Media Archives ~ NC Triangle Dining Food Blog

October 16, 2016 by Ron Wen Leave a Comment

Media: Woods of Terror in Greensboro for a Frightfully Fun Evening!

Woods of Terror in Greensboro (From business website) - NC Triangle Dining — Woods of Terror in Greensboro (From business website) – NC Triangle Dining

If you’re a fan of Halloween, horror movies and monsters, then who wouldn’t check out a Halloween haunt this month? There’s nothing like the creepy chills you get while watching a scary flick but it’s even better doing it in person during the season. And thankfully, you’ve got several Halloween haunts in the area and one of my faves is the Woods of Terror out in Greensboro! I have been to Woods of Terror several times as a paying customer and recently got to re-visit during a media preview event. And I can tell you that it’s still filled with thrills, chills, frights and bumps in the dark to get your heart racing!

Front of Woods of Terror in Greensboro - NC Triangle Dining — Front of Woods of Terror in Greensboro – NC Triangle Dining

Located on a lonely stretch of Church Street north of downtown Greensboro, the Woods of Terror is about an hour-plus ride from Chapel Hill or Durham, about 90 minutes from Raleigh. If you wanted to, you could stop in Mebane on the way out to do some shopping and make it a day trip. Use your GPS to get out here, you’ll roll into the Woods of Terror parking lot and it seems pretty innocuous out front. Tickets can be purchased online and run from $17 to $42 for general admission or a Fast Pass, parking is another $5 per car. Woods of Terror is primarily open from Thursday to Sunday but will also be open on Halloween Monday for your spooky pleasure!

Eddie McLaurin from Woods of Terror in Greensboro - NC Triangle Dining — Eddie McLaurin from Woods of Terror in Greensboro – NC Triangle Dining

Eddie McLaurin is the owner and creator of Woods of Terror and has been the creative force behind all the scares and chills. Loosely aligned around a variety of horror movie themes, you’ll walk through a series of haunts and vignettes along a 45 minute trip of spookiness and creepy crawler actors! We had a chance to chat with Eddie who had the land for Woods of Terror passed on to him by his grandfather. He tells us about the history of the Woods of Terror and how it’s become a top haunt in the country requiring a year-long commitment of construction, props and costume prep. There’s actually even a cemetery on the property but it’s not part of Woods of Terror, at least not yet…

During the media visit, we get a chance to visit backstage and watch the make-up being put on. It’s a herculean effort with the Woods of Terror actors helping each other out into costume, makeup and more. It’s a young crew as you can guess, but they’re so enthusiastic and excited to make your Woods of Terror a fun and frightful experience. And the actors are the key differentiator at Woods of Terror in my opinion. I’ve been to other haunts and they are well-trained here. The Woods of Terror “monsters” are not allowed to touch you but yeah, they will get as close as possible to keep you on your toes and the hair on the back of your neck, standing.

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Casket mobile from Woods of Terror in Greensboro - NC Triangle Dining — Casket mobile from Woods of Terror in Greensboro – NC Triangle Dining

Woods of Terror typically has 150 or so actors onsite to scare you during your visit. Every evening, they start off with a parade of terror led by a silver casket-mobile. The owner Eddie gets into the act, sporting skeletal face-paint, a spiked mohawk (it’s real) along with a beautiful albino python draped on his shoulder. It’s a fun start to the evening and great way to get the crowd and actors excited. After the parade and national anthem is played, the ghouls, monsters and creepers head on out into the Woods of Terror and lie in wait for you.

While the lines can get a bit long on the weekend, The Woods of Terror has a midway area to keep you entertained with food, games and distractions up front but dress warmly for those chilly October evenings. We get to enter the haunt through a back entrance and while I unfortunately, can’t take any pics on the haunt, I can tell you it’s a lot of fun and as good as I remembered. You’ll run through some very complex stages like a Texas chain-saw massacre house, vampire crypt, haunted circus tent, fun-house, fog, laser lights and a lot more. You may run into Michael Myers, Freddie Kruger and more creepers that you’ve seen in the movies. There will be darkness, loud noises, and other sensory stimuli to keep your fears ramped up but it’s all in good fun!

Now the Woods of Terror can get intense at times so if you’re bringing kids along, make sure they are ready. My guess is 14 and up would be best but it all depends on the maturity of your son or daughter. In all honesty, I know plenty of adults who are too scared to go to Woods of Terror but isn’t that the whole point of going to a haunt? The Woods of Terror can get pretty busy during the season and anticipates over 30,000 visitors over the course of October. I’d suggest coming early on a Thursday or Sunday night to minimize wait times. But it’s worth it in my opinion and a great way to get into the mood for Halloween! If you’re up for a scare and got the gumption to take on the Woods of Terror, it’s a fun evening and worth the ride out from the Triangle….

