Oh my goodness, readers! Last night I had what may very well be the best meal of my life! To celebrate my in-laws' anniversary, we took a trip to the Angus Barn. I had always heard the food there was delicious and the service was legendary (the servers go through a month-long training and are required to commit to a two-year contract and in some dining rooms are also required to be a Level One sommelier) but absolutely nothing prepared me for what I experienced at the Angus Barn.
There are only two ways I can think of to describe this restaurant (if you can even call it that, it's more like a complex. Or Heaven.) the first is "no matter who you walk in as, you walk out a Republican," as described by my friend Justin Cody or in more precise terms: Parks and Recreation's character Ron Swanson personified.
Eating here is not only eating dinner, it's an experience to not be forgotten. The experience begins the moment you turn into the parking lot and immediately your eyes sparkle with what appears to be thousands of Christmas lights. There are large balls of light hanging from trees and bulbs strung up on the main barn, their water tower and their open-air pavilions. It immediately transports you to your childhood when you would drive around looking at Christmas lights with eyes full of wonder and excitement.
Angus Barn is located at 9401 Glenwood Ave, Raleigh, NC 27617. It is only open during dinner hours and I highly recommend a reservation.
Décor: excellent. Your experience continues when you walk into their beautiful main barn. The décor is western-themed (which makes sense because it's a barn) but in the most upscale way possible. What could easily turn into a chuck-wagon type kitschy restaurant is instead classy and chic. They were decorated for Christmas and walking through each of their several dining rooms almost felt like walking through your grandmother's house at Christmas (well, if your grandmother lived in a fancy barn.) There are subtle nods to western-motifs around the building but nothing feels like you're in a remake of Gone With The Wind. The bathrooms are located in old stables and there is an indoor outhouse located near the Meat Locker dining room.
Service: excellent. The attention to the service is impeccable. Depending on which dining room you are dining in, you are directed from one Hostess stand to the next and you are addressed by name (Mr. and Mrs. Hart for example). After arriving to your table you are greeted by your server who thoroughly explains the evening's specials with wine and beer pairings and treats you as if you were royalty. Our server was excellent. I wish I could remember her name to thank her properly but she was fantastic! Water glasses were always filled, table was always cleared of plates immediately, she was friendly and personable and when a problem arose she remedied it immediately. I can honestly say that Angus Barn definitely has some of the best servers in Raleigh, NC.
Food appearance: excellent. The best part about Angus Barn is it's no fuss or frills. Food is presented to you in the most simplistic but scrumptious way possible. Despite the fact they have an Iron Chef in the kitchen (Walter Royal) the star is the way the food tastes in it's almost purest form: grilled with seasonings.
Food taste: excellent. There was not one thing I ate last night that I didn't fall in love with at first bite. The tables are set with crackers and a pairing of cheese spreads: sharp cheddar and Roquefort-blue cheese. Both are sublime and a perfect beginning to your meal. Next were oysters both on the half-shell and Rockefeller. I must admit that I do not like oysters on the half-shell but Nate and Mama Hart devoured all six while my father-in-law and I shared the Rockefellers. Everything tasted fresh and succulent. Next we ordered our entrees. Nate and his dad shared the 42 oz tomahawk steak. Yeah, you read that right, two men shared a 42 oz steak, each got a soup or salad and each got a side. To say this was a lot of food was an understatement. The steak itself looked like a damn dinosaur leg! We elicited a lot of stares around the dining room when it was delivered to our table but I will say despite the enormous portion the steak didn't lose any of it's flavor or tenderness. It was a beautiful medium-rare and had the most fantastic pure beef-iness you can imagine! I ordered their 7 oz fillet mignon and 9 oz lobster tail combo. The fillet was juicy, tender and perfect. The lobster on the other hand needed some work.
Allow me to digress for just a moment here, I have not eaten a lobster since I was 5 years old. I am now 23. When I was young I traveled the country with my Great Aunt and late Uncle in their motor home. During one of these excursions, I was taken to a fresh-fish market and told to pick a lobster. As a young 5-year-old child I was under the impression that this lobster was going to be my pet. However, as a young 5-year-old child my attention span wasn't very long and I quickly forgot all about my pet lobster. Later that evening while I was munching away at my dinner, my Aunt Bev asked me "how do you like your dinner?" I answered. She then elaborated, "that's the lobster you picked out! Isn't that neat?" I was mortified. I was currently crunching down on what I thought would be my best friend. I had not eaten lobster until last night.
