12 minute read
Garden Adventurer: Summer Spinach
Daniel’s Restaurant & Catering
“Pasta dishes, hand-stretched pizzas and scratch-made desserts.” 1430 W. Williams St., Apex; (919) 303-1006; danielsapex.com
Terra Bonum Salad Cafe & Coffee
“Salads, wraps and other healthy lunch options.” 821 Bass Pro Lane, Cary; (984) 664-3030
Thai Spices & Sushi
“Freshest, most-authentic Thai cuisine and sushi.” 986 High House Road, Cary; (919) 319-1818; thaispicesandsushi.com
The Big Easy Oven & Tap
“Modern, Southern kitchen with New Orleans roots.” 231 Grande Heights Drive, Cary; (919) 468-6007; thebigeasyovenandtap.com
The Original N.Y. Pizza
“Consistent every visit.” 831 Bass Pro Lane, Cary; (919) 677-8484 2763 N.C. 55, Cary; (919) 363-1007 6458 Tryon Road, Cary; (919) 852-2242 theoriginalnypizza.com
Totopos Street Food & Tequila
“A walk through … Mexico City.” 1388 Kildaire Farm Road, Cary; (919) 678-3449; totoposfoodandtequila.com/cary
Tribeca Tavern
“Handcrafted burgers, homegrown beer.” 500 Ledgestone Way, Cary; (919) 465-3055; facebook.com/TribecaTavern
Udupi Café
“Authentic south Indian vegetarian cuisine.” 590 E. Chatham St., Cary; (919) 465-0898; sriudupicafe.com
V Pizza
“True Neapolitan pizza, made with the absolute best ingredients.” 1389 Kildaire Farm Road, Cary (919) 650-1821; vpizza.com
Verandah
“Southern casual environment in a modern, boutique hotel.” 301 A. Academy St., Cary; (919) 670-5000; verandahcary.com
APEX
Abbey Road Tavern & Grill
1700 Center St., Apex; (919) 372-5383; abbeyroadnc.com
Anna’s Pizzeria
“Piping hot pizzas and mouthwatering Italian food.” 100 N. Salem St., Apex; (919) 267-6237; annaspizzeria.com
Recognized by Cary Magazine Readers as Best Steak House and Date-Night Restaurant! Recognized by Cary Magazine Readers as Best Steak House and Date-Night Restaurant!
WINNER
2006
HONORABLE MENTION HONORABLE MENTION 2007 HONORABLE MENTION 2013
HONORABLE MENTION 2015
THE MAGGY AWARDS
HONORABLE MENTION 2016
THE MAGGY AWARDS
WINNER
2018
THE MAGGY AWARDS
WINNER
2019
2020
WINNER
2021
Hours:Hours:
Mon-Thurs: 5-10pmMon-Thurs: 5-10pm Fri-Sat: 5-11pmFri-Sat: 5-11pm Sun: 4-9 pmSun: 4-9 pm 1130 Buck Jones Rd., Raleigh, NC, 276061130 Buck Jones Rd., Raleigh, NC, 27606 919.380.0122 \ ReysRestaurant.com919.380.0122 \ ReysRestaurant.com
5 private rooms5 private rooms seating 6-200 guests!seating 6-200 guests! Contact: Christina ReevesContact: Christina Reeves at Christina@ReysRestaurant.comat Christina@ReysRestaurant.com
Apex Wings Restaurant & Pub
“Time-tested eatery serving up chicken wings and craft beers.” 518 E. Williams St., Apex; (919) 387-0082; apexwings.com
Bonafide Bakeshop & Cafe
“A blend of Northern classics and Southern comforts.” 1232 W. Williams St., Apex 919-372-5000; BonafideBakeshop.com
Big Mike’s Brew N Que
“Beers on tap to compliment locally sourced, farm-to-table BBQ.” 2045 Creekside Landing Drive, Apex; (919) 338-2591; brewnquenc.com
Brooklyn Bakery
“Wholesome, scratch-baked.” 101 N. Salem St., Apex; (919) 362-8408; buttercreamsbakeshop.com
Common Grounds Coffee House & Desserts
“The highest-quality, locally roasted coffee.” 219 N. Salem St., Suite 101, Apex; (919) 387-0873; commongroundsapex.com
Sassool
“Serving authentic Lebanese and Mediterranean cuisine.” 1347 Kildaire Farm Road, Cary; (919) 300-5586; sassool.com
Doherty’s Irish Pub
“Catch the game or listen to live music.” 5490 Apex Peakway, Apex; (919) 387-4100; dohertysirishpubnc.com
Clean Juice
“Organic juices, smoothies and acai bowls.” 3035 Village Market Place, Morrisville; (919) 468-8286; cleanjuice.com
Five Guys Burgers & Fries
1075 Pine Plaza Drive, Apex; (919) 616-0011; fiveguys.com
Andia's is a family-owned and -operated, award-winning ice cream business located in the heart of the Triangle. We never compromise our ingredients and are proud to support many other local, small businesses by partnering with them to supply us with freshly made ingredients for our products. No matter how simple or adventurous your palate is, we have something for you. Come visit us at one of our two retail locations, or get our ice cream delivered right to your door.
10120 Green Level Church Rd, #208, Cary, NC 27519 & 1008 Ryan Rd, Cary, NC 27511
Lugano Ristorante
“Italian dining in a comfortable and casