Bonefish Grill

We got a call from some of our very special friends asking us to meet them at their newly found favorite weekday restaurant. We jumped at the idea!

Bonefish Grill is located about thirty minutes from our house so the ride made us feel that we were traveling to an out of town experience.

According to the story, the first Bonefish Grill opened in St. Petersburg, FL on January 15, 2000 and has generated growth in the Southeast and Northeastern Coasts. Currently it is experiencing new growth throughout the United States. The owners have a passion for quality fish and are dedicated to hunting down and supplying the very best.

Our starter was "Bang Bang Shrimp". $8.50
Tender, crispy shrimp tossed in a creamy, spicy sauce and served on a bed of greens. I would have been perfectly satisfied to have this as my main course. It was fantastic!


Three of us chose the "Imperial Longfin". $17.90

It is described as a royal delicacy that is pan-seared, baked and stuffed with shrimp, scallops and crab meat. That is so true. It is absolutely delicious!

C chose the nightly special, a combination of fish, which featured swordfish. She enjoyed it, but would have preferred a milder, more delicate fish to replace the swordfish.


The experience was worth the thirty minute drive and we certainly plan to return to try other options on the menu.


http://www.bonefishgrill.com/

Old Stone Steakhouse

It is always fun to celebrate birthdays. One of my friends has a birthday a couple of weeks before mine so each year we try to go to lunch and enjoy each other's company and good food.

Today, we chose the Old Stone Steakhouse on Main Street in Historic Downtown Belmont for our luncheon celebration. We invited her mother and a mutual friend to share in the fun.

The two birthday girls had the Salmon and Poached Pear Salad @ $10.95.
4 oz. grilled salmon, fresh cut mixed greens, grape tomatoes, poached pear, sun dried cranberries, crushed walnuts and Danish Bleu Cheese crumbles. Served with the House Sherry Vinaigrette.

Her mother had the French Onion Burger @ $8.95.
The burger, a generous size, was served on a Kaiser roll with lettuce, tomato, pickles, mayonnaise and provolone. She chose the mixed, fresh vegetables as her side. The vegetables were sautéed in butter. The chef has mastered the technique of caramelized onions, giving the burger a very distinct character. Her comment was that it was the best burger she has ever had!

Our other friend ordered the Buffalo Chicken Salad @$8.95.
Fresh cut mixed greens, grape tomatoes, sun dried cranberries, shredded carrots, and all topped with buffalo chicken strips and Bleu Cheese crumbles. Served with homemade Bleu Cheese Dressing.
The weather was a perfect Fall day. We sat on the patio and our experience was a very pleasant one.

The service was above average and the food was delicious. We certainly recommend having a nice, upscale lunch at a reasonable price.

The String Bean at DSBG

Yesterday, we attended the last in a series of  "Garden Nights" at the beautiful Daniel Stowe Botanical Garden in Belmont NC.  This one was called "Organic Brews & Blues".

The Four Seasons Garden, featured Stone Mill Pale Ale and Wild Blue Ale, both excellent. The food in this garden included Bleu Cheese stuffed mushrooms, roasted corn and black bean quesadilla with sweet potato, and chocolate pecan pie squares.















At the Orchid conservatory terraces, Samuel Smith Ale accompanied Grilled sausage and pepper skewers with spicy honey mustard glaze, and Samuel Smith Best Ale was paired with white chicken chili and jalapeno cornbread.

This event and the earlier one called "Forbidden Fruits" were both catered by The String Bean, a fresh market and deli opening soon in historic downtown Belmont. The company is already providing catering services and generating great demand in the area.


Glenn Stryker, renowned Chef and Sommelier

          
                                                                                
             



Chad Hutcheson, owner
The String Bean

At the "Forbidden Fruits" event, food and wine was superb.  The finale at the Crape Myrtle Grove included this dish of fresh grilled peaches atop vanilla ice cream and blackberries.

                                                          Celebratory hugs for "Big Butts Barbecue" experts.

