Stella's Southern Bistro still in our top three.

From my experience with Stella's Southern Bistro, they were one of the first restaurants in town who shouted the praises of their local farmers and food producers, and even have an entire wall devoted to them. Stella's Southern Bistro is one of the best restaurants in Upstate South Carolina.  There's no question.  I doubt anyone would argue this point with me. But you really don't hear much about it because it is tucked away in Simpsonville.  People are always asking me what the best restaurants are in Downtown Greenville, but they are missing some of the best eating spots around by not leaving Main Street.

Chef's wicked skills in the kitchen are no surprise being that he, like many of our great Southern chefs, came up under the wing of Slightly North of Broad Executive Chef Frank Lee.  Jason worked his way up to Sous Chef at SNOB and then became the Executive Chef of High Cotton Restaurant in Charleston when it opened in 1999. There he caught the eye of The New York Times, Bon Appetit, Southern Living, The Washington Post and The Food Network. After seven years with High Cotton in Charleston, he relocated to Greenville to take the Executive Chef position at the newly opened High Cotton Greenville.  Then in 2008, he and wife Julia opened Stella's to rave reviews. You are seriously considering making reservations now, aren't you?

I've reviewed Stella's before, but Stella's owners, Jason and Julia Scholz, were so sweet to host me and my PR buddy Amy Corley of ACPR Media a couple of weeks ago to try some new items from Chef Jason. He even put together a special tasting menu for us.  How awesome is that?!  Our waiter was so stoked to even be serving the menu, that he kept a copy for himself.  I had a hard time getting pictures because each dish was so complex, but I'll give you the rundown.

This beautiful plate of Pan Roasted Charleston Sheepshead with citrus rutabaga puree, eggplant caponada, beets and curry oil was pure heaven. I love when a chef challenges my palate, mixing flavors I'd never put together in a million years. 

If duck is on the menu, I will always order it because it's not something I'd make in my own kitchen. (Yes, I know it wouldn't be THAT hard, but it's a mind thing.) I was totally pleased it was on the menu. This was a duck sampler plate with a crispy braised wonton, seared breast, confit, Crescent Farms shiitake, gingered plum and scallion salad, sesame roasted okra, bourbon barrel soy "umami". I ate my way around the plate savoring each and every separate piece of this dish. 

I have never had a pork ribeye!  I was mesmerized.  This plate included grilled belly rillon, ribeye and riblet, heirloom hominy, sea island red pea succotash, a Johnny cake, Southern Relishes, and BBQ Pork jus. Beautiful. 

I think both Amy and I were stuffed by this point.  Half of this dish ended up in a to go box for my husband. On the plate,  beautifully seared Deckle and Kobe Beef with Kobe beef bacon and a duck fat twice baked potato, with Crescent Farms carrots, caramelized cauliflower, and roasted beef au ju.

 There are no words: Chocolate Torte and Praline Mousse with bourbon ice cream, bourbon caramel and Cracker Jack peanuts.

This piece of warm, Spiced Carrot Cake Bread Pudding with cream cheese frosting ice cream, cinnamon anglaise, and rum soaked raisins was a bit of heaven.  It was a shame I was so full because I wanted to lick the plate.

Since opening Stella's has continually wowed diners with their coastal Carolina and American South inspired dishes.  Both Jason and wife and co-owner Julia have gone above and beyond to create a unique and inviting dining experience every time we've eaten at their restaurant.  They are in our top three favorite restaurants in South Carolina. No lie. 

Bacon Mayonaise, ASADA's new home, and a little more pasta than I can handle

 I went sort of food nuts yesterday.  In the guise of dropping off Greenville Small Plate Crawl postcards, I hit some exciting foodie stops in Greenville.  I bounced into Swamp Rabbit Cafe and Grocery and happily was greeted by Amy (my Twitter buddy @SheGotMox) who pointed me in the direction of the new BACON MAYONNAISE from Empire Mayonaise Co. in Brooklyn NYC. Holy crap. For real?  I grabbed up a jar of both that and the Sriracha Mayo.  My intention was just to run in and grab a jar of the Big Spoon Roasters Chai Spice Nut Butter, but as you can tell, I was wide-eyed with excitement and ran out with a couple more things than I intended, including a Espresso Bouchon Brownie.

