22 December, 2016

Sustainable Food and Drink of Contra Costa

Posted in : Dining in Walnut Creek - CA, Fortified Wine, Moscato d’Asti, Port, Red Wine, Restaurants, Sparkling Wine, White Wine, Wine on December 22, 2016 by : The Gourmez

Tags: adam carpenter, annual gala, awards gala, Beer, calicraft brewing, captain vineyards, contra costa county, corners tavern, culinary program, diablo valley college, dwayne griffiths, hannah nicole wines, john viano, peter chastain, plate & vine, pork belly, prima, review, sal captain, susan captain, sustainable contra costa, sustainable food and drink, viano vineyards, walnut creek

For the second year in a row, I had the honor of attending the Sustainable Contra Costa Awards Gala, an annual fundraiser and ceremony honoring businesses and individuals who’ve modelled sustainable practices in Contra Costa County. Lest you get confused, the event took place in September, not December! I’m a little behind on my blog
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21 July, 2016

‘āina

Posted in : Dining in San Francisco - CA, Restaurants on July 21, 2016 by : The Gourmez

Tags: aina, best brunches, black sesame cocktail, brunch, dogpatch, hash, Hawaiian, ice cream travel guide, jennifer ng, loco moco, pork belly, Portuguese, Portuguese sausage, punch, review, san francisco

My food-writing friend, Jennifer Ng, joined me for brunch at ‘āina recently. Jennifer is the author of the Ice Cream Travel Guide, a book that explores the best ice cream shops worldwide and the stories behind the people who built them. I’ve been discovering that Jennifer’s foodie knowledge isn’t limited to ice cream, and she
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12 November, 2013

Jasper’s Corner Tap and Kitchen

Posted in : Dining in San Francisco - CA, Restaurants on November 12, 2013 by : The Gourmez

Tags: amaro, and kitchen, brussel sprouts, cadamaro, cocktail, comfort food, deviled eggs, dinner, fry menu, grilled cheese, jasper's corner tap, maple, new american, pork belly, pumpkin butter, restaurant, review, san francisco, tenderloin, union square

Jasper’s Corner Tap and Kitchen is an appealing Tenderloin escape from the crowds near Union Square in downtown San Francisco, especially if you’re in a drinking mood. The walls are a sleek gray with the occasional geometric patterns and letters embellished on them in shades of blue. Booths and tables are done in dark woods
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24 July, 2013

Fire in the Triangle: Battle Market vs. New Southern Kitchen

Posted in : Events, Restaurants, Spirits, Vodka on July 24, 2013 by : The Gourmez

Tags: basil gin syrup, battle, bloody mary sauce, chad mcintyre, chef, crab, distillery, fire in the triangle, gin, got to be nc, heirloom, heritage farms, judging, lobster, market restaurant, nc competition dining, new southern kitchen, north carolina, pork belly, raleigh, review, round 1, sheepshead, sokum slama, tilefish, tomato, tomato cheesecake, tomato chocolate pie, topo, whiteville, wral

I was thrilled to again judge a Fire in the Triangle battle, having judged my first last year when NC Competition Dining premiered in the Research Triangle. If you love food and live in the area, then you simply must make next year’s series—it’s too late for this year’s. All the battles have been sold
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22 April, 2013

Flights

Comments : 2 Posted in : Dining in Raleigh - NC, Restaurants on April 22, 2013 by : The Gourmez

Tags: amuse bouche, apple crumble, bacon, banana cake, beet risotto, boar, cheddar risotto, dining, dinner, flights, hot cheesecake, maple pork chop, marriot, new chef, north hills, pork belly, raleigh, renaissance hotel, resesarch triangle park, review, roasted cauliflower, rtp, scallop, service, southern sushi, sweet potato bisque, transition, trout, upscale

Flights 4100 Main at North Hills North Hills Renaissance, Raleigh Website Entrees: $17–$28 Normally, I jump right into a review, leaving any musings on my experience for the end. This one requires more set up because Flights is in a transition period and it shows. So you should understand before I go on what
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10 August, 2011

C & T Wok

Comments : 4 Posted in : Dining in Morrisville - NC, Restaurants on August 10, 2011 by : The Gourmez

Tags: beef broccoli, beef chow fun, boiled pork, c & t wok, chinese, crispy fish, ct wok, fresh tofu, fried oyster, ground garlic, morrisville, pork belly, szechuan, szechuan oil, thai, tofu skin

C & T Wok 130 Morrisville Square Way Morrisville Website $10–$15 C & T Wok is a fantastic spot tucked away in one of Morrisville’s strip malls. It’s a plain, yet cozy, restaurant with wood paneling and a friendly staff. In addition to American Chinese, Szechuan Chinese, and Thai menus, there are nightly specials
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14 June, 2011

The Bloody Brunch (Motorco and Ko Kyu BBQ)

Comments : 4 Posted in : Dining in Durham - NC, Events, Restaurants on June 14, 2011 by : The Gourmez

Tags: bbq, bloody brunch, central park, duck fat, durham, ko kyu, korean taco, motorco, motorco musical hall, peter lamb wolves, pork belly, short rib, tater tot

The Bloody Brunch Motorco Music Hall and Ko Kyu BBQ Central Park District, Durham Sundays The Bloody Brunch is a weekly event hosted by Motorco Music Hall and the Ko Kyu BBQ truck that brings together a winning combination for the night owls among us: a brunch that doesn’t start until 1 pm, cool drinks,
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