NoRSS Archives - NC Triangle Dining

July 16, 2017 by Ron Wen

Cheers: The Accordion Club in Durham

Front of the Accordion Club in Durham - NC Triangle Dining — Front of the Accordion Club in Durham – NC Triangle Dining

When it comes to bars, ambiance and the crowd are oh so important to me! Because usually the beer and drinks are pretty similar from place to place, minus a few exceptional spots. So I was super curious when I heard about the Accordion Club. Located off of Geer Street in Durham, I wasn’t sure exactly where it was which made me excited to check it out on a quiet Saturday night! As we walk past the busy Motorco patio on Rigsbee and take a right onto Geer, I spot a dimly lit storefront in the corner of a plaza. Sitting in what used to be a tienda (which apparently had great vegetarian empanadas according to my friend, Susan), Accordion Club offers up few clues to the casual observer. Outside, there’s a small picnic table but the cool art deco doors and glass block front face give some hints about what may lie inside!

Clean retro interior at the Accordion Club in Durham - NC Triangle Dining — Clean retro interior at the Accordion Club in Durham – NC Triangle Dining

We duck into the Accordion Club and all I can think is, hmm… Interesting layout with a chill pool table area in front, through some arched entryways into the main bar area. From here, things get a bit more sexy! It’s a great space at the Accordion Club with a brick wall behind the bar, large plate glass mirrors and art deco hanging lamps overhead. Most of the seating is tall captain chairs giving the space a modern, 70’s-ish feel! And the crowd here is good: lively, chatty, 25 – 45 with a good mix of different types, I definitely like the scene. The MTV 80’s music popping overhead just completes the mood for me.

Heading over to the far end of the bar, I’m immediately greeted by the friendly barkeep. A gin and tonic goes in for my drink order and he’s back, lickety-split, “That’ll be $5.00”! Whatttt? $5 for a mixed drink? That’s really inexpensive for Durham and I’m liking the Accordion Club even better now! They don’t have a huge selection of drafts or bottled beers but the choices are solid and cheap. And at the bar, I spy another oddity, a retro hot dog heater! Yep, I had read online that the Accordion Club does some dogs and green chile stew, there are also heaters for cheese sauce and beef chili to top the dogs with. Based upon a short menu, it also looks like they mix it all up to put together some Frito pies for their patrons, cool!

Hot dog! Hot dogs at the Accordion Club in Durham - NC Triangle Dining — Hot dog! Hot dogs at the Accordion Club in Durham – NC Triangle Dining

We head back up front, where the Accordion Club has some table console games along with the pool table. We spend the rest of the evening shooting some pool to finish things off with our drinks. And while our pool-playing sort of sucked, the Accordion Club rocks! From the space (modern 70’s vibe) to the drinks, crowd and bartenders, I was pretty impressed all around. And the fact that it’s off the main Rigsbee Avenue drag keeps things very chill here. So if you live in the neighborhood, definitely give the Accordion Club a try! If I lived in the hood, I could definitely seeing it being my regular bar for a quick drink, great conversation and chili dogs…

The Accordion Club

316 W Geer Street

Durham, NC 27701

Location on Google maps

April 16, 2017 by Ron Wen

News: Farm to Fork 2017, a Dinner and Picnic Focused on Local Ingredients and Farms

If you’re a fan and supporter of local farms and foods, you don’t want to miss the upcoming Farm to Fork weekend (June 2 – 4)! Sponsored by the Center for Environmental Farming Systems (CEFS), Breeze Farm and the NC Agricultural Foundation, Farm to Fork is focused on raising money to fund farmer apprentices and internships. North Carolina has lost more than 40,000 farms over the past 20 years but that trend is slowly starting to turn around! By attending this event, you’ll help support sustainable farming in the state.

Farm to Fork consists of multiple foodie events sponsored by the chefs and teams from some great local restaurants. Pizzeria Toro, Garland, 18 Seaboard, Dashi, Fullsteam Brewery and a lot more! You can choose from a sustainable dinner at Market Hall in Raleigh or the 10th annual Farm to Fork Picnic at Fearrington Village in Pittsboro! This showcase event will feature up to 35 chefs and was chosen as one of the best “ All-You-Can-Eat Feasts” by Bon Appetit. Details are below but don’t wait to purchase your ticket!

