Varmint

Where did you end up going?

Is it goodgood? Or just good cause it's cheap and Indian? I love Indian food, but have yet to find some place that I'm happy to return to. And yes, we're going to the Galaxy. ← As I said, some think it's as good as it gets -- for a vegetarian restaurant!

There's actually a bunch of great ethnic places on Chatham Street in Cary. There's 3 Indian places (Udupi, Suchi and a street food place), a Korean joint, a taqueria, and a couple of others. Which theater? If it's the independent place near Cary Town Center, these places would be perfect. Udupi is vegetarian, and some claim it to be the best Indian in the Triangle (hell, some call it the best ethnic restaurant in the Triangle!). Suchi is not vegetarian, but it's very good.

Well, hell, I'm looking for someone to have a crawfish boil for me and 10 of my friends the night before the Mardi Gras Marathon (and Half Marathon for those who are almost obese and can only run 13 miles). Todd, Brooks, what are you doing on Saturday, February 24th? I pay good money!!!! Glad to hear the crawfish harvest is on the rebound.

Well, if it's still open, we'll probably go there anyway. New Orleans without political corruption would make it -- well, maybe just a bigger Savannah? And moreover, these guilty pleas were from actions pre-dating Katrina (although there's little doubt that there's plenty of official wrong-doing today).

Steven, you were never a fan of Blue Hill -- far from it, in fact. Do you think that Mike Anthony wasn't able to express his style of cooking when paired with Dan Barber, or that Danny Meyer has pushed Mike? What is the source of the transformation?

I heard from a friend last night that the owner of Pampy's Creole Kitchen, Stan Barre, recently pleaded guilty to felony charges in federal court -- seems he was getting some kickbacks on government contracts. Story here. So, what's the word on the street regarding how this will affect Pampy's? I'm headed down to New Orleans in 4 weeks, and a bunch of us were planning to visit the place, which just re-opened a couple of months ago.

And if you're really lucky, you can see Drew's ultra-cool (in a carnie sort of way) air-brushed "Piedmont" hat. Man, if I only had a picture!

Heck, I'll be there for the week after Mardi Gras. It'll probably be pretty much empty at that time, and it seems I can get a table at any restaurant at any time I want during the entire week. But then, we'll spend as much as we can! We're all still pulling for every one of you. And hell, I'll even root for the Saints tomorrow (which is very easy seeing they're playing the scumbag Bears).

I sent Bux an email earlier this week, with an inquiry about France. When I didn't hear from him, my first thought was, "That's not like Bux." That's because Bux always was there to help with advice about France, New York and dining in general. He was an opinionated man, but a good man. I remember dining with him and his wife at Blue Hill a few years ago -- this was Bux's restaurant. He simply loved the place. The meal will always be a vivid memory, as will Bux. Our deepest condolences to the Buxbaum family. Robert Buxbaum will be missed.

I had lunch at Piedmont today, and man, do I ever wish this place were in Raleigh. I ordered the charcuterie plate, which had a duck liver mousse, a pork pate (featuring Cane Creek hogs), pickled onions, and some Chapel Hill Creamery Hickory Grove aged raw-milk cheese. Served with house-baked baguette and dijon, this was fantastic (and a bargain at $7). I also had the hangar steak sandwich, which was served with those same addictive pickled onions, arugula, bleu d'auvergne and rosemary mayo on baguette. This was served with great, crispy, salty (a bit too salty) fries. Top notch all the way. This dish only cost me $8. What I didn't try were some of the specials, such as braised pork cheek ravioli (I saw Andy the chef rolling out fresh pasta in the kitchen while I ate) or the pizza with house-made Italian sausage. This place is the real deal, folks, and when co-owner Drew Brown let me sample some of his spicy candied cashews, I was almost pissed that this place is in Durham. But then, with bar snacks that good, it's probably better that it's not so close. Check it out soon, as this place is just getting busier and busier.

