Mandolin — Coming to Raleigh

November 18, 2011

Wow. A new chef-driven restaurant is about to open in Raleigh, and I’m really excited by it. Mandolin is the name of Chef Sean Fowler’s establishment, located at the intersection of Oberlin and Fairview in Raleigh’s Five Points neighborhood.

This is what I know about Mandolin: nothing. Well, I’ve seen their menu, which is Southern-inspired. I’ve looked at their website. But I know nothing about Sean Fowler. Or any of the staff. Even when a menu looks promising, as this one does, I reserve judgment until I taste the food. But for some reason, I just like the vibe that these folks have created. I really WANT to taste this food. And based on the Open Table reservation system, it looks like they open next Tuesday.

Raleigh needs more of these type of restaurants. I can’t wait to try it.

2 Comments | chefs, General, Raleigh, Restaurants | Tagged: , | Permalink
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John Fleer — Rock Star — Stir the Pot

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.

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An Amazing Event for an Amazing Organization

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.

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Culinary Philanthropy

February 15, 2011

There is no industry that is more generous, more philanthropic, more community-focused than the restaurant industry.  I certainly don’t have any empirical data to support this, but when I see what goes on in the Triangle, with restaurants and chefs holding fundraisers, giving away gift certificates for silent auctions, and being an integral and visible part of our community’s fabric, I will stand behind this statement.  Most restaurants do not make a ton of money.  The labor costs, the food costs, glassware and flatware, and the rent all result in a fairly narrow profit margin for restaurateurs.  That’s one of the many reasons why restaurants fail so frequently.  The downturn of the economy has made it even tougher for these folks, and yet, they give, and give, and give some more.  Sometimes these charitable events cover the restaurant’s costs, but many times they do not.

Want some examples?

I’ll start with my good friend and rock star chef, Ashley Christensen.  Last night, she held a fundraiser for Cookies for Kids’ Cancer, a non-profit that struck a chord with her after she read about the fight of young “Prince Liam,” who passed away a couple of weeks ago after a two-year battle with cancer.  She not only donated all of the profits of the highly lucrative Valentine’s Day dinner to this charity, but she also got so many vendors to provide her wine, meat and produce for free.  On top of that, she got others to sponsor similar fundraising efforts last night, such as local brewer, Fullsteam.

But it doesn’t stop there with Ms. Christensen.  She recently held a fundraising barbecue dinner for the charity that’s near and dear to me, the Lucy Daniels Center.  She holds quarterly fundraising dinners for another organization where I’m a board member, the Southern Foodways Alliance.  This series of dinners has not only raised thousands of dollars for the SFA, but they have brought the Triangle food community together at the potluck dinners held at her home.  She’s donated gift certificates to a number of charities.  She truly gives her time, her goods, and yes, her money to support causes that are important to her.

Ashley’s restaurant, Poole’s Diner, is one of many participants in the Triangle Wine Experience to benefit the Frankie Lemmon Foundation.  The list of these participating restaurants can be found on this link, but this event is an unmitigated success, raising the majority of funds needed to keep the Frankie Lemmon Center in operation.  Put another way, the Frankie Lemmon Center may not survive without the support of the Triangle’s restaurant community.  Oh, one more thing.  Ashley Christensen is on the Board of the Frankie Lemmon Foundation.  Yup, she’s giving back in more ways than one.

Take a look at the Urban Food Group’s website, and you’ll see how important charitable giving is to it — they list the charities they support on their home page.  UFG donates all of the food for Band Together’s VIP area — that’s where all the high dollar donors hang out.  They also support The V Foundation, Safe Child, The March of Dimes and more.  Kevin and Stacey Jennings, the owners of UFG, get hounded to donate gift certificates for charitable events.  This is a common theme with restaurants (and wine merchants): everyone wants something from them.  Money.  Or goods.  Or their time.  And the more popular the restaurant, the more these restaurants get requests for help.

