Briana's Strawberry Lime Sorbet

One of my twin daughters has a real sweet tooth.  Lucky for her I keep frozen fruit around and a Vitamix machine!  This is what she whipped up tonight after our dinner.  Ok so don't blame her for the lack of texture.  She blames me for telling her to blend it too long.  But the flavor was oh so perfecto!

Clavera Empanada and Tequila Bar

Hip little place right down the block from Buku.  I would say if you are not too hungry, go hear for a light dinner, or a late night snack.  If you have an appetite like I do, you can eat three of these babies and still not feel satisfied.  HOWEVER.  They are gooooooooooooooood!  Have a fresh tequila cocktail while you wait for these perfectly done empanadas.  I had the "El Pastor" which is made with sweet guajillo pepper marinated pork, cilantro, pineapple, and lime.  Or try the "New Mexicana" with roasted New Mexico chili spiced pork.  Don't worry.  There are vegetarian choices too.

Buku in Downtown Raleigh

You know how it is.  You go to your "favorite" restaurant, then proceed to order the same damned thing you always order from that venue because, well, you love it!  That is how my daughters and I do it at Buku.  In my "favorite dishes in my favorite restaurants" post I mentioned the excellent Belgian "Moules Frites," or mussels in a tomato, garlic, white wine an cream broth, that comes with toasted bread and french fries ($15). We also order the "Hot Pot" of roasted chicken, coconut red curry, and mushrooms ($10).  A bargain of a meal for three people.  And I mean can you really whip this stuff up at home easily.  Why no!

Pie Bird in Mordecai Raleigh

For a "savory" and "sweet" lunch on a week day, if you haven't been to Pie Bird in the Mordecai area of Raleigh it is time to go.  Don't go for dinner as prices double.  These cute little savory hand pies are served with sides of your choice depending on the day.  Choose some of the best fries around, or go with a side salad, or one of their dailies.  Curried Chicken, Curried Veggies, Spinach and Feta, Black Bean and Green Chili, Pimento Cheese, or the special of the day..........these pies have a oh so yummy crust!  And if you are into dessert, well you can't go wrong.  Pie in the sky!

Food photos taken in Budapest Hungary on our vacation last summer

Home Cooking Catherine Style

My daughters are out of town and so I splurged on some Wholefood's sea scallops to make for an entree this evening.  Sorry girls! At $25 a pound I'll wait for a better deal to feed your hungry teen stomachs! I went to my favorite recipe website, Simply Recipes, and made Sea Scallops with Asparagus Sauce.  I cheated with the sides and picked up some garlic roasted red potatoes and some grilled veggies (asparagus, portabella cap, red pepper, zucchini) at their deli to make the night a bit easier on myself. 

Tautogs Restaurant in Virginia Beach

This past weekend I took my daughters to play in a soccer tournament in Norfolk, VA.  Not only did my daughters' team win, but we ate at a winner of a restaurant in Virginia Beach called Tautogs. A cute renovated house a block from the water made it a very inviting place, full of locals and awesome seafood. Since the dishes we ordered were either specials or no longer on the menu at the time of this publishing...........I really need to start taking notes............I will just leave you with photos of the entrees: sea scallops (one of my ultimate favorite foods), a salmon and crab layered dish, and a "flounder like" fish I had never heard of before and naturally have forgotten.  If you are ever anywhere near VA Beach go!  It is only open for dinner. Very reasonable prices for seafood.

Iris: at the North Carolna Museum of Art

Iris is a restaurant that I have been meaning to try for years.  I was finally inclined to make a go at it when we decided one Friday night to venture to an Art in the Evening event at the NC Museum of Art to hear a super jazz group called Peter Lamb and the Wolves. A treat of a combo with great music and great food.  One daughter ordered the Braised Beef Short Rib Pot Pie, with roasted root vegetables, puff pastry crust, mixed greens with an herb shallot vinaigrette.  Good tasting but very heavy on the meat with not a lot of roots or pastry to talk about. My other daughter had the Farro Piccolo Risotto with lemon, thyme, dijon, and garlic sautéed broccolini, crispy fried leeks, and parmigiano-reggiano. I had a special of salmon fillet with mango chutney sauce. An enjoyable meal. Dessert was a pecan style pie with homemade raspberry sorbet.

