Zeb A
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Posts posted by Zeb A
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We went to Fins again on Friday night and had another great meal. The place seems packed everytime we go, so hopefully it is getting the support it deserves.
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sexless chicken was my nickname in high school.
Perhaps you should make that your new signature. Funniest line in this thread by far!!
Wow. How funny. McCord's nickname at work was "sexy chicken." Small world.
PS: What an entertaining thread.
Edit to add: McCord=Varmint
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About 6 years ago, McCord suggested we go to Fins. We enjoyed our meal, but didn't return. I can't think of any reason, other than location. About a month or so ago, we went back. Wow. First, the restaurant space was more attractive. Second, the food was outstanding. I don't recall what we ate, other than some sort of steampot appetizer/soup. Everything was really really good. I was much impressed. Though different, it was reminiscent of Aqua, where we had a lunch when in SF last year--and I thought that meal was great as well.
Still, I think the location is unfortunate. I've been twice and got lost both times. It isn't near anything. I wish it was located in downtown, Five Points, etc.
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Well, since no one is speaking out, I'm making an "executive" decision -- we'll have the get together at my house on Saturday, November 22.
Don't let this guy fool you. I am sure this was his master plan all along. He'd rather stay at his home than go out any day of the week. Last time I saw him out, you should have seen what he . . . (nah, nevermind).
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Cash is king.
I exchanged some PMs with Cap'n Varmint on this topic, and he asked me to post my most recent message here.
Durham is a pretty random place for a premier restaurant. Why is it there and why is Chapel Hill close behind? It is because there is an artsy fartsy academic feel to those places, which can be fertile ground for food development (see Chez Panise and probably many more).
But, in the long run, premier restaurants are predominantly found in Cities--at least, that has been my experience. Why? Because that is where the money is (and where more people live and work). Raleigh food growth has been stunted by its suburban sprawl--hence, the chains and the strange Raleigh strip mall restaurant phenomenon. As downtown gets more and more housing; as Glenwood South continue to be a gold mine (or at least very busy and popular); as the downtown continues to be rennovated; the city of Raleigh will be the obvious place for such restautants. In 10-15 years, people will find it hard to believe that Durham was once the food hub of the Triangle.
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No cash, but I have some stuff to sell.
Yardsale for food?
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In my opinion, it is just a matter of time. The extended and ongoing development of the downtown, both with businesses and lodging, make the area a natural place for such a venue. All we need is someone with some vision, talent, and cash.
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I've lived and eaten here a pretty long time now. Believe it or not, the food scene in Raleigh has dramatically improved over the last few years. I used to think of the Streak o' Lean at Big Ed's as Raleigh "haute cuisine." While chains have flooded the market, a number of other mid-range independent restaurants serving good food have opened and seem to be succesful--not a lot, but more than before. I do lament that there is no top notch restaurant such as what can be found in Durham/Chapel Hill. But, I don't think anyone has ever really tried. I can't think of one that has started and failed. Can you, McCord? I'm not in the restaurant biz, but I find it nearly impossible to imagine that an outstanding restaurant with a great chef serving innovative cuisine in a modest-sized, intimate restaurant would not be successful, even if the restauranteur kept the glitz of the dining room to a minimum. Too many people from too many parts of the country with too much money have moved here in the last 5 years or so for such a place to be unsuccesful. I mean, Vin certainly isn't cutting edge, but it moves in that direction, and the place seems to do a thriving business despite relatively high prices. In my opinion, what has been missing is a chef/restauranteur who offers that.
Edit to fix 20 typos.
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sorry, we are hosting something that night. wish we could.
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I have had great meals at South by Southwest. Upscale Southwestern/Mexican. Unfortunately, it is in Winston-Salem, not Greensboro, but that's not too awful far away. Check it out here.
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To cut a long story short, I want to find a restaurant in the Durham/Chapel Hill/Raleigh area that serves mezze. I don't mean the appetizers but a mezze platter/entree that is a selections of mezze dishes that will make a meal.
In the UK, this is commonly found in authentic Greek restaurants and can only be ordered for at least two diners.
I've yet to find a place in the area that serves mezze this way.
Though not exactly the type of experience to which you refer, when we visited the restaurant, we ordered several appetizers and made a meal out of it. (A common approach for us.) They also had 2-3 appetizer platters on the menu. I can't recall how much they cost and whether they were meal sized or not, but, based on my experience, you could make something work here.
Regarding desserts, we, too, did not enjoy the ones we ordered.
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We were driving down Glenwood the other day and, for the first time, noticed Taverna Agora. Evidently, it opened a couple months ago. We stopped in and did not exactly have a full dinner. Instead, we ate various appetizers etc. Everything was very good. We haven't had a good Greek restaurant in Raleigh for ages (ever?). Sure, Neomonde is a good place to get groceries etc., and I suppose you can sit there and eat, but I wouldn't really call it a restaurant. In contrast Taverna Agora, though not exactly in an ideal location, was very nice. It also had a nice bar. The crowd seemed lively, and happy. (Oddly, the restaurant sign indicated that it was open to 2:00 AM each night. Late night Ouzo crowd I guess.) So, although I really haven't had enough experince with the restaurant to have a definitive opinion, I was fairly impressed and will definitely be going back.
Edit: Here's the address:
Taverna Agora
6101 Glenwood Ave.
Raleigh, NC 27612
919-881-8333
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In my experience Citronelle is as open, friendly, and fun as any place you will find. That goes for the food, the wine, the service, and the room.
