now I know what calabash means...

It's something you can taste, but apparently you can't define "Calabash style." I thought it meant "seafood deep fried in a light batter, somewhere between regular fried shrimp and tempura". Nope. Best I can tell it means "really fresh fried seafood in massive proportions". So of course we had to take the hour detour from Bald Head Island to swing past Calabash. Calabash is home to around 700 people and 20 seafood restaurants, a ratio maintained by a steady influx of seafood lovers from Myrtle Beach.

Our first stop was Captain Nance's, right on the Calabash river. The shrimp boats (including Captain Nance's boat) come right to the dock and sell jumbo shrimp for $5 a pound. The interior wasn't much to speak of, though it did have a river/marsh view across half the restaurant. They had a lunch special for $5.95, a choice of two fried seafoods + fries and slaw. I went for the deviled crab and the fried shrimp, and my lovely dining companion chose the crab legs.

Sadly, the meal was a little disappointing across the board. The crab legs were clearly not fresh, their shells so pliant they couldn't be cracked. The deviled crab was tasty enough, but I couldn't taste the crab in the breading, or even find any threads of crab meat. The shrimp were fine, but that was the disappointment -- after driving all that way, I expected fried shrimp that were superior to anything I could find in landlocked ol' Raleigh.

The real surprise was the key lime pie. Sadly it took about 10 minutes to get it, as our friendly but developmentally challenged waitress flirted with the cashier. But when it came (and she gave it to us for free, I think out of fear of the extra math required) it was worth the wait. Stacked high with meringue (why do restaurants skip the meringue?), a strong taste of lime rather than the usual lemon-lime-sprite flavor, home made graham cracker crust... quite literally the best I've ever had.

After some kitchy shopping we felt we couldn't leave town with such dashed dreams, and we tried Beck's, one of the two original seafood restaurants of the town. We told the waitress we only needed to try their fried shrimp and their key lime pie, for comparison's sake. She nodded and asked where we'd been, and when we told her, she said we wouldn't be disappointed. Oh, wow, those were amazing fried shrimp. So hot we could barely eat them, so juicy from just the briefest flash in the pot, and a crispy coating with variably large and small breadcrumbs that worked perfectly to give them both a full coating and a nice crunch. Their cocktail sauce had just the right heat from horseradish, and was clearly made that day. The pie was a forgettable cheesecake-in-a-pie-crust type, but I didn't care. I should have left Nance's as soon as I reached the table and saw that they used commercial cocktail sauce -- that's like going to a barbeque joint and finding KC Masterpiece on the table.

Turns out that the owner of Becks is married to the grandson of Capt Nance, so they're all family. Thus, when I pointed out the naked superiority of their shrimp, our waitress wasn't willing to comment any further than a wink, and "We know."

Absolutely worth the trip.

'twere well it were done quickly

Time does fly when one is having fun, which I'm lucky to be experiencing in spades these days. I do have a few restaurants I must share, and I promise to catch up...

Our ultra-exclusive G Thang party has come and gone. I've got to share the invitation, which exposes my Caucasian stylings better than any banana republic polo shirt could:

---

What: G Thang Party
Where: Mike's crib
Why: To kick a little something for the G's
When: Saturday August 19th, 9pm
Until: the ladies in the living room ain't leavin til 6 in the mornin...
Hosts: A dana, mike, and suzy joint
Who: If you know the hosts, you are in

The Double-Dee-A-N-A will whip up a crazy menu to beat those munchies. DJ SuzyScribbles will be spinning the wheels with mad hiphop and old school jams so you can bounce to this. And Busta Capps will prep the bar with all your rap favorites: Gin and Juice, Hennessy, Seagrams, Courvoisier, Tanqueray, Brass Monkey. We'll even keep the eight ball rollin' with some o-no-you-dint 40 dogs. Oh yes, we did.

And check our first annual Crunk Cup throw down. You don't want to sip the gin and juice out no wankster dixie cup, holmes! Duckets and mad props go to Biggest Crunk Cup, That-Ain't-Crunk!est Crunk Cup, and the grand prize, Crunkest Crunk Cup.

---

The props went to Sarah for biggest cup, Robbie for least crunk, Suzy for the late-addition-category-due-to-bribing-the-judge Prettiest crunk cup. Shane's masterpiece took the big prize. Check out the pictures of those cups, and more.

Port Land Grille

But the real reason we're here is to talk about food, not crunk cups. Allow me to offer a brief but powerful homage to the Port Land Grille in Wilmington, NC. The decor is casual and elegant, with bay windows overlooking a landscaped patio in Lumina Station, a small shopping center. We were there to celebrate, so we started with champagne -- they were out of Moet et Chandon White Star, which turned out to be great luck, as they did have the Moet et Chandon White Star Rose'. That was absolutely the best glass of champagne I've ever had, and I've been lucky enough to taste Mumm's finest straight from the magnum in the cellars in Reims, France. (brag, brag) White Star is a dependable bottle, but the Rose is simply brilliant. The Dom-like dry bite one expects is tempered with a rounder fruit and hints of strawberries, and overall it's a much more pleasant experience.

