New N.C. State Fair Foods

The Boy and I are heading over to the @triangletweetup at the NC State Fair tonight, and we're excited about sampling all kind of strange fair foods. Here are some of the brand-new foods we've heard about (from the NC State Fair's Deep Fried Blog):

• Funnel cake fries from N & T Concessions. Just like the perennial Fair favorite, but with a portable twist. Who can resist a cross between powdered sugar goodness and the convenience of a french fry?

• Chicken-fried bacon from Chef Thomas’ Chef’s D’Lites. Just like it sounds, these strips of bacon are covered in batter and deep-fried like chicken-fried steak.

• Buffalo chicken rangoons from Raleigh’s own Woody’s City Market. These bite-sized, deep-fried dumplings (similar to the crab rangoons available in many Chinese restaurants) will be filled with some of Woody’s famous buffalo chicken.

• Chocolate-covered bacon from The Murphy House. Bacon lovers will have to contain themselves, since we’ll have not one, but two twists on the ever-popular bacon. A mix  of savory, sweet and salty, chocolate-covered bacon got some rave reviews at our pre-Fair media lunch, but you’ll have to come decide for yourself. (Steph’s Strawberries will also have chocolate-covered bacon for sale on the fairgrounds near the Hobbies and Handicrafts Building.)

I'm not too excited about the bacon ones, both of which seem to push the rule that bacon makes everything better, but I can't wait to try buffalo chicken rangoons and french-fry funnel cakes.

Via Deep Fried @ the N.C. State Fair | Details behind the tweetup: Deep-fried food sample edition.

Taqueria Guadalajara

4517 N Tryon St.
Charlotte, NC 28213
(704) 596-2239

We checked out Taqueria Guadalajara while we were in Charlotte last week.

As soon as we sat down, our waitress brought tortilla chips, lime wedges and a variety of salsas. One of them was a green tomatilla salsa, which pretty much guaranteed that I'd like this place. I discovered tomatilla salsa at the salsa bar at La Veracruzana in Amherst, MA, and have loved it since then. (This is where I lose all credibility as a food blogger. Seriously, who uses New England as the criteria for good Mexican food?)


The bilingual picture menu offered familiar Mexican-American favorites like tacos, burritos, and quesadillas, as well as more unusual tripe soup and seafood dishes. I couldn't find margaritas, though, instead I noticed a collection of unusual juices and fruit sodas.

Our food arrived quickly... we barely had a chance to apply our half-remembered high-school Spanish to the telenovela playing in the background.

Our meals were great. We had really flavorful enchiladas, with moist chicken and lots of sauce. I also got a chile relleno that was a perfect mixture of spicy pepper, mild melty cheese and that light, omelette-y batter.

The rice was odd, it included the chopped mixed vegetables from the frozen food aisle, so a forkfull of generic Spanish rice might also have a lima bean or carrot cube in it. Not that great, but I didn't really want to fill up on rice with all the other delicious foods.

With the Spanish-language local papers and business cards, Taqueria Guadalajara is definitely catering to Mexican residents, but the informal, friendly atmosphere made us feel welcome. The green-tiled tables, bright paint and framed prints of Mexican scenes created a bright, pretty background, but the main focus was clearly on the delicious, fresh food, not the decor.

The only possible improvement would be offering a margarita, but I was very happy with our visit and we'll definitely be back the next time we're in Charlotte!

Coffee & Crepes

315 Crossroad Blvd.
Cary, NC
www.coffeeandcrepes.com

Coffee and Crepes is in a not-so-attractive strip mall in the Crossroads Mall sprawl. (Wow, one of these days I'm going to start a review without asking you to please overlook how freaking ugly the outside is!) Inside, you order at the counter and take your tray to either indoor or outdoor seating.

Our crepes were ready quickly, even though it was lunchtime, and we had a nice choice of several savory crepes. They offer a mushroom and swiss crepe, a passable but underwhelming vegetarian options. The couscous side dish, which comes with the savory crepes, was dry and bland. Next time I'm getting a salad, the other side dish option. (And hey, even through the couscous wasn't great, I should mention how pleased I was that it didn't automatically come with fries!)

The chicken cordon bleu crepe was perfect, and did I mention the Nutella crepes? No? I can't fully describe the deliciousness of melty Nutella and chewy crepe and soft banana all together. One of my favorite foods, and if you haven't had it, Coffee & Crepes makes a great one to try!

Several years ago, when I lived in the UK, there was a crepe cart that often parked in the market by my college. It's main competitor was a chip van across the square, and since I was not too crazy about the roasts and puddings served in school, a large part of my diet was made up of fish and chips and Nutella-banana crepes. Although eating a Nutella crepe at a sidewalk table overlooking the parking lot isn't quite the same, they'll always remind me of Cambridge.

I would definitely go back for dessert crepes and coffee, or to try one of their $5 lunch crepes. And you know by "dessert crepes" I actually meant "Nutella banana crepes"!

(Their webpage, um, well, between the unreadable grey text on black background, the AOL.com contact email, and the section 404s, it's awkward. Fortunately Urbanspoon has Coffee & Crepes' hours and menus available online.)

The Duck and Dumpling

222 South Blount St.
Raleigh, NC 27601
www.theduckanddumpling.com


(This is another Boyless post, since he is not a big fan of Asian food.)

Duck and dumplings are possibly my favorite Chinese food. While I'm in constant search of steam baskets of real xiao long bao, I really prefer the foreigner-friendly special lean duck, made famous by Da Dong in Beijing.

The Duck and Dumpling offers the American-Asian staples of kung pao, pad thai and udon noodles, and a collection of truly inspired Asian fusion dishes. Duck dumplings with a cherry zinfandel sauce, or Thai basil pork wontons.

Americanized Chinese food can often involve taking ingredients, adding soy sauce, sugar, peanut oil and MSG, and serving with rice. This is why the Boy tends to dislike it. Authentic Chinese foods have great flavors, but always taste overcooked to me, sodden vegetables thoroughly infused with marinade into a one-taste, one-texture bowl.

Dishes at The Duck and Dumpling incorporated exotic Asian flavors, like star anise and cumin, without cooking it into a too-authentic mush. Even the basic pad thai was a great mix of flavors and textures (and colors, for people like me who eat with their eyes)

Definitely worth returning, and maybe even talking the Boy into coming along!

Havana Grill

404 W Chatham St
Cary, NC 27511
www.thehavanagrill.com

Sometimes it can be hard to stay objective. I tried to find something good about my recent awful time at Bluestone Cafe, and now I'm trying to find something bad about Havana Grill.

It's hard, though. The food is amazing, including pork tamales, chicken croquettes, fried plantains, yucca and garlic and several kinds of rice and beans. The Boy and I cannot decide on our favorite sides, and spend more of dinner eating from each others' plates. (Little ones can also get chicken fingers and fries). Customers can browse the complete menu or just look at the buffet-style counter and pick what looks good. Don't miss the empanadas and croquettes hidden in the back!

The prices are really good, especially for the portion size and the quality of the food. The reason for the low prices are the plastic silverware and bus-your-own-table service. Somehow it makes Havana Grill seem like a friend's cookout and not like a fast-food joint.



Don't miss the outdoor seating. Cuban music plays gently in the background, covering the sounds of traffic but not so loudly that it inhibits conversation. I don't know that we felt like we were in Cuba, but we didn't feel like we were sitting in a Cary parking lot! (I think the beach mural and real palm trees may have had something to do with that.)

We loved the food, music, and outdoor atmosphere. Overlook the styrofoam plates for an unpretentious, jeans-friendly date!