Food!

These days, Durham is an awesome place to live for folks who enjoy food as much as Craig and I do. Last night, we went to one of our favorite restaurants, Four Square, where I had perfectly prepared roasted Alaskan halibut and squash soup with field pea dumplings. Oh, and chocolate banana bread pudding for dessert. One word for the meal - YUM.

We've also been checking out some new places. Two thumbs up for Tonali, an inventive twist on standard Mexican fare. The service was spotty - our entrees came out a good 15 minutes apart - but it was worth it for the amazing chile rellenos. Again, YUM.

Tomorrow morning, I've recruited Jenn to try out Alivia's, which has taken the place of the old bike shop at Brightleaf Square and is owned by the same folks as the Federal. We'll be checking out the brunch menu. If the challah-bread mascapone cheese stuffed french toast is half as good as it sounds, Guglhupf and Foster's are going to have some competition.

This coming week, Craig and I are going to check out the renovations and expanded menu at one of our favorite local spots, City Beverage. I can't wait to try out the veggie burger at the new "Lava Burger Lounge" and the beer-battered asparagus sounds heavenly!

I'm also waiting patiently (as much as I can) for the opening of Watt's Grocery in Watts-Hillandale. Local foodie bloggers report the building looks almost ready to open and the website already lists the devine-sounding menu. Perhaps they can hear my preggie stomach growling?

What a Girl Wants

My birthday present from Craig arrived a bit early - check out my swanky Weber grill!!! Everyone seems a bit perplexed that a vegetarian requested a gas grill for her birthday, so I thought I'd explain. With my handyman hubby planning to have our kitchen out of commission for a couple of months while he does a full remodel, I was desperate for some way to avoid microwave meals and having to eat out all the time. A friend suggested a gas grill with a side burner - perfecto! We can grill veggie burgers and dogs, veggies, and even pizzas, and I can use the burner for all sorts of stir fries and sautes. Problem solved, as long as he gets this done before Winter!