Mantra Indian Cuisine and Bar

Is there anything more fun than the anticipation of eating at a new restaurant? Downtown Raleigh has now seen the opening of an incredible new Indian restaurant called Mantra Indian Cuisine and Bar.  Although I went over my usual budget for this meal, I was not sorry I did! The cocktails here are original and made with fresh ingredients.  I did not see the typical sour mix/simple syrup type drinks that make you feel you are not getting your money's worth. These rocked! Now the meal. The table was served papadum, which is a thin crispy cracker type appetizer that came with three toppings; a tamarind sauce, raita, and a cilantro sauce. I had to prevent myself from drinking the sauces with a spoon they were so fresh.  More papadum was freely brought out when we devoured the first round. Next we shared an order of the Samosas which were filled with potatoes and peas. I like to dip them in tamarind sauce. Lovely! For my entree I ordered the Lamb Shank Maharani prepared with star anise, bay leaves and dark rum served with fried potato croquettes and mixed vegetables.....well as you can see the croquettes were mysteriously missing in the photo.  New restaurant.......oh well.........As you can only guess, the meat was falling off the bone as it had been cooked for hours.  And the the sauce was divine. My friend had the special which was a shrimp and crab stuffed tilapia served in a similar sauce.  For desert we had.........well.......just look at the photo!  It is just too complicated to explain. Will I be going back?  A resounding YES!  Only next time for the cheaper lunch time buffet if it continues.

Simply Recipies Food Blog

I love to cook!  I know many of you do too.  This insanely time consuming, yet ultimately super satisfying activity or "hobby" (or necessity?) can at times still make me feel in a rut in terms of my recipe repertoire. My most beloved website that has an extraordinary variety of recipes is called Simply Recipes.  Whether you are a beginner cook or an advanced cook, this blog has a recipe for you. I am set up to receive all new recipe posts by e-mail, which is awesome!  If it is something I want to try I add it to my bookmarks for future reference.  The writer of the blog, Elise Bauer, feels like a cherished friend to me now....although she has no idea who I am.  No bother!  If your feeling down and blue and need a recipe pick me up, you must check it out! http://simplyrecipes.com/

Ninas Ristorante

In my never ending quest for the best Italian restaurant in the area, we took a trip to north Raleigh and ate dinner at Ninas Ristorante.  The pasta dishes here are very much worth a mention, as is the desert we tried.  I had the Rigatoni Amatriciana which had a mildly spicy, deep flavored sauce made with panchetta, chilli peppers, plum tomatoes, basil, and red wine.  So perfect for a winter evening with a glass of red wine. I did not take any home!  One of my daughters had the Ravioli con Salmone, served with chunks of salmon, peas, and toasted pine nuts in a creamy sage and basil sauce. I must admit I was worried that the ravioli would be too "pasta" heavy as so many house made ravioli are, but these were beautifully done. The ravioli seemed to be swimming in the sauce, but again, once a taste was had there was no need to complain. My other daughter had the Penne alla Vodka without the chicken. Since this dish is a family favorite, we enjoy ordering it whenever it is on the menu.  It never ceases to amaze us that the creamy pink vodka sauce can vary so much from place to place.  This one was a bit heavier on the cream than some, which my daughter seemed to relish. And for dessert we shared an order of tiramisu, which stunningly was one of the best we have had in the area.  It was a bit mild on the espresso and liqueur but not overly sweet and otherwise light and wonderful...made by the owner Nina herself.

Chirba Chirba

Soon after I read about the food truck Chirba Chirba in a local magazine I googled them and marked my calendar to pay a visit the next time they came from their regular location in Durham down to Raleigh.  Today they were parked in front of the Big Boss Brewery off of Capital Blvd, where they apparently show up every second Saturday of the month from 2-6pm.  Specializing in Chinese dumplings, the food did not disappoint. Now mind you I have eaten dumplings in China, both this style and the delectable "soup dumplings" where one must first drink the broth before eating; a tricky business. Though these weren't the slurpy type, we were still very happy with these! My daughters and I tried the Porkedame and the Juicy Buns.  Both dumpling types are filled with morsels of pork, one with edamame, the other just with a sweeter version of pork.  A veggie dumpling is also on the menu. Three dipping sauces were available; a Chinese dark vinegar (my personal favorite), a sweeter pineapple vinegar (also very good), and a ginger vinegar. For only 50 cents more we ordered the Sweet potato glass noodles in a sesame soy dressing.  The owner offered us a taste of the sweet sausage as well.  Well worth a full order! After this late afternoon snack I begged the owner to come to Raleigh more often, which he so kindly replied saying that he was working on it!