They had a champagne tasting menu, items for each course chosen to pair with champagne. On a lark we picked the 'shake and bake' fries, sweet potato fries tossed in truffle oil and parmesan with a roasted red pepper dijon mayo. The earthiness of the truffles fit very well with the sweet potatoes and nuttiness of the cheese. Still some question about how well this paired with the champagne, but I think we felt anything was an interruption. :)

For the main, I had the grilled mongolian style berkshire double cut pork chop. This was an enormous double stacked pork chop, basted in a sweet & sour plum barbeque sauce. The sides were vanilla mashed sweet potatoes, which could have been served as a dessert course, and an asian slaw. Any individual flavor was almost too acid or sweet, but combined together it was just perfect. With a double cut pork chop, the danger is always even preparation, and I'll admit they fell down a bit here, with a dramatically undercooked center. But honestly, there was more than plenty to eat even when skipping the center, and it was absolutely delicious.

The absence of a soup or salad thus far in the description can indicate only one thing, and that's dessert. :) For some reason, they arrived staggered. The first was the specialty bananas foster tiramisu, a brilliant idea indeed. Instead of lady fingers, banana bread was used; instead of coffee, a banana liquor, I'm guessing. Admittedly we devoured this... The second dessert, a brownie 'napoleon' sundae, arrived when the first was almost gone. We enjoyed this less, but it's difficult to say whether that was due to our being so full. The description said it was served with a banana bon bon, and not knowing what this was but not wanting to split only one, we asked the waiter for a few extra. Turns out this was a banana sliced on angle, frozen, then dipped in chocolate and nuts, and those we certainly found room for.

Many thanks to the waiter for satisfying that, and every other request. Overall the dinner was an excellent experience. The food was solid minus a few missteps, but the atmosphere and excellent service carried the day, and it's certainly recommended.

apologies for the dust

I thought some of my readers might enjoy reviews of less well-known eating establishments in Raleigh, so here's a mix up.

Waffle House

I grew up on the waffle house. They sell more steak, coffee, waffles, eggs, you name it in Georgia than any other restaurant chain, and there's a reason. Cannot recommend this place highly enough if it's 4am and you're hungry and don't want to let your companions go home quite yet.

Flying Saucer

The saucer is well known for its beer selection, and not so well for its food. This is as it should be. Highly recommended for their Belgian beers and comfy bar stools.

Hayes Barton Cafe and Dessert Bar

The desserts look great, but I've never quite been inside. They seem to close awfully early.

The Third Place Coffee House

A great place to visit if everything else is closed. And you want to hide from the rain. I'd steer clear of the Iced Chai, especially after drinking beer. I quite recommend the Blondies.

Restaurant Savannah

This restaurant had a strong start, followed by an unfortunate chef change. Ours was one of two active tables at 9pm on Friday night, which means this place is not long for this world. Excellent spicy asian ribs, and the sweet potato fries were rolled in a cinnamon sugar and could have been served as a dessert course.

April and Georges

One of few genuine wine bars in the Raleigh area. Service is so so, but they're quite willing to keep serving glasses until you find one that you like. Which is a good thing if your drinking companion has very particular tastes :)

Tres Magueyes

Affectionately known as "tres" to the locals, this Mexican eatery is a true no-frills establishment, but it's fast and friendly. Very colorful atmosphere, especially if you sit at one of the tables with fresh flowers.

J&S Pizzeria

Located in Apex, this is definitely one of the best places to find authentic NY pizza in the triangle area.

MR Wings

Conveniently located in the same shopping center as J&S, this Buffalo-based chain does it right. Is it just me, or is everything from Buffalo delicious? You know, except for the Bills.

518 West

A great place if you're looking for an italian meal that's a step up from Cinelli's in terms of atmosphere and menu complexity. "The Crab", a dish with lump crab meat served over angel hair pasta with a dill cream sauce, is my recommendation. The chicken parmasagna came in a healthy portion and looked delicious, but unfortunately this reviewer was unable to react with appropriate speed.

Don't let the website fool you, this is no casual Italian eatery.

censored

By far the best meal in this review is from an establishment that I refuse to share with my readers. I realize that, as an outspoken lover of fine food, I have a certain responsibility to help bring positive attention to those restaurants that rise above the bar. It's a mutually beneficial relationship, with hopes that additional diners will support those top-tier restaurants, and keep them open for my next visit, or better yet, bring more dining opportunities to the area.

In certain cases, however, I do worry that an influx of additional guests will put an undue strain on an establishment, and thus negatively affect the quality. This is a decision I do not make lightly; but in this specific case, I think the establishment is supporting itself quite admirably without my help. :)

The atmosphere was crowded, but comfortable, and decorated impeccably. Service was curt, but friendly; at a small establishment, it's not unusual for the kitchen staff to double as wait staff, and that was particuarly noticeable during the wait for dinner. For the appetizer, the menu listed a simple toast with olive oil; evidently there was some problem in the kitchen. I'll admit that when I smelled smoke, I thought it best not to inquire.

