Tag: north carolina

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seafood tio wally

Tio Wally Eats America: Captain’s Galley

I’m happy to have Tio Wally (long-time Me So Hungry reader) aboard to send in his eating adventures from across America. Here he is in Stony Point, North Carolina.

Greetings from Stony Point, North Carolina
N 35° 51.3682’ W 081° 2.1247’ Elev. 1046 ft.

I sailed into Statesville in the early afternoon on a Saturday knowing I wouldn’t be able to off-load until early Monday morning at the earliest. So as I usually do I asked the people here: “Where’s a good place to eat?”

Without hesitation a woman asked, “Do you like fish?” Oh yeah, I replied. “Well, then go out the driveway, turn right, go seven miles and you’ll see a parking lot on the left, with a little market on one side and a puny little pizza place on the other. Directly behind the pizza place is a restaurant called Captain’s Galley. That’s where you want to eat.”

The next morning I went, I saw, I ate and … she was right.

Captain’s Galley is a 15-restaurant chain, all of them located in North Carolina. I think it hasn’t expanded beyond North Carolina because the good Captain may have multiple outstanding warrants for his arrest in Virginia, Tennessee, Georgia and South Carolina. Okay, maybe not. But that sure as hell isn’t going to stop me from starting the rumor.

This particular Captain’s Galley is in a pretty isolated location. That didn’t hamper it from quickly filling up within a half-hour of its 11:30 a.m. opening. I had the distinct impression that it was all locals filing in for their traditional after-church Sunday lunch. Of course, the hostess greeting half of them by name was a bit of a tip-off, too.

The first thing that happens after you’re seated is you’re brought a bowl of finger-like hushpuppies. I took one bite and immediately realized they were both dangerous (because they’re highly addictive) and a potential business opportunity (opening a chain of Captain’s Galley’s Hushpuppy Addiction Recovery Centers; CG-HARCs for short). Most of the other diners were putting tartar sauce (already on the tables in squeeze bottles) on them. They definitely knew what they were doing. As the late North Carolina native and television icon Andy Griffith would say, “It’s goo-ood!”

Most of the seafood here is fried, although there are a few broiled selections located under the “Weight Watchers” section of the menu. As I wasn’t in the mood for a bunch of fried fish for breakfast, I ordered the broiled Canadian Flounder Fillet special ($6.25). Strangely, if you order the same flounder fillet as a combo you can only get it fried, according to the waitress. I thought this was pretty bizarre but I was too hungry to take the time to even attempt deciphering that conundrum.

In addition to the hushpuppies, the meal came with two other sides, so I got a sweet potato and the sweet cole slaw, along with a sweet tea ($1.69) to drink. The sweet tea was particularly good, not too sweet, and came with a small pitcher of back-up tea.

The sweet potato was served with a spread I don’t think I remember seeing before: Country Crock Cinnamon Spread. Though it seemed sort of suspicious at first, I put it on the sweet tater and was delighted to find it was quite good. The cole slaw was also good but it was of the minced cabbage variety that lacks the crunchiness I really like in slaws.

A curious thing on the menu was crab cakes for $1.50 each. Now tell me this: Where on this planet can you get a crab cake for less than the cost of a sweet tea? Judging by the price I was pretty confidant there wasn’t a single nanogram of real crab meat in it, that they are obviously made with imitation crab meat (pollock).

Because I had to know what a buck-and-a-half crab cake would be like, I ordered one and … it was really, really good, especially with a little touch of seafood/cocktail sauce. The patty was about four inches around with a nice, crunchy corn-meal crust, and was moist and delicately seasoned inside. So good was it, in fact, that I could easily see making a meal of the crab cakes; they’d make an awesome hoagie.

The fillet likewise was perfectly cooked and really good, though I wish it would’ve been a bit thicker. But hey, where else am I going to get a broiled flounder fish dinner with three sides for $6.25? This is a place I’ll definitely be visiting again for a good, low-cost fish fix.

As I was leaving I noticed the restaurant had a separate entrance for take-out orders, with a half-dozen empty cars lined at the curb. Evidently the take-out section also does a land-office business. I could see why.

Captain’s Galley was a great discovery and yet another example of the places one can find only by asking the locals. Heck, I wouldn’t have gone anywhere near it — seven miles, to be precise — had it not been recommended.