Unfortunately, my lobster at Angus Barn was tough and leather-y. It was cooked far too long. But my skilled server immediately remedied the situation and I was brought a fresh lobster before I could even blink. The fresh lobster was sweet and tender and succulent. I now see what I have been missing for the last 18 years of my life! The clarified butter and the acidic lemon. Gosh I'm salivating just thinking about it.
Each entrée includes soup or salad and a side. I chose the side wedge salad which was everything a wedge salad should be. Crisp iceberg, juicy tomatoes, sharp blue cheese, crunchy bacon and creamy blue cheese. Theirs also included the addition of crunchy pecans. To try to pretend that I was not over-indulging myself, I chose steamed broccoli as my side.
Nate chose French Onion Soup and garlic mashed potatoes for his soup and side. The soup came in a huge bowl and was the cheesiest thing I've ever seen in my life! Literally, it was gobs of gooey cheese and there's nothing wrong with that. His mashed potatoes were smooth and creamy with a great punch of garlic.
Nate's dad chose the soup-of-the-day, which happened to be a seafood chowder. The chowder was tomato-based and contained giant chunks of fresh seafood. It was utterly delicious. He chose sautéed mushrooms as his side and I must admit I didn't try them.
Mama Hart got the 10 oz prime rib cooked rare with creamed spinach and sautéed asparagus. The prime rib was a beautiful pink and juicy served with the traditional fixings. I wish I would've grabbed a bite of it before devouring my steak and lobster. I didn't try her sides either! I'm kicking myself!
Dessert was brought to you on a tray and each dish was described in length. Everything even their 4 flavors of ice cream are made in house. Who can resist fresh made food?! We ordered the Caramel-Bourbon hot fudge sundae. It was a goblet of caramel-bourbon ice cream topped with fresh whipped cream, sprinkles and a cherry and engulfed in melt-y hot fudge. Dear God it was sublime! I would return for this alone!
Cleanliness: excellent. Everything was absolutely spotless! Even the bathrooms were beautiful! I actually considered eating in there because it was so beautiful and clean.
Total: 15/15
Everything about the Angus Barn screams decadence. There are several dining rooms, a wine cellar stocked with 27,000 wines. No, that's not a typo. There are 27,000 wines stored in their cellar the most expensive being a $15,000 vintage. The wine list is expansive and contains wines from all around the world in prices ranging from $38-$15,000 with tastes for just about everyone. The restaurant hosts two chef's tables -- one in the main kitchen and one in the kitchen serving the two private dining rooms downstairs. Each private room downstairs has it's own full bar and servers who are "white glove and silent" and are also minimum Level One sommeliers.
The restaurant has a wall of Level One and Level Two sommeliers on staff as well as a slew of fantastic chefs.
Annually there is a Titanic dinner during which guests are served the meal that White Star served on the night the ship sank as well as hosting weddings and other events.
I am extremely thrilled that my new employer is hosting their annual Christmas party there and I will get to enjoy their phenomenal food in just a few short weeks!
Monday, November 21, 2016
Friday, November 18, 2016
Pizza Couscous
Happy Friday, readers! We have made it through another week, congratulations! I hope you're all making your Thanksgiving preparations and starting your Holiday plans (I, for one, cannot wait for Christmas season!)
As you know, this weekend my fantastic in-laws are visiting so there will definitely be some eating-out going on (yay!). However, to prepare our stomachs (and wallets) for the influx of down-home and gourmet eateries, Nate and I have been eating in every night.
Every Thursday Nate, myself and a group of our friends play Team Trivia at a local dive bar. To keep with the theme of saving money, I quickly whipped up dinner for us before we went out and the best part was it took under 5 minutes.
Do you love quick-cooking meals? Do you hate the flavorless mush that is frozen entrees? Do you wish there was a better option than sodium-loaded Ramen noodles? Well there is! BEHOLD: Pizza Couscous (or quinoa).
Pizza Couscous (or Quinoa)
1 box original couscous (or quinoa)
2 C water
1 Tbsp olive oil
3/4 C marinara sauce
28 pepperoni slices, cut into quarters
1/2 C mozzarella cheese
Prepare couscous (or quinoa) according to box instructions. Mine was boil 2 C water over medium heat, add in olive oil, stir in couscous, remove from heat and cover, let sit for 5 minutes.
Once your couscous (or quinoa) is prepared, return to medium heat and stir in marinara sauce and cheese and voila! You have a delicious and filling meal in under 5 minutes.
The best part about this recipe is that you can FINALLY use all those random things in your fridge. That leftover sauce that you don't want to throw out but don't have enough to make a full spaghetti dinner, that small about of cheese you can't use for anything, that pepperoni you bought awhile ago and keep snacking on. Heck, you could even add in some chopped veggies and spices if you wanted to. Or, if you're the traditionalist like me, good ole' pepperoni and mozzarella.
