September 13, 2011
It seems that VarmintBites has turned into nothing more than a means to publicize fundraisers, but when one is on the Board of Directors of two different organizations having food-related fundraisers, well, you can understand.
So, this Sunday and Monday we’re having another Stir the Pot, those fantastic events hosted by Ashley Christensen to benefit the Southern Foodways Alliance. I’ve attended most of these events, and they’re a ton of fun, but this week is different.
This time, the guest chef of Stir the Pot is John Fleer, Rock Star. Yes, that’s the term used by John T. Edge, the Executive Director of the SFA. That’s a term I’ve heard Ashley Christensen use for him. Could it be because he was the celebrated chef of Blackberry Farm, one of the best inns in the country? Or that he left Blackberry at the height of his career and notoriety so he could do something that allowed him to spend more time with his familly? Like work at Sunburst Trout or take over as chef at Canyon Kitchen in Cashiers, NC.
Yes, those are good reasons to call him a rock star (and I’ve had his food — it’s rock star quality). But the real reason to call him a rock star is that he acts like one, and I have pictures to prove it. It’s been 4 years since I took these photos, and at the time I said they wouldn’t see the light of day, but I’m changing my tune. I’ve got pictures of Fleer chugging Southern Comfort. I’ve got pictures of him stealing a kid’s bicycle (OK, he just rode a bike laying on the street). No, I don’t have a photo of him passed out, but I can try.
The problem is, you don’t get to see these photos unless you attend one of the Stir the Pot events. The fancy, five-course dinner with wine pairings prepared by Chef Fleer is at Poole’s Diner on Sunday night at 7 PM. The Monday evening potluck is at Ashley Christensen’s home (Brunswick stew, beer by Foothills Brewing, a drink by Fox Liquor bar, and wine donated by Eliza Kraft Olander. The Sunday dinner is $150 per person plus tax and tip, whereas the Monday potluck is $35 per person plus a side dish or dessert that celebrates your sense of place, wherever that may be.
Reservations are required and space is limited. Call Poole’s Diner at 919-832-4477 to reserve your spot for either or both nights.
So go ahead and sign up. And maybe these photos will end up on display.
1 Comment | 
Best Of the Triangle, chefs, Events, Raleigh, Restaurants | Tagged: sfa, Southern Foodways Alliance, Stir the Pot; John Fleer | 
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Posted by Varmint
September 12, 2011
You like Herons restaurant in the Umstead, don’t you?
And you love the Shimmer Wall, Marbles Museum and the cool ring sculpture on the lawn behind the North Carolina Museum of Art, right (it’s called Gyre, for what it’s worth)?
Well, what would you think about an event where that particular artist, Raleigh’s own Thomas Sayre, and the Herons’ chef, Scott Crawford, combine forces for a once in a lifetime event? An event where Chef Crawford, and some other amazing guest chefs (including Colin Bedford from the Fearrington House and Matthew Medure of Jacksonville, FL) create food inspired by Sayre’s art? Where the chefs and the artists come together and talk about how they inspire each other?
This event — Expressions, A Celebration of Food and Art — is happening on Friday, September 23rd at the Umstead Hotel and Spa. This event benefits the Lucy Daniels Center, and I need you, my readers, to step up and buy a seat or two. You’ll be the recipient of some amazing food and wine that will knock your socks off. You’ll learn about the creative process for chefs and artists. And you’ll be helping out an amazing organization — the Lucy Daniels Center — the Triangle’s leading provider of mental health services to children.
I’m begging you to come to this event (I’m the chair of the board of the Center), and you won’t regret it. Heck, if you buy a seat at this dinner, I’ll double your value. I’ll cook a special dinner for anyone who buys a seat and mentions that they heard about it through VarmintBites. So, that means you get the dinner at Herons and then a dinner at my house. Yes, the Herons dinner will be better, but mine won’t be too shabby, either. We’ll have to work out the logistics, but if 24 people buy seats and mention my site, then I’ll have to figure out a way to cook another dinner for 24. Yes, I might have to break it into three dinners of eight, but we’ll get it done.
To buy tickets online, go here: https://jtsuther.wufoo.com/forms/expressions-registration/ And when you list the guests, mention “Referred by Varmint” to be added to the dinner list. We’ll follow up with you.
If you have questions, call the Center at 919-459-1611 and ask for Patti Wilt.
Leave a Comment » | Best Of the Triangle, Cary, chefs, Events, Restaurants | Tagged: Colin Bedford, Fearrington House, Herons, Lucy Daniels Center, Matthew Medure, Scott Crawford, Thomas Sayre, Umstead Hotel and Spa | Permalink
Posted by Varmint
January 21, 2011
Greg Cox of the News & Observer named Bella Mia his “Restaurant of the Year.” Now some people have asked, “A pizza joint? Restaurant of the year? Seriously?”
My response: Most definitely.