I am really barely scratching the surface about the philanthropic endeavors of these people.  They nourish our bodies, but they also nourish our souls.  Consider that when a restaurant helps to raise $50,000 over a course of a year, that may represent 10% of its revenues.  Think of another industry that has that type of impact on our community.  I’d love to say my law firm helped raise, directly or indirectly, an amount equal to 10% of our revenues, but that’s not the case.  Part of that is because no one has figured out a way to get people to buy $250 tickets to a black tie affair to receive legal advice, but that’s only part of the point.  A law firm — mine included — can give away lots of pro bono legal services, but I would be surprised if the most generous firms provide services that that has a value exceeding 1% of their revenues.

And this leads me to my final point: chefs are remarkably generous with their time.  If they don’t host a fundraiser at their restaurant, they’ll certainly donate their services to a worthwhile charity.  Look at this Sunday’s Evening With Master Chefs to support the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation.  Although the name may be a bit hyperbolic, the event features 9 local chefs cooking to raise money to support cystic fibrosis research.  This event has raised over a million dollars over the past 14 years, and hopefully the success will continue.  You might know some of these chefs, but for the most part, they’re not individuals whose name you’ll recognize right away.  But they are still donating their time, their labor, and their creativity to the community.  And we are all better off because of it.  So why don’t you go ahead and support them and their cause and get a ticket to this event?  If they can give back, so can you.

I’d love for you to provide comments where you list chefs or restaurants giving back to the community.  These folks don’t get the recognition they deserve, so let’s change that.

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Bella Mia — Restaurant of the Year

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: , , , , , , | Permalink
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Reverse Restaurant Review Roulette: Name that 4-Star Chinese Restaurant

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?

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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: , , | Permalink
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Restaurant Review Roulette: Spartacus Restaurant

December 8, 2010

OPA!!!  You know, I really like Greek food, but I rarely eat it.  The saganaki is always a treat for the family, you can’t go wrong with kabobs, and any cuisine that highlights lamb can’t be bad.  There’s lots of great olive oil and herbs I love and feta and more.  Why, oh, why do I hardly venture out to a Greek restaurant then?  And why have I never been to Durham’s Spartacus Restaurant, which has been open for 17 years and is the subject of Greg Cox’s review this Friday?  I can come up with a lot of excuses.  I don’t get over to Durham all that much anyway.  Hell, I don’t get out to eat that much, period (except for lunch).  And when I’m craving a food, it’s probably not the simple, classic style of cooking that is Greek food (except for the occasional lunchtime gyro, but even that’s not something I do all that much).

Anyhow, I suspect Spartacus has lasted for nearly 2 decades because it’s good, high value food.  It’s a place where the owners value the customers.  It’s not because of it’s location, in the old South Square area on the Chapel Hill side of Durham, nestled by a Target and a Sam’s Club (or maybe that is a reason for its success, with all the traffic in the area).  Maybe it’s because of their belly dancer, Paola.  I might give the place a try on a Friday night just for that!

I also think that Greg Cox will have liked Spartacus.  Maybe not loved it, but a strong like.  So the question ultimately comes to this: is Spartacus a 3 star place, or does it get that extra half star?  My head tells me that it’s just 3, but for some reason, I’m leaning towards that 3.5 star review.  I could chicken out and give them both the same odds, but I’m not going to do that.  Here we go:

5 stars — 100 to 1

4.5 stars – 25 to 1

4 stars —  3 to 1

3.5 stars — 7 to 5

3 stars — 6 to 5

2.5 stars — 5 to 2

2 stars — 5 to 1

1.5 stars — 8 to 1

1 star — 23 to 1

Yeah, I really went out on a limb with those odds.  Anyhow, what’s your prediction?  And do I need to get over to Durham?

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Edit, December 10, 2010: Argh!  I really missed on this one, as Greg Cox gave Spartacus 2.5 stars.  I’m losing my touch.  Or I’m getting lazier by not doing any research on this place.

