The Personal Food Critic

Arandas Review

2005-11-14T14:08:00.000-08:00

For anybody who actually sometimes reads this blog, you may have noticed I don't update much. Well, this is for many reasons: 1) I forget alot, 2) I can't think of anything interesting to say, 3) I don't always have money to go out and eat, and 4) Well, you're just gonna have to be happy with three reasons. I know, that was a cheap joke... I'm sorry. Here is this entry's review.

Name: Arandas

Cuisine: Mexican/Tex-mex

Among all of the dull and tasteless offerings of local Tex-Mex restaurants, Arandas shines like a beacon to the lost. The food here is tasty, spicy, plentiful, and... oh yeah, the selection is enormous. They have combo platters of tacos, chalupas, fajitas, and the like that should be very familiar to most patrons. However, if you want something a little more exciting, you can opt for more varied and traditional selections. Carnitas, a spiced and lightly crispy pork dish, is served masterfully with tortillas made at the restaurant. You can choose between either corn or flour tortillas, both of which are soft, and are clearly superior to any non-homemad variety.
Pretty much every platter of food comes with a bounty of steaming Mexican rice (some sort of seasoned rice that tastes quite awesome), and refried beans so tasty that even I will eat them. I know that sounds conceited and not that big of a deal... but here's the thing: I HATE refried beans. Except these. These I will eat at any given time. If you want a big 'ol burrito you can definately get one here, but they're not really the conventional burritos us "Moe's" afficianados are accustomed to. Their burritos are served enchilada style, covered with a savory sauce and some melted cheese; except, the burritos are way bigger than any enchilada. While this definately isn't a burrito you're going to want to grab with your bare hands, for fear of smearing sauce on them. The burritos are incredibly flavorful, filled with delicious and steaming ingredients. You can choose from a multitude of different fillings from pork, to beef, to chicken, and even to... lengua. Lengua is the Spanish word for tongue, as in beef tongue. I know it sounds kind of weird tasting something that used to taste things on its own accord, but tongue is often considered to be quite delicious.
The whole restaurant's decor looks kind of like a Taco Bell trying to be classy... but it kind of works. I'm not saying it's really posh or even especially well decorated, but chances are you'll be concentrating on the food too intensely to really care what your surroundings look like. A big plus for Arandas are the salsas and chips they give you after you sit down. The chips are, like everything else, homemade. The salsas range from fiery to mild in three flavors. There is a green tomatilla salsa that is flavorful and mild, a bright red salsa with a little kick and lots of flavor, and finally, my favorite; a deep red salsa with a fair amount of spice and a fantastic bitter undertone. I wouldn't mind just eating their free chips and salsas and leaving, but that wouldn't be polite. Besides, the selections on the menu are filled with so much Mexican awesome that it would be a shame to leave without a bite or two. Service at the restaurant is courteous and reserved, but there is a subtle warmth in the way they treat you; for example, when you go there for the first time and order a dessert, most likely they will not charge you for it. It's little things like that, and when they quietly ask if you would like more salsa, that make me want to return again and again. This place really is a great find for lovers of Mexican cuisine, unless you don't live in Raleigh, which would make the trip a little lengthier.

-Rating: (out of 4 stars) ** 1/2 This is the best Mexican food you'll find around here, but overall the relatively simple flavors don't measure up to some more upscale restaurants.

-Price:(out of 4 dollar signs) $$ The relatively conservative prices make this a tasty and affordable stop.

-Reservations: Not necessary as far as I know.

-Contact Info:
Phone #: (919)773-1770

Address: 1701 Pinewinds Dr., Raleigh, NC 27603

Hayes Barton Cafe Review

2005-10-27T18:05:00.000-07:00

So, Here's another review for today. I couldn't help waiting till tomorrow to post, so I'm posting this as well.

