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

Chicken N' Waffles

At the urging of my friend Emily, I finally jumped on the chicken and waffles bandwagon and visited the popular Durham establishment Dame's Chicken and Waffles.  I was made a total chicken and waffle convert.  Delicious specialty waffles like sweet potato, blueberry, gingerbread or plain are topped with juicy flavorful chicken cutlets, drumsticks, or wings and paired with buttery spreads in a variety of flavors.  I tried the sweet potato waffle with a chicken cutlet, orange honeycomb spread and a honey Dijon drizzle (I was skeptical about that last part...but it works.) My taste buds were electrified.  Sides included some amazing mac and cheese, grits, collared greens with a kick, veggies, or a side salad.  While the food was sensational, patrons have to suffer through long waits and mediocre service (at best) from over-stretched waitresses struggling to balance seating guests, taking orders, helping out with who knows what in the kitchen, delivering food, refilling drinks (but mostly not,) and busing tables.  This place needs some bus boys and enough kitchen staff where they don't need the waitstaff to help out, especially on a busy Saturday night. After waiting an entire hour for a table for three, my friends and I were finally presented with a table.  Some time later our food came out, which we stared at longingly for a torturous five minutes before we could flag down a waitress to bring out some silverware.  I was feeling hungry and grumpy until I finally tried the food. Wow...it definitely turned my frown upside down. The chicken was well seasoned and juicy and provided the perfect savory complement to the sweetness of the waffle. Despite the intense frustration, I'll probably be back.  This time however, I'll keep trying even after the first three phone calls to make a reservation go unanswered.

          

Gearing Up for Downtown Raleigh Restaurant Week

With Downtown Raleigh Restaurant Week starting on Monday, August 20th  it's time to check out the venues and see who is offering the best deals!  For those of you who may be unfamiliar with Downtown Raleigh Restaurant Week, it's the perfect occasion to pull out that twenty or thirty dollars you may have been squirreling away (plus tip of course...) in order to sample some of the finer dining options available downtown.  Participating restaurants each offer a $20 or $30 three course pre-fixe dinner while providing the diner with options from a few select choices, and often (depending on the location) the ability to tack on a $10 wine or beer pairing.  This year some restaurants are even offering a $15 appetizer sampling if you want to save some more dough and eat tapas style. So no this is not a particularly affordable evening for those of us on a fixed income, however it can provide the opportunity to patronize an establishment that might otherwise be well out of budget.  So if for once a year you can throw your foodie finances (slightly) to the wind and indulge in not only a nice restaurant, but also in an appetizer and dessert, then this is the week to do it!

So without further adieu, here are the participating restaurants offering a $20 pre-fixe dinner, the menu choices they are offering and my humble opinion as to whether they are offering a deal worth indulging in. So yes in other words...I've done the leg work for you...you're welcome.
Ahem...

$20 Dining Options

Restaurant: 518 West
Type of Food: Italian           
Menu Selections:  
     1st course-  Gazpacho, House or Ceasar salad
     2nd course-  Shrimp Risotto, Chicken Marsala, Beet Pesto Spaghetti
     3rd course-  Tiramisu, Creme Brulee, Brownie Sundae      
Wine/Beer Pairing Availability: Nope
Value: I love 518 West... Appetizers like soup or salad typically run about $4.50, entrees around $15 and desserts around $5.50.  So the restaurant week deal is kinda like getting a free salad or dessert.

Restaurant:Beasley's Chicken and Honey
Type of Food: Uh...chicken           
Menu Selections:  
     1st course-  Salad 
     2nd course-  Fried chicken and two sides
     3rd course-   Un-identified featured dessert           
Wine/Beer Pairing Availability: Nada
Value: The chicken and two sides would ordinarily run you $14.50 and a dessert would cost $5.75. Making this savings the equivalent of a free salad and 25 cents off your dessert.  I've heard they ordinarily overcharge here for what you get, but this is one of three time James Beard Award nominee Ashley Christensen's restaurants, so it certainly can't be half bad.

Restaurant: The Big Easy
Type of Food: Cajun and Creole (although a certain Cajun friend of mine might well disagree on this point...)            
Menu Selections: No se....hopefully they will get that posted.     
Wine/Beer Pairing Availability: No...but there is a $15 appetizer sampler menu here.
Value: I went here last year for Downtown Raleigh Restaurant Week and felt like the deal wasn't that much better than just ordering what you want off the menu.

Restaurant: Cafe Luna
Type of Food: Italian           
Menu Selections: 
     1st course- Choice of 3 salads     
     2nd course- Choice of pumpkin ravioli, linguini with pesto, chicken scaloppini, or beef tenderloin.
     3rd course-  Gelato or cheesecake              
Wine/Beer Pairing Availability: No...but discounted wine is available with the purchase of two pre-fixe dinners.
Value: Depends on what you order.  A salad runs about $4 and an entree runs about $14, so the deal is like getting a discounted dessert.

