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Priscilla Tsai
Friday, January 29, 2010
Priscilla Tsai / Foodie Tour / Wings (Re)searching for chicken wings
Posted By Priscilla Tsai on Fri, Jan 29, 2010 at 11:07 AM
The Eat My Charlotte Foodie Tour: Chicken Wings hits the streets March 6. To ensure we will be taking y'all to the best wing spots in town, we did our highly scientific and methodical research yesterday by driving around Charlotte and taste-testing it all. Here's a few pictures of what we tried. You may be tasting a few of these on the tour.
Tickets for the tour will be available for purchase online in the next week.
Thursday, January 28, 2010
Food News / Priscilla Tsai A new food truck arrives in the Q.C.
Posted By Priscilla Tsai on Thu, Jan 28, 2010 at 12:13 PM
You can stop being jealous of NYC and LA for their plethora of food trucks. Well, as least a little less jealous. Charlotte's got a new food truck! Harvest Moon Grille, serving locally grown food from Grateful Growers Farm, will be cruising Uptown serving lunch daily. This "meals on wheels" will focus on providing local fresh, affordable and delicious food.
You can find them today from 11 am to 2 pm at Bank of America Plaza on Tryon Street, near 4th street. Look for the orange truck. (Click here for a map)
Moon Shot (soup) - Potato with our smoked polish sausage
Side - a salad of fresh julienned cabbage
The "real" Ham-burger - Grateful Growers ground pork burger with lettuce, tomato, onion, mushroom and peppers on a yeast roll.
The Bird - Grateful Growers pasture-raised chicken in a salad with dates, apples + pecans topped with dandelion greens.
Beef + Cheddar - thinly sliced Gilcrest beef with melted cheddar topped with a chowchow aioli on a yeast roll.
Falafel Burger - (yes, we love vegetarians too!). Falafel with carrot and onion pattied into a burger and served on a yeast roll with lettuce, tomato and chowchow aioli
To drink - Fresh apple cider from Hendersonville NC
"Fer laters" - Pink Lady Apples or Cassie's amazing flourless chocolate torte
Grateful Growers Farm (pork, chicken)
Gilcrest Farm (beef)
Yah's Best (chowchow)
T+K Farm (eggs)
Niese's herbs (lettuce)
Rosemary Pete's Herbs (dandelion greens)
36th Street Bakery (yeast roll)
Sunny Creek Farm (potatoes)
Brushy Mountain Apples (pink lady apples)
Apple Wedge Cider, Hendersonville (cider)
Recipe / Priscilla Tsai Butternut Squash Soup
Posted By Priscilla Tsai on Thu, Jan 28, 2010 at 8:39 AM
Packed with loads of vitamin C, vitamin A, and fiber, butternut squash is as nutritious as it is tasty. This velvety soup highlights the nutty, sweet flavors of the squash and makes for a great winter soup. Pureeing sauteed butternut squash, carrots and onions together lends a thick texture to the soup without the use of heavy cream, which keeps it light. With only six ingredients, it couldn't be easier. (Pst...Use pre-peeled and diced squash to save time.)
Butternut Squash Soup (from Cooking Light)
1 tablespoon butter
3 1/2 cups cubed peeled butternut squash (about 1 1/2 pounds)
3/4 cup chopped carrot
1/2 cup chopped sweet onion
2 1/2 cups fat-free, less-sodium chicken broth
1/4 cup half-and-half
1/8 teaspoon salt
To prepare soup, melt butter in a large saucepan over medium-high heat. Add squash, carrot, and onion; sauté for 12 minutes. Add chicken broth, and bring to a boil. Cover, reduce heat, and simmer for 30 minutes. Remove from heat; stir in half-and-half and salt.
Place squash mixture in a blender. Remove center piece of blender lid (to allow steam to escape), and secure blender lid on blender. Place a clean towel over opening in blender lid (to avoid splatters). Blend until smooth.
Tuesday, January 26, 2010
Priscilla Tsai / Queen's Feast - Charlotte Restaurant Week Charlotte Restaurant Week: The Liberty Gastropub
Posted By Priscilla Tsai on Tue, Jan 26, 2010 at 5:48 PM
I made my first Queen's Feast, aka Charlotte Restaurant Week, restaurant stop at The Liberty Gastropub last night. Surprisingly, the restaurant wasn't as packed as I had anticipated — which was nice as a diner. The meal was leisurely, the service was attentive, and we weren't rushed out quickly, as some restaurants do for restaurant week to turn tables.
