Graeter's Ice Cream

When I think of the state of Ohio I think of my first live UFC event in Columbus, "The Shot", and LeBron James taking his talents to South Beach. One thing I do not associate with Ohio is ice cream.

UFC 82 - Columbus, OH. Not a good night for the guy in the red. 

Yet in the lastest episode of "Random PR E-mails," Graeter's Ice Cream e-mailed me to announced that their ice cream is now available at Sheetz across the Triangle area and offered to mail us some of their product. Unbeknownst to me, Graeter's is a big deal, like Oprah big. When Sara posted that we received free ice cream in the mail, her co-worker automatically knew it was Graeter's.

As Sara mentioned above, she was pretty taken by the four pints. Sara has continued to gush about the large chucks of chocolate. She delighted in the slight graininess of the texture and proclaims that Graeter's was the best ice cream she'd ever had.

Mint Chocolate Chip

However, I didn't find the same affection for the frozen confection. To me Graeter's Ice Cream fails to compare to my local favorites, Sunni Sky's and Lumpy's. Graeter's wasn't smooth enough, wasn't rich enough, and its ingredients weren't fresh enough.

Chocolate Chocolate Chip

All this is not to say that I didn't enjoy my pint of ice cream. Graeter's Ice Cream trumps most store bought brands available at your grocery or gas station's freezer. Graeter's doesn't have a multitude of witty named flavors available, but what they lack in variety they make up for in quality. Mint Chocolate Chip was a big winner for me with refreshing mint and generous chocolate chunks.

I am always down for a Sheetz snack attack, punching in on a touch screen until I get myself a cinnamon pretzel, fries, or a shmoster. But while I'm there, if the mood strikes for some sub-zero delights, I find comfort knowing Graeter's will be just down the aisle.

Brewmaster's Bar and Grill - Brunch

Back in the day while driving back to Campbell after a nightly refuge in downtown, one of the last images I would see before Raleigh became distant in my rearview mirror was the bright neon signs of Joe's Place.

Joe's Place lit up the corner of Dawson and Martin with a collection of neon signs that starred its iconic "Restaurant" sign above the entrance. When Joe's Place closed they took most of its neon signs with them. Cherry Bomb attempted to fill the void left by the old deli by introducing bright red decor and pin up-like servers, giving downtown Raleigh a taste of a Breastaurant.

But as the allure of pin ups and rockabilly memorabilia faded Cherry Bomb transformed into Brewmaster's. As the name suggest, this reincarnation at 301 W. Martin focuses on glasses of fermented goodness featuring 66 beers on tap with an array of local brews.

Pint of Bacon

One Sunday we were at Brewmaster's for the brunch rather then the beer. With any good brunch should come glorious bacon. At Brewmaster's bacon isn't teamed up for the greater glory of an appetizer. It isn't sprinkled, stuffed, topped or playing side kick to any other dish. Brewmaster's pint of bacon is just a glass full of unapologetic swine.

Brewmaster's candied bacon is pork nirvana. Uncanny crunchiness with each bite. Hints of smokiness play off salt and sweet. They offer six or so dipping sauces but there is no need to dip these strips-- the bacon itself is flavorful enough.

Monte Cristo

As I was browsing the menu the moment I saw the words Monte Cristo appear, my mind immediately pulled images of the Bennigan's deep fried classic sandwich.

Unfortunately for my taste buds but fortunate for my heart, Brewmaster's version of a Monte Cristo doesn't feature a deep fried batter, yet in its place were two pieces of french toast stuffed with ham and swiss.

The ham was sliced thick and the toast was well prepared but I left wishing they added some turkey to the party and a fruit jam to cut the saltiness. Or probably I was just craving a Bennigan's Monte Cristo.

Bunless Hangover Burger

One of the menu items that survived the switch from Cherry Bomb to Brewmaster's (unlike the delicious apple blue cheese mac and cheese) was the Hangover Burger. If this burger doesn't cure your day-after woes, at the very least the burger gives you momentary pleasure in the midst of your misery.

Sara's gluten intolerance prompted her to order the burger bunless, which the server was very accommodating to do even though at times her service was a bit aloof. The burger was cooked well done even though Sara asked for medium but with avocados, candied bacon, fried egg, pepper jack cheese and bloody mary aioli staring at her, Sara wasn't going to send it back.

301 W. Martin tells the story of Raleigh's ever-evolving downtown landscape. Old classic fading away in lure of promising new ventures.

Little Tokyo

Little Tokyo is one of those places that I don't even want to blog about in fear that giving it more exposer will disrupt the restaurant's dynamic. Its legend is much like Fight Club-- the first rule is that you do not talk about it.

Crab, Seaweed Salad Over Rice

One of the main attractions of this unassuming sushi spot is the likeliness of a free appetizer. And they aren't tiny bite size amuse-bouche. Given what the menu price of the appetizers might be, these are nicely sized dishes for free.

The first plate that came to our table was a crab and seaweed salad served over heart-shaped rice. Tossed with sesame oil, the salad was soaked with flavor, especially after dragging it through the sauces brushed on the plate.

Crab in a shell

With the restaurant quiet as we were the only patrons dining at the time, we received an additional complimentary treat. The second free treat was a crab mix served hot and bubbling in a seashell. Warm, crabby, creamy, and inviting, the dish is one of the highlights of Little Tokyo.

Miso Soup

All dinner plates come with a serving of soup and salad. Both are nothing extraordinary, just a bowl full of umami.

Sashimi Dinner

Lately when Sara and I have been going out for sushi, we've found ourselves at Buy One Get One sushi rolls restaurants. But this night the thought of fillers like tempura flakes, spicy mayo, and avocados didn't interest me. I just wanted fresh fish and for some reason I don't trust the BOGO places with serving quality sashimi.

Little Tokyo didn't disappoint me with their selection of fresh fish. No odd odors or strange textures. Just wonderfully fresh fish. The salmon was especially buttery. Together with the salad and soup plus two complimentary appetizers my appetite was surprisingly satisfied.

Philly Roll

Sara recently has been in a sushi frenzy. Whether from a grocery store or a fast food joint, if the place had sushi, Sara was going to order it. But after a mediocre sushi run at the Harris Teeter, she hoped for something with more quality.

Boston Roll

Sara ordered a Boston and a Philly roll. The Philly roll was packed with a good amount of avocado, salmon and cream cheese and hit all the high notes in regards to texture. The Boston roll, however, left more to be desired as it came with an abundance of lettuce, more than Sara had expected. Both rolls together equalled the same price as those trendy BOGO restaurants.

Hopefully this entry doesn't change Little Tokyo, with its friendly service, quiet space, and free appetizers. But in case the little sushi place in the middle of Cary does start to blow up, just know... I knew about Little Tokyo before it was cool.