Restaurant: Gravy
Type of Food: Italian           
Menu Selections:
     1st course-  Salad, risotto cakes or bruschetta.   
     2nd course- Lasagna, eggplant pie, chicken Parmesan, gnocchi, pasta primavera, or whole wheat penne with grilled chicken.
     3rd course-  Flourless chocolate cake, panna cotta, or cannoli.            
Wine/Beer Pairing Availability: Nope
Value: Gravy is d'lish. I knew it had to be the real deal since my favorite Italian has always called tomato sauce gravy. With the deal this is like saving about 50 cents and a free dessert.

Restaurant: La Volta
Type of Food: Italian          
Menu Selections: 
     1st course- Eggplant Rollatini, Bruschetta, or Mozzarella Caprese Salad    
     2nd course- Veg. Lasagne, Penne with sasauge and peppers, Fettucini Alfredo with chicken,Spaghetti Bolognese, or bow tie pasta with salmon in pink sauce.
     3rd course-  A homemade mystery dessert    
Wine/Beer Pairing Availability: No...but appetizer sampler menu yes.
Value: I've never been here, but I love eggplant rollatini, so I may have to go...  An appetizer here would ordinarily run around $7, one of the pasta dishes would cost around $14 dollars. So you're already saving around a buck even before you get the free dessert.

Restaurant: Five Star
Type of Food:  Asian         
Menu Selections:
     1st course-  Spicy shrimp, chicken lettuce wraps, or Korean ribs 
     2nd course- "Five Star General's" Chicken, Crispy Sesame Beef,
Teriyaki Beef Tenderloin
with mashed potatoes and sauteed vegetables, Ginger Scallion Shrimp,Szechuan Tofu & Vegetables
     3rd course-  Chocolate cake, or fresh fruit and cream.      
Wine/Beer Pairing Availability: No, but there is an appetizer sampler menu.
Value: One of these appetizers here will cost around $8, an entree here runs about $12 and up depending on what you order. It's like getting a free dessert, with the added bonus of being able to order a couple options not available on the regular menu.


Restaurant: Irregardless Cafe
Type of Food: Americana           
Menu Selections:
     1st course-  Middle Eastern platter, salad, or a cup of soup.
     2nd course- Thai green curry or roasted eggplant risotto (my boss has raved about this dish.)
For $30 upgrade to a meat entree: pan roasted salmon, roast chicken, or beef brisket.
     3rd course-  Key lime pie, vegan chocolate cake, or flour-less brownie.
Wine/Beer Pairing Availability: YES!
Value:  Irregardless offers both a $20 and a $30 pre-fixe menu. So that you can be good, or oh so bad.
The value is essentially like getting a free dessert. 
Restaurant: Tuscan Blu
Type of Food:  Italian          
Menu Selections:
     1st course-  Lobster Ravioli (1 peice, so this is more of an amuse bouche than a course.)   
     2nd course- House salad
     3rd course- Choice of lasagna, angel hair primavera, or baked red snapper.
      Dessert- Cheesecake     
Wine/Beer Pairing Availability: Yes.
Value: Tuscan Blu also offers the choice of a $20 or $30 pre-fixe menu.  Ordering the $20 menu is like getting a free amuse bouche and a free dessert. Totally different options available for the $30 menu. This deal equates to getting a free salad. Or if you choose the porterhouse steak option the price bumps up to $35. This is out of my price range so...yeah, let me know how it is.

Restaurant: Sitti
Type of Food: Mediterranean and Lebanese           
Menu Selections:  All a mystery at this point...
     1st course-      
     2nd course- 
     3rd course-             
Wine/Beer Pairing Availability: No...
Value: Not knowing what they are serving, I can't say.  I do remember last year's menu looking really yummy.

Restaurant: The Rockford
Type of Food:  Generally this place is known for sandwiches          
Menu Selections:
     1st course-  Salad, crab cake, or prosciutto wrapped shrimp   
     2nd course- ABC signature sandwich, pan- seared salmon salad, bacon burger, NC Tilefish ( I have no idea what that is...) and filet mignon! Yes, you read correctly.
     3rd course-  Cheesecake or personal Oreo or Boston creme pie cake.     
Wine/Beer Pairing Availability: Yes!
Value: Obviously, this depends considerably on what you order... this could alternately come out about even to what you might regularly spend or be a real deal. It's a great chance to try some non-sandwich menu additions.
                       
Restaurant: The Pit
Type of Food:  Barbecue ya'll  (I can't say that in real life, but a Yankee girl can type it right?)           
Menu Selections:
     1st course-   Grilled focaccia, pimento deviled eggs, or smoked chicken salad.
     2nd course- Mushroom and sausage stuffed pork chop or Barbecue chicken.
     3rd course- Peach and raspberry cobbler or banana pudding.       
Wine/Beer Pairing Availability: Nada
Value:  Great eastern style barbecue here...why isn't it on the menu? Like getting a free $7 dessert.
 
Restaurant: Market
Type of Food: Local and seasonal           
Menu Selections:  Still under wraps!
     1st course-     
     2nd course- 
     3rd course-           
Wine/Beer Pairing Availability: Yes!
Value: Market is a great place, I love the local farm fresh meats and veggies.  Not sure what kind of value this menu will present, but I bet it will be pretty good.

