Neomonde

Neomonde is literally the best Mediterranean food in town (voted by Independent Weekly in 2006). One visit and I was hooked (which then forced me to go twice in one week)! They have two fabulous locations, one in downtown Raleigh, and one in Morrisville. 

All of their dishes are homemade, even their pita breads (the sesame one is my favorite!). They have daily hot specials and cold salads, and of course, the usual dishes you would think of when you think of Mediterranean cuisine (the best hummus in town, amazing baba ghanouj, fresh tabouli, etc.).

My favorite is their Zaatar Pie. They take their specialty pita dough and treat it almost like a pizza. They then add their special Zaatar blend of thyme, sumac, sesame seeds, and other spices in olive oil. Then, you have the option of making your pie "delight" by adding hummus or baba ganouj (I've tried it both ways and they are both delicious), lettuce, tomato, olives, pickles,  and banana peppers, topped with their special lemon-tahini dressing. It's an absolutely amazing combination of flavors, all wrapped up in one dish!

Zaatar Pie is at the top, one of their platters is at the bottom.

Another nice thing is that you can make your own platter, choosing four sides. It's a great opportunity to try many different things. Their hummus is the most authentic I've had outside of the Middle East. It has the perfect touch of garlic and tahini, and is lemony with fresh parsley, to give it that extra touch. Seriously, you can't go wrong with whatever you choose. After a fabulous meal, make sure to take some containers home to put together your own delicious lunches over the next few days. 


Don't forget to pick up one of their many baklavas and other Mediterranean desserts for the road. 


I also love that Neomonde doubles as a market where you can pick up any Mediterranean ingredient that you could imagine, which really makes it a one-stop-shop for all your Mediterranean needs. 


You really can't go wrong with Neomonde.

Fresh Vietnamese Spring Rolls

You know those fancy Vietnamese spring rolls you get at restaurants that are so delicious? Well, believe it or not, they aren't as difficult to make as they may seem! I first had these at a friend's house. We served them family style and everyone made their own rolls. It was so much fun and so delicious, I had to make the whole meal again myself. I made it with Salmon, but you can make it with shrimp, or really any protein or veggie ingredients that you would like. And while typically you'll find spring rolls served as an appetizer in restaurants, these are delicious as the main course. They only take 20 minutes or so to make (or however long it takes the fish to cook, as that takes the longest)! Healthy, filling, and fun to make...you'll really enjoy these! So here we go...


First, I baked the salmon. Just crack a little salt and pepper over the fish, a spritz of lemon and pop it in the oven to bake (typically at 425degrees for 15-20 minutes, depending on the size and thickness of the fish). You can also oven-poach the fish or cook in any other way you like...a miso marinade would also be delicious!


While the fish was cooking, I made the dipping sauce so the flavors could marinade together while I was preparing the rest of the meal. I created the sauce by taste, so here are my approximate ingredients:


1/2 Cup Peanut Butter
1 Garlic Clove chopped and mashed into a paste
3 Tbsp Okonomi or Hoisin Sauce
2 Tbsp Soy Sauce
1 Tsp Sriracha (or other chili-garlic paste)
1 Tbsp Sesame Oil
Spritz of lime or lemon juice
About 1/4-1/2 Cup of water to thin out the sauce to desired thickness


Combine all ingredients until smooth and serve at room temperature (you can make the day before and refrigerate, just be sure to pull it out plenty of time before serving).


Then, I boiled water for the rice vermicelli noodles. I'd suggest about a handful of uncooked noodles per two people. It only takes two-three minutes for the noodles to cook.


Finally, I prepared the lettuce leaves and cut a cucumber into thin sticks. If you'd like, I bet these would also be good with herbs like mint and cilantro or scallions...get creative!

When the fish was cooked and all the ingredients were prepped, it was time for the fun part...putting it all together!

Using rice paper spring roll wrappers (which you can find at any Asian Grocery or probably even your local store), roll the stiff wrapper in warm water until it is completely wet (but not soaked). As the wrapper sits on your plate, it will get softer so just start loading! I first put a lettuce leaf on the wrapper and took a helping of the noodles to spread down a line. I'd suggest lining everything up slightly off center so you can get a good roll going. I added some cucumbers and grabbed a few pieces of fish to put inside as well. 

Once I was satisfied with the contents of my spring roll (be careful not to over-stuff it!), I started rolling, just like rolling a burrito! The rice paper will be softened by then and you won't have any trouble. Make sure you wrap it tight, but be careful to to rip it! The rice paper sticks to itself but if you are having trouble getting the paper to seal, stick a finger in the warm water and rub it on the end to make it close. I typically fold up one side before rolling the entire roll so everything doesn't fall out, but whatever works for you!