Everything I tried on the menu was superb. As the meal progressed, the dishes got better and better. I started out with the Savory Lobster Crumble, Winter Vegetables & Ritzy Cracker Topping. Baked in a baby casserole dish and topped with a smoky grilled slice of ciabatta bread, it was rich with fresh corn and potato chunks. I also dipped my fork into my friend's Wild Boar Sausage first course, which looked like a little fat potato it was so plump.
For my main, I tried Pan Roasted Golf Coast Mahi, which was placed on Low Country red rice with shrimp and sausage. The creamy rice was thick like risotto and paired nicely with the fish.
Dessert was to DIE for. Not kidding. Hands down. The best. If you go, try the Crisp Apple Pie with Butterscotch Ice Cream. The pie is actually an empanada/croissant/apple handpie type of deal. Incredibly crisp and flaky dough enveloped warm apple filling. Served with creamy caramel ice cream — I was a pig in heaven. I'd go back just for that dessert. My friend suffered from a case of fullness by dessert time, so I took one for the team and devoured his Chocolate Bread Pudding, which I can say, was also very good. I am officially a Liberty Gastropig.
I think The Liberty has a few Restaurant Week reservation slots open still, so jump on it.
Friday, January 22, 2010
Smorgasbord / Priscilla Tsai The art of ordering
Posted By Priscilla Tsai on Fri, Jan 22, 2010 at 1:36 PM
Some people are game-time decision orderers. Some point to the first item they see. Some are careful readers, poring over every single word on the menu. Call me anal, or maybe obsessed, but I'll admit I am the type to do internet research on a restaurant, read other people's reviews, and then find an online version of the menu and contemplate what I'll order well in advance.
Now that I've made my reservation to stop by The Liberty Gastropub for Charlotte Restaurant Week, it's time to dissect the 3-course menu.
Below in black is The Liberty's menu for Restaurant week. My notes are in red.
First course (choice of one)
Jumbo Lump Blue Crab Cake - Fennel-Mirliton Slaw & Brioche <-- Slightly boring. I can find this anywhere – lots of restaurants offer crab cakes. I want something a little more unique. Hmm...Brioche though... yum.
Savory Lobster Crumble - Winter Vegetables & Ritzy Cracker Topping <-- Yeah! This is what I'm talking about! "lobster" and "crumble"... intriguing. I'm getting this.
Grilled Texas Wild Boar Sausage - Warm Fingerling Potato Salad, Balsamic Onions & Arugula <-- I'm interested in this too. Anything with wild game is sure to be interesting. Make note to have dining companion order this so I can fork some over to my own plate.
Second course (choice of one)
Pan Roasted Gulf Coast Mahi - Low Country Red Rice with Shrimp, Sweet Red Peppers, Tomatoes & House-Made Sausage <-- Mahi low country style? Wow. I think this is a winner.
"Chicken & Dumplings" - Springer Mountain Chicken, Ricotta Gnocchi, Wild Mushrooms, Spicy Cress & Herb Veloute <-- Tried some of this last time I visited. Next.
Grilled Black Angus Hanger Steak - Twice Baked Potato, Apple-Smoked Bacon, Wilted Spinach & Green Peppercorn Butter <-- Steak and potatoes. Not my ideal meal. I want something a little more complicated.
Third course (choice of one) This is a toughie! They all sound good.
Chocolate Bread Pudding - "Shot" of Young's Double-Chocolate Stout <-- I love bread pudding. And a "shot" of beer is included. I do love alcoholic desserts....
Crisp Apple Pie - Cheddar Cheese & Rum Cider Sauce <-- MORE alcoholic desserts! Sweet. I've always wanted to try and apple pie with cheese in it. Maybe I'll get this.
Sticky Cherry Toffee Pudding - Black Cherry Ice Cream <-- Toffee pudding can be too sweet sometimes. But ice cream is usually always good... hm. Wonder if is homemade.
