This week’s Indy has a piece I wrote about the food of the Full Frame Festival, a Durham documentary fest.
Giorgios Bakatsias is a long-time Bull City restauranteur and has fed folks for all twenty-two years that the festival’s been held.
If you’re in town, go on down to the Carolina Theater and check it, and him out. If you’re not local, here’s the link.
Thanks for your time.
Three years ago Southern Living magazine named Durham “The South’s tastiest Town”. With food trucks, restaurants that run the culinary gamut from Elmo’s (776 9th St) to Revolution (107 W Main St), and hotels both new and acclaimed, like the Washington Duke (3001 Cameron Blvd) and 21c Museum (111 Corcoran St), the Bull City has the food thing locked up.
But in April we get a new food-based feather in our cap.
For the first time, from April 18-21, the Got to Be NC Competition Dining Series will be holding battles here; at Bay 7 in the American Tobacco Campus (318 Blackwell St).
In a bracket challenge similar to the NCAA basketball championship, area chefs will compete in multiple cities, culminating in the Battle of the Champions in October, at a location which will be announced later.
The rules are exciting, as well as delicious. Each round will be two chefs and their team competing head to head. The teams will face off and prepare three course meals centered on a theme ingredient that remains under wraps until the morning of the bout. Each ingredient comes from a North Carolina farmer or artisan producer.
Normally each team consists of a local chef and their team. In the past the teams all came from the same kitchen. But this year there’s a twist; the teams may consist of chefs from three different establishments. What this means for the diner is that a team could turn out three courses each of which has been spearheaded by an award-winning executive chef.
I think that just upped the game a tad.
But it won’t only be a panel of judges that benefit from this game. Ticketed guests dine on the six-course meal that is produced. Then without knowing who produced which plate, and using an interactive app, diners and judges vote, deciding who moves on, and who goes home.
The competition starts in Durham, then moves on to Winston-Salem, Greensboro, Raleigh, Charlotte and Wilmington before the Final battle of the champs.
Competitors must be currently employed food professionals. The participants were chosen on March 10th, and will be announced soon. If you’re interested in attending, get more information and purchase your tickets at competitiondining.com.
Last week I visited a foodery owned by one of our illustrious Bull City chefs. I dropped into Nana Taco (2512 University Dr), for a trunk-full of takeout grub. It’s the brainchild of Scott Howell, also owner of Nana’s (2514 University Dr) and the newly opened Nanasteak (345 Blackwell St).
Petey got one of their ginormous quesadillas with pork butt. The Kid and I each availed ourselves to the three taco deal. For around $7.25 (depending on which meats you choose), we got three tacos, rice, beans, and chips. I always get at least one made with the tender and unctuous garlic beef. Then I chose from the “dirty meat” category; exotic cuts and critters like duck and lamb. My child and I dined on pork belly and hog jowl. The cheek was the best of the three, but they were all heart-breakingly scrumptious.
As always we ordered extra rice and what I believe are the best pinto beans in town. And although they always have an imaginative selection of beers, I sipped on a pink lemonade while Petey and I watched the end of the first round of the ACC tourney before heading home.
I picked up dessert across the street at Miele Bon Bons. It’s a bakery/candy shop with everything from wedding cakes to French macarons and out-of-the box chocolates. I left with eight pieces. Out of many varieties of macarons, I picked crème brule, salted caramel, and pistachio macarons (my favorite). The candies I purchased were dark chocolate salted caramel, blood orange-balsamic-pink peppercorn, and an Earl Grey confection. It all came to around twenty dollars, which is a terrific deal for fancy hand-made chocolates. For the price, it’s a delightful, affordable, every-day luxury.
Durham is a real happening place. With culinary special events and our local independent food businesses, we are all pretty darn lucky.
Here’s an idea: on your next day off, plan a day trip—in your own hometown.
Thanks for your time.
Growing up my dad was in the Coast Guard, and we moved every few years. Some places I liked, some not so much.
This was just another day at the office for my dad…
But thirty years ago, a young couple moved to the Bull City. And like kudzu, Durham has crept through me and wound itself about my heart. This town is funky, fierce, and fabulous. And I wouldn’t live anywhere else in the world.
Saturday I had lunch with two high school friends, Lucy, and newlywed Maxie. We try to set everything else in our lives aside once a month, and meet.
This week was Lucy’s pick. She chose Dame’s Chicken and Waffles (317 W Main St, Durham). Fun fact: contrary to my assumption, Dame is not a woman,. It’s actually the nickname of owner, Damion Moore. Another fact: they are always swamped. The wait for a table on a Saturday afternoon was an hour and forty-five minutes. You can make a reservation online. Do it.
Come hungry and wear comfortable shoes, or–make a reservation.
It was the first visit for all of us, so we each ordered something different to get a bigger sample of the menu.
Here is my biggest takeaway. Somehow, it was as if they had turned the flavor volume up to 11. The taste of everything was bright and vivid. I had macaroni and cheese, which was some of the best I’ve ever eaten. I could actually taste the pasta; it wasn’t just the scaffolding supporting all the yummy cheese. The chicken (Lucy and I had fried breast cutlets, Maxie had fried legs) was moist, deliciously crunchy, and tasted like chicken—it wasn’t just texture.
The waffles were really good—crispy on the outside, soft and tender inside. And each plate came with something they call a schmear.
A schmear is Dame’s take on compound butter. Here again, the flavors somehow seemed cleaner, brighter and stronger without being overwhelming. I had almond vanilla, Lucy orange honeycomb, and Maxie had maple pecan. There was no mistaking any of them. Each was a delicious example of the respective flavors.