June 2 – Farm to Fork Sustainable Dinner at Market Hall, Raleigh ($35 for adults)

Join us for an inspiring and family friendly evening at historic Market Hall in downtown Raleigh’s City Market. Our special guest speaker is culinary historian Michael W. Twitty, whose book, The Cooking Gene: A Journey Through African-American Culinary History in the Old South, will be published in August 2017. Since he launched his Southern Discomfort research project in North Carolina in 2012, Twitty has been on a personal mission to prepare, preserve and promote African American foodways and its parent traditions in Africa through both its diaspora and its profound legacy in the food culture of the American South.

Twitty’s talk will be followed by a delicious, sustainable dinner prepared by leading Triangle chefs. To date, confirmed participants include: Billy Kotter of Dashi and Gray Brooks of Pizzeria Toro, both in Durham; Vimala Rajendran of Vimala’s Curryblossom Cafe in Chapel Hill; Isaiah Allen of The Eddy Pub in Saxapahaw; and Jason Smith of 18 Seaboard, Cheetie Kumar of Garland and Jesse Bardyn & Jeff Seizer of the new Bistro Royale, all located in Raleigh. Among the featured beverages will be Fullsteam Brewery in Durham, Trophy Brewing in Raleigh, TOPO Distillery in Chapel Hill and Haw River Wine Man of Burlington. Dessert will be provided by Ali Rudel of East Durham Pie Company and ice cream from Howling Cow Creamery at N.C. State University and Maple View Farm courtesy of Treat at City Market.

Live music will be provided by local acoustic band The Guilty Pleasures , whose song list is steeped in North Carolina’s strong musical tradition. Kids will enjoy the antics of our costumed Dancing Vegetables.

June 4 – 10th Annual Farm to Fork Picnic ($100/adults)

The weekend culminates 4 – 7 p.m. Sunday with the 10th annual Farm to Fork Picnic at Fearrington Village in Pittsboro at 7pm. The picnic will feature up to 35 chefs producing tasting size dishes featuring local, seasonal ingredients grown by a local farm the chef is paired with. These partnerships historically result in highly creative collaborations that are as beautiful as they are delicious. The event also spotlights 14 local food artisans and breweries; each will provide samples of their products, along with makers of local wine, coffee and tea. Live music will be provided by the Chapel Hill bluegrass band Big Fat Gap. For a fun keepsake, be sure to capture your experience in the ZimZoom photo booth!

PURCHASE TICKETS

April 11, 2017 by Ron Wen

News: Glenwood South Wing Fling on April 29

Wings from 2016 Wing Fling, photo courtesy of the Hibernian Hospitality Group

When it comes to wings, count me in! So how about the upcoming Glenwood South Wing Fling? I unfortunately missed this event when it came through last year but hope to stop in for 2017. For a $10 tasting fee and judging card, you get to sample a couple of wings from 10 different competitors. You’ll get to try wings from favorites such as Clouds Brewing, The Station, Demo’s Pizzeria, Pizza La Stella and more much. There will also be live music throughout the day so how can you go wrong! $10 = 20 wings and music.

2016 Wing Fling, photo courtesy of the Hibernian Hospitality Group

After you taste all those wings, drop off your card for your favorite wings restaurant! Celebrity judges will also be on hand to assist with the final vote. And of course the details for the South Glenwood Wing Fling! The event will run from 12 to 6pm at the Raleigh Beer Garden, a great and fun venue, fingers crossed that the weather is good. And I don’t know about you, but I always want wingy (see Tommy Boy clip below), hope to see you there!

South Glenwood Wing Fling, April 29th

Raleigh Beer Garden

614 Glenwood Avenue

Raleigh, NC 27603

984.232.8074

April 5, 2017 by Ron Wen

Travel: Sunset Ridge Buffalo Farm in Roxboro for a Return to Sustainably Farmed Buffalo

Sunset Ridge Buffalo Farm in Roxboro - NC Triangle Dining — Sunset Ridge Buffalo Farm in Roxboro – NC Triangle Dining

If you haven’t heard, the 22nd Piedmont Farm Tour is coming back to the area on April 22nd and 23rd! For $30 per car, you can tour 35 farms out in Alamance, Chatham, Orange and Person Counties 45 minutes west of Chapel Hill and Durham. It all sounds really cool to connect with the NC food system here and really understand how your local food and meats are produced. And as a preview of the Piedmont Farm Tour, I made an early visit to one of the farms on the tour that caught my eye: Sunset Ridge Buffalo Farm where I met its owner, Jack Pleasant. So off I go, headed out on a beautiful Saturday morning to go see some buffalo and get a feel for all the work that goes into caring for these beautiful animals.

