February 4th – 6th
Each year in February The Triangle Wine Experience brings to you, right here in Raleigh, exclusive wine dinners and free wine tasting events with winemakers from California and all over the world. You will have the opportunity to attend auctions where you can find lots that you never thought you could find of rare vintages and oversized bottles. Vacations to Italy, Mexico, Napa Vally and Hawaii!!! Meet new friends and simply have the evening to remember full of what a glass of wine does best ~ bring people together in celebration!
“This event is now receiving national recognition. Consumers are realizing that we have depth and quality of auction lots, offering rare `cult’ Napa Valley producers and Bordeaux selections. Internationally acclaimed vintners host our winemaker dinners and our participating restaurants serve extraordinary food. And – we’re fun!”
The Triangle Wine Experience is the Triangle and Carolina’s premier wine event encompassing tastings, dinners, and a Grand Gala with Fine Wine Auction over a three day period. Winemakers from all over the world participate in this truly amazing event.
All proceeds from the Triangle Wine Experience go to the Frankie Lemmon Foundation, a non-profit organization dedicated to the education and support of children with special needs. The Frankie Lemmon School is a local public preschool in Raleigh NC for children ages 3 to 6 with developmental disabilities ranging from mild autism to Down’s syndrome, from sight impairment to mobility challenges. The Frankie Lemmon School is public and does not accept tuition, but with only 40% of the school’s budget coming from the North Carolina Public School Fund and rising costs of operating the school, they depend on the funds from The Triangle Wine Experience to keep them going.
If you can’t make all events, pick one and join me for the fun! Even if you are out of town you can help by donating wine or a product. Each year I pick a few special bottles from my collection and although it’s hard to give up and hand over, it feels really good to know that I am helping these kids out, kids I have gone to see at the school and have tugged on my heart strings. So give it up people…share the good stuff! And for any wineries out there that couldn’t attend locally we are still accepting wine donations and would love to have you participate in future events. You can contact the foundation at (919) 845-8880.
When in Raleigh can you enjoy an intimate winemaker dinner at one of our fine restaurants? Thursday February 4th you will have that very opportunity! Hey, you might not be able to do everything during this 3 day event, but a wine dinner in Raleigh with a high end wine that is affordable and goes to charity sounds like a no brainer to me! Believe me, I have been to several as both a volunteer and guest, and it’s an experience that I cherish and tons of fun, not a stuffy boring wine dinner at all! There are 29 restaurants participating in Raleigh, Durham and Chapel Hill.
Which wineries are involved? To name just a few, come dine with Miner Family Vineyards, Cakebread, Caymus, Kosta Browne, Patz & Hall, Reynolds Family Winery, Switchback Ridge, Duckhorn, Realm Cellars, Robert Foley or Pride. For a complete list of restaurants and wineries involved visit The Triangle Wine Experience.
FRIDAY FREE EVENT ~ Evening Sip, Shop & Sign 5-6:30pm
Winemakers will be pouring, discussing and selling their fine wines at select wine retailers. Come sample, buy a bottle and have it signed. This is a great opportunity to learn a little more about wine and make new friends while you’re at it. This event is free and no reservations are required. You’ll find me at Taylor’s Wine Shop giggling and having fun with Taylor and Gail. Join us Friday February 5th from 5-6:30 at any of the participating retail wine shops. Click here to find out which of the 15 wine stores are closest to you!
SATURDAY GRAND GALA & AUCTION
Come join me for one of the most fun nights you will have all year!! Getting all dressed up in your black tie digs with somewhere to go, drinking incredibly special wines, meeting new friends, having the opportunity to bid on and take home some rare finds that you can’t find commercially and dance the night away….. all while fighting for a great cause!