Woods of Terror

5601 N Church Street

Greensboro, NC 27455

336.643.3558

Location on Google maps

October 4, 2015 by Ron Wen Leave a Comment

Media Event: Durham Distillery VIP and Grand Opening Celebration

Signage at the Durham Distillery - NC Triangle Dining — Signage at the Durham Distillery – NC Triangle Dining

When it comes to cocktails, I’d have to say the classic gin & tonic is my favorite. Better suited for warmer temps, the aromatics and flavors behind gin is not for everybody but I really enjoy it! So I was excited to hear that the newest distillery in town, Durham Distillery, would have gin as their signature product: Conniption Gin…

Tasting bar at the Durham Distillery - NC Triangle Dining — Tasting bar at the Durham Distillery – NC Triangle Dining

It was a wet and drizzly evening for Durham Distillery’s VIP event and I was an early arrival. Thankfully, inside Durham Distillery’s small space, it’s warm and inviting! A mix of modern and retro, it gives me a modern speak-easy feel with fabric lamps overhead. They’ve got a tasting for their two primary Conniption gins: American Dry and Navy along with some of their liqueurs! Jazz music is lightly pumping out of the speakers overhead, adding to the ambiance. I’m waiting on some people so I head on back to the distilling area.

Distilling equipment at the Durham Distillery - NC Triangle Dining — Distilling equipment at the Durham Distillery – NC Triangle Dining

In back they’ve got two primary pieces of equipment which I don’t know the names of! One is a traditional copper-metal contraption that’s used to do the primary distilling and imported from Germany (12+ month lead-time) while the second is a more modern cold infuser that’s used to create flavor without any damaging heat in their product.

Beautiful distilling equipment at the Durham Distillery - NC Triangle Dining — Beautiful distilling equipment at the Durham Distillery – NC Triangle Dining

I meet up with the two owners of Durham Distillery, Melissa and Lee Katrincic who come from backgrounds helpful for starting up a distillery: marketing and chemistry! Very nice folks who have some help from other local Durham businesses today for their grand opening. As the night continues on, I sample some great crostini (Toast) and some delicious cupcakes (Cupcake Bar) during their party.

Tasting in action at the Durham Distillery - NC Triangle Dining — Tasting in action at the Durham Distillery – NC Triangle Dining

Back at the bar I sample both of their Conniption gins straight and they are very light and refreshing. The expectation is that a high quality gin can be drunken neat rather than automatically mixed. The American Dry is very light and florally while the Navy has a bit more depth and alcoholic punch to stand up to mixers. I love the bottle design, a great art-deco feel in homage to the roaring 20’s and speak-easy days.

Bottles on display at the Durham Distillery - NC Triangle Dining — Bottles on display at the Durham Distillery – NC Triangle Dining

My friends show up and we move on to the liquers: coffee, mocha and chocolate. The coffee liquor is infused with Slingshot cold brew but I admit to loving the chocolate liqueur. Super-creamy and luscious with great mouth feel, you could make a dessert out of this drink. And the timing is perfect for Durham Distillery! A recent change in liquor legislation now allows distilleries to sell directly, one bottle per year to a customer. But the majority of Durham Distillery sales should be going through your local ABC store. So if you’re a fan of gin or flavored liqueurs definitely stop on by for a visit at Durham Distillery. They’ll be doing tours Thursdays through Saturday in the early evening. For $10 you’ll get a tasting flight and souvenir shot glass, nice! They are distilling some great gin here at Durham Distillery and it’s definitely worth a quick visit…

Durham Distillery

711 Washington Street

Durham, NC 27701

919.937.2121

Location on Google maps

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August 3, 2014 by Ron Wen Leave a Comment

Media Event: Cooking It Up at Whisk in Cary with Chef Jeff!

Front of Whisk in Cary, NC Triangle Dining

As much as I like to eat, I nearly like to cook just as much. I’ve done cooking classes at Southern Season, La Farm Bakery, and more over the years. So of course, I couldn’t resist when I got an invite from Whisk out in Cary to attend one of their cooking classes. Whisk is a newer kitchen goods store out in Waverly Place and with a very nice demo kitchen in back, they’ve put together an excellent series of cooking classes over the past six months. Peering through the very long list of classes I spotted one being given by my friend, Chef Jeff. Tuscan Trattoria meal? Sounds good to me so I emailed Whisk and I’m scheduled for their July 25th class.

