Beach life..
..is really something I could get used to. This past weekend I took Monday off from work and went down to the beach with the singles groups from my church. We spent a lot of time on the beach and at the house, but one night we went out to eat at the Yacht Basin Provision Co in Southport, NC. It’s this little building on the water that serves hamburgers, shrimp, chicken sandwiches, crab cakes and more. We had twenty of us so it took us a little bit of time to find somewhere to sit. Typically you order your food at the counter grab a table and then they will call your name and bring you your food. We did it a little bit differently because we had such a large party.
The actual building isn’t big at all and the most of it is the kitchen so all of the seating is outside. It was definitely a beach restaurant, nothing fancy but had the beach atmosphere. I ordered a crab-cake and 1/4 pound of steamed shrimp. The crab-cake was pretty good, I would have liked more crab-meat in it, but I’ve come to learn that’s very hard to find. The Shrimp, not to sound high maintenance, had not been pealed yet so it was a bit of pain to eat, but pretty good. It’s a fun place to go if your looking to enjoy the beach and all that it brings and know that your not going to have the fanciest meal.
Carraba’s Summer Contest
I heard about a contest that Carraba’s is doing and thought you all might be interested in uncorking your passion and creativity for wine this summer.
I’ve eaten at Carraba’s and have really enjoyed it. They have the open kitchen so you can see them cooking, as well as a lot of different choices to choose from for dinner. See the info below to learn more about the contest.
Ruffino is producing a limited-edition baby Super Tuscan available only at Carrabba’s this fall. The wine is almost ready to be bottled in Italy, and the only thing missing is a name. Consumers are invited to submit suggestions through July 31, 2008, for the chance to win a $1,500 epicurean prize package, including: a case of the exclusive Ruffino wine, a 2008 holiday dining experience for 12 by Carrabba’s at winner’s home, and a year’s worth of Carrabba’s dinners in 2009.
Limited-Edition Wine Series Debuts with Acclaimed Il Borro Winery
The Ruffino blend is part of a limited-edition wine series that Carrabba’s initiated to reward its best customers and wine lovers with seasonal additions to its award-winning wine list. The program kicks off late summer with a special red wine blend from acclaimed winery Il Borro, owned by fashion icon Salvatore Ferragamo. The debut wine “Qualcosa di Speciale, Grace’s Blend,” is a tribute to Grace Mandola, the 92-year old matriarch of the Carrabba’s family and creator of many of the recipes on the menu today.
The name “Qualcosa di Speciale” means “something special” in Italian and reflects Carrabba’s desire to give back to its best patrons through the new wine program. The IGT Toscana by Il Borro is a blend of Sangiovese and Cabernet Sauvignon, and will be released late summer. Due to their limited production, wines in the new series are available to members of Carrabba’s Amici Club, the restaurant’s free customer appreciation program.
“We have a philosophy that everyone deserves to enjoy wine with dinner that is both delicious and affordable,” said Shelly Hurley, director of beverage for Carrabba’s Italian Grill. “All of our restaurants have a wine list that is designed to suit local tastes and offers a number of excellent bottles of wine starting at $27. Our new exclusive wines will add unique variety to the list for our frequent guests and wine enthusiasts.”
Entering Carrabba’s “Uncorking Creativity” Contest
Consumers can visit www.Carrabbas.comfrom now through July 31, 2008 to enter Carrabba’s “Uncorking Creativity” Contest and submit their suggested name for the new Ruffino blend. All submissions will be evaluated based on the following criteria:
Overall uniqueness of name
Appropriateness for the wine blend
Match with the Carrabba’s Italian Grill brand (e.g., heritage, atmosphere, food)
Brief description of name inspiration (100 words or less)
For complete rules, prize package details and more information on Carrabba’s, visit www.carrabbas.com. Consumers also can sign up for free membership in the Amici Club online or at their local Carrabba’s.
Family Reunion Part 2
Saturday was the big day! A tradition up north is a thing called a Rock Bake, when they were describing it to me I automatically compared it to a pig pickin, but it’s so much more than that. The day starts at 6:00am for the lighting of the fire (well actually it started when they dug a hole and put 2 tons of rock in it) but anyway I didn’t get up for the lighting of the fire (a props and thank you to everyone who did) but we did make it there at noon when they were brushing the ash and dirt off the rocks and getting ready for the food. Hopefully the pictures will be able to tell most of the story, but I will try to describe the step by step.
First they cleared the ash and leftover woods off the rocks with Cedar limbs. It was extremely hot so they were constantly being hoosed off and watering down the ash.
They they lay down a wire fence to lay the food on.
Then they put down seaweed and corn husks as a buffer between the food and the hot rocks.
Then comes the good stuff, they put down the yams, potatoes, clams, and chicken!
Next they cover with Aluminum foil and a canvas to seal in the heat while it cooks.
Next they cover the edges with dirt so no heat gets out and let it sit like that for 1 and a half to 2 hours!
