Category Archives: Restaurant News

July 27, 2015 · 10:42 am

Midtown Grille Hosts Fundraiser to Benefit Emanuel African Methodist Episcopal Church

On August 23, Raleigh’s Midtown Grille will hold a large fundraiser to benefit the Emanuel African Methodist Episcopal Church in Charleston, SC, site of the recent tragic shooting. The event, called North Cooks South, will be a Chef Collaboration Dinner and all proceeds will be distributed through the church’s charity directly to the victims.

“This shooting was a horrific event and really hit home as I lived in Charleston for four years and drove past this church every morning on my way in to work,” says Midtown Grille Executive Chef Benjamin Harris. “An exciting lineup of chefs from some of Raleigh and Charleston’s finest restaurants will prepare wonderful food and drinks to enjoy and guests can relax to some outstanding live music. This is a fantastic opportunity to give back to a community that’s really hurting right now.”

Event Details:

Date: Sunday, August 23 | Cocktail Hour at 5pm, Dinner at 6pm

Tickets: Tickets will be $150 and are available starting 7/27/15 through Eventbrite.com. Up to 100 guests can be accommodated.

Dinner: There will be nine courses of authentic Low Country, Charleston cuisine. Each chef will prepare two courses with Midtown Grille’s Sous Chef, Bryan Squires providing the dessert course. Midtown Grille’s Sommelier Max Trujillo will be doing wine and cocktail pairings.

Entertainment: The Stephen Riley Quartet

Chefs:

Benjamin Harris – Executive Chef, Midtown Grille (Raleigh)
Daniel Doyle – Executive Chef and Owner, Poogan’s Porch (Charleston, SC)
Chris Coleman – Executive Chef and Culinary Director, The Asbury/Dunhill Hotel (Charlotte, NC)
Scott James – Executive Sous Chef, The Angus Barn (Raleigh)

Confirmed Sponsors:

Asbury at the Dunhill Hotel, Charlotte
Durham Distillery
Inland Seafood
Locals Seafood
Mutual Wines
Poogan’s Porch
Ray Family Farms
Angus Barn
Western Wake Farmer’s Market
Raleigh Brewing Company

Event inquiries may be directed to Max Trujillo, General Manager, Midtown Grille.

Midtown Grille
4421-115 Six Fork Road
Raleigh, NC 27609
919.782.9463
Website: www.themidtowngrille.com/northcookssouth
Tickets: http://northcookssouth.eventbrite.com

About Midtown Grille

Nestled in North Hills, Raleigh, Midtown Grille is an intimate restaurant and bar offering seasonal, locally sourced produce and meats for our lunch, dinner and brunch menus. Our diverse wine list and on-staff sommelier specializes in all aspects of wine service and wine and food pairing. Diners can enjoy meals and handcrafted cocktails in a casual-luxe atmosphere with private and open air dining options. Established in 2006, Midtown Grille is locally owned, and prides itself on providing Southern hospitality, while combining New American and classic Southern flavors with new fusion techniques and styles. For more information visit www.TheMidtownGrille.com.

Gonza Tacos y Tequila Summer Menu Preview

Gonza Tacos y Tequila ~ North Raleigh Location

Gonza Tacos y Tequila is one of my favorite local restaurants so I was pretty excited when earlier this month I had the opportunity to attended a media preview of there new summer menu specials. I live in North Raleigh so I visit the Gonza location on Lead Mine Road by Sola Coffee fairly regularly. Over the past year Gonza has also opened locations in Wake Forest and downtown Durham, and has a fourth location in the works on Hillsborough Street by NC State. The new summer specials will rotate throughout the summer months as weekly drink, appetizer or entree selections at all three locations. (note: the Hillsborough Street location is set to open in late August)

Ceviche

The tasting kicked off with some new ceviche offerings including a unique roasted red pepper citrus infusion with a side of spicy popcorn. Also new is the tuna & watermelon ceviche and “four citrus” ceviche with bay scallops & cucumber. I’m a bit new to ceviche, but I enjoyed exploring these complementary flavor combinations of citrus and spice and think they make a great summer addition to the menu.