Note that Cox did not say Bella Mia was the best restaurant of the year. Nor did he give it his highest rating of 5 stars — it only received 4 stars.
So why does Bella Mia deserve to be called the Restaurant of the Year? When one looks at the state of pizza in the Triangle a year ago, there are a lot of places that make a decent pie. Some have wood-fired ovens, some use great ingredients, and you could always get a solid pizza. But could you get a transcendent pizza? No.
Bella Mia makes a transcendent pizza. Their coal-fired oven hits temperatures of nearly 1,000 degrees. The Guerra brothers, Louis and Anthony, use the finest ingredients and cook those pizzas with just the right amount of char. There is no place in North Carolina that comes close to this play. Some individuals may disagree, but the consensus is that Bella Mia is unlike any pizzeria that came before it in our area. And because it is so much better than anyone else makes it worthy of the ROTY designation.
This is the only restaurant with which I am totally obsessed. I’ve probably eaten there 30-40 times since they opened. I’ve gotten to know the Guerra family fairly well, and when you think of how big of a chance they took, investing in beautiful tile-laden coal-fired ovens in the back of a Cary strip mall, I can’t help but smile over their success. They dared to raise the bar for an iconic food like pizza, and they blew away the competition in doing so.
So congratulations to Bella Mia and the Guerra family. And a big thumbs up to Greg Cox to have the balls to pick a pizza joint as his Restaurant of the Year. Who’da thunk it?
9 Comments | Best Of the Triangle, Cary, General, Restaurants | Tagged: Bella Mia, Cary, Greg Cox, Guerra, News & Observer, Restaurant of the Year, Triangle Restaurants | Permalink
Posted by Varmint
December 24, 2010
I love gingerbread. It’s always been one of my favorite flavors, particularly when served warm with some soft cream. It represents the essence of winter comfort food, not too sweet, with depths of flavor beyond most other desserts. But that depth was sometimes illusory, as it was just a smack of molasses paired with a touch of ground ginger. This holiday season, I wanted more flavor. I wanted more complexity. I wanted a goddamned adult version of gingerbread.
Thank goodness for Karen Barker.
Barker, the co-owner and Beard Award winning pastry chef of Durham’s Magnolia Grill, has the hand’s-down-bet-the-farm-you-can-take-it-to-the-bank-absolute-best gingerbread you’ll ever taste. This isn’t one of those pale cakes that you whip together in 2 minutes that will still taste just fine. This is a dark, foreboding-looking gingerbread, with three types of ginger, coffee, black pepper, and dry mustard in it. It’s a gingerbread that has some kick, without being piquant. It’s not a dense cake, but it’s really rich. And when paired with something somewhat sweet, like Barker’s Hot Buttered Rum Raisin Sauce and some vanilla-nutmeg ice cream — oh, my.
And that’s what my guests were saying last week when I concluded a 6 course dinner party last weekend. This dish is a winner. This gingerbread means business. And hell, yeah, I made three of those cakes, so there was plenty for breakfast the rest of the week.
Not-Afraid-of-Flavor Gingerbread
- 2-1/2 cups flour
- 1/2 tsp cinnamon
- 1/2 tsp ground cloves
- 1/2 tsp freshly ground black pepper
- 1/2 tsp ground ginger
- 1/4 tsp dry mustard
- 1/2 tsp kosher salt
- 8 Tbsp (1 stick) unsalted butter
- 1 cup sugar
- 2 Tbsp peeled, very finely chopped fresh ginger
- 2 Tbsp finely chopped crystallized ginger
- 2 eggs
- 1/4 cup canola or vegetable oil
- 1 cup molasses
- 1/2 cup brewed coffee
- 2 tsp baking soda
- 1/2 cup orange juice
Preheat oven to 350 F. Butter a 9X9X2 square pan or a 10X2 round pan. Line bottom with parchment paper, and butter the paper.
Whisk together the flour, cinnamon, cloves, black pepper, ground ginger, dry mustard and salt.
With a mixer, cream butter with the sugar and the fresh and crystallized ginger. Add eggs one at a time to blend.
Slowly add the oil and then the molasses. Mix to blend.
Gradually add the flour and spice mix until just barely blended, scraping bowl as needed.
Heat up the coffee in a small saucepan to a simmer, add the baking soda, stir, and add to the mix. Add the orange juice until fully combined. The batter will be thinner than what you would expect.
Pour batter into the pan and bake at 350F for about an hour and a toothpick comes out clean. Cool in pan. Invert onto parchment paper, and then flip back over onto serving platter. Eat. And then eat some more.
