Christmas Gifts

Ok, so I admit it, I'm a terrible blogger. I did however, get lots of goodies in a foodie filled Christmas gift exchange. Lauren's parents decided to upgrade our pots and pans with the signature edition from Paula Dean, robin's egg with copper accents. I've only made a turkey tacos and a fried egg in them, but so far, fantastic. From her brother I received the long-awaited Sushi set with plates and soy sauce saucers, new chopsticks for four and a spice grinder with 3 storage cases. While these might not help me blog more, I will sure enjoy cooking food more.

Happy Holidays from the Food Monster

Moving again...

I see I haven't made a post in a long while. Not since back in early July. It's now November. The past couple of months have brought me to Wilmington, NC as I took a job as a retail store manager. This has left me with little time to go out to eat at delicious places. However, Lauren has kept me fed well, although I don't have any pictures, I'm not going hungry.

I've also been slack about keeping up with Nick and Rochelle as they ramble along at www.ramblewriter.com Hopefully, soon you will able to read all about their food posts here at the Food Monster. Stay tuned...

The Angus Barn

My girlfriend did some cool things at work and was rewarded with a Gift Certificate for The Angus Barn. I promised to foot the rest of the bill and off we went.

For those of you not from the Raleigh area, this is the place to go for a steak. It may cost an arm and a leg, but i can guarantee you, that it will be delicious. I got my reservation in a week or so in advance. We arrived and were greeted by a hostess who sent us down to a second host/manager in front of another computer who promptly showed us to our table. There we were greeted by Doug, our friendly and knowledgeable Server (and certified Sommelier).

You are allowed to bring in your own wine, for a small corking fee, and we did just that. Doug properly introduced us to our first glass of wine, as well as the hors d'oeuvres on the table. Two cheese spreads, one of Cheddar/Bleu and a Sharp Cheddar, along with homemade crackers, and let's not forget the relish plate complete with jumbo stuffed olives and pickles. I heard this place was expensive, but this whole spread was free, I couldn't believe it, free.

I could have just finished up there, paid for the check and left, but Lauren insisted we order some food. A Shrimp Cocktail later and I was warming up to the idea of the main course myself.
She decided on the 7 oz. Bacon Wrapped Filet Mignon ($32) and I got the 13 oz. Ribeye ($34) with Roquefort Cheese and Balsamic Glaze topping ($4). They each came with a salad and a side. She grabbed up the Spinach salad with warm Poppyseed Dressing while I got the wedge, "for the Bleu Cheese lovers in the group", which contains (Bleu I think) cheese crumbles well as a chunky Bleu Cheese dressing. I simply loved it, that is until I tasted her Spinach salad. Then I wondered why I didn't order one myself. The warm poppyseed dressing was one of the top 3 dressings I have ever had. Boy am I glad I got to finish off the other half of her salad.

The steaks came, perfectly cooked, Medium Well for Lauren (hates blood in her food), and Medium Rare for myself. We both got the loaded baked potato, which Doug personally stuffed full of Cheese Bacon and Sour Cream, table-side. The Ribeye was great, but I guess I like Filet better and wished I had ordered the 10oz. instead. I would like to note, I was able to enjoy this meal again the next day for lunch, when I was glad I got the hefty Ribeye. Also, at dinner the Roquefort Cheese was a little overpowering, although a tasty delight the next day. The next time I will get it "Oscar", with Asparagus, Crab and Hollandaise, that can't possibly disappoint. Lauren was thrilled with her Steak and we were off to dessert. Oh no!, I almost forgot the bread. An abundance of Texas Toast soaked in butter made its way to our table, during our Steak, err main course, and was another treat the next day when I crisped it up in a frying pan.
Doug presented an enormous array of delights, from the Gran Marnier Parfait, to the Sawdust Pie, they all looked like I should take them home with me. We decided on a piece of the Chocolate Chess Pie and Blackberry Cobbler with Vanilla Ice Cream. However, at the slightest mention of my love for Cinnamon Ice Cream, Doug made sure to include a small scoop on the side when the desserts made it to the table. Perfect, full, but a perfect ending to a lovely night. Afterward, we were personally escorted on a tour of the Barn, the kitchen, wine cellars (complete with their own kitchens and dining rooms) and upstairs Wild Turkey Bar & Lounge. Hopefully, it won't be as long until we can get back for another Filet. Got something to celebrate? take it to The Angus Barn.

The Angus Barn
9401 Glenwood Avenue
(Highway 70 at Aviation Parkway)
Raleigh, North Carolina 27617
TEL 919-781-2444

M- F 5:30 - 10:30 PM
Sat - 5 - 10:30 PM
Sun - 5 - 10PM

Wild Turkey Lounge
M - F 4:30 - 11PM
Sat - 4- 11PM
Sun - 4- 10PM

Ramble Writer, quick video of Brooklyn

Here is another post from Ramble Writer. A short video shot in Brooklyn.

Enjoy,

-The Food Monster

Welcome to Brooklyn from Rochelle Woodward on Vimeo.

Free Kentucky Fried Cruelty

I happened upon this link to a site that helps shed some light on Yo Soy!'s comments to the previous post regarding KFC's animal practices.

