Taste of Raleigh: Neomonde's Bakery and Deli

I left behind TWO great falafel places in Louisville. It was sad. Grape Leaf and Shiraz were delicious and relatively inexpensive, Shiraz being the cheaper of the two. Before 2007, when I lived in RDU - I didn't really care that much about Persian/Mediterranean food (not like I do now).

Friday I was introduced to a place out by NCSU and Meredith called Neomonde. For those of you in Louisville - a Mediterranean Lotsa Pasta. Market, deli, refillable drinks, samples. Neomonde's is cheaper than Lotsa Pasta. There are so many wonderful things to choose from.

On Friday when I went we shared the Large Kabaob platter. 1 chicken kabob, 1 beef kabob, 2 salads (veggie salad and hummus). They give you tons of pita when you check out. And we got 4 falafels - good (although green inside) and topped with sesame seeds (could have done without the sesame seeds. I personally like the pitas better in the ville, but these are good.

Saturday when I went I got a 1/2 falafel wrap and hummus/pita - 4 kalamata olives, evoo, hummus, 3 whole wheat pitas) = all for 6.50. I call that a pretty good deal.

So - this will definitely be a favorite. Anyone wanna go with? More pictures will come later.

Taste of Raleigh: Hot Point Cafe

If you want a nice change from Panera - go here. (Picture taken with my phone - sorry for the quality.)

I really wasn't planning on eating out today for lunch, but I wanted a quiet(er) place for lunch and didn't want to sit in my apt by myself. So, I had looked at this place online and went hunting in North Hills. Found it.

This is a trendier Panera. Same price (about) for what you get. I actually think you get more on the salads. The soups were smaller and not a wide variety. Sandwiches looked good, but Panera's are bigger. They also had meals for dinner - but they were definitely higher (to fit the North Hills market) and they also served a wknd brunch.

I enjoyed the quiet - slightly busy and I was there from 1130-145. Not bad at all. I just enjoyed the warmth and breeze as I sat outside.

I had the small Greek salad and a refillable unsweet tea for $7.22. As you can see from the picture, they don't skimp on the small. There was TONS of feta, black olives, artichokes, greens, roasted red peppers, cuks, and raw mashrooms. It also came with a triangle of their sun dried tomato focaccia bread (good flavor, but a little dry). I asked for the balsamic vinegar on the side - so good. It was sweeter than most.

So - if you are looking for a place that isn't as busy (maybe a place to meet with a girlfriend and sit for hours) - there you go...

Taste of Durham: Watts Grocery

I love LOCAL. I wish Raleigh had more eat local restaurants - but alas, will have to keep making the drive to Durham and Chapel Hill.

Watts Grocery is on Broad Street - near the 9th Street district and one of Duke's campuses. This wasn't here when I lived in Durham and worked near the spot of the restaurant. My friend Kristin recommended this place and it was a winner.

They are only open for brunch for a few hours on Saturday. We got there about 25 minutes after they opened and we had a 20 minute wait. But, the line kept building, so this place has earned quite a reputation.

All local farms provide the food for this restaurant.

I had Little Red Wagon Farms granola (from Chapel Hill) - but Louisville people - you can buy it too! Yogurt was delicious - a vanilla kind maybe from Chapel Hill Creamery, or another local farm. Topped with blueberries, raisins, and strawberries and pecans. Very good. House made english muffin with fresh butter and blueberry preserves. Good local eats.

Kristin had the huevos rancheros - made with red beans for a slight change. She said hers was great too!

Will be making another trip: the blood orange mimosa sounds good and the toasted pimiento cheese sandwich or the strawberry caramel filled french toast. How can you go wrong?

Taste of Raleigh: Bella Monica Flatbread Company

Italian food. Comfort food.

There is a small, local Italian place within a 1/2 mile of home and I finally had a chance to go tonight. Definitely had to make reservations and had great company.