Tamarind of Charlotte: Fine Indian Cuisine

Yesterday, we were guided by Lisa and Atul to an Indian restaurant they heard was outstanding, so Ellen and I happily submitted to their expert wise leadership and visited Tamarind of Charlotte at 6420 Carmel Road. www.tamarindcharlotte.com

All of us being well aged, we arrived early to meet our reservation time and found the Labor Day traffic to be very light. We enjoyed the uncrowded welcome at the door and were impressed with the well executed Statue of Ganesha.

Upon being seated and presented the menus, Atul asked our waiter to suggest a shared meal which would include two meat dishes and two vegetable dishes. The waiter's response was, "What shall the spice level be?". I immediately felt we were in good hands. I have faced health issues recently which causes me to be timid with the "spice level". The rest of the group acquiesed to my needs and chose "medium". The waiter's choices were excellent.

Our appetizer was a sampler of Aloo Tikkyas, spicy potato cakes with tamarind and mint sauce; Lucknow Ke Bhajia, crispy light fritters with fresh baby spinach, banana and homemade cheese; Potli Samosa, crispy turnovers with seasoned potatoes and peas; Hara Bhara Kabab, fresh baby spinach and cheese flavored with allspice.

Each of us commented that this sampler and the sauces were exactly to our liking. Ellen, our designated driver, did not allow herself to enjoy a Kingfisher beer which added another dimension to this beginning.

The main dishes arrived simultaneously and their presentation was excellent. Small copper chafing dishes promised hot food throughout the meal regardless of how lengthy our conversations.

Vegetable Jalfrezi

Chicken Tikka Masala

Kerala Fish Curry

Dum Aloo Gobi

Potatoes and Cauliflower simmered in onion, tomato & saffron

All this, along with plain and garlic Naan, and Basmati Rice, was a sumptuous meal for the four of us. The wait staff was attentive and courteous. We dawdled awhile to catch up on events since Atul and Lisa last visited America. Sweet Summer Rain fell outside as we finished our main courses and contemplated Dessert.

All three others chose Mango Pista Gelato while I, the designated beer drinker, abstained from dessert so I could continue snapping photos for this post.

Mango Pista Gelato

We left Tamarind after exchanging URLs and promising to send the link to this blog, contented and thankful we were introduced to this experience. When you are in Charlotte, I recommend you have a meal here and enjoy.

Livermush

If the title of this article makes you want to turn around and run the other way, just calm down. Okay, okay, I know that "livermush" might not be the most appetizing of names, but believe me when I say that it is delicious.  I grew up on the stuff; and, living in Boston now, I miss it quite a lot.

Livermush--and that's pronounced "mush" [ mʌːʃ ] as in 'rush' not "mush" [ mɤːʃ ] as in 'push'--is a delicacy made in the region of North Carolina where I was born and raised. Made of pork liver--and other pork products--spices, and cornmeal, it is cooked together and molded into brick-shaped loaves.
(I just found this on YouTube, and I think this young lady explains it quite well--even though I don't think they really put the tail or the appendix in livermush!)

Basically, it's pâté; but since we Southerners fry everything, when it's served to you, it won't look like the schmanzy-pantsy pâté one might spread on a little piece of pain d'épice. Nosiree! What you'll get is a 3"x5"x0.5" piece of dark and crispy heaven--dark and crispy, that is, on the outside; smooth and delicate on the inside. Smack that sucker on a fresh biscuit, and you're good to go. (I also put mayonnaise, but others are partial to mustard--and apparently grape jelly?! ...cf. video below)

While my absolute favorite is a spicy livermush homemade in Harmony, NC, the city of Shelby, NC probably has the most commercial livermush producers in the state (I don't have the figures in front of me, but I'm pretty sure that's the case), and the Livermush Festival is held there every year. Marion, NC also produces a brand I quite like; but, Neese's out of Greensboro makes the crème de la crème in my opinion. Delivered fresh in their fun little green trucks, the most popular livermush is actually called "Liver Pudding." (I don't know whether you think that name is any better...) Neese's Liver Pudding is somewhat smoother than your standard livermush--I think due to a smaller amount of cornmeal.

Whether you eat yours with mayonnaise, mustard--or grape jelly (?!), the next time you're in North Carolina, stop by your local greasy spoon and order the livermush. You'll be glad you did--even if it was  just for the adventure of it!

Photos courtesy of Google Images.