 

Then, dip it in the peanut sauce! If you're up for some extra spice, add extra sriracha and enjoy! 

It's a lot of fun to make, and perfect for an interesting, hands-on dinner party!

Brasa- Brazilian Barbecue

I love Brazilian Barbecue. My dad introduced us to the wonderful world of Brazilian Barbecue when he was traveling back and fourth to Brazil practically every other week (we almost moved there once). You have to be a major carnivore to like it. Real Brazilian Barbecue consists of every part of every animal cooked in multiple ways. One of my favorite Brazilian BBQ restaurants of all time was called Barbecoa and was located in Omotesando, Tokyo, Japan. I loved it! So when I find a new Brazilian Barbecue restaurant, I have to try it. 

Which brings me to Brasa. It's a Brazilian Steakhouse in Brier Creek. It has a great ambiance that's perfect for a date, and big enough for a carnivorous group party. But it's not all meat. There is an option for their salad bars filled with salad fixings, pasta salads, grilled veggies, even sushi! It's all you can eat and is accompanied by a hot bar with cheesy mashed potatoes, black beans, fried bananas, and more. 

Cold Salad Bar

With your meal, you also get the staple Brazilian cheese bread at your table. It's my favorite! Gooey Manchego cheese baked right into these little bread rolls makes for a soft and chewy, cheesy bite. It's the best. 

Cheese Bread

Then, of course, there's the meat. When you're ready, you flip over your little marker to green. In Brasa's case, it's a rock painted red and green. Green means bring on the meat! And red means you're stuffed. Then your servers will bring around skewers of different meat cuts cooked in a variety of ways. Brasa has over 12 cuts of fire-roasted meat. Everything from ribs to garlic sirloin to sausages and chicken hearts. My favorite (and the specialty of Brazilian steakhouses) is the Picanha.

Picanha

They ask you how you like it and will bring each meat cooked to your taste. Once you've tried them all, you can request your favorites. And don't forget to save room for the cinnamon grilled pineapple. It's sweet and delicious.

If you love meat, you have to try a Brazilian Steakhouse. And if you're in Brier Creek, check out Brasa. You won't be disappointed.

Two Cotton Puffs at Ganyard Hill Farm

When my family and I wanted to go pumpkin picking, we picked Ganyard Hill Farm and it was a great choice (even though we were there with every elementary school class this side of the Mississippi)! The farm was very pretty and it was a great place to learn and experience some farm life...perfect for children and still fun for adults. There were a lot of different things to do.


Meet Cotton:

Cotton

Cotton is the resident greeting rabbit and an adorable little puff of fur. You're allowed to pick it up and play with it. Cotton was just precious (and properly named)! 

In addition to Cotton, there was a fenced off area with animals you could pet and feed (you can shuck your own corn with these awesome antique hand cranks to feed the animals!). My favorite four-legged friend was one of the resident pot-bellied pigs! They just crack me up.

 The second cotton puff referred to in this post's title was a literal cotton puff. Ganyard has a cotton crop and they allow people to pick their own cotton. 

We met one little girl with a whole bag of cotton. When we asked her what she was going to do with it all, she said she was going to "make a teddy bear!...or maybe a kitty..."

Mom checking out the cotton

What I thought was really great about Ganyard was that everywhere you went, it was a learning experience. Near the cotton fields, there was a large sign showing the different stages of cotton growth that you could then see first hand as you walk the cotton field. I thought that was a great addition to the general farming experience.

They also had the growth cycle of a pumpkin taking it from Spring planting to carving your Jack-o-Lantern.

After learning about how your pumpkin "grew up", you can walk through the large pumpkin fields to pick out your perfect soon-to-be jack-o-lantern!

 Ganyard's Farm also has multiple mazes at this time of year. A maize maze in addition to a Sorghum and Soy Bean maze for the tiny tykes (so the parents and teachers can still keep an eye on them). 


And what kind of pumpkin farm would Ganyard's be if there weren't a hay ride? So of course, we had to try it out...

My mom and brother on the hay ride

And don't forget to stop in the shop on your way out and pick up some homemade jams, pickles, pickled okra, and fresh honey! It's all fantastic!


Ganyard Hill Farm is a great fall family destination (with a lot of great photo opportunities). I'd highly recommend you take the kids on over there for a fun-filled learning experience.

