Angus Barn Named All-American Icon by Nation’s Restaurant News

In its Jan. 26 issue, Nation’s Restaurant News included Raleigh’s Angus Barn on its prestigious “NRN 50” list of All-American Icon restaurants.

Still going strong 50 years after its founding by Thad Eure Jr. and Charles Winston, the Angus Barn has thrived over the years by expanding its menu to include seafood and other dishes, adding a popular bar and lounge, maintaining an award-winning wine selection, offering special themed dinners, and more recently, opening a 500-seat year-round lakeside pavilion (www.thepavilionsattheangusbarn.com) for special events. The Angus Barn also opened two elegant dining rooms accommodating 30-plus guests each in its renowned wine cellar, along with a special teaching kitchen.

The Angus Barn has “become synonymous with hospitality and service excellence” according to Nation’s Restaurant News. That’s one of the primary reasons why the establishment made the NRN 50. The Angus Barn is the only North Carolina restaurant on the list.

Founded in 1960, the Angus Barn is a distinguished fine-dining establishment in Raleigh, N.C., owned and managed by Van Eure. Featured in Southern Living magazine and on the CBS program “48 Hours” for its cuisine and exemplary service, the Angus Barn has won numerous awards, including the Ivy Award, DiRöNa (Distinguished Restaurants of North America) Award, Wine Spectator Grand Award and Fine Dining Hall of Fame Award. In 2006, Angus Barn’s Executive Chef Walter Royal, a Restaurant Guild International Five Star Chef of the Year, triumphed over a celebrity Iron Chef on the Food Network’s “Iron Chef America” television show. For more information, visit www.angusbarn.com.

Margaux’s offering early bird special

In an e-mailed ad from the News and Observer, Margaux’s is advertising a fixed-price, three-course meal Tuesday through Friday from 5:30 pm. to 6:30 p.m. for $19.95. They say its the same great taste, just earlier and a little lighter on your wallet. After 6:30 p.m., the same meal is offered for $27.95. Margaux’s is at 8111 Creedmore Road, Raleigh. Call them at 846-9846.

Zely and Ritz offers special dinners

Zely and Ritz has had such a great response to the Anniversary Tasting Menu for Two, that they’re continuing it for the next couple of weeks.  They’ll also offering their First Friday Special Menu through the weekend.

First Friday Special Menu

Appetizer
Sumac Encrusted Goat Cheese over Celery Root & Apple Slaw
or
Mexican Style Shrimp Ceviche

Entree
Pan Seared NC Catfish with Sweet Mashed Potatoes & Braised Cabbage
or
Roasted CRF Pork Loin stuffed with Apples over Polenta & Sauté Greens

Dessert
Apple Torte with Sweet wiped Crème Fraiche
or
Caramel Bread Pudding with Coffee Ice Cream
$25 per person
(tax and gratuities not included)

5th Anniversary Dinner, Until February 13th
Starters
Hummus with Pita Bread, Pickles, Olives and Hot Sauce
Spinach and Feta Cheese Baked in a Puff Pastry
Roasted Beet Salad with Organic Mixed Greens, Feta Cheese, Pears and Walnut Vinaigrette
In the Red Sumac Coated Goat Cheese Balls with Candied Kumquat Sauce
Wine: Domaine Aubuisieres Vouvray, Cuvee de Silex, Loire Valley, FR 2007

Seafood
Mexican Style Shrimp Ceviche
Crispy Pan Seared Grouper with Kataifi and Herb Sauce
Almond Crusted Scallop with Caramelized Lemon Sauce

Wine: Anselmi Capitel Croce Bianco, Veneto, IT 2005

Vegetables
Sautéed Greens
Creamy Polenta with Fontina Cheese
Creamy Butternut Squash Risotto Finished with Asiago Cheese

Wine: Robert Sinskey Vineyards Pinot Noir, Los Carneros, CA 2007

Meats
Coon Rock Farm Pork Loin with Dried Cherry Sauce
Herb Crusted Rack of Lamb with Oven Dried Tomatoes and Rosemary
Braised Harris Robinette Farm Grass Fed Beef Brisket

Wine: Elyse Nero Misto, Blend of Black Grapes, Napa Valley, CA 2007

Desserts
Flourless Mexican Chocolate Cake and Chocolate Ice Cream
Larry’s Beans Espresso Creme Brulee
Pine Nut Tart with Honeycomb Ice Cream

Wine: Ramos Pinot 10 Year Tawny Port

$75 per couple (tax and gratuities not included)
Wine pairings – additional $30 per person

Cary steak house closing

Triangle Business Journal reporter Amanda Jones Hoyle in the article “LM Restaurants shuts down Bentleys at Crossroads” writes that Raleigh restaurateur Lou Moshakos is shutting down his well-known Cary steak house and seafood restaurant, Bentley’s at Crossroads, while continuing to expand his Carolina Ale House empire across the state.