Next up I grabbed my buddy Josie and we headed to Asada's new brickand morter place at 1237 Pendleton Street in Greenville's Pendleton Arts District.  My TR Cookbook Club girl, Gina, and her husband Roberto own Asada and have done a bang up job on the inside of the place.  The art on the walls and the big picnic style tables are made by Roberto. What a talented guy!  And the food, like their food truck, still knocks it out of the park. Seriously best tacos since my last trip to San Diego. I ordered up the Chicken Karaage Taco, a homage to Gina's Japanesse ancestory: Japanese style friend chicken marinated in Sake, ginger, garlic, soy sauce, topped with Latin-Asian slaw.  And they have these amazing thick chips with fresh tomatoes and onions.  Asada is open for lunch and dinner Tuesday-Saturday starting at 11:30am. 

Asada's place shares a space with Mac Arnold's new music venue which brings in big crowds during the weekend music line-up. He'll be playing tonight, March 15, at the venue from 8:30-11pm.  Go check out some tunes and grab a taco.  And heavens to Betsy, don't miss the Coconut Flan on the Asada's menu!  I somehow walked out without seeing it on there and I dig some good flan.

While I was in the area, I finally got a chance to pop into Naked Pasta at 1286 Pendleton Street. The fresh made, locally sourced, pasta company has gotten raves from all my buddies, so I had to get my hands on some to try.  I walked out with four kinds of fresh cut pasta (Spinach, Mushroom, Plain and Tomato Basil Fettuccinie and Vodka and Italian Sausage and Basil Marinara).  $19 for at least four dinners for the fam.  That's pretty amazing.  They also have a TON of Gluten Free options including ready made gluten free Spinach and Artichoke, Five Cheese and Italian Sausage Lasagnas Along with Gluten Free Fettuccine.   Don't want to cook?  They offer Hot Lunch Take-Out 11am-5pm.  I can't wait to make some pasta this week! Keep an eye out for them at your local farmers' market, too!

And one last thing:

I'd like to say goodbye to our friends Lauren and Graham at Neue Southern Food Truck. I'm so glad I got back for one more bite. I wish you all the best with your food cart in Portland and I look forward to following your adventures via Facebook and Twitter!

Mark your calendar!!!

A little bit of Asheville Small Plate Crawling

I've been so buried in Greenville Small Plate Crawl and some of my other projects that I'm just now getting around to telling you guys about the AMAZING food I had at Asheville Small Plate Crawl last month! Shame on me!  I tried so many new restaurants, a couple of which, I cannot wait to get back to for the full meal experience.  I'm just going to run down my passport and give you a wrap up with some of my favorite stops and dishes. Here we go.

I totally have a strategy when it comes to crawling, being that this was my third Small Plate Crawl.  I print out my passport and then list the places I want to go to.  The crawl website has a nifty tool that lets you put in the addresses of the places you want to visit and then plots your best path. I number my stops. Print out the menus, pick out the dishes I want to try ahead of time, and I'm ready to go.

Red Stag Grill at Grand Bohemian
If you haven't been in the Grand Bohemian smack dab in the middle of Biltmore Village shopping, you are missing out.  It's like a mini-Grove Park Inn.  Seriously.  It's small, but grandiose inside.  I swear they spent millions on just the furniture.  But we're here for the food, right?  After sitting down in the dining area we had to wait forever before ordering.  This is not optimal when crawling, but the food was amazing. I can't pick a favorite, so here's both.

We ordered the Elk Carpaccio with Blackberry powder, Celtic sea salt, Theros olive oil, farm fresh ventures micro arugula, and lavash.  It was quite the gastronomic experience!

Our second dish here was the Brioche Doughnut with Black truffle cream, caramelized white chocolate mousse, zinfandel gastrique. This was (insert expletive) fantastic.  

 

A commercial break: 

If you're headed to the Greenville Small Plate Crawl (< click) March 24-26, here are some crawl tips to remember: 

1) Pay with cash because it's faster.  

