allows beer and wine. The waiter said that they will probably get a full liquor license at some point, but they do not have it yet. They do make some wine cocktails, but I didn't try them. (If anything, I like my wine fortified, not diluted.) I got a glass of moscato as an aperitif, and we got a bottle of a nondescript Italian white with dinner. They were drinkable, but not at all memorable. The bottle was only $28 dollars, so in terms of value, I'd say the wine was fine. All the wine is served in tumblers, which probably wouldn't have bothered me if I had been able to order a cocktail first, but if all I get to drink is wine, I would like at least like to have a festive glass.
My partner and I split the Beef Carpaccio appetizer, which had artichokes, shaved parmesan, fresh lemon and olive oil. The beef itself was good, but not exceptional; the artichokes, while it's possible that they were prepared in-house, tasted to me like they could have come out of a jar; I didn't discern the lemon, and the olive oil was of a quality that I would use for cooking, not for drizzling. As an appetizer it was fine, and the bread was respectable (incidentally, no extra charge for bread at dinner).
For entrees, my partner and I shared two dishes: the Venison Sausage Risotto, with baby spinach, roasted garlic, and grana padano; and the Braised Short Ribs, with roasted parsnips, caramelized carrots, and gremolada. The risotto was of a less creamy variety than what I prefer, but good people can disagree about that. The venison sausage was unoffensive, with no particular seasoning that I could pick out, but it tasted fine, and had a nice moist texture. I'm assuming it was made in-house, but if I were going to go through all the trouble to make venison sausage, I would try to make it more flavorful. I didn't notice any roasted garlic in the dish. The beef short ribs were probably the best thing we ordered. The beef was sufficiently soft, though I would not have objected to it being just a bit more tender. The braising sauce was rich and yummy, and the vegetables, though not abundant, were nicely done. But the gremolata was basically just a green garnish that added no flavor to the dish whatsoever. I didn't taste any lemon zest, garlic, salt, or any of the sort of flavor intensity that you should get in a gremolata.
I found most of the dishes to be slightly underseasoned. Again, this is a matter of taste, and admittedly I like salt. I especially like salt when it is on the table, which it was not here. As I write this, I find myself fantasizing that if I had asked for salt, maybe they would have brought me a beautiful and precious little pewter bowl of fleur de sel, with it's own little pewter spoon, and that sprinkling some really good salt on my meal would have taken it up a notch. It's possible. But I think the dishes needed more than salt to save themselves from being bland. I mean really, it's an Italian enoteca, I should have tasted some garlic somewhere.
We didn't order any desert. The presence of tiramisu on their desert menu is something I find a little worrisome.
So all in all, this was a perfectly okay dinner out in Downtown Durham. There was no electric buzziness to the vibe at L'Uva, but it was casual and comfortable. I went into L'Uva with very high hopes and expectations, which were not met. Maybe my expectations weren't realistic. I will certainly go back once or twice, and maybe if both the level of the food and the level of my expectations are adjusted a little, it could still become a happy happy place for me.
Nanataco in Durham open
I will offer some first impressions of Nanataco, but at the outset I should acknowledge a few limitations of this review: 1) I'm not a pork eater, which precluded me from eating what are probably some of the tastier items on the menu, and 2) I ordered takeout, and though I only live about 10 minutes away, a good taco has a shelf life of about 7 minutes, maybe less.
That said, I love the look of this place. There's a really cute patio out front, and the restaurant has large garage doors that open up to the patio. Even when you're sitting inside, on a nice night, you're open to the outside, and I love that. The menu is pretty much what's described above. They also had Ashley Farm chicken mole, which I ordered, as well as beef, duck, and lamb cheek tacos. In the appetizers they listed a chorizo queso fundido. I asked if they could make that without pork, and maybe substitute some lamb cheeks or other meat. They said they would see what they could do, which ended up being queso with black beans and chopped veggies, which isn't what I would have done. The chips were decent, though nothing spectacular, and the salsas good but also unremarkable. The taco meats were all tasty, especially the duck and the lamb. They do serve their tacos in a single slightly thicker tortilla, rather than two thin ones like most (every?) authentic taqueria. This is obviously a matter of preference, but I prefer two thin ones. That said, the tortillas tasted very fresh, and had a nice texture. There was one fatal flaw with the tacos, however: they came topped with shredded lettuce and chopped tomatoes. I don't know what on earth they are thinking. (What I'm thinking is, "this isn't frickin' Taco Bell"). So I hope they decide to stop doing that, because it's just embarrassing.
