The Chef's Table at Second Empire

As a truly special treat for my birthday, Jessica took me to Second Empire (http://www.second-empire.com/) to enjoy their Chef's Table.  The Chef's Table is a unique experience that cannot (and will not in this post) be adequately described to properly convey how incredible it is!  Basically, the head chef (Daniel Schurr) served as the host, server, and chef for our dinner, all taking place at a table INSIDE THE KITCHEN.  As a result, we were able to learn so much about the food, the wine (manager Nick Saddlemire explained the origin of everything we tasted!), the process behind preparation, and the atmosphere inside a kitchen during service.  The entire staff was so incredibly nice and accommodating throughout our meal, and we hope to return in November again because the experience is so fantastic!

Because I cannot do true justice to the Chef's Table experience, I'll focus mostly on the food and then let you try the Table yourself to see it in full action!  With each course, we had a paired wine that without question always complimented whatever we were eating (because I don't know a lot about wine flavors, I'll forgo amateur descriptions... but they were all excellent!).  At the start of the meal, Jessica and I agreed to try everything and I ended up finishing each of my plates (except for dessert, because I was too full).  Jessica did the same except for some of the lamb on the last course, again because she was so full!  This resulted in me trying beans, collard greens, haricot vert, and many others I normally wouldn't like... and all were delicious!

Swordfish

Our first course was a rosemary and citrus grilled swordfish with beans and a fried green tomato.  Neither Jessica nor I had tasted swordfish before but we were both excited because we've heard good things.  Much like I'd heard, the swordfish had a good, meaty flavor (maybe most closely compared with tuna although it's more a white fish) that I really enjoyed.  The citrus and rosemary compliments were excellent, as was the sweet balsamic reduction.  More and more, I enjoy a sweet sauce with my main proteins (whether they be meat or seafood) and this combination worked perfectly.  Surprising to me, I really enjoyed the beans and squash also (two things I don't really eat at all) and hopefully that'll encourage me to try them more in the future.  There isn't a better start to the meal that I could have imagined, and I worry now a bit that the next time I order swordfish (and I will), I'll be disappointed because it doesn't compare to this taste.

The second course was one of our favorites; called a short rib "croquette" it can probably be most comparable to a crab cake that has no filler, except instead of crab it was made of braised short rib and pork belly, then rolled in breadcrumbs and deep fried.  If my chicken-fried ribeye at Revolution was upscale chicken-fried steak from the South, then this was the Rolls Royce of that combination.  By adding the fried crust to the short rib, the kitchen elevated short ribs with contrasting textures... true genius.  If the croquette alone wasn't good enough, the saffron and smoked tomato risotto was arguably better!  Never have I had a more creamy, balanced, flavorful risotto than this; I wish I could have it every single day.  The ginger molasses jus was again a nice sweet compliment to the meaty flavors in the dish.

Foie Gras

In between our second and third courses, we had blood orange sorbet, which was very good.  Jessica thought it was the best thing EVER and I enjoyed it even if it was quite tart for me.  Regardless, it was quite the fancy "pallet cleanser" considering it was basically a full serving of gourmet, exotic sorbet!

As a special treat from the chef, our next course was extra... a magnificent piece of seared foie gras served over grits and collard greens.  Jessica and I had never ventured into the "foie gras" world in any meaningful way, but any apprehension we had about trying it was erased on the first bite.  Words truly cannot do justice to this tasting experience... without question, it was the best thing either Jessica or I had ever eaten.  My mind barely processed all of the flavor, but it was like a mix of excellent steak, butter, fat, and caramelization but better.  If you haven't tried this before (and don't live in California), please order it the next time that you have the chance.  Even Jessica, who is not Mrs. Adventurous with cuisine, loved every single bite!  An added bonus was the wine pairing of sauternes, which is apparently classic with foie gras.  It is a sweet, syrupy wine and may have been my favorite of the night.  The grits and greens were great too, and a nice addition, but I barely remember them because the foie gras was that amazing.



Lamb



Our "main" course for dinner was  de-boned rack of lamb stuffed with foie gras and spinach and served with creamy hominy (delicious) as well haricot verts and a prune-horseradish jus.  For me, the lamb was perfectly cooked and flavorful; not as gamey as other times I've tried it but with enough distinction from a piece of beef.  The arrangement on the plate, with the stuffing and contrasting white hominy, was very cool as well. 

I was probably most impressed by the flavor and creaminess of the hominy; I'd never had it before and couldn't stop eating it in the accompanying sauce.  By this point in the meal, I was so full but I powered through and finished every bite; the dish was really good!

For dessert, we had chocolate souffle with vanilla cream.  From the two bites I tried, I'd say it was fantastic, but I feel bad I was too full to enjoy it more.  It's an odd dynamic in the kitchen when you see someone working so hard to prepare something, and preparing it so well, only to eat a couple of bites before hitting a completely full state!  Hopefully the pastry chef understands the predicament I was in (she probably has seen it many times before!) and wasn't offended.  Jessica did her part to chip away at the dessert (we actually only had them give us one instead of one for each because I knew this would be an issue!) so by the end it didn't look quite as bad.  Still, though, it would have been

great to box up (although that was tough with us going out after).  I think next time, I'll figure out a way to save room and savor ALL courses at the table!

Without any exaggeration, this was the best meal of my life.  The food was great, and the experience completely unique.  I have become so interested not just with eating new foods but with seeing ways to prepare them, meeting people who have chosen the culinary profession, and experiencing the "business" from an insider's point of view, that this will be something I never forget.  The tastes, the interactions, the setting, and the food service were all perfect... I cannot wait to return with Jessica to celebrate her next birthday!

Thank you to Second Empire... Chef Daniel Schurr, Nick Saddlemire, and the entire staff made this my best birthday dinner ever!

Our Second Trip to Revolution in Durham

Last night, Jessica and I met friends for dinner at Revolution (http://www.revolutionrestaurant.com/) in Durham.  This was our second trip to the modern Durham restaurant (click here for our first try), having enjoyed it for Valentine's Day in 2011 enough to recommend it again.

We started our night in the expansive bar, trying some of their specialty cocktails.  Jessica ordered one of their two "spicy" drinks and it was quite good, but with a lot of heat.  Everyone else seemed to enjoy their selections, and the bar area was surprisingly active for being so early (~ 6 PM) on a Saturday night.  For dinner, we were seated at a table in their downstairs seating area.  The space was okay, and made better when full of people, but it didn't have quite the atmosphere of the upstairs where the decor is more consistent and upscale.  Still, for our group of six, it didn't make any difference because the downstairs allowed us to enjoy each other's company without worry of being too loud!