Check back for the restaurant reviews and tasty treats I'll be posting in the next week!
As you know, this weekend my fantastic in-laws are visiting so there will definitely be some eating-out going on (yay!). However, to prepare our stomachs (and wallets) for the influx of down-home and gourmet eateries, Nate and I have been eating in every night.
Every Thursday Nate, myself and a group of our friends play Team Trivia at a local dive bar. To keep with the theme of saving money, I quickly whipped up dinner for us before we went out and the best part was it took under 5 minutes.
Do you love quick-cooking meals? Do you hate the flavorless mush that is frozen entrees? Do you wish there was a better option than sodium-loaded Ramen noodles? Well there is! BEHOLD: Pizza Couscous (or quinoa).
Pizza Couscous (or Quinoa)
1 box original couscous (or quinoa)
2 C water
1 Tbsp olive oil
3/4 C marinara sauce
28 pepperoni slices, cut into quarters
1/2 C mozzarella cheese
Prepare couscous (or quinoa) according to box instructions. Mine was boil 2 C water over medium heat, add in olive oil, stir in couscous, remove from heat and cover, let sit for 5 minutes.
Once your couscous (or quinoa) is prepared, return to medium heat and stir in marinara sauce and cheese and voila! You have a delicious and filling meal in under 5 minutes.
The best part about this recipe is that you can FINALLY use all those random things in your fridge. That leftover sauce that you don't want to throw out but don't have enough to make a full spaghetti dinner, that small about of cheese you can't use for anything, that pepperoni you bought awhile ago and keep snacking on. Heck, you could even add in some chopped veggies and spices if you wanted to. Or, if you're the traditionalist like me, good ole' pepperoni and mozzarella.
Check back for the restaurant reviews and tasty treats I'll be posting in the next week!
Tuesday, November 15, 2016
Broccoli Cheese Soup
Good morning, loyal readers! I hope that your week-before-Thanksgiving is treating you well. My week is full of meetings, preparing for my wonderful in-laws to visit us (which means deep cleaning the apartment to trick them into thinking we clean regularly) and trying to recuperate from a cold that's been plaguing me for a week.
Yesterday in Raleigh was cloudy, cold and quintessentially fall. I absolutely adored it! It was the perfect day for snuggling in a warm sweater, watching some movies and eating my favorite cold weather food -- soup!
To commemorate this fantastic weather, I made Broccoli Cheese Soup. This very well may be my favorite soup of all time. It's cheesy, it's delicious, it's healthy-ish and if you're at one of my favorite fast food establishments that shall remain nameless but rhymes with "Pantera Fred", can be eaten in a sourdough bread bowl and who doesn't love that?!
This recipe came from a variety of sources. Partly, it was adapted from the Fix-It and Forget-It Vegetarian cookbook. However, the last time I made it in my Crock Pot the cheese was stringy, gooey and lumpy. Frankly it was an ugly and unappetizing soup and I'm not afraid to admit that I threw it out because it was so unappealing. It was also partially adapted from a recipe by Food Network Kitchens and the rest was pure innovation.
Perfect Broccoli Cheese Soup
1 stick unsalted butter
1 yellow onion, diced
1/3 C flour
2 bags frozen broccoli florets
1 C 2% milk
3 C 1% milk
A LOT OF SALT AND PEPPER
Pinch of nutmeg
3-4 C shredded cheese (I used cheddar, swiss and Queso Quesadilla cheeses)
In a large stockpot or your trusty aqua-blue Martha Stewart dutch oven, melt the entire stick of butter over medium heat. I know this sounds like an exorbitant amount of butter and I'm inclined to agree with you but take solace in the fact that at least it's unsalted and let's face it: you're eating soup comprised primarily of cheese. Are calories really a factor here?
Throw in your diced onion once butter is melted and cook for 3-4 minutes or until translucent.
Add in your flour and cook until slightly golden. This shouldn't take longer than a minute.
Pour in your milk. Now, of course you can use 4 C of 2% milk, 2 C 2% milk and 2 C half-and-half, 4 C half-and-half or any mixture of milk you like, really. It's your soup. The mixture I came up with just happened to be what I had in my fridge. Like I said, pure innovation. Stir to combine.
Season with salt, pepper, and nutmeg. I probably used at least 1 Tbsp salt and probably double the pepper. It's always difficult to season soups in the early stages so just start out small and remember you can always add more at the end. Nothing ruins a soup like over-salting it.