From “Sweet stuff: Karen Barker’s American Desserts” by Karen Barker, University of North Carolina Press
Leave a Comment » | Best Of the Triangle, chefs, Cooking, Durham, General, Recipes | Tagged: Baking, Gingerbread, Karen Barker, Magnolia Grill, Recipes | Permalink
Posted by Varmint
December 15, 2010
The top of page 3 in the food section of today’s News & Observer had its typical tease for Greg Cox’s weekly review, which is how I usually identify the restaurant to be reviewed. In some instances, they don’t name the restaurant, so I end up sending Greg an email to find out the subject of the review. They did something completely different today, which I hope doesn’t become their standard procedure: the teaser said, “Greg Cox gives four stars to a Triangle Chinese restaurant.”
Geesh, they’ve already told us how many stars the restaurant receives, so I can’t do my typical story this week.
So, we’ll turn it around for once. We know that a Triangle-based Chinese restaurant is getting a 4-star review on Friday. We just need to guess what restaurant that might be. I’m going to have to disqualify myself, because I’ve dined with Greg at one local Chinese restaurant, that was pretty darned good. And he told me about a couple of others. I will say that if he gave 4 stars to the restaurant where we ate, I’m going to be at odds with him. But I don’t want to jump to conclusions here.
What are the 4-star worthy Chinese restaurants in the Triangle?
***********************
Edit, December 17, 2010
Greg Cox awarded 4 stars to Asian Grill in North Raleigh, a tiny establishment in a strip mall that features Shanghai cuisine, including very tasty soup dumplings. I am a complete novice when it comes to Shanghai cuisine, but I actually accompanied Greg when we had lunch there several weeks ago. It was delicious, including some dishes I’ve never had before (sea bass with a wine sauce). They had soup dumplings. Really good soup dumplings. This place is good. Damn good. But is it 4 star worthy? In a vacuum, yes, this place has 4 star food. It’s really good stuff. But under the N&O’s rating system, a casual place like this can only get 4 stars. It’s as high as it can go. I’m not sure that Asian Grill represents the pinnacle of casual Chinese dining. I know that Bella Mia, for example, represents the pinnacle of pizza, and they got 4 stars.
However, I leave that discussion for another day, when I write about the inherent problems with a star-based system. Until then, just get over to Asian Grill. It’s a great addition to the local dining scene.
5 Comments | Best Of the Triangle, General, Restaurant Roulette, Restaurants | Tagged: Greg Cox, News & Observer, Restaurant Review Roulette | Permalink
Posted by Varmint
November 4, 2010
As I wrote earlier, Ashley Christensen of Poole’s Diner is preparing a very special barbecue dinner to benefit the Lucy Daniels Center. This won’t be any ordinary barbecue, however.
Ashley cures the pork for 3 days, with a special rub of salt and other herbs and spices. This turns the pork into the most amazingly succulent swine you’ll ever taste. But then she slowly smokes that pig over nut wood (typically pecan) for hours and hours, until a nice, crust is formed and the meat is redolent of that sweet smoke. Of course, she has her own take on sauce.
You know it will be good. No, you know it will be the best damn barbecue you’ve ever had.
But there will also be beer. And we’re talking about beer that was created to be served with barbecue: Fullsteam’s Hogwash, which is a hickory-smoked porter. We’ll also be serving the Fullsteam Carolina Common, a lighter beer for those who prefer it that way.
And as far as side dishes are concerned, you won’t be disappointed. Don’t expect some limp green beens or dried out corn sticks. There will even be a special Brunswick Stew. And banana pudding so good, it’ll make you want to smack someone. I mean, kiss them.
We will have some of Ashley’s roast chicken for those who don’t eat pork. And if you’ve had that chicken before, it’s the best. Anywhere.
But I need you to buy tickets to this dinner. Yeah, it’s pricey, but it’s for an amazing cause. The Lucy Daniels Center is the Triangle’s leading non-profit provider of children’s mental health services. Why is this a big deal? Because in this economy, with so many people unemployed, it’s harder than ever on children. And parents don’t have the resources to pay for the help their kids’ needs. The Lucy Daniels Center provides some sort of financial assistance to 90% of the families who receive care. A large portion of those families receive care for free.
So I ask you — No, I BEG you — please go to the Lucy Daniels website and buy tickets to the dinner. Or call Patti Wilt at 919.459.1611. You’ll have a great meal. You’ll enjoy the beer. And you’ll know you’ve done something very special for families in need. And there’s nothing better than that feeling. Not even the banana pudding.
Buy tickets thru PayPal here: http://www.lucydanielscenter.org/page/pooles-diner-to-host-q-for-kids-fundraiser-november-7
Or call Patti Wilt at the Lucy Daniels Center at 919.459.1611
Adults are $75, kids under 14 are $35, and all but $25 is tax deductible. Sorry, no beer for the kids.