The table split a few appetizers, and I tried both the scallops and lamb sausage.  The scallops had an excellent sear and were properly cooked... not overdone but certainly not raw either.  There wasn't anything that struck me as "special" about these scallops, but I definitely was satisfied that they delivered what I hoped.  I was honestly surprised that they served five per order; even though they weren't huge, they were still large enough where three could have been the appetizer portion.  The lamb sausage, while somewhat plain on the plate, was more unique than the scallops.  It was slightly spicy and reminded me of a mereguez sausage (which it probably was meant to be) that I'd had before.  I didn't have the chance to taste the sausage, which crumbled from the casing a bit more than I'd like, with the honey, but I imagine that pairing was perfect!

For dinner, I was thrilled to order a chicken-fried ribeye.  For those unfamiliar with the concept, chicken-fried steak is typically a pounded-thin round steak that is then coated in flour / batter and fried so that it has an outer crust like fried chicken.  In this case, they used an excellent, thick-cut ribeye in place of the thinner, lower quality beef commonly used, and the result was very interesting.  First the things I loved about it... high quality steak cooked to a perfect medium rare, crunchy exterior (particularly at the edges) for an excellent texture contrast uncommon with steak, and heavily seasoned for great flavor.  Now the things that could have been better... some of the breading was soggy (maybe unavoidable with a thick, juicy steak), the onion gravy was more of an acidic onion marmalade and I was hopping for an actual gravy typical of country-fried steak, and the sweet potato cake wasn't as crisp on the edges as I'd like.

Overall, though, I loved the steak dish.  I'm always excited to try something a bit different from the norm, and combining my favorite cut of steak (ribeye) with a favorite preparation I don't have often (chicken-fried) was perfect.  There were small areas to improve upon, the easiest being to crisp up the sweet potato cake, but I appreciate the creativeness and the execution of something that I'd never seen before.  When I finished my dinner, the plate was entirely clean and that ultimately speaks for itself!

Our group's experience was very positive; everyone seemed to like their meals and the atmosphere allowed for us to converse, joke, and even get a bit loud at times.  The service was also impeccable (no water glasses ever empty, food arriving at the same time, etc.) and not rushed as our dinner neared three hours.  For a more romantic time at Revolution, I'd definitely make sure to sit upstairs, but that's a small detail.  I think that people looking for a fun night our with good and creative food should definitely consider Revolution.

Centro in Raleigh

One of my favorite trends in the restaurant world is the influx of chefs elevating "standard" ethnic cuisine either with modern twists or more upscale ingredients and preparations.  One such example is Vivace in North Hills (Italian) and another is J. Betski's in Raleigh (German / Polish).  Last night, Jessica and I joined a friend for dinner at Centro (http://www.centroraleigh.com/) on Wilmington Street in downtown Raleigh.  Billed as a Mexican restaurant and tequila bar, Centro isn't a regular restaurant serving chicken quesadillas and boring tacos.  Instead, they use fresh ingredients and more authentic preparations (which come with a larger price tag if you're used to $1 tacos!) to create a unique dining experience.

The restaurant itself is VERY small and doesn't take reservations... this can lead to long wait times even if you call ahead to get in line (which didn't work for us anyway) but the bar is more than willing to take you on.  Our party tried their margaritas and also their take on an Old Fashioned, and we were not disappointed.  The cocktails were well-made; fresh and flavorful with a lot of "Mexican" ingredients and flavors.  After waiting for thirty minutes or so, a table was finally ready for us.

To start, the server brought a shot of spicy, corn-broth soup.  My experience with corn soups is that they are creamy; instead, this was more like water but packed with great flavor and a fair amount of heat.  I always enjoy when restaurants start the meal with something like this (whether here it qualifies as an amuse bouche I don't know) because it shows they are proud of their concepts and cooking methods.  After the soup, we treated ourselves to their queso with chorizo.  It was, clearly, delicious, as was the standard salsa served with their fresh-made chips.  I'm normally not a salsa person but I could have eaten my whole bowl here.

For my main course, I went with the Chile Sureno... a poblano pepper stuffed with cheesy grits, mushrooms, onions, and shrimp.  The gravy, allegedly made with tequila and ancho chilies, was amazing but not identifiable with those two flavors for me.  I thought the dish (pictured above) featured the broth best, with the grits soaking up a lot of the flavor.  The shrimp were well-cooked although I think serving them without tails would make the eating experience simpler (without losing presentation points).  My minor complaint for the dish would be that it needed a bit more salt, but I got over it and cleared my plate save for the mushrooms, which is no surprise to anyone who knows me.  The portion was perfect too; I was full without feeling miserable as is often the case with more casual Mexican places.  Both Jessica and Matt liked their entrees as well (Tinga Poblana for Jessica and Tacos de Pescado for Matt).

Centro focuses on preparations of fresh ingredients with their simple menu (I thought almost everything sounded great) in a wonderful atmosphere to dine.  Throughout our entire time drinking and dining, every table was filled with a line of people out the door.  I think they hit the mark on every dish and drink I tried; their food seems more "authentic" than Mez in Durham even if Mez has a wider range of choices and is probably my prefered choice.  Regardless, for a fun night out when time isn't super critical, I think Centro is a wonderful place to start with a fresh, festive meal.

Cooking at Home for Valentine's Day

Jessica and I like to celebrate Valentine's Day with a great meal together, but we've found that eating out can be overly expensive, crowded, and generally limited with set menus.  Instead, for the past few years, we've cooked dinner at home to make an equally fantastic meal with far less hassle.

This year, we started with beef crostini topped with caramelized onions and then seared scallops with Parmesan risotto for the main course.  While the two courses were not overly fancy, they were both a step or two above our typical home-cooked dinners.

The first key to preparing a special meal at home is finding good ingredients.  Instead of using the local grocery store, I traveled to Fresh Market to get the scallops and beef tenderloin for the meal.  Fresh Market may have higher prices than other stores, but the quality is also a notch above and well worth it for a special meal.  Also, the additional cost pales in comparison to the savings gained by eating at home rather than out.  Restaurants charge $30 for an eight-ounce filet and $20 or so for an order of scallops, and yet I was able to purchase both for a combined $20.  Even factoring in the preparation (which for our meal wasn't too difficult), the markup is incredible!

First for the beef crostini... I was inspired to make this dish from the Sandwich King on Food Network, who made something similar in one of his episodes.  My goal was to sear the beef (and then finish it roasting in the oven at 500 degrees) to a medium rare.  Creating the sear is extremely important; a lot of flavor is created with that crust as salt and pepper join the caramelized beef flavor to add a great exterior "seasoning" for the meat.  The concept of "locking in the juices" isn't really accurate, but visual and taste effects with the sear are great.  I cooked my filet on the stove top on medium high with a bit of butter, and the sear was perfect!