The Fare at the Fair

Me and The Fam at the fair!

When you think of the fair, what comes to mind? For me it's the animals and, of course, the food. So while my family was in town this past weekend, we decided to see what was going on this year at the NC State Fair. And, of course, get our fill of the fabulous fair food...and by fabulous, I mean the kind of food you can only get at the fair and are very thankful that it only happens once a year because it's a heart attack in a day's worth of eating! 

 

But first, the non-edible attractions (although that's probably arguable for some of them, but you get what I mean). We entered the fairgrounds near the botany displays and competition results. I was pleasantly surprised at the use of QR codes, being the ad/tech junkie that I am. It was a great way to find out more information and integrate technology in an agricultural (and otherwise seemingly contradictory) setting.  

I also loved some of the local attempts at advertising. A fertilizer that is just bagged manure (in cow-printed packaging) and a knock-off of Chick-fil-A's ads...let's just hope there isn't a huge rights infringement case going on here (sorry, my account management just came through a little bit there)...but you have to give them credit for the humor-factor.

But as boring as it may be to some to see the jumbo veggies, twisted gourds and blooming flowers, I think it's really fun to look at all the beautiful colors and interesting shapes and sizes of everything! 

Then, there are all the farm animals. They're just precious. I just love seeing the cows, baby chicks, and adorable little piglets.

And then, of course, there's the food. The second you open your car door, you can't help but smell the smokers and fryers working away. Seriously, I start craving some key fair fare when it starts getting cooler but I really am thankful this food isn't available to me all year round! And there are so many different things, I couldn't even attempt to try them all!

My favorite is the smoked turkey legs. Yum! They are so good, although the medieval, feasting-king look is very unflattering.

Smoked Turkey Leg

My second favorite thing and a must-have is the roasted corn. But not just any roasted corn, the roasted sweet corn! Add a little seasoning salt or Old Bay and it's fantastic!

My brother is making fun of me for how much I'm enjoying this...

For dessert, some sort of fried something will do. I'm not one for any of the fried candy bars (because as much as I have a sweet tooth, I do have a sweetness threshold and those things would surpass it!), but mom had to get an elephant ear. One trend I noticed this year that I hadn't really seen before was adding a topping to your elephant ear. Everything from fruit toppings, fudge, and Bavarian Cream. My mom couldn't pass up the last one.

Mom eating an Elephant Ear with Bavarian Cream

The Krispy Kreme Burger!

But the big food attraction at the fair that I just couldn't bring myself to stomach (especially after getting all the usual foods that I crave) was the Krispy Kreme Burger...yes, you read that correctly. A hamburger sandwiched between two Krispy Kreme donuts. A nice man, and my newest friend, lovingly let me take a picture of his Krispy Kreme Burger. Taking a picture of it was as much of a taste as I wanted.


Another item that would make most people cringe was the Kool-Aid Pickles. Yes, sour pickles soaked in red Kool-Aid (the actual flavor of Kool-Aid - strawberry or cherry-  is still TBD). My brother just had to try it...yuck!


And to top it all off, there are the shows. My favorite being the racing pigs, but don't forget the Country concerts and of course, the dancing competitions. We ducked into one tent with the clogging and tapping competitions and oh boy, was that an experience! People age 9 to 90 dancing to Blue Grass music. It was hilarious and frightening all at the same time. 

 

Clogging

Here's a little taste of some other contestants in the Clogging competition:

If you haven't been to the fair yet, you have to go. It's always a fun experience...not to mention one of the most fulfilling people-watching experiences. For everyone in NC, make sure you get to the fair before it packs up on October 24th! 

Brixx

Margarita Pizza

Brixx is a brick-oven Pizza restaurant chain, which doesn't seem like a chain. They have a unique collection of wood-fired pizzas that branch off from the original, expected topping combinations. My personal favorite is the Pear and Gorgonzola pizza with carmelized onions and toasted walnuts. It's an unusual, but absolutely fabulous combination of flavors atop a rustic, thin-crust pizza! 

Pear & Gorgonzola Pizza

They also have delicious Italian appetizers as well as pastas, sandwiches and salads for those who aren't in the mood for pizza.

So if you're tired of the usual delivery/take-out pizza joints, give Brixx a try. 

PSA: Breast Cancer Awareness Month

Consider this my personal Public Service Announcement because October is Breast Cancer Awareness month, which is near and dear to my heart.