2) Order your drinks and food together and ask for your check when the food comes.  

3) Tip well. Remember your servers are working twice as hard so let them know they are appreciated and please tip them well.

4) Don't sit down with a group of 15 and order two plates.  Now, that's just rude.  Sharing is encouraged, but don't take up valuable real estate with a large party for only a few dishes. 

5)  I think the optimal crawl number is 2-8.  If you're traveling in packs larger than that, you might want to split up so you can crawl faster.

6) Ask about drink specials! Many of the crawl restaurants are running drink specials during the crawl.

French Broad Chocolate Lounge

I absolutely love this place.  There was a lady working on her computer at one of the tables and I told her I would gain a thousand pounds if I sat in a chocolate shop and worked!  I guess I really would be a kid in a candy store. (She laughs.)  We ordered the Chocolate and Wine offering: two half-pours of wine, each paired with a truffle and a caramel.

A glass full of chocolate fluffiness caught my eye in the case so we ordered the chocolate moose, too. Mercy! The candy bar (see picture above) was not included, but they are heaven, too and available at Kitchen Arts and Pottery at McBee Station in Downtown Greenville!  (I just temporarily borrowed it for special effects.)

Strada Italiano

Gnudi della Casa, the house made ricotta dumplings in Sherry Tomato Cream sauce was silky and savory and magnificent. My favorite dish of the entire crawl. We also ordered the Tuscan Stuffed Figs with Basil Whipped Goat Cheese and Prosciutto, which completely convinced me that I absolutely must get back there as soon as possible to tour the whole menu.

Blue Kudzu Sake Co
Blue Kudzu Sake was our last stop of the morning.  We ordered several items off their crawl menu including the Chinese Deviled Tea Eggs, but the Mini Fukuoka style Tonkatsu Ramen with pork broth, slow roast pork, fresh Ramen Noodles, pickled ginger, roasted sesame seeds and poached quail egg stole the show.  Blue Kudzu is in the process of making their own Sake!  It should be ready some time next month.  A must visit for Sake lovers.  They also have Sake Education classes here and have three Certified Sake Professionals on staff.  They know their stuff.

My friend Nina accompanied me for the first part of the day.  We hit 5 restaurants before 3pm.  And we were stuffed.  I came back down the mountain, switched friends and cars and headed back up for round two with my bff Kim in tow to hit five more restaurants.

Carmel's Kitchen and Bar
I was disappointed when the waiter said they were out of the Apple Tart at Carmel's (what?!), but he totally redeemed himself quickly by telling me that I COULD still have a scoop of the Vanilla ice cream from Asheville's Ultimate Ice Cream that was supposed to top off that dish.  YUM! I love their ice cream.  And being that we were already sipping on Biltmore Estate Wine's Chardonnay, we found out that Vanilla ice cream and Chardonnay go quite well together!

I was really there for the Mini Chicken and Waffle with Sriracha syrup with a side of greens.  Eye rolling good. I am so recreating this at home one day.

Isa's Bistro
I was not over the moon about any of the dishes at Isa's but it's totally worth a mention because they have Charles Krug Cab by the glass on their wine list.  No one ever has my favorite red by the glass.  I was so excited. They had some pretty good risotto on their menu, too.

The Lobster Trap

I finally made it to The Lobster Trap. I've been wanting to go for a while.  Kim ordered the Oysters and Pear Mignonette. I'm not a fan of raw oysters, but they were really pretty and paired with Biltmore Estate Chateau Reserve Blanc de Blancs 2010. I ordered the Jumbo Sea Scallop with Lime Caviar, Duck Confit, and Blood Orange paired with Biltmore Estate Riesling 2013 NC. Lovely.The Butter Poached Lobster Claw with Citrus, Gnocchi and Beach Mushrooms was pretty fantastic, too. This was one of our last stops and I was already stuffed and a little tipsy on the three glasses of Biltmore Wines I'd had that day.  I want to go back for a tour of the menu. (And better pictures.)

Greenville Small Plate Crawl is coming March 24-26.  I hope you'll get out there and crawl. Check out the menus on the website, print out your passport, plan your path and crawl!  So much fun.  I'll see you out there.