In concert with preparing the steak, I prepared my caramelized onions.  I started with a whole sweet onion, a bit of olive oil mixed with butter, and a fair amount of salt.  My knife skills are not great but I generally cut the onions to a small dice so that the final product is almost creamy rather than large strands.  For me, patience is the key with these onions... I probably simmer them down for 45 minutes or so to make sure they cook slowly and brown nicely. 

Once I finished both the steak and the caramelized onions, it was time to assemble.  I purchased rosemary olive oil crostini to add extra flavor, and then I layered the following ingredients:

- A few shreds of Parmesan cheese

- A couple crystals of kosher salt

- A slice of the seared tenderloin

- A "dollop" of onions

Both the cheese and (obviously) the salt helped bolster the other flavors in the dish.  I also let the beef cool down to room temperature (because that is common in recipes I found), and that worked well.  Jessica and I thoroughly enjoyed the bite-sized crostini and I thought each and every ingredient added something useful to the flavor.

The scallops and risotto were far simpler to prepare, although equally delicious.  For the scallops, I simply dried them and then coated each with salt and pepper.  I buttered my cast iron skillet (adding a bit of canola oil to help not burn the butter as easily) and waited for it to brown, then added the scallops and cooked 2-3 minutes per side.  The result was perfect... tender and just cooked through in the center with a nice crunchy sear on each side.  In the future, I'll ask for more similarly sized scallops because one was much larger than the other three, impacting cooking time.

For my risotto, I use ~ 1 cup of arborio rice with reduced-sodium chicken stock (normally 4 cups or so).  I started by sauteing garlic, then toasting the rice and deglazing with white wine.  For the next 20-25 minutes, I stirred and added the stock until the rice was tender.  For the final step, I added a handful of Parmesan cheese for flavor.  This is one of my wife's favorite dishes that I prepare, and it's actually quite easy.  Just remember though, that SALT is critical to bringing out the flavors!

While our Valentine's Day dinner lacked the fanciness that you can find at restaurants around the Triangle, it matched the flavor and variety at a fraction of the cost.  With a few simple recipes and a couple of great ingredients, we were able to prepare and enjoy a wonderful, home-cooked meal!

Meat and Potatoes in Pittsburgh

For brunch yesterday, my mom, Jessica, and I ventured into downtown Pittsburgh to try Meat and Potatoes (http://meatandpotatoespgh.com/), a self-proclaimed "gastropub" that opened in 2011.  The restaurant, a hip newer establishment located in the Theater District, exemplifies the revitalization efforts of the city with a trendy, upscale-yet-casual atmosphere that appeals to a wide range of customers.  The dining area features a large bar centered in the room with tables against the outer walls (one of which acts as a window to the outside street, a second showing the specials of the day, and a third displaying the various animals and cuts of meat available on a sketched cow).  At 1 PM on a Saturday, the whole restaurant was filled completely with more people in the waiting area, normally a promising sign for a great meal!

Drinks

We decided to eat at the bar rather than wait for our table (we were about 25 minutes early) and it was perfect.  One of the brunch specialties here is the Bloody Mary Bar, which both Jessica and my mom tried.  They serve several different infused vodkas (black pepper and garlic, bacon, and chili were three of the six options) and then allow the diner to add the fresh-made tomato mix as well as seasonings and countless pickled vegetables.  Both Jessica and my mom were very happy with their concoctions.  I went with one of their brunch cocktails, a whiskey drink with orange and cherry that was superb.  And because we were sitting at the bar and watching drinks be made over and over, the three of us split their French Toast Flip, a sweet cocktail with a whole egg added to create foam and a creamy texture.

Food

As with roughly 80% of the other tables (my estimate from watching the food leave the kitchen), we started with the "Fried Taters" accompanied by truffle mayonnaise.  The smell from the truffles alone was worth the order, and the perfectly crisp fries were equally excellent.  Served in a small cast iron skillet, the pile of fries was liberally salted and seasoned, making them wonderful on their own but even better when dipped in the sauce.  Had we known that two of our three entrees came with fries (something the menu doesn't mention for some reason), I'm not sure we would have started with these but I'm glad we did to start the meal off right.





PBLT

For my lunch, I had the PBLT, a healthy portion of pork belly and bacon served with arugula and tomato on toasted, thick white bread.  It's rare for me to enjoy (or even tolerate) added items to a sandwich like tomato and arugula, but I actually felt both made this sandwich better.  The bacon was crispy, which I normally don't like either, but it was the perfect texture contrast to the almost creamy pork belly (which was ridiculously good).  Even though half of the sandwich was more than enough for me, I powered through and finished the entire thing, which I didn't regret even if I could barely move for a few hours after.

For their respective meals, my mom and Jessica had the short rib hash and chicken biscuit (chicken, rosemary ham, and Swiss cheese on a fresh made biscuit).  I had a taste of each and enjoyed both thoroughly.  To offer a minor criticism of the hash, I think it would have benefited from a bit more flavor contrast, but I didn't try it mixed with the eggs that topped the order.  It also came with a horseradish hollandaise so that would help as well.  I'm not sure I could find fault with the chicken biscuit, except that it too was served with an egg (something A LOT of the brunch meals include) and I despise them!

Service

The service at the bar was excellent; the bar tender was very conversational and didn't mind us asking questions about the various cocktails she made during our meal.  Her co-worker, who seemed more like a manager for the brunch shift, was also helpful with our food selections offering recommendations and specialties of the house.  The only slight problem we had was a delay in the delivery of Jessica's biscuit... although once I asked about it, it arrived in less than a minute!

Overall, Meat and Potatoes delivered exactly what I hoped when we booked the reservation.  The menu featured modern twists on standard brunch food, and elevated the quality with the inclusion of specialty ingredients (like the pork belly, for example, or the truffle mayonnaise).  Every bite of food I tried was amazing, and the drinks matched the same quality.  I'd love to try dinner at Meat and Potatoes since the menu seems to further raise the complexity of the dishes (most brunch items were sandwiches and / or true breakfast offerings) although I really cannot imagine much improvement on what was a truly memorable meal.

Reviews for Oro, Beasley's, and Market

While I was home last week, Jessica and I tried a few restaurants in Raleigh.  I posted the reviews on my Spanish blog but here's the link for you to enjoy!

http://adamsspanishadventures.blogspot.com/2012/07/raleigh-restaurant-reviews.html

Homemade Pizza Margherita

Due partly to the fact that I am not a multi-millionaire and partly that I actually enjoy cooking, I more often than not do my best to make good home-cooked meals rather than going out.  Jessica and I each have our specialties (she is the baker plus makes great stuffed squash, quesadillas, and chicken pastry while I go more for Italian options as well as chicken dishes) but one thing we both love is pizza. 

Most all grocery stores (Food Lion near us, but also Lowe's, Harris Teeter, Trader Joe's, etc.) sell frozen pre-made balls of pizza dough.  While using one skips the "dough-making" process, I still count it as a raw ingredient and feel I'm in control from the start!  It is simple as defrosting the dough the night before and I'm ready to go.