And so we roll.

Captain’s Galley, 5135 Taylorsville Hwy., Stony Point, North Carolina

Tio Wally pilots the 75-foot, 40-ton(max) land yacht SS Me So Hungry. He reports on road food from around the country whenever parking and InterTube connections permit.

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italian tio wally travel

Tio Wally Eats America: Best meal 2012

I’m happy to have Tio Wally (long-time Me So Hungry reader) aboard to send in his eating adventures from across America.

Greetings from Galena, Missouri
N 36° 47.079’ W 093° 30.350’ Elev. 885 ft.
and West Asheville, North Carolina
N 35° 34.936’ W 082° 36.237’ Elev. 2208 ft.

‘Round this time last year Jason put together a list of the best things he ate during the previous year. Although the fabled SS Me So Hungry is currently in self-imposed “dry dock” I thought I’d go ahead and post my choice for the best meal(s) I had last year.

I’ve written about this restaurant twice before and, initially, was kind of hesitant to do so again. But when the food is that good, so head-and-shoulders above the rest, well … what’s a skipper to do?

So without further ado, the envelope, please. My choice for the best meal(s) I had in 2012 is [rrrrrrrip] Nona Mia Italian Kitchen.

The last time I was there (in November) I actually ordered a steak. I never order steak in restaurants. They’re usually too pricey and it’s something most everyone can cook as well or better at home. But I made an exception, mostly because the description on the Specials Menu sounded too good to pass up; a NY strip with a mushroom-chianti wine sauce.

I started with a Rustica salad ($9), comprised of “Mixed field greens, pear, walnuts, Gorgonzola, lemon and EVO (extra virgin olive oil)”; shouldn’t that be EVOO? As expected, it was so simple yet so great. What a great combination. My dining companion ordered a Verde salad ($8, small $4.25) of “Organic greens, red wine vinaigrette, and Parmigiano Reggiano.” It too looked pretty damn good. And everything fresh, fresh, fresh.

The Bistecca alla Griglia (Certified Angus Grilled Strip Loin Steak, with Garlic Mashed Potatoes, Roasted Asparagus & a Mushroom Chianti Wine Sauce, $18) didn’t disappoint me either. The NY Strip steak was grilled perfectly medium/medium-rare as requested and was pretty darn tender, draped with an awesome sauce. The sauce was so good that I wished there had been more of it. I’m sure I could’ve asked Chef Peter Affatato for more but the restaurant was busy and, more so, I was too busy stuffing my face.

The wonderfully garlicky Garlic Mashed Potatoes and Roasted Asparagus made for a great compliment. And just for good measure it came with a piece of Nona’s great homemade bread. But this wasn’t the best meal I’ve had at Nona Mia’s.

Easily the best meal I’ve ever had at Nona Mia’s — and this is saying a lot considering the level of the food — was a seafood stew, Pesce Stufato ($17). It was a stew of clams, shrimp, calamari, grouper, fennel, potato and calamata olives. It came bathed in an exquisite saffron broth that lived up to its billing as “Heaven in a bowl.”

In the past I’ve bitched both here and in person about the fact that Nona Mia’s didn’t have Ravioli’s on the menu. Well, I guess my kvetching has paid off: Nona’s now has raviolis on its new menu not once but twice!

This would be swell except for two things: They now serve what would likely be my new favorite — Formaggio Ravioli Spinaci (House-made cheese ravioli, salsa pomodoro, creamed spinach & basil-walnut pesto, $18) — and, much worse, I am exactly 801.7 miles away. Like I said: Swell.

And so we (want to) roll.

Nona Mia Italian Kitchen, 1050 Haywood Road West, Asheville, North Carolina

Tio Wally pilots the 75-foot, 40-ton(max) land yacht SS Me So Hungry. He reports on road food from around the country whenever parking and InterTube connections permit.

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sandwich tio wally travel

Tio Wally Eats America: Jersey Mike’s Subs

I’m happy to have Tio Wally (long-time Me So Hungry reader) aboard to send in his eating adventures from across America. Here he is in Asheville, North Carolina.