Again, I strongly encourage you, if you go to KFC, only go for the free food, and even then, only eat the biscuit. Some of the things they are doing remind me of The Jungle.

Read more here...

Free Kentucky Grilled Chicken from KFC

Free Chicken at KFC. They have a great marketing strategy to get people to try their new Grilled Chicken. Go on the oprah show, and give it away. Thanks to my mom and Joe for sending me the links.
Free Chicken as seen on Oprah!
But you have to download it by tonight, limit 4 per ip address.

Enjoy!!!

Guest Blogger: Ramble Writer, Virigina

Continuing on the trip, Nick and Rochelle of RambleWriter.com headed north through Virginia. Here is their post on Charlottesville, Virginia and surrounding areas. Enjoy.

-The Food Monster

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Charlottesville, Virginia, and Surrounding Areas

On our way to Charlottesville, from Abingdon, we stopped at Rockbridge Vineyard, which is a little over an hour outside of Charlottesville. We tried a variety of wines in their tasting room, which is free to the public. I especially appreciated this wine tasting because most of the wines were dry. In fact, nine of the 11 wines that Rockbridge currently offers are dry. I am acquiring a larger palate for dry wines, and have grown to enjoy a full-bodied, dry red to accompany a meal. We bought the Tuscarora Red, which is only $10. The Tuscarora Red compliments a wide range of meals, especially Mediterranean food. It offers berry flavors and is medium-bodied.

I recommend that you stop at Rockbridge for a wine tasting, buy a bottle or two, and walk around the vineyard. The farm and vineyard are on a renovated 1800’s dairy, and the view of the rolling hills is beautiful.

Rockbridge Vineyard | www.rockbridgevineyard.com
35 Hill View Lane, Raphine, Virginia | 1-888-511-WINE

A NOTE ON VIRGINIA WINE:
I had no idea that Virginia was not only a beautiful state to drive through, but has over 140 wineries. Thomas Jefferson even attempted to grow European grapes at Monticello from 1774 to 1816, but it wasn’t until the 1970’s did Virginian winemakers succeed with grape variety experimentation.

For information about Virginia wine and wine trails, visit www.virginiawine.org.
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When in Charlottesville, it is helpful to be acquainted with the town’s “districts”: the Downtown Mall, The Corner, Belmont, & The University of Virginia campus.

Here are a few stops we made while rambling through Charlottesville:

Blue Mountain Brewery and Hop Farm
www.bluemountainbrewery.com
9519 Critzers Shop Road, Afton, Virigina
540-456-8020

If you haven’t noticed by now, Nick and I love to drink. Not just to drink, but to drink great beer, wines, and liquors of different varieties and from interesting places. Fortunately, our host in Charlottesville, Sean, had the foresight to take us to Blue Mountain Brewery and Hop Farm, located in Afton, Virginia (about 20 minutes outside of Charlottesville).

We each ordered the Sampler, Blue Mountain’s flight of all 6 drafts for $5. We all were not enthusiastic about the lighter beers in the flight, but the darker beers offered a few unique twists. I enjoyed the experience of Blue Mountain Brewery, which offers a view of the farm and a pleasant atmosphere, but I was a bit disappointed with the beer.

Of the flight, my favorite was #6, the Bourbon Barrel Aged Stout. I don’t think I would particularly enjoy a full pint of this beer (due to it’s sweet and strong flavor), but I do appreciate it’s taste. “It smacked me upside the head,” Sean said. This beer is aged in oak bourbon barrels from the Wild Turkey distillery in Kentucky, which explains my reaction to the initial sip. I immediately thought, “This tastes like liquor,” but I could not pinpoint the specific liquor. I liked the unique taste of this beer - what a great idea to utilize the flavors trapped in the oak barrels!

Para Coffee | in The Corner
A colorful little coffee shop that offers decent espresso (which is hard to find), and friendly baristas behind the counter. I recommend getting the bran-raisin muffin, which is the best I have had in quite a while (great muffin top, moist inside, and filled with carrot and raisins!). Serves Shenandoah Joe coffee and has free wi-fi.

Miller’s | in the downtown Mall
Stop by Miller’s to people-watch outside while sipping on a $2 PBR draft.

Beer Run | Belmont (above)
Since Beer Run lacks the yuppies and undergrads of typical Charlottesville bar clientele, this is Sean’s favorite bar. Beer Run is the best of many worlds; it is a beer store, a coffee shop, a restaurant, and a bar. The beer store has so many different beers that you are sure to find something new, and the bar is a great hang out spot. I especially liked our bartender, who poured me a Guiness with a giant D in the head to represent Durham.

South Street Brewery | downtown
South Street is a bit more upscale, with a selection of microbrews to accompany their meals.

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SEAN’S PICKS FOR CHARLOTTESVILLE
Since Sean has lived in Charlottesville for a few years now and I trust his judgment, I took note of his top picks for Charlottesville that we were unable to see:

The best area to hang around is Belmont, which is about a mile from downtown. Stop in at La Taza for coffee, go to Mas for tapas or Bel Rio for American fare. Afterward, grab a drink at The Local. “If I am going to put my nice shirt on,” Sean said, “I go to Ten.” Ten is a posh sushi restaurant which just happens to a favorite of Dave Matthews, a UVA alum.