Name: Hayes Barton Café and Dessertery

Cuisine: All-American Diner

Yes, I know I listed the cuisine as “diner food”, and that merits some explanation. Under no circumstances do I mean to compare Hayes Barton with the likes of Denny’s and its spin-offs (such as Friendlys *shudder*). In actuality, the food here is definitely good, no, better than good. The prices are pretty reasonable and the portions are mammoth. Yes, I just wanted to use the word “mammoth”, but the portions are very very large. Dauntingly large if you decide to grapple an appetizer solo, along with an entrée. Not to mention dessert, but we’ll get to that later, it demands its own discussion. The décor of this establishment relies on the movies of a past generation. By that, I mean that within the dimly lit and decidedly red walls of the restaurant you will find pictures of Marilyn Monroe, Humphrey Bogart, and Jimmy Stewart. There is a small television set constantly playing low volume studio movies in black and white, and the interior is made up to look like a diner with a few adjustments. There are some standing tables and a bar area that look like a shiny diner and a smooth detective hangout had a minor collision whilst the walls are set up with comfortable quasi-booths that allow you to sit in a chair or the booth seat. I would recommend (especially if you take your date there, hint hint) that you call in advance and try to reserve the corner booth seat, it is comfortable, intimate, and has some nice pillows. The atmosphere is very relaxed, and the service is generally friendly, but can sometimes be a little bit testy. But you should still leave a tip. Unless there are extenuating circumstances… like the waiter and/or waitress walking off with your date. Never mind, that just doesn’t seem probable, so please leave a tip. This is sort of a running theme, isn’t it?

The food is good, I really enjoy the food there, and I think you will too. They have massive hamburgers with piles of hot French fries, this ain’t no “Big Mac” it is the real deal. Their menu is pretty cute if not gimmicky in that everything is superceded by an old movie reference, such as the “Dial ‘M’ For Murder Meatloaf”. Yeah, I guess it sounds kind of lame, but you can’t help but play along because it’s just silly, fun, and the atmosphere feels so laid back. Not to mention the fact that meatloaf, something many people including myself would avoid like the plague, is delicious. In fact, their menu items also make excellent leftovers. They also have a stellar chicken pot pie made of a flaky crust that contains steaming chunks of vegetables, chicken, and whatever you call that gravy stuff they have in it. The portions are gigantic, even the appetizers could count as a meal, but it’s all worth eating until you’re stuffed; however, it is IMPERATIVE that you leave room for dessert. If you do not leave room for dessert at the Hayes Barton Café an alarm will go off somewhere, alerting me to your location, and I will hunt you down. And maybe pay for you to have a dessert, but don’t get your hopes up.

This paragraph is for dessert, because it really is that commanding. Do not order anything besides their cakes, when I mention dessert at the Hayes Barton Café and Dessertery I do not mean order crème brulee, I mean order cake. Their slices of cake are about a mile high (this not being a scientific measurement. Just an estimate) and are NOT made from cake mix. They make them at the restaurant, from scratch, with just enough sweetness but not too much, with huge amounts of light and fluffy icing (not that Harris Teeter garbage), and It. Is. So. Good. They also brew a pretty decent cup of coffee. If you’re around five points one night you may just want to stop in for cake. It is really wonderful.

-Rating(out of 4 stars): ** ½ The food is very well executed, but the flavors are not overwhelmingly unique. That, and the menu doesn’t change much keeps this from being three star material.

-Price(out of 4 dollar signs): $$ ½ This place isn’t all that expensive either, especially for the amount you get. Though, cake is rather expensive at $7 a slice and around $45 for a whole cake. Also, if you want a whole cake, say for a birthday (what a great idea!), then you have to order it at least two weeks in advance.

-Reservations: On weekends this is definitely recommended, they get very busy after opening, but they only take reservations for four or more. I suggest waiting outside the door for them to open. That’s dorky…

-Contact Info: Phone: 856-8551

Address: 2000 Fairview Rd.

Raleigh, NC 27608

Waraji Review

2005-10-27T16:57:00.000-07:00

It's been awhile since I posted. That would probably be because I was affectively failing Pre-Calculus, while getting good grades in everything else... odd. Anyway, here is a review if you care to read it.

Name: Waraji

Cuisine: Sushi bar and Japanese

Waraji, a relatively unassuming restaurant housed within a North Raleigh strip mall that serves what is, in my opinion, the very best sushi in the state. You can go to Sushi Thai or Shaba Shabu, but no other restaurant provides the consistently fresh and delicious faire to be found at Waraji. In general people tend to blanch at the mention of sushi, “Whoa... Isn’t that like... Raw fish?” Well, yes, many sushi selections are indeed prepared with uncooked fish ranging from tuna, one of my personal favorites, to octopus tentacle (which is actually cooked). Their fish is nothing like the canned variety; for example, raw tuna should be bright red and have none of that fishy salty smell from Starkist containers. As a rule, and you can write this down, sushi made with any kind of previously living sea life should not smell like much, and should Never.... Ever smell “fishy”. The truth is, raw fish sushi is more about texture and clean taste than rich layers of flavor. Sushi is an interesting experience, and it is certainly something you can learn to love. Don’t get me wrong, I’m not telling you that you have to like sushi, in fact, not liking sushi still gives you plenty of reason to check out Waraji.