Restaurant: Jibarra
Type of Food:  Modern Mexican          
Menu Selections:
     1st course-  Ham wrapped asparagus or jicama taco.   
     2nd course- Pasta in pumpkin seed sauce with choice of shrimp or vegetables.
     3rd course-  Arroz con leche or peach empanada      
Wine/Beer Pairing Availability: No
Value: Not sure why a pasta dish is the only entree available at a Mexican restaurant...I haven't seen these items on the regular menu, so I'm not sure of the value.  Entrees here are generally pretty pricey though.

A few $30 menu highlights...
Restaurant: Zely and Ritz
Type of Food:  Eclectic local American
Menu Selections: No word yet
     1st course-     
     2nd course- 
     3rd course-           
Wine/Beer Pairing Availability: No
Value: I've wanted to try this place for quite awhile since I'm a big fan of local sustainable food.  However, the prices have been prohibitive.  A regular tasting menu at Zely and Ritz is $32.50. I don't know what it includes, but this price is fairly comparable to that.


Restaurant: Buku
Type of Food: Global street food inspired cuisine           
Menu Selections:
     1st course-  Berry salad, spicy potato cake, or African peanut stew.
     2nd course- Adobo pork tenderloin, Duck breast and duck confit with gnocchi, Vietnamese rice noodles with seared tofu.
     3rd course-  Sweet blueberry and cream cheese egg roll or a Saffron and Pistachio Kulfi frozen Indian custard.         
Wine/Beer Pairing Availability:
Value: Oh my lord these menu choices sound amazing...I may be rooting through the couch cushions to try to hit up this one. This place is ordinarily pricey, but also delicious. I had a fun date night here, so I have positive associations with this place anyway. Whether this is a good value depends on whether the 2nd course is made up or small or large plates...I'm assuming large or it's no deal. If the 2nd course is a large plate, than this is essentially the equivalent of a free dessert.


I may add more of the $30 menus later on...but this is the Underfinanced Foodie after all....so $30 plates aren't exactly within my price range and therefore just make me a little envious.

Be sure to let me know where you wind up going and how it was!

The Sushi-lympics

I used to hate sushi, the rice vinegar, the raw fish, I just didn't get the appeal. Then, I went to Japan... In Japan the appeal of sushi suddenly made sense,and my early courtship with sushi began. Back in the States I felt like the sushi didn't match up. The fish wasn't as fresh or sliced as finely. However as of late, with an abundance of sushi restaurants in the Raleigh area, I've sought out the best sushi around. In honor of the Summer Olympics I've tested four local contenders against the criterion of taste, freshness, presentation, roll selection, and service, in an effort to determine the best.

Shiki Sushi (Durham) :

Pros- A massive selection of interesting and inventive rolls.  Delicious, large and filling, and perhaps most importantly...buy one get one free for most of the rolls. Once again, plan on sharing a plate with your dining companion, but if you are with a group you can even order a wooden boat full of rolls, how cool is that!?

Cons- The prices of individual rolls are pretty expensive, if it wasn't buy one get one free it wouldn't be any deal. That being said, watch out, they will charge you for the most expensive rolls ordered by your whole party, and take off the least expensive rolls ordered. So make sure to order rolls that are fairly comparable in price with those of the rest of your group, or try separating checks and orders beforehand and see if that will work for you.

Try the Sear-Sea roll, the Florida roll and the Caribbean roll! Each pictured below.

Mura (North Raleigh) :
Pros- Beautiful presentation of rolls, and good quality yummy tasting sushi served up in a classy modern atmosphere.
Cons- The price makes Mura only possible for a special night out, or when someone else is footing the bill. I suffered through what could have been an insufferable date here at Mura with a guy who argued with me about politics, but the food made it totally worth it. You had better make some advance reservations, because this place is popular. Parking can also be a b*tch.

Sono (Downtown Raleigh):

Pros - Nice presentation, as long as you don't mind sharing your rolls with your date. (This might bother me if I didn't have an even greater desire to try their rolls than to hoard my own.) Pleasant atmosphere and some WONDERFUL service.  (I went on a date here with a guy held up in traffic for 30 minutes so I really spent some quality time with the wait staff.) Free valet parking (of course there really is no such thing as free when you have to tip them, but it can still be cheaper than paying for parking in a lot downtown.)

Cons- Once again the prices are steep.

Sushi Blues (Downtown Raleigh):  
Pros-Some good vegetarian roll selections and the daily buy a roll get a roll free deal can be a great value for your sushi buck.
Cons- The presentation isn't always great, and the quality and flavor isn't as good as elsewhere.


Taking into account the various factors, and that overall I just can't get tuna or salmon as fresh as would be ideal here in Raleigh...my vote is for Shiki Sushi as the go to.  However, don't hesitate to pass up on Mura or Sono for a special occasion.