Then they uncover it and start putting all the food into seperate baskets to take to the tables.
Then it was time to enjoy the food, and that I did! Three bags of Clams (12 in each bag) later I was happy and stuffed, and so was the rest of the family!
Family Reunion Part 1
This past weekend I traveled up North for my mom’s side of the family, family reunion. Many of them I had not met before or hadn’t seen in awhile so it was a lot of fun getting to see everyone. One thing about a family reunion with a Polish Family is you know there is going to be a lot of food! We had our first get together Friday night for the meet and greet and then Saturday was the big reunion. I want to touch on the first night and Polish food we ate in this blog and then will follow up with the Rock Bake we had!!
The night of the meet and greet we had every type of food you can imagine and it was all delicious! Most of it was homemade except for the Sushi which came from a locally owned restaurant. When having a party or get together food from a locally owned restaurant is always good, but there is nothing better than home made food! We had Polish Sausage and Periogies, wings, crab stuffed mushrooms, artichoke dips, crab salad, and so much more. It was a great time of eating, talking, and laughing!
McCormick and Schmicks now in Raleigh
Last Thursday, July 10th, McCormick and Schmicks opened at the Crabtree Valley Mall in Raleigh. It’s a chain restaurant, but I had a great experience when I was there and wanted to let you all know what I thought. I was able to eat there last Monday with 3 of my colleagues for lunch. Between the 4 of us we had 2 appetizers, 4 salads, 4 entrees and 2 desserts. We had the calamari and crab-cakes for our appetizers, both of which were good, but nothing to different from anywhere else you go. Next we had our entrees, Jennifer and I both had their Salmon (which came with Asparagus and Mashed Potatoes) which was served on a cedar plank and was pretty tasty. Nancy had the Crabmelt 
sandwich which she really liked. I’m not a huge fan of mayonnaise, in fact I hate it, so I didn’t really like the sandwich, but everyone else seemed to. Then came Doug…Doug had the shrimp and scallop Macaroni and Cheese. When I first read the item on the menu I was like seafood in Mac and Cheese, I’m not so sure about that, but it was amazing! The sauce was really light and the shrimp and scallops were so good. Something you probably want to share because it was huge and very filling, but delicious none the less.
Then came the best part of all….dessert! We ordered the Tiramisu Cheesecake and the Chocolate bag. The Tiramisu Cheesecake was really good, but next to the Chocolate bag, nothing compares. I have never seen a dessert like this. They melt down dark chocolate, put it into a bag, freeze it and then use the frozen chocolate as a bag. They then fill it with white chocolate mouse and fresh berries! I was so stuffed by the time we got dessert. I literally couldn’t stop eating it. If anything go there to see and try this dessert!
Take your dog to breakfast, lunch, and dinner
One of my favorite parts about Spring, Summer and Fall is getting to sit outside and eat dinner, whether it’s grilling out and eating on your porch or going out to eat and sitting on their porch. My sister and I also have a dog so we love to go places where we can eat outside. You can se my sister, her dog, and my best friend in the picture, we were eating at one of our favorite restuarants in Charleston. We love Red’s because the food is good, the atmosphere is super relaxed, and you can bring your dogs!
I know of some places in Raleigh where you can take your dog: Stone Wolf Coffee, Moonlight Pizza, Tavolla Rossa on Sunday nights, and… That’s my question to you all. Where in the triangle can you take your dog, sit on the porch, enjoy the day/night and have great food!?!?!
Looking forward to hearing from everyone and trying some of these places out!
New Restaurant in Durham
Below is part of a press release I recieved last week.
Richard Holcomb and Sarig Agasi, the farmer and chef partners of
Raleigh’s 4-star restaurant Zely & Ritz have joined forces with Southern food enthusiast Jamie DeMent to bring to life her vision of a farm-to-table restaurant. Eno Restaurant & Market (Rogers Alley, 101 City Hall Plaza, Durham, NC; www.enorestaurantandmarket.com) will open in partnership with Holcomb’s Coon Rock Farm in the 1920’s era Fire Station Building in Durham’s revitalized downtown. Eno’s mission to honor
North Carolina will be unmistakable in this North Carolina Historic Registry and LEED certified redevelopment. Combining sustainable ambition, farmer expertise and farm-to-kitchen know-how this unique team may create one of the region’s most faithful farm-to-table restaurants yet.
“After working the soil and discovering the sheer bounty produced at Coon Rock Farm, I began dreaming about a restaurant based primarily on this farm; a place where you can enjoy the kind of food we ate as kids, and honor the way it comes to the table — from neighboring farms,” explained DeMent. A native North Carolinian, DeMent was raised around her family’s farm supply store and developed an interest in organically farmed foods and environmental issues after seeing nearby farms slowly disappear throughout her childhood. Holcomb, who began Coon Rock Farm in 2005 after 20 successful years as a software entrepreneur, is pleased to have a new outlet for his heirloom vegetables and pasture raised meats including chickens (and eggs), pork, lamb, goat and more.