The main course was a tour de force in culinary creativity. A simple but perfectly prepared peasant chicken (olive oil with garlic and mirepoix) was transformed -- nay, evolved -- with a chardonnay sauce with just the right touch of acidic bite. I inquired of the chef afterwards; in addition to the expected chardonnay reduction, a few tablespoons of chardonnay vinegar brought acidity without drowning the flavor profile.

The chicken was served with the mirepoix on the side as a vegetable, and also with a delicious sliced buttered potato dish. Apparently this was a closely guarded family secret, so the chef was cagey despite all my efforts to pry out the recipe. My guess is red potatoes, sliced and cooked with onions and butter, and seasoned with salt and pepper -- but I'll just have to get in the kitchen and start experimenting.

Dessert was an oatmeal-based crisp with green apples, served a la mode -- vanilla bean ice cream (the best kind of ice cream, by far). The wait for dessert was notable, but between the sweet tea and the wine (a chardonnay and a pinot grigio, neither notable but both enjoyable) it was tolerable. And it was certainly worth the wait; my appetite returned much more quickly than I would have imagined after stuffing myself on the previous course. I even requested a second order to take home, thinking it would make a perfect breakfast.

Overall, in spite of the rather saucy wait staff, and a considerable wait for a table (it's a very small establishment), this was one of the most enjoyable meals I've had in ages. I can't recommend this establishment enough to my readers -- and so, my apologies, I will not. :)

Rub's Smokehouse

Having eaten a laws-of-physics-defying amount the night before, even the tasty (and colossal) pork ribs at Rub's weren't enough to encourage my appetite. The country-style ribs are cooked with the namesake dry rub. The coleslaw is heavy on mayonnaise and celery salt, which I sometimes enjoy with seafood but not as much with barbeque, especially with any molasses-based sauces nearby. The baked beans are a highlight, with four varieties of beans and a strong flavor of cooked molasses.

gramercy, milady

I was fortunate enough to travel to New York last week for a Gears of War press event -- Microsoft's Games Unwrapped event. The first day was for "Nice" children, and focused on games like Lego Star Wars, and publications like Marie Claire; Gears was relegated to the back of the room. On the second "Naughty" day, the publications were Playboy and FHM, and Gears was front and center. We also cleared the room in the afternoon for an alcohol-enhanced multiplayer session, and I was very gratified to see the press so excited playing the game.

La Locanda Dei Vini

But of course the real reason I went to New York was ... to eat. Memorable moments include walking into an Italian restaurant on the street corner, only to discover it was a Wine Spectator award winner. Fantastic risotto, with very earthy wild mushrooms and sausage. And a devastating barolo which I promptly forgot the name of, still kicking myself for that.

Magnolia Bakery

On the second day we ordered cupcakes from the Magnolia bakery, made famous by its cookbooks and an appearance on Sex and the City. The chocolate cupcakes were a little dry, but the vanilla were perfect, and the buttercreme frosting was just right. Opening the box felt like opening a box of flowers, just beautiful. Tim tried to buy two dozen, but the store limited him to 18. Rather than their usual one dozen limit. Which I think says it all.

Apparently everything in New York was made famous by Sex and the City. I even went to the Manolo Blahnik shoe store, just to see what all the fuss was about, but they were closed as they transitioned to their fall line. Probably for the best ;)

Gramercy Tavern

The Gramercy Tavern dinner was, well, legendary. I foolishly assumed the summer tasting menu would be available on the website for me to copy from, and I'm out of luck. From memory made hazy by an unbelievable wine pairing:

* Amuse bouche was a simple garlic toast with a dollop of white bean puree and a dollop of salsa verde. The salsa was bursting with flavors of cilantro and basil, and that's when we knew we were in for a treat.

* Langostino in a frothy cream sauce, with what I recall were diced tomatillos? Everyone at the table was enchanted. This was the best lobster (or lobster-like) that I've ever had, and everyone else said the same.

* Other treats included a lamb main course, which Laura foolishly said she would not enjoy -- I almost stabbed her with my fork as I stole one of her chops.

* A whopping three desserts. First a palate cleanser, a bowl of coconut tapioca with a simple cookie, topped with bitingly sharp mango sorbet. The tapioca was topped with basil oil; I thought I'd heard incorrectly, but it worked brilliantly. The sorbet was like a laser to the brain pan, but it did the trick. For the main dessert, the option was a seven layer chocolate/caramel cake and ice cream; or a pistachio cake with honey lemon ice cream. I'm missing loads of detail here, but it was divine. As we pushed back from the table in relief, they returned with two plates of chocolate truffles; unfortunately, those were tasty as well, and so down it went.