Favorite Dishes in my Favorite Restaurants

What better way to begin my first significant food entry than by listing some of my favorite dishes and where I go to eat them?  Please be aware that these are in no significant order.  Also, I will remind you that I tend toward the most inexpensive meals that still maintain quality.  You won't find any "star" restaurants listed here. (I'll get to those one day). I realize this list is quite Asian heavy but what can I say? Quality is quality and price is price.  And by all means please send your comments! I am always looking for a good deal for a super meal!  Let me know what you know, but please do me a favor and keep all comments positive.  My philosophy is of the old saying, "if you can't say anything nice, why say it at all". Let the positives speak for themselves! 

Neomonde: By far the BEST and CHEAPEST middle eastern food in Raleigh. (They have a second location in Morrisville, and will open a third location in north Raleigh soon). This establishment started as a bakery back in the 70s by brothers who were born and raised in Lebanon.  They are super friendly people and very customer oriented. I always order food by the pound to save money, and to be sure to get a variety of all my favorite hot and cold dishes. Here are my personal favorites:  labneh (yogurt cheese), baba ghanouj, roasted eggplant, stuffed grape leaves, warm cabbage delite, cabbage salad, beet salad, and the delectable hot veggie moussaka. You will cry when tasting the moussaka for the first time so you better bring tissues.  I admit I look a bit crazy approaching the cashier with six or so paper bowls with varying amounts of food in them.  They never seem irritated that they have to weigh each one. They also have a good market where I buy my loose leaf black tea, basmati rice, and baked in-house pita bread.

Super Wok:  In Cary, this is one of the most authentic Chinese restaurants around. There are two menus, but please....just order off the "Chinese" menu not the "American" menu.  The Chinese menu is so extensive it is hard to talk about. Get the Fried Eggplant Stuffed with Pork and Chive as an appetizer, and the Fried Eggplant Stuffed with Pork & Chive in Garlic Sauce as an entree (maybe not on the same visit). Other main dishes worth trying are the Spareribs in Chinese BBQ Sauce, Stir-fried Duck with Baby Ginger & Snow Pea, and if you are a chicken lover go for the Stir-Fried Chicken with Three Kinds of Pepper.

Taqueria El Toro:  The most authentic Mexican taco joint I have been to in Raleigh, this place will give you a bang for your buck. The menu is filled with various preparations of pork, chicken, beef, tripe and other animal body parts as fillings for a variety of "encasings," such as corn tortillas, burritos, and gorditas (a thicker style corn tortilla).  They have a salsa bar with all kinds of "mostly spicy" salsas and condiments to add to your meal.  My favorites are the Tacos Al Pastor, and the Gorditas Carnitas.

Neo-Asia (formerly Neo-China): In Cary, go for the Saturday or Sunday mid-day Dim-Sun. You won't find a better place in the Triangle for this style of food.  This is by far one of our top meals in the area and it is so much fun!

Buku: This place in downtown Raleigh has a diverse menu as it offers "global street food." Lately, my daughters and I have been drawn to the Belgian "Moules Frites," or mussels in a tomato, garlic, white wine an cream broth, that comes with toasted bread and french fries ($15). We also order the "Hot Pot" of roasted chicken, coconut red curry, and mushrooms.  This is a soup appetizer that will feed three people for only $10.  We always order a side of rice to make it more filling.  For the three of us these two items alone make for a savory, light, and inexpensive meal.  There are many other great dishes on the menu to try.

Tasu Asian Bistro:  New to the Cary area, this place has become our "go to" restaurant after a return flight from a journey.  When there is no food in the house, we drive straight from the airport for a light meal of sushi. They have a buy-one-get-one-free deal I think almost every night.  I have read complaints on other reviews about how this policy works, but I haven't found any issues with it.  It is really quite simple.  Order one roll, and get another roll of equal or lesser value for free!  The variety of rolls is astounding.  We have only been to the one in Cary and will hopefully try the variety of other dishes soon. I have heard there are other buy-one-get-one-free sushi places around.  If they are worth checking out please comment and let me know!

