Taste Carolina Food Tour: Downtown Raleigh

            It has taken a while to write this post, but I guarantee that this one was worth the wait.  For my birthday on the 15th, Megan took me on a Taste Carolina Food Tour of Downtown Raleigh.   This was easily the best birthday present that she could ever get me.  Not only was it very enjoyable, but also the fact that we were able to visit six restaurants in one afternoon was epic.  Whether you are new to the area, a foodie, or just looking to expand your culinary horizons, the Taste Carolina Food Tours are for you. 

            We met our tour guide, Susan, at the Briggs buildings (the oldest “skyscraper” in Raleigh) at 3:15.  Throughout the entire journey, Susan was very knowledgeable about the city, the restaurants we visited, and the food scene in general.  She could explain any of the seven-plus walking tours that Taste Carolina offers through the state and her warm and inviting personality made the experience a superb one. If you haven’t taken one of these tours, then you have no idea what you are missing.

            The first restaurant we went to was Sitti.  Yes, we have been there before, and enjoyed it, but this time, we had the opportunity to try new things.  We started with baskets of their fresh-baked pitas, which of course, were delicious.  They brought us a Pom Spritzer; a combination of fresh pomegranate juice topped with Sprite and a lime.  It was colorful and a great opener to our meal.  Then, we were brought their hommos (hummus), pureed chickpeas whipped with tahini, garlic, and lemon juice, then topped with mint.  The hommos was good and creamy, but nothing vastly different from the norm.  We had (and I’m probably going to butcher this name since it was not on the menu) a sitar pie.  It was an oven mezze (pizza-like) topped with sumac, sesame, oregano, and a drizzled yogurt topping with Lebanese pickles and diced tomatoes.  This was a good combination of flavors, though my American palate really wanted cheese on this, feta perhaps.  Lastly, we had falafel, which was out-of-this-world.  We have never had falafel before, and both Megan and I loved it.  Realistically, it is just a chickpea ball that is fried and in a bowl of tahini sauce, but we just couldn’t get enough of it.  The crunchy exterior with smooth interior was a great contrast.  While it looked like a meatball, the blend of flavors just pops in your mouth.  We’ll definitely order these on our next trip to Sitti.

            Stop two was at The Mint Restaurant.  Built out of an old bank, the Mint is an architectural wonder, with the original, six-ton vault door in the lobby.  The inside of the restaurant is absolutely beautiful!  I now understand why this is one of Raleigh’s most elite restaurants.  We started with a shot of a pineapple cosmopolitan, which was one of the best mixed drinks that I’ve had in a long time.  Chef Chris Hylton is a true culinary genius.  He was trying out items for the new winter menu, so we got a great treat out of the Mint.  He created a Sake-brined Filet grilled medium-rare and served over course, southern style grits and micro greens.  Beneath all of this wonder food were a combination of sauces, a chive oil sauce and a star anise and juniper berry sauce.  The combined Filet with the grits, dipped in the berry sauce was one of the most heavenly things that my mouth has ever tasted (sorry the picture is sideways, Blogger keeps loading it the wrong way).  Oh, then Chef Chris came up personally to deliver me a double chocolate brownie with blueberry compote and homemade ice cream.  Based on the food and his personality, I can see why Chef Chris is such a popular and in-demand chef.  I can guarantee that for the next holiday/birthday/whatever, we’ll be making our reservations at The Mint.

            Our third stop was at an underground bar called the Foundation.  An architect literally dug this bar out of the foundation of 213 Fayetteville St., hence the name.  We got to try two of their handcrafted libations.  Megan got the King’s Mountain Gimlet, which is a combination of gin, rosemary syrup, and lime.  While, I typically am not a gin fan, the rosemary and lime cover up the alcohol taste and make this a rather delectable combination.  I had the Queen Anne’s Revenge, which was a combination of Crown 9 spiced rum, brown sugar, a whole egg, and nutmeg, blended together.  The rum was a little strong, but the combination was almost like a spicy, holiday eggnog.

