Affordable Arepas at Guasaca

I first tried arepas at the last international festival in downtown Raleigh and became a fan at first bite.  These Colombian and Venezuelan corn cakes are pan fried and or baked and served stuffed with any manner of filling.  My first was served with marinated shredded beef and cheese.  I was excited to see an "areperia" open up in right here in Raleigh with these delectable corn sandwiches and was even more excited to see that around four bucks a pop the prices were well suited to my budget.  You can pick a one of Guasaca's signature combinations of fillings or design your own with choices like shredded beef, steak, braised pork, chicken, tilapia, or black beans.  Add toppings ranging from pinto beans or plantains to coleslaw and caramelized onions for a satisfying and reasonably healthy meal.  Creamy cilantro, mustard, or wine vinegar are the icing on the cake.  The best pick has to be the pricier, but worth it, signature sauce guaseco sauce reminiscent of a chunky guacamole.  My main criticism would be the saltiness of the dishes, most notable in the guasaco sauce.  The atmosphere is super casual and the food is served up fast in a Moe's burrito assembly line type fashion.  Two of my other income deficient friends likewise gave Guasaco positive reviews for cheap, healthy and unique options.



 



                              

Spring Break Edition: Asheville Nice Town, Weird Folk, Good Eats

I know Spring Break is supposed to be all about the beach, but I'm more of a mountain girl, and any chance to visit my best buddies in Asheville, is one I'm going to nab.

Asheville is one of my favorite places to visit. It's a "nice town, weird folk" as the saying goes, but good eats should just as well be tacked on to the end. After living there for six years (the longest I've lived anywhere thanks to college and grad school,) I have quite a few favorite places where I always like to make my rounds when I visit. I'll share a few old favorites and some new places I tried on this most recent jaunt.

Asheville Top Picks

Doc Chey's Noodle House -  My perennial favorite. Cheap, fresh, and delicious. I almost don't want to spread this around, because the wait for a table in this tiny place is already insanely long.  My favorite pick is the Szechuan stirfry.  The sauce is incredible, the vegetables varied and crisp.  I could live on this (and in fact I was eating here once a week for quite awhile.) If they took reservations it would be a no brainer, but years later the word's gotten out and you better be prepared to wait an hour.

Marco's Pizza - The best Pizza in Asheville bar none.  It took awhile to find good floppy thin crust New York style Pizza in Asheville, but thank god I did.  This place has the goods.  I like mine straight up cheese (I'm a total purist when it comes to good pizza.)  The Greek salads and particularly the homemade greek dressing is the stuff Mediterranean dreams are made of.
12 Bones - A pork lovers fantasy land.  Pork smoked out back with an array of gourmet sauces (blueberry chipotle ribs anyone?) homemade sides, and local beer all at a reasonable price.  This is western Carolina style barbeque country, so stick with the tomato based sauces and let the vinegar based ones stay back East. My male friends are obsessed with the hogzilla (a monster of a sandwich towering with pulled pork, bacon, a homemade sausage and cheese) to the point where it has become a much loved right of passage.  I'm partial to the equally caloric, but slightly less guilt inducing pork plate with jalepeno cheese grits, cornbread and bacon cooked collards.  The freshly smoked turkey, bacon, and brie sandwich with pesto mayo is similarly a taste sensation.  Even the salads here are amazing (I would eat the spicy ranch dressing on literally anything) and have to the option of being pork laden.  If your avoiding meat, as I was this summer, don't let yourself within a five mile radius of this place (you can smell the pork smoking from about that far out) it can make even an ironclad veggie's will crumble.  Am I gushing?



Smoked Turkey Bacon Brie Sandwich

  

Pulled Pork Plate with Collards and Jalepeno Cheese Grits

Early Girl Eatery - There are a mindblowing assortment of good places for brunch in Asheville, but Early Girl has always been my top pick.  They use farm fresh produce, cheeses, eggs, and meats.  The food is consistently amazing, but you have to be a pretty early girl indeed to get a table.  This place fills up fast!

My favorite pick is the Sausage and sweet potato scramble with a biscuit and local Berry Best jam.