I tried to be a little on the healthy side - so I didn't have any ooey gooey cheese - will have to go back and try something that has cheese!

Good:

1. The hospitality. Like an Italian family dinner table. They were excited we were there, people in white chef's coats brought out our food, and they were very welcoming even when we were leaving. They weren't shoving us out of there and couldn't care less about how long we stayed and talked.

2. The meatballs. Perfectly seasoned and not dry at all - that's what I like. Maybe I need to go back and get a huge meatball sub!

3. Option for whole wheat pasta. I went for the whole wheat penne - I could be a little healthy.

4. The tomato sauce. Not too spicy, not too chunky. Perfect for a pasta sauce. Right on!

5. My friends enjoyed their meal: chicken parm and stuffed shells. They both said they were great.

The Wish Was Better:

1, The bread. Definitely dig any other Italian place's bread better than here. Dry and not too flavorful.

2. The bruschetta. They were cheap (which was good for an appetizer) but neither were really that good: blue crab on one and chicken liver pate on the other. I could have passed on both.

3. The non-descript salad. Yes it was good. But there was nothing special about it.

Would I go again - yes, definitely trying something cheesy this next time.

Would I make it my go to Italian place? Not yet - and definitely the chains are better so far.

Have heard amazing things about their pizza - so may hit that up soon!

Taste of Mooresville: Lancaster's BBQ

What kind of BBQ fan are you? Is it a noun or a verb? Do you like Memphis, TX, Sonny's, Eastern, Western, TN, KY - so many people out there and everyone with an opinion on BBQ. Well...

Here is mine...

I had one of the best BBQ sandwiches ever to be put in my mouth today. Definitely worth the 2 hour and 20 minute drive and the 3.85 per sandwich. The chopped cole slaw and the mild sauce (not vinegar) made this sandwich dynamite!

It is definitely a fave of my sister-in-laws and a gas station in Mooresville has it for sale on Sundays.

The homemade chips are great and not too salty - fun to eat when dipped in ranch dressing. They also come seasoned if you want them - cajun style - that is how Alan chose to eat his - dipped in their vinegar sauce.

So good - go now.

Taste of Raleigh: El Rodeo

Went to lunch with some co-workers today to really talk about children's ministry - and you can definitely talk for a while over chips and salsa.

We went to a place across the street from the church called El Rodeo (no www). Typical mexican place - nicer ambience than some other local places.

Liked our waiter - he was very nice. The food came out in about 6 minutes - really - we were surprised at how fast it was. We went a little after 11am and were the first ones there, but by the time we left about 1240 it was more full.

I got the sincronizada - a vegetarian tortilla sandwich: mushroom, onion, pepper, jalepenos, and cheese - with sliced avocado on top. My mouth was on fire but it was absolutely wonderful! I loved it. 6.75 got me that, a huge portion of rice (which wasn't anything to rave about and I only took a few bites), chips (again, blah chips) and salsa (I really liked their salsa).

So...good to know there is a good place close by - but I'll still be looking for good Mexican places in the area!

Taste of Raleigh: Wildflour Boston Pizza

For 6 months I lived within walking distance of this place and never went. Today was the first day I ventured out with a co-worker to check out a little corner restaurant in Stonehenge (N. Raleigh) for lunch: Wildflour Boston Pizza.

Ok - I don't thnk I had even heard of Boston Pizza. Yeah, of course - Chicago, New York, CPK, homemade, Dominos, Pizza Hut, Papa Johns, Little Caesar...we have our favorites...but Boston?

I wasn't even planning on getting pizza...

But, I saw the price (7 for a small - 6 slices - and 1.45 for each topping) and the fact that I could get it with whole wheat crust - that sold me on it!

Tall-sided crust, medium bottom crust, crunchy, not your typical mozzerella cheese, and fresh roma tomatoes! I even had a little avocado put on top from my friend's fiesta salad.