Waraji is most commonly known as a sushi bar, but also provides well-done, if not conservative, Japanese faire. None of the food is outlandish or groundbreaking, but they sure do serve up a mean bowl of noodles. On a cold day I wouldn’t go to Waraji for sushi anyway, just grab a hot bowl of Udon noodle soup with smooth chewy noodles in a refreshing broth. Everything about Waraji comes across as very organized and in good order, all of the food comes out fresh, and I can’t really argue against any of their offerings. Seriously, you’d be pretty safe ordering just about anything there. If you decide to try something new and you don’t like it, well, that’s fine, but I’m willing to bet it’s no fault of the Waraji chefs except that they haven’t found a way to magically enhance food so that everything tastes good to everybody. If you’re a picky eater, please drop dead. Now now, food snubber snipes aside, if you’re somebody who quickly turns their nose up to unfamiliar cuisine I would respectfully suggest that you don’t freak out if you go to Waraji. This is a warning, raw fish is kinda weird the first time. Oh, and to break the mythos around “wasabi” the wasabi you get in America is actually a kind of horseradish, the real thing is very expensive, flavorful, and not all that painful. Did I say pain? Food shouldn’t be painful! Well, here’s the thing, to seasoned sushi devourers the “pain” has become something of an enjoyment. Try it, you’ll understand what I’m saying. Maybe. Hmm, have I stressed enough that You should just go out and try some sushi? Well, if you’re too chicken for that, at least go to Waraji and order some gyoza (Japanese dumplings) or sushi rolls that generally don’t have raw fish and are equally delicious. READ the ingredients listed that are in the roll before ordering if you are adamant about avoiding raw fish. The restaurant is decorated simply and the staff is very sweet and attentive. In fact, if you go a couple of times they will recognize you, which really makes the experience that much more pleasant. This is a very good thing, or perhaps, a very bad thing if you are a bad tipper. Don’t give bad tips! Bad tips are bad etiquette. Don’t do it, or, if you do, don’t tell me, or anybody else for that matter. Also, along with having the best sushi around they also can boast the best green tea and shrimp tempura (Japanese frying method).

-Rating (out of 4 stars): *** ½ (Best sushi/Japanese faire you can get. Do not argue Kanki with me. It pales in comparison).

-Price(out of 4 dollar signs): $$$ (This place ain’t all that cheap. It’s not ridiculously expensive, but if you’re a frugal spender and don’t care too much about the quality, go get sushi at Whole Foods)

-Reservations: It really depends, the place can be pretty quiet in early evening (from open until 6:30pm), but from Thursday through Saturday it can be a busy place and sometimes the waits are long. Make reservations if you’re feeling paranoid, though often enough you’ll be able to get a table within twenty minutes.

-Contact Info: Phone: 783-1883

Address: 5910 Duraleigh Rd.

Raleigh, NC 27612

Hello again...(McDonald's Review)

2005-09-21T17:44:00.000-07:00

Hello again, those of you who take the time out of your busy schedules to peruse my blog. It is again time for another restaurant review, and due to the request of one of my pals, it shall be a review of a fast food restaurant. The "restaurant" in question shall be.... McDonalds, a classic e. coli farm that is branched around the world. Yes, they even have McDonalds in France, what is the world coming to? Oh, I lied in the description of my blog... this is primarily for restaurant reviews, come to think of it. Right, here we go.

-Restaurant: Not really worthy of "restaurant" but yeah... McDonalds

-Cuisine: Um... fast food... hamburgers and fries.