I begged Ms. Ella, who runs the kitchen, for recipes. No dice. I even got shot down when I asked which herb was used in the chicken and macaroni and cheese. Still no dice. But I really like the idea of the schmear, so I came up with my own, Dame-inspired butter.
Pistachio/Honey browned butter spread
2 sticks of butter
4 tablespoons finely chopped pistachios
3 tablespoons strongly flavored honey (like buckwheat)
Pinch salt and pepper
Melt butter in a saucepan, and let cook until it’s foamy and starts to brown. When the solids are a warm caramel brown, take it off the heat and stir in the honey. Pour into a bowl and let cool and harden.
When the browned butter has gotten to room temp, place into the bowl of a mixer. Beat the butter, adding the pistachios. When the butter is fully incorporated either place in a bowl and refrigerate or place onto parchment paper and roll into a log and chill.
Make about 1 ¼ cups. Use on breakfast carbs, or melt a tablespoon onto a grilled piece of chicken or a pork chop.
After lunch we hauled our over-stuffed, bloated carcasses down the street. We stopped at Letters Bookshop (313 W Main St). We each picked up a couple of books, and wanted more.
We then turned to Dolly’s Vintage (213 W Main St), a fun, colorful, whimsical shop full of adorable, affordable second-hand clothing and quirky new items, including a large selection of Durham merchandise.
We then walked around the corner and ended our day together at The Cupcake Bar (101 E Chapel Hill St). I love this place. They have 300 hundred flavors and 75 cent frosting shots, for dog’s sake. I went home with chocolate stout, Irish coffee, and double vanilla minis. And of course, as always, they were scrumptious.
Five Points was fun and busy, just what a downtown should be. It made my heart full to be a part of it. And girl, those folks were turned out. I saw more cute sweaters, adorable boots, and fashionable outfits than an issue of Vogue. They were representing Durham right.
Gosh, I love this town.
Thanks for your time.
For the past couple weeks, I’ve been relating excerpts of a food log that I kept throughout 2015. This week will conclude with September through December.
September 14th– The Kid and I braved rush hour traffic and drove over to Cary this afternoon, and finally visited La Farm Bakery (4248 NW Cary Pkwy).
The reason we made the journey is because I really love to go by their stand and grab a loaf of sourdough at the “Got to be NC” festival in the spring.
Boy, am I glad we went. It’s always nice when something lives of to the hype, and La Farm did not disappoint. It’s a very French looking space in a generic strip mall. Not only a bakery, they are a café, and coffee shop. Everything’s fresh and fragrant. One of the sides they offer for their menu of hand-crafted sandwiches are house made potato chips. It was almost worth the trip just for that, but they also have various flavors of French macarons.
October 25th– It’s the fair!
This year I got to go twice, and got in free both times. At the request of Lisa Prince from the NC Agricultural Department, I judged a couple specialty cooking contests. It was a crazy amount of fun, and totally new for me.
Lisa Prince and friend.
Even though the novel holds much appeal, I’m delighted that some things never change.
Al’s French Fries: Without a doubt, the best fries at the fair. Yeah, yeah, your fancy frites and duck fat fries are great, but there’s nothing better than stumbling through the midway, burning your tongue because those salty, crispy pieces of heaven are just too darn good to wait.
All-American Fudge: Located in the same spot every year at the end of the hobby and craft building, smiling faces will greet you and weigh out piles of fudge in old-timey cast iron scales. Whether your first stop on the way in or your last on the way out, nobody anywhere does fudge like these guys. I’m just grateful they only come around once a year.
Every couple of years the names changes, but the wooden barrels and the delicious root beer doesn’t. Regardless whether they come as Pappy’s, Max’s, or your great-aunt Helen, those aluminum tankards of icy root beer are always as good as you remember.
November 16th– When I worked at Bosco’s bookstore at Woodcroft Shopping Center back when The Kid was elementary school, I grabbed dinner there every few weeks. But it’s been years since I enjoyed the food at Hong Kong Restaurant (4711 Hope Valley Rd). Recently though, after a doctor’s visit Petey and I went in for take-out.
I was hoping that my favorite dish, chicken mei fun was still on the menu. In another win for stability, they had it. It’s a sort of fried rice dish, made with veggies and scrambled eggs, only instead of regular rice grains, it’s made with rice noodles. And although other restaurants will say they have it on the menu, many use regular wheat noodles instead of rice; which is just all kinds of wrong.
Actually, this is beef mei fun…still yummy, though.
Hong Kong makes is right. It’s really yummy, and you get a take-out box so full it almost won’t close for about six bucks. It’s enough food for three very filling meals for me.
December 17th– Went up to Greensboro for my mom’s annual Christmas cookie decoration party. As always, we had lunch at their favorite G’bo eatery, Monterrey Mexican #29 (3724 Battleground Ave, Greensboro).
The first time I ordered tacos there I was very disappointed to get the hard u-shaped grocery store taco shells. But I was ordering the wrong item.
This time I ordered tacos Mexico style. Was rewarded with three fresh corn tortillas stuffed with the absolute best carnitas I’ve ever had the pleasure to devour. The meat was as silky as a prom dress. I’ve recently decided it will be my final meal. It’s that good.
December 30th– Tomorrow night make some fun inconsequential resolutions so that it doesn’t matter when you break them. And try to enjoy 2016.
Thanks for your time.
bull city mom 