Demo kitchen area at Whisk in Cary, NC Triangle Dining

Heading over to Waverly Place, it’s remarkable how much this plaza has changed over the past two years. Outside of Whole Foods, there wasn’t a whole lot of reason to visit this place. But in the hands of a new developer, it’s slowly turning into an upscale destination for local Cary families. And with a CineBistro (movie theater/restaurant) scheduled for construction, I’m expecting bigger and better here. But going back to Whisk, it’s got a nice storefront on the western (far) side of the plaza. Inside, the space is jam-packed with everything imaginable for the kitchen including an impressive display of kitchen steel. Head on to the back if you’re doing a cooking class.

Owner Dan and Chef Jeff at Whisk in Cary, NC Triangle Dining

The cooking demo area is already getting busy. With 18 seats in two levels, everyone is pretty close to the action. Chef Jeff is finishing up his prep work so we say hi and let him get back to business. He’s got two assistants with him to help with the class prep and meal service. And there’s a high-def panel to the right showing an overhead view of the kitchen action. The menu tonight is pretty vegetarian friendly outside of the bistecca but it definitely feels Italian and healthy. We all get a printed recipe list if we choose to re-create tonight’s meal. Some wine and beer is served to get the class started and Chef Jeff has some delicious focaccia prepared to tide us over!

Summer salad for Tuscan cooking class at Whisk in Cary, NC Triangle Dining

Over the course of the next two hours, we’re prepared a very nice and colorful summer salad, some grilled flatbread with lemon ricotta and basil oil. Two very colorful and fresh looking summer dishes that are perfect for the summer. Chef Jeff provides some tips on making vinaigrette (adding mustard to help with emulsification), making dough wet to create steam and the desired bubbles in pizza crust along his favorite knives (Shun). He definitely cooks with more professional techniques than most home cooks would use so it’s nice to see them demonstrated. We get a short 10-minute break to poke around the store and of course my friend Amanda comes back with a kitchen goods purchase.

Tomato, ricotta flatbread for Tuscan cooking class at Whisk in Cary, NC Triangle Dining

Grilled flank steak for Tuscan cooking class at Whisk in Cary, NC Triangle Dining

As we’re eating our salad and flat bread, Dan the owner has gone to the side to prepare our steak. Chef Jeff is going with flank steak, cut against the grain and Dan returns with a large plate of medium beef with nice sear marks! The steak is paired with a garlic, parsley oil and some light salt and pepper and of course, it’s my favorite dish for the evening. The meat is perfectly medium with a tender chew and plenty of flavor. Like the two previous dishes, there’s a very light touch to this Italian cooking which is par for the course. Chef Jeff reminds us that the overuse of garlic in Italian food is largely an American trait and not likely to happen over in Italy, touche!

Sliced flank steak for Tuscan cooking class at Whisk in Cary, NC Triangle Dining

And finally we move on to dessert, we’ve got a zabaglione (custard) flavored with marsala and poured over berries. This rich brown custard is spiked with some alcohol flavor and pairs nicely with the fruit. Some crushed cookies on top give it a bit more crunch and sweetness to really make it a dessert, nice! It’s a very simple preparation but very nicely done and different from what you’ll find in most Italian restaurants in the area.

Marsala zabaglione over fruit for Tuscan cooking class at Whisk in Cary, NC Triangle Dining

As the class finishes up, we say thanks to Chef Jeff and head on into the night with full tummies. The class was interesting and similar to what you might find at Southern Season but in a much more intimate setting. Whisk is really doing a nice job trying to bring higher end cooking classes to Cary and I’m sure if you’re a foodie in the hood, you’d be interested in checking them out! So mangia and buon appetito, thanks for having us for dinner Whisk!

Chef Jeff Grimm, Tuscan Trattoria – Dinner and Date Night Abundant summer salad with fresh mozzarella and sugar snap peas Grilled flatbread with heirloom tomatoes and basil oil Bistecca Tagliata: grilled steak with garlic and parsley Marsala zabaglione with seasonal fruit

Whisk Carolina

316 Colonades Way #214

Cary, NC 27518

919.322.2458

Location on Google maps

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June 23, 2019 by Ron Wen

Media: M Pocha Offers Up Some Culinary Magic for Durham

Front of M Pocha in Durham - nctriangledining.com — Front of M Pocha in Durham – nctriangledining.com

When it comes to chefs in the Triangle, I’ve always enjoyed what comes out of the kitchens from Chef Mike Lee. Since his days as owner-chef of Sono in Raleigh to competition cooking events, I’ve watched him grow in the Triangle as he’s built his group of M Restaurants in Durham to much acclaim. And now the Bull City has M restaurant #4, M Pocha (short for pojangmacha – street food). Sitting on a corner of Five Points, M Pocha will be bringing some foodie magic in the form of Asian small plates! I was lucky enough to get an invite to M Pocha’s friends and family preview dinner before they soft-opened. Here’s what to expect!