But the real treat that night was the wine pairing, for two reasons. First, the list consisted of rare varietals. I'm accustomed to having new wines with a pairing, but rarely a new grape -- and five of the varietals were completely new to me. Second, my companions were all wine drinkers, but not really familiar with a good pairing. They'd taste the wine, and be quite skeptical about the sweetness of say the Moscato or the spiciness of the Kekfrankos. But when they waited to try them with the appropriate course, they were absolutely convinced, and that was great to see. Here's the list, varietal listed first. Apologies for transcription errors, the handwriting was rough.

1. Chardonnay/Welschriesling. Kracher, Austria, 2003.
2. Moscato Giallo. Lageder, Alto Adige, Italy, 2005.
3. Chasselas. Shoffit, Alsace, France, 2004.
4. Schippettino. Roncal, Fruili, Italy, 2004.
5. Kekfrankos. Takler, Szekszard, Hungary, 2003.
6. Mavrodaphny. Commanderia St. John, Cyprus, Greece.
7. Monastrell. Olivares, Jumilla, Spain, 2003.

The grassy, mineral character of the Chasselas was generally reviled by all, both before and after food. Otherwise, all the wines were enjoyed greatly. The Olivares dessert wine had a rich chocolate flavor that went beautifully with dinner. The deep red, light bodied Kekfrankos had an insanely spicy kick at the end, like a Zinfindel on adrenaline.

Overall an evening to remember. Not sure if it's my favorite restaurant dining experience, or second to Michael Mina in San Francisco.

Nobu

On Thursday we went to the original Nobu. I've been to Nobu a number of times in Las Vegas and have always enjoyed it, but somehow, I simply don't feel compelled to write about this meal. The company was superb!

Tao Restaurant

Yet another Sex and the City stop, known for its hip lounge and its massive Buddha statue as much as the food. We were celebrating Sarah's birthday, so I pulled out the stops and loaded the lazy susan with a sampling of each of their appetizers. The sushi and shu mai were competent; the black miso sea bass was quite tasty, and the peking duck egg rolls were very nice, though some complained of the saltiness.

For dinner, we had more sea bass, a fantastic peking duck that was the highlight of the evening, a simple spiced shrimp dish, and wasabi-crusted filet mignon -- which I refused to let my companions order cooked more than medium ;)

For dessert they brought Sarah a giant fortune cookie, partially coated with chocolate, and stuffed with a chocolate mousse on one side and vanilla ice cream on the other. I assumed this was a gimmick dessert, but the cookie was surprisingly tasty, and overall it was a clever presentation and one I'd recommend.

oh yeah

And I went to a few museums and did some shopping and stuff.

suggested pairing

As promised, a little late but 100% worth it.

I have a confession to make: I'm apparently addicted to Enoteca Vin. I've managed to go four times in two weeks.

The first was for my birthday, and I don't remember much of that happy occasion except that the bruleed Turkish figs made me wonder why I don't eat figs more often.

Heirloom Tomato dinner

The second was for an heirloom tomato dinner. Craig Lehoullier has been preserving varieties of heirloom tomatoes for years, swapping seeds across the nation, and with his help Ashley put together a divine menu. Special thanks to a very lovely lady for making the evening special, and doom to her for being happily married ;)

The amuse bouche was something I'd never seen, a shot glass filled with a clear tomato broth, served with a splash of basil oil and a small floating cherry tomato. Taking a "shot" of soup and then catching the tomato was a new experience. So I'd say the amuse bouche did its job!

First course was a N.C. lump crap salad with marinated Evergreen and Black Prince tomatoes, avocado, and basil. As usual, simple and focused on the quality ingredients. We devoured this.

Second course was a sweet corn risotto with Cherokee purple tomatoes and basil. I must admit, we did remark that, while tomatoes and basil do pair beautifully, the final course had better be basil-free. This was a simple, clean dish, and the sweet white corn in the risotto improved both texture and flavor.

Third course was pork tenderloin with pasta kerchief and George Stripe tomatoes. The kerchief was an interesting presentation; a single large square of thin pasta covered a bed of arugula, and the sliced tenderloin sat atop the pasta. This was tasty, but the peppery spice of the arugula harmonized with other pepper in the dish and made for a spiciness that felt out of place.

And OH we were disappointed that Ashley had no clever dessert presentation, no tomato sorbet. Maybe next year! :)

Mondavi tasting

And a mere four days later I was back, this time for a Robert Mondavi wine tasting. This would include a range of different reserve varietals from the current vintage, plus a vertical tasting of reserve cabernets.

The dining was appropriately low-key. We all remarked on the okra, which was sliced lengthwise and fried, then served with a frothy tomato sauce.

On to the wines:
2004 Fume Blanc. Acid to the point of acrid, with no redeeming characteristics. My notes say "like a painful nose laser", and this was at the start of the evening before the wine had kicked in.

2003 Fume Blanc Reserve, To Kalon Vineyard. Much more pleasant. Bright nose, almost deceptively so as the taste was a much calmer melon flavor than the previous wine. Unfortunately the wine was ruined by a finish marred by overoaking.

2004 Chardonnay Reserve, Carneros, Napa. A pleasant chard, with apple and hints of banana, much lighter vanilla, and a very pronounced caramel aftertaste that many will enjoy.