My typical pizza is a standard cheese with tomato sauce (either store-bought pasta sauce or, more often, my own sauce that I make using crushed tomatoes, garlic, salt, pepper, onion flakes, oregano, and basil). but I tried a Margherita style last night with great success.  I begin by forming the dough into a thin, roughly circular shape (each frozen ball actually makes two pizza crusts for me).  While I get the ingredients ready to top, I pre-heat my oven to 475 degrees with our pizza stone inside so that it is hot when I put the dough on.

With the stone ready, I place the dough atop and begin adding my flavors.  I start by brushing the whole pie with a thin layer of olive oil, followed by freshly microplaned garlic, salt, and pepper.  While I'd normally add the tomato sauce for my standard pizza, I instead threw on quartered cherry tomatoes (purchased on the vine and amazingly fresh) for the Margherita style.  Fresh mozzarella (key for this type of pie) was then sliced, broken into smaller pieces, and scattered across the top of the pizza.  While I normally would cover the entire pizza with cheese, I instead left some areas open and others with just the tomatoes, which worked quite well for the finished product.

The pizza was ready for the oven so I placed it in and got started with the final topping... fresh basil.  I sliced the basil into thin strips, and after ten or so minutes of cooking the pie, added the basil before putting the whole thing back in until the cheese and crust started browning. 

The end result was a delicious, fresh-tasting pizza!  The white, green, and red colors set the pizza off even before the first bite, but the flavor combinations of the basil, tomatoes, and cheese really paired perfectly.  While the standard pizzas I typically make are good, this pizza was definitely a step above (without really spending much more... the tomatoes weren't any more expensive (maybe $1-2) than crushed tomatoes in a can and the basil $3 at most).  I can't wait to experiment more with different quality meats and other toppings, but I think the Margherita may always be my favorite!

Mia Francesca in North Hills

Last night, Jessica and I met another couple at Mia Francesca (http://www.miafrancesca.com/) in North Hills for dinner.  From what I can tell, this is a chain that is located almost exclusively in Illinois but that has come to Raleigh in the past six months.  The restaurant offers a fast-changing menu (every two weeks they switch their pasta and entree courses) and features fresh-made pasta and an assortment of typical Italian fare.

The decor and atmosphere of the restaurant is very nice; the bar area is extremely open and the hardwood floors and tables create a very rustic feel.  If I were to nitpick, I'd say that the tables are a bit close together and somewhat small (our table of four barely had room for all of the appetizers, bread, and glasses on it) but those were minor issues that didn't really cause any problems.

For starters, our table ordered an assortment of meats and cheese (Genoa salami with tre crema and pecorino Romano cheeses) as well as their featured bruschetta, which last night was diced tomatoes, basil, and fresh mozzarella topped with coppa ham.  The meat and cheese tray was excellent; all of the offerings were very sharp and stood well on their own or when coupled with the small baguette slices and fig jam.  I enjoyed the bruschetta even more, as the creaminess and freshness of the mozzarella was a perfect compliment to the saltiness of the rich ham.  Both appetizers were sizable and great for sharing with the whole table.

Jessica and Joe both had the roasted chicken for dinner.  They were served a half-chicken roasted with garlic, rosemary, lemon, and olive oil and paired with roasted potatoes.  The chicken was extremely moist and flavorful, with the "sauce" producing a great punch of garlic, rosemary, and especially lemon.  Jessica loved the sauce and probably would have been willing to drink it with a straw!  I thought it was a tad too lemony for my taste, but it definitely came as advertised.  This is actually the one dish that remains on their menu all the time, and it is clear they've worked to perfect it.

Erin had the salmon, which was as good a piece of that fish as I've ever tried.  Without knowing the dish was salmon, I would have never guessed as the flavor was mild and not fishy at all (which I normally find in salmon).  She seemed to really enjoy the dish!

I ordered the ravioli stuffed with veal and served in a creamy Parmesan sauce with crispy pancetta.  The pasta itself was fantastic; it's rare for me to have homemade pasta (as opposed to the dry version in grocery stores) and it makes a world of difference in flavor and texture.  These ravioli were light and flavorful on their own, rather than simply a vehicle to hold filling or carry sauce.  The best part of the dish, though, was the sauce.  The crispy pancetta in the Parmesan cream with herbs could be poured over top shoe leather and I'd pay whatever they asked!  The sauce was salty, fatty, and beyond flavorful, yet remained somewhat light which was a true pleasure.  I enjoyed the veal stuffing in the ravioli, although it could have certainly used more spice (or something) to kick the flavor up a notch.  I loved the entire dish, but I would have been just as happy having a homemade fettuccine with the sauce and pancetta without the ravioli stuffing!

Mia Francesca has a dessert sampler that our table ordered, which had a chocolate-covered tiramasu, a lemon creme fruit parfait, and sorbet.  I was too full to try these, but the rest of the table raved about each.

A block away from Vivace (another favorite of Jessica's and mine as written here Link), Mia Francesca took a real chance in opening another upscale Italian restaurant.  Heading into dinner last night, I had doubts they could match what Vivace turns out, but I was pleasantly surprised.  While Vivace is more modern and trendy, Mia Francesca holds its own with a traditional, rustic approach.  Both offer amazing Italian flavors in slightly different ways, and both are worth a trip to North Hills.

Saint Jacques in Raleigh

As a Valentine's Day tradition, Jessica and I have started going out for dinner the day after rather than the actual holiday  Most restaurants craft a special prix fixe menu to celebrate Valentine's Day, and in our experience, that menu is overpriced and lacking originality and variety.  We've found that by going on February 15th, we can access the entire menu and not deal with the cost and crowds, which can negatively impact service.



Blue Cheese and Pear Napolean



This year, we decided on Saint Jacques (http://www.saintjacquesfrenchcuisine.com/) for our special dinner.  In addition to being highly recommended by our friends, Saint Jacques also annually finds itself on the Top Restaurants list for the N&O.  Counting Saint Jacques, Jessica and I have now conquered 20 of the 26 top restaurants in the area!



The experience at Saint Jacques is a unique one from the start.  Located in an unassuming strip mall off Falls of the Neuse Road, the restaurant shares a wall with Jumbo China and a parking lot with Harris Teeter.  Stepping inside, however, you feel like you've instantly entered France itself.  The decor is simple but elegant, and the entire staff is helpful, respectful, but never overbearing.  The owner (I assume at least) meanders through the tables during dinner checking on everyone just enough that you feel taken care of, but not so much that you wish he'd stop.  Overall, the service is second only (and only by a slim margin at that) to the Fearrington House in Pittsboro.