It was...good. The pizza and conversation was much better than the service. It wasn't that crowded, but it seemed to take a while for us to get our order and we had to wait for straws, etc. Our server wasn't overly friendly - just soft-spoken and matter of fact.

So...do I have to go again tomorrow because everything was fantabulous - no. But, would I go again - yes.

Taste of Morrisville: Smokey's BBQ Shack

Just off of the beaten path... (I'm singing an Alabama song as I write that) - in Morrisville is a little trailer type restaurant on the side of the ride, picnic table outside, gravel parking lots, red front door.

Smokey's BBQ Shack just started opening on the weekends and by the time we left it was definitely pretty full by the locals. It was NC bbq - smoked meat (I tried the pork and chicken, taking most of the chicken as leftovers) with a vinegar based sauce. The pork was good - wasn't dry and tasted good with the sauce. The sides I ordered: green beans and french fries - neither were as good as Sonny's. But...the pork and the little hushpuppies made up for it.

What was the two best things about this restaurant: the atmosphere (roll of paper towels on each table, laid back, unpretentious in every way) and the company. This is a place my friend would always go to when she lived there. Janel moved to the Windy City but got her sweet tea fix just minutes after the airport yesterday.

Taste of Raleigh: Assaggio's

The ladies at Providence took me out to lunch - had fun getting to know them better. Right across the street was this little Italian place, cafe, good place for lunch. By the time we left it was pretty full.

I got the special which was under $6 and included a refillable drink, a HUGE slice of pizza with one topping, and a salad. Since we also had a large group, they brought us baskets of garlic knots.

The unsweet tea and garlic knots rocked. Little pieces of garlic were in the bottom of the basket - yummy. I had half of one - very good.

The salad was generic but good - refreshing before I put pizza in my mouth.

The pizza was good: not very cheesy, liked the thickness, liked the mushrooms, was almost cold by the time I got it (I blame it on the large group).

The company was wonderful. Refills and price were great. And the service was good and friendly.

The pizza and salad - not much to write home about. Maybe I'll go back for another meal and try something else.

Taste of Chattanooga: Niko's Southside Grill

Perfect timing. On the way to Chattanooga on Thursday, my Mom called with news of her new Southern Living magazine. She said there was a right up of Chattanooga. Well, this might prove very helpful.

We chose to go to Niko's - which was featured in Southern Living.

We called and made reservations for Friday night at 5pm, but none was needed - it was really early on a Friday night so it was pretty quiet. I'm sure it was hopping by the end of the night.

Drew was our exceptional waiter - who even knew the greens that we had on our main course and recommended a great dessert. He was also friendly and very prompt.

The atmosphere was slightly trendy yet classic. Liked it. It was also quiet, but not pretentious.

To start: calamari: oh goodness yum and tender - we downed it all!

The bread came out then - light loaf with I think asiago on top which made it a bit salty - so I just took the top off. Even asiago bagels I don't like because of the saltiness of this particular cheese.

We order twin filets with brandy jus, greens (arugula and spinach) and roasted red potatoes. My steak was cooked perfectly medium and Aarica's was a little too done for her exceptional liking. But the greens made up for her medium well steak - they were outstanding. The brandy jus brought the sweetness out contrasted with the peppery bite of the arugula.

For dessert we shared the white chocolate torte with grilled pineapple - I loved the white chocolate torte, let Aarica have the pineapple after it also had a charcoal-y grill taste much like the steak.

Over all - price was decent - 44$ then tip. Atmosphere was good, food was good, and the service was exceptional.