The Vegetarian Experiment

For almost three months now I've been undertaking a new foodie lifestyle. Ever since reading Skinny Bitch by Rory Freedman and Kim Barnouin, I've made the effort to cut out the meat. This has been difficult not just because I love meat, but because I hate tofu. My vegetarian experiment has been less the result of a desire not to consume the flesh of animals and more out of a desire not to ingest the hormones and antibiotics that animals are treated with, and a concern about the conditions wherein these animals are raised. I am open to eating hormone and antibiotic free, free range meats, but because of my tight purse strings I can rarely afford to do so. Therefore, I've spent the last three months finding the best delicious and affordable vegetarian products and options at local restaurants. Bonus! Vegetarian entrees often cost less than meat based entrees, and cutting the meat out of your grocery bill can save you some dough. Some Triangle area restaurants with a great veg selection:

The Borough - Sandwiches and Salads (try their spicy ranch dressing on...well anything!)

Neomonde - Middle Eastern

Aladdin's Eatery - Middle Eastern with a HUGE (like overwhelmingly so..) menu of affordable   healthyoptions.

Unaabi Afghan Cafe - Some great veggie options, who knew?

The Remedy Diner - Large selection of vegan items and some great cocktails to boot! Though they have  items for your carnivorous friends I don't particularly recommend some of them. Seasoning chicken doesn't appear to be their strong suit, but hey, they clearly cater to a largely vegetarian clientel.

Peace China ----Good veg. items, although they have VERY few veg. selections on their lunch special
 menu, something I take issue with. My friends rave about their tofu, but honestly it still tastes like a   sponge to me so I go plain Jane and just get vegetable entrees.

Sunflowers Sandwich Shop - Exactly as it sounds. Good veggie sandwiches, but a bit pricy for sitting in a revamped fast food joint, and they could stand to make their own potato chips... The dinner menu sounds good, but the prices are not frugal foodie friendly.

The Rockford - Fresh sandwiches, quesadillas, a burrito, and salads made with care and served in a hidden hole in the wall with a cute atmosphere.

Bun - Burger place on Franklin St. in Chapel Hill. Has a great homemade vegan veggie burger.

Veggie Items I'm obsessed with right now:

1. Morningstar Farms "Sausage" Patties-- I'm not a big fan of meat replacements but with these you'll never miss the real thing! The taste and even the texture is pure pork minus all the grease, fat and calories. Throw one on a biscuit with some egg or crumble one up in an egg omelet.

2. Dr. Praeger's California Veggie Burgers-- Don't expect the same texture of a beef burger, but these patties are chock full of vegetables and have a great flavor.

3. Silk Original Soy Milk-- I haven't given up dairy, but I finally got around to trying out Soy Milk, and it's surprisingly yummy.

4. Veggie Sushi Rolls-- Vegetarian and delicious! (Try the crunchy veggie roll at Sushi Blues!)

5. Falafels--Middle Eastern food can be a vegetarian's best friend! Delicious vegetarian salads, dips, wraps, and protein rich chickpea based items like falafels and hummus provide delicious sources of protein minus the meat. For a late night veggie treat, hit up the Pita Pit!

6. Hummus-- Neomonde makes the best!

8. Pesto-- My perennial favorite anyway, besides being delicious, vegetarians can get a dose of protein from the pine nuts. For a cheaper alternative substitute walnuts for pine nuts. Basil is in season now so make up a bunch of pesto now and freeze servings in ice cube trays for later.

9. Giada De Laurentiis products at Target-- I'm particularly enamored with her Vegetable Marinara.  It's packed with carrots, peppers, onions and garlic.  The flavor surprisingly robust to come from a jar, and the price is great. Frugal foodies rejoice!

A Taste of the Town in Garner

Recently, I was invited to attend the "Taste of the Town" event in the nearby town of Garner. While there were no Scotty McCreery themed menu items (think about it Garner!), there was a new Scotty McCreery music video premier and an auction for a giant Scotty billboard at the event, so I was not unsatisfied in that regard or any other. I have several close friends who live in Garner but regularly head to Raleigh to satiate their foodie cravings, so I was eager to see what was available in their neck of the woods. In addition to such Garner staples as Bojangles, Ragazzi's Italian, Tripps, Logans, McDonald's, Cheesecakes Plus, and Chick-fil-a, I was excited to sample the tasty offerings of locally owned and operated establishments like Tookie's Grill, Terra Fin, Aversboro Restaurant and Sports Bar, and Aversboro Coffee. 

Two of my favorite samples for the evening were provided by local catering companies Alaksha's Custom Catering and Unforgettable Food Affairs.  I took a breather from my vegetarian leanings to sample a few select meaty delights, and was glad I did!  The butter chicken with vegetables and rice cooked up by Chef Alaksha Surti of Alaksha Custom Catering was a true highlight.  The butter chicken was fall apart tender in a fragrant mild sauce of creamy tomato and well balanced spices. The rice was perfectly cooked, and having lived in Asia and eaten rice every day I feel that I can make that statement on decent authority. Alaksha's Custom Catering provides office catering and even family dinners, all out of the personal chef's own kitchen.  I wish she had a restaurant!  An entree for four can be whipped up by your personal chef for anywhere from $24 to $36 dollars.  You can visit her website at http://www.alakshascustomcatering.com/. 