-Review:

McDonalds, ah McDonalds. Famous for its McShakes made without dairy that shared a consistency with twinkie cream, the place that according to my dad sold 15 cent burgers, the... oh, my mistake that's the McDonalds of the 60s (except for the shakes which remained twinkie-like until the late 90s). I'm not being completely fair, so let's really take a look. Honestly, McDonalds is never going to be the cleanest place for the sole reason that they have a play area for 4 year olds, right next to where you eat your food (personally, I always take it home). I've noticed that McDonalds' cleanliness has in fact improved these days, especially the McDonalds on Glenwood Avenue (70) that is deemed the "Happy Meal Box"; in a nutshell, it's a large glass building shaped like... a happy meal box. Sweet, too bad the only toy inside is the jungle gym for children 60 pounds and under, counting me out of all the 4 year old fun. The waiting staff ranges from the rare cheerful middle aged cashier, to the indignant teenager on an odd job, to the impossible communication via the drive thru speaker window. Of course, you can overlook all this because the food is so good... right? McDonalds french fries are a classic : pre-cooked, pre-packaged, re-frozen taters, and then re-fried and over-salted for your consumption. Personally, I can always find room for more of them. I would advise against the "fresh baked" pies seeing as how they have more goopy sauce filling than anything else, and kind of taste like glue. I reccomend everything on the McDonalds menu if only because it all tastes so darn similar. A bit of a warning, some of the burgers that they try to make a little thicker, like the "big 'n' tasty" have notoriously grayish meat which sort of creeps me out, but apparently nobody's gotten sick for awhile, so don't despair if you love their "meat products". Chicken nuggets are terrible, but I love them for the sentimental value, a slightly higher quality lies in the "Chicken Selects" which are okay, and seem to actually be all white breast meat. The milkshakes these days are actually made with dairy, and are quite tasty. I especially enjoy the chocolate one, but that's just because I love chocolate, really, the vanilla one is just fine too. I'm not reviewing breakfast except that it's just nasty, but they're coffee is okay and always served piping hot. Big Macs will always be a favorite of mine, but I don't think it's because they taste particularly good... it's probably just because I remember eating them with my father and they have a special place in my arteries. Truth is, you can't go wrong with McDonalds, but there's certainly no way to go right either. Oh, and the happy meal toy. You just gotta get a toy. Good for a quick bite, but not haute cuisine.

-Rating: 1/2 star (I mean seriously... it's fast food)

-Expense: $ (Your meal is gonna run you 5-8 dollars. But if it costs you 8 bucks to eat at McDonalds, you're eating a little too much Mcdonalds)

-Contact Information: C'mon... you can find a McDonalds on your own... Ask a friend or the yellow pages if you REALLY can't.

So... I'm posting again for a sense of continuity

2005-09-20T17:15:00.000-07:00

Right, I'm going to ramble a bit, after my post last night, which was a labor of love in and of itself. If you want to comment on me, my reviews(hopefully there will be more), my blog, your life... go right ahead. Ha, film club was today. If you didn't come, I'm very disappointed in you, except that I don't really care. I am now an officer (if you needed a reason to avoid the club). Though, my title is the "Coordination Officer" I really serve no other purpose than to look smug and make sarcastic remarks that are only amusing to me, and sometimes the other officers. Well... there also may be an impending decision to designate me in charge of food stuffs at meetings. FILM CLUB MEETINGS ARE ON TUESDAYS FROM 2:30 TILL 3:30 UNLESS OTHERWISE SPECIFIED. Please come, though we got a pretty good crowd on our first official meeting. Please come, we'll watch interesting films... I promise. But no Fight Club, Donnie Darko, or anything Tarantino. Deal with it, those suck as far as analysis of what makes a good movie, I dare you, no... I ENCOURAGE you to argue against me; However, this is not a movie review blog, so I shall not use my posting space to justify myself. That is strictly for the comments and replies section. I should be doing homework so I can go to sleep early on this wonderful mononucleiosis day that I'm enjoying. Hmm... ah well. OH! If you want some good listening... look into some Chopin Nocturnes, Rachmaninoff Preludes or Piano Conciertos, and any of Mahler's Symphonies, ESPECIALLY his symphony No.2 Resurrection.

~Josh

And so it begins... (Nana's Chophouse Review)

2005-09-19T20:47:00.000-07:00

Yes, I'm afraid that Josh has indeed decided to start a blog. Take it up with Heather if this is a serious problem for you. How often I update will not be determined... until I update. Wonderful tidings: School is hard (as I'm sure most of you have gathered), I have mono (since I've let the world know), Oh! And... well, I figured there always needs to be a part three. I think this entry's part three will be a food review. My format will be 1-4 stars based on the quality of the food/dining experience. I will also (Like the N&O) type 1-4 dollar symbols ($) based on expense. On both scales, the more dollar signs the more expensive, and the more stars the better for a maximum of 4 stars. I think I've made this overly clear. Hey, please post replies about anything, preferably pertaining to the blog, or if you just wanna tell me something, go ahead. Or if you just wanna put something on a blog somewhere... go ahead. Hey, you could even review my review! Let's begin, shall we?