The new menu is finally out. Prices have dropped dramatically, but I don't know anything more as I haven't been there with the new menu yet. Here's the current menu:

Please explain. I thought Scott Luetgenau's wine selections were one of the things that distinguished Vivace from some of the other Italian offerings in the Triangle.

I think this conversation has run its course. If you'd like to talk about collards or corn bread, let's do it in separate discussions. This has been an enlightening topic. Thanks for all who participated.

Restaurant Savannah opened at the end of 2005, so it had a very short life. It'll be interesting to see what the Jennings do with the space.

I just received a press release that Kevin and Stacey Jennings, owners of Frazier's, Porter's and Vivace, will be opening up a new southern-inspired restaurant in the old Savannah spot in North Hills. To be called "South," this restaurant will "feature updated versions of classic Southern dishes – from Shrimp & Grits and Fried Chicken to Cobblers and Mint Juleps – in a lively, urban setting." The Jennings have clearly developed a strong recipe for success, and when this new place opens in early February, I'm confident it'll be another great place to eat.

Just another reminder, y'all: this is a food-oriented forum. While I'll allow a little latitude on the scope of this discussion because its very nature requires concepts that are not culinary in nature, we're getting too personal and political. If I have to step in again, I'll just end the discussion. If you have something new and relevant to add, please do so. Thanks.

Folks, let's keep the discussion focused on the South from a culinary perspective. I recognize that this matter requires discussion of topics that go beyond the gastronomic heritage, and I encourage everyone to bring their perspective to the table, but we need not stray too far and get in a purely political debate. Thanks!

You needn't get me anything this year, phlawless! Seriously, just send him what you're best at: something you've made. He can't find that in any store.

When I was in college and grad school in the 80s, Fowler's was THE place to go for food. They had the best butchers, the best cheese, the best wine and the best kitchen store. Heck, Bill Neal himself had the cover picture of his Southern Cooking cookbook taken inside Fowlers. Over the years, however, Fowler's did not evolve in the manner it needed to, and the competition killed it. When it moved out of its old location, it was never quite the same. Moreover, the Brightleaf Square area, once a fun shopping destination, also suffered from the competition of the mega-malls. Consequently, there just wasn't enough reason to go to Fowler's when one could find much of what they offered at other places. It is indeed a sad day to see this venerable institution die. I'll always have fond memories of Fowler's.

I had lunch with Ashley recently, and there will be a pretty dramatic change in Vin's menu in the next couple of weeks. Think of it as a lower-priced, easier-to-navigate fusion of Vin and Craft. I can't wait to see how it works out.

We've had four of the C&B bowls for years and love them. They look as good today as when we first got them 5+ years ago. Forunately, our dishwasher racks move up and down, so we'll have plenty of room. Christmas can't come soon enough!

I've ultimately decided to ask family members to give us gift certificates to Crate & Barrel for Christmas. I really like their basic white "Elements" china, which is moderately inexpensive. With about $300 in gift certificates, I can really stock up in the kitchen. I was desperate to get something immediately, but my wife reminded me yesterday that this is about the time we pull out our Christmas-decor china, which we'll use for the next month or so. Thus, we can wait until those gift cards come in! I'll then wait for a C&B sale and get what I want. I actually went and looked at the Corelle, and it just has that cheap glass look and feel. I'm just enough of a snob where I couldn't deal with it in my kitchen. Oh, well!

Let's keep the subject on grits, please. Not bikinis or okra -- just grits, grits, grits. And for what it's worth, grits are a statement. Grits are good. Grits are great. Grits are simply where it's at. When you've had grits with a top-notch red eye gravy, then you can consider yourself informed. 'Nuff said.

I had noticed that Vin's prices went up substantially after the Food & Wine article came out and had commented that the prices were getting too high for this market. I think the publicity gave Vin the opportunity to increase its food costs by bringing in even better ingredients, but the prices reflected that. I don't think Ashley will compromise on her ingredients, but she's been able to develop a better network of sources that allows her to keep down the food costs.