Greetings from Asheville, North Carolina
N 35° 34.936’  W 082° 36.237’  Elev. 2208 ft.

It’s funny what you can find when you leave the land yacht and wander around. Such was the case recently when I was parked in one of my “secret spots” in Asheville — okay, West Asheville.

I awoke early on a Sunday morning and, knowing that my favorite Sunday Brunch spot had stopped serving Sunday brunch for the season, went looking for something to eat. Although I’d parked in this spot many times I’d never wandered into the little strip mall that adjoined the little side street I called home.

Much to my surprise the place is a goldmine of foods. There is a little Mexican market with a deli/cafe in it; a tiny Chinese take-out place; an American burrito place; and a sandwich place called Jersey Mike’s Subs.

Jersey Mike’s caught my eye because they had a Grilled Pastrami Rueben on the menu. But it seemed kind of pricey; $6.55 for a regular. I don’t know why that seemed like a lot at the time, but it did.

Nevertheless, I bit the bullet and ordered the Rueben (pastrami, Swiss cheese, sauerkraut and Thousand Island dressing on a French roll) and … good gawd y’all, the thing felt like it weighed about two pounds. I lugged my booty back to the yacht and, geez Louise, it was absolutely awesome.

So good was it, in fact, that I promised myself I’d get another one next time I was there, regardless of whether I was hungry at the time or not. I knew they are as good cold as they are hot because, at nearly 8” long, I couldn’t finish it all in one sitting.

So keeping my promise, I went back to Jersey Mike’s in Asheville to get another Grilled Pastrami Rueben and was soon faced with a real dilemma: I wanted another Rueben but the special that day — they have a different one every day — was a Jersey Mike’s Famous Philly with chips and a 22 oz. drink for $6.99, only 4¢ more than the cost of the regular sandwich.

Who could possibly pass up a deal like that? Not me. But I also wanted the Reuben. So I did the only thing a quick-witted, logical sailor would do: I got both.

The Philly (grilled steak, American cheese, onions and peppers) was great, too. The steak was really tender and generously piled on. It was all I could do to finish it.

While I was waiting for the sandwiches I noticed how fresh the vegetables in the cold station were, and that the tomatoes were actually red and ripe. I mentioned this and was told that they get their veggies from the Asheville Farmer’s Market, which is truly the real deal, a world class Farmer’s Market. It’s amazing what a huge difference ripe, farm fresh veggies make flavor-wise, especially when compared to a certain ubiquitious sub-par sub chain; I think that particular chain busses its produce in on a phantom, once-monthly Wolverine.

And so we roll.

Jersey Mike’s Subs, 1341 Parkwood Road, Asheville, North Carolina, with locations scatted nationwide

Tio Wally pilots the 75-foot, 40-ton(max) land yacht SS Me So Hungry. He reports on road food from around the country whenever parking and InterTube connections permit.

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tio wally travel

Tio Wally Eats America: Nona Mia Italian Kitchen (Revisited)

I’m happy to have Tio Wally (long-time Me So Hungry reader) aboard to send in his eating adventures from across America. Here he is in Asheville, North Carolina.

Greetings from West Asheville, North Carolina
N 35° 34.936’  W 082° 36.237’  Elev. 2208 ft.

After getting sandwiches at a Jersey Mike’s Subs recently — covered in an upcoming post — I walked across the street to deliver a really cool prairie dog postcard to a friend at his workplace. It being a Sunday he wasn’t at work, so I just dropped it in the business’ mailbox and began sauntering back to the yacht.

As I was about to cross the street I noticed that Nona Mia Italian Kitchen’s “OPEN” sign was lit. I figured it was an oversight on their part but decided to walk by anyway. As it turned out they were open.

The last time I’d talked to Yolie Affatato, one of the owners, she’d said they weren’t going to be open on Sundays anymore. Or so I thought. Evidently, I had misunderstood her. To my knowledge, this was the first time I’ve ever “misunderstood” anyone or anything in my entire life!

What she’d actually said was that they weren’t going to be doing the Sunday Brunch through the winter.

So I went in and ordered one of the day’s specials: Pesce Stufato (Nona’s seafood stew with clams, shrimp, calamari, grouper, fennel, green chili, tomato, onion, calamata olives and potato in a saffron broth) for $17.