Thursday, January 21, 2010
Mouthful / Priscilla Tsai My Bento Asian Diner
Posted By Priscilla Tsai on Thu, Jan 21, 2010 at 3:37 PM
I drove up allll the way up to University City to try out My Bento Asian Diner the other night. The restaurant, opened up by Taiwanese owner Andy Luo in December 2009, offers bento box meals with wok style dishes like General Tso's, Honey Sesame, and the like, but what excited me was their authentic Asian menu on the flip side of the menu. Taiwanese dishes like their ja-jun noodles, beef noodle soup, and bubble tea are very close to the real deal. The beef broth used for the beef noodle soup had great flavor and the beef chunks were tender. Their homemade boiled dumplings were delicious as well – made with hand-rolled dumpling dough wrappers and served with a sweet dipping sauce.
Bubble tea, a common street food in Taiwan, is traditionally a sweetened black tea mixed with milk, and contains black tapioca balls (the "bubbles") at the bottom. Sounds strange, I know, but it's so good. You suck up the tapioca balls as you drink through a special fat straw. At My Bento, they offer the original black tea flavor as well as flavors like taro, strawberry, mango, almond, red bean, papaya, honeydew and coconut.
Check out these pics and drool.
My Bento Asian Diner
8640 University City Blvd.
Charlotte, NC 28213
Tuesday, January 19, 2010
Recipe / Priscilla Tsai Take 2: Butternut Squash Lasagna
Posted By Priscilla Tsai on Tue, Jan 19, 2010 at 5:35 PM
Here's another lasagna recipe for you. (Here's the first [meaty] version.) This time it comes from Cooking Light and it's vegetarian-friendly. Garnering top reviews from CookingLight.com readers and cooks, I had to try it.
Butternut squash and spinach are paired with sauteed onions, oven-ready noodles, marinara, ricotta, Parmesan, and Italian cheeses. It's got enough heft so you don't miss the meat. You'd be amazed that it only weighs in at roughly 250 calories per serving. It's slightly sweet, creamy, and so delicious. Here's my version, adapted from Cooking Light.
Butternut Squash Lasagna
6 servings
Cooking spray
1-1/2 cups chopped onion
5 cups fresh spinach
1/2 cup shredded sharp provolone cheese or Italian cheese mix
1/4 cup chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1 large egg
1 (15-ounce) carton part-skim or fat-free ricotta cheese
2 cups diced peeled butternut squash
6 oven-ready lasagna noodles (such as Barilla)
1/1 cup grated fresh Parmesan cheese
Preheat oven to 375°.
Heat a large Dutch oven coated with cooking spray over medium-high heat. Add onion; sauté 4 minutes or until tender. Add spinach; sauté 1 1/2 minutes or until spinach wilts. Combine provolone/Italian cheeses, parsley, salt, pepper, eggs, and ricotta cheese in a large bowl.
Place squash in a microwave-safe bowl. Cover and cook on high 5 minutes or until tender.
Coat the bottom and sides of a (8-inch-square) baking dish with cooking spray. Spread 1/2 cup pasta sauce in the bottom of prepared dish. Arrange 2 noodles over sauce; spread 1 cup cheese mixture over noodles. Arrange the squash over cheese mixture; spread 3/4 cup sauce over squash.
Arrange 2 noodles over sauce; spread ricotta cheese mixture over the noodles. Arrange onion and spinach mixture over cheese mixture; spread 3/4 cup sauce over spinach mixture.
Arrange 2 noodles over sauce; spread 1 cup pasta sauce evenly over noodles. Sprinkle with 1/4 cup Parmesan. Cover pan with foil.
Bake at 375° for 30 minutes. Uncover and bake an additional 30 minutes.
To freeze unbaked lasagna: Prepare through Step 6. Cover with plastic wrap, pressing to remove as much air as possible. Wrap with heavy-duty foil. Store in freezer for up to 2 months.
To prepare frozen unbaked lasagna: Thaw completely in refrigerator (about 24 hours). Preheat oven to 375º. Remove foil; reserve foil. Remove plastic wrap; discard wrap. Cover lasagna with reserved foil; bake at 375º for 1 hour. Uncover and bake an additional 30 minutes or until bubbly.