2003 Pinot Noir Reserve, Napa. Dark plum and earth notes hit the nose and carry through, but again Mondavi has taken a pleasant enough wine and taken it out back and beaten it to death with the oak stick. Much too spicy from the oak, and it builds uncomfortably; my companions said that it was noticeable on one sip, unpleasant on two, and undrinkable on three.

2003 Cabernet Sauvignon, Napa. They say that after eating cheese, even expert tasters lose their ability to compare wines. After one sip, we ate the cheese. Enough said.

1990 Cabernet Sauvignon Reserve. This was the showpiece, and for a reason. An strong but quite pleasant tobacco nose precedes a rich wine with cassis and berry notes. Perfectly balanced fruit and acidity, perfect structure, just overall an excellent wine. Unfortunately this was pulled from Robert Mondavi's own cellar as part of the winery's 40th anniversary and is no longer available for purchase. Yet another example of Something I Can Never Have. :)

1992 and 1994 Cabernet Sauvignon Reserve. I'll admit to horse trading these for a glass of 1990 from one of my dinner companions. Neither was as enjoyable, though both were pleasant.

2002 Cabernet Sauvignon Reserve, Napa. Strong smoky tones hit the palate on first sip. I did not score this wine given that it was my 9th full glass of the evening. Given that 95% of wine is drunk within 48 hours of purchase, Mondavi has decided to change their formulation to make their wines drinkable upon release. The tannins were much less complex / interesting than an aged wine, but it was certainly drinkable upon release. Can't decide if this is a good thing or not -- probably, it's something we'll all regret in 2006-1990=16 years.

Excellent fun was had by all. Thanks to Ashley and crew!

harmonious monotony

It's amazing how quickly a blog can go from an exciting project to a responsibility. (3 days, by the way, is how long that takes...)

I had a simply fantastic birthday dinner at Enoteca Vin. I'll save the review for tomorrow, because I'm going back again tonight for a special heirloom tomato dinner, and I want to try to find something these folks do wrong.

The post-dinner revelry afterwards literally lasted about 36 hours, and I am most definitely still recovering, hence my inability to fit in late-night blogging time. You can view the pictures if you're brave.

Who knew getting older -- and balder -- would be so much fun? :-)

mad with power

Happy 4th. Peachtree didn't kill me either, so I am now convinced I'm invulnerable to harm. That'll be handy!

I figure I owe a rapid-fire ATL restaurant roundup:

Ritz-Carlton. The renowned Dining Room at the Ritz-Carlton Buckhead was closed for the holiday, but we did have a fantastic breakfast in the Cafe. Of course the service was impeccable, the atmosphere elegant with a bit too heavy Victorian and floral tones, just as one might expect. We chose a simple breakfast, but even in something as simple as a bowl of grits they created a masterpiece, heavy with cream and a tangy cheese bite. I'd wager parmesan and white cheddar. Quite untrue to form -- and worried about losing my breakfast at 14000 feet -- I chose the Swiss Muesli. Instead of a simple dry cereal, it was premixed with cream and softened, then mixed with dried cherries, candied pecans, and Asian pears. And then topped with fresh berries for an extra kick. Delightful, and apparently a good choice, as my skydiving partner lost his Waffle House special somewhere around 2000 feet.

The Landmark. For years this was the famous Dunk 'n' Dine, affectionately known by the city's gay population as the Dunk 'n' Dyke, the place to be seen at 3 in the morning after an unsuccessful rough night of clubbing. I was disappointed about the name change but pleased to see that the restaurant had survived. The food was a step or two below the aformentioned Waffle House fare, but honestly, one goes for the atmosphere. After an excellent if underattended show by Leadcar Holiday at the Relapse, the Landmark's questionable hashbrowns hit the spot.

Prime. When I first heard there was a Prime in Lenox Mall I was ecstatic -- until I discovered it has absolutely no relationship with L.A. Prime, nor the Prime Steakhouse in the Bellagio in Vegas. By that time we had already made the reservations and decided to gamble. When we arrived, the restaurant did its best to discourage us... "Half price steaks before 6:30pm" with the specials on a laminated piece of paper. "We also serve sushi" in the menu. There were even tables open to the second floor promenade in Lenox Mall, in case you like the feeling of being in a food court while having your steak. All in all, I was greatly regretting having passed on Emeril's just up the street.

But I must admit they impressed me. The service and atmosphere were passing, but the food was surprising. The sushi menu was creative and well delivered; I had a salmon roll with roe and a dab of hot sauce. The rice, which is the mark of any sushi restaurant, was simply passing, but overall I was pleased with the course. The ribeye was approachable, and a definite steal for the price. My entree was sushi-grade salmon perfectly grilled to medium rare, served with white cheddar grits (yes, I love grits) and spinach sauteed in a sweet chili sauce. Another entree was two tempura lobster tails with a mild wasabi dipping sauce, served with an asian slaw that hinted of tahini. I've only had tempura lobster once before, from a true master, and while I can't say this reached those levels it was quite delicious.