Taste of Chattanooga: Chattanooga Cupcake

I love the downtown area of Chattanooga: stores, restaurants, theatres, the Tennessee River, the aquarium. I first learned of it a few years ago by sightseeing with a friend, but now I just love to explore.
Today I went there for lunch and dessert. Dessert was a no-brainer when we saw the sign "Chattanooga Cupcakes". (The wonderful pictures will come Sunday because I can't get them to load.)
The folks in there were so kind to let us take pictures of the cute decor, the beautiful cased cupcakes, and to gladly sell us to wonderfully delicious cupcakes.
I chose the Italian Creme cupcake - the frosting was out of this world - I think I literally said "this is better than Publix frosting" - never before said that.
Aarica had the lemon raspberry cupcake - which had raspberry cream cheees filling with lemon frosting and raspberry drizzle on top. The cupcake was so moist and scrumptious with the filling.
If you are ever in downtown Chatt - by the Aquarium - you MUST stop in - save some room for a cupcake - which is usually a necessity of life!

Taste of Nashville: Pfunky Griddle

What a neat place in a very popular and cool city.

A new friend took me here and I loved it. Walked in the door, the iCarly co-star was there (I didn't know it was her till I asked), they invited me to just help myself to the coffee.

This place was very interactive. You got to make your own food! Now, most people would not want to pay to make their own food, but I thoroughly loved it.

They had an organic 5 grain and a homestyle white pancake batter, we got mashed potatoes (for fried cakes), and I got some bacon. Vermon syrup was on the table and I got crunchy peanut butter as my topping.

Let's just say Amy and I ate our fair share of pancakes and potatoes (and bacon).

If you are ever in the Nashville/Brentwood area - off 65 at exit 81 - you must go. Fabulous prices, vegetarian options for lunch, and great staff!

Taste of Louisville: Blue Lagoon

The Highlands in Louisville is definitely known for its eclectic dining venues and busy Friday nights. Well, the traffic was nothing new on Bardstown Road at 715 on a Friday night, but this little place with an up and coming chef was a nice little surprise.
My friend Sarah and I went there for an evening of shared food and conversation. Love these meals. She knew the chef, so we got to place a special order (it had recently been taken off the menu).
I totally forgot my camera (blame it on Friday-night brain) so you'll have to deal with descriptions.
To start: sweet potato fries. I'm used to large, regular-fry looking, sweet potato fries - which I LOVE! But these were different. When our waiter asked if we would like them for dessert or an appetizer, I knew I was in for a treat. He quickly brought out a small bowl set on a plate of petite cut fries. A light snow-dusting of powdered sugar with a small bowl of dipping: saffron honey. I could have downed the whole container of saffron honey. If saffron weren't so expensive, I'd go buy some and make some for myself. The very last bite (once we had dumped the bowl of fries on the plate), was laced with the chili powder that had been dusted on the place. AMAZING. That was the best bite of the whole meal.
Jody, the chef, made us this wonderful Persian--version of paella. It served both of us and we weren't stuffed, so that was good. The rice was perfectly done - not sticky or crunchy. There was plenty of seafood in it: shrimp, cod, scallops, and mussels. He didn't skimp. It was very seafood-y so you would have to enjoy seafood to appreciate this dish. The only thing I could say that was a disappointment was it was not very complex in flavors - very monochromatic if I can use that word to describe food? But, we ate it all!
When the waiter brought our check, he also brought out these lovely tea shots as a palette cleanser I guess. Simple, yet a perfect way to end a meal.
So, if you are looking for something out of the ordinary and somewhat unknown still (so no wait on a Friday night) - go to Blue Lagoon on Bardstown Road. (order the sweet potato fries).

Wknd of Eats in Raleigh

Love traveling to this city. And I can't wait to try out more local foods in this zip code - get to know the local places!
My parents were up this wknd and my Dad likes "normal" food (while Mom and I are willing to try funky stuff). We definitely enjoyed our eats though. Here's some of the things we did. Sorry no pictures, I had my camera with but didn't take any photos all weekend - can you believe it?