Cocktail menu at M Pocha in Durham - nctriangledining.com — Cocktail menu at M Pocha in Durham – nctriangledining.com

Mezcal cocktail at M Pocha in Durham - nctriangledining.com — Mezcal cocktail at M Pocha in Durham – nctriangledining.com

Heading on over to M Pocha, it’s a bit inconspicuous from the outside with shaded, plate glass windows (it’s a sunny spot) and a slightly, narrow triangular feel to the space. If you had been in the old Cupcake Bar space before, you won’t recognize it anymore. Inside, M Pocha has a minimalist, darker decor focused on metals and woods. A bit different then the other M Restaurants which usually have featured a lot of exposed brick. The seating is also different here with bar seating at the front and side along with one large communal table down the middle. M Pocha’s space is probably best suited for 2 to 4 people along with solo diners given the seating setup. M Pocha offers up a short selection of beers, wines and cocktails to get your meal started!

Hungry diners at M Pocha in Durham - nctriangledining.com — Hungry diners at M Pocha in Durham – nctriangledining.com

Chef Mike is in back, busily working the kitchen while about sixteen of us sat at the communal table, eagerly awaiting what was to come. The meal opens up with a spicy kimchi soup filled with napa cabbage, smoky sausage and tender fall-off-the-bone pork ribs. The soup has got some great depth and texture, it reminds me of a classic Chinese soup and is gobbled up by the table. While I think kimchi can get really strong and pungent, the presentation of that fermented flavor is balanced well in this soup!

Nasi goreng at M Pocha in Durham - nctriangledining.com — Nasi goreng at M Pocha in Durham – nctriangledining.com

Seared brussels sprouts at M Pocha in Durham - nctriangledining.com — Seared brussels sprouts at M Pocha in Durham – nctriangledining.com

The table moves on to nasi goreng, an Indonesian fried rice served up with some fried shrimp. The fried rice is moist and tasty with a bit of soy sauce, garlic and more. It’s a very comforting dish for me, something that mom might put on the table. Served up with some nicely pan-friend brussels sprouts makes for a great starter for the meal.

Grilled short rib at M Pocha in Durham - nctriangledining.com — Grilled short rib at M Pocha in Durham – nctriangledining.com

The highlight for me is next, the seared short-rib served up yakitori-style (barbeque) on a ceramic grill. Thick, succulent pieces of short-rib showing off great char and beefy chew. Mike is serving them boneless which makes for easier eating. A follow-up dish of spicy pork belly served with greens, pickled veggies and steamed buns offers up a great mix of textures and colors for the palate. A fun take on the traditional bao with some acid and greens to brighten the dish up.

Spicy pork belly bao at M Pocha in Durham - nctriangledining.com — Spicy pork belly bao at M Pocha in Durham – nctriangledining.com

And finally the closing small plate, perfectly fried pork dumplings (gyoza)! The skin on these dumplings were thicker but still tender and as you can see by the picture, very nicely pan-fried to a deep brown. The crunchy bottoms make for a nice contrast to the soft tops of the dumplings, dee-licious!

Pan-fried gyoza dumplings at M Pocha in Durham - nctriangledining.com — Pan-fried bacon gyoza dumplings at M Pocha in Durham – nctriangledining.com

Chef Mike at M Pocha in Durham - nctriangledining.com — Chef Mike at M Pocha in Durham – nctriangledining.com

Over the course of the dinner, Chef Mike comes out several times explaining the origins and ingredients of each dish, along with his career and path as a chef. Like many chefs, he started out formally trained to do one thing and pivoted when he discovered his love of the culinary arts and food. I’ve always appreciated his menus and cuisine from Sono to M Sushi, M Kokko and more. His dishes stay true to the authenticity of Asian cuisine while taking some light liberties with ingredients and preparation. I wouldn’t call it Asian fusion, more like Asian uplifted, similar to Brewery Bhavana. But always delicious and balanced for flavor!

And I think he will have some fun with the broader menu options here at M Pocha, offering up small plates of his favorite Asian cuisines across the region. So here’s to more and better at M Pocha and from Chef Mike. We’ll know more of what to expect from the restaurant in upcoming months as they get into a groove after their soft-opening, cheers!