Some Italian restaurant. Like an idiot, I failed to record the name of the Italian restaurant where we celebrated Ed's birthday. Guess I'll save the review for now, and just say that the company was worth the trip.

Cedars Lebanese. This was a real gem my father knew about on Lenox Road. With the "Lebanese" signs I was hoping for a new experiene, and I was somewhat disappointed with the simple decor and very straightforward Mediterranean menu. Luckily they delivered quite well on all fronts for a good dinner. Good hummous, excellent oversized greek salads, and fine kabobs. Strongly suggest the chicken kabobs, which were large portions, very tender, and standard lemon and parsley flavors; the beef kabobs unfortunately had the life cooked from them. I also enjoyed Almaza beer for the first time. Almaza is a crisp lager, not unlike Singapore's Tiger beer. It did seem out of place in a cool restaurant with hearty garlic dishes, and really needed a sweltering day with mouth-melting spicy dishes.

gone in sixty seconds

I'd want to say "words fail me" in describing my skydiving experience, but it's more like a manic rush of words fighting to get out. Lots of hurry up and wait. An entire subculture of tattooed jumpers who are beyond addicted, who work at the center so they can sneak in free jumps, a dozen a day or more. Their pictures are on the wall, some of them with six hundred jumps, some with nine thousand.

The twin-engine plane, probably a cessna, felt like it was pointed straight up, just grinding to get us high enough into the air. When we hit 14000 and leveled out, there was no ceremony, no green light -- the junkies in front rolled the door open and hopped out and they were gone.

We were tandem jumping, so I was strapped to one of those junkies, Brian. On the ground he asked how I wanted to exit. At this point, I'm in the "screw it" stage, so I said, "What's the most fun?" He grinned and said, "We're flipping!" For the flip, I kneel on the edge of the door, arms crossed, back arched. We will rock forward "ready", back "set", and forward "go" and that's it.

That's just how it happens, within seconds everyone in front of me is out of the plane except for another tandem pair. It takes them another three seconds, and then I'm positioning on the threshold, wondering what in the hell has possessed me. I look out, look down. Apparently at this point my soul leaves my body? I rock and I'm gone, spinning and completely disoriented and then suddenly laid out flat with the wind rushing and a sense of calm.

The sinking feeling isn't much worse than a high jump diving board -- it's gone before you know it, replaced with the fact that you're rushing 144mph (as recorded) through the air. We did some spins, but mostly I just gawked at the scenery and tried to shut off the various mental circuits that were overloading. After what felt like thirty seconds I pulled the cord and our canopy opened. That was much less jarring than I was suspecting, possibly because most of the impact was on the other jumper.

At this point, two new concerns arise. Brian has given me control, so I'm happy steering the chute. This involves a lot of swinging of the bodies around the bottom and can definitely induce motion sickness. Second, as the ground is coming into focus, in the last 1000-2000 feet, you start feeling afraid of heights again, which doesn't help.

A few late turns got us in the landing field at speed, and we had a perfect slide to end the dive. Overall, it's an amazing experience. I'm not rushing back tomorrow, but I'd definitely want any of my friends to try it, and I'd go along with them, to be sure.

Props to the ASC for taking such good care of us.

perfectly good airplane

An insane birthday weekend awaits. It's not food, but I feel bound to share.

My buddy Ed is also having his birthday this weekend, and he asked me to go skydiving with him. I understand why I, with someone with nothing to lose, might jump out of an operational aircraft. Tougher to understand why a guy with a 4 month old daughter might do it. Hmm... maybe that's why!

With the Army game, I got to observe many hours of airborne training, and thought I understood the process pretty well. Clip on to the line, shuffle forward, hop out, parachute opens, float down. Not this time -- seventy to ninety seconds of freefall before the chute deploys. I suspect that will be the longest seventy to ninety seconds of my life.

I wonder if it's like what a crush feels like ... that sinking feeling in your stomach when you're absolutely attracted to someone and about to do something absolutely stupid and risk everything. (Never done that, oh no!)

On Tuesday I'm running the world's biggest run, the Peachtree Road Race. My pop and I have been doing it off and on since I was a teenager. I took a few years off, for a woman and for being chubby, but having shed both of those issues I'm back to give it another shot. So if the fall doesn't kill me, that just might. :-)

Sorry, no food reviews tonight. Going to the Fox and Hound again, for the atmosphere much more than the food, and I refuse to give them the airtime. ;-)

unconscionable defenestration

Had a lovely lunch at Porter's Tavern. Their consistency is really what keeps me coming back -- especially when I'm trying to make a good impression with lunch (client, date, etc.) I can count on a moderately full house with no wait, good food, and good service. And the sweet tea is refreshing rather than syrupy, which makes a suprising difference in how much one enjoys a meal.

The crab cake sandwich apparently was a pleaser. I had a grilled steak salad with roasted corn and tomatoes, which could have simply been a menu placeholder, but came across surprisingly well. For dessert we split the creme brulee, which I am convinced is the best in town -- and that's saying something for such a common/overplayed dessert.

