A Wolf in Rams Territory

Being a Wolfpack fan isn't always easy (psst, we got CJ) Basketball season is over. Football season is six months away. But when some of my favorite restaurants are in Chapel Hill, I put rivalry aside and focus on the food. Except at Town Hall Grill in Southern Village. There's enough Carolina blue jerseys and other paraphernalia on the walls to make the hairs stand up on the back of the neck of any self-respecting Packbacker.

This evening we met friends there and had a great time talking, dining and watching the sunset on the outdoor patio.

As always, the food was excellent. This is an establishment, like others I have reviewed, where we have never had a bad meal. Tonight we had onion strings appetizer, thinly slice quick fried strings of delicate "OHN-YON"-as my favorite cajun chef Justin Wilson would say. This was followed with lightly breaded fish and chips (we substituted delicious grilled asparagus). Ask for the remoulade sauce, delicious! Add a couple of glasses of wine and the evening was complete. Only problem was they don't have my favorite chardonnay - Sonoma Cutrer any more, boo!

As we drove away, my stomach was very happy - and my neck hairs finally relaxed.

Sitti-ing Around

Very quick review here of a great Lebanese restaurant. Went to Sitti in downtown Raleigh last night. Sitti is a downtown version of Neomonde because it's owned by the same folks. We had the mixed grill, lamb (medium rare), ground beef, and chicken with flavorful rice. Excellent! Orange salad, delicious!

The flavors were mouthwatering and multi-layered. The wine list, while not extensive, had delicious choices including some from Lebanon. Most dishes were in the $10-20 range.

We will definitely go back!

Creatures of habit, and good food

Just can't stay away can we. I recently told you about Hotpoint in Cary and how we like it so much. So much that we went there again this evening! I mentioned the Tuscan salmon salad in my last post about Hotpoint. Well, we split that and a cup of their incredible black bean soup. Outstanding as always. We sat outside and wiled away an hour soaking up some great sunshine along with our meal and the obligatory "bowl" of wine.

Irregardless of the circumstances

Got to eat lunch at one of our faves, Irregardless, in Raleigh today. Robin and I met good friend and fellow foodie Mike Hobbs and catching-up conversation ruled the lunch hour. My grilled portabello topped, seared goat cheese salad with lightly candied walnuts and craisins was very tasty. I've never had seared goat cheese, which, was a small round of delicate grilled goat cheese. The portabello was marinated, grilled and sliced thin atop fresh greens. Delicious.

Robin had a black bean burger-in-a-pita, which was not as good as she has had in the past at this venerable vegetarian mecca. Friend Mike, had French Onion soup and a side of potato salad which he said was very good.

We will be back. Next time it will include one of their excellent Tanqueray and tonics - we think the best in Raleigh.
 

Triangle foodies unite!

Thanks to fellow Triangle food blogger RDUgonnaeatthat for this info on a neat event coming up:

http://rdugonnaeatthat.wordpress.com/2010/04/09/triangle-foodie-tweetup/

Hotpoint, Cary

Let me tell you a story. A weary traveler called me one warm April afternoon. Tired and stressed, her voice crackled from two days of stuffy meeting rooms, average food, and airplane air conditioning. She told me her stories and I listened, knowing the only dinner I could offer was leftover (but really good butter chicken and navratan korma). Thinking quickly and remembering where the best wine value in town was, Hotpoint Deli seemed perfect for her.

Hotpoint Deli has always been a default dining option for the southern side of Cary. The original owners have started Hot Point II (it's excellent too!) in the North Hills shopping area off of the beltline and sold the original to a young entrepreneur from Texas. The menu stayed the same, save for a few new Southwestern-influenced dishes. Our all-time favorite is the Tuscan salmon salad. I highly recommend this. There are many delicious and inventive sandwiches, not least of all is the Red Chili Pesto, blackened chicken breast, grilled veggies, jalapenos, smoked chili pesto, mayonnaise on a house-baked focaccia. Also highly recommended: Grizelda's Dish, and a sandwich named Thanksgiving on a Bun. Actually, you could be blindfolded and point anywhere on the menu and hit a winner!

And the wine! spend $7 on a glass ANYWHERE and you get a glass of wine. Here you get a BOWL of wine. Seriously, I don't know how they do it but the amount is double what you'll get anywhere else. And it's kept in a wine cooler, so you know it's fresh and good.

After a bowl of vino, a Red Chili Pesto, garden salad and gorgeous warm evening outside on the dining patio, all the worries and stress magically disappeared from the weary traveler, my wife, Robin.