Our meal started with an amuse bouche (an excellent tart bite) before Jessica and I ordered our salads.  Jessica chose the blue cheese and pear napolean while I went with what was a French spin on the standard caprese salad.  Both dishes were aesthetically stunning; Jessica's salad was stacked artfully with layers of puffed pastry, blue cheese mousse, and pear while the red tomatoes set off perfectly with the crispy basil and marinated mozzarella on in my bowl.  Jessica liked (but didn't love) her choice; she said it was a bit strong in blue cheese.  I, though, loved every aspect of mine.

TomoZarella

The tomatoes were fresh and absolutely delicious when eaten with the olive oil and white balsamic dressing.  The buttery croutons (some crisp, some a bit softer) added much needed crunch, especially when matched to the smooth, fresh, flavorful mozzarella.  The cheese was the star of the dish, as it was coated with herbs and the dressing to raise up its overall mild taste. 

After our salads, we were given a palate cleanser that, to me, would best be described as red wine sorbet.  It was refreshingly cold and extremely flavorful.  I am not sure whether it inherently "reset" our palates, but I certainly enjoyed the unique combination of texture and taste.

For dinner, Jessica went with fish while I chose duck (more and more becoming my favorite meal, maybe because I never make it so it's something "new" when I'm out).  The menu had a few other selections I'd like to try on another visit, most notably the scallops with lobster ravioli and the wild boar.

Jessica's meal (pictured at the top of this post) was again visually stunning, with height on the plate and contrasting colors and shapes.  The technical execution of the dish, and the resulting taste, was even that much better.  The fish (corvina in this dish) was light and flaky, with one crisp side to give crunch as a contrast.  The corvina was accented perfectly by the roasted tomato flavor, although in my taste I didn't much catch the champagne dill elements.  Maybe this was for the best, as Jessica isn't huge into dill, but overall, the flavor and the contrasting textures really made this a successful effort.

Duck Atumn

My duck, which was both crisped skin breast medallions and confit, hit on both preparations.  The medallions, probably my preferred style here, was a perfect medium with the crunchy fat perfectly executed.  The accompanying cherry sauce (common for duck) was great; my only recommendation would be to add more on the plate!  The confit was tender and rich in taste; other than the exquisite duck confit at Blue Ribbon Bakery in New York, this was the best I've had.  One minor modification would be slightly more focus on the skin of the confited leg; a bit more crunch would have vaulted this into the "best" discussion.  Underrated on my plate was the apple, turnip, and potato gratin.  It was a combination of those three flavors (with just enough crunch on the apple to avoid having a mushy consistency) with the taste of macaroni and cheese on top... utterly delightful.  I am not really sure there's any way that they could improve on this; it is one of the best side dishes I've ever tried.

If dinner wasn't quite enough, we finished our meal with dessert.  We went the route of the special and had a pastry ball filled with cooked-down apples, butter, and cinnamon along with ice cream.  A caramel sauce finished the plate.  I am almost never one to really like dessert, but I must say this was worth the space in my stomach.  The crunch, hot pastry with apples matched with a taste of the ice cream and a scraping of the caramel sauce was an unworldly experience.  I've never had something that was hot and cold, crunchy and smooth, and sweet and savory, but this bite hit all of those spots!

I'll be honest, I rarely write a bad review (maybe because I'm too nice but more likely because Jessica and I think long and hard about where we eat before spending the money!).  That said, I really believe that Saint Jacques is part of the top class of restaurants in the Triangle.  The whole experience is great, starting with the incredible staff and service, and continuing with unique menu selections that have familiar tastes combined in different (and French) ways.  It's easy to love the standard nice places (Second Empire, Nana's, Four Square to name three) but Saint Jacques really offers a different and equally great experience.  Saint Jacques, like J. Betski's, brings things to the table (both literally and figuratively) that other places cannot.  The best recommendation I can give to a place is that it makes me want to come back, and Saint Jacques is already on our radar for another dinner soon!

The Weekend in Asheville

For Jessica's birthday weekend, we went to Asheville, NC with friends to visit the Biltmore and sample what the rest of the city had to offer.  Located about four hours west of Raleigh, Asheville is a "hippie" town with a cool downtown scene that has countless bars and restaurants... perfect for a weekend away.

We began our trip with dinner at Lexington Aveneue Brewery, or LAB (http://www.lexavebrew.com/), in downtown.  LAB brews their own beer and also features a variety of cuisines on their menu, including several spin-offs of standard dishes.  I tried their beer flight, which was excellent and had several that I'd order again, before ordering my Buffalo duck wings. 

I was a bit apprehensive with my order, as I'm not huge into Buffalo sauce, but our waitress gave me a sample ahead of time and I found it to be more Asian-influenced than the typical flavor.  The duck wings, which are big but not overly meaty, came served with some fried duck skin tossed in the same sauce, all on top of a bed of fried brussel sprout leaves.  The duck skin was sublime and the highlight of the dish; the crispy texture and strong duck flavor were amazing and made up for the mediocre wings themselves.  The brussel sprout leaves were shockingly good... I HATE brussel sprouts but the individual leaves fried crisp were quite tasty.  Our table mowed through the huge pile I was served.  Others at the table tried the pho, the sliders, and a flatbread pizza, with generally good results.

Our night continued at a small French bistro for drinks and dessert, where I felt slightly out of place, and then ended at the Bier Garden.  The Bier Garden feels like a bar attached to an empty food court, but the menu was plentiful for any drinks you'd want and the large screen televisions allowed us to watch Oklahoma State mess up the whole BCS this year!

We began Saturday with a trip to the Biltmore.  The whole scope of the place is ridiculous; the land on which it sits is huge and the house is comprised of 250 rooms!  My favorite rooms in the house were the swimming pool (shockingly advanced with a heating system) and kitchen (which actually had various rooms for baking / cooking / storing foods).  I'd recommend a trip here for those who love historic landmarks.

Bistro pizza

After the house tour, we went to another area with their winery and shops.  Our group settled on the Bistro for lunch, a slightly overpriced and fancy lunch locale that delivered with their food.  I had the beef short rib pizza, and wasn't disappointed.  They added caramelized onions, bacon, and BBQ sauce to the short rib and cheese, all of which really combined for good flavor.  My only minor criticism would be that the braised short ribs not be cooked down in tomato sauce, which didn't seem to mesh as well with the other flavors.  Had they just gone with a sweet BBQ sauce alone for the pizza, it would have been a bit more successful.

After lunch, we enjoyed a wine tasting and tour of the winery (all included in our Biltmore ticket!).  I am not huge into wine but thought their testing was well done; the server seemed knowledgeable even if he did slosh wine on my friend.  The tour was okay but would have benefited from a better guide as the girl didn't seem to know too much about the process.

Before dinner, our group visited the Grove Park Inn, which seems to be the crown jewel hotel in Asheville.  Overlooking the city from the top of a hill, the Grove Park Inn had a cool veranda area, a nice looking golf course, a great indoor bar / sitting spot, and even a fantastic gingerbread house competition!  We had a drink here, enjoyed the competition, and went on our way to dinner.