If you go, I quite recommend the calamari. Having spent a few years in Monterey, where calamari is caught locally and never frozen before serving, it's a wierd thing to say -- but Porter's has excellent calamari. I've been with one couple who insists on having their own calamari appetizer to start, because they know they'll be too rude to share with their friends. :) For lunch, the trick is to order the caesar salad with calamari, and then ask for a side of the dipping sauce they serve with the appetizer. It's only a dollar or two more, and you get essentially an entire appetizer's worth of calamari and a nice salad to boot.

Just when we thought the rain was over, we got a late shower on Wednesday -- my poor grass had been growing happily for three weeks before I finally caught up with it yesterday. New neighbors moved in across the street, and I'm sure they wondered if I had abandoned the house...

And finally, let me just point out that "maybe" is a bad, bad word. I believe I'm going to have "maybe" replace both "phlegmatic" and the Dutch phrase "Krijg de pest" (go and get the plague) as tops on my list of things to stop saying. You can find some much more beautiful words to say here.

full of sound and fury

Epic had its spring picnic on Saturday. More than half the attendees were under three feet tall, which is quite a change for a company that was once 90% bachelors...

It's garden-giving season here in North Carolina. A good friend invited me over for a dinner of pasta and fresh vegetables, because all of her clients have been giving her squash and cucumbers when they pay her. If that doesn't scream "south" I don't know what does! (Turns out she's an awesome cook, how did I miss that all these years?)

When I was in Madrid about a year ago, I was very lucky to attend the Real Madrid v Dinamo Kiev game. The stadium seats 100,000, and puts to shame any place I've been in the states. Seeing Zidane was a treat; even at the end of his career he controlled the midfield. Michael Owen had limited minutes but had two more gears than the Kiev defense, brilliant to watch. The one real disappointment (besides Beckham, who was injured) was mega superstar Ronaldo. His footwork was still enchanting, but he had no gas in the tank. He was clearly overweight, jogging slowly, very slow to return on defense, etc.

Thus I was surprised to hear that Ronaldo just broke the record for most World Cup goals, with 15. (Although many say that he's actually tied for the record, because he is improperly credited with a goal from 2002.) I guess if you want him to run, it has to be for the yellow and green of Brasil. The 27M that Real Madrid paid to buy him away from Inter Milan wasn't enough to get him moving...

To keep up with my restaurant reviews, I tried Red Robin in Cary on Monday for lunch. The restaurant just opened recently here in Cary, but it's part of a larger chain that many Epic folks know from elsewhere. Huge burger selection, nice wait staff. Our waitress had only a few days' experience and made an honest mistake with the order. No less than four different staffers and managers came by to apologize, and they comped the dish as well. Can't complain about that! Then, distracted by the last-minute Italy win on penalty kicks, I managed to leave my corporate credit card behind. I kid you not, the rather lovely manager drove to my office after she left work to return it. Now that, dear reader, is Service.

blackened is the end

Finally Friday. Employee review season finished today, for another six months at least, and now we can get back to the job of shipping games. Our company meeting had four new people to introduce -- would have been five if anyone had told the newest guy about the meeting. That just boggles the mind when you're working at a small company. We just hit 80, and were 25 when I started, which will be four years ago next week.

It's funny that Epic still feels like a startup sometimes, even though it's been running strong for 14 years now.

Had dinner at my favorite eating-at-bar in town, Harrison's in Cary. Huge burgers to order, with a great range of options. Philly style, or blackened with jalapenos, you name it. But nature intended burgers to be made Carolina style -- chili, slaw, cheddar, onions, mustard. Massive onion rings, cute waitresses, lots of sports options, good selection of microbrews and international beers to wash down the food. I'd call that the whole package...

The wierd thing about Harrison's is that it's in the basement of a multipurpose building, where the top floor is shared by a gas station and a low-quality strip joint. My sister is visiting and I took her there, and it was a little awkward navigating around the drunken businessman traffic. Probably not a good date spot, but hell of a burger joint.

lucky 17

I have some cool Gears stuff to share.

First, we're going to have our trailer in movie theaters in July, which is going to be too cool. Now I have an extra reason to see A Scanner Darkly and Clerks 2.

Full list at:
http://gearsforums.epicgames.com/showthread.php?t=503.

Also for those of you who haven't seen it, catch me and a very small portion of the Gears team in the Gears of War: The Road to E3 documentary. It ran on MTV and MTV2 for a few months, and now it's archived on MTV's overdrive site (http://www.mtv.com/overdrive). Just go to the games channel and pan down and you'll see it, and a few other shorts about us. Turns out I can play foosball.

17 is apparently Zoe's lucky number, and that's good enough for me to switch my allegiances.

A name to be proud of

Just had to say congrats to the aptly named Carolina Hurricanes who made an incredible run to win the Stanley Cup. I've never been a hockey fan -- I'm more of a baseball guy -- but I must say a live hockey match beats baseball hands down. Having seats right on the glass at a hockey game is such an experience.