Please come join me for this grand gala with a Hollywood theme “Hollywood & Vine”. There will be two spirited auctions ~ one live and one silent. You will be delighted to see such spectacular wines, rare vintages and oversized bottles. You will see some really cool lots up for auction such as 20 (3) Liters of California wines as well as a lot with over 20 magnums! Kosta Browne, DR Stephens Estate Wines and Wind Gap have “pianos” of Wine (375’s/750’s/mags/3L/6L). You can bid on the owner’s box for a Yankees Game with Steve Reynolds that includes flight, hotel, and a DelFrisco’s private dinner. Vacation time…..there will be trips to Italy, Mexico, Hawaii, CALIFORNIA! You will find SO many wonderful things especially for the Triangle Wine Experience. The live auction will be presided over by Paul Hart of Hart Davis Hart Wine Company. After the auctions, come get your groove on dancing the night away to a live entertaining band. I would not steer you wrong my friends, I look forward to this event every year and each year, it just keeps getting better!
Cheers from The Traveling Grape!
Indochine Grill, Modern Asian Cuisine is pleased to announce its addition to the Charlotte Restaurant Market. Situated at the EpiCentre, right in the heart of uptown Charlotte, Indochine Grill is at the center of the action and reflects the excitement and energy that can be found here in Charlotte. It is the perfect place to bring friends, family members, business associates, or a special someone for lunch and dinner daily.
IndoChine Grill offers modern Vietnamese cuisines that combine the elements from the world’s most celebrated fares–French, Chinese, and Japanese–and blends them together to create a sophisticated and delightful cuisine. Our restaurant has the culinary skills to offer a unique style of Asian cuisine including sashimi, ceviches, Asian salads, lettuce wraps, pan-seared items from the sea, not to mention a variety of spring rolls, beef stew, grilled lamb and other mouth-watering Asian specialties.
The atmosphere of the restaurant, designed by Alicia Osborne of the RBA Group, reflects the streamlined beauty and harmony of southeast Asian heritage. Indochine Grill is pleased to introduce a new dining venture to Charlotte. Our restaurant lends itself to something that Charlotte has never experienced before such as exciting food, good service and the energetic architectural details that invite you to sit down and enjoy a delicious meal.
Please bring yourself, friends, families, and business associates to Indochine Grill to be embraced with an Asian cultural experience like no other. Our outstanding social atmosphere invites all people in to experience a unique taste of Asian foods that they will never forget.
Saffron warm heartedly thanks all its patrons for support and placing us in Top 10 Charlotte’s Restaurants.
After running an Indian-cuisine catering business for nearly 10 years, Sangeeta Yadav set her sights on expanding her company to include an upscale Indian restaurant.
But arranging the financing was an elusive recipe.
She and her husband, Vijay considered several options. They looked at borrowing the small business administration but decided that path was too restrictive and require too much paperwork. Meanwhile, the Yadavs found area banks couldn’t relate their version.
“if we had wanted to open a steakhouse or a bojangles’, they could have associated that,” Vijay says.
Ultimately , the couple followed a common financing route for a small business — they raised an undisclosed amount of money through family members and friends.
Sangeeta opened Saffron Indiana Cuisine in Ayrsley Town Center, on N.C. Highway 49 at interstate 485, last summer.
Saffron was built on the shoulders of the catering business Yadav started in 1996. Operating from 500-square foot kitchen on South Boulevard, her Sangeeta Indian Catering served wedding parties with crowds as large as 1,000 as well as providing food for a range of corporate gatherings. She did the cooking herself, with Vijay and Friends helping with deliveries to banquet halls and hotels.
By 2001, Sangeeta was believed charlotte was ready for an Indian restaurant with an upscale flair. But as the mother of two teen-age girls and the owner of a busy catering operation , She didn,t have time to pursue that idea. By 2006, however, the Yadav’ older daughter had entered college. And Charlotte had experience an influx of Asians as well as newcomers from other parts of united states who also were familiar with Indian Cuisine.
“The timing was right,” Sangeeta says of her decision to open Saffron and expand her company to eight employees.
The 3,000-square-foot restaurant is large enough to accommodate the Yadav’s catering business and host gathering as well. Each table features a white table cloth, stylish redwood chair, and a rose in a glass bowl. Sheer drapes grace the windows, one of which features a swing chair imported from India.