            After a short trip on the R-line bus in Raleigh, and about a half-mile hike through Peace College, we got to Market Restaurant.  Now, Market focuses on local, organic food, under the leadership of owner/chef Chad McIntyre.  In fact, they were a finalist in the Best Dish in NC contest.  Here, we were served their "crack" fries.  These fries are triple cooked (boiled, sliced, then fried twice) for extra crispiness.  Then, they are topped with truffle oil, fresh herbs, and asiago cheese.  On the side is Chef Chad's homemade ketchup, which is legendary.  The triple-cooked fries were crunchy on the outside and soft on the inside.  With the flavor combinations, the intense herbs, and the asiago, this dish is seriously addicting.  Chef Chad also cooked up a Saffron Paella with pork sausage.  The spanish rice was mixed with spicy pork sausage slices, corn, mushrooms, and stewed tomatoes.  Megan liked this dish, but honestly, I thought it was very bland.  I thought another one of the guests on the tour was spot-on when he asked for something to add more flavor to this; they brought him salt and pepper.  Salt definitely would have helped, but this dish didn't have the classic blend of flavors that you usually expect from paella.  Megan still wants to return to Market someday, but honestly, I am very hesitant.  The fun, upbeat ambiance of the restaurant was dulled by the paella.

            Next door to Market was our next stop, Escazu Chocolates.  This is one of about a dozen places in the entire country that grinds their own cocoa beans and completes the entire candy process: going from bean to bar.  As soon as you enter the store, the smell of the chocolate being made is heavenly.  We have been here before, and I guarantee that we will be back.  This store is one of the true treasures of Raleigh.  We were served their house-made hot chocolate.  It was utterly fabulous; the best hot chocolate that I have ever had.  But, honestly, I don't want to talk about the hot chocolate, I want to talk about the $30 worth of chocolate that we bought.  Megan got a half-dozen chocolate, bacon, & rosemary truffles.  She loves them, in fact, they are her most treasured candy.  I can't get past the overpowering rosemary taste which washes out the bacon and chocolate.  I got three of their chocolate bars, a Beaufort Bar (65% dark chocolate with sea salt), a vanilla chili bar (74% dark chocolate with chipotle chili bits and vanilla), and a Dark Goat's Milk bar (60% dark chocolate mixed with goat's milk).  While all three are exceptional, the Goat's Milk bar is so unique and different, that I am still day-dreaming about it almost a week after finishing it.  The tanginess of the goat's milk is the perfect complement to the rich, dark chocolate.  It is a masterpiece.

        After a much longer trip on the R-line (this time long and rough enough to kick in our motion sickness), we arrived back to Fayetteville Street, just a block down from where we started.  We walked to a newer place in town, the coffee shop, Wilmoore Cafe.  We were served a piece of homemade Lemon Bundt Cake, which was a perfectly tart combination to pair with the sweet icing on top.  The owner, David Fowle came over and explained some various methods for making coffee.  We learned that the perfect cup of coffee is made at 200 degrees to extract the most flavor from the ground beans.  He made us an Ethiopian coffee three ways.  He used a French press, another type that filters right as you pour, and a syphon method.  The syphon was the most unique since he heated a round, glass globe filled with water by using a burner.  The heat then syphoned the water from the globe into a beaker above it with a filter and coffee grounds.  The water then blended with the coffee, and once the burner was turned off, the completed coffee returned to the glass globe.  He called it the most pure cup of coffee that you will ever have.  While it was unique, David's obvious passion for coffee and the politics of getting a "fair trade" coffee was just way too over-the-top intense for us.  While the coffee was good, I somehow doubt that this will be a permanent addition to the tour.

        Our Taste Carolina Food Tour was so amazing.  I loved every minute of it.  Our guide Susan was exceptional and I can guarantee that we will be taking another tour with the company in the near future (probably the Chapel Hill/Carrboro one).  This concept, created by Lesley Stracks-Mullem and Joe Philipose is a winner, if I ever saw one.  I love the novelty, the idea, and the restaurants.  I would gladly come and give tours for them any day of the week.  Our guide, Susan, also gave us fodder for a few other restaurants to try in the near future like Clyde Cooper's, Beasley's Chicken & Honey, Chuck's, Mecca, and Dos Taquitos.  So expect posts on some of them soon.  I loved the Taste Carolina Food Tour!  Megan knows me so well, as this was the perfect gift for my birthday.  I guarantee that we will be back and I will definitely recommend taking one of their walking tours to anyone who has any interest in good food.  Thank you for a wonderful birthday Taste Carolina.  