Named for the
Eno
River, which flows through the farm and into the city of
Durham, Eno Restaurant & Market will offer a daily menu dictated by Coon Rock Farm’s harvest and the season. The casual ingredient-driven menu will reflect DeMent’s North Carolina heritage and organic farming in
North Carolina today. DeMent family recipes featuring farm-fresh items will be mainstays year round, while house-cured bacon, preserved vegetables and fruits, and honey from the farm’s hives will shine in winter. And as DeMent explained, quoting her granddaddy, “the whole animal will be used…everything but the oink,” so diners can expect house made whole hog terrines, pates and sausages. “This is what it’s all about… to plant the crops by hand, then see friendly faces enjoying it months later. It’s that direct connection to the food and the people we share it with that makes this so fulfilling; we hope it will be the same for our customers at Eno,” explained Holcomb. Complementary ingredients from select North Carolina farm partners will also be featured, including cow’s milk cheeses from Chapel Hill Creamery, grass fed beef from Harris Robinette Farm, and fish from
North Carolina’s coast.
Chef Sarig Agasi, whose farm-driven restaurant Zely & Ritz was named one of the “Top 20 Organic Restaurants in America” by Organic Style, will work closely with Eno’s Chef de Cuisine, lending his keen understanding of how to operate a restaurant kitchen supplied primarily by a single farm, Coon Rock Farm.
Eno will bring the farm even closer to the table through their restaurant staff work-share program whereby cooks and servers alike will handpick and nurture vegetables in the garden and livestock in the pasture. As a result, Holcomb and DeMent imagine a more informed conversation between their staff and diners, and ultimately a rare opportunity for Eno patrons to have a very intimate relationship with the farm and the food on their plate.
Similarly, a retail market adjacent to the restaurant will bring the farm to the customer, making local, seasonal goods from Coon Rock Farm and their farm partners available for sale on a daily basis. A separate entrance will enable customers to purchase goods from their farm and other farm partners, to pick up their Coon Rock Farm CSA order, or special custom orders.
Eno Restaurant & Market will serve lunch and dinner daily, and brunch on the weekends.
Julian’s Cafe - Dominican Food
Jessica took Doug to Julian’s Cafe while I was on vacation, as soon as I got back the first thing Doug said to me was I had to try this place! Doug described it as mexican food without the cheese. I love cheese so I was a little hesitant about that, but he says it’s so good you don’t need cheese. So last week Doug and I went back and I took my camera. We didn’t have Jessica with us so we didn’t know exactly what we were eating, and the video kinda reflects that! 
Hope yall enjoy the video and if you know of anymore fun places to try, let me know!
Cruise food…ate way too much!
It’s been a little over a week now since I got back from my cruise and I have to say I’m still getting used to these numbers on the right side of all the menus. Yes, the prices, I don’t like them, on the cruise everything’s free and I loved it..probably a little too much! The food on the cruise was so good and always there! From the Breakfast Buffet that started at 6am with anything you could want. They had hot foods, cold foods, cereals, freshly made omlets, and every pastry you can imagine.
Then came the lunch buffet! It was event better, everything you could ever want 
was on the buffett: Pizza, pasta, salads, sandwiches, soups, and so much more..and everything is so good! Then the ice cream machine opened and you could get as many ice cream cones as you wanted! Chocolate was my favorite..go figure right!
The best part of the day was always the 5-star dinner we had! Charlie and Johnson were our waiters (of course that wasn’t their real names, but that’s what they told us to call them since we couldn’t pronounce their real names) They would give you a menu with 5 or 6 appetizer choices, 7 or 8 dinner choices, and then 4 or 5 desserts! I would order around 2 of each one each night! Lobster night I definitely went for more! There were a couple things that didn’t really impress me (Lobster Bisque, way too much Sherry), but overall it was all delicious and I always ate way too much!
Oh ya, and if that wasn’t enough the promenade had a cafe that was open all the time with sandwiches, desserts, cookies, just incase you get hungry while your walking around the ship. And…don’t forget the free room service!!
Nothing gets better than some of the restaurants here in Raleigh, but when sailing the high seas you can’t go wrong with all you can eat dinners, cafes, and buffets!
The Pit - downtown Raleigh
The Pit in downtown Raleigh is one of the restaurants I’ve been wanting to try in downtown Raleigh. It is on my list of places to go, so hopefully I will make it down there soon. We recieved news today that the owners will be featured on the Today show on Monday. Check out the e-mail below and tune in on Monday! Also stay tuned to my blog when I go and check it out for myself!
“Ed Mitchell, Pitmaster and owner of The Pit of Downtown Raleigh will be going to New York Monday to appear on the Today Show. He and his brother, Aubrey Mitchell will return to New York for the second time this month to represent and showcase Eastern Carolina BBQ.”
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