1 Comment | Best Of the Triangle, chefs, Events, Family and Food, Raleigh, Restaurants | Tagged: Ashley Christensen, Barbecue, Fullsteam, Lucy Daniels Center, North Carolina Barbecue, Poole's Diner | Permalink
Posted by Varmint
September 30, 2010
We all receive gifts from time to time. A bottle of wine, a nice piece of pottery, or a cookbook. On Sunday, my dear friend Nancie McDermott gave me a copy of her newly published “Southern Pies.” I have all of Nancie’s cookbooks (as she has been so kind to give me copies of them), and through these books she’s taught me a ton about Asian cooking and Southern cakes. I’ve enjoyed the books, as they’re very accessible and interesting, and all of the recipes have been winners.
But of all these gifts, this one — this book of pies — is different. This is not only a gift commemorating a birthday, but it’s a gift for everyone. It’s a gift from Nancie to the cooking world. Hyperbole? Judge for yourself, but if you take a serious look at this book, you’ll see what I mean.
Last night after dinner, I finally got a chance to sit down and take a look at Southern Pies, and my first impression is that this may be the first time I’ve had a cookbook that makes me want to make every single recipe in it. I’m totally serious about this. Of course, there are the expected chess, lemon and coconut pie variations, but there are a number of very interesting pies of which I’ve never heard: green tomato pie, sliced sweet potato pie, vinegar pie, bean pie, and a plum custard pie. There are fruit pies that have added substantial amounts of cream to them. Rhubarb and scuppernong grapes are featured.
I’ve always been a huge pie lover, but I’ve gotten away from baking them in the past year. That’s all about to change. I’ll be sure to chronicle my pie baking escapades here, and I suspect my kids are about to learn how to make pie crust.
Thanks again for this wonderful gift, Nancie. It will be treasured for a long, long time.
2 Comments | Best Of the Triangle, Books, Cooking, Family and Food, General, Recipes, Southern food, Southern Food Culture | Tagged: Baking, Cookbooks, Nancie McDermott, Pies, Southern Pies | Permalink
Posted by Varmint
September 29, 2010
Most of the places that Greg Cox reviews are restaurants I’ve never visited, and all too often, I’ve never even heard of them. I try to guess how many stars the place will get based on the restaurant’s website and menu, and then I look at Yelp and Chowhound to see if there’s been any discussion. And then I guess.
This week is different, as Greg will be reviewing Cary’s Bella Mia, a coal-fired pizza joint. I sort of know this restaurant. Quite honestly, I’m a bit obsessed by it, having eaten there 15-20 times since they opened back in June. I’ve become personal friends of the family that owns the place, Rick Guerra, his sons Louis and Anthony, and Rick’s sister, the ever-charming Lucie Guerra. I’ve tried just about everything on the menu. I’ve drunk their beers. I’ve sampled Lucie’s desserts. I’ve declared Bella Mia to be the best pizza in the Triangle, if not the state. There are others who disagree, as they might not get what Bella Mia is trying to do, with their 900 degree oven, fueled with oak and anthracite. They might not like the pizzas that are cooked in two minutes, with a thin crust slightly charred on the bottom. But of the dozens of people I’ve introduced to Bella Mia, at least two-thirds agree with me that it’s the best pizza in the area — by far. There will never be unanimity, but that many people cannot be wrong.
So now Greg Cox has visited Bella Mia several times and is ready to write about it. Greg has an unwritten rule that 4 stars is as high of a rating he’ll give to a casual place, and although Bella Mia is far nicer than one would ever expect for a pizza joint, it’s still a pizza joint. Yes, the pizza is amazing. Yes, the beer selection is solid. Yes, I had a clam and lardo pie last week. But will Greg give this place more than 4 stars? I know he won’t give it 5, because that rating is reserved for the more formal, high dollar establishments.
Bella Mia is transcendent, and it deserves more than 4 stars. No one does anything like it in the area, and so I’m really hoping it’s a 4.5 star review. That’ll send a message to the restaurant community that if you do something extraordinary, you’ll be rewarded. We’ll see on Friday.
Here are this week’s odds:
5 stars — 22 to 1
4.5 stars – 5 to 4
4 stars — 1 to 2
3.5 stars — 4 to 1
3 stars — 12 to 1
2.5 stars — 20 to 1
2 stars — 100 to 1
1.5 stars — 5,000 to 1
1 star — 1 bazillion to 1
I really hope they get the 4.5 stars, but I’m expecting 4. Let’s hope I’m wrong.
***********************
Edit: October 1, 2010 — It’s a very strong 4-star review for Bella Mia. Greg Cox had nothing but praise for the pizza, calling it “flawless.” And this demonstrates the problem with any star-based review system: a place like this is unable to get any more than 4 stars. That’s why it’s important to just read the damn review and not focus on the number of stars. And then go get you a pizza.
14 Comments | Best Of the Triangle, General, Restaurant Roulette, Restaurants | Tagged: Bella Mia, Cary, Coal Fired Pizza, Greg Cox, News & Observer, Pizza, Restaurant Review Roulette | Permalink
Posted by Varmint
September 15, 2010
Greg Cox is reviewing The Fearrington House this Friday. Greg Cox will award it 5 stars. I need not even offer any odds this week, as it’s that good.
