Borsao 2011 Grenache Borja, Spain   Grenache wines are hit or miss with me. I adore Spanish wines, but Tempranillo has a special place in my heart. Grenache can sometimes be too dry for my palate and not as lively as its Spanish cousin. But when it hits, it’s a memorably layered wine. This is
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Fresno Café 4015 University Drive South Square Website M-W: 10 am – 6 pm Th-Sat: 10 am – 2:30 pm, 4:30 pm – 8 pm Fresno Café opened late summer in the strip mall spot that last housed Bear Rock Café. The last time I was there, it was Rick’s Diner and the look has
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elements 2110 Environ Way East Highway 54 Chapel Hill Website Entrees: $18 — $26 Opened in the fall of 2012, elements is a farm-to-table focused venture of Chef Michael Chuong’s. He opened ăn in Cary in 2006. I have never made it to ăn, but it’s always been high on my must-dine list, so I
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Caipirinha Calavera (my restaurant review) Downtown Raleigh $8 First things first: the rum-soaked sugar cane. It is both visually pleasing and an essential garnish for this cocktail. Caipirinhas are a favorite in my cocktail repertoire, so I am always happy to try a new one, and having one from Calavera’s impressive bar just made sense
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Redemption Rye Bardstown, Kentucky Seriously, that label is like porn to this foodie. The color, the slightly askew bold font with cursive writing and the handwritten lot # — I don’t know how to describe it. It does things to me. Things like make me buy the bottle. And I have not been disappointed since
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Plaza Café 411 Fayetteville Street Downtown Raleigh $4-8 Breakfast, Lunch It’s my first blog of 2013, and well, I wish I had one for you exploding with praise. Instead, it’s on a joint that’s mostly unremarkable. I’ve passed the Plaza Café many times while wandering in downtown Raleigh. It seems ideal for grabbing food in
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Primal Roots 2010 Red Blend Acampo, California I love blends. They make me happier than wines primarily made of one grape. Together, the blend is smoother, more drinkable, although I assume an argument can be made that they lose character along the way. That may be the case with the Primal Roots 2010 Red Blend.
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The Carolina Table: East Meets West Dinner We have finally made it, dear eaters. It’s the last of my posts on TerraVITA 2012, which you may find funny because I passed up the Grand Tasting on the Square, which is TerraVITA’s main event. It did not take place until the day after this meal, and
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Cilantro Jalapeno Margarita Calavera (my restaurant review) Downtown Raleigh $8 I have been dying to try the tequila cocktails at Calavera. They plain sound amazing, and it’s hard to go wrong with me, tequila, and something spicy. So ordering the cilantro jalapeno margarita was basically a foregone conclusion. I’ve tried a million varieties on it
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Baguetteaboutit Various Triangle Parking Lots Website Despite the fact that I really want to spell it bahgeddaboudit, I can’t resist a food truck with a good pun for a name. A good bun, in this case, too. Baguetteaboutit is one soldier in the Triangle’s army of food trucks, and I’ve had their sandwich rolls twice
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