When the waiter brought out the giant bowl and set it before me he said, “This is heaven in a bowl.” He did not lie. Or exaggerate even slightly.

Chef/owner Peter Affatato is an extremely talented, inventive artisan in the kitchen. And this stew was just more proof of his spectacular skills. Not that I needed any.

All of the sea foods — hell, everything! — was perfectly cooked, as usual. Even the rings of calamari were tender as could be. And the saffron broth was simply bursting with flavor. I thought the addition of green (jalapeño) chili, which kind of threw me when I read the description, was a particularly brilliant flourish, adding just enough zing to seriously perk up the taste buds.

I’ve written about Nona Mia before and my two major complaints remain: No raviolis and I simply can’t eat all that I want and/or see, although I’d sure like to.

Actually, I’ll add a third complaint: They didn’t have any of the heavenly ricotta rolls that they regularly made for Sunday Brunch.

Waaaaaaah! I’m sorry, what I really meant to say was: WAAAAAAAAAAAAH!

I hope that one day the food gods will bless me with the good fortune to show up when Peter does one of his tasting menus. I understand he’s going to be doing a wine and food pairing menu sometime in the near(?) future. If only I were lucky enough to be there for it.

By the way, Wednesday, October 17th is the Pastafarian version of Xmas: National Pasta Day. Endeavor to suck some noodles in celebration!

And so we roll.

Nona Mia Italian Kitchen, 1050 Haywood Road West, Asheville, North Carolina

Tio Wally pilots the 75-foot, 40-ton(max) land yacht SS Me So Hungry. He reports on road food from around the country whenever parking and InterTube connections permit.

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tio wally travel

Tio Wally Eats America: Sunflower Family Restaurant

I’m happy to have Tio Wally (long-time Me So Hungry reader) aboard to send in his eating adventures from across America. Here he is in Charlotte, North Carolina.

Greetings from Charlotte, North Carolina
N 35° 17.609’  W 080° 50.309’  Elev. 797 ft.

I sailed past the place and thought it looked interesting.

It was lunchtime and the parking lot was packed. Miraculously, there was enough room across the street to land the SS Me So Hungry. So I gave the order to “Come About!”

As I walked toward the place I started taking pictures, which is my usual modus operandi. I took a picture from across the street, and one of each of the signs on the outside. As I approached the front door a man, about 35 years old dressed in kitchen garb, appeared from around the corner.

“What you doing?” the man politely demanded, in a Greek accent. “Why you take the pictures.” He eyed me with great suspicion, which I understood as I look suspicious. So I explained about the food blogging, et cetera.

My explanation however was met with a somewhat bewildered stare. Finally I asked if he knew what a food blog was?  “No,” he said. So then I attempted to explain what a food blog was.

It quickly became apparent that he really didn’t understand and/or wasn’t interested in what I was talking about. He asked if I was going to come in and eat. When I told him Yes, he said “Okay then.” And off he went and I went in.

As I looked at the menu I was struck by the incredible variety of food this little family owned restaurant offered: from gyros and souvlaki to grits and livermush. But what I wanted was one of the specials I’d seen on the sign:
“One Meat, Two Vegetables + Cup Of Soup.”

There were five different specials offered under the menu section called Monday Specials. They offer different specials daily, which are all priced between $6.59-$7.59.

I ordered the Roasted Turkey ($6.59) over dressing w/cranberry sauce and gravy. For the sides I chose rice & gravy and lima beans. (Is there any bean more ignored than the lowly lima?) It was served with a corn muffin and a very heavy dinner roll.

On the waitress’ recommendation I chose the Clam Chowder; the other soup that day was Chicken with Rice. I was not disappointed. It was a classic New England chowder, with plenty of tender bits of clam and bacon, big chunks of potato, and not overly thickened. Perfect.

The roasted turkey, a mix of white and dark meat, was likewise perfect, incredibly moist and juicy, with dressing that was absolutely awesome. The dressing was so moist that, I swear, it must’ve been cooked in the bird. And, thankfully, it was of the turkey giblets variety and not that inedible sage crap.

(Dressing is really iffy on the road. Too many restaurants use a recipe for sage dressing that calls for, I think, six or nine tablespoons of sage per two-ounce serving that is, in a word, abominable.)