Review of Yamato, Dunn

       In Dunn, if you are looking for a fine dining atmosphere or a place for date-night, your options are limited.  However, the one place that never disappoints and makes a big impact is Yamato.  Nestled at the end of the shopping strip that includes Roses and is across the parking lot from Jernigan's, is the Japanese cuisine of Yamato.  In Dunn, you can't find a better dinner.  Keep in mind, since this might affect your decision to venture there: while this is Japanese food, they do not cook it table-side.  Instead of the large tables where you are seated with strangers, they have one main grill that you can see from anywhere in the restaurant that makes all of the food.  Then it gets delivered to you at your private table.  Sure, there is no cooking show, but the lack of strangers squeezed next to you, might make up for it.  I prefer the show, the freshness is unbeatable.  
       Yes, we have been to Yamato many times, but mainly because of the good food, not necessarily the close location.  While the have decent sushi (though it is the best sushi option in the entire Dunn area), we always start our meal with the Assorted Tempura appetizer.  With that, you get four large shrimp, two huge onion rings, and a piece of broccoli, sweet potato, mushroom, and pepper all fried to perfection in their light tempura batter.  The crunchiness is great and it is a very welcome way to start a meal.
        Typically for dinner, Megan and I order one of the steak dishes.  I am a fan of the teriyaki steak because I am in love with teriyaki sauce and I prefer the broccoli that comes with it, to the mushrooms that Megan gets with the Hibachi steak.  Our dinner always includes either a soup or salad.  I always get the salad with the house-made ginger dressing.  The dressing of is sweet with a little bit of tanginess.  I've had lots of ginger dressings, but this is easily in the top 3-5 that I have ever had.  The dressing is thick, which I love, and easily covers the fresh iceberg salad with carrot shavings and 2 cucumbers.  Megan always gets the onion soup.  She always likes the light, hot broth to give her something "warm in her belly" to start the meal.  She likes the soup and almost always orders it, but I think it is just average, nothing bad, but nothing special about it.  

        Like I said, I get the Teriyaki steak, which includes two scoops of precooked rice, broccoli, and either sweet carrots or zucchini and onions.  I always get the zucchini and onions as they are one of the best parts of the meal.  I get the steak cooked medium-rare and then it is perfectly tender.  Their teriyaki is a thick teriyaki that completely coats the steak.  In fact, I even mix the rice into the teriyaki for added flavor.  Their shrimp sauce (white sauce for some of you) is great.  It is slightly sweet and a perfect accompaniment to steak, chicken, shrimp, rice, or vegetables.  I am a sauce person, and that is a great addition to the meal.  Megan likes the Hibachi steak since it comes with mushrooms.  Basically, it is the same dish that I get, just cooked on a Hibachi without my teriyaki sauce.  
      Yamato can be very good, but their record is spotty.  Most of the time, everything is amazing.  Other times, you can tell that the chicken or steak is overcooked and the rice was made hours ago.  It is not the authentic table-side Hibachi cooking that you would expect from other Japanese places, but then again, the prices at Yamato are far better than most places.  Chicken or steak are both under $10, while shrimp is under $13.  Also their sushi is typically about $5-6 per roll, which is far cheaper than other places.  Sometimes the waitresses are great, other times, they are merely average in their attentiveness and knowledge of the food.  No matter your experience, Yamato is guaranteed to stuff you with food until you can't eat another bite.  Oh, and keep their Bento boxes in mind as they are lots of different foods at a very reasonable price.  I can easily tell you that in Dunn, you will never find a better dinner than at Yamato.  I'm sure that Megan and I will be back there soon, as I suddenly have a craving for teriyaki.  

Category	Scale 1-5 stars
Food Quality
Food Creativity
Service
Atmosphere
Value for the price

Review of Mixto, Wilmington

       When you are in Wilmington, forget Mexican food!  That has been overly done.  What you really need is the Latin cuisine from Mixto. Megan and I  have never had Latin food before, and we were very excited about trying Mixto.  In addition to our desire for new cuisine, we chose Mixto due to their dog friendly patio.  See, we took our furry babies to the beach for the day, and we planned on having lunch with them.  Mixto gave us that opportunity, as well as some great food.  I can now see why Chef Eric Gephart was named best chef in Wilmington in 2010.


