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2014 James Beard Awards

TownieDeac said:
I still haven't eaten at the main Vetri spot, only the pizza place in Fairmount that is absurdly good.

We also haven't been able to get Laurel reservations yet. Guess you gotta do the Open Table 3 months ahead of time just after midnight thing.

I also think Kevin Sbraga and Jose Garces deserve love. Every Garces spot is fantastic.
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Sbraga is just meh - decent spot, but food isn't spectacular - if you do go, sitting at the chefs bar is a must. I am a big fan of Garces' Village Whiskey and the Garces Trading Co, but his new Cuban joint is so-so, and Amada is very hit or miss.
 
TheTwinAndreBen said:
Eh, Restaurant of the Year is usually given to a well established place, not a hot or inventive up and comer. Its more like a lifetime achievement award.

If you look at the last 4-5 winners of this award (Blue Hill/NYC, Boulevard/SF, Eleven Madison Park/NYC, Minibar/DC), they were all places that have been open 8-10 years before they received the award.

Slanted Door might not be the coolest spot in SFO anymore, but its been putting out quality work for a good long while now.
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Have you been to Slanted Door?
 
DaDeacs said:
Sbraga is just meh - decent spot, but food isn't spectacular - if you do go, sitting at the chefs bar is a must. I am a big fan of Garces' Village Whiskey and the Garces Trading Co, but his new Cuban joint is so-so, and Amada is very hit or miss.
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I did chef's bar at Sbraga and loved it, and I really like Fat Ham too.

I also really like Rosa Blanca, both for dinner, and for lunch. I get a cuban sandwich there once a week since it's maybe fifteen steps from my office building.
 
JuiceCrewAllStar said:
Apparently Christensen is a friend of a friend. Good on her.
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Met Christensen at The National concert last year. She was front row right in front of us (got good seats since the show was on my birthday), and she walked up near the stage to take a couple of sweet pictures. She texted the pics to me, without thinking my request was at all creepy. Post show, my group went to Poole's for drinks and she brought me a glass of champagne and wished me Happy Birthday. She could not have been cooler to a random dude who asked for a picture.....just looked, I wonder if should call her cell and congratulate her. ;)
 
qcdeac said:
Met Christensen at The National concert last year. She was front row right in front of us (got good seats since the show was on my birthday), and she walked up near the stage to take a couple of sweet pictures. She texted the pics to me, without thinking my request was at all creepy. Post show, my group went to Poole's for drinks and she brought me a glass of champagne and wished me Happy Birthday. She could not have been cooler to a random dude who asked for a picture.....just looked, I wonder if should call her cell and congratulate her. ;)
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Hell yes. Single?
 
I think I'll go to Cookout for dinner tonight.
 
dashionista said:
love Poole's! i'm also a big fan of Ashley Christensen's other Raleigh restaurants-- Chuck's (the BEST burgers & alcoholic milkshakes), Beasley's Chicken & Honey (yummy brunch and southern food), Joule's (her coffee shop), and Fox Liquor Bar (craft cocktails in a speak-easy type environment).
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Second the love for Poole's.

Chuck's is easily the fourth or fifth best burger in Raleigh though.

Beasley's is also pretty good, but overpriced (same goes for Fox's. C Grace makes cocktails just as good without being so expensive).

I love AC, but some of her new stuff is a little gimmicky and there are better options in the area.

That said, Poole's is fricking awesome.

If you like Poole's, check out Stanbury.
 
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bigdoublezero said:
Have you been to Slanted Door?
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Yeah, twice. Once probably in '08 and once I think in late '12. Had fish both times, both really good meals, not life changing but really good meals.

My only complaint was that their wine list had like 5 pages of Gewurztraminers to the exclusion of a lot of wines you would normally see at a top tier resto.
 
bojanglefunk said:
Second the love for Poole's.

Chuck's is easily the fourth or fifth best burger in Raleigh though.

Beasley's is also pretty good, but overpriced (same goes for Fox's. C Grace makes cocktails just as good without being so expensive).

I love AC, but some of her new stuff is a little gimmicky and there are better options in the area.

That said, Poole's is fricking awesome.

If you like Poole's, check out Stanbury.
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Better get reservations well in advance. My parents live right around the corner and we've tried to go the last few times I was home. Never call early enough though.

Joule has been phenomenal the couple of times I've been. Agree on Chuck's but not on Beasley's (though i've only gotten the chicken biscuit).

If you want to overpay for cocktails in Raleigh and feel pretentious at the same time skip Fox and just go ahead and go to Greenlight.

Haven't been to C Grace but I generally avoid Glenwood South.

AC also has a new restaurant opening soonish (may already be open?) called Death and Taxes on Hargett.
 
RChildress107 said:
Better get reservations well in advance. My parents live right around the corner and we've tried to go the last few times I was home. Never call early enough though.

Joule has been phenomenal the couple of times I've been. Agree on Chuck's but not on Beasley's (though i've only gotten the chicken biscuit).

If you want to overpay for cocktails in Raleigh and feel pretentious at the same time skip Fox and just go ahead and go to Greenlight.

Haven't been to C Grace but I generally avoid Glenwood South.

AC also has a new restaurant opening soonish (may already be open?) called Death and Taxes on Hargett.
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Stanbury is the best thing going on in raleigh right now. You often have to wait even with reservations, but the bar is good so it's not too bad.

I avoid glen wood too, but have been to c grace a couple of times.
 
bojanglefunk said:
Second the love for Poole's.

Chuck's is easily the fourth or fifth best burger in Raleigh though.

Beasley's is also pretty good, but overpriced (same goes for Fox's. C Grace makes cocktails just as good without being so expensive).

I love AC, but some of her new stuff is a little gimmicky and there are better options in the area.

That said, Poole's is fricking awesome.

If you like Poole's, check out Stanbury.
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Agree with all of this, except I don't get the Stanbury hype. Have only been once, though.
 
Manifest Destiny said:
Whats the best restaurant in NC?
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Before it closed, Magnolia Grill. Not sure about now. If you asked me what restaurant I would move to my hometown if given the option, it would be Salsa. But that's really a different question.
 
siler said:
Before it closed, Magnolia Grill. Not sure about now. If you asked me what restaurant I would move to my hometown if given the option, it would be Salsa. But that's really a different question.
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Oh man I miss magnolia grill.
 
magnolia grill, i think i remember that place

down on independence blvd in charlotte?
 
I was at City House last night after the staff watched the results. Bummer for Tandy but he's good friends with Christensen and was helping her celebrate apparently. Tough to live across the street from a James Beard finalist. :)
 
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