Butter chicken at Mela

For arguably the best meal of the trip, we tried the Indian restaurant Mela for dinner.  While the wait lasted far longer than we were told it would (more like 45 minutes instead of 20, so make reservations), it was well worth it.  I tried their chickpea-batter fried calamari to start, and was impressed.  The batter itself packed a lot of flavor, and the crispiness held strong through the course of eating.

I chose the butter chicken (a special that night) for my entree, along with garlic and regular naan.  The butter chicken was, to me, like a better version of chicken tikki masala.  The sauce was slightly sweeter but still very similar to the creamy tomato sauce I'm used to.  They packed my bowl with chicken, made tender from simmering in the tomato cream sauce, and served with white rice.  Everything was prepared perfectly, with the naan (as always for me) the star of the show.  I really enjoyed the chicken but probably preferred the naan dipped in the sauce better! 

After dinner, our night ended as the wear from the day and the night before hit hard.

The final stop on our food tour was the Tupelo Honey Cafe (http://www.tupelohoneycafe.com/), an Asheville staple in downtown.  The restaurant fits in perfectly with the city's atmosphere... hippie and organic with an open kitchen showing all of the chefs hard at work.  We were seated at the high-top "bar", giving us a perfect view of the cooking and food preparation!

I chose their fried chicken and biscuits for breakfast (pictured at the top of this post).  The fried chicken breast was killer; heavily flavored from seasoned flour and crisp without being greasy.  On a biscuit or sandwich, this would blow any other version I've had out of the water.  Instead, though, they serve the chicken over two split biscuits covered in milk gravy.  First, I had zero chance of finishing with all that was on my plate (especially since they served Jessica and I each a biscuit beforehand).  Second, I've never had ANYTHING that better showed off the Southern style of cooking.  The biscuits were great and the milk gravy was beyond rich.  It was creamy and seasoned well, making the whole biscuit concoction seem almost more like mashed potatoes!  After hearing so much hype for the Tupelo Honey Cafe, I was worried I'd be disappointed.  Surely, I was not and I've love to try it for dinner sometime.

Our trip to Asheville was great.  We enjoyed a wonderful weekend with friends and sampled such a wide variety of cuisines, from modern American to Indian to true Southern.  While the Biltmore is the main attraction for tourists making the trip to Asheville, I think the downtown area and Grove Park Inn are worth the drive alone.

TerraFin Station in Garner

After hearing many great things about TerraFin Station (http://www.terrafinstation.com/TerraFin_Station/Home.html) at 40/42 in Garner, I finally had a chance to try it myself a couple of weeks ago.  I went with a group of friends after a day of golf and sampled several of their best known dishes.



Lobster and shrimp mac and cheese



The restaurant is split into two areas; one main dining area and then a more pub-style bar area.  The dining room looked nice enough but the casual atmosphere and quality juke box in the bar area was great.  We were served by the bar tender and never had issues getting more drinks or having food come out quickly.

To start, we all sampled their calamari, wings, and fried shrimp.  Each was good in its own right; crisp from the frying process without being greasy and generally fresh-tasting.  I didn't really notice anything that stood out from the group, but I enjoyed the BBQ wings best for the sweet flavor and crunchy texture.  For bar food, all three certainly held their own.

On special, the chef was offering Guinness-braised short ribs with mashed potatoes.  Our table split an order to sample, and I was quite impressed.  The beef was extremely tender and plentiful, with good flavor and great marbling.  While I typically prefer short ribs to be finished in a sweet sauce to compliment the beef flavor, I found the gravy-style sauce perfectly suitable and quite good actually.  The mashed potatoes were fairly standard, but also tasty.



Ribeye (shown with mashed potatoes



For my main course, I chose the ribeye and had lobster and shrimp mac and cheese as my side.  To the steak first... TerraFin specializes in hand-cut Angus beef and they certainly didn't disappoint.  The ribeye was perfectly cooked medium-rare and extremely juicy.  The marbled fat, my favorite part of this cut, was melt-in-my-mouth delicious and was taken over the top by the butter finished on top.  For the cost (less than $20), I am not sure I can think of a better steak.  Compared with the major steakhouses charging $35-40 for various beef cuts by themselves, I'd call this a steal!

The lobster and shrimp mac and cheese, another TerraFin specialty, was different than I expected but still very good.  It's clear the chef knows how to cook the shellfish as both the shrimp and lobster pieces were perfectly cooked, still tender and flavorful which is tough to do with a hot pasta dish.  Both are served in great quantities in the dish, which is a surprise given the cost and the common method of skimping on lobster in particular.  As far as the pasta goes, I'd rather they use either macaroni or spirals.  The penne didn't hold the cheese sauce very well (which also had great flavor) and generally looked odd on the plate to me.  While the whole flavor profile of the dish was spot-on, I found it somewhat visually challenging, which always makes a difference.

Overall, TerraFin Station delivered consistently good food with quality ingredients.  I didn't find the creativity in dishes that can separate good from great, but I enjoyed everything I tried and felt that the prices were beyond reasonable.  While it's a bit of a drive for anyone living west of downtown Raleigh, I'd highly recommend TerraFin Station for those in the Clayton area looking to find upscale food that won't break the bank.

Second Empire in Raleigh

For Jessica's birthday, we went to one of our favorite restaurants in downtown Raleigh, Second Empire (http://www.second-empire.com/).  Second Empire was the first "nice" restaurant I ever tried in Raleigh (with my mom on one of her visits here) and it is probably most to credit for my love of food and fine dining.

The restaurant is split in two pieces; there is a more formal upstairs dining room and a more casual, but still very nice, Tavern in the basement.  In the main dining room, I'd recommend that you wear a jacket so I always lean towards the Tavern as the menu is the same (actually, you get more options!) and it's not quite as stuffy.  I have never been dissatisfied with the food or service, which is probably second to the Fearrington House only, eating downstairs.

Pork belly

To begin the meal, Jessica and I tried a cheese plate.  Our server recommended one and we added two of our own, all of which ended up being delicious.  The cheese is served with crisps and small baguette pieces, as well as fruit.  I found the baguette to be best with the cheese, as I could make a sandwich.  I'd also mention that the bread and butter service here, with freshly baked bread, is amazing.  One of my friends once said that he could be fine just eating their bread and I'd be hard to disagree.

For appetizer, Jessica and I split their pork belly, which came over top of a bean and tomato ragout and a green tomato and mango salsa.  Pork belly is quickly becoming one of my favorite foods, and this was a great example why... the belly was both crisp and tender, with bacon-y flavor magnified many times over.  I find that sweet Asian glazes are the perfect compliment to the pork, and Second Empire followed suit perfectly here.  I wasn't into the bean ragout (as I don't like beans) but Jessica seemed to think it was okay.