Adam's Mobile Market offers organic and fresh options to Travelers Rest

A new mobile market has hit the streets of Travelers Rest.  You can find Adam's Mobile Market parked outside of All About Me and Upcountry Provisions at 102 S. Poinsett Hwy on Wednesdays peddling fresh fruits and veggies, eggs, honey, whole grain flours, heirloom popcorn, plantation rice, grits, Atlantic Sea Salt, frozen organic meats from local farms and more.  Think Whole Foods meets food truck.

Proprietor and chef,  Adam Sturm has a crazy passion for food.  After graduating from Johnson and Wales University in Charotte in 2007 with a degree in Food and Beverage Management, he worked at Sous Chef at La Bastide, Executive Chef at Cliffs at Keowee Falls and GM at The New York Butcher Shoppe.  He's also spent a good bit of time working with Greenbrier Farms assisting in butchering classes, cooking for corporate events and weddings, and making breads for their CSA.   He's also spent some time in the fields at Broken Oaks assisting in planting, harvesting and farm maintenance.

When I checked out his offerings and saw something called Mache on the list, Adam was happy to grab a handful for me to sample. He said it is amazing sauteed. Hearty, thick green like a super mini spinach.  You never know what's going to be on the board.  It's all local and what's in season.

You can find Adam's Mobile market at Upcountry Provisions in Travelers Rest on Wednesdays from 12-5, but he's adding other stops on his schedule as the season progresses. 

I asked Adam why the mobile market, and he told me it's important to him to connect farms to families and educate people about where products come from, who grew it and how to use it.  It helps to create a sustainable community and keeps money in the area by providing a way for his customers to access other local businesses that they would otherwise not be able to easily find.

The mobile store currently works with Broken Oak Organics, Greenbrier Farms, and Bee Well Honey Farm. With Spring coming, he's looking for more local and sustainable farms where he can source food for the truck. 

If you're looking for something awesome to throw on the stove for dinner, this is the place!  If you need a little inspiration, check out the recipes on his website, Chef tested and approved by Adam's friend and fellow chef, Patty.  There's even a nutritional breakdown on the recipes. Adam suggests the Winter Kale, Roasted Chicken and Shitaki Mushroom Wrap http://www.adamsmobilemarket.com/recipes.html

Follow Adam's Mobile Market on Facebook!

On Tap: A (Self-Guided) Greenville Beer Tour

Thanks in part to the Pint Bill in 2013, which increased on-site beer consumption at breweries to 48 ounces, old brewers have been expanding and new brewers have been popping up around the Greenville area. You can go straight to the source of local craft beer with a tour and a taste at these fine locations:

Thomas Creek Brewery
2054 Piedmont Highway, Greenville, SC
(864) 605-1166
Tours available by appointment Mon-Fri 9-6 p.m.; Sat 10-6 p.m.
Located south of downtown Greenville, Thomas Creek is the city's best known brewery. This award-winning facility opened in 1998 and offers everything from the classic River Falls Red Ale and Class Five IPA to specialty options like the Banana Split Chocolate Stout. The brewery is currently expanding to include a new courtyard seating area and an official tasting room, but the original facility is still open for tours and offering a few beers on tap.

Quest Brewing Company
55 Airview Drive, Greenville, SC
(864) 272-6232
Tours available Sat 1-4 p.m., on the hour
Quest began brewing in 2012 and wasted no time making an impact on local beer lovers. The adventurous spirit of the city inspired its name and beers: try the Smoking Mirror Porter or the Kaldi Coffee Stout, made with West End Coffee's freshly roasted beans. The taproom frequently hosts food trucks, live music, outdoor games and even yoga nights.

Brewery 85
6 Whitlee Ct, Greenville, SC
(864) 558-0104
Tours available Thu and Fri 4-7 p.m.; Sat noon-5 p.m.
Brewery 85 begins hard hours in March with a small, but enthusiastic line-up of beers available in half- and full-pint pours (flights are in the works). Start with the 864 Weizen for a literal taste of the Upstate—all ingredients are locally sourced—and bring your drinking pants for the 8.5% Quittin' Time Helles Bock. The large, outdoor patio is the perfect place to sip before a sunset, and rumor has it that live music, food trucks and games are soon to come.