Add in your broccoli florets, cover and simmer on medium heat for 20 minutes. This is where it pays to use frozen broccoli. Now, of course you could use fresh but it will take longer and when it's 7:00 at night, you're cold because you just went running and you're ravenous again, because you just went running the LAST thing you want is your food to take even longer than a measly 20 minutes.
Now to add in the glorious cheese. You can really get creative here and make different flavor profiles. A good rich Jarlsburg, a smoky gouda, a hearty Havarti or the classic: extra sharp cheddar. All would taste fantastic because cheese is the universe's gift to mankind. Add the cheese in batches to melt and mix in.
After the cheese is melted check for seasoning and enjoy! I prefer to have a little bit of texture in my soup so I served as-is but I'm sure it would be just as good slightly blended and broken down.
This soup was filling and frankly phenomenal. The flavor was on point, the consistency was the oh-so-excellent thick enough to coat your spoon but not so thick you couldn't slurp it.
I hope you enjoyed this recipe and check back for more to come! I have some exciting things on my menu for the next few weeks like roasted red pepper pasta, chicken tortilla soup and even a few fun restaurant reviews queued up!
Yesterday in Raleigh was cloudy, cold and quintessentially fall. I absolutely adored it! It was the perfect day for snuggling in a warm sweater, watching some movies and eating my favorite cold weather food -- soup!
To commemorate this fantastic weather, I made Broccoli Cheese Soup. This very well may be my favorite soup of all time. It's cheesy, it's delicious, it's healthy-ish and if you're at one of my favorite fast food establishments that shall remain nameless but rhymes with "Pantera Fred", can be eaten in a sourdough bread bowl and who doesn't love that?!
This recipe came from a variety of sources. Partly, it was adapted from the Fix-It and Forget-It Vegetarian cookbook. However, the last time I made it in my Crock Pot the cheese was stringy, gooey and lumpy. Frankly it was an ugly and unappetizing soup and I'm not afraid to admit that I threw it out because it was so unappealing. It was also partially adapted from a recipe by Food Network Kitchens and the rest was pure innovation.
Perfect Broccoli Cheese Soup
1 stick unsalted butter
1 yellow onion, diced
1/3 C flour
2 bags frozen broccoli florets
1 C 2% milk
3 C 1% milk
A LOT OF SALT AND PEPPER
Pinch of nutmeg
3-4 C shredded cheese (I used cheddar, swiss and Queso Quesadilla cheeses)
In a large stockpot or your trusty aqua-blue Martha Stewart dutch oven, melt the entire stick of butter over medium heat. I know this sounds like an exorbitant amount of butter and I'm inclined to agree with you but take solace in the fact that at least it's unsalted and let's face it: you're eating soup comprised primarily of cheese. Are calories really a factor here?
Throw in your diced onion once butter is melted and cook for 3-4 minutes or until translucent.
Add in your flour and cook until slightly golden. This shouldn't take longer than a minute.
Pour in your milk. Now, of course you can use 4 C of 2% milk, 2 C 2% milk and 2 C half-and-half, 4 C half-and-half or any mixture of milk you like, really. It's your soup. The mixture I came up with just happened to be what I had in my fridge. Like I said, pure innovation. Stir to combine.
Season with salt, pepper, and nutmeg. I probably used at least 1 Tbsp salt and probably double the pepper. It's always difficult to season soups in the early stages so just start out small and remember you can always add more at the end. Nothing ruins a soup like over-salting it.
Add in your broccoli florets, cover and simmer on medium heat for 20 minutes. This is where it pays to use frozen broccoli. Now, of course you could use fresh but it will take longer and when it's 7:00 at night, you're cold because you just went running and you're ravenous again, because you just went running the LAST thing you want is your food to take even longer than a measly 20 minutes.
Now to add in the glorious cheese. You can really get creative here and make different flavor profiles. A good rich Jarlsburg, a smoky gouda, a hearty Havarti or the classic: extra sharp cheddar. All would taste fantastic because cheese is the universe's gift to mankind. Add the cheese in batches to melt and mix in.
After the cheese is melted check for seasoning and enjoy! I prefer to have a little bit of texture in my soup so I served as-is but I'm sure it would be just as good slightly blended and broken down.
This soup was filling and frankly phenomenal. The flavor was on point, the consistency was the oh-so-excellent thick enough to coat your spoon but not so thick you couldn't slurp it.
I hope you enjoyed this recipe and check back for more to come! I have some exciting things on my menu for the next few weeks like roasted red pepper pasta, chicken tortilla soup and even a few fun restaurant reviews queued up!