-Restaurant: Nana's Chophouse

-Cuisine: Southern-Influenced Mediterranean faire

-Review:

A little background on Nana's Chophouse: The owner, Scott Howell, has a sister restaurant opened a bit back simply christened Nana's. It lies in Durham. The food there is a bit more Southern in its flair, with a bit of a French undertone. Howell has given talks about his restaurant business and oddly enough, though he prepares very high end cuisine, he perscribes to the train of thought of making money over quality of ingredients. He does not necessarily use personal local farmers as many high-end chefs commonly do because he insists on getting the best price, even at a slight hindrance to the quality. Very American; however, the food at Nana's Chophouse is certainly pricey, but quite good as well.

Now, the first thing that strikes me upon entering, is the live band playing soft free-form jazz on most nights. Some nights it is much too loud, but on the most recent night I was there (Saturday Sep. 17, 2005) it was very pleasant. The decor is tasteful with rustic poured brick walls, and a few pleasing paintings. Again, this is a chophouse (specializing in roasted/grilled meats) so Howell has chosen to have the kitchen interior visible. This touch is not dominating, and may not even be noticed if you aren't looking for it, but it is kind of fun. The menu is not particularly large, but you should be able to find something pleasing for your palate. When I say that this food is mediterranean-influenced it's basically Italian with a little of his North Carolina southern showing through. The Southern touches are subtle, such as his choice for a soup of the day, sweet corn chowder which is by the way, excellent. Texturally there are lightly crispy pieces of corn in every spoonful, and the sweetness lingers long enough for a touch of heat and creaminess from the broth to sink in. Of course, you can't trust this to always be there since it changes daily. The Chophouse menu changes seasonally I believe, and the appetizers are interesting ranging from a "tricked out" calamari, to a brilliantly simple rendition of steak fries (basically a couple enormous potatoes cut into 1/8 slices, fried to greaseless perfection, and stacked like lincoln logs with an accompanying horseradish mayonnaise pommade). My entree was a roasted rack of lamb with mint-infused peach chutney, and wilted char (a kind of green leafy vegetable with a slightly sweet, and very bitter/spicy flavor). The lamb was cooked to a medium-rare perfection, yielding to the slightest pressure from my knife. The thin layer of fat characteristic of the outline of a lamb cut slightly crisped and juicy. The mint-peach chutney added a delicious sweet and savory dimension to the dish, complementing the lamb famously. Anything at the Chophouse is reccomendable, but especially the selections using a meat. Though, I must reiterate that there can be no mistake in picking ANY of the dishes. Unless of course you abhor the main theme of the dish. If you don't like pork... don't order the pork dish. Vegetarians fear not, for The Chophouse also offers a great array of pasta dishes, and at least one vegetarian entree. When I last went it was a polenta (a kind of creamy and soft corn cake), and Scott Howell is no slouch when it comes to polenta. How can any meal be complete without desert? Well, their deserts change of course, but quite good. I would however avoid the ice cream deserts unless you really REALLY love ice cream. While the ice cream is arranged stylishly, the servings really are much too large for the end to a meal. Coffee is of course always a good choice, especially when the dessert is chocolate, and they brew a mean cup of joe. The staff is patient, attentive, accomodating, friendly, and unobtrussive. It's a wonderful dining experience, but perhaps half a rung down on the ladder from exquisite Triangle dining such as Raleigh's "Fins" or Durham's famous "Magnolia Grill". Give this place a try if you've got some money burning a hole in your pocket, or if you think the food really is worth it.

Rating: ***1/2 stars (Some of the best dining in the triangle)

Expense: $$$ 1/2 (Appetizers $7 and up, Entrees can run upwards of $30, vegetarian entrees being often half the price) RESERVATIONS HIGHLY RECCOMENDED!

Contact Information: 328 W. Davie Street
Raleigh, NC 27601

Phone #: (919) 829-1212