M Pocha

101 E Chapel Hill Street

Durham, NC 27701

M Pocha menu

Location on Google maps

February 14, 2017 by Ron Wen

Media: Makus Empanadas Bakes Up Some Tasty Stuffed Pastries

Front of Makus Empanadas in Durham - NC Triangle Dining — Front of Makus Empanadas in Durham – NC Triangle Dining

If you’re a fan of empanadas (stuffed pastries) you can often find them at many Latin American restaurants in the area or an empanada specialist like Calavera in Raleigh. So I was intrigued when I got the invite to check out Makus Empanadas over in Durham. I had heard a bit about them online as being an Argentinian style empanada so I was pretty excited to go check them out on a Wednesday night for a media event!

Media night at Makus Empanadas in Durham - NC Triangle Dining — Media night at Makus Empanadas in Durham – NC Triangle Dining

Located in a new strip plaza in Durham’s Hope Valley neighborhood along with some other cool spots like Tre Forni Pizza, Makus Empanadas sits in the back corner of the plaza with a brightly lit sign overhead. Inside I meet up with Tessa, the event organizer along with quite a few other friends, bloggers and media types (Meg – MeghereandThere, Jennifer – ShopLocalRaleigh, Kristen – GadaboutFood). The space is small and cozy, a casual dining area with counter order in the back. It’s a cheery space and bustling with activity, this media event unfortunately means some customers will have to take their orders to go!

Hernan, Santiago and Ricky at at Makus Empanadas in Durham - NC Triangle Dining — Hernan, Santiago and Ricky at at Makus Empanadas in Durham – NC Triangle Dining

We’re introduced to the people behind Makus Empanadas: brothers Hernan and Santiago Moyano along with friend and chef, Ricky Yofre. As you can guess they are originally from Argentina and were brought to the area to launch Makus Empanadas (Makus was the nickname given to Hernan by his late wife). Hernan tells us a bit about the whole process of launching Makus Empanadas and how this trio of friends really had NO previous restaurant and food experience amongst them. So there was quite a bit of trial and error but here they are now, empanada professionals! After their presentation it was now time to dig into some of their delicious eats and empanadas…

Dining room at Makus Empanadas in Durham - NC Triangle Dining — Dining room at Makus Empanadas in Durham – NC Triangle Dining

Chipa bread at at Makus Empanadas in Durham - NC Triangle Dining — Chipa bread at at Makus Empanadas in Durham – NC Triangle Dining

Before the event had officially started, Makus Empanadas had sent out some samples of their chipa bread which is similar to what I would call pao de queijo or cheese breads. These breads are soft, stretchy and luscious, dee-lish! Definitely try them out, they’re not that easy to find in the Triangle. And then the fresh-baked empanadas are brought out to the dining room. An array of baked treats across the nine flavors that Makus offers. Traditionally, the most popular flavors would be beef along with ham and cheese in Argentina. But Makus has added some variety for the locals including a pepperoni and bacon-cheese empanada to the menu. Makus also offers a lunch special for $9.95: three empanadas, a side, drink and sauce.

Tray of empanadas at Makus Empanadas in Durham - NC Triangle Dining — Tray of empanadas at Makus Empanadas in Durham – NC Triangle Dining

So as I’m in line waiting to choose my meal, it’s a bit tricky. With all these flavors, do I go traditional or spin it up a bit?! Ahhh, I think since this will be my first Argentinian empanada, I’ll go with the basic beef, ham and cheese along with a sweet corn empanada for good measure! Makus empanadas are baked and sport a nicely crimped crust around the half-moon shape. The dough is thin and tender but sturdy enough to hold the delicious fillings. At about 6″ or 7″ across, I’m thinking three of these should fill an average appetite up for lunch.

And while the empanadas are beautiful with their leopard spotted crusts, I break mine open to get a look at the fillings inside. The ham and cheese empanada is beautiful! Luscious cheese contrasted with bit of pink ham for a delectable handful. The beef empanada shows off chopped onions and beef in a savory sauce. And I love the the sweet corn empanada which is a nice change of pace from all the savory meat and cheese, bueno! Overall I found the empanadas at Makus to be very nicely baked with a tender crust as the gastronomical foil.

While Makus Empanadas now has a nice storefront, they started their business in catering and have their baked treats available at a variety of venues including PNC Arena, Durham Bulls ballpark, Kenan Stadium and the Dean Smith Center. And empanadas make for a great food to be eaten out of hand so it’s a perfect snack while you catch a game. So thank you Hernan, Santiago and Ricky for the fun evening. And for all of you savoring over these empanada pictures, go enjoy these authentic Argentinian treats at Makus Empanadas in Durham and throughout the rest of the Triangle!

Makus Empanadas

125 W NC-54 #304

Durham, NC 27707

919.390.7525

Location on Google maps

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Media: Woods of Terror in Greensboro for a Frightfully Fun Evening!