My second favorite tasting of the evening was also compliments of a catering company.  Unforgettable Food Affairs put out a lovely spread with an equally lovely table scape.  (Anyone getting married?)  They offered an assortment of cheese spreads, and dips, crudites, chicken salad and my absolute favorite...an AMARETTO FRUIT DIP.  I could have eaten it by the bowlful...and in fact I did get seconds.  Find out more about catering from Unforgettable Food Affairs from http://www.raleighcatering.com/

The next delicious highlight that was truly worth remarking upon, was a sampling provided by Tookie's Grill.  While apparently known for their chicken salad, it was their homemade Pimento cheese with a delicious spicy kick that I found to be their most noteworthy item.  And with a price of $4.25 for a pimento cheese sandwich, it's a price that can scarcely be beat.

I'm a coffee junkie always looking for my next fix, so I like to know where my options are for wherever I may wind up in the surrounding area. I had heard that there weren't any coffee shops in Garner that didn't come with a heaping helping of religion. (I get enough of that when I visit my parents.) Don't get me wrong, I take no issue with religion (my dad is a minister,) but I prefer my coffee to be dark as sin. So I was so pleased to see (and taste!) Aversboro Coffee.   It comforted me to receive my coffee from a kohl lined barista who might fit in at any Seattle punk rock coffee shop. Those are the people I trust for a good coffee after all!  Aversboro brings in freshly roasted beans every two days from their close friends at Cup-A-Joe in Raleigh.

The friendly owner of the local Aversboro Restaurant and Sports Bar informed me that their casual public house and bar food establishment is like a family friendly "Cheers."  I'll be sure to pass their existence along to my Garner friends always looking for a new watering hole. Plus..you can get your fries ON your burger there!

FYI, while I have no idea which of these places Scotty McCreery frequents, certainly he would have tasted some of these hometown favorites.

Taste of Garner Coming Soon!

Tomorrow I will be covering the Taste of Garner event. So stay tuned to see what goodies can be found in the land of Scotty McCreery.

The Durham Food Truck Rodeo

For underfinanced foodies, the food truck phenomenon is a thing of wonder.  Delicious, often innovative and frequently local foods are served up at reasonable prices.  The world is your dining room!  However, food trucks can pose their own set of problems, like how and where to find them. Finding a food truck couldn't h ave been any easier this weekend at the Durham Food truck Rodeo in Durham's Central Park.  I couldn't resist attending to give you, loyal reader, the scoop on some of the best food trucks in the triangle.  There were over 30 food trucks in attendance Sunday serving up everything from the traditional burgers and pizza to gourmet crepes, roasted pork belly, dumplings and everything in between.  I've already been made a fan of the chirba chirba dumpling truck from previous encounters outside of Big Boss Taproom, so I tried to hit up some of the trucks I had been waiting to try.  I started with a piece of the Margarita pizza from Pie Pushers Pizza truck that featured basil pesto, goat cheese, heirloom tomatoes and mozzarella on a thin NY style crust.  Two thumbs up, I'm usually a pizza purest going for the classic cheese Margarita style, but I can always make exceptions when pesto is involved.  My carnivorous companion ordered the pepperoni slice and was equally pleased.  After being dissuaded from the Parlour ice cream truck by its mega line (I'm still sad I didn't get to sample flavors like Vietnamese coffee and lavender vanilla..,) I was consoled by the idea of a dessert crepe from Parlez Vous Crepe.  I ordered the lemon crepe with a lemon meringue pie style lemon filling and opted to add some fresh strawberries in line with the menu's suggestion. Then I waited...and waited...and waited some more.  Delicious looking crepes were received all around me and a growing crowd of people waited for their orders.  It got to the point of absurdity... about an hour for a crepe.  I did finally get it, and it was good, but very little is good enough to be worth that kind of wait.  I understand that food truck rodeos bring foodies out of the woodwork, and lines should be anticipated, but this was ridiculous.  The crepe was good, if you can catch the truck on a slow night, go for it, otherwise be prepared to wait.  My companion ordered a vanilla shaved ice, which was good (although personally I would have gone for something a little more exotic than vanilla.)  Some acquaintances of mine sampled a jerk chicken sandwich and a bacon wrapped hot dog with salsa verde, that both seemed pleased with.  One item had me seriously second guessing my current vegetarian experiment (more will follow on that in a future post,) chile rellenos stuffed with pulled roasted pork and cheese, deep fried in a beer batter and served with ranch or sweet Thai chili sauces.  These were offered up by the Valentino's Italian truck, it may not sound very Italian, but they looked so good I'd let that slide. I had to settle for harassing a person who was eating them into a bite by bite account.  Now go stalk some food trucks!