Ilona: Zely and Ritz Liquor Dinner

My friend Ilona wrote about a recent visit to Zely and Ritz on South Glenwood:

Zely & Ritz has an awful lot of wine dinners, a few beer dinners and recently, to my great joy, a liquor dinner. We went with friends, were seated at a table with like-minded diners and enjoyed not only their company, but the meal, the discussion of the creation of the meal and the cocktails! The edible highlights for me were the “Goat Cheese wrapped in Coon Rock Farm Swiss Chard over an Anise infused Daikon Salad with candied Kumquat Sauce”  The flavor blending and the crunch were fabulous and I could have eaten an entire bowl for dinner and been happy. But, then I would have missed the beef Osso Buco and it’s sauce and that was pretty amazing also. The lovely thing about dining at Zely & Ritz is that the conversation and the atmosphere and the presentation of the food is to be savored as much as the flavors and they do a pretty darn good job at all of it. Jay, the bartender, outdid himself and each cocktail was better than the last culminating in an eggnog that was heavenly. It was the best I’ve ever had. Jay created this recipe and used NC’s Catdaddy Moonshine, which even if you didn’t just love that name, was delicious all by itself. I certainly hope all my Northern relatives agree since… they all got a bottle for Christmas.

Cox: Six String Cafe Re opens

News and Observer restaurant reviewer Greg Cox reports that the Six String Café & Music Hall has reopened at 1040 Buck Jones Road. You can check the menu and find out who will be performing here.

Restaurant bu.ku to open in downtown Raleigh

News and Observer reporter Andrea Weigl in the article “Fins chef is going global with bu.ku” writes that Chef William D’Auvray will reopen the downtown Raleigh restaurant Fins at the end of January as bu.ku, an eatery devoted to global street food.

Zely and Ritz offering Anniversary Dinner

Zely and Ritz asked customers about their favorites and suggestions for the restaurant. And the restaurant had so many responses on favorite foods, that Chef Sarig could not get them all into just one typical wine dinner menu.  Instead, he has created an amazing tasting menu that has lots and lots of your favorites.  Its designed to be shared and will be available starting next Wednesday, Jan. 20th and will be available for the rest of the month.

You can come in anytime this month starting next Wednesday for the Anniversary Tasting Menu (reservations at 828-0018 recommend on weekends) with Chef Sarig’s menu of your favorite dishes and Nancy’s list of your favorite wines.

5^th Anniversary Tasting Menu
With some of your favorite wines

Starters
Hummus with Pita Bread, Pickles, Olives & Hot Sauce
Spinach & Feta Cheese Baked in a Puff Pastry
Roasted Beet Salad with Organic Mixed Greens, Feta Cheese, Pears & Walnut Vinaigrette
In the Red Sumac Coated Goat Cheese Balls with Candied Kumquat Sauce

Wine: Domaine Aubuisieres Vouvray, Cuvee de Silex, Loire Valley, FR ‘07

Seafood
Mexican Style Shrimp Ceviche
Crispy Pan Seared Grouper with Kataifi and Herb Sauce
Almond Crusted Scallop with Caramelized Lemon Sauce

Wine: Anselmi Capitel Croce Bianco, Veneto, IT ‘05

Vegetables
Sauteed Greens
Creamy Polenta with Fontina Cheese
Creamy Butternut Squash Risotto Finished with Asiago Cheese

Wine: Robert Sinskey Vineyards Pinot Noir, Los Carneros, CA 07

Meats
Coon Rock Farm Pork Loin with Dried Cherry Sauce
Herb Crusted Rack of Lamb with Oven Dried Tomatoes and Rosemary Jus
Braised Harris Robinette Farm Grass Fed Beef Brisket

Wine: Elyse Nero Misto, Blend of Black Grapes, Napa Valley, CA ‘07

Desserts:
Flourless Mexican Chocolate Cake & Chocolate Ice Cream
Larry’s Beans Espresso Crème Brulee
Pine Nut Tart with Honeycomb Ice Cream

Wine: Ramos Pinot 10 Year Tawny Port

$75 per couple (tax and gratuities not included)
Wine pairings – additional $30 per person

The Diner Opens on Glenwood South

News and Observer reporter Andrea Weigl in the article “The leprechaun of Glenwood South” writes about Niall Hanley and his new restaurant, The Diner.

To Go Traditional Southern New Years Dinner

Hoppin’ John, Collard Greens and Cornbread have long been  essential components of the New Year’s Day meal because of their promise of health, wealth and luck in the new year.

The meal includes cornbread signifying gold,  greens representing paper money and black-eyed peas often seen as coins.

Lucky 32 Chef Jay Pierce says:  Some folks claim that General Sherman considered them cow fodder and left them in the field as his ravenous troops marched through. The nutritious legume saved the day and was ever afterwards seen as a symbol of hope and better fortune for the Southerners, who continue to eat them each year.

Lucky 32 will prepare your New Year’s Day dinner. Place your order by 5 PM on Wednesday, December 30th. You can pick up your order on December 31 (heat and eat) from 2 until 6 p.m. or pick it up ready to eat on January 1.

To place an order, in Cary at 919-233-1632 or call in Greensboro at 336-370-0707. The restaurant will call you to confirm your order and get payment information.