Swamp Rabbit Brewery
26 South Main Street, Travelers Rest, SC
(864) 610-2424
The building that once brewed Leopard Forest Coffee will soon re-awaken to brewing a different sort thanks to Swamp Rabbit Brewery, the latest beer adventure of lauded brewer Ben Pierson. This family-run operation near the popular Swamp Rabbit Trail will welcome enthusiasts to sip classic beers at the steel bar in late March.

Blue Ridge Brewing Company
217 North Main Street, Greenville, SC
(864) 323-4677
While technically a brewpub, Blue Ridge should not be missed for both its importance in local brew history and its thirst-quenching beers. Bob Hiller was only able to open Blue Ridge in 1995 after lobbying to make brewpubs legal in South Carolina. Take a seat inside amidst the large tanks or out on a sidewalk table, and sip one of the big four: Colonel Paris Pale Ale, Kurli Blonde Ale, Rainbow Trout ESB and XXX Total Eclipse Stout.

A big thank you to Harvin, The Craft Beer Chick, for her round-up of local breweries for Gap Creek Gourmet! Visit her all things beer blog at www.craftbeerchick.com

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Local chefs headed to Charleston Wine and Food Fest

A few of my favorite chefs are headed to Chucktown next week for the Charleston Wine and Food Festival. Greenville Chef, Chef Patrick Long of The Green Room will be joining Charleston's famed chefs Sean Brock, Mike Lata, Craig Deihl, Jeremiah Bacon, dozens of visiting chefs, and close to a hundred Low Country Chefs as they show off their culinary talents during this uber popular foodie fest. (It's not too late!  I'm available if someone wants to throw a ticket (or two) my way?)

You could say that Chef Patrick is headed home.  He spent his early career under the tutelage of notable Charleston chefs, working in the kitchens of both Old Village Post House and Wild Olive.  Long will be participating in the Culinary Village and will be manning the grill for a Skirt Steak with Chimichurri Sauce and Fire Roasted Corn Salsa demo at 4:45pm on Sunday, March 9.  

If you'd like a little Greenville preview, of the dish he's taking to Charleston, sign up for the So Long Winter Blues Cooking Class at The Cook's Station this Tuesday, Febraruy 25.  Cost is $40 per person. 

Asheville's Chef Katie Button is also headed to the festival. She and her team own Curate and have just opened The Nightbell, a speakeasy, in downtown Asheville to rave reviews. Did you know she's a James Beard Semi-finalist for Rising Star Chef?  She will be cooking in the kitchen at High Cotton for the Perfectly Paired Dinner on Friday, March 7, 2014 at 7:00pm. She will also be hitting the grill for a demo on Saturday, March 8, 2014 at 1:30pm - 2:15pm.  This will be at the Outdoor Living & Grilling Area, Culinary Village, Marion Square, so just scoot on over there if you should be one of the lucky ones hanging around with a glass of wine in hand at the festival!

 

It's not too late to head to the Low Country for some of the best food of your life. For Charleston Wine and Food Festival ticket information, you can go here.  

Monday Mashup: cronuts, the sushi nazi, showers and salt.

Monday, Monday! (she sings Mamas and the Papas) How's everyone doing?  I just finished shoving two lemons and rosemary sprigs in the cavity of a chicken and rubbed it down with butter. How's that vision to start your day?  Did I mention I hate bone-in chicken?  Gross. But I committed to make the Pioneer Woman Cooks Roasted Chicken recipe for Cookbook Club tonight in an effort to get over my phobia of cooking a whole chicken.  We'll see how this goes. (Turned out pretty good, I'd say!)

Rolling with it.

I spent ALL DAY yesterday making Ree Drummond's Cinnamon Rolls and Orange Marmalade Rolls to take to Cookbook Club, too. My kitchen looked like a natural disaster had hit.  The rolls are as-big-as-my-hand huge and beautiful and delicious, but I can't say I would make these things more than once a year.  For real.  All day. Seriously? Check out my Instagram page for photos of the experience.