Friday/Saturday/Sunday - the hotel had a wonderful breakfast each morning so that is what we did. Glad it was included in the price of the hotel
Friday lunch: Boston Market is next door to the place where I had some meetings, so we went there. The parents don't have one anymore. Too expensive - but they have great food - especially those fabulous sweet potato fries!
Friday dinner: Dinner with friends. We had a creamed chicken dish which was great for a cool evening. Rice, veggies, yeast rolls, and a great fruit salad for something sweet to end the meal.
Saturday late brunch: Flying Biscuit in Cameron Village. I split the Hollywood Omelette (spinach, mushrooms, goat cheese with egg whites) with Mom - we also had creamy dreamy grits, applewood smoked bacon, and a biscuit with their fab cranberry apple butter (so good). My friend let me try some of her french toast with raspberry sauce and a honey creme anglaise - great if you want something sweet for breakfast.
Saturday dinner: I don't often get to treat my parents to a meal, but I was able to this time (Dad covered tip). We went to one of my fave nice chains: Firebirds. Got the lobster spinach queso for an app, then their amazing yeast bread. I got the applewood smoked bacon bbq chicken sandwich. Very moist! Mom got the Salad with shrimp and strawberries. I LOVED it (we shared). The shrimp would have been better hot or just left off completed - but the salad was amazing. Dad got the Herbed Prime Rib and it was so tender. Firebirds always does a great job!
Sunday: Chilis with some friends. Mom and I split the fajita trio. Shrimp were overcooked, but the rest was really yummy. You can never go wrong with chilis.
Sunday dinner: Harris Teeter in the hotel room. We were tired after going all weekend. We got some baked chicken, red skinned potato salad, Special K crackers (yum) and hummus (not the best, but was cheapest), and a cripps pink apple. That was very good to snack on after church while watching Persuasion!
MDW - I had an egg mcmuffin with cheese from Mcds during my 2 hour layover! It was good. I hadn't had one in a long time.
So, now back to eating right and healthy!

Menu Week: February 22

This is going to be early because I'm leaving tonight for Carolina so I won't have time to post it over the wknd. So, here goes...

Monday - travel and leftovers (and going grocery shopping)
Tuesday - Lunch at Butterfly Garden Cafe with Lilly and dinner at the Stringers - can't wait for either.
Wednesday - leftovers (clean out the freezer time)
Thursday - think I'll make some peanut and chocolate chip blondies for the recipe of the week for the office.
Friday - Quick and easy is the name of the game for lunch and then heading out for Trolley Friday with Sarah and Shana will be joining us later in the evening. I've never ridden the Ville trolley, so I am excited for the excursion, food, and company!
Saturday - heading to Berea for the day - hopefully it will be nice. Papaleno's and Sonny's - can the food day get much better - and hoping to see a friend and take some nice photos and do some shopping.
Sunday - lunch at a prof's house.

So, gladly this week won't be high in the grocery bill department! Gotta love week's like that!

Menu Week: February 15

Post holiday, short week. Going to be good. Can't wait. Here you go:
Leftovers: tuna whole wheat spaghetti
Monday: whole wheat pita pizzas (I'm making mine a mexican pizza!) and a salad for movie night
Tuesday: white chicken chili and homemade cheese toast for a manicure session
Wednesday: finish up leftovers, roasted winter vegetables with maple and ginger (recipe of the week)
Thursday: white chicken chili, roasted veggies, larabar and fruit at airport
Friday: breakfast at hotel, lunch and dinner are in Raleigh somewhere - you can bet it will be yummy!
Saturday: brunch at Flying Biscuit at Cameron Village (yum) - I know I'll be having an egg white omelette! Dinner will be somewhere!
Sunday: all up for grabs - always an adventure!

I love the food of the Triangle. And you can bet I'll be stopping by Trader Joes and Whole Foods (this one just because my parents don't have one near them in Publix land and they always like to go).
Happy Cooking.

Question: What are your fave cities to travel to because of their eats?