“This is just a vision we had,” Sangeeta says. Fashionable Asian restaurant such as Saffron and Copper on East Boulevard are playing a key role in expanding Charlotte’s dinning options, says Peter Reinhart, chef -on-assignment at local Johnson & Wales University campus. He Says the Yadavs deserve credit for serving familiar Indian dishes “But with a contemporary twist and a presentation not easily found in other restaurant”.
Five Guys is famous for one thing: their burgers.
Juicy, greasy and delicious Five Guys burgers are some of the best in the country. With an unlimited amount of toppings and the joy of watching it made right before you, there is nothing like a Five Guys burger.
Today, however I ventured into unknown territory to try a rarely promoted and often forgotten menu item at Five Guys…..the hot dog.
Knowing how amazing the burgers are, it was difficult for me to change things up and try the hot dog. However, it was cheaper and I have never done it before so I figured it was worth the plunge.
You have three Hot Dog options at Five Guys, all of the choices include as many toppings as you want (for no additional cost). 1. Kosher Dog (plain hot dog) 2. Cheese Dog and 3. Chili Cheese Dog.
I opted for the Cheese Dog and added ketchup, relish, and onions. Total cost: just under $4.
The anticipation of waiting for my dog after I ordered was killing me. If the dog was anything like Five Guy’s burger I knew I was about to be catapulted into Hot Dog heaven.
A few minutes later, my number was called and I went rushing up to counter receipt in hand to get my dog. Wrapped tightly in aluminum foil, I slowly unwrapped it and got ready for my first bite.
My expectation was that the toppings would be falling all over the place and get all over my hands, shirt and pants. However, Five Guys was well prepared and this is where the hot dog magic actually began.
Most hot dogs have all of their toppings piled on top, make it hard to hold, hard to eat and very messy. Five Guys is a little smarter. First, they put all of the toppings on the bottom of the bun, then they take the grilled dog with cheese in the middle and put that on top of the sides. Basically…it’s like an upside down hot dog.
While this may sound a bit off, it’s actually one the best features of the dog and enhances the entire experience. This was the first time I was actually able to eat an entire hot dog without spilling half of it down my shirt.
Why didn’t other people think of this sooner? Put the condiments on the bun…put the dog on top. Makes complete sense.
The dog was good too…grilled to perfection, nice and juicy with plenty of cheese it was extremely satisfying. Especially when it only cost around $4.
The famous Five Guys fries completed this experience. Not only do Five Guys fries taste amazing, there is also an abundant amount. First they fill up a styrofoam cup and put it in your brown bag, then they dump extra fries right in the bag. A regular sized cup of fries is actually like two large orders. Fresh, hot and seasoned perfectly the fries complemented my hot dog wonderfully.
So, Five Guys is famous for burgers but the big secret is their hot dog. Have you ever changed things up and gotten a hot dog instead of burger? If not, now might be a good time to try it.
‘Una dia, una dia; One day, one day’
As children growing up in Mexico, our Father always taught us to dream and to believe in our family and our ability to make our dreams come true. He knew and taught us all that with hard work, passion and determination, any dream could become a reality. He worked long and hard everyday and sometimes had to travel and be away from his family for a special meal. Our Mother would cook all day, often starting to prepare foods a day or two in advance for the special meal. As children, we loved helping her. Both our parents taught us always to work hard, to be kind, honest, and responsible and to love our family. They believed if we loved each other, stood together, and respected each other and life, there were no limits to what we could achieve.
Our Father always dreamed of having a family owned and operated restaurant, and as we got older, we all grew to share his dream of working together as a family. We all loved growing up in our parents’ home in the small town of Tampico, Mexico. All the food, smells, love, family and laughter that filled both the kitchen and the entire house was wonderful. Our father’s dream easily became our whole family’s dream.