Beef short rib and cheek

For my main course, I went with a duet of beef short rib and cheek.  It's hard for me to verbalize the difference in the two, as both are very tender and flavorful, but I'd say the short rib is a bit more "beefy" while the cheek is more tender and refined.  I personally prefer beef (or veal) cheek as it seems to be a but more buttery, but both are always great, especially with a sweet reduction.  Again, Second Empire more than met my expectation for this with their brown ale reduction from a local brewery; the sweet flavor from the beer raises the dish to another level.  As my sides, I had butternut squash mash as well as mashed potatoes.  Both were good, but nothing overly unique or mind-blowing.  The clear stars of the dish were the meats, just the way I would want!

Jessica had delicious scallops for dinner as well as a gingerbread cake with pear and maple ice cream for dessert.  I tried the scallops, which were very good although again nothing new, and Jessica claimed dessert was an all-time great!

For me, Second Empire will always have a special place in my foodie pecking order.  It's ultimately what began my food journey in Raleigh and I've never had a bad meal here in eight or so visits.  Some may complain that prices are too high but I don't really agree; I've never once felt robbed with my meal.  Time and again, the food, service, and atmosphere at Second Empire deliver for me a great dining experience, both for special occasions and a surprise night out.

Our Trip to Newport

This past weekend, Jessica and I (along with our friends Trace and Jase) went to Newport, Rhode Island for the wedding of our friends Natalie and Jared.  We made it a three-and-a-half day weekend trip, so it was a nice mini-vacation.  Along the way, we found great food in all sorts of places and really had a wonderful time.

5:30 PM arrival in Boston - The group flew into Boston and then drove to Rhode Island, which offered the perfect chance to sample THE staple of New England eating... Dunkin Donuts.  I polished off a Fall Harvest doughnut (glazed with orange icing and sprinkles on top) and we were on our way.

7:30 PM in Newport - After checking into the hotel, we all decided to check out a sports bar for the Penguins game as well as the Yankees-Tigers showdown.  Across the street from where we stayed was Tickets (http://ticketsbarandgrill.com/), a solid spot offering 10% off our bill (which we may or may not have gotten, who knows) from our hotel.

Upon entering, everyone noticed how great the pizza looked but Jason and I decided to hold off until the hockey game for that... the table instead started with coconut shrimp and sweet potato fries.  The shrimp were HUGE and extremely good; they were firm but tender and very fresh-tasting.  The coconut flavor was minor, which I appreciated not being a huge fan, but the overall taste was great.  The sweet potato fries were standard but also excellent, another great start to the meal.

The entrees were somewhat less successful, although mine was solid.  Jessica and Jason tried the fish tacos, which lacked a sauce to pull together the flavors, while Trace had okay salmon.  My fish and chips (made with tilapia) was tasty but had two problems.  First, the batter wasn't fully crisp upon serving; I suspect steam from the cooking process caused the problem.  Second, and more critically, the fish wasn't the best cut.  I noticed a slight discoloration which isn't catastrophic but consistently produces an off flavor that I don't find appealing (I've never understood why restaurants don't cut this part out, except I know the exact reason is cost).  Still, the fish and chips were solid as were the countless Crown and Cokes put down to this point.

Tickets Pizza

10 PM at Tickets - With the girls tiring and the Pens game about to start, we split with the girls going back to the hotel to sleep and Jason and I bunkering down for opening hockey night.  Into the second period we pulled the trigger on ordering a pepperoni pizza and were blown away by the deliciousness.  Sure, the drinks and sports added to the experience, but the pizza was absolutely killer (a great "What could have been?" for the weekend is if I tried ordering three minutes later than I did when the kitchen would have been closed and we didn't try it... YIKES).  I dominated my first three slices and Jason had two; soon-to-be-groom Jared and his buddy Josh came to visit shortly thereafter (a nice guy move if I've ever seen one) and Josh killed the third for Jason.  In the third period, Jason caught me with his third and I then "won" with my fourth during the shootout which the Pens ultimately won (on Geno and Letang goals).  The fourth piece was over the top but too good to leave on the table... who knows when I'll ever go back!

1:30 AM in Newport - Bedtime

12 PM at Cafe Zelda - Those without wedding duties gathered at Jared's dad's restaurant, Cafe Zelda (http://www.cafezelda.com/) for lunch and too many drinks.  This began the infamous "Storm's Brewing" running joke from Jason that really held for the whole trip and then some, celebrating what can best be described as a mediocre beer, Newport Storm.  I, for my part, stuck with the standard Crown and Coke and had an amazing steak sandwich for lunch after great bread with gorgonzola dipping sauce.

The steak sandwich was medium rare hanger steak piled high on a roll and topped with cheese and caramelized onions.  The beef was extremely tender, more so than I knew hanger steak could be, and also full of flavor.  This was only heightened by the cheese and especially the sweet onions, which probably made the dish.  As I watched others with their sandwiches and what not, I knew I had the best thing which is always a great feeling (Jared will argue the Savoyard is much better, but that's difficult to imagine for me).  After too many hours of drinking and game-playing (some ring toss game that needs to be seen to understand as my word skills would make it sound far too confusing), it was off to the wedding.

4:30 PM in Newport - Wedding highlights (great bride and groom of course, but the random stuff...
- Best pita chips I've EVER had for appetizers plus great bruschetta
- Three (3!) types of clam chowder (Manhattan, Rhode Island, New England)
- New drinking game learned (simplest I've played)
- Rolls and beef were my dinner highlights (I will always contend I could live off of good bread and butter for the rest of my life)
- A dog trotting through the ceremony and everyone taking it in stride
- One of the best wedding dance efforts from the whole reception I've ever seen

10:30 AM in Newport - Brunch time the day after, and I went this time with the burger.  Cleverly, I replaced the mushrooms with bacon and was the envied person at the table again.  My knack for picking the best menu options at restaurants is really growing into one of my best life skills, which is both a compliment and an indictment on my lack of other skills.  Our brunch ended with a tough effort from the waitress trying to split the check (20 minutes!) but hardly ruined anything for me.



Legal's Shrimp

 4 PM in Boston - After stopping quickly at Legal Seafoods (http://www.legalseafoods.com/) so Jessica could try their clam chowder and I could down some fried shrimp (both of which were delicious of course), we toured MIT and Newbury Street before heading to the North End for dinner.  We found ourselves at Ristorante Limoncello (http://www.ristorantelimoncello.com/) and I was impressed.

The bread was served with fresh olive oil and olives themselves; I enjoyed the bread and the fruity taste of the oil a lot.  Jessica had their caprese salad which was served with amazing buffalo mozzarella, truly a step up from standard varieties.  They seasoned it perfectly and made me wish they had it in fried form (of course they did not). 