       To start our meal, we were brought fresh-made tortilla chips along with salsa and their house sauce.  The salsa was extremely finely chopped tomatoes, peppers, and onions.  It was very smooth and flavorful and is now one of my favorite restaurant salsas.  The house sauce is harder to describe, as our waitress said it was their secret sauce.  I know it includes vinegar, molasses, and honey along with vegetable flavors and spices, one of which I am guessing is cumin.  These are all reduced together for an amazingly sweet, yet slightly spicy sauce.  Honestly, this sauce was epic, and so different from the norm.  We also ordered the queso dip, as you can never go wrong with cheese and jalepenos.


       For our appetizer, we both ordered the Corn Sweet Potato soup.  This combines a chicken stock with pureed sweet potatoes and spices, with roasted corn in the soup.  This dish is so different from a normal soup, but like us, you will love every bite.  It is a thick soup, but aside from the corn, it is not chunky, it is just that the broth has a great density.  At this point, we realized that we were really in for a treat at Mixto.


       For my lunch, I ordered the Baja Fish Burrito.  Yes, I had heard great things about their fish tacos, but I was in the mood for a burrito, as I love rice.  This dish consists of Dos Equis Tempura-battered fish, mango, pickled pink onion, salsa verde, guacamole, rice, and black beans all wrapped in a fresh burrito.  While, I am not a fan of black beans, once I took them out, this was burrito was exceptional.  All of the fresh ingredients together made magic in my mouth.  Both Megan and I loved this burrito and would easily order it again.  
   
        Once Megan saw that their Avocado, Mango, and Crab salad won the Taste of Wilmington award, her dish was set.  It consists of mixed greens (predominantly baby spinach), diced mango and avocado, chili spiced tuna tartare, and tons of fresh crab claw meat all topped with a lemonade vinegarette.  Fresh crab and avocado is one of our favorite combinations, but when you add Megan's favorite fruit, mango, and fresh diced tuna, then I can easily understand why this is an award winning dish.  It was fabulous; I was jealous that I didn't order it myself.  Chef Gephart definitely showed off why he is one of the hottest chefs in the Wilmington area, all in that one dish.


      Our time at Mixto was great (as were our puppies who slept until the horse tour strolled by, then they were scared).  I can easily see why this is quickly becoming one of the best lunch spots in all of Wilmington.  When you can have a filling lunch that is made with exceptional quality for under $10 per person, then you have found restaurant gold.  Latin food made a huge impression on us thanks to Chef Eric Gephart, and I guarantee that we will be back.  If you are in the area and are craving Mexican, then upgrade to the Latin cuisine of Mixto and have an experience as great as ours.

Category	Scale 1-5 stars
Food Quality
Food Creativity
Service
Atmosphere on the patio
Value for the price

Review of La Residence, Chapel Hill

            La Residence has a reputation as THE fine dining establishment of Chapel Hill.  Since 1976, they have been serving an American twist on French food.  I know that La Residence was even the place our former governor took his granddaughter for her graduation from UNC.  However, once we got there, we found La Residence to be stunningly…average, at best. 

            Upon walking in, an older female, that appeared to be the manager, asked us if we had reservations.  No greeting, just an annoyed look, as if we were wrong to be customers wanting to eat.  We did have reservations too.  Then, since they open at six and we were there right on time, they sat us right next to (almost on top of) the only other people in the place.  Since we had different waitresses, some personal space might be nice, even one table in between might have been nice.  Still speaking of the manager, during our appetizer course, as she was patrolling the only two occupied tables in the place like a hawk, the cell phone of the woman at the other table rang loudly, playing some rap song.  The manager, rather loudly while walking away, muttered “well, that’s nice” to the woman, as if to scold her for getting a phone call.  Yes, her phone should have been on silent and she should not have been updating her Facebook at dinner, but for the manager to publicly scold a customer, that is rather uncalled for and unforgivable. 