This Trip

Sunny Point- An excellent place for breakfast or brunch if you are willing to wait.  They use local hormone antiobiotic free meats which is music to my ears.  Some great picks are the breakfast croissant, the amazing stuffed French toast available in savory (with cream cheese, cheddar, and crumbled local sausage) or sweet versions, and the award winning huevos rancheros with blean bean cakes, eggs,chorizo, salsa verde, roasted potatoes, tortilla slivers, and cilantro crema.  I've been trying to replicate this dish at home ever since I first had it.  This time around I tried a special dish about to be entered in a food competition.  The Tomato Napoleon, with layers of local heirloom tomatoes, homemade pimento cheese, fresh basil, and a flaky parmesaen pepper biscuit.

Tomato Napoleon

White Duck Taco - A new hotspot for underfinanced foodies in Asheville located over in the River Arts District.  Homemade soft tacos in unique combinations like Lamb Gyro, Banh Mi Tofu, Duck Mole or Jerk Chicken, run around $3.50 or so each. Surprisingly, I was advised against ordering the duck taco, strange considering the name.  Popular opinion convinced me to try the Bangkok shrimp tacos which were loaded with crunchy shrimp, fresh lightly pickeled cumcumber slices and a creamy sweet, spicy thai sauce.  The margaritas were made with fresh juice and super yummy, but could have benefited from some additional tequila. 

Steak and Cheese Taco on Left, Bangkok Shrimp Taco on Right.

Yo Lo Local Frozen Yogart- Going out for fro yo is a tradition with my best friends in Asheville.  While we used to hit up TCBY, the addition of a local frozen yogart place called Fro Lo convinced us to mix it up.  I LOVED the new springtime additions of Key lime and Creamy Coconut.  Yum!  My friends went to town on the toppings bar favoring the Girl Scout Thin Mint peices.

Dumplings! and Noodles! and....Chocolate?

Open Top Pork and Shrimp Sui Mai

I used to be a fan of the Duck and the Dumpling Asian restaurant, and was disappointed when it closed. So I was thrilled to hear The Duck and the Dumpling's chef David opened his own, chef owned and operated, establishment David's Noodle and Dumpling.  David's newest foodie enterprise is located on Hillsborough St. in Raleigh across the street from NC State University.  He always seems to be there (does the man ever take a day off?), and frequently greets each table himself, usually with a amuse bouche of delicious carrot ginger soup. The food is dished up in a classy modern atmosphere. But lets get down to the main event!  The entrees I've tried (which are several...) have all been good to varying degrees, but as the name implies the noodles and dumplings are truly the stars of the show.  Strangely, the number of dumplings on the menu are fairly limited, but they are all well done.  Dumplings include David's signature half fried dumplings, with a juicy meatball like interior (good, but I'd like to have some veg in here too), well seasoned fried mushroom edamame dumplings that are short on meat but not flavor, and the steamed pork and shrimp open top shui mai, which are probably my favorite of the bunch.  The noodles are sure to please, and with the notable exception of the lo mein (good, but a bit oily), they generally come in soup form.  David is Vietnamese and despite working in a Chinese restaurant in Vietnam, you can taste his Vietnamese roots in the pho.  An ex boyfriend and close friend of mine got me hooked on his favorite noodle soup years ago (we still go out for pho when we meet up), and my taste for the fresh taste of basil laden pho was intensified on a trip to Vietnam. David's version is different then my favorite local Vietnamese hole in the wall, it may be slightly less authentic (no mystery meats or aweful here) but he stays true to the favor profile in a clean, contemporary version of the iconic Vietnamese soup. I've been here several times for soup when I was feeling under the weather.  Pho is the ultimate cure-all. Never-the-less my favorite noodle dish here is definitely the Malaysian Curry Noodle Soup.  I prefer the more toothsome egg noodles to the rice noodles of the pho. The soup has a heavenly everything but the kitchen sink combination of noodles, dumplings, chicken, basil, and a perfectly balanced rich curry broth.  HIGHLY RECOMMENDED.