Millions of women have been diagnosed with breast cancer. There were over 207,000 new cases of breast cancer diagnosed in 2010 alone...2010 alone! That means practically everyone knows someone who has fought this battle.  The American Cancer Society estimates that the chance of women getting breast cancer is 1 in 8...1 in 8! It is the most common cancer in women in the United States and the second leading cause of cancer death in women.

Early detection is everything. That means, if you do it no other time except for right now, please make sure you remind your mother/sisters/daughters/aunts/cousins/grandmothers/friends/co-workers/in-laws/girlfriend/wife/neighbors/etc. to schedule their annual mammograms. 

These precautionary measures save lives. It saved my mother's...

My mom and dad, the weekend they told me she had breast cancer.

Mom in her cute wig during Thanksgiving 2007

During a routine annual mammogram in 2007, my mom was diagnosed with breast cancer. After three major surgeries and multiple chemo treatments with the most amazing strength and an inspirational attitude, she was able to beat this dreaded disease.

So please, make your appointments and remind every woman in your life to talk with their doctor. 

Spread the word so we can stop the spread of this disease in its tracks!

Dos Perros

Dos Perros is a Mexican restaurant in Durham, inspired by traditional taquerias.

As I swear is necessary in every Mexican-style restaurant, we ordered the guac. It was really great. Simple and delicious, with just the right amount of onion (which I think many places overpower the guac with...Dos Perros minces the onion so you don't get big chunks in each bite) and a slight kick. The salsa that was also served was a great surprise, although I must admit that it caught me off-guard when I took my first bite. Instead of the usual tomato salsa, this salsa had fruit pureed into it (it has not been confirmed, but it seemed like mango...or maybe peach?), which was a fantastic treat. The sweet and spicy was a perfect combination atop a salty, freshly homemade chip and smooth guacamole.

Another appetizer, that as soon as I saw it on the menu I knew I couldn't pass it up, was the sweet potato empanada with a chipotle, fig sauce. Another great spicy/sweet combination. The empanadas themselves were delicious. The outside empanada shell was infused with chipotles to bring out more of the smokey, spicy flavor of the dish. The chipotle, fig sauce was an unusual but delicious complement.

As for the main course, they keep it simple. The carnita burrito was stuffed with their twice cooked chipotle pork, rice, beans, Oaxaca cream, and their unique pico de gallo, which includes lettuce and cucumbers in a sweet vinegar to add to the traditional pico de gallo flavors. The tortilla was soft but crispy from the grill. The meat was tender. It was a great meal. 


If you're looking for an authentic, taqueria-style Mexican meal, you definitely need to try Dos Perros.

Only Burger from a Truck

Why is it that food seems to taste better when it comes from a truck? At least when it comes from the local celebrities that run Only Burger. Unlike the name would imply, they don't only sell burgers, but they keep it simple and therefore there's not much to trip up someone like me who has a hard time making decisions. Your choices? Your meat (yes, they do have veggie burgers and turkey burgers on most days), your toppings, and whether or not you want fries and a drink with that. It doesn't get more simple than that.

So how do you find this fabulous mobile food joint? Follow them on Twitter for their daily spot updates. Every morning they post where they will be for lunch and dinner, as well as if there are any specials for the day (like fried green tomatoes or carmelized onions to put on your burger). They usually end up at the same places on a regular basis and there's always a long line so get there early or call ahead to make sure they don't run out (which has happened before). 

And what makes this food truck so great? Well, it's the care they put into their food. The burgers are freshly made, placed on a butter toasted bun, and topped with the freshest ingredients. The fries are awesome too; perfectly cut each day to the perfect size. 


Only burger is a local staple. So log on and find out when they will be cooking up a fantastic burger near you!

Scratch is exactly what it's made from

Scratch got it's claim to fame around here from it's regular appearances at the local farmer's markets so imagine the pure delight of everyone when they opened an actual shop with brick walls on a side street in downtown Durham!

There is no typical menu. All their ingredients come from local farmers, made from scratch daily, which means the menu changes daily. There's always something different. Everything from chorizo, tomato and farmer's cheese empanadas to fresh eggplant focaccia. They also have daily side salads and of course, deliciously sweet baked goods. Stop by for a hot cup of fresh-brewed coffee, or my personal favorite: the bowl of hot chocolate. Yes, I said bowl. I'll be spending many winter days hanging out in this quaint little cafe.
 
On this particular visit, I had a butternut squash tart. The savory filling in a typical pastry dough was fabulous. The salad of the moment (as I like to call it) was a beet salad. I've always grown up thinking I don't like beets. I definitely don't like pickled beets. But in the name of the blog, I had to try it. Well, let's just say I'm going to be trying beets more often. This beet salad was almost like a slaw, with a vinegar-based dressing over thinly shredded beets, mixed with a fabulous variety of herbs. It was amazing!