Cronuts?

Yes, I finally found a cronut to stuff in my face.  LeGrand Bakery in Greenville is making their version of the famed Cronut, originally conceived and trademarked by chef Dominique Ansel of Dominique Ansel Bakery in New York City.  My friend Ruta has been raving about the LeGrand version, so I had to get out and try one for the class. They are freaking incredible. I tried to share with my friend, but she, like every one else I know, is on a diet! Arg. I ate it myself.  Layers of buttery croissant goodness in the shape of a doughnut with the occasional custard mingled in then sprinkled with powdered sugar. Delish. You gotta go get one of these... or four.

No sushi for you! #sushinazi 

Everyone has been talking about this place called Purple (aka Purple International Bistro and Sushi) in Greenville. Best sushi in town, I was told.  And guess what?  The buzz was pretty dead on.  I met my buddy Josie and my new friend Karen Hammons of Everyday Orange there for lunch last week.  We were presented with a beautiful, plate of assorted sushi: Shrimp Tempura with Cherry Blossom Salt (lovely!), Bagel Roll, Cherry Blossom Leaf Sushi (amazing), Yellow Tail Sushi, and something I've never eaten before, Hako sushi, a pressed sushi (think layered sushi then sliced like a roll).  It was all really good, but here's the deal, the waitress basically berated us for even the thought of using soy sauce on their sushi. Dude!  You make your own soy sauce IN HOUSE!  Why would I not use it?! Her persistence was a little shocking. I love to get a good smear of wasbi on my sushi and then give it a quick dip in soy sauce.  It's the best!  Yes, it might cover up the subtle flavors of fresh fish, but it's tasty.  (So I'm not a sushi snob. I'm just now getting used to eating raw.) She was borderline mean.  Not sure I want to deal with that again.  Maybe sushi to go next time, so I can eat without shame.

Babies, babies everywhere!

One of my biggest fans, Erica, had a baby shower this weekend.  A very rocked out baby shower in anticipation of baby Emerson.  I am so jealous that my major life events fell outside the days of Pinterest! My sister just happens to be Erica's bff and totally scoured Pins and Boards to make sure it was a shower Erica would remember. I swear there were a dozen babies there under the age of one. Amid the bouncing and cooing and occasional crying,  I sat absolutely amazed watching the gifts being opened.  How many times can someone reinvent the wheel?  A grass counter top drying rack complete with a tree for hanging pacifiers and bottle miscellaneous. My baby days are so over, but I think I could find a purpose for this thing. Oooh! It would make a fantastic wine glass drying rack! 

Salt of the South.

Bulls Bay Saltworks Sea Salt is one of my new favorite things.  This South Carolina company is reviving an industry long since forgotten in our state's history.  Did you know that South Carolina made its own salt during the Civil War era?  I had no clue. According to their website, Bulls Bay Saltworks is the first operational salt works in South Carolina since February 25, 1865.  Go here for more history. As soon as I discovered the product, I called the company to find out a little about their salt.  Since, it has become one of our most prized commodities in the Livengood household.  We used the Smoked Sea Salt on our steak before grilling this weekend.  And I just sprinkled Carolina Flake all over a chicken. I know that Swamp Rabbit Cafe and Grocery carries the salt in Greenville, but for a store near you, go here or you can order online.

That's all I've got folks.  I'm busy working on the new GapCreekGourmet.com to be launched soon.  So exciting.

Happy Monday!

An evening at Coal Fired Bistro and Wine Bar

On Tuesday night, I had the absolute pleasure of visiting Coal Fired Bistro and Wine Bar on Pelham Road to sample a taste of their new menu under new (as of last Octoberish) chef Gerard Cribbin.  I met the chef at the Bacon Bros holiday party and he was incredibly nice to invite me to Coal Fired to see what he had done with the menu.  I brought my Greenville Small Plate Crawl partner and fellow food blogger, Laura, along for the evening.  You can visit her blog at www.CarolinaEpicurean.com.  