3 Comments | Durham, Restaurant Roulette, Restaurants | Tagged: , , , , | Permalink
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Restaurant Review Roulette: Thai Thai Cuisine

December 1, 2010

Wow, I haven’t written a thing in two weeks.  I’m reaching a new level of inactivity and irrelevance.  And I even missed Greg Cox’s review last week.

Sorry about that folks, and I hope my absence is just a temporary phenomenon, as I truly have so much to write about.  Great dishes.  Great road trips.  Farmers, chefs, bakers and more.  New restaurants opening.  But it will all have to wait, as we have some wagering to do.

This week’s subject: Holly Spring’s Thai Thai Cuisine.  I love this place, just for their website, which states on the home page: “WE OPEN EVERYDAY!”  I haven’t been here, and the menu looks like just about any other Thai place in the area.  So it all comes down to execution.  Is Thai Thai Cuisine’s basic food better than the other Thai establishments in the Triangle?  Are their ingredients fresher?  Do they make their own curry pastes?  The hell if I know.

I found no guidance on Chowhound, andYelp and Urbanspoon are absolutely worthless here.  One guy stated that the place is a little pricey.  Boy, that irks the shit out of me.  Here’s a place where the most expensive dinner entree is $13.95,  and it’s a little pricey?  I’m so sick and tired of people thinking that Asian food has to be less than 10 bucks for dinner, or it’s too expensive.  That’s narrow-minded and just plain wrong.  End of rant.

I suspect Thai Thai Cuisine is a great little place for Holly Springs.  If I lived over there, I’d probably dine at Thai Thai now and then.  But I don’t live there, so unless Greg Cox surprises me with a 4 star review, I’ll stick to Thai House on Hardimont (and even that ain’t all that).  Sigh.

So, here are this week’s odds:

5 stars — 138 gazillion to 1

4.5 stars – 17 to 1

4 stars —  5 to 1

3.5 stars — 2 to 1

3 stars — 2 to 3

2.5 stars — 3 to 2

2 stars — 4 to 1

1.5 stars — 9 to 1

1 star — 29 to 1

Have you made the trip to Holly Springs and had some of that Thai Thai Cuisine?  And even if you haven’t, how many stars do you think it’ll get?

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Edit — December 3, 2010 — Oh, yeah, I still got it.  Seriously, though, Greg Cox gave Thai Thai Cuisine 3 stars.  It’s just another neighborhood Thai restaurant folks.  Nothing to see here.

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Restaurant Review Roulette: Chef’s Palette

November 10, 2010

You know how many restaurants’ menus just list a few ingredients to describe a dish?  Like Alinea, with these examples: Short Rib, Guiness, peanut, fried broccoli.  Or Sardine, black olive, tomato, arugula (and note their use of the Oxford comma).  Yes, this gives you some idea of what might be in the dish, but it gives you no clue of what the dish actually is.

This week’s contestant in our game of Restaurant Review Roulette doesn’t have this exact problem, as the menu thoroughly describes each dish (more on that later).  However, Cary’s Chef’s Palette uses a different approach to confuse the diner: they make up names for dishes that leave you guessing as to what they are.  Let’s have a quiz.  I’m going to list five menu items, and you try to tell me what they are:

  • Tidal Pool Rendezvous
  • The Mad Hatter
  • Earth and Sky
  • Vesuvius
  • The Howling Wolf

Have at it.  Now you might be able to figure out that the Tidal Pool Rendezvous is seafood-based, and probably some form of crustacean or bivalve.  The Earth and Sky involve some meat (the Earth) and some bird (the Sky).  But really, do you have a clue what these dishes really represent?  Did you even come close to establishing that The Howling Wolf is “Jumbo shrimp dredged in a spicy apple butter barbeque sauce, served over a crawfish and sweet basil infused potato cake and drizzled with a white remoulade nestled in a pool of corn soubise.”