Wednesday, January 13, 2010
Mouthful / Priscilla Tsai Photos from the new Cyros Sushi and Sake Bar
Posted By Priscilla Tsai on Wed, Jan 13, 2010 at 4:54 PM
Cyros Sushi and Sake Bar, named after owners Cy Santos and Rogelio (Ro) Lawsin, brings great sushi and Japanese fare to the South Park area. Located in the same building as Roosters, the cozy sushi spot focuses seriously on their food. The elegant decor of whites, neutrals, and greens is understated and not flashy. They don't want to be known for their glam style, but rather their good food. They open tomorrow, Thursday, Jan. 14. Take a peek here:
Cyros Sushi & Sake Bar
6601 Morrison Blvd, Suite D
South Park, Charlotte, NC 28211
Tuesday, January 12, 2010
Mouthful / Priscilla Tsai Another look at Fiji Sushi Bar & Lounge
Posted By Priscilla Tsai on Tue, Jan 12, 2010 at 3:58 PM
If you are feeling adventurous, try ordering omakase style at Fiji Sushi Bar & Lounge. "Omakase" is a Japanese phrase which means "it's up to you," which means to leave the menu selection up to the chef. He'll surprise you with his best sashimi and Asian fusion dishes. Check out the items Executive Chef Marlon Caycho prepared during my last visit to Fiji:
Among the dishes were soft shell crab, crab cakes with wasabi tartare sauce, Japanese lobster tail, lamb shanks, and more. I'd say the refreshing octopus salad and the rich dos leches cake were my favorite dishes that night.
Fiji Sushi Bar & Lounge
116 W. 5th Street
Charlotte, NC 28202
704.376.1212
P.S. If you love sushi, check back here tomorrow. I'll be scoping out the new Cyros Sushi restaurant opening in SouthPark tonight and will post photos tomorrow! Read more about Cyros here.
Tuesday, January 5, 2010
Recipe / Priscilla Tsai / Back of the box Back of the Box: No Boil Classic Lasagne
Posted By Priscilla Tsai on Tue, Jan 5, 2010 at 5:11 PM
This recipe No Boil Classic Lasagne comes from the back of a box of Mueller’s lasagne noodles. Surprisingly the recipe doesn’t call for the special “no boil” noodles though the recipe itself is no boil (as in, you don’t have to pre-boil the lasagne noodles prior to assembly and baking).
Hm. Do I like crusty non-cooked pasta bits? Dry lasagna? Eh… I wasn’t sure about this recipe after reading it.
But you know what? It was actually pretty good. Not having to boil the noodles rocks! No more burning my fingertips handling hot noodles, and it saved me from having to wash an extra pot and colander.
The recipe calls for either 1 pound of ground beef or Italian sausage. I used both – a half pound each. I think the sausage lends some nice flavors to the dish, so I’d recommend you use some sausage as opposed to all ground beef.
Also, if you are counting calories, feel free to sub in fat free ricotta cheese. You really can’t tell the difference.
No Boil Classic Lasagne
Prep time: 20 min.
Cook time: 1 hour
Serves: 8019
8 oz Mueller’s Lasagne, uncooked
15 oz ricotta cheese or cottage cheese
2 cups Mozzarella cheese, divided
1/2 cup Parmesan cheese
2 eggs, lightly beaten
6-1/2 cups any pasta sauce
1 lb ground beef or Italian sausage, cooked and drained
1 tsp parsley Flakes
Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
In medium bowl, combine Ricotta cheese, 1 cup of Mozzarella cheese, Parmesan cheese, and eggs; mix well.
In separate bowl, add browned meat to pasta sauce; mix well.
Spread 1 cup of meat-sauce mixture in 9?x13? pan.
Place 1/3 of the uncooked Lasagne noodles over sauce. Spread 1/2 of the cheese mixture over noodles, top with 1/3 of meat-sauce mixture.
Repeat layering. Top with remaining noodles and meat-sauce mixture.
Cover with foil. Bake 55 minutes. Uncover, sprinkle with reserved Mozzarella cheese and parsley flakes.
Bake an additional 5 minutes, or until cheese is bubbly. Let stand 15 minutes before cutting and serving.
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Eat This: Bun No. 28 at Viet Thai
The official name for it is Bun Dac Biet, which loosely translates to "bun with all the things."
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Banana pancakes with macadamia nut sauce 5
Topped with a creamy macadamia nut sauce and sprinkled with toasted macadamia nuts, these banana pancakes are definitely a good reason to get out of bed in the morning.
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Checking in at Heist Brewery 1
NoDa brewpub offers good variety in its libations