Monday, October 31, 2016
Buffalo Chicken Casserole
Happy Halloween, gouls and ghosts! I hope you spend your evening trick-or-treating, eating obscene amounts of candy, watching scary movies and maybe even watching The Great Pumpkin (like Nate and I will soon be doing).
I have a confession to make: I'm obsessed with buffalo wing sauce. As the Frank's bottle says "I put that S#*% on everything!" Crackers? Yep. Tortillas? Mmhm. Eggs and grilled cheese? Uh huh. Potatoes of every shape and kind? Most definitely! It is this obsession that inspired me to make buffalo chicken casserole this All Hallows Eve.
Buffalo Chicken Casserole
1 head cauliflower
2 Tbsp olive oil
Salt and pepper, to taste
1 Rotisserie chicken, shredded
12 oz softened cream cheese
1 C shredded cheddar cheese
1/2 C shredded Gouda cheese
1/2 C buffalo sauce (such as Frank's)
1 Tbsp garlic powder
1 Tbsp ranch dressing mix
Preheat oven to 450 degrees.
Cut cauliflower into florets and toss in olive oil, salt and pepper. Roast the cauliflower in a baking dish for 20 minutes.
Combine cheeses, buffalo sauce and seasonings in a small bowl. I used a hand mixer for this job. Everything looked like a red and gooey mess but it'll be fantastic!
After removing the now-roasted cauliflower from the oven, drop the oven down to 375.
Toss shredded chicken with the cauliflower. Spread the cream cheese mixture over the chicken and cauliflower in a single layer and bake for an additional 20 minutes.
This casserole was hearty and flavorful! I would definitely make it again no questions asked.
If you're curious as to why there is no picture, Nate and I were too hungry to wait for dinner. We both had busy days and gymmed afterwards. To say we were ravenous is an understatement.
Enjoy your Halloween, readers! Stay safe tonight, guys.
I have a confession to make: I'm obsessed with buffalo wing sauce. As the Frank's bottle says "I put that S#*% on everything!" Crackers? Yep. Tortillas? Mmhm. Eggs and grilled cheese? Uh huh. Potatoes of every shape and kind? Most definitely! It is this obsession that inspired me to make buffalo chicken casserole this All Hallows Eve.
Buffalo Chicken Casserole
1 head cauliflower
2 Tbsp olive oil
Salt and pepper, to taste
1 Rotisserie chicken, shredded
12 oz softened cream cheese
1 C shredded cheddar cheese
1/2 C shredded Gouda cheese
1/2 C buffalo sauce (such as Frank's)
1 Tbsp garlic powder
1 Tbsp ranch dressing mix
Preheat oven to 450 degrees.
Cut cauliflower into florets and toss in olive oil, salt and pepper. Roast the cauliflower in a baking dish for 20 minutes.
Combine cheeses, buffalo sauce and seasonings in a small bowl. I used a hand mixer for this job. Everything looked like a red and gooey mess but it'll be fantastic!
After removing the now-roasted cauliflower from the oven, drop the oven down to 375.
Toss shredded chicken with the cauliflower. Spread the cream cheese mixture over the chicken and cauliflower in a single layer and bake for an additional 20 minutes.
This casserole was hearty and flavorful! I would definitely make it again no questions asked.
If you're curious as to why there is no picture, Nate and I were too hungry to wait for dinner. We both had busy days and gymmed afterwards. To say we were ravenous is an understatement.
Enjoy your Halloween, readers! Stay safe tonight, guys.
Friday, October 28, 2016
Chuck's
There is one name that comes to mind when speaking about dining in downtown Raleigh: Ashley Christensen. She is a decorated chef with a slew of restaurants under her belt, a James Beard award and an Iron Chef America appearance.
Today Nate and I checked out Chuck's. Chucks is, as her website describes, "burgers and frites with signature updates".
Chuck's is located at 237 S. Wilmington St, Raleigh, North Carolina 27601; a convenient walk from my new office!
Decor: good. Chuck's is located in a sub-divided building that was formerly a Piggly Wiggly (the kitchen is shared with Beasley's Chicken + Honey and Fox Liquor Bar as well). As such, the small space is condensed in the most cozy way; you are within touching distance of your neighboring tables but it almost makes the dining experience communal. Here you're not strangers, you're cohorts enjoying delicious food together. The tables have bright red metal chairs, funky art pieces adorn the walls and a large chalkboard menu is painted above the entrance to the semi-open kitchen.
Service: excellent! We were immediately greeted by the hostess and taken to our table; upon which time we were brought waters from our server who also keyed us into the daily specials. Our water glasses were never empty, our dirty plates were never in front of us for longer than a minute at most and even thought it was the middle of the lunch rush we always felt well tended to.