Udupi Cafe: In Cary, this place serves Southern Indian vegetarian food. Go for the weekday buffet to get the best deal and be sure to ask for the freshly made dosas with potato stuffing.  They are included in the price of the buffet (though not at the buffet stands), so if you don't ask for them they will not magically appear.

Dogs and Something Else: Now here is a hidden gem in Wake Forest for you! Having lived in Venezuela for two years I can tell you that this place does well.  The one thing they make that is the most true to form of Venezuelan dishes I have had there are the Cachapas.  A Cachapa is like a sweet, corn pancake that is folded (or open face) and stuffed with a white cheese called Queso de Mano. Queso Guayanes can also be used but it turns rubbery if it gets too hot. This dish is pretty much a meal!  Their cheese or pulled beef Empanadas are also very good and true to form. One day when we were there they also had fresh jugo de parcita (fresh passion fruit juice) available! Please don't go for the hot dogs....go for the "something else"!

Super fast, Super cheap, Chinese carry out: So we all know the story... when you are just too tired to cook or even throw something together with partial bits of food out of your fridge, yet you don't feel like spending too much money on eating out, what do you do? If you are fortunate enough to live near either the Grand Asia Market in Cary, or the A & C Market (also Asian) in south Raleigh, then you are in great shape!  Their nightly dinner buffet does the trick!  And NO I don't mean THAT kind of buffet.  This is not self-service. Both places offer several authentic Chinese dishes to choose from.  For $4.99 (a dollar more I think at Grand Asia), you get a large portion of rice topped with three selections of your choice to take home or eat in.  Grand Asia also has the best bbq pork buns.  There is a full menu as well at both places if you want "slow" food, and a bakery at each (Grand Asia's is bigger).  And if you are into roast duck, both market's offer it by the pound.  The A & C Market is so generous with their portions that you could almost buy one meal for two if you aren't that starving.  What a deal!

Italian: Now for something fun! I would love it if you would give me your opinion on the best Italian restaurant(s) in the area. For some reason I have not been impressed with the Italian offerings here. Not only did I grow up in the suburbs of Detroit, which has a huge Italian community and thus great Italian eateries, but I have lived and traveled throughout Italy.  The only caveat if you comment is to include only the places that won't break the bank.  I think you know what that means so I won't insult your intelligence by defining affordable.  So let's hear from you!

Welcome to my blog!

I will begin with the first line of business of who I am and why you will want to read my blog.  As with any bloggess, I and my writing will always be a work in progress.  I can't tell you where this blog will go, but I can tell you where it starts.   I grew up in Grosse Pointe Woods, Michigan and currently live in Raleigh, North Carolina.  Where I lived and my gypsy meanderings in between these two points will be revealed as the posts accumulate.  What you want to know now is what you will gain from reading my blog.  So with no further adieu, what I hope to do for you is to provide you with a jumping off point, if you will, of what Raleigh and the Triangle has to offer in terms of restaurants and anything food related. I will serve you local restaurant reviews, and you will on occasion enjoy with me my culinary forays into other parts of the country or world. I also at times hope to entertain you with ridiculous stories about food and food adventures. I tend to be a quality for budget eater and traveler as much as possible, so those of you with shallow pockets will enjoy this blog most. I am not a vegan or vegetarian, but I am not drawn to meat as much as some. I fall somewhere between a vegetarian and minor carnivore, so you won't find tons of meat dishes reviewed.

What I will not do for you is this.....I will not provide you with endless and tiring details of places and events that you could care less to hear about.  Or at least I hope I won't.  Keep me on track will you? I hope to stick to the basics about how you will benefit from what I write without making a novel out of any experience. I may stray a bit in my attempts to make you smile, but I swear I will keep your best interests in mind.  You want to know about FOOD, sometimes travel, and perhaps at times be slightly entertained. 

Well, with all that being said, I feel the need to remain brief. Was that brief? And by all means please make comments!! The only thing I ask is that you maintain the integrity of my blog and remain positive in your remarks.  If something appears to be missing from a post that makes my review of a restaurant appear incomplete, it is because I choose to say nothing at all rather than say something negative.  I want the places I post about to know they rank high in my eyes in some way, shape, or form or they wouldn't be posted at all.  That is what is important!

So, please stay tuned! And welcome to my blog!