            For our appetizer, we ordered the beef short rib.  The shredded short rib was combined in a circle mold with blanched carrots and celery.  The potato gnocchi, blue cheese crumbles, and microgreens were also included mixed into this dish along with a brown sauce.  The short rib was flavorless and barely at room temperature.  The carrots and celery added an unwelcome crunchy texture to what should be a smooth short rib.  The blue cheese crumbles were so minute that we actually had to search the dish to find them.  The gnocchi was overly salty.  Also, I will swear that the sauce was just room temperature beef broth.  While the chef seemed to want the ingredients to stand on their own merits without spices or flavorings, they flopped in taste.  It was a rather pathetic excuse for fine dining cuisine. 

            Megan ordered the Seared Scallops.  For the $26 price, she received three large scallops.  They were served along with small rock shrimp over fregola pasta with truffled lobster cream.  It was adorned with radicchio and a few sprouts, as well as a few golden chanterelle, that were actually very dark brown, not golden at all.  By sprouts, they apparently meant brussel sprouts, which Megan actually detests.  It would have been nice if the menu were more clear in the descriptions.  We didn’t actually find any hint of bacon in the fregola or anywhere else in the dish.  The scallops were cooked well and were quite sweet, but again, there was no seasoning in this dish.  The lobster cream looked more foam-like than cream based and also lacked any lobster flavor.  Don’t get me wrong, the ingredients in this dish are fairly exotic, but their quality or perhaps the quality of their cooking did not live up to even the mildest expectations. 

            I ordered the Vermillion Snapper.  I would have expected a $25 price for Red Snapper, which grows larger and has a more full flavor than the more common Vermillion Snapper.  However, I got neither.  After ordering the dish, our waitress told me that they were substituting Monkfish.  Reluctantly, I went with it anyway.  The fish was a meatier fish, but the skin was still on it, which is repulsive to some customers.  The fish could have benefited from seasoning (again) and an actual sauce.  Technically, it came with a sauce vierge, but the “virgin sauce” was just a light drizzle of lemon juice without the traditional olive oil, chopped tomato, or basil.  My potato and dill gnocchi were sautéed until they were blistered crunchy, instead of the soft, pillowy goodness that they should be.  The remainder of the dish was carrot shavings, pearl onions that were only partially cooked, and peas. 

            I should have read the reviews before we went.  Everyone kept saying that they restaurant has been in an accelerated decline in the last few months.  With the super rude, condescending manager, a waitress that was polite but rather uninformed about the dishes, sub-par food being billed as fine dining, and the persistent flies around the restaurant (we killed three during our dinner), we will not be coming back, ever.  This was one of the most unsuccessful meals from start to finish that we have ever reviewed.  Their reputation is that of a great restaurant, but our experience couldn’t be further from great. 

Category	Scale 1-5 stars
Food Quality
Food Creativity
Service
Atmosphere
Value for the price

Review of The Midtown Grille, Raleigh

            Let’s start off by getting right to the point.  Chef Scott James, quite possibly, is the best chef at the best restaurant in all of Raleigh.  Yes, it was just that good.  I’ll understand if you stop reading now, as long as you are on your way to the Midtown Grille.  Without question, if there is a special occasion or even an elaborate date, then this is the place to go. 

            Our waiter, Chad, was incredibly informed.  He had previously sampled all of the dishes, could explain any ingredient, and could offer an honest opinion on the dishes.  He made our dining experience very pleasurable and was one of the most helpful waiters that I have ever seen.  The regionally seasonal menu that they have left us with many fresh and creative options to choose from.  In fact, we had much difficulty deciding what to choose given all of the appealing options.  

            With a plethora of specials to choose from (three appetizers and three entrées), our ears perked up when Chad mentioned the Chef’s Macaroni & Cheese.  While it technically was an entrée, he told us that people have ordered it as a shared appetizer.  Megan and I could not resist it.  It arrived in a large, oval casserole dish.  The Vermont Cabot Sharp Cheddar melted through the elbow macaroni.  The cheese sauce was very thick and stuck to the noodles perfectly.  The dish was topped with finely crumbled Ritz crackers and then lightly browned.  It was amazing.  Megan typically compares Macaroni & Cheese to her Grandmother’s, which is great.  Chef James made the first Macaroni and Cheese that is as good as, if not better, than Gran’s.  That is saying something. 