Farm house at Sunset Ridge Buffalo Farm in Roxboro - NC Triangle Dining — Farm house at Sunset Ridge Buffalo Farm in Roxboro – NC Triangle Dining

As I pull into Sunset Ridge Buffalo Farm (70 minutes from Raleigh) and find a parking space, I scan the scenery at this beautiful farm. Majestic white ranch house on a hill to the left, pavilion on a pond in front of me and then a equipment area and delivery van to my right. Jack pulls up shortly in a green tractor, pulling a tour trailer behind him. After exchanging hellos, we chat a bit about his background and how he got into bison farming! As a retired healthcare services executive (and Tarheel), Jack had a part of the farm passed on to him from his family. And over the years, he purchased other parcels of land to create the 250+ acres that make up Sunset Ridge farm today. As a healthcare professional he appreciated the the nutritious and healthy profile of buffalo meat as a protein which got him interested in raising buffalo meat for the local population. Sunset Ridge Buffalo Farm is also an event venue for wedding, parties and other special occasions!

Resident of Sunset Ridge Buffalo Farm in Roxboro - NC Triangle Dining — Resident of Sunset Ridge Buffalo Farm in Roxboro – NC Triangle Dining

Fast forward to 2017 and the farm has two herds of buffalo totaling about a 100 animals. It’s the second largest buffalo farm in NC and he sells the buffalo meat locally at the Durham and Carrboro Farmers Market! Or you can visit the lovely farm and purchase the meat onsite. After chatting a bit, we jump into a utility vehicle and head over to the first herd. And up on a hill near a worn building I see them, buffalo! They are majestic animals with that signature, thick brown pelt. Jack tells me that since they’re only semi-domesticated, they can be a bit unpredictable so a bit of caution is recommended. And given that there are so few buffalo in the area, Jack has had to learn all the husbandry, care and knowledge to raise these animals. It’s really amazing to seem them in these herds with their calves, adults range from 900 to 1,100 lbs so they are solid beasties! And they definitely don’t exhibit that languid, soft feeling that domesticated cows give off.

Buffalo herd at Sunset Ridge Buffalo Farm in Roxboro - NC Triangle Dining — Buffalo herd at Sunset Ridge Buffalo Farm in Roxboro – NC Triangle Dining

Jack feeds all his buffalo hay along with the natural grass and estimates that only 10% to 15% of buffalo meat is truly grass-fed which I’m sure, gives it a unique taste profile. We head off to the second herd on the lower pasture to do a quick interview. This herd seems to be a bit bigger and are pretty excited when they hear the Polaris Ranger come around the corner. All the buffalo have their ears tagged which gives them a cute, cartoonish face, they look like hipster buffalo! We hop out, get the camera set up for some Q&A and thankfully, the buffalo are really chill while we video. There’s more good info about the farm for you in the video, check it out. For the Piedmont Farm Tour, Jack will be doing 30 minute tours of the farm and herds. Afterward, you can head on out to the pavilion where he’ll have a chef preparing all sorts of buffalo goodies for you: burgers, sliders, bratwurst, jerky and more.

Q&A with Jack Pleasant of Sunset Ridge Buffalo Farm in Roxboro

And part of you may be thinking, how can you eat that buffalo meat after seeing these majestic animals? And I’ll be honest with you, as an avowed meatatarian, I was concerned about meeting these beautiful animals face to face. But it’s good to know that these buffalo are leading a good quality life and are being taken care of properly by dedicated farmers like Jack Pleasant. And if anything, I’ve grown an appreciation for all the work and passion it takes to bring these animals to market. Jack may be retired but he is definitely not resting, that is for sure!