Food appearance: good. These burgers may be updated but there is no fuss or frills when it comes to plating. Burgers arrive on a metal tray covered with wax paper and sauces are served in small metal cups.
Food taste: excellent! We decided to split a shake before our meal (we're adults, we can have dessert first if we want). We ordered the cold-brewed coffee milkshake was definitely one I'd order again. For our meals, I ordered the Spirit Animal burger; a burger with cream cheese, roasted poblano peppers, grilled tomatoes and tortilla dust. This burger was sublime! The bun was soft but held up to the juicy patty (cooked-to-order, of course), the peppers added a slight smoky flavor and the tortilla dust gave the perfect crunchy finish. Nate ordered The Dirty South burger -- smoked pork shoulder, chili, crispy onion strings, roasted tomato slaw, cheddar cheese and yellow mustard. This burger had a lot going on but in the absolute best sense; the flavors played with your pallet and no bite was the same as the one prior. These burgers came with house cut fries and two dipping sauces each. Now I highly recommend conversing with your table-mates to maximize sauce options. Nate got the buttermilk herb dressing and espelette aioli and I got the malt vinegar aioli and their signature "Comeback Sauce". The buttermilk herb is the creamiest ranch-like dressing you've ever had, the espelette aioli was smoky and flavorful, the malt vinegar aioli combined the best parts of salt and vinegar with the consistency of mayo but their "Comback Sauce" was the true winner! This sauce was crafted by the gods and I have no clue what's in it other than maybe some sriracha and wizardry.
Cleanliness: good. Everything looked clean and well attended to.
Total: 12/15
Obviously anything that Ashley Christensen puts her name on is going to be fantastic and Chuck's is no exception. If you're ever in downtown Raleigh and craving a darn good burger head straight to Chuck's and thank me later.
Also, fun fact, I've never heard of an espelette prior to trying this aioli. After doing some Google research I found that the espelette is a pepper cultivated in the French commune of Espelette and is a mild pepper. Learn something new every day.
Today Nate and I checked out Chuck's. Chucks is, as her website describes, "burgers and frites with signature updates".
Chuck's is located at 237 S. Wilmington St, Raleigh, North Carolina 27601; a convenient walk from my new office!
Decor: good. Chuck's is located in a sub-divided building that was formerly a Piggly Wiggly (the kitchen is shared with Beasley's Chicken + Honey and Fox Liquor Bar as well). As such, the small space is condensed in the most cozy way; you are within touching distance of your neighboring tables but it almost makes the dining experience communal. Here you're not strangers, you're cohorts enjoying delicious food together. The tables have bright red metal chairs, funky art pieces adorn the walls and a large chalkboard menu is painted above the entrance to the semi-open kitchen.
Service: excellent! We were immediately greeted by the hostess and taken to our table; upon which time we were brought waters from our server who also keyed us into the daily specials. Our water glasses were never empty, our dirty plates were never in front of us for longer than a minute at most and even thought it was the middle of the lunch rush we always felt well tended to.
Food appearance: good. These burgers may be updated but there is no fuss or frills when it comes to plating. Burgers arrive on a metal tray covered with wax paper and sauces are served in small metal cups.
Food taste: excellent! We decided to split a shake before our meal (we're adults, we can have dessert first if we want). We ordered the cold-brewed coffee milkshake was definitely one I'd order again. For our meals, I ordered the Spirit Animal burger; a burger with cream cheese, roasted poblano peppers, grilled tomatoes and tortilla dust. This burger was sublime! The bun was soft but held up to the juicy patty (cooked-to-order, of course), the peppers added a slight smoky flavor and the tortilla dust gave the perfect crunchy finish. Nate ordered The Dirty South burger -- smoked pork shoulder, chili, crispy onion strings, roasted tomato slaw, cheddar cheese and yellow mustard. This burger had a lot going on but in the absolute best sense; the flavors played with your pallet and no bite was the same as the one prior. These burgers came with house cut fries and two dipping sauces each. Now I highly recommend conversing with your table-mates to maximize sauce options. Nate got the buttermilk herb dressing and espelette aioli and I got the malt vinegar aioli and their signature "Comeback Sauce". The buttermilk herb is the creamiest ranch-like dressing you've ever had, the espelette aioli was smoky and flavorful, the malt vinegar aioli combined the best parts of salt and vinegar with the consistency of mayo but their "Comback Sauce" was the true winner! This sauce was crafted by the gods and I have no clue what's in it other than maybe some sriracha and wizardry.
Cleanliness: good. Everything looked clean and well attended to.