The chicken mole was very good -- tasty, very moist chicken, and the house made mole was rich, slightly spicy and delicious. My only complaint about the chicken is they were super stingy on the mole sauce. It was just sort of painted on the outside like bbq sauce, whereas it should be dripping in a pool of mole.
There was one last problem, which was the Mexican rice. I was hoping for something nice and a little different, like Arroz con papas, which I love but never find around here. Instead, the tacos and mole were served with a large scoop (as in, the shape of a round scoop) of very undercooked rice. It wasn't al dente, it was actually crunchy.
There were a lot of positives to the place. Even though I was ordering takeout, and the place was busy, I got really nice service. I ordered a $5 'rita to sip on the patio while I was waiting for my order, and I thoroughly enjoyed that. I really like the vibe of the place.
Bottom line: Nanataco has potential, but they have some kinks to work out. They should fix their rice, and make it into something that is a cut above typical Mexican rice. And FOR GOD'S SAKE get the shredded lettuce and tomato off those tacos. But I will certainly go back, if for no other reason than to enjoy the drinks, the locally sourced meat and fresh ingredients, and the nice atmosphere.
Cape Gooseberries in the Triangle?
I used to find cape gooseberries everywhere each fall, but for the past few years I haven't seen them in the stores. I was excited to find some in Harris Teeter yesterday, but when I got them home and started peeling back the husks, I saw that almost the whole container had gone moldy and spoiled. Has anyone seen them around? They are one of my favorite fruits, and I hate not being able to find them.
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Harris Teeter
, New Bern, NC 28560
G2B Gastropub - Durham, NC
They have changed their website significantly, and it looks much, much more appealing. The Brady Bunch look is gone, and it now shows off the restaurant as being sleek and modern. The new menu looks more interesting too: Goat cheese croquettes. Foie gras torchon. Grilled Prosciutto wrapped Figs.
L'Uva in Durham Now Open
Revolution doesn't get a lot of love on Chowhound, but it remains one of my favorite restaurants in Durham. The Ahi Poke Tuna and the Mussels are two of the best dishes that you will find anywhere in the Triangle. In fact, just about all of their small plates are good, and I think anyone who likes making a meal of small plates would find the food to be really good. And I love the atmosphere, though they seem to have some problems with controlling the temperature in the room. I concede that other dishes in the menu, particularly the large plates, can be inconsistent. So we generally order what we knew is excellent, and we're very happy with that. Also, they have some of the best bread you'll find in a restaurant, which is a crucial thing for me.
They also have great cocktails (I'm talking about you, Pomegranate Lychee Martini). When I eat at Revolution, we sit at the bar, order lots of interesting cocktails, and get a bunch of small plates. We rarely sit at a table and order a standard dinner.
Il Palio was apparently good when Anile was there, but I didn't ever eat there until after he left, and the meal that I did have there was completely forgettable.
I am excited about L'Uva, and I expect it to be god. I didn't know it had opened. I'll check it out and file a report when I get a chance.
Taqueria concept coming to Rockwood area of Durham, NC
@Castaway, I didn't say they spoke English. I said they can take your order satisfactorily in English, which is accurate, if not somewhat subjective. As a general rule, whenever I'm in a situation where I encounter a language barrier, I find that a good attitude can take me a long way.
Taqueria concept coming to Rockwood area of Durham, NC
The main cashier at Los Comales is a young guy who works in his family business. His English is practically unaccented. If you go to Super Taqueria, La Vaquita, or any of the other major taquerias in town, you'll find that the people working at the cash register can take your order quite satisfactorily in English. So let's avoid the ethnic stereotypes, shall we?
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Super Taqueria
2842 N Roxboro Rd, Durham, NC 27704
Los Comales
2103 N Roxboro St, Durham, NC 27704
Zucchini blossoms?
I haven't seen any around, but if I were looking for them I would try El Superior in Durham, Compare Foods, or any of the Latino markets. Ask for "flor de calabaza." They are used in a lot of Mexican (esp Oaxacan) cooking, so that's the place that I would start. You might check with Charlie Deal at Dos Perros... he would probably know if they are available in the area.
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Dos Perros
200 N Mangum St. Suite 101, Durham, NC 27701
Farm fresh eggs in Durham
Well, there's the other major matter, which is that we have Orkin spray our yard with noxious chemicals once a month to get rid of mosquitoes. I'm not proud of it, but we have a very wooded back yard, and if we don't spray, my kids get massacred the second they step out the back door. I know that chickens help eat bugs, but I can't imagine they would get enough mosquitoes to make a difference. In any case, I don't know if the spray would kill the chickens or not, but even if it didn't, I would rather not have pesticide-perfumed eggs. I am sure there are other solutions, but I haven't been industrious enough to seek them out.