            Megan ordered the Swordfish as her entrée.  The grilled swordfish was served over a lemon and wilted arugula risotto with a red pepper piquillo butter plated at the bottom.  Roasted red peppers and arugula then topped the beautifully cooked swordfish.  Three jumbo NC white shrimp that were a slightly sweet accompaniment to the dish, then adorned the tower of food. Not only was the meal visually stimulating, but the taste was fantastic.  Megan describes it as being perfect, just perfect.  In fact, I was consistently trying to steal bites of her dinner whenever she looked away.   

            I ordered what Chad said was one of the Chef’s signature dishes, the Seared Diver Scallops.  The scallops were seared golden brown on all 360 degrees, almost appearing as if they were fried, but the inside was fresh, lightly opaque, and deliciously sweet.  The four huge scallops were stacked upon a lattice of asparagus, intricately laid out as if the chef was playfully building a log cabin out the vegetable.  Surrounding the scallops was a cauliflower veloute combined with capers, golden raisins, and pancetta.  This dish was very good.  The scallops were bronzed perfectly, but as with most scallop dishes, the four scallops on the dish made me wish for more, despite their impressive size.  The saltiness of the capers and the sweetness of the raisins were a nice addition to the veloute.  While I thought it could use a little more salt to balance the normally bland flavor of cauliflower, the sauce was unexpected and a perfect accompaniment and balance to the sweet scallops.  I would recommend this dish, but I almost wish I tried the Chef’s other specialty, the Ancho chili and espresso rubbed NY Strip as it looked amazing when our neighboring table ordered it.

            For dessert, we ordered the Vanilla Mascarpone Cheesecake.  Wow!  The cheesecake was super creamy and had a thick graham cracker crust.  (We thought the graham cracker crust tasted like it was infused with a ginger snap taste, but our waiter told us we were mistaken.)  The cheesecake had a layer of vanilla-infused mascarpone on top that was delightful.  The triangular plate was drizzled with strawberry and raspberry sauces with the cheesecake placed on top.  Two raspberries adorned the top of the cake.  It was seriously wonderful and a fabulous way to finish our meal.  

            Our evening at The Midtown Grille was wonderful.  In fact, my biggest and only complaint is that their website isn't updated with their summer dinner menu.  We would gladly recommend this restaurant to everyone.  In fact, for any birthday, holiday, or special occasion, this is the restaurant at the top of our list.  Chef Scott James is an artist who has placed the Midtown Grille at the top of Raleigh’s restaurant world.  While it was an expensive evening, this is the place to go for a world-class meal. 

Category	Scale 1-5 stars
Food Quality
Food Creativity
Service
Atmosphere
Value for the price

Review of Nonna's Restaurant, Lillington

     In Lillington, there are not many restaurants to choose from.  So, when a good one comes along, you had better believe that people notice.  Nonna's Restaurant may have its flaws, but their pizza is definitely the best in Harnett County.  While we have been to Nonna's many times, we tend to order the same things.  Once you make a find, rarely do you need to change it.

     We start off every meal with the Cheesy Garlic Bread.  The picture is of a large order.  Calling a spade, a spade, the bread is a just a fresh sub roll that is split open.  Then it is topped with minced fresh garlic and butter.  It is then topped with the most amazing mozzarella cheese.  Now, I know it is not fresh mozzarella, but this cheese is magical.  Really, the cheese makes this dish.  The bread is then lightly toasted and served with marinara sauce.  The sauce is a thicker tomato sauce, which definitely fits my preference.


     Our main dish is pizza.  The dough is made fresh on site.  The marinara sauce is used on the pizza and then it is covered with the mozzarella cheese.  We tend to order extra cheese on our pizza since it really is a great cheese that they use at Nonna's.  Our other toppings are always pepperoni and black olives.  The pepperoni is great.  Large, thin slices of pepperoni dot the pizza and are then topped with cheese.  The pizza is perfectly browned.  It really is the best pizza in the county.

     While we have tried the pasta dishes and been largely unimpressed, the pizza is spectacular.  I would continue to eat the cheesy garlic bread and pizza every day of the week.    The service can be a little slow occasionally, but the pizza is worth the wait.  Nonna's will be our pizza staple for as long as we still live in Harnett County.

Category	Scale 1-5 stars
Food Quality
Food Creativity
Service
Atmosphere
Value for the price