Any questions?
*******************
Edit, September 17, 2010: Wow, Greg Cox surprised me and gave Fearrington House only 4.5 stars. Now some of you might say, “What’s the big deal between 4.5 and 5 stars?” It’s a HUGE deal. And it all came down to the service he received on his second visit to the place. He had an overly friendly, but ultimately inattentive waiter. A place like Fearrington should not have an “off” night, particularly when a couple is celebrating a wedding anniversary, as Cox was. The service left Cox feeling cold, and he docked them a half star as a result. It’s unfortunate for the restaurant, as Chef Colin Bedford’s food is amazing (and confirmed in Cox’s review). I’m sure Jenny Fitch would not be happy one bit by this review, and I suspect there’s going to be some angst over in Pittsboro this morning.
11 Comments | Best Of the Triangle, General, Restaurant Roulette, Restaurants | Tagged: Fearrington House, Greg Cox, News & Observer, Restaurant Review Roulette | Permalink
Posted by Varmint
September 14, 2010
I received an email the other day that included a press release about a “celebrity chef” event in Charlotte. I looked at the list of chefs participating and didn’t recognize a single one. Now I have to admit that I don’t watch the Food Network all that much, and I couldn’t name a lot of the personalities that they on their programs, but it’s clear that television, and the Food Network in particular, has changed the public’s perception of all chefs. No longer does a chef have to have a big TV deal, or even a cookbook, to be a celebrity. The only requirement, it appears from this Charlotte event, is that the chef be, well, a chef. Now I’m as caught up in chef worship as much as the next person, but we really need to remember that these chefs are just hard-working folks. Hell, most of the chefs who are on television regularly and can truly be considered CELEBRITIES (Bayless, Batali, Keller, Pepin) are not that much different than you, me or anyone else. And when we talk about the local chefs who might be considered “stars,” well, once again, they’re for the most part just plain folk. Ben and Karen Barker of Durham’s Magnolia Grill have each won a James Beard Award, but they’re as humble and nice as can be. Sure they have egos, but the manifestation of that ego is what’s on the plate. They bust their butt to make sure that what we eat is top-notch, night after night. Read the rest of this entry »
2 Comments | Best Of the Triangle, chefs, General, Raleigh, Restaurants | Tagged: Arthur Gordon, chefs, David Mao, David's Dumpling and Noodle House, Duck and Dumpling, Irregardless Cafe, Mandarin House, Raleigh, Restaurants | Permalink
Posted by Varmint
August 5, 2010
Yeah, you read that headline right, and before you get too excited about this possible claim, realize that I’m not saying The Fearrington House is definitely the best restaurant in the Triangle, but it is certainly a contender. It’s that good. But first, a little story of my relationship with this great Chatham County place. Read the rest of this entry »
9 Comments | Best Of the Triangle, Chapel Hill, chefs, General, Restaurants | Tagged: Chatham County, Colin Bedford, Country Inns, Dean Smith, Fearrington House, Jenny Fitch, Restaurants | Permalink
Posted by Varmint
July 13, 2010
Image courtesy of Lucky 32
You might have heard of Lucky 32, and you might have even eaten there over the years. There are two Lucky 32 locations, one in Greensboro and the other in Cary near Regency Park, and until last year, I didn’t think much about the place. My recollections of Lucky 32 were of a glorified, slightly high-end chain restaurant in the ilk of Tripp’s. The menu was all over the place, with food representing cuisine from just about every major country. People who have never been have told me that they thought it was a Chinese restaurant.
Last October, while attending the Southern Foodways Alliance’s annual symposium, I was waiting in line to get some grub and started talking to this guy with long hair pulled back into a pony tail and a bitchin’ goatee. He told me his name was Jay Pierce, and that he was the chef at Lucky 32. In a moment of Southern food snobbery, I wondered what the hell a chef of a high-end Applebee’s was doing at the SFA symposium. I quickly learned from Chef Pierce that Lucky 32 was a completely different restaurant, that it had a focus on Southern cuisine with locally sourced ingredients. I couldn’t believe that Lucky 32 had changed so much.
A month or two later, I got an email from Jay, asking me if I’d be willing to come over and go through a tasting of the new winter menu. I was intrigued by what they were doing, and so I came over at lunch time and joined Jay and General Manager Shane Garrity in a whirl-wind tour of about 15 dishes. These were dishes that were sometimes classic Southern, but always inspired by Southern traditions. I offered my comments to Jay, telling him what I liked and what I would change slightly. I told Chef Pierce that Lucky 32 had become a high-end “meat and 3″ place, as the side dishes were as much of a feature as the mains. He liked that concept, but frankly, I had forgotten about it until recently.