Summer Tacos

There are also three new tacos (short rib, shrimp adobado, and smoked brisket) that will appear as entree specials this summer. I loved the tasty short rib taco with creme fraiche, charred poblano, and corn salsa. The marinated smoked brisket tacos with three chile salsa and carrot & cabbage salsita is also a flavorful new addition. Sadly I am allergic to shell fish so I could not try the pan seared shrimp tacos with avocado and tomatillo salsa but they got a thumbs up from my fellow foodies lucky enough to enjoy them.

New Summer Cocktails

Gonza already has an impressive bar setup and expansive drink menu, but they are offering some new signature drinks this summer that are well worth exploring. In explaining the new drinks, the bar manager expressed a desire to expose customers to the versatility of tequila beyond your typical margarita. New additions include the ginger tamarind made with fresh ginger, tamarind puree, tequila, triple sec, and sea salt. Also new are the pineapple cilantro, watermelon mint, and sage melon cocktails – all of which are sure to be refreshing on a hot summer day.

Dining Area at Gonza North Raleigh Location

For me these new summer menu items offer an opportunity to explore new flavors beyond my regular favorites at Gonza. I’m a bit of a creature of habit when it comes to ordering food, so I’m looking forward to changing things up and ordering these new items over the summer. No matter what you order I highly recommend visiting any one of their locations. I’ve been consistently impressed with the food, service, and atmosphere at all three locations and look forward to checking out there new restaurant on Hillsborough Street once its opens.

Gonza Tacos Y Tequila
Locations in Raleigh, Wake Forest, and Durham (locations & hours)
website: http://www.gonzatacosytequila.com
facebook: https://www.facebook.com/GONZATACOSYTEQUILA
twitter: @Gonza_Tacos
Instagram: https://instagram.com/gonzatacosytequila

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Filed under Raleigh, Restaurant News, Restaurant Reviews

Tagged as Gonza Tacos y Tequila, Mexican Restaurant, North Raleigh

March 4, 2015 · 11:47 am

Midtown Grille “Tour of Spain” Dinner Recap

Midtown Grille – “Tour of Spain” Dinner

Back in January I had the pleasure of attending a special “Tour of Spain” dinner at Midtown Grille in Raleigh. The dinner featured a 7 course meal created by Chef Benjamin Harris that paired Spanish tapas dishes with carefully selected Spanish wines. I’ve been to Midtown before, but this was my first visit with Chef Harris at the helm in the kitchen and Max Trujillo as Manger and Sommelier. I was already a fan of Midtown but found myself even more impressed after this latest visit with how they continue to elevate their game in the Triangle food scene.

Midtown has a quaint but casual atmosphere and a creative menu that features regionally inspired dishes. It is the type of place I feel comfortable recommending to people looking to celebrate a special occasion or just a casual night out with friends to enjoy great food and drinks. They are open for lunch and dinner and recently began offering brunch on weekends. They have a beautiful dining room and bar area including a private dining area that is perfect for special events.

The “Tour of Spain” dinner was held with 20 or so guests seated in the private dining area of the restaurant. Before each course was served Chef Harris would spend a few minutes explaining the dish to guests and Max, the Sommelier, would provide details about the wine pairing and talk about the region of Spain the wines originated from. Everything was delicious and it made for a wonderful evening out with my wife.

Below is a quick visual recap of the “Tour Spain” dishes served. These photos were taken by the talented Felicia Perry. I appreciate Felicia allowing me to use her pictures as they truly capture the essence of the Chef Harris’ creations. Felicia specializes in photogrpahic services and marketing assests for the food, restaurant and hospitality industries. You can view her portfolio and and learn about the services she offers at http://www.feliciaperryphotography.com/.