Malaysian Curry Noodle Soup



Fried Mushroom Edamame dumplings



Lo Mein

                                                  

                                                 Kung Po Chicken

Spring Rolls



 What to pass up on?  The spring rolls.  Usually the Vietnamese get these spot on, however crispy the exterior, the interior of these miss the mark.  The vegetables are in a moo goo gai pan type sauce that is tasteless and turns the interior into mush.  I probably don't even need to say this, but also skip the chocolate cake.  Chef David is very talented, but he is a chef, not a baker.  His kitchen doesn't seem to measure out the ingredients, which though fine when cooking, doesn't work out so well with baking.  The flourless chocolate cake has the consistency and taste of a flourless chocolate sponge served in a ramekin and topped with quickly melting whipped cream (fortunately there is a sponge there to soak up the mess.)  Chocolate sponge and goopy spring roll not withstanding, most items on the menu are very well executed.  I love the combination of authentically flavored dishes (like Chinese greens and dumpling soup or pork, pickled turnip and ginger soup below) executed in more American friendly style (think white meat chicken) and dishes that even your finicky "I only eat sesame chicken" sort of friends will be happy with. The prices here are excellent for the quality of food and atmosphere that you are getting, making this a definite underfinanced foodie fav and a go-to restaurant for me.



Ginger Lamb



Pork, Pickled Turnip and Ginger Soup







The Federal...All About the Sides

I've noted the hype about the Federal gastropub off Main street in the heart of downtown Durham, and perhaps I went in with overly high expectations.  Some friends and I hit up the restaurant before a film festival over at Carolina Theatre. We were ushered into the backroom, where the first thing we noticed was how dark in was. As in too dark to read your menu kind of dark.  Whatever though, it irritated my dining companions more than myself.  The noise level back there was considerably more bothersome.  No doubt the small size of the room greatly amplified the sound of the large party sitting near us.  Once again, if the food is good enough, not a deal breaker for me.  I was advised by the waitress to order one of the daily changing specials.  I picked out the half rack of barbecue ribs, collard greens and fries.  My burgerphile friend ordered the burger au poivre reputed to be better than the Bullcity burgers he loves, and my other friend ordered a chicken panini with fontina, bacon and basil aioli on grilled sourdough. 

The chicken panini seemed to be the best pick of the three, no complaints. (My ever patient friends must get so tired of me insisting on trying their food...)

I love steak au poivre, so I had high hopes for my friend's order (I had been torn on the idea of ordering it myself.) The burger au poivre was well seasoned, but so heavily blackened and overcooked (not nearly the requested medium) that it reached a hockey puck like consistency. The kaiser roll it was served on and accompanying accoutrement would have helped to build a great burger had it not been drastically overcooked. The garlic "Fed fries" were exceptional.  They were hand cut and double fried for the perfect crisp, and perfectly garlicky.

The ribs were a let down.  They were tender enough, but the copious amounts of the Fed's homemade take on barbecue sauce was overwhelming in a not entirely pleasant way.  They were actually very reminiscent of when my college cafeteria used to attempt to make barbecue ribs, and that is certainly not a complement.   Fortunately, the unfortunate entree was accompanied by some lipsmackingly fantastic collard greens complimented with bacon, brown sugar and vinegar.  I also enjoyed my own side of the fabulous Fed fries.

Ultimately, the Fed isn't a total pass, there are some great things there (read: garlic fries and collard greens), but definitely some misses as well. The prices range from $8 to $18 with plenty of options under $10 to suit the needs of an underfinanced foodie and is generally better than your average bar food.

Burger Au Poivre and Fed Fries

Barbecue ribs, collard greens and Fed Fries

Chicken Panini and Side Salad

Searching for a Grade A Burger

Everyday a new burger place seems to pop up.  For better or worse it is a quintessentially American comfort food.  Bad Daddy's Burger Bar, one of my favorite burger joints from Charlotte has recently expanded outside the Queen City to open up a Raleigh location.  After sampling so many fantastic burgers at great triangle establishments like Bun, Bull City Burgers, Draft, Mo Joe's, Chow, and most recently Ashley Christensen's gourmet Chuck's, I had to see how these burgers, and of course their French fried sidekicks, stacked up.  Since I'm rating the meat, I thought I'd see who truly deserves to have their burger called "Grade A."