Life Really Is Sweet at Sugarland

Do you ever get a nighttime craving for something sweet and delicious, despite your mother's advice not to eat too close to bedtime? I do..like every night, and last night was no exception when I was dragged (kicking and screaming, mom I swear..)to Sugarland Bakery location in Raleigh's Cameron Village. Fortunately, or unfortunately depending on how you look at it, Sugarland is open at the prime sweets craving times of 10p.m. on week nights and till midnight on the weekends. Sugarland has already graced Chapel Hill with a location, and not to be outdone Raleigh now has it's very own. Now I like cupcakes alright, but honestly they are more pleasing to my eye than my pallette. The whole bakery case was indeed a treat for the eyes. The shelves held beautiful cupcakes that were little works of art, with flavors like Grasshopper and Boston Cream Pie. (Half price cupcakes on Tuesdays!) What Sugarland holds for me is GELATO. I've spent some time eating my way around Italy and gelato alone could probably account for a good five pounds of weight gain (it would probably have been more except that to eat my way through Italy I also had to do quite a bit of walking.) So you may wonder what the difference is between American style ice cream and GELATO. Gelato is more dense than ice cream with less air making it richer and is served at a slightly higher temperature than icecream, making the flavors more intense. I haven't yet figured out whether this means gelato is less likely to give you a brain freeze.. Miraculously gelato has less fat and calories than traditional ice cream, with 90- 160 calories a cup what's not to love? The rotating gelato flavors available at Sugarland range from classics like cappachino or pistachio to flavors more decidedly influenced by our side of the Atlantic like margarita, dulce de leche, or the cinnamon spiked Mexican chocolate. After some ample sampling, I think the Tiramasu may have been my favorite of flavors. Now here is the real kicker, they make frozen martinis from liquor and their fabulous homemade gelatos! I was also pulled in to try the Kentucky Derby Pie, an individual Bourbon pecan pie with chocolate chips and a drizzle of chocolate ganache and whipped cream. I know, sounds like food porn right? I wish it had more pecans, but it was definitely rich, I had to take half of my little pie home with me. The prices at Sugarland are on the steep side, but its still a fun place for a night out with friends or a date. I think I'll be finding more excuses to go to Cameron Village.

 

Coquette, Dinner vs. Brunch

So I've already made my love of brunch fairly clear.  It may be easy to make a delicious brunch at home, but the lower prices at brunch can provide a way for even an underfinanced foodie to try out those high end restaurants where they have been aching to dine.  Following this policy I have taken to enjoying one of my favorite fine dining establishments for brunch rather than dinner.  If you've been to Coquette French Bistro in North Hills, you know that the Parisian bistro setting is spot on.  It's open and airy and oozing French charm.  You may also know that the dinner prices are prohibitively high for all but special occasions for those of us working on a budget.  I've had dinner at Coquette and enjoyed my steak frites, although I expected better for the price. Fortunately, that was on a date where my tab was picked up. For those eating on their own dime (and I'm usually one of them,) brunch is the way to go.  It's not cheap, but it's much more accessible than the dinner prices.  The fresh bread and salted butter they serve is divine...and I don't generally use or even particularly like the term divine.  I highly recommend the eggs benedict and any of the quiches.  The eggs in the quiche have been whipped to a frenzy producing the most airy melt in your mouth quiche with a souffle like texture.  I hate to say skip out on the Croque Monseiur at a French Brasserie, but it was just ok, not extraordinary. The crepes are delicious, but despite how rich they are (and they are sinfully rich,) they aren't enough to fill me up.  I recommend a sweet crepe as a dessert rather than an entree, since it really is a dessert anyway, unless you have a considerable sweet tooth. So get a sugardaddy (or mamma) to take you for dinner, otherwise try Coquette for brunch, and soak up some of the Parisian charm.

Lebanese for Less at Neomonde

If the sound of rich creamy hummus, smoky baba ghanoush, or flaky honey sweetened layers of phyllo dough gets you salivary glands going, then you could head over to Sitti in downtown Raleigh, and fork out a substantial sum for a delicious Lebanese meal with a great ambiance.  However, if you are on my kind of budget and would prefer to enjoy the same quality of Lebanese goodness for less, then your destination should be Neomonde.  Neomonde is a sister restaurant of Sitti, with the same quality-albeit more casual -cuisine for a far lower price.  Neomonde is a Lebanese bakery, small scale grocery and casual cafe where you can order falafels, wraps, kabobs, shawarmas, and of course an array of delicious baked goods, to satiate that craving for Middle Eastern goodies without emptying your wallet. (Although to be fair, you may be tempted to drop every cent you have on a giant take-home box of baklava.) My favorite picks are the beef and lamb shawarma, the amazing herbed chicken salad, and their incomparable hummus.  I will say that their tabouli is not my favorite, and that the kabobs can run a little bland if not accompanied with a dipping sauce, but overall there is far more here worth trying than I can say. Neomonde also boasts an excellent selection for vegetarians.  I'm thrilled that Neomonde now has three locations with one in Morrisville and two in Raleigh.  I'm fortunate enough that their new North Raleigh location right off of Strickland is near me!  If your looking for something healthy and reasonably priced, Neomonde is a great option, so check it out.