As we grew up, we became focused on making our dream become a reality. In 1986, Sergio was the first member of our family to immigrate to the United States. Later, Alfredo, Fernando, and then Ramon followed. We worked where there were jobs, which at the time was picking tomatoes and squash on farms. We also worked as painters and on construction projects, but we always kept our dream close both in our hearts and minds. Although we knew that the road ahead would be hard and possibly long, we remained focused on making our dream become a reality and we kept telling each other and ourselves “one day, one day.”
We continued to work hard, both at our jobs and at learning a new language and culture. We encountered many wonderful people and friends over the years and we all knew that our dream was possible here. The United States really is a land of opportunity and we are all very thankful to be here. On June 15, 1999 our “one-day” arrived and we opened our first, family owned and operated, Salsa’s Mexican Restaurant on Carmel Road. Our parents’ values served us well and we happily opened a second restaurant on Sardis Road on June 15, 2002. We feel very fortunate to be living our dream here in Charlotte and each day we continue to work hard to keep our family traditions alive both in our restaurants and in our homes.
Your Proud and Happy Hosts,
Sergio Gomez, Alfredo Gomez, Fernando Gomez and Ramon Gomez
After remodeling the interior completely, the Serrano family hoped to capture both American and native Mexican customers by offering authentic Mexican dishes. The menu has over 50 entrees that range from $8 to $11.25, and may require a whole margarita pitcher to digest. Every visitor receives a basket of warm, thick, yellow corn chips served with the classic dipping choices of spunky salsa and chunky pico de gallo.
Entrées are presented on oversized white platters. Since Mexican foods are more often horizonal than vertical, the quantity seems to be even more than it is — kind of a trompe l’oeil of the food world. The depth of the sides — rice and refried beans — is very thin. When the sauce is ladled on the adjoining entrée, the plate melds together in a continuum.
And of course, margaritas are a favorite here! The question is, “Will that be the 16-ounce Margarita, the jumbo size?” You can order two 16-ounce jumbos at $7 each and that’s the same price as getting the 60-ounce Margarita pitcher for $14. That explains why everyone has pitchers of margaritas on their tables and why the owners named this place Las Margaritas Mexican Restaurant. If you aren’t into magaritas, you may also order any of the dozen or so tequilas, beer, or wines.
What is guaranteed is that the Serrano family treats each customer like family, and no restaurant is more welcoming as Las Margaritas.
Thursday, August 20, 2009
The EpiCentre is now the home of a new hotspot, Enso Asian Bistro which is a late-night sushi bar.
Enso, pronounced (in-zoh), was founded by co-owner Pete Lloyd, 38, a service industry veteran who’s been in the nightlife business since he was 23. He also owns Fire Island Grille in Myrtle Beach.
Lloyd and partner Erez Sukarchi say they have painstakingly researched the country’s best sushi bars, studying everything from the food to the décor. Lloyd says Enso is inspired by places like Tao in Las Vegas, and Nobu and Buddakan in New York, where they met with chefs to discuss different food concepts.
The 8,000-square-foot space on the EpiCentre’s first level has been transformed into a sleek take on the Land of the Rising Sun. Bronzy reds are the color scheme throughout, reflected in sheer curtains around the bar and lining the floor-to-ceiling windows. Faux crocodile and snakeskin furniture give the place a luxurious feel. Asian-themed pieces are dotted throughout: two giant, marble fu dogs (a cross between a dragon and a lion) greet you as you enter; a Buddha sits behind the bar; a sumo wrestler watches over the lounge area; and black-and-white kung fu movies are projected onto a wall.
Patrons can choose to sit in the main dining area, at the 35-foot sushi bar, or the lounge-bar area where bar stools, booths and banquet seating are plentiful. Outdoor seating among bamboo plants accommodates another 50 people.
What sets Enso apart from other similar concepts is its location and its late service (sushi is served until 2 a.m.; regular menu items until midnight).
Both Lloyd and Durkin see it as a place where people will stop for dinner before a night out dancing or for a low key, late-night option.
For more information, visit http://www.ensocharlotte.com/