The other thing that sticks out about this menu is how detailed the actual descriptions are.  Here’s your answer for the Tidal Pool Rendezvous: “ Colossal Scallops wrapped in rosemary-peppered bacon and lightly seared.  Served with creamy stone ground gouda grits and grilled asparagus.”  OK, that sounds pretty good, except for the damn bacon around the scallops.  Folks, contrary to popular belief, bacon does NOT make everything better.  A rosemary-peppered bacon would overwhelm a decent scallop, so keep it away.  Here’s the description of Vesuvius: “House made marinara ladled over a nest of angel hair pasta, crowned with char grilled shrimp and finished with aged parmesan reggiano.”  OK, they must stack this baby up like a big-ass cone, and hope it shoots the marinara out of the middle.  Now THAT would be cool.  But I suspect it’s just a marinara pasta with shrimp.

So what about the food?  Beats me.  I never heard of this place until this morning.  Like most places, some people appear to love it, and it’s just “meh” for others.  To me, this place looks like an acceptable option for a strip mall.  They look like they’re trying to be all things to all people, and that’s a very tough task.  In the end, I suspect Greg Cox liked it just fine, but he didn’t love it.  And so (drumroll, please), I’m guessing this is a 3 star review.

Here are this week’s odds:

5 stars — 20 to 1

4.5 stars – 8 to 1

4 stars —  3 to 1

3.5 stars — 3 to 2

3 stars — 1 to 1

2.5 stars — 2 to 1

2 stars — 4 to 1

1.5 stars — 7 to 1

1 star — 35 to 1

And by the way, these folks do know the difference between “palette” and “palate.”  So what do you think will be the outcome of Greg Cox’s review of Chef’s Palette?  And why?

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Edit, November 12, 2010 — Greg Cox gives Chef’s Palette a 3-star review.  If you bet anything other than 3 stars, I’m going to use that money on something a bit less artsy.

5 Comments | Cary, Restaurant Roulette, Restaurants | Tagged: , , , | Permalink
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Ashley Christensen’s Take on Barbecue — With Fullsteam!

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: , , , , , | Permalink
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Restaurant Review Roulette: Pop’s

November 3, 2010

A long time ago, Pop’s was a really hip restaurant owned by hipsters, visited by hipsters, and all with a hipster attitude to match. The menu was fairly ordinary semi-upscale Italian, but the food was good. But that was indeed a LONG time ago. A lot has changed over the years. There’s no more attitude. They’ve actually moved locations. And the food is still pretty damn good. Or so I’ve heard, because I have not been to Pop’s since the days that they opened. It’s not that I held a grudge for all these years over the place’s attitude, it’s just that I never made it back to Durham to eat there.

And now Pop’s is about to be reviewed by the Raleigh News & Observer’s restaurant critic, Greg Cox. I think Mr. Cox will like Pop’s. I hope he has a silly title for the review, like, “Pop’s Rocks.” Mikey would like that title, I bet (that’s an obscure joke based on an urban legend that 2 people will get). But I look at the menu of Pop’s, and I scream, “I WANT THAT IN RALEIGH!” And I also know that the owners, John Vandergrift and Chris Stinnett (who also own Rue Cler), really care about their craft. So I do think this place will get lots of shining stars from Cox.

But how many??

It’s not a 5 star place. It will get at least 4 stars, I can confidently proclaim. Will it get that elusive extra half star? That’s the big question, and I could be a chicken shit and give 4 and 4.5 stars the same odds. But I, however, am a fearless prognosticator who dares to take the big chance, to live on the edge, to go without a helmet, to shoot for the stars, and to get rid of the training wheels. I’m going with 4 stars, but only because I think Greg Cox will start to be a bit harder to please.

Am I right? Am I wrong? Does anyone really care?

5 stars — 7 to 1

4.5 stars – 5 to 4

4 stars —  4 to 5

3.5 stars — 3 to 1

3 stars — 6 to 1

2.5 stars — 8 to 1

2 stars — 16 to 1

1.5 stars — 25 to 1

1 star — 60 to 1

What sayeth you?  How many stars will Pop’s receive this Friday???