Bun - Downtown Chapel Hill, great fries, and assortment of burger topping combos and a great homemade vegan veggie burger than hardly made me miss the meat.  Good fresh fries regular or sweet potato served with your choice of unique dipping sauces like curry mustard, thai sesame, or wasabi mayo. Grade B

Bull City Burgers - Downtown Durham.  The most exceptional part of this burger joint is the locally raised beef, homemade condiments, and local produce.  Not to mention the beers from the in-house brewery!  Great choice of burger toppings like caramelized onions and gruyere.  Family style picnic table seating promotes a communal vibe with other diners. Just hope you can find a spot to sit before your food emerges. This tongue in cheek decor makes proclamations on how many vegetarians they have converted. This is a great place to bring a guy on a date, I have to rave reviews.  My criticism is that they consistently overcook their burgers for my taste.  I ask for medium, and always seem to get medium-well to well done.
Grade B+

Mo Joe's -  Downtown Raleigh.  Despite burgers being the specialty at this burger spot, neither myself or my burger loving accomplice were impressed.  Burgers didn't strike me as fresh ground. I'm not a fan of crinkle cut fries, I like them fresh cut, I might have been better off ordering the house chips instead. Not terrible, but not remarkable either. I doubt I'll be back. Grade C

Chow -  North Raleigh off of Creedmore.  While I generally get the nachos here, the burgers are a highlight as well.  Just stick to the meat and avoid the black bean burger...it's just not the same and doesn't stick together particularly well. The turkey avocado burger is great, and they are willing to cook your burger on the rare side. The regular fries are decent, but the sweet potato fries here are where it's at, they're actually crispy...probably due to a double trip to the fryer. Grade B-

Draft - DELICIOUS burger. I had a double pattie with cheese and peppered bacon.  A group of my favorite burger obsessed guys raved about this place saying it was one of the best burgers they'd had ever had.  Great flavor combinations.  They do not make fresh fries here though...so I would recommend the homemade chips instead. I'm very sorry to say....I was devastated to hear that they closed their doors on New Years Day.  WHY???  Grade A

Bad Daddy's Burgers - Downtown Raleigh at Seaboard Station and Charlotte locations.  Great burgers for every taste with a wide range of  fabulous homemade sauces to choose from.  My favorite is the signature "Bad Daddy's Sauce" a creamy sweet and smoky sauce. Burgers from the fresh mozzarella, tomato and basil burger to my guy friend's burger of legend "the baconator" with six strips of two kinds of bacon, bacon salt, cheese, and bacon mayonaise.  It's a heart attack on a plate no doubt, but they will probably continue to order it until the day they keel over. Another treat for the bacon lover, Bad Daddy's has on offering a burger patty made out of a combination of ground beef and bacon for a smoky bacon-y flavor throughout every bite.  My recent burger at Bad Daddy's was yummy, but with a very soggy bottom bun.  It was probably the messiest burger I've ever had, it totally fell apart on me, but the flavors were good. The homemade fries are fantastic with the dipping sauces. Grade B+

Chuck's - James Beard award nominated local chef Ashley Christensen's contribution to the local burger scene.  Hand cut Belgian fries and a "comeback" sauce that has been most effective in luring my roommate to comeback rather frequently.  I wasn't super impressed with the sauces I had, just because they tend to be mayonnaise based, which is very European of them...but I'm not European and I'm not a fan. Chuck's boasts innovative and non-traditional toppings like beats or bacon onion jam. Diners can choose from a 8 ounce burger or smaller 5 ounce freshly ground 100% chuck patty seared on a flat top grill and served on a potato bun.  Even 5 ounce burgers are very thick. I hated getting bites of bun and condiments with no meat, but then I guess I should have ordered the 8 ounce. The milkshakes are worth a try, I don't LOVE the tiny little bits of ice in them, but the flavor is fantastic.  I had the Madagascar (Vanilla) malt milkshake and I couldn't stop grinning, it tasted like my childhood. Grade A