Pavilion at Sunset Ridge Buffalo Farm in Roxboro - NC Triangle Dining — Pavilion at Sunset Ridge Buffalo Farm in Roxboro – NC Triangle Dining

So if checking out the 2nd largest buffalo and bison farm in North Carolina sounds intriguing, come on out to the Piedmont Farm Tour on April 22nd and 23rd! Details are here and if you can’t make it, you can always try to arrange a personal group tour (12 or more people) of Sunset Ridge Buffalo Farm with Jack. Overall I can tell you that it was an impressive visit with these beautiful bison. And I also went home with some buffalo meat which I’ll try out this weekend. I can truly say I have a new-found appreciation of the meat I consume and getting a better understanding of the NC food system has been enlightening for this foodie. And I’m pretty sure the Piedmont Farm Tour will be one of the best chances you have to get an up close feel for the farmers in the area. Bring the kids, bring the family and prepare to experience life as it used to be and could be!

Sunset Ridge Buffalo Farm on the Piedmont Farm Tour

465 Yarborough Rd,

Roxboro, NC 27574

336.599.1297

Location on Google maps

February 27, 2017 by Ron Wen

Media: Cooking for a Classic Heats Up at 1705 Prime in Raleigh!

Cooking for a Classic at 1705 Prime in Raleigh - NC Triangle Dining — Cooking for a Classic at 1705 Prime in Raleigh – NC Triangle Dining

As a previous fan of the old Competition Dining series I was happy to hear that Rocky Top Hospitality and the Lucy Daniels Center were resurrecting that culinary concept for 2017! Now coined Cooking for a Classic, 16 chefs would compete in a six-plate, elimination series of dinners where diners would get to vote on their favorite dishes with the winner moving on to the next stage. Chefs would be given a fixed budget to feed the crowd and all plates would have to be prepared day of event. As a twist, the plates for Cooking for a Classic would all be accompanied by a beverage pairing which is just a bonus for the lucky diners. And all the net proceeds go to the Lucy Daniels Center thanks to the generosity of donations from sponsors!

Chef brackets for Cooking for a Classic in Raleigh - NC Triangle Dining — Chef brackets for Cooking for a Classic in Raleigh – NC Triangle Dining

As the chefs progress through the four rounds of Cooking for a Classic, the budget for the meals are increased at each stage. The 16 initial chefs will get whittled down to the final winner, who gets to drive away in a beautiful 1969, yellow Corvette Stingray, woohoo! Luckily I was asked to join one of the first Cooking for a Classic dinners as a guest judge. Chef Nick Fay from Vidrio would be pitted against Chef Donaldo Guzman from Sitti, mano a mano. And I can tell you for sure that it was a fun and delicious evening that you should consider as a Triangle food lover!

Judges table at Sitti vs Vidrio Cooking for a Classic in Raleigh - NC Triangle Dining — Judges table at Sitti vs Vidrio Cooking for a Classic in Raleigh – NC Triangle Dining

Entering 1705 Prime on a warm Tuesday evening, the action was already in full swing with a buzz murmuring through the crowd. At the judges table I was joined by Colleen Minton from Terra Vita and Chef Scott Schabot from Cameron Bar and Grill. After pulled up the voting website online, we toasted to a great evening with our starter cocktails and now it was time to let the eating begin!

Appetizer A, salt-baked celery root at Sitti vs Vidrio Cooking for a Classic in Raleigh - NC Triangle Dining — Appetizer A, salt-baked celery root at Sitti vs Vidrio Cooking for a Classic in Raleigh – NC Triangle Dining

Appetizer B, Vegan spring roll with cilantro soy sauce at Sitti vs Vidrio Cooking for a Classic in Raleigh - NC Triangle Dining — Appetizer B, Vegan spring roll with cilantro soy sauce at Sitti vs Vidrio Cooking for a Classic in Raleigh – NC Triangle Dining

First up was the vegan-vegetarian appetizers course! A salt-baked celery root paired with a celery spritzer vs. a spring roll with a side of cilantro soy sauce paired with a spicy POM cocktail. While the baked celery root showed some good creativity and textures, the flavors just didn’t work for me so I ended up enjoying the more basic and tasty spring roll out of this pair. Plus the Pom cocktail pairing was excellent and brought some fruit to the savory rolls.