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Edit, November 5, 2010 — Damn, I hate being wrong in one way and right in another.  I hate it when my odds are off, as Greg Cox gave Pop’s 3.5 stars.  I was right when I suspected getting 4 stars would be harder than ever before.  And Tom from Raleigh, you should have bet some money!

7 Comments | Durham, Restaurant Roulette, Restaurants | Tagged: , , , , , | Permalink
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Restaurant Review Roulette: David’s Dumpling & Noodle Bar

October 20, 2010

I know this restaurant!  Hurray, hurrah, hurrooh!  Greg Cox is reviewing David’s Dumpling & Noodle Bar, the new outpost of iconic Raleigh chef David Mao.  I actually took my family to eat there several weeks ago and liked it.  The dumplings are top-notch, the noodles are good (but not great).  The other Asian-American fare is as good as it needs to be.  It’s certainly not great, but it’s very dependable.

As I look into my crystal ball, I see a favorable review for David’s D&NB.  But my vision is cloudy.  Service isn’t as great as it should be.  Some  of the dishes aren’t just good enough.  A number is appearing.  Is it a 4?  Yes, it’s a 4.  But wait, I also see a 3.  What does this all mean?  Ahhh, I get it.  This is a 3.5 star review.  That’s your lucky number.

Here are this week’s odds:

5 stars — 30 to 1

4.5 stars – 7 to 1

4 stars —  2 to 1

3.5 stars — 7 to 6

3 stars — 2 to 1

2.5 stars —  5 to 1

2 stars — 11 to 1

1.5 stars — 19 to 1

1 star — 50 to 1

What did you think of DD&NB?  How many stars will it get?  And did the big photos of David Mao freak you out as much as they did for me???

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Edit, October 22, 2010 — Looks like its a 3-star review for DD&NB.  I couldn’t really tell why it got this rating and where points may have been deducted.  Funny how this review game is.

4 Comments | chefs, General, Raleigh, Restaurant Roulette, Restaurants | Tagged: , , , , | Permalink
Posted by Varmint

Restaurant Review Roulette: Paradise India Cuisine

October 13, 2010

The tag line of Morrisville’s Paradise India Cuisine is, “The way Biryani is meant to be!”  Hell, I wouldn’t know biryani if I buried my face in it, as Indian food just might be the cuisine where I am the most ignorant.  Moreover, I don’t squat  about this restaurant.  But first, a warning: The website has music, so beware (although it can be turned off).  The menu is extensive.  They specialize in Hyderabadi cuisine.

Oh, this is the restaurant that Greg Cox is reviewing this Friday (at least that’s what Greg Cox told me, as the N&O failed to include its typical teaser in today’s paper).  Maybe because this review wasn’t worth forecasting.  Or maybe because — well, that’s really the only reason not to mention it.

Anyhow, the Urbanspoon page on Paradise IC is one big “meh,” with too many uses of the word, “suck.”   That’s not a good sign.  Yelp is not much better.  And after looking at those two, I just didn’t have the energy to try and find out what Chowhound had to say.  I’m ready to stick out my neck with this week’s odds and declare that Greg Cox will give P.I.C. two and one-half stars.  There you go.

But the big question I have is how in the world did they manage to get the domain name, “paradisenc.com?”  And do they greet people with a, “Welcome to paradise?”  Green Day would be so proud.  Those characteristics alone should give it an extra star (and that’s why I’m still saying 2.5).  Anyhow, here are this week’s odds:

5 stars — 500 to 1

4.5 stars – 450 to 2

4 stars —  40 to 3

3.5 stars — 3.5 to 1

3 stars — 3 to 2

2.5 stars —  2.5 to 2.5

2 stars — 2 to 1

1.5 stars — 15 to 4

1 star — 10 to 1

So, am I missing something with this little slice of Paradise?  How many stars will it get?