For dinner I had their shrimp in tomato cream sauce with fresh spaghetti; the dish was simple but excellent.  Four large shrimp were perfectly cooked and tasted especially good covered in the sauce.  The pasta was served al dente for an extra bite; it was more that way than I've ever had but I really enjoyed it.  The fresh pasta was noticeable and really a pleasure to eat in the sauce, although I'm sure I did not do it properly for the all-Italian staff (who were amazingly attentive in a PACKED restaurant).  Our whole meal was simple, fresh, and very "authentic", which is all we could ask.

After dinner, Jessica and I walked to Mike's Pastries (http://www.mikespastry.com/) a famous and ridiculously crowded bakery also in the North End.  While I felt like we were part of a mob, we were able to get her order in and be whisked away in our cab in 20 minutes or so. 

From the pizza at Tickets to our North End trip and everything in between, neither Jessica nor I could have asked for a better weekend of friends and food.  The wedding was great, the group of friends even better, and the food a perfect combination of new and old, basic and elaborate.  Hopefully we'll make another trip up!

Recent Dining Experiences

In the past several weeks, I've had the chance to eat twice in Clayton at Skylines Cafe (http://skylinescafe.com/), as well as go to Fleming's (http://www.flemingssteakhouse.com/) in Raleigh.  Without full reviews, I'll offer a couple of thoughts on both places...

Skylines

While Clayton is light in nicer restaurants, Skylines serves solid American food (steaks, seafood, pastas, etc.) without being too expensive.  Jessica and I have tried it twice, and I'd say it's one-for-two in my book with my meals. 

They consistently serve solid appetizers (calamari being one of the best) but their entrees are a bit hit and miss.  On my first trip, I had their jambalaya with chicken.  The dish had a one-note bland flavor of bell pepper and didn't have the strong variety of flavors (sausage, tomatoes, chicken) normally found in such a dish.  My second effort, though, introduced me to swai, a white fish that was breaded and served with a sweet lime-tequila sauce.  The fish was cooked perfectly, light but crispy from the breading, and the sauce was an ideal compliment to complete the dish.

Skylines does a good job with their lunch, and while the service can frequently be slower than you'd like, it's normally friendly.  For "foodies" in the Clayton area, it offers one of the few places to feel like you've stepped out of the typical chain restaurants and into a nicer dining establishment.

Fleming's

Fleming's, like Ruth's Chris, Morton's, and other "chain" high-end steakhouses, consistently puts out a good product.  They use quality beef and traditional preparation that always leaves me extremely satisfied at the end of the meal.  As I've gotten more into food, though, I feel that these steakhouses (and even many of the non-chains you can find around the country) are less appealing to me when compared with local restaurants offering more variety.  While the steakhouses all are very good, they lack the variety and creativity that I seek more often when I'm spending top dollar for dinner.

Fleming's, serving a very good but standard steak, does have a few menu items to separate themselves from others.  Their bread "butters", sundried tomato for one and chive / cream cheese-ish for the other, are both delectable.  I also highly recommend the chipotle macaroni and cheese, which is creamy, cheesy, but with a kick at the end that is quite unique.  I always enjoy their bone-in ribeye, a huge chunk of beef served medium rare with great flavor, but even this is something found at most good steak places.

More and more, I think steakhouses are starting to lose their grip on the "foodie" public.  While relying on the dark wood old school atmosphere, they are falling behind on food innovation and creativity.  I've seen more and more places start to offer steak options, such as dry aged versus wet aged, Wagyu beef, and other "special" cuts, but I believe the chefs at these places will need to really step ahead if they're to grow and continue to be fine dining destinations.

Buku in Raleigh



For dinner last night, Jessica and I tried Buku (http://bukuraleigh.com/buku/) in downtown Raleigh.  I had eaten dinner there once before, as well as brunch and lunch, but this was my first focused look at the former Fins chef's new effort.  We simplified the process by settling in at the bar rather than getting a table and enjoyed a great meal filled with such great variety and flavor.



Buku starters

To start, we sampled their world breads with three dipping sauces (cilantro chutney, mango habanero salsa, and raita) as well as their crunch tuna roll and Cambodia roll.  The breads were fantastic; they had Indian naan with thinly sliced onion as well as a pita type bread and something similar to a burrito shell but more hearty.  The supply was ample and everything came hot, seemingly straight from the oven.  I was not a fan of our chutney (cilantro is not my thing) but the raita and salsa were both excellent.  The raita was cool, smooth, thick, and refreshing while the salsa had a good fruit flavor and heat as an after taste that worked very well.

The rolls were good as well, although both could probably use a little tweaking to match my tastes.  I enjoyed the crunchy tuna roll very much but would next time favor the spicy tuna roll; I didn't like the roll being warm and while the tempura offered a crunchy texture, I don't think it was worth compromising the refreshing nature of cool sushi.  The Cambodia roll was filled with shrimp and a variety of vegetables; I felt it was exceptionally fresh, crunchy, and when paired with its spicy peanut dipping sauce, quite flavorful.  However, for me, I think spicing the shrimp or replacing it with marinated chicken (Jessica's idea!) could bring it to an even higher place.

Short ribs

Thankfully, Jessica and I ordered our meal as we went; at one point we planned to order far more food than we actually did but the portions were large and filling so we geared down.  After really enjoying our appetizers, we moved on to our main dishes.  Jessica ordered the sake-braised short ribs and I went with the cochinita pibil, which was essentially pork tacos with pickled onion and habanero salsa.  The short ribs were, without question, the highlight of our excellent meal.  The beef was beyond tender, with the fat truly melting into the meat to form a single consistency.  The sake and black sesame flavoring adding a sweetness to the beef, which is always my favorite combination with short ribs.  The tacos, while good, did not quite match the short ribs.  The pulled pork was tender and the corn tortillas were soft and fresh; I simply found that the habanero salsa could have been included slightly more.  In the bites where I had the sauce, pork, and onion together, I was very impressed.

Jessica had Buku's tiramisu for dessert; it came in a fancy glass and had the chocolate sauce poured down through the layers with fancy handy work from the server.  She immediately proclaimed it one of the best versions she's had, matching that at Il Palio in Chapel Hill.

On top of the wonderful food, our service at the Buku bar was excellent.  The bartender consistently provided us with great recommendations and ultimately shaped the meal we had.  She steered us to the short ribs, the tacos, the breads, and their sauces, probably the four highlights of the meal.

Every aspect of our Buku experience was top-notch; we loved the food, the atmosphere, and the service.  It is the rare restaurant, because of the small plates concept, that allows the diner to sample so many different world flavors to truly have a unique meal.  Going back, we could select a completely different menu and I suspect still be wildly satisfied.  For those who like international food, or those looking to expand their palate, few places could offer what Buku does.