Taste of a Chain Restaurant: Yang Kee Noodle

Sunday was more than just a day for Super Bowl food (coming later). It was also a day with a neat family at my church and me to go to Yang Kee Noodle.
I would compare this to a Moe's - for Asian food.
Many different options, gluten-free options, spicy, normal, salads, rice bowls, noodle bowls.
I had the general tso's chicken. It was good and filling, though not as good as some others I have eaten in the past! Chicken was decently spicy (not enough to make your eyes water or sweat pour down your face) and not heavily fried (which I appreciated).
I didn't think to ask for brown rice, so I ate half the white rice that was served with it.
For the price, I would rather have gone to PF Changs (my plate of General Tso's was 899 I think).
But, it was quick with different options. And they didn't rush you out because you wanted to sit and chat! :) Refillable drinks were also a plus!
Would I go again - yes. Would it become a regular place of mine - probably not. Thankful for the provision of lunch!

Menu Week: February 8

A full week again this week (when is it not). But, I have been a little more disciplined in my planning of menu this week in light of food and money. So, here you go:
Leftovers: beef stew - still gotta finish that off - still yummy. Bourbon chicken from Super Bowl dinner.
New recipe of the week: Bon Appetit's Consentino's Spaghetti with Tuna. I have all the ingredients. No need to spend money and the carbs will be good for running.
Baking: Peanut Butter truffles (actually, no bake) and Vday Sugar cookies for the Foster BYOB Party on Thursday night.
Thursday I think I'll be enjoying a Founder's Cafe Veggie wrap - so good - for lunch.
Saturday I am meeting up with some vegetarian/vegan folks for a meeting at the Zen Tea House - can't wait to try it.
Then on Sunday I'm having dinner with a SBTS prospective student and her family. Don't know where we'll go yet.

Taste of Chicago - Grand Lux Cafe

We thought the bags looked pretty familiar when we walked in - we were right - this place is owned by the same folks who own Cheesecake Factory. You know its going to be good. And it was next door to Ann Taylor - so how bad could it bed? And it had a wait at 4pm? We only waited about 15 minutes and when we walked out - it was about an hour wait. Glad we got there early!

I was not anticipating a sit-down nice restaurant when I heard about this place from a friend just based on the name alone. I'm so glad we stopped there.

We had their bread - very good. I took lots of photos. I dropped my knife and fork - silly me. The tables were completely on top of each other, but people know how to dine. I couldn't tell you what the other folks were talking about at their table. Most of the time people talk so loud at restaurants. Our first waiter wasn't all that, but halfway through they changed shifts and our waitress was much better.

To start off with - the Edamame: stir fried with Spicy Szechwan Sauce. SO GOOD! Better than Chais in Durham (gasp!)

Then, Janel got the soup of the day - a chicken chowder with veggies. I took a bite - good and warm on a cold day.

I got the mini goat cheese and mushroom pizza. This was not mini (about 7 inches by 3 inches) and was only 4.95 and was AMAZING. I would go back there every time and order this.

For dessert (and take home): New Orleans Beignets Served Warm with Three Sauces (a creme anglaise (close your eyes and savor the warmth and richness good), chocolate, and raspberry. They were warm and yummy. Thanks Kathy for the suggestion.

This place was definitely the best place I ate all weekend and I would gladly go there again! :)

Taste of Wheaton: Butterfield's Pancake House

Love the internet. It created a safe haven for Janel and I to venture into suburbia for lunch after church. Though it didn't disappoint, it didn't exceed my expectations. It was good. Not fabulous.

Janel got the hash with chorizo, tomatoes, avocado, potatoes. It was good - there was other stuff in it too. She said it could have used less chorizo and more tomotoes. Came with an english muffin - which I had.

I got the acclaimed heart heathy Caramalized Banana Steel Cut oats. A huge bowl - massive. Good, but very sweet. Basically - a big bowl of steel cut oats - which I love. With a banana chopped up on top, sugar blowtorched on it - with a runny caramel sauce below. Good, sweet - filling.

Do I need to go back if I'm in the area - no not really. Good for lunch on a Sunday afternoon - yes. Very quick service and cheap (under 10$). So there you go.