Hello out there!
How are all of you doing? I hope very well.
Believe it or not, it’s been another month since I highlighted what’s been going on with me and N.C., so here we go!
I finally got to try out the fast casual arepas at Guasaca in Raleigh. I was not disappointed with the inexpensive little meat/veggie pockets (I tried the veggie and pork) that were full of flavor and spice. If you go, you’ve got to try the “guasaca” guacamole!
This craft beer store offers some great outdoor seating for sipping and is right next to Guasaca. After you go out for arepas and chips, stop by Bottle Revolution to sample or buy some amazing local and national craft brews.
This brewery has one of my husband’s favorite Raleigh beers, a triple-gingered one called Eccentrica. It’s in the middle of a little shopping strip and open on the weekends if you want to sip something from their tap.
Bida Manda had been on my Raleigh restaurant list for quite a few months, so I was thrilled when I saw that they were one of the restaurants taking part in the Triangle Restaurant Week. I enjoyed a wonderful 3-course meal from start to finish with fresh spring rolls with a peanut sauce, pork belly soup and a lemon macaroon. I was very impressed by the atmosphere, service and delicious offerings.
I got to try some of my first North Carolina seafood when NC Fresh Catch came to Raleigh. It was hot, the lines were a bit long, but the food was worth it! Fried shrimp, vinegar-based coleslaw, jerk chicken and cornbread were on the menu. I’m now officially on the Outer Banks seafood train!
As the new dessert bar in downtown Raleigh, Bittersweet is really doing something great. They’ve got a mouth-watering menu of sweets (including their cookie plate with a homemade Oreo and chocolate chip sea salt cookie) alongside a menu of intriguing cocktails and coffee drinks. The cookies were fantastic, and I’m looking forward to trying a cocktail soon.
I’ve got a new favorite dinner/drink/special occasion spot in Raleigh, and it’s Stanbury. This restaurant is unique to a tee with a small, homey space that even on a Wednesday night was buzzing with people and conversations, along with cooking noise from the open kitchen in front of diners. We enjoyed a few small plates, from ricotta and pea crostini to a cheese plate to the most amazing fried oysters to steak in a tzatziki sauce. Pair that all with a Stanbury G&T (with strawberry), and you’ll start to understand why I loved this place so much. Just make sure to get a reservation before you go!
For my husband’s birthday, we did the second Saturday of the month tour at Big Boss Brewery. Who knew that this was such a popular stop? Probably because the tour is free and offers visitors $1 beers from their tap. We got to try their Night Knight, Hell’s Bell and Big Operator.
While we were sipping on our Big Boss beers, we decided to get some food truck fare to have on the side. The Humble Pig was parked at the brewery and provided us with some awesome Carolina Fries topped with pulled pork, pimento cheese and slaw!
In the mean time, go explore what’s great in your town!