Of course, you can't leave Scratch without having one of their made from scratch desserts. Typically I'd recommend their famous doughnut muffins. Yes, I said doughnut muffins. It's everything you love about doughnuts, combined with everything you love about muffins (mainly the shape and the texture of the muffin top). Tell me that doesn't sound amazing. Well you don't have to tell me because it is. Another favorite (and one of their other usuals) is their chocolate and sea salt tort. It's the perfect salty/sweet combination! But this time, something else caught my eye. The heirloom apple crisp. The apples were the perfect combination of tart and sweet, topped with a delectable crunchy topping. It was the perfect end to the meal, and the perfect beginning to my afternoon food coma. 

Whether you stop in for a bowl of hot chocolate and a fresh-made pastry, or to sit for a delightful lunch, you'll love Scratch!

Sometimes there are no words...

You know when something devastating happens to someone you know and you literally don't know what to say? You want to do or say the right thing so bad, but you can't. You're literally speechless.

That's how I feel right now. A friend of mine is so broken-hearted that it breaks my own heart. The kind of broken heart that there's no way anyone else could understand. The kind where she's probably slightly embarrassed, completely overwhelmed, and there's so much to do, she probably doesn't even know where to start. They kind where she probably wants to disappear for a while but is afraid to leave everything behind. I want to say that we all know that type of pain, but I honestly don't think we all possibly can. 

Then there's my heartache, which could never match hers right now. It's the kind where you would put your life on hold to help her get through it, if only you knew what to do when you got there (besides provide the shoulder to cry on and copious amounts of ice cream and alcohol, but even that won't scratch the surface). When literally, nothing you say can make a difference. When you wish you could stop the pain, but you can't. And trust me, the last thing a person with a broken heart wants to hear is "I know how you're feeling." -Or- "This is just like the time [something not quite the same] happened to me." Because to that person, at that time, no one could ever understand.

And for that, there is my next revelation. Sometimes there are no words and that's okay. Sometimes there is nothing you can say. Sometimes actions really do speak louder than words. And sometimes, you just have to let that person know you are there for them and then let time take its toll and be patient. 

And to my dear friend: you're allowed to hurt right now but remember that there's always that silver lining; that everything happens for a reason; and trust me, it won't hurt forever...it just takes time to get there. xoxo

Busy Season

Every job has one. And for my job in advertising (you know, that thing that I do to pay my rent...and because I love it), September begins my busy season. It's when all the next year's campaign planning begins. That means extra client meetings, extra brainstorm sessions, extra concepting, extra pre-pro and that means extra late nights....which in turn, always puts a slight wrench in my oh-so-fun social abilities...which of course means from here on out, I'll have to tone down the amount of blog posts for the utter lack of time to go out and enjoy the fabulous restaurants here. I assure you, there will be lots of ordering in for the team (which, if it's good enough, will warrant a post) and plenty of revelations, so stay tuned!

Merci Beaucoup, Buku

I dare to say that Buku is the most unique restaurant in Raleigh. Buku comes from the "international slang twist" on the phrase "merci, beaucoup" (thank you, very much) and I am thankful (very much) that this restaurant has opened in Raleigh. The premise of the restaurant is an eclectic mix of international street foods, all in one place with a fabulously elegant and modern twist (not to be confused with any type of "fusion" restaurant because that's not it). Basically, to an international foodie like myself, it's heaven on the corner of East Davie and Wilmington Streets downtown. Think of all the regional foods in Disney's Epcot classed up and rolled into one restaurant. 

Walk off the bustling Raleigh streets and step into a calming atmosphere. The decor is very cool with a wall of water behind the bar, beautiful and intricate overhead lighting and pictures everywhere of various international street-food scenes. 


The menu, may be intimidating to some...actually, scratch that...it's probably intimidating to most. On it you'll find many ingredients you've probably never heard of before (don't worry, the waitstaff are very knowledgable in the ingredients and giving suggestions) and combinations that might scare a picky eater, but trust me, Chef William D'Auvray will do you no wrong. You can tell that he spent his early childhood in the Philippines and traveling Asia and that he studied under some of the best chefs in the world including Wolfgang Puck and my personal favorite, Nobu Matsuhisa (founder and chef of one of my favorite restaurants of all time, Nobu, in Tokyo...and other locations around the world). Personally, I think William and I would be great friends, but that's another thing altogether!