The rice and (turkey) gravy were likewise a delicious treat, and something I don’t think I’ve ever seen on a menu before. Like livermush, maybe it’s a North Carolina thing.

I was hoping that the lima beans would be as good as the ones I’d had at Jackson’s Soul Food Kitchen but, sadly, they weren’t. Of course, I’m not sure one could get lima beans — they called them butter beans — that awesome anywhere except Jackson’s. Still, they were good, tender little medium-sized limas, though markedly meatless.

The roll and muffin were also good, although I wished the muffin would’ve been a corn meal muffin rather than the corn flour variety. They’re just not as sweet.

In all it was a great meal at a great price, and the portion was so generous that I couldn’t finish it all. But it sure made for some great leftovers.

I would’ve liked to have taken more pictures but, as I was taking pictures of the menu, a woman came over — I think she was probably the owner/cook’s wife; she commanded the cash register — and said “He said you can’t take pictures inside.” As a result I had to take the pictures of my food furtively. (Furtive Food Fotos?) It would’ve been nice to’ve taken pics of the breakfast menu, which is served all day, as well as some of the other great stuff that came out of the kitchen, all of which looked scrumptious.

As I was paying the woman, who turned out to be really nice, I told her how great the food was, thanked her for the great meal, and again explained about my taking pictures. While we were talking the Greek Cook Guy peaked his head out the kitchen door.

The food was really great, I said to him, Thank you very much! “You’re welcome,” he said, and ducked back into the kitchen.

As I left I had the distinct feeling that he still felt I was up to something. Something suspicious. Probably no good.

And so we roll.

Sunflower Family Restaurant, 5400 Statesville Rd., Charlotte, North Carolina
Open Monday through Friday 6 a.m. to 2:30 p.m., Saturday 6-1.

Tio Wally pilots the 75-foot, 40-ton(max) land yacht SS Me So Hungry. He reports on road food from around the country whenever parking and InterTube connections permit.

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tio wally travel

Tio Wally Eats America: Nona Mia

I’m happy to have Tio Wally (long-time Me So Hungry reader) aboard to send in his eating adventures from across America. Here he is at Nona Mia in Asheville, North Carolina.

Greetings from Asheville, North Carolina!
Sorry: No GPS coordinates due to the gross negligence of the SS Me So Hungry’s crack lead navigator, my evil twin Skippy. Please refer to my hand-drawn map [see pic] for exact location.

When I first learned of Nona Mia it was closed for remodeling. Chef/owner Peter Affatato had found the wood-assisted gas-fired oven of his dreams and had to remodel to make room for it. (I later saw some of the pizzas that came out of it and they would easily make any pizza lover gasp and swoon.) Luckily, this visit the remodel was complete and Nona Mia was open.

Peter and his crew make many fresh pastas, as well as all their own breads, desserts, sauces, sausages and meatballs. He sources as much produce as possible locally. And the decor and staff are warm and homey, inside and out. Seriously.

So let me cut right to the chase: Nona Mia Italian Kitchen is AWESOME!

This gem of a restaurant, located in West (a very important distinction to certain locals) Asheville, bills itself as serving Homemade Italian-American Soul Food. While it’s true that it’s predominately Italian, but calling this Soul Food is, I think, an understatement. I mean, this food is so good, so authentic, so satisfying, so beyond soul food, so … awesome, you’d swear you were eating at an Italian grandmother’s house. Thus the name: Nona Mia is Italian for “My Grandmother.”

I had the good fortune of visiting for Sunday Brunch with my friend Denise and her sweetheart of a hound dog, Phoebe. Because Phoebe is technically considered a dog we sat outside on the deck where she was made more than welcome. After being seated, in fact, the first act of the wait staff was to fill a stainless-steel mixing bowl with water for Phoebe. If that doesn’t constitute a warm “Welcome!” I don’t know what does.

Denise had already eaten breakfast so she ordered Trish’s Monster Cinnamon Roll ($4.95). And while it wasn’t quite Johnson’s Corner huge, it was certainly substantial enough that she ate only half. She said it was really good. I tasted it and thought it tasted like a cinnamon roll; more proof, I guess, I am just not a cinnamon-roll guy.

