Thanks, Mom!

For our fifth wedding anniversary, my mom gave us a very generous sum of money and told us "to do something nice for ourselves..." We decided to go to our favorite restaurant for a romantic dinner... Table 16 (600 S. Elm Street Greensboro, NC 27406). It has been our choice for recent Valentine's and birthday dinners. So, given the option, we decided to splurge!

And splurge we did! We tried everything!

While my sweetheart got the angus rib eye and sugar snaps with patty pan squash and garlic potato, I opted for the "careful, appreciative tasting of various foods!" The real splurge was my dinner! I had wondered every time we had been to the restaurant about the Table 16 tasting menu. It had always seemed extravagant and maybe a little beyond our means...

But Mom said "do something nice for yourself," so I did!

I had no idea what I was getting myself into, but I couldn't wait! It was recommended that most customers took five courses. Our waitress inquired about any dietary restrictions or taste preferences and off she went!

We started with the Table 16 cheese service. A fabulous combination of local cheeses and pickled vegetables! This could be a meal by itself!

 

After enjoying our appetizer,  my first course arrived and the tasting adventure began! Sweet corn-yukon vichyssoise speck-cebollita salsa summer truffle was what they called it. Chilled and delicious, this was a wonderful summer soup with a prize inside! Candied bacon! Salty and sweet made this soup especially enjoyable!

And the good stuff was just getting started! Hilltop Farms Ostrich with a jicama-beet slaw and red curry sauce looked and tasted amazingly good!

Locally grown produce and multi-ethnic cuisine, there was reason to believe that each course was definitely going to be different! And they weren't kidding! Pork tenderloin and fava beans and a sauce with a kick! This course was both Southern and something out of this world!

Suspense was starting to build! There was one thing that I had noticed on the menu that I had thought about getting... but not knowing how this tasting thing worked, I didn't even know if there was the possibility...

I nearly cheered when the prawn corn dog with kim chee and chinese mustard was put down in front of me! In fact, I may have been so excited that I was actually clapping... But not loud enough to disrupt the place, I promise! And it was everything I could have hoped! The prawn was meaty, sweet and delicious! The kim chee was an excellent companion and the mustard was that extra kick in the butt! "Pow! You really like me!" and I did!

What could possibly be left up Chef Graham Heaton's sleeve? Another course? Why yes, I think I will!

Wow! And it just kept getting better! Currituck soft shell crab and lemon peel with watermelon-avocado terrine and arugula dressing was the best yet! So many tastes! So many sensations! An exclamation point on an outstanding dining experience! And we know I love exclamation points!

There was one thing left to do. Dinner was delicious, but now it was time for dessert! Yes, as a matter of fact, we do want to see the dessert menu!

White chocolate bread pudding, fresh berries and Chantilly cream... good gracious! Enjoying each other's company and an extraordinary meal, this was definitely a celebration of our anniversary and our marriage! 

Thanks again, Mom! We love you!

Raw fish?

Not everything I eat is deep-fried!

In fact, I'll eat some things that haven't even been cooked at all! On a recent Saturday I was invited by friends to try a local sushi eatery... Sushi Republic (329 Tate St, Greensboro, NC 27403)

Boy, was it good! The ultra clean decor was inviting. The waitress was super-familiar with the menu and willing to make helpful suggestions. This meal was off to a great start! After changing my mind a few times... the waitress was also super-patient... I decided to check out one of the lunch bowls. So many things on the menu sounded so good, I was looking forward to this! My bowl arrived and it was beautiful! Tuna and salmon!!
So fresh and so tasty!

Day-Glo Desserts



It's a sweet Saturday afternoon with my husband. We've got a to-do list and we're getting stuff done. I've got a gift certificate for a place I've never been, so we decide to check it out.

Maxie B's (2403-7 Battleground Ave., Greensboro, NC 27408)
It's kind of funky and kind of fancy and it all looks very delicious!

Cakes, cupcakes, and ice cream look really, really good. Lots of cakes... hummingbird, carrot, german chocolate, pineapple layer and oh, so many cupcakes... pink lemonade, red velvet, and key lime... and oh, so many more! We consider our options and go for the Day-Glo desserts... A slice of Orange Dreamsicle cake and that 7 Up cupcake and we're ready to dig in!



 
Mmmmm! Good Stuff! And there's still something left on the gift certificate! Can't wait!

Adventures in Eating

Ok, so maybe this won't be just about food. Sometimes it's about the experience. A trip to Mt. Airy, NC turns into a step back in time!





The unexpected pleasure of happening onto a cruise-in that you didn't even know was going to be taking place that day.

We wander in and out of the stores along Main Street. Tourists pass by checking out the sights from a mule-drawn wagon. Another option is to take the tour in Andy Griffith's cruiser. Looks like a lot of fun, but I'm not so sure that everybody wants to see the sights from the back of a police car! We stop and fill our bags with sweets at Opie's Candy Store! Enjoying the cool cars that line the street, we make our way to our destination.



Snappy Lunch! (125 N. Main St. Mt. Airy, NC) The only business in Mayberry... I mean, Mt. Airy... that is mentioned by its real name on the Andy Griffith show is definitely worth checking out! Small and often crowded, with regulars and tourists alike, the Snappy Lunch is still a popular spot.

Famous for the pork chop sandwich, this deep fried treat is memorable! And this thing is big!! It hangs out of the bun ready for you to wrap your face around it! Do take the suggestion of chili and slaw on it. Sounded weird to me but tasted darn good! With a bag of chips and a soda, this meal is cheap and tasty!

Another hot dog or not?

I was torn between posting another hot dog that I love, something fancy to show how varied my taste is, or something unusual to show how adventurous I am. So how about something that's all of the above! Well, maybe not fancy, but definitely special!

Track food!

All the deliciousness of fair food and all the excitement of racin'... track food makes my belly happy!

The Martinsville Speedway, a great old-school short track, is a great place for a race! It is also the home of the Famous Martinsville hot dog! Available only two ways, plain or all the way. And all the way is Southern-style, baby! chili, slaw, and onions... The "Mart" dog is a super tasty down home treat! Among the vendors and sponsors of the midway, corndogs, bbq sandwiches and funnel cake, this hot dog reigns supreme!

But don't try to get a Coke to go with it. Pepsi is the sole soda provider at the track and it's everywhere... concession stands and vending machines dole out the Pepsi family of beverages at every turn!

Enjoy!

Food Blog?! Me?!

Last night yet another person suggested that I start a food blog. I'll admit that I have been inundating my facebook friends with photos and descriptions of all my eating adventures for months, but a food blog? I didn't even know how to get started. Well, I asked around. I had friends who were blogging and I checked them out. I thought maybe I could have some fun with this! Look for lots of food photos and descriptions of delicious dining discoveries as I follow my own motto of... "I'll eat anywhere once!"

I love to eat, I love to try new things, and I love to take pictures of it all!

This is the picture that really brought the folks who had been following all the food fun out of the closet. The Bacon Cheddar Dog is an all-beef hot dog stuffed with cheese, wrapped in bacon, and deep-fried. The specialty at Grey's Tavern, 343 S. Elm St. Greensboro, NC 27401, I had been wanting to try it for awhile. When I did, it was a truly glorious dining experience! It has everything that makes eating fun!