Farm fresh eggs in Durham
My children go through gobs of eggs, and I would love to buy them fresh from the farm. I get them from the farmer's market whenever I can, but that's not enough enough to keep either my kids or my dh in eggs. I would love it if there were a local supply in Durham where I could just pick up fresh, preferably organic eggs whenever.
I wanted to get some yard hens, but that turns out not to be practical for us for a variety of reasons (our cat, for example).
Anyone know of any good Durham egg sources?
Taqueria concept coming to Rockwood area of Durham, NC
The Asian restaurant keeps failing in each incarnation because they have consistently served bad food. That general neighborhood seems to me as thriving an area as you could find for restaurants: Gugelhupf, Foster's, Q-Shack, Nana's, and Local Yogurt are all within a couple of blocks of each other. Rockwood Fillin' Station got mixed reviews on both food and service. I don't know what happened with the Fish Shack, but personally I never went there because the concept of fried fish doesn't really appeal to me. If Nanataco lives up to its promise, however, I'm sure my family and I will eat there frequently. We do love Los Comales, and many of the other traditional taquerias, but we also like nuevo Mexican food and Tex Mex. That's the beauty of it, you don't have to choose, you can eat both.
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Los Comales
2103 N Roxboro St, Durham, NC 27704
Q-Shack
10822 Providence Rd, Charlotte, NC 28277
Cypress on the Hill closes (Chapel Hill)
I take your word for it that the food was good. Whenever I checked out their menu, however, everything was, like, "Pan seared blah blah, with a summer vegetable whatever, Yukon gold puree, and a such and such jus." Nothing sounded bad, it just all sounded very predictable, like things I had seen on a hundred other restaurant menus. There's nothing particularly wrong with that, I'm just giving a possible explanation for why it may have failed to pull diners away from other restaurants to eat there. When I think about the other restaurants I like in Chapel Hill -- Lantern, Bin 54, Kitchen, Jujube -- they all offer something unique that I can't find anywhere else is the area.
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Bin 54
1201 M Raleigh Rd., Chapel Hill, NC 21517
Cypress on the Hill closes (Chapel Hill)
I never went to Cyprus on the Hill because their online menu was incredibly boring. Maybe the execution was great, but there was nothing about the food that pulled me in.
Craft Cocktails in Raleigh?
I second Whisky. Also check out The Crunkleton in Chapel Hill.
Topsail, NC
What's the best seafood market in or near Topsail Beach? Also, where is the best grocery store for (lower case) whole foods?
Micro basil in Durham-CH
Does anyone know where micro basil might be available in Durham or Chapel Hill? I know it can be ordered online, but I'd like to get it this weekend if possible.
Blue 13 or Cafe Spiaggia?
My foodie friends and I have a few days in Chicago. Looking for a mix of casual and high end dining, and an interesting vibe. Good people-watching is a plus. Here's what we are planning:
Sat dinner: either: Blue 13 or Cafe Spiaggia?
Sun dinner: Alinea (confirmed)
Mon dinner: Elysian or Tru? Or possble walk-in/bar early dinner at Girl and the Goat?
Tues Lunch: Topolobampo (confirmed)
What would you recommend for Sat and Mon? Would you choose these or something else?
Any recommendations for light lunches? Exceptional salads, or really great soups, for example? Don't want to ruin our dinners, but don't want to be hungry all day.
Also, is the French Market worthwhile as a destination?
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Alinea
1723 N Halsted St, Chicago, IL 60614
Cafe Spiaggia
980 North Michigan Ave, Chicago, IL 60611
Topolobampo
445 N Clark St., Chicago, IL 60610
Blue 13
416 W. Ontario Street, Chicago, IL 60610
Need a great rec for a Monday night resto
My friends and I arrive Sat, and we leave Tues evening. So far we have:
Sat: Alinea
Sunday: ??
Mon: L2O
Tues Lunch Topolobampo
So I'm looking for some recommendations for a Sunday restaurant, hopefully something with interesting food, a fun, trendy, eclectic vibe, and maybe not quite as expensive. Any ideas?
Also, we could in fact do either L2O or Tru on Monday. Which do you recommend, given those options?
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Alinea
1723 N Halsted St, Chicago, IL 60614
Topolobampo
445 N Clark St., Chicago, IL 60610
L2O
2300 Lincoln Park West, Chicago, IL 60614
In need of Pistachios in the RDU area
I usually serve it with grilled fish (Amberjack is one of favorites), but it would do equally well with poultry. It's not bad just schmeared on baguette.