Flash forward to two weeks ago, when Jay invited me back to try to summer menu, which he was calling “Suddenly This Summer.” I was excited to get back for two reasons. First of all, because I had failed to write about my first tasting experience, but second, and more importantly, because I wanted to see what he was going to do with summer produce. As I pulled into the parking lot, I noticed that the name of the restaurant had slightly changed; it’s now “Lucky 32 Southern Kitchen.” It appears this transformation to a high end meat and 3 is complete, so I was anxious to eat. This is what I tasted, and the comments I gave. Read the rest of this entry »
11 Comments | Best Of the Triangle, Cary, chefs, General, Restaurants, Southern food | Tagged: Cary, Greensbor, Jay Pierce, Lucky 32, Meat and 3, Restaurants | Permalink
Posted by Varmint
June 30, 2010
I love pizza, and even mediocre pizza is pretty damn good. But great pizza is so hard to find — the Triangle has not had a great pizza place. And when I say “great”, I mean the pizza is hauntingly memorable, where you can’t get the taste out of your head. I’ve had great pizza in New York, New Haven and Phoenix. This pizza is all about the crust, with a slight char, where the toppings almost melt into oblivion. Moreover, these pizzas (or pizze) are inevitably cooked in super-hot ovens, typically 900 degrees or more and fired with coal. Most pizza joints have gas-fueled pizza ovens, which can get up to 500 degrees or so, but still far cooler than what’s needed. Wood-fired ovens get a bit hotter, but not quite enough. Coal is where it’s at. And we now have a coal-fired pizza oven in the Triangle. In Cary, of all places. And very close to my home.
This place is Bella Mia, in the Arboretum at the corner of Weston Parkway and Harrison Avenue. The place is owned by Rick Guerra, a New Yorker if there ever was one. Guerra is friendly and passionate about what he does. His sons man the two ovens that are fueled initially with oak, and then hard coal to bring up the heat. The flour is imported “00″ grade. The tomatoes, San Marzano. The mozzarella, from water buffaloes. This place doesn’t put second rate ingredients on its pies, and damn, the crust is so good.
We’re talking fairly thin-crust Neapolitan-style pizza here. And as I said above, it’s all about the crust — perfectly charred, with just the right amount of texture and salt (and not even the slightest bit of sweetness, thank you very much). I’d prefer it just slightly thinner, but I’m not complaining. This is the real deal, folks, and I suspect Bella Mia will soon have lines snaking out the door, as NO ONE in the Triangle has a pizza this good. Just order the Margherita and enjoy. I just finished an hour ago, and I’m already wanting to get back.
Bella Mia
2015 Renaissance Park Place (in the Arboretum off Westin Pkwy)
Cary, NC
919-677-3999
www.bellamiacoalfire.com
22 Comments | Best Of the Triangle, Cary, Restaurants | Tagged: Bella Mia, Cary, Pizza, Restaurants | Permalink
Posted by Varmint
June 24, 2010
I’m about to start a series of articles on the iconic restaurants of the Triangle. I’ve visited two of those places in the past week: The Irregardless Cafe and The Fearrington House. To make my list of “iconic”, the restaurant had to have opened no later than the 80′s, when I was in school at Chapel Hill. Some of these places are owned by friends, such as Crook’s Corner and Magnolia Grill. Others are institutions that I haven’t visited in 20 or more years, such as The Angus Barn or La Residence (and, until last night, the fantastic Fearrington House). I’ll probably not write about the cheap-eats places like Cooper’s or The Roast Grill or the Sunrise Biscuit Kitchen, but then again, I might.
What restaurants would you consider to be iconic in this area, based on my temporal qualifications specified above? And frankly, any place that has survived for over 20 years is iconic by definition. Here’s a list that I just started (and again, just because it’s on this list doesn’t mean I’m going to write about it).
- Magnolia Grill
- Crook’s Corner
- La Residence
- Spanky’s
- The Angus Barn
- Irregardless
- The Fearrington House
- Casa Carbone
- Fishmonger’s
- Mecca
- Bullock’s
- Roast Grill
- Carolina Coffee Shop
- Ye Olde Waffle Shop
- Time Out
- Sunrise Biscuit Kitchen
- Cooper’s
- Mama Dip’s
- Breadman’s
I haven’t listed places that are hotel restaurants such as the Carolina Inn or Il Palio (and Fearrington is a bit different). I know I’m missing lots of places, as I just thought about this idea 10 minutes ago, so I’d love your help putting together this list.
23 Comments | Best Of the Triangle, General, Restaurants | Tagged: Iconic Restaurants of the Triangle, Restaurants | Permalink
Posted by Varmint
May 25, 2010
Phoebe Lawless, Durham’s baker extraordinaire, will be opening Scratch’s new bakeshop next week at 111 Orange Street in downtown Durham. For those of you who do not regularly visit the Durham Farmer’s Market, Lawless is known for her fantastic pies, including chocolate sea salt, shaker lemon, and many savory varieties. Of course, Phoebe’s donut muffins are, as my 9 year old puts it, “To die for.” Those donut muffins were a huge hit at last fall’s Southern Foodways Alliance Symposium, and they sell out quickly each week at the Durahm market.