Entree A, Chicken roulade with celery puree at Sitti vs Vidrio Cooking for a Classic in Raleigh - NC Triangle Dining — Entree A, Chicken roulade with celery puree at Sitti vs Vidrio Cooking for a Classic in Raleigh – NC Triangle Dining

Entree B, Duck breast with white truffle polenta at Sitti vs Vidrio Cooking for a Classic in Raleigh - NC Triangle Dining — Entree B, Duck breast with white truffle polenta at Sitti vs Vidrio Cooking for a Classic in Raleigh – NC Triangle Dining

Moving on to the entrees, we were dazzled with a tender chicken roulade with celery root puree and a 12 Linojes verdejo against a Za’atar duck breast with brussels sprouts and pomegrante gastrique. Paired with a Valdamillo red and the white truffle polenta put this duck dish over the top for me even though the chicken entree was REALLY well done. The verdejo wine pairing was unfortunately, watery and weak making for an uphill climb with Entree A.

Dessert A, Sweet potato cake with semi-freddo and sorghum drizzle at Sitti vs Vidrio Cooking for a Classic in Raleigh - NC Triangle Dining — Dessert A, Sweet potato cake with semi-freddo and sorghum drizzle at Sitti vs Vidrio Cooking for a Classic in Raleigh – NC Triangle Dining

Dessert B, Triple layer mousse cake and chantilly cream at Sitti vs Vidrio Cooking for a Classic in Raleigh - NC Triangle Dining — Dessert B, Triple layer mousse cake and chantilly cream at Sitti vs Vidrio Cooking for a Classic in Raleigh – NC Triangle Dining

And finally, dessert! Often enough in this culinary competitions, dessert can be a turning point since the taste-buds are dying for some sweets and being a good chef doesn’t always translate into being a great dessert or pastry person. Dessert A offered up a lovely sweet potato cake with semi freddo, black pepper crumble and sorghum drizzle. A really well balanced dessert that wasn’t too sweet but just right paired with an Oskar Blue TenFidy. Going against it was a more conventional triple-layer chocolate mousse cake paired with a Scotch ale. And while the mousse cake was really nicely prepared, I’d have to give the edge to the sweet potato cake given its more playful choice of flavors and a delicious beer to go with it. Winner, Dessert A!

Chef Nick from Vidrio at Cooking for a Classic in Raleigh - NC Triangle Dining — Chef Nick from Vidrio at Cooking for a Classic in Raleigh – NC Triangle Dining

While the food was all delicious, I found that the beverage pairings really impacted my voting since you were enjoying a mini-meal for each course. And as the votes were tabulated, Team Vidrio (Chef Nick) and Team Sitti (Chef Donaldo) were introduced to the appreciative and full crowd at 1705 Prime. A happy round of applause for both these hard-working teams for putting up such a great effort.

Chef Donaldo from Sitti at Cooking for a Classic in Raleigh - NC Triangle Dining — Chef Donaldo from Sitti at Cooking for a Classic in Raleigh – NC Triangle Dining

But when everything was said and done and votes counted, Team Sitti walked away with the win and into the quarter-final for Cooking for a Classic. And the lucky diners at 1705 Prime all headed into the night, dreaming of the great meal they just experienced. I know I sure did! And if your mouth is watering over these pictures, there are still some competitions left and tickets available for your enjoyment. Come out and support the Lucy Daniels Center with a great meal at Cooking for a Classic. You can thank me later!

The Lucy Daniels Center Cooking for a Classic competition!

Feb. 28 – Clark Barlowe/Heirloom, Charlotte vs. James Patterson/Sedgefield Country Club, Greensboro ($50)
March 1 – Jonathan Ballard/Sassool, Raleigh vs. Tom Havrish/Lugano Ristorante, Cary ($50)
March 6 – Adam Pettigrew/Pup’s Steakhouse, Wilson vs. Teddy Klopf/Provenance, Raleigh ($50)
March 7 – Troy Stauffer/City Club Raleigh vs. RJ St. John/Bull McCabes, Durham ($50)
Mar 8, March 13-15 – Round 2, Quarterfinal ($75)
Mar 20-21 – Round 3, Semi-final ($100)
Mar 27 – Round 4, Final ($125)