Rotisserie Chicken..a Carnivore's Way to Stretch Their Meat Money

Being low on the finances, I don't typically purchase or consume a lot of meat.  Meat can be outrageously expensive, especially if you refuse to eat it in the form of a nugget or any other pre-fab ground with additives version. For those meat lovers among you, the easiest way to stretch your grocery dollars while getting your carnivore on is by purchasing and re-purposing rotisserie chickens.  This week I literally went to a pawn store to sell a couple of unused items in order to secure my grocery shopping money, so I need to make this stock of groceries really stretch.   Rotisserie chickens are a great way to do it. 

Night number one you can enjoy the bird in it's pure and simplest  form with some potatoes and veggies.  In a time pinch I LOVE the Alexia brand frozen red potato, mushroom, green bean and onion blend that comes with a packet of thyme infused olive oil. (You can find it at the Fresh Market.) I don't know how they manage to keep it from tasting frozen, but the chopped herbs certainly don't hurt.

If there are just one or two in your household you should have a considerable amount of leftover meat that can be gleaned from the bones.  I generally whip up a chicken salad with my leftovers plus dried fruit, apples, red onion, celery and walnuts, but the possibilities are endless.  Use the leftover bones and nasty bits to make a chicken stock and then strain all those tidbits out before adding fresh chopped veggies, noodles and of course leftover chicken for a soup.  You can even freeze your homemade chicken stock in ice cube trays if you would rather use it later. The rule of thumb for leftovers generally states that you should amp up both the spice/ seasoning quotient and the moisture.  Adding leftover chicken to an Indian or Thai simmer sauce with whatever veggies you may have around and you have another easy meal solution that satisfies both of these requirements.  Otherwise shred up and season leftover chicken for tacos, quesadillas and salads, or heat it up in some buffalo sauce to put on a hoagie roll with some ranch dressing and cheese.  The more ambitious of you can roast your own chickens. Stuff the cavity with a lemon and an onion.  Rub over and under the skin with some butter and fresh chopped herbs and garlic.  Then enjoy all those versatile leftovers!

A trip out to "La Farm"

I've heard some great feedback on La Farm, a french bakery in Cary and was thrilled to try it out recently.
After all there is little I love more in this world than some perfectly baked bread, and I just might be willing to drive out to Cary, NC to get it.  If I had one meal I had to eat everyday for the rest of my life it would be quite simply: fresh baked bread, a good salad, good cheese, and wine.  Simple, but good enough to live on for the rest of my days.  They would however have to throw in some lactose pills with that order... 

In any case, back at "La Farm" I was able to indulge on the cheap by ordering a cappucino and a heavenly almond croissant.  Would I have loved to have indulged in a Croque madam or slice of the quiche de jour? Absolutely, but I am the "under financed" foodie after all.  Surprisingly enough, the quarter million calories of the almond croissant managed to keep me full till lunch.  It was worth every single calorie by the way...with just the right ratio of rich buttery croissant to sweet almond paste filling, and the prerequisite toasted almond slices garnishing the top.  My taste buds were immediately transported back to Paris, no easy feat. I was in such rapture eating my flaky confection that I'm afraid I made a miserable conversational companion.

An almond croissant at La Farm ran me under three dollars, success! Until I spotted their bags of homemade granola...than I had a lapse in thriftiness.  The granola there is NOT CHEAP, and while it will definitely not be a regularly scheduled purchase, for an occasional splurge, it's amazing.  The granola is light and crisp, bursting with the flavors of honey, sesame and almonds.  I don't necessarily think the French would approve of the plastic plate my croissant was served on, but I don't think they would argue with the quality of baked goods themselves, and that's truly saying something.

Put it in a Quesadilla!

A favorite weeknight go-to for an easy dinner is a quesadilla stuffed with whatever veggies and cheese I have around.
A bag of shredded Mexican blend cheese and a package of tortillas are both stables in my kitchen, as the possibilities are endless and always easy.  My favorite quesadilla combo is black beans, roasted corn, onion, and sweet potato (some of the cheapest ingredients a struggling foodie can buy,) all covered with the prerequisite cheese and toasted in a buttered skillet. Fortunate these particular cheap eats taste amazing together.  Get creative with whatever leftover vegetables or meat you have around.  Some leftover chicken?  Slice it up and stick it in there!  The bottom of your bag of baby spinach? Add it!  Use what's in season as your cue, as it's generally not only fresh, but on sale. In the summer make sauteed zucchini, onion and tomato quesadillas. In the fall, use chunks of butternut squash or pumpkin. If you want to make sure you always have some quesadilla ingredients handy for those dinner emergencies (because if you're like me a lean cuisine just won't do,) stock up on cans of black beans, and a bag of frozen roasted corn, and frozen grilled peppers and onions.  I know...frozen vegetables?  Even I will admit they sometimes have their place (for quick soups and quesadilla fillings for instance.) I highly recommend Trader Joe's roasted corn and grilled  tri-colored pepper and onion blend for these purposes. When using something frozen, be sure to supplement it with fresh ingredients whenever possible to add more textural interest and fresh flavors.