Isn't it funny I would start the post off with an empty table? I would just like to say that Coal Fired Bistro can set an elegant table! The atmosphere is very old school, dress up steak house, very mafia-esk. We were surrounded by men in jackets having business dinners. The red rose at the center of every table smelled heavenly and popped against the white tables and black draped windows.  This is definitely a place to celebrate, but not so highbrow that that special occasion couldn't just be that you are alive and happy and ready for a good meal. 

We started with drinks.  I ordered the Smoked Chocolate Martini (vodka, Dewars, Frangelico, Godiva milk chocolate, with chocolate drizzle) and Laura ordered the Mimi's Pumpkin Martini (spiced pumpkin liqueur, Kahlua, vodka and cream).  They were both incredible and dangerously delicious. Mine reminded me of a grown up version of the mudslides I drank in college.  

Food began arriving. Here are some of my favorites: Our first course was a light and flaky calamari with a side of caprese salad.  Sometimes when you order calamari out, it is heavily breaded, tough, soggy, and/or greasy.  This was presentation was perfectly delicate. The marinara was very nice, too. It added a hint of freshness with a kick. There was also a fried lemon slice, and whether ornamental or edible, I tried some and it was delicious too! Fried citrus.  Who knew?

(paired with a Rombauer Chardonnay)

There was a serious helping of lobster in the Linguine Cardinale (with rose lobster sauce and spinach).  And the flavor?  Think Lobster Bisque and POW!  Some bites were a little salty, but there was no hiding the lobster in this dish and that tickled us to no end.  Laura and I both have lost count of the times we've ordered lobster dishes and couldn't event taste the lobster.  Not the case here.  

The Scallops in sherry cream sauce with mushroom risotto was rich and savory. Delicious.  The scallops were perfectly cooked and so silky smooth. We covered each bite in the creamy sauce. 

(paired with a Cristom Eileen Vineyard Willamette Valley Pinot Noir)

Sometimes a dish hits you just rite.  By this time we were both stuffed, but I asked for a small bite of the Veal Saltimbocca, just a little taste.  I'm so glad I did.  It was eye rolling awesome and I inhaled mine before Laura finished taking pictures of her plate. I seriously wanted to sop up this gravy with my bread, but I had reached my bread quota. 

I am a dessert fan.  I think someone should invent something dessert like that starts off dinner. (No, our martinis don't count.)  A sweet amuse-bouche to celebrate the beginning of the meal.  Every meal should start with cake. This, for instance, would be perfect - a sliver of the house made tiramisu.   You'd think I would have stopped here, but no, I also ordered the Pistachio cheesecake.  I couldn't resist.  The girl beside us had some and it looked so very good, like something that shouldn't be missed.

Chef came out for a chat when we were sipping on our coffee and wrapping up dinner.  He came to Coal Fired via the Cliffs at Keowee Falls, but prior to that was the head chef at Gerard's, a popular restaurant in Greer, SC until it closed in 2008.  He was in negotiations to reopen Gerard's at La Bastide before the Cliff's hit a bit of financial trouble. 

Restructuring landed him at one of their other communities, until Eric Bergelson snagged him for the head chef position at Coal Fired, a position once held by Chef Anthony Gray of Bacon Bros, another one of Bergelson's restaurants (just a little info there for you). Chef Gerard was again, super welcoming and we lavished him with praise for a fantastic meal.

We were about to head out the door when we struck up a conversation about wine with Coal Fired employee, Jacob Ford.  He was super excited about all things wine and is in fact on a serious path to reach Master Sommelier status. I discussed my amazement with the Enomatic machines (which remind me of cow milking stations), and how dangerous it would be to set me free on them.   He just had to give us a sip and handed us one ounce pours of a white 2011 Barons de Rothschild Bordeaux. He said it was the perfect wine to end the night. Fresh and crisp, like a bite of apple. (I think he was right.)  They have an amazing wine selection, and come to find out, you can purchase and take any of them home with you that you desire. What an incredible night of food and wine!

"Every bottle of wine has a feeling. Every bottle of wine has a past. Every bottle of wine has a memory." (A quote from Jacob.)

Indeed.