I ordered the Penne Sunday Gravy ($14). On the menu it says, parenthetically, “Yet another reason to thank God for Nona.” I agree, so: Thank you for Nona, Flying Spaghetti Monster.

This dish consisted of perfectly cooked al dente Penne pasta with “Nona’s slow-cooked meat sauce with pork shoulder, Angelina’s meatball, & sweet Italian sausage.” It had big, bite-sized pieces of tender, juicy pork. The meatball was easily the best I’ve ever eaten. It was perfectly seasoned, oregano-y and hearty, and the perfect density; it didn’t fall apart under the knife. The Italian sausage, however, kind of threw me at first. I’m used to store-bought Hot Italian Sausage. This was not like those at all. It was denser (less fatty?) than what I’m used to with more subtle flavors. Still, it was heavenly, especially combined with the deep tomato flavors of the perfectly seasoned “Sunday Gravy.”

But wait, there’s more: It was served with a Ricotta roll. I thought ricotta was only a cheese. This roll wasn’t cheesy. It was crusty outside and moist, airy and bready on the inside. It was classically Italian, perfect, and so good I had them give me another one to take with the leftovers.

In addition to all their desserts, they also make gelato and sorbetto. I tried the Pumpkin Pie and the Pistachio gelatos, and the Pomegranate sorbetto. All the flavors were incredibly delicate, but I thought the Pomegranate was especially fun.

Still, I have complaints. First, they don’t have ravioli on the menu. I note this only because Peter is such a amazingly talented and inventive chef that I can imagine eating mushroom or asparagus or spinach or whatever he wanted to seal in a ravioli, eating it and yelling “Take me now!”

Second, and most importantly, I was profoundly disappointed that I simply can’t eat all that I want and/or see. The food coming out of that kitchen (open, by the way) is so good, so interesting … hell, I took pictures of some of the things I’ll have next time, like the Porchetta Fried Rice & Eggs Peitro (“Jasmine Fried Rice with Free-Range Egg, scallion & House-Roasted Pork with Radicchio and Arugula Salad”) and Almost Classic Benedict (“2 Free-Range Eggs, Toasted Ricotta Bread, Capicolla Ham, Roasted tomato, Basil Hollandaise & Herb Potato”).

Of course, I’ll also be grabbing a Sausage and Peppers sandwich (“House-made fennel sausage, wood oven roasted red peppers and onions, marinara sauce, melted Mozzarella cheese on semolina roll) to go.

Indeed, if I have my druthers I’ll eventually get to eat my way through the entire menu. Good gawd, Nona Mia, you make Me So Hungry!

By the way, today (Oct. 17) is the Pastafarian version of Xmas: National Pasta Day. It’s celebrated, of course, by acknowledging — in between bites of your favorite pasta dish — that the universe has been truly blessed by the touch of the Flying Spaghetti Monster’s noodley appendage. Unfortunately, Nona Mia is closed Mondays. Probably just an oversight.

And so we roll.

Nona Mia Italian Kitchen – 1050 Haywood Road West, Asheville, NC

Tio Wally pilots the 75-foot, 40-ton(max) land yacht SS Me So Hungry. He reports on road food from around the country whenever parking and InterTube connections permit.

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travel

Pickled and Dried Okra

I’ve posted snippets from the road, but now I’m ready to share our full-on adventures and photos from our Shonali Bhowmik 100 Oak’s Revival tour down South…

Day 4: Jeff got these Pickled Okras by the Dutch Kettle in North Carolina. And Matt got these crispy Dried Okra from Sweet Gourmet at the market. Both pretty awesome.

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pizza travel

Fuel Pizza Cafe (Charlotte, North Carolina)

I’ve posted snippets from the road, but now I’m ready to share our full-on adventures and photos from our Shonali Bhowmik 100 Oak’s Revival tour down South…

Dang, I’m only up to Day 3 out of 11 of my tour blogging. And now I have to go back to Day 2, because I forgot we went here after the Shiprock party in Charlotte. Pizza photos found on my phone. I know we partied hard. So don’t remember much about this, except Shonali gave me some candy that some older costumed Glow-Stick guy gave her.

Fuel Pizza – 1501 Central Avenue. Charlotte, NC 28205