Sunday Brunch

I love going out for brunch on Sundays, but try to resist the temptation since a delicious brunch is so easy and inexpensive to make at home!  You probably already have most of the ingredients lying around in your kitchen anyway.  Eggs, bread, milk, syrup, cinnamon, cheese, etc.  I pick what to make based on whatever I have in the fridge. This morning I made vanilla french toast with strawberries.  Some of my other favorite brunch-at-home suggestions, that you would easily pay ten bucks for out at a restaurant, are:  almond crusted french toast with raspberry sauce, made dredging your french toast in an egg wash and then in sliced almonds, and throwing some fresh or frozen berries in a blender with a tiny amount of water and sugar to make a topping; Stuffed french toast with cream cheese, powdered sugar and almond extract layered between two sliced of french toast and covered with berries; heuvos rancheros, ground chorizo sauteed with hash browns and onions (from your freezer or fresh) and topped with a fried egg, some salsa verde, and sour cream; Or a savory breakfast scramble with sweet potato pieces, scallions, egg, and bacon or sausage crumbles.  It will cost you much less to make any of these delights at home, and bonus...you can even stay in your PJs!

Relishing Relish in Raleigh

I've recently moved into a new place, which immediately warrants checking out the new restaurants in my part of town.  After scoping out the options, I was immensely pleased to find that Relish, a modern southern fare establishment, was in my neck of the woods.  After scoping out the menu on-line to make sure that the price tag fit my pocketbook, I made the trip last night.

The menu looked exciting.  With appetizers like barbecue nachos, pimento cheese fritters with pepper jelly, and fried avocado with jalapeno ranch dressing I was ecstatic. There were sections for a variety of grilled cheese sandwiches and a wide array of macaroni and cheese skillets, burgers (stroganoff burger anyone?) and some amazing sounding desserts.  The menu was definitely heavy on the sandwiches, but that would probably explain why their prices fit my wallet.  To save money I skipped out on the appetizers, but I did get a free little appetizer by tasting a couple of the homemade salsas and pimento cheese being sampled in the gift shop.  Sampling is pretty amazing when you're broke...and even when you aren't.  The pimento cheese was outstanding...and with my Yankee heritage I've never really considered myself one for certain southern staples, like pimento cheese.  You could tell it was the real deal.

I always order water to drink in restaurants, it's a financially disabled person's best strategy to help keep down the tab.  What most restaurants charge for drinks (especially if it's alcohol) will hike up your check considerably. When possible it's best to meet up at a friend's house for drinks before going out.

Regrettably I was made a fairly boring choice of entree... I had a the Reuben, which was good, but nothing terribly exciting.  Just your standard Reuben, although accompanied by freshly made potato chips (ask for the side of jalapeno ranch for those!)

My date ordered the Alfredo mac and cheese skillet, which was a hefty portion and looked delish.
I didn't see a whole lot of blackened chicken in there though...  It tasted great (you know I had a to do a taste swap,) but I'm glad I didn't order it.  My stomach couldn't have handled the giant mountain of cheese that went into it.  I have never in my life seen so much cheese on anything minus maybe a Chicago deep dish pizza.

I highly recommend the tomato basil bisque...creamy and delicious with the perfect complement of garlic croutons on top.  A great side to one of their many grilled cheese sandwich options.  The pimento cheese and fried green tomato sandwich gets my vote.
The true highlight of the meal was the dessert.  I don't usually order desserts to save money, but they sounded so good that I shared one. We shared a banana pudding served in a mason jar with whipped topping, creamy dreamy vanilla pudding (sorry Mr. Cosby this wasn't any of that Jello pudding crud) and CARMELIZED bananas with brown sugar and butter.  If it had been socially acceptable I would have licked the jar.  As it was I scraped out every small bit I could salvage.  By far the BEST banana pudding I've ever had in my life.

The wannabe "Euro-chic" decor doesn't fit the southern comfort food menu at all, and is a little dated but not entirely upleasant.
First restaurant in my new part of town looking good...good prices and amazing desserts.

The Origins of the Underfinanced Foodie...

I love food, but then who doesn't?  We all need it to live. My love of food is something more akin to an obsession, a passion, a way of life. Unfortunately, thoughts of food consume an overly large portion of my mental space. Not just any food will do however, it's got to be the good stuff...generally not found in the canned, frozen, or drive through varieties.

Although taking such an interest in food is already generally inadvisable for maintaining any semblance of a healthy physique, my passion is further undermined by the balance of my bank account. Food, especially really good food, doesn't come cheaply.  There in lies the inspiration for this blog.

As an overeducated but underemployed twenty-something, I try to find economical ways to eat well.  Sometimes I fail and spend a killing, and sometimes I make a trip to Five Guys. I'll be sharing the recipes, websites, stores, local restaurants, and other delicious strategies I employ to get the best eats for my buck.