Bourbon Dinner

Growing up I was a vodka man, or should I say boy.  As I grew into a man, I began to appreciate other spirits, mostly for their complexity of flavor and the abundance of unique high quality choices on the market.  Those were the attributes that attracted me to bourbon more so than any other liquor.  When I heard that my favorite restaurant (as we all know its Blu Seafood and Bar), was having a dinner centered around my most beloved spirit, was there any chance I would not attend?  For $50 apiece, myself and three friends were treated to four courses of Kentucky inspired cuisine all accompanied by a bourbon cocktail.  The perfect event for the Wednesday before the Kentucky Derby. 

Our first course was a baked brie served with a Maker’s Mark Old Fashioned.  I am a huge fan of baked brie, and this luscious, rich and creamy cheese was covered with a drizzle of maple syrup, some slivers of toasted almonds, all easy for dipping and finishing in a matter of seconds.  The Old Fashioned is a classic cocktail with bourbon, sugar, orange and bitters.  The citrusy drink cut right through the brie. 

Our second course was a Kentucky Hot Brown.  Shredded turkey confit, roasted tomatoes, and a bacon mornay sauce over toasted brioche.  This classic dish was served with a new aged cocktail, ‘bourbon sangria’.  Bourbon, mango puree and orange juice made this the best sangria I have ever had.  And the tender turkey and bacon infused mornay made this introduction to Kentucky Hot Browns a memorable one.      

The next plate was something truly unique.  A lamb bbq, served over pureed potatoes and a corn, lima bean and green bean succotash.  The lamb had a distinctive spice rub, was kissed with smoked, shredded like pork bbq but with a taste that was all its own.  This was served with some Elmer T. Lee, a single barreled bourbon that I had on the rocks, and quite frankly it rocked!

We finished up with a piece of pecan pie under a coconut whipped cream.  I am a sucker for pecan pie and homemade whip cream, so this was right in my wheelhouse.  With the Derby around the corner we knew a Mint Julep was in the works, and we were right.  The classic Derby cocktail with a classic Derby dessert, a fitting ending to an unforgettable meal. 

Chubby's Tacos

Chubby's tacos is a great hole in the wall type restaurant with a few locations in Durham, one of which is on Ninth st.  Authentic Mexican tacos complete with fresh ingredients and salsas, the kind of place everyone loves. There was a Mexican restaurant in Concord by my mom’s job that used to serve authentic tacos like these; shredded meat, cilantro and chopped onions. The tacos were so good we never ordered anything else on the menu; the same is true for Chubby’s.  A variety of fillings from shrimp to barbacoa (Mexican shredded bbq) lay on top of six inch corn tortillas with toppings like the old standbys of cilantro and onion or fresh new ideas like chipotle cream. These tacos are so tasty that you end up eating two or three more than you should, every time. The last few times I have had Chubby’s has been at a favorite bar of mine, The Tavern. It is on Markum right off Ninth in Durham. The Tavern hasn’t gotten their kitchen up and running yet, so a lot of the fellas like to bring in some tacos (including a few for the bartender Chris) and have them with their best side dish, a cold beer.

Black Bean Salad/Salsa

Soak one bag of black beans overnight, bring a pot of water to a boil, add worchestire, powdered garlic, salt, olive oil, and pepper, along with the black beans.  Reduce the beans to a simmer and let them cook for an hour and a half or two.  Drain the beans and let them chill. Finely chop a whole red onion, a bunch of cilantro and three jalapeños, then cut the kernels off three raw ears of corn.  Add all of these veggies to a bowl along with salt, pepper, the juice of 1 lemon, 3 limes and red wine vinegar.  Mix well and add to the beans, along with 2 diced avocados, 1 diced heirloom tomato and 2 tablespoons of olive oil.  Let the salsa chill overnight and use as a side dish, for dipping or just for a snack. 

Only Burger

A few weeks back I hit up the Only Burger truck for dinner with a few friends. This truck has been trolling the streets of Durham over the last year, and has become so mythical and popular that they will soon be opening up a restaurant downtown. They call it the “Only Burger” you will ever want. While I wouldn’t go that far, it is the best burger I have ever had out of a truck, and one of the best I have ever had period. Perfect crust from the flat top grill, fresh onions, pickles, lettuce and tomatoes, and shoe string fries that taste like a gourmet version of the ones you would get at Steak N Shake. You can go to onlyburger.com, follow the truck in real time, and make your next burger the Only Burger you will ever need.

Blu Again

My mother took my sister and myself out for dinner the other night.  We went to an old standby, Blu.  It was there that I had a new dish on the menu, which was definitely one of the best I’ve tasted in a while.  I ordered the Diver Scallops with country ham lardons, grapefruit supremes, shallots, arugula, roasted potatoes and an herb and sherry vinaigrette.  The scallops were perfectly seared, so tender, juicy, and delectable.  Potatoes were expertly roasted; the grapefruit and arugula cut through the sweet and rich flavor of the scallops and the ham provided a hint of salinity, while the vinaigrette offered up a punch of freshness and bite.   Dishes like these are why I go to Blu so often, days later I am still left savoring the flavor.