New chefs mean new menus for The Nose Dive

Table 301's gastropub, The Nose Dive, recently rolled out new lunch and dinner menus under new Executive Chef Spencer Thomson (formerly head chef at Devereaux's) and I couldn't wait to get in the door to try the change of fare.  As you'll recall, The Nose Dive, is not on my top lists of restaurants in Greenville.  Not because the food is bad, or the service is horrible.  The food just never popped for me.  I was excited to give it another try and invited my business partner for the Greenville Small Plate Crawl and fellow food blogger (Carolina Epicurean) along for the adventure. 

Laura and I looked like we were visiting journalists with our cameras, phones and notebooks sitting all over the table.  I guess we technically were, now that I think about it... We were stoked to get a seat by the window which provided excellent lighting to photog the heck out of some food.  And I got to take my new camera for a roll!

Our first course, and favorite of the day was a lineup of three deviled eggs they call Devil Makes 3: a trio of southern ham salad, pimento cheese and traditional deviled egg. The ham salad was absolutely delicious!  I have to admit I was a little happy to see the Scotch egg replaced with something so incredibly flavorful!

One of the awesome things about Nose Dive is that they have a nice selection of wines on tap.  I sipped on a fresh and light  Elki Savignon Blanc.

We tried two of the salads on the new menu.  We enjoyed the Chef Salad (Black Oak Ham, cucumber, red onion, white cheddar, riced egg, and green goddess dressing) but nothing stood out about the dish. But the fried tomato rings were a nice surprise on the Southerner, and when scooped up in a bite of greens, goat cheese, spiced pecans and apple cider vinaigrette, you get an amazing assembly of flavor.

Next up was a creamy No Carb Carbonara made with squash, portobello mushrooms and a nice fried egg on top.  I have recently learned to appreciate two things when it comes to food: egg yolks and goat cheese.  They add something amazing to the flavor package.  By themselves?  No thank you, but when added to a dish, it's a total flavor enhancer.  It adds a savory richness that is just blissful.

I was super excited to try the Tator Tots.  I heard they were going to be a part of the menu and seriously couldn't wait to see what they were doing with them.  They came out and were absolutely beautiful!  Three housemade tots, bathed in duck jou and topped with aged cheddar.

We dug in happily, but after the second bite put our forks down.  No bam!  It was savory, for sure, but needed something.  Salt?  The flavors were just there.  No bliss.

This was the second time I've had this pot roast.  My first taste was on Greenville Culinary Tour's At the Chef's Table tour where we met Chef Craig Kuhns, who was Sou Chef at Devereaux's and followed Chef Spencer to The Nose Dive.  Chef Kuhns is responsible for creating most of the new lunch menu at The Nose Dive.   As a small bite on the tour, the pot roast was fantastic, creamy grits, savory pulled beef, delicious, with a touch of sweetness from the roasted winter carrots.  As a large serving, it was still nice and hearty, but undersalted and lacked the pow of the small bite I'd eaten before.

I still think about this sandwich all the time.  It befuddled me. I couldn't decided at the time if I liked it or not, but for days I've been craving it again, so I guess I did!  It's not often a chef can challenge your palate with a sandwich, but Chef Craig sure did with this one.  Mustard and black pepper-roasted pork with braised collard greens, and goat cheese on a hoagie roll.  And the brussels sprouts are just heaven.  A little vinegary with chunks of tasty ham.   We also tried the Mason-Dixon, a hoagie bun topped with New England Lobster Salad, fried scallops with lettuce, tomato and dill vinaigrette.  It's a twist on their once popular lobster roll. The brussels stole the show on this plate.

Dessert.  Isn't this plate lovely?  And when it landed in front of me, I couldn't contain myself.  The Lemon Goat Cheese Cheesecake is back.  I walked two blocks in shoes that were eating my feet once to get a piece of this cheesecake and it wasn't on their menu anymore.  Praise, praise, praise, it's back and so absolutely marvelous. As good as I remembered.  And why don't restaurants make desserts like this all the time? Just tiny bites of sweetness after a meal that's left you stuffed.  Perfect. 

I'm anxious to get back for a taste of their dinner menu.