Total: 12/15
Obviously anything that Ashley Christensen puts her name on is going to be fantastic and Chuck's is no exception. If you're ever in downtown Raleigh and craving a darn good burger head straight to Chuck's and thank me later.
Also, fun fact, I've never heard of an espelette prior to trying this aioli. After doing some Google research I found that the espelette is a pepper cultivated in the French commune of Espelette and is a mild pepper. Learn something new every day.
Wednesday, October 26, 2016
Roasted Chickpea Gyros
Happy Hump Day, readers! I hope your week is treating you well.
We are going to start off this post with a phonetics lesson: Gy-ro (pronouned "yee-row") is a "sandwich especially of lamb and beef, tomato, onion and yogurt sauce on pita bread," thanks, Mariam-Webster. One of my biggest pet peeves is people mispronouncing this word; it is not "guy-row" or "gui-row". Period. End of story. If you're one of these annoying people just know you are the worst and you have now been taught how to correctly pronounce this word. Stop mispronouncing it. Like now.
Anyway, Greek food, specifically gyros are my absolute favorite! Actually, funny story, I was a vegetarian for 4 years and it was a gyro that broke my resolve...I can't help it! The amazing combo of beef and lamb with those incredible Greek spices, married with the cool and creamy tzatziki sauce, fresh vegetables, and fluffy pita were enough to make me forget that I hadn't eaten any meat in 1460 days. And can we just talk about how awesome it is that the meat is cooked on a vertical spit? I mean is there anything better than a cone of meat?
The correct answer to that question is "no".
Well, considering I (regrettably) do not own a vertical spit (it's already on my Christmas list) nor do I know how to obtain a cone of meat (again, Christmas is only a few months away); but I did have a can of chickpeas. So, I went with a vegetarian alternative that tasted pretty damn good.
Roasted Chickpea Gyros
1 15 oz can chickpeas, drained
2 Tbsp olive oil
1 Tsp salt
1 1/2 Tsp pepper
1 Tsp paprika
1/2 Tsp cayenne pepper
1/2 Tsp oregano
1 Tsp lemon juice
4 fresh pita
Tzatziki sauce
1/2 red onion, sliced thin
1/2 tomato, sliced thin
2 lettuce leaves
Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
After you drain your chickpeas, rinse them with water, pat dry, and gently peel the skins off. This part is a pain, believe me. It took me a good 10 minutes to get the stupid skins off but the end result will be worth your hard labor. Work for your food, people!
In a bowl, combine the chickpeas with olive oil, seasonings and lemon juice. Toss together and spread out in a single layer on a greased cookie sheet.
Bake the chickpeas for 20 minutes (they will smell heavenly!)
Meanwhile, slice your tomato, and onion and prepare your pita with a healthy layer of tzatziki sauce. My recommendation to you is GO TO A MIDDLE EASTERN MARKET. You want the ingredients that Greeks actually use? Buy them from the source. I got made in-house pita and freshly made tzatziki sauce and it will make all the difference in this dish.
I paired these gyros with a fresh Greek salad (with freshly made salad dressing), Dolmathes (stuffed grape leaves), and tabouli (a salad with parsley, tomatoes, bulgur, mint, and onion seasoned with olive oil and lemon juice). Nate and I both thought these gyros had a very similar flavor to their meatier cousins and should be put into regular meal rotation.
TRY THEM! Believe me you won't be disappointed at all!
We are going to start off this post with a phonetics lesson: Gy-ro (pronouned "yee-row") is a "sandwich especially of lamb and beef, tomato, onion and yogurt sauce on pita bread," thanks, Mariam-Webster. One of my biggest pet peeves is people mispronouncing this word; it is not "guy-row" or "gui-row". Period. End of story. If you're one of these annoying people just know you are the worst and you have now been taught how to correctly pronounce this word. Stop mispronouncing it. Like now.
Anyway, Greek food, specifically gyros are my absolute favorite! Actually, funny story, I was a vegetarian for 4 years and it was a gyro that broke my resolve...I can't help it! The amazing combo of beef and lamb with those incredible Greek spices, married with the cool and creamy tzatziki sauce, fresh vegetables, and fluffy pita were enough to make me forget that I hadn't eaten any meat in 1460 days. And can we just talk about how awesome it is that the meat is cooked on a vertical spit? I mean is there anything better than a cone of meat?
The correct answer to that question is "no".
Well, considering I (regrettably) do not own a vertical spit (it's already on my Christmas list) nor do I know how to obtain a cone of meat (again, Christmas is only a few months away); but I did have a can of chickpeas. So, I went with a vegetarian alternative that tasted pretty damn good.