We're really spoiled here because games never sell out, so you could pick up a $110 center ice ticket for $40 or so from a scalper if you're willing to wait midway through the first period. Even the second playoff round didn't sell out, much to the shock of visiting fans. Of course, everyone and their brother jumped on the bandwagon for the cup, making it impossible for actual fans to get in, but Epic feted the boys in red and black in a very crowded bar down the street. Very cruel of them to take it out to seven, but much credit to the Oilers who lost primary goalie in the first game and still kept it close.

No reports from dining out today, but thanks to Lisa I did learn about North Dakotan Knoephla, so it appears I'll be doing some cooking this weekend...

Once, then, share with me your song

Making a game is difficult. Making a game for a worldwide audience is really difficult. Making a violent, bloody horror-infused game for a worldwide audience is maddening. German folks don't allow dismemberment. No skinned bodies for Japanese folks - and all characters need five fingers. Apparently one group was fine with people being killed by a chainsaw, but the pool of blood afterwards was too much for them. Yargh! And of course it's all completely subjective. There are no actual rules, just suggestions -- so we could pass a rating check one day, and fail the next. It's the same as MPAA ratings, I suppose; one person's R movie is another person's PG-13.

We're fussing now with different ways to ship different versions of the game for different markets. Makes for some extra work, but we'll make sure everyone gets a chance to play.

Went to the new Salem Tavern in Cary. This was recently a Sam Snead's Tavern, and they've removed all the golf clubs and replaced them with swords. The golf balls in collectors cases have been replaced with little dragon statues and platemail helmets. It was rather hilarious. "Mmm, I'll have the mild Dragon Wings with Medieval Blue Cheese sauce." The poor waitress was in period dress, serving eggs benedict, a Southern Burger, and Dragon Wings. Boy did I feel like I was in the middle ages... the worst part is that of course there is a fantastic restaurant in Old Salem, NC called the Old Salem Tavern. I highly recommend that fine establishment, and somehow I believe its reputation to be sullied by this partial namesake, even from a hundred miles away.

is this a restaurant review column?

On the Gears of War front, we reviewed the PR calendar with Microsoft, and there's some very exciting events. Unfortuntately, it seems like everyone wants fifteen exclusive screenshots for each article -- people don't realize how picky we are. We've literally had an artist spend all day gathering over a hundred screen shots, and then rejected them all for one minor problem or another. It usually takes about thirty good shots before we find one that we consider ready for publication. So, we have to turn down more PR opportunities than we'd like, but I still think we'll have excellent coverage.

We're going to be running the Gears trailer in movie theaters now, that should start soon. I swear I think we're going to have to take a company trip in order to see that. There's something about seeing your game character 40 feet tall that makes a man happy :-)

But forget about work, I finally got to try Frazier's Bistro last night. Hurray for lawyers and expense accounts!

My appetizer, the Truffled Egg Toast and Asparagus Salad, was delicious but a bit of a mistake as it was a full meal in itself. The "egg toast" was a thick slice of texas or perhaps brioche toast with an egg fried in the middle, plus country ham and lettue and a vinaigrette. Excellent, but that plus the amuse bouche and some wine made for a heavy start to the evening. For dinner, three of us had the Pan-Friend Carolina Flounder, with a bacon and sweet corn succotash. It was essentially a crispy fillet served over corn chowder, with potatoes and mushrooms, quite tasty. I always fret when everyone at the table orders the same entree, but we were not dissapointed. We finished with a shared dessert of churros with a dulce du leche dipping sauce, and an excellent glass of beerenauslese whose name escapes me, though the honey and apricot flavors lingered for some time.

mmm food

Russell Stover jelly beans were sent from heaven to make people happy. I think they're infused with the happy souls of bunny rabbits or something? Which sounds painful for the bunnies.

Strongly suggest the Bloomsbury Bistro in Raleigh. Simple two-tier menu, with small plates and large plates. Had a vichyssoise with lump crab meat that was out of this world, was enough to stop a tense dinner conversation in its tracks.

Their wine by the glass list was extremely limited, with only one choice for most varietals, but the Matanzas chardonnay was a strong enough pick.

For those people who've tried the Cosmopolitan, and enjoyed the food but weren't thrilled with the service or ambience, this is the place for you. Essentially the same menus with a cozy setting.

rainy Wednesday haikus

Was in the mood for haiku today. No idea why. Insane amounts of rain here, with roads and greenways flooding, got me thinking.

grasses dance with rain;
brown thrasher retires to his
glistening thicket.

Here's another.

ruby lantern sways
bound feet wear mahogany smooth
paper door slides shut

I was lucky enough to visit Kyoto last December, and the geisha houses were fascinating -- red lanterns hanging outside, but they all looked like respectable restaurants, many with small gardens and ponds just beyond the entrance. Very peaceful, yet secret.

Posting a picture

Because this is the way you have to do it...

Must start somewhere

I've decided to try a few different blogging tools. Will I choose this one? You'll have to wait and see.