Ultimately, if Draft was still around it would get my vote hands down...but it's not and I'm trying not to dwell on it.  That being said, that makes Chucks the best burger I've had around. The great quality juicy beef patty with the perfect seasoning and sear stole the show.  My runner up would be Bad Daddy's, I can't get enough of their dipping sauces and great fries. The burger is delicious, and might have come out on top had it not been for the soggy bottom bun.  From an underfinced foodie perspective these burgers are pricy.  A burger at Chucks runs you $9 and didn't include fries. Ordering the smaller 5 ounce burger allowed me to eat a gourmet burger without the wallet guilt.  A signature burger at Bad Daddy's can run around $11 but comes with fries.  I do the build your own, which depending on what toppings you get, can offer a better value.

Burger and Fries from Big Daddy's Burger Bar

 5 ounce burger from Chuck's.



Belgian Fries From Chucks

Guglhupf Bakery and Brunch

A friend of mine made the drastic claim that Guglhupf Bakery and Cafe in Durham offers an even better brunch than La Farm Bakery in Cary.  Hmph...I found that difficult believe, but made a point to get over there and see how it lived up to the ringing endorsement.  My first impression did leave me admittedly impressed.  The decor and atmosphere of the two floor cafe with the beautiful outdoor patio section was considerably more appealing for guests dining in than La Farm's cramped little dining room.  I also appreciated that my food was served on legitimate plates with legit silverware (one of my few qualms with La Farm.)  The presentation was appealing and the service was good. But ultimately, it all comes down to the food.  Since Guglhupf is a German bakery, it seemed prudent to order one of the German specialties.  I ordered the Alsatian layered potato and cheese tart, which was quite good, but not as warm as I would have liked, and a little heavy on the pepper.  To provide a more evenhanded perspective I needed to test out the baked goods (that's my excuse anyway...) I bought a loaf of the Guglhupf signature house bread to go, a bag of the Guglhupf granola with almonds, and an almond croissant that never made it home.  The bread was very good, really a toss up with La Farm's bread. Despite my love of all things almond, the granola didn't win me over.  Strangely it's a little TOO sweet and salty, especially if used as a topping for fruit yogurt.  I'm highly partial to the honey sesame flavor of the La Farm granola.  As for the croissant, you can't beat the French there.  The croissant was good, but had a slight hint of rye flavor that I found didn't quite belong.  So the consenus?  If your going out with friends, Guglhupf provides a considerably nicer dining atmosphere, especially on a nice day.  However, my heart (and stomach) still ultimately belong to La Farm.  Vive la France!

Pumpkin Flavor All The Things!

    I was playing trivia recently, and was pleased as punch to hear a team was named "Pumpkin Flavor All The Things."  I couldn't agree more. My fall obsession with the pumpkin is now in full swing.  It always begins with a Starbucks Pumpkin Spice Latte, my personal harbinger of Autumn, and accelerates from there.  Before I know it I've bought up all the pumpkin delicacies that cross my path. Perhaps the irresistible draw of pumpkin goodies comes from the old McRib formula of only being available for a limited time. But then again...I'm never tempted to buy a McRib. Just when I thought I had maxed out on all the pumpkiny goodness, I saw the Trader Joe's October Fearless Flyer, or the "pumpkin issue," and was torn between feelings of elation and skepticism.  The obsession with all things pumpkin has clearly reached epic proportions. There were literally 21 pumpkin items listed!  Pumpkin Spice Ravioli? I don't know... Today I went to Dunkin Donuts to pick up treats for some students when I was confronted with, you guessed it, pumpkin doughnuts.  The pumpkins are taking over, so make smart choices readers.  To help you out, here are my favorite pumpkin goodies of the season:

6. The Cheesecake Factory's Pumpkin Cheesecake

5. Trader Joe's Pumpkin Pancake Mix
4. McCutcheon's Pumpkin Butter (Available at Whole Foods)
3. Big Boss Harvest Time Pumpkin Ale with Spices

2. Brueggers Pumpkin cream cheese

1. An autumnal classic...the Starbucks Pumpkin Spice Latte