Construction of the new bakeshop has been ongoing for several months, and final inspections are scheduled for the first of next week. The 1,400 square foot bakeshop will have a regularly rotating schedule of baked goods, including empanadas, flatbreads, and lots of pie. Lawless sources nearly all her ingredients locally, and she is one of the leaders of the local Slow Food convivium. The bakeshop will also be a great place for coffee, as Lawless invested in a La Marzocco espresso machine and will be using Counter Culture’s beans. The hours of the bakeshop will be 7:30 to 4, Monday through Friday and Saturday from 9 to 3.
And for you farmer’s market faithful, no need to worry, as Phoebe will continue to have a booth on market days.
Time for a donut muffin.
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Scratch Seasonal Artisan Baking
111 Orange Street
Durham, NC 27701
919-956-5200
piefantasy.com
2 Comments | Best Of the Triangle, chefs, Durham, General, Restaurants | Tagged: Bakers, Durham Farmer's Market, Phoebe Lawless, Scratch, Scratch Baking, Scratch Seasonal Artisan Baking | Permalink
Posted by Varmint
February 18, 2010
Lots of local chefs and restaurants are represented in the 2010 Beard Award semi-finalists that were announced today, including Crook’s Corner, Magnolia Grill, Andrea Reusing, Ashley Christensen, Bill Smith and Scott Howell. The finalists in each category will be announced on March 22.
The full list of semi-finalists are after the break. Thanks to Andrea Weigl of the N&O for the info!
Read the rest of this entry »
3 Comments | Best Of the Triangle, chefs, General | Tagged: Andrea Reusing, Ashley Christensen, Bill Smith, Crooks Corner, James Beard Awards, Magnolia Grill, Scott Howell | Permalink
Posted by Varmint
January 21, 2010
This Sunday and Monday, a number of Triangle-based restaurants will be donating 10% of their proceeds to two charities for the relief efforts in Haiti. This effort was initiated on Facebook by local chefs and foodies, and as of the time of this post, there are 20 restaurants participating. Here’s the list of confirmed restaurants:
SUNDAY, JANUARY 24
Watt’s Grocery (Durham)
Bogart’s American Grill (Raleigh)
Crook’s Corner (Evening Service Only – Chapel Hill)
Cup A Joe (Chapel Hill)
HI5 (Raleigh)
Joe Van Gogh (Durham)
Michael Dean’s Seafood Grill (Raleigh)
Milltown (Carrboro)
Panzanella (Carrboro)
Red Room Tapas Lounge (Raleigh)
Saladelia Cafe (Durham)
Saxapahaw General Store (Saxapahaw)
Southern Rail (Carrboro)
The Mash House (Fayetteville)
Twisted Fork (Raleigh)
West End Wine Bar (Durham)
MONDAY, JANUARY 25
ACME Food and Beverage Co. (Carrboro)
Cup A Joe (Chapel Hill)
Cypress On The Hill (Chapel Hill)
Foster’s Market (Durham/Chapel Hill)
GlassHalFull (Carrboro)
Globe Restaurant (Raleigh)
Joe Van Gogh (Durham)
Lantern (Chapel Hill)
Mad Hatter’s Bakeshop and Cafe (Durham)
Neal’s Deli (Carrboro)
Parker and Otis (Durham)
Pop’s (Durham)
Rockwood Filling Station (Durham)
Ruckus Pizza Pasta and Spirits (Cary)
Rue Cler (Durham)
Sandwhich (Chapel Hill)
Six Plates Wine Bar (Durham)
Toast (Durham)
Tyler’s Restaurant and Tap Room (Carborro, Durham and Apex)
West End Wine Bar (Chapel Hill)
Zely and Ritz (Raleigh)
More information on this fantastic effort can be found on this Facebook page or this new blog that’s been started. The blog says that 10% of profits will be donated to the charities, but that is a misprint. It is 10% of sales. So go to brunch on Sunday and then to dinner on Monday. And spread the word!
(Edited to reflect changes to participating restaurants at 8:15 AM, 1/23/10)
9 Comments | Best Of the Triangle, Cary, Chapel Hill, chefs, Durham, Events, General, Raleigh, Restaurants | Tagged: Charity, Dine Out for Haiti, Dining, Haiti, Restaurants, Triangle | Permalink
Posted by Varmint
January 15, 2010
News & Observer restaurant critic, Greg Cox, has named his top 25 restaurants in the Triangle, with Herons named as his restaurant of the year. There are a few new additions to his list, including Herons’ going from a no-show to the top performer. Others new to the list include Poole’s Downtown Diner, the Fearrington House, Second Empire, and Watts Grocery. Interestingly, the online version of this article only has 24 restaurants, unlike the print version, which included Fins on this year’s list. This is because this list went to press before the announcement was made that Fins is closed as it transforms to bu•ku.
Last year Cox included a number of value-type restaurants in his list, such as Allen & Son and China Palace, but no such cheap eats place remains on this year’s list. Cox has a completely separate list of top “Bargains.” Other restaurants that are no longer on the Top 25 are Bin 54, Dos Taquitos Centros, Enoteca Vin (closed).
This is a solid list and serves as a guide to the best of the best in the Triangle. One can argue about a restaurant here or there, but in the end, Cox does a super job helping his readers find the best places to eat.
For a geographic breakdown, of the top 24 restaurants, 10 are in Raleigh, 4 are in Chapel Hill, 6 are in Durham, 2 in Cary, 1 in Pittsboro and 1 in Hillsborough. Raleigh only has one of the “Best Bargains,” interestingly enough.
Greg Cox’s Top 24 Restaurants of the Triangle — 2010 Edition
Herons (Restaurant of the Year)
18 Seaboard
Bloomsbury Bistro
Bonne Soirée
Elaine’s on Franklin
Fairview
Fearrington House
Four Square
Frazier’s
Il Palio
J. Betski’s
Lantern
Magnolia Grill
Margaux’s
Maximillians
Nana’s
Panciuto
Poole’s Downtown Diner
Saint Jacques
Second Empire
Vin Rouge
Vivace
Watts Grocery
Zely & Ritz
Top Newcomers of the Year
Busy Bee Cafe
Chef & the Farmer
Coquette
Cypress on the Hill
Dos Perros
Gravy
Queen of Sheba
Revolution
Sitti
Super Wok
Top Bargains
Allen & Son
China Palace
Neal’s Deli
Neomonde
Rockwood Filling Station
Sandwhich
Skipper’s Fish Fry & Market
Taqueria La Vaquita
Toast
Udupi Café
9 Comments | Best Of the Triangle, chefs, Restaurants | Tagged: Greg Cox, News & Observer, restaurant reviews, Top Restaurants in the Triangle | Permalink
Posted by Varmint
October 20, 2009
(Note — This is the second of several parts regarding my two days spent in the Herons’ kitchen.)
Chef Steven Greene and I walked out to the front of the house to address the waitstaff, letting them know what tonight’s amuse bouche was and to inform them that we were not out of any items on the menu. They looked at me, the new guy, trying to figure out who I was. Later on, one of the waiters asked me if I were the new sous chef. I had to laugh after informing him that I was just hanging around for a couple of days.
Tonight’s dinner would not be particularly busy, with maybe only 35 or 40 customers. Chef Greene and I made a sample bouche, and he had me taste it. ”Too much salt,” I responded, as the 5 or 6 grains of sea salt overpowered the scallop and yuzu mignonette. We determined that two grains was the perfect amount, and this small bite of shellfish, apple, radish and citrus was a flavor explosion. The guests would like this one. Read the rest of this entry »
5 Comments | Best Of the Triangle, Cary, chefs, General, Restaurants | Tagged: Herons, Scott Crawford, Steven Greene, Umstead Hotel | Permalink
Posted by Varmint
October 18, 2009
(Note — This is the first of several parts regarding my two days spent in the Herons’ kitchen.)
DAY 1 — PREP WORK
It was a week before I had planned on spending two days working in the kitchen of Herons, the ultra-swank restaurant in the deluxe Umstead Hotel & Spa in Cary. I had worked in a small restaurant the month before, but I knew this experience would be different. A lot different. I had asked Chef Scott Crawford what I needed to wear and bring, and I got this email response:
We are very much looking forward to seeing you next week. We are very busy next week, so you will see some action. You can arrive any time around 2:00 or shortly after and I will meet you in the lobby. If you give me your jacket size I will have one ready for you. I recommend you wear a white t-shirt under the chef jacket. Black pants are appropriate. I will provide you with an apron. You can bring a knife kit. We will have you doing a rotation through the stations so you get an overall understanding of how we organize. On some of those stations you will need some knife skills (I hope you’ve been practicing).
Crap. I don’t have any black chef pants, so I was wondering if I could get away with just some everyday, black cotton chinos. And what about the shoes? I knew this was a formal kitchen, so I needed to play the role properly. So I went and bought me a pair of black chef pants and ordered some black chef shoes. Heck they were on sale, so better to be safe than sorry. Read the rest of this entry »
6 Comments | Best Of the Triangle, Cary, chefs, Cooking, General, Restaurants | Tagged: chefs, Devereaux's, Herons, Scott Crawford, Steven Greene, The Umstead | Permalink
Posted by Varmint