Speaking of the room, we sat near the wall that changes colors throughout the course of the evening. Pretty cool. For some strange reason, I half-way expected some sort of fish to come swimming into view, thereby revealing the wall to really be glass behind which was color-changing water. I have no idea why I had that thought.
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Glad you had a good time culinarily speaking. DC doesn't get its due for fine food. Did you get to meet any egullet locals?
Unfortunately, no.
It was a pseudo-business trip and scheduling was a bit chaotic. Maybe next time . . .
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This really isn't worth its own thread, but I wasn't sure in which existing thread to place it.
I was in DC for a long weekend and had an opportunity to check out quite a few places that I have heard about, but not had the chance to experience. I ate dinners at Zatinya, Cafe Atlantico, and Citronelle, and lunches at Jaleo and Peking Gourmet (in Arlington). Enough has been written about these places that I really don't have anything new to add. Just a few random thoughts.
1. Thank you Steve Klc for outstanding desserts. My favorites were: Tres Leches con Tres Piñas (Home-style cake soaked in milk and presented a new way, with pineapple, milk jam and caramelized almonds) from Cafe Atlantico, the Basque cake at Jaleo, and the rice pudding at Jaleo. Amazing stuff.
2. At Cafe Atlantico, I really enjoyed: "Feijao Tropeiro" (Traditional Brazilian stew with chicken breast, pork-bean mash, farofa, oranges, and sauté collard greens with garlic)--very different with an incredibly hot habanero sauce on the side
3. At Zatinya, I particularly enjoyed: (i) I can't see its name on the website, but it was watermelon topped with feta and (ii) Garides Saganaki (shrimp with tomato, green onions, kefalograviera cheese and Ouzo)
4. Citronelle was very good, and not nearly as stuffy as I had somehow incorrectly believed it would be. We ordered three course price fixe meals (I wanted the fourth course--cheese--but there was just no room.) For appetizers, we had: (i) CRAB CROMESQUIS with Tarragon Remoulade and (ii) ESCARGOTS in Spinach Gnocchi, Pearl Pasta and a Cornucopia of Fines Herbes. Both were very good. I particularly enjoyed the escargots--I had never eaten them whilst they were hidden in gnocchi before. For entrees, we had: (i) LOBSTER MEDALLION roasted Artichoke & Sunchoke, Citronelle Sauce and (ii) LOUP DE MER (Baby Spinach, Chanterelle Mushroom, Pissaladière Sauce). Both were good, but the lobster was a mistake. It cost extra, and was, basically, lobster. Because most years I have an opportunity to visit Maine and prepare lobsters myself (at a reasonable price), I usually don't make the mistake of ordering lobster in a restaurant, which is always disappointing to me. Nonethless, the lobster was fine, just not worth the cost in my mind. For desserts, we had (i) NAPOLEON (Caramel Maple Sauce) and (ii) LEMON MERINGUE TART (Mint Sauce). Both very good.
5. Peking Gourmet--good basic Chinese food near my mom's house. Beef Proper = Good.
6. In short, it was a very rewarding weekend from a food perspective. I really wish that a place like Jaleo or Zatinya would open in my neck of the woods. I really enjoy being able to order in such a fashion, and it appears that others do as well. Perhaps the business-side of the equation complicates things (bird-like eaters occupying table for long time while ordering little, etc.)
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It is a nice little family place, go for lunch and try the "Speidie" sandwich, a Binghamton, NY staple.
I was in Owego, NY a year or so a go for work and kept seeing "chicken speidie" on the menus. As I recall, it was sort of a chopped chicken sandwich with some sort of secret sauce. Pretty darn good.
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There is some information in the DC & DelMarVa forum, such as: this link.
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That's very kind, Jaymes. I will say that when I fed my children some leftover chicken, one responded, "Daddy, do we have to eat meat with every meal???"
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The best thing about the Little Vermin is that they are just about the most well-behaved kids I have ever run across. (Of course, I guess electro-shock therapy will get anyone's attention).
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After Varmint has been drinking some, ask him to show you his "trick with the cartilage-free nose."
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Varmint:
Regarding attire, does everyone have to wear the cheese heads, or would you prefer that we do not so as not to clash with yours?
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check out this thread for recent info. click here. Bayona and Peristyle were standouts on our recent visit.
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and their new sister bar, Porters.
A couple of new restaurants have opened since June, including Vivo, an Italian place, that offers a breakfast service, too.
We have recently been to both Porters and Vivo. Both get thumbs up. Porters is casual, but with better than expected food--amazing non-traditional "nachos" and a top notch burger (avoid the onion rings). Vivo has good pasta and great little flatbreads (basically thin pizza)--oddly, they basically don't sell wine by the glass.
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Not me. But YOU should be, seeing you still could come AND you have realized that I'm only half the creep you suspected I was.
Don't let him fool you, McCord is plenty creepy.
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Aaah, the smoked duck, cashew butter, and pepper jelly sandwich on 7-Grain
Possibly the best "fancy" sandwich I've ever eaten. We recently went to Bayona and had the exact same reaction to that sandwich--amazing! (Didn't go to Herbsaint, sorry.)
Fowler's Grocery (Durham, NC)
in Southeast: Cooking & Baking
Posted
Does anyone know whether it remains closed, and, if so, whether there are plans to reopen?