Roasted Chickpea Gyros
1 15 oz can chickpeas, drained
2 Tbsp olive oil
1 Tsp salt
1 1/2 Tsp pepper
1 Tsp paprika
1/2 Tsp cayenne pepper
1/2 Tsp oregano
1 Tsp lemon juice
4 fresh pita
Tzatziki sauce
1/2 red onion, sliced thin
1/2 tomato, sliced thin
2 lettuce leaves
Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
After you drain your chickpeas, rinse them with water, pat dry, and gently peel the skins off. This part is a pain, believe me. It took me a good 10 minutes to get the stupid skins off but the end result will be worth your hard labor. Work for your food, people!
In a bowl, combine the chickpeas with olive oil, seasonings and lemon juice. Toss together and spread out in a single layer on a greased cookie sheet.
Bake the chickpeas for 20 minutes (they will smell heavenly!)
Meanwhile, slice your tomato, and onion and prepare your pita with a healthy layer of tzatziki sauce. My recommendation to you is GO TO A MIDDLE EASTERN MARKET. You want the ingredients that Greeks actually use? Buy them from the source. I got made in-house pita and freshly made tzatziki sauce and it will make all the difference in this dish.
I paired these gyros with a fresh Greek salad (with freshly made salad dressing), Dolmathes (stuffed grape leaves), and tabouli (a salad with parsley, tomatoes, bulgur, mint, and onion seasoned with olive oil and lemon juice). Nate and I both thought these gyros had a very similar flavor to their meatier cousins and should be put into regular meal rotation.
TRY THEM! Believe me you won't be disappointed at all!
Monday, October 24, 2016
Garlic Pain Perdu
Have you ever had pain perdu? No? Have you ever heard of pain perdu? No? Yeah, actually prior to reading my April 2015 issue of Food & Wine Magazine neither had I. Turns out that "pain perdu" is French for "French Toast" or, according to Food & Wine, "Lost Bread". This pain perdu can be made sweet or, as in this recipe, delightfully savory.
Garlic Pain Perdu
4 large eggs
2 C milk
3 large garlic cloves, pressed
1 1/2 Tsp salt
1 Tsp thyme
1/2 Tsp fresh cracked pepper
6 1-inch thick slices of Italian bread (I used Rosemary Olive Oil Italian bread, believe me it was absolutely fantastic)
3 Tbsp salted butter
In a medium bowl, beat together eggs, milk, garlic and seasonings.
Dip bread in the egg mixture and allow to soak for a few minutes.
Melt 1 Tbsp of butter at a time in a skillet over medium-high heat, and remove the bread from the egg mixture and allow the excess to drip off. I cooked the bread in batches of two slices at a time.
Fry the bread in the skillet. Allow each side to brown about 5 minutes and flip ONLY ONCE. The bread will come out golden brown, fluffy and delicious.
Nate and I discussed how awesome this bread would taste with a slice of melty, bubbly and slightly burnt Jarlsburg cheese on top. Just picture that for a minute...are you drooling yet? Try it out and let me know how it goes, will ya'?
I served this surprisingly filling bread with a salad (you know to feel like I ate more than just buttery, egg-y bread) and paired it with a Pino Grigio. It was an absolutely incredible meal to curb my new-job-inducing-working-out-daily hunger.
I hope Monday treated you well, readers and have a fantastic rest of your week!
Garlic Pain Perdu
4 large eggs
2 C milk
3 large garlic cloves, pressed
1 1/2 Tsp salt
1 Tsp thyme
1/2 Tsp fresh cracked pepper
6 1-inch thick slices of Italian bread (I used Rosemary Olive Oil Italian bread, believe me it was absolutely fantastic)
3 Tbsp salted butter
In a medium bowl, beat together eggs, milk, garlic and seasonings.
Dip bread in the egg mixture and allow to soak for a few minutes.
Melt 1 Tbsp of butter at a time in a skillet over medium-high heat, and remove the bread from the egg mixture and allow the excess to drip off. I cooked the bread in batches of two slices at a time.
Fry the bread in the skillet. Allow each side to brown about 5 minutes and flip ONLY ONCE. The bread will come out golden brown, fluffy and delicious.
Nate and I discussed how awesome this bread would taste with a slice of melty, bubbly and slightly burnt Jarlsburg cheese on top. Just picture that for a minute...are you drooling yet? Try it out and let me know how it goes, will ya'?
I served this surprisingly filling bread with a salad (you know to feel like I ate more than just buttery, egg-y bread) and paired it with a Pino Grigio. It was an absolutely incredible meal to curb my new-job-inducing-working-out-daily hunger.
I hope Monday treated you well, readers and have a fantastic rest of your week!
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