Peach & Cucumber Cocktail

Ok, now that I got my school-girl-crush rant out of the way, back to the food...I started out this spectacular meal with the special cocktail of the evening. It was a cucumber and peach cocktail (the beginning to an evening of seemingly odd ingredient combinations that are absolutely fabulous) with gin, sweet and sour mix, and a few other things I can't remember off the top of my head. It was light and refreshing and an absolute wonderful start. With one sip, I felt like I should have been at an exclusive spa on the beach somewhere tropical, relaxing with a refreshing drink. 

Viet Cucumber Salad

Most of the menu is designed for a tapas-style meal, with two or three plates a person sufficing. There are a few large plates too, but I love trying many little things, so that's exactly what we did. I started out with the Viet Cucumber Salad with crisp shallots, chilies, fried peanuts and a sweet rice vinegar. It was awesome. Brought me back to my days living in Asia with those delicious ingredients. It was light and refreshing (perfect pairing to my cocktail, which again made me think seaside spa...this time on the Vietnamese coast, which is beautiful, by the way, but again, that's another post). I impressed my fellow diners with my chopstick skills as I practically inhaled this delicate dish. 


We also shared the Empanadas filled with bay-braised chicken and avocado leaf, farmers cheese and salsa. They were crispy on the outside, and filled with perfectly cooked ingredients on the inside. The mix of ingredients added a fabulously elegant twist to these empanadas. 


For round two, I went with the Koren BBQ. Now, having lived in Asia, you must understand that I am very particular when it comes to Asian ingredients and "typical" Asian dishes (which means something different in Asia than it does in America because no, Japanese people do not eat sushi every day). I know what is and isn't authentic; what's "Americanized" and just out-right wrong. When ordering this dish, I was hopeful, yet skeptical. And the result? Perfection. After taking my first bite and suddenly feeling like I was back in a real Koren BBQ restaurant, I fell in love with William D' Auvray. He really knows how to hand-pick his ingredients and pull out all the stops to maintain the authenticity of his dishes. The shaved prime sirloin was grilled to perfection. The dipping sauce was the best I've had in America (without making my own). The Kimchi was as good as it gets and the sesame spinach was a perfect compliment to the entire dish. 

Koren BBQ

Another fabulously executed dish was the True American Red Snapper, "Indonesian style." It was a beautiful marriage of sweet and spice with cashews, tamarind, Thai chiles, house mushrooms, palm sugar, jasmine rice and stir-fried Asian greens atop perfectly cooked fish. It was absolutely delightful. The Chef is truly after my heart. 

Now for dessert. In all truth I was really too full to order dessert, but one in particular caught my eye and I just couldn't resist...in the name of my blog (or so I kept telling myself) I ordered it anyway. I mean, honestly, could you say no to anyone that said: Creme Brulee Trio...??? I think not! Especially when that trio consists of chocolate, vanilla and ginger Creme Brulee....yes, I said ginger. I couldn't pass it up! And I'm glad I didn't because just look at how beautiful it was:

Creme Brulee Trio

Three perfect "shots" of different Creme Brulees surrounded by [what my sense told me were] mango and strawberry swirls and finished with a dish of fresh strawberries. Seriously, if your mouth isn't watering right now, you must immediately call a doctor because something is wrong! Now, in order of uniqueness (least to most), I will take you through this amazing dish, starting, of course, with vanilla. It was sweet and creamy, chock-full of vanilla bean remnants (which always make a good creme brulee even better when you can see what you're tasting). The chocolate was thick and rich and absolutely decadent. My favorite spoonfuls of the chocolate included some strawberries for that perfect pairing. As for the ginger, you may think it was weird as you try to imagine incorporating a big piece of ginger root in something as sweet and creamy as Creme Brulee, but it was sheer genius. It was like taking a bite of a purified, creamy ginger snap. The ginger wasn't too overpowering and it was perfect against the texture and sweet cream of a typical Creme Brulee. Again, the Chef comes out on top with pairing not-so-typical ingredients to make something spectacular. 

Buku is a not-so-hidden gem in Raleigh. A real treasure chest of your "atypical" ingredients combined in such a way that would ease the fears of any Plain Jane's tastebuds and brings comfort to someone like myself who grew up on typical Asian street food (or other regions for that matter). No matter which one of these categories you fall under (or anything in between), you must try Buku and don't worry about what ingredients you may or may not understand, just put your faith in Chef D'Auvray and do as many foreigners do in other countries: close your eyes and point. You won't be disappointed.