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Edit — October 15, 2010 – It’s a 3 star review for Paradise, with Greg Cox calling it a “colorful culinary adventure.”

8 Comments | General, Restaurant Roulette, Restaurants | Tagged: , , , | Permalink
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Restaurant Review Roulette: Bella Mia

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.

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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: , , , , , , | Permalink
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Restaurant Review Roulette: Capital Club 16

September 22, 2010

I hadn’t really wanted to go to Capital Club 16 in downtown Raleigh, purely because I nonsensically dismissed the place for its name.  It was far too close to the “Capital City Club,” and, quite frankly, I don’t like any operation with the word “Club” in it.  As I said, it’s nonsensical.  And now I’m starting to think that I’ve been missing out on a really good place.  A somewhat upscale diner that features some German influences in its menu.

Greg Cox is reviewing this place on Friday, and I suspect he just may like it.  Just like I suspect that I would like it, too.  The chef, Jake Wolf, appears to have a sense of what would work in downtown, part hipster, part style, and lots of sensible menu choices.  The prices are incredibly reasonable, too.

Cox generally won’t give more than four stars to casual dining places, unless it has something “extra” to offer in the way of food, like Poole’s Diner (and speaking of that cap, it’ll be interesting to see what he gives Bella Mia in next week’s review, which is easily the best pizza in the area, if not the state).  So I suspect that he’ll give this place at least 3.5 stars, but I’m thinking that 4 stars would be the better bet.  We shall see.

Here are this week’s odds:

5 stars — 16 to 1

4.5 stars – 8 to 1

4 stars — 4 to 5

3.5 stars — 8 to 5

3 stars — 3 to 1

2.5 stars — 8 to 1

2 stars — 11 to 1

1.5 stars — 23 to 1

1 star — 39 to 1

I’m sure many of you have been to Capital Club 16.  So how was it?  And how many stars do you think it will receive?

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Edit, September 24, 2010: Greg Cox gave Capital Club 16 a solid 3.5 star rating.

4 Comments | chefs, General, Raleigh, Restaurant Roulette, Restaurants | Tagged: , , , | Permalink
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Restaurant Review Roulette: Fearrington House

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?

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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: , , , | Permalink
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Egos and Icons

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: , , , , , , , , | Permalink
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Restaurant Review Roulette: Saxapahaw General Store

September 8, 2010

Greg Cox will be reviewing the Saxapahaw General Store, the best little convenience store/gas station you’d ever want to visit for dinner.  I’ve heard a lot of great things about this place, but I have not been there.  Frankly, the last time I was in Saxapahaw, I was hunting for chanterelle mushrooms about 20 years ago.  That was as good as dining got in that part of Alamance County (or all of Alamance County, for what it’s worth).  Times have changed, it seems, and now Greg Cox has made it to this place where the tables sit right beside the shelves of potted meat.

I think Greg Cox will like this place.  I think he’ll like it a lot, but he just won’t be able to bring himself to give it more than 4 stars.  But this is one review where I’d be willing to put some of my own money down regarding the final rating the restaurant receives.  This will be 4 stars.  I’m not positive, but I’m damn confident.  And if I’m wrong, I’ll just claim, once again, “I’ve never eaten there.  How the hell should I know?”

Line up and place your bets.

5 stars — 9 to 1

4.5 stars – 3 to 1

4 stars — 2 to 3

3.5 stars — 4 to 1

3 stars — 7 to 1

2.5 stars —  11 to 1

2 stars — 23 to 1

1.5 stars — 35 to 1

1 star — 55 to 1

Tell me about the Saxapahaw General Store.  And how many stars it will get.  And if you really pronounce the second “a.”

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Edit — September 10, 2010: Oh, yeah.  Nailed this one!  The Saxapahaw General Store received a 4-star review in this morning’s N&O.    Now how did I know it was going to be a 4 star place?  Because the food is really good, but that food is served in a convenience store.  You combine those two elements, and per Greg Cox’s grading system, you get 4 stars.  If the environment were a little nicer, then it could get 4.5 stars (look at Poole’s Diner for an example).  But Greg Cox loved this place.

8 Comments | General, Restaurant Roulette, Restaurants | Tagged: , , , | Permalink
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Restaurant Review Roulette: Lucky 32

September 1, 2010

I’ve gotten pretty good at guessing how many stars Greg Cox will give a restaurant, even when I’ve never even heard of the place.  But this week, I have a different challenge: figuring out the rating of a friend’s restaurant — in this case, Chef Jay Pierce’s Lucky 32.  I’ve previously written about this place, as Jay has invited me over twice to give him feedback on new menu items.  I like what Jay has done with the restaurant, making it a high end “meat ‘n 3″ place.  Frankly, the stars of Lucky 32 are often the side dishes.

The problem with this edition of Restaurant Review Roulette is that I’m not sure how well Greg Cox will like it.  If I had to put my own money down, it would be at the 4 or 3.5 star level.  Lucky 32 has a number of dishes that are 4 star level or higher, but its menu is so large that I suspect Cox will think it’s overreaching.   I’ve also heard comments from others that love several of Lucky 32′s dishes, but they’re not enamored with others.

So, I’m going to go with 4 stars, as Lucky 32 is certainly as good as other places receiving that rating, and in some instances, even better.

Here are the odds:

5 stars — 32 to 1

4.5 stars – 32 to 9

4 stars — 32 to 23

3.5 stars — 32 to 19

3 stars — 32 to 13

2.5 stars —  32 to 5

2 stars — 32 to 4

1.5 stars — 32 to 1.2

1 star — 32 to .32

The one thing we know is that Lucky 32 won’t be getting 32 stars.  How many will Greg Cox give it?

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Edit, September 3, 2010:  Greg Cox gave Lucky 32 3.5 stars in this week’s review.  This is one of those reviews where the description of the place, including the food, doesn’t really match up with the rating.  Greg is quite positive about the place across the board, with a couple of minor exceptions, which led me to think he wanted to give it 4 stars.  But I sense that Greg just couldn’t bring himself to give them that extra half star.  What I will say is that a LOT of the dishes on that menu are worthy of 4 stars,  but I also have no problem with Greg’s final verdict.

3 Comments | Cary, chefs, General, Restaurant Roulette, Restaurants | Tagged: , , , , | Permalink
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Restaurant Review Roulette: Flights

August 25, 2010

This week’s review is of Flights, the restaurant in the Marriott-owned North Hills-based Renaissance Hotel.  So, it’s a Marriott, eh?  They’re not really known for putting top notch restaurants in their hotels.  But what’s this on the menu?  Pork from Cane Creek Farms?  Locally sourced produce?  Goat cheese from Elodie Farms?  So, what you’re saying is that this Marriott doesn’t get all their stuff from US Foods???  Hmmm, maybe this restaurant won’t suck.

I have an inherent bias against hotel restaurants, but I suspect this place just might be better than it needs to be, and decent enough to hold its own versus the other places in North Hills.  With that, I’m thinking this is a 3.5 to 4 star restaurant, and my hunch is that it’s going to be the higher rating.  We shall see on Friday.  Here are this week’s odds:

5 stars — 35 to 1

4.5 stars – 7 to 1

4 stars — 2 to 1

3.5 stars — 5 to 2

3 stars — 5 to 1

2.5 stars —  6 to 1

2 stars — 9 to 1

1.5 stars — 15 to 1

1 star — 25 to 1

Do I have a single reader who has made it to Flights?  And, be honest, how many of you never even heard of this place?

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Edit: Flights soared to a 4 star rating, with Greg Cox using every airplane metaphor possible in his review.  As I would have done, too.

11 Comments | General, Raleigh, Restaurant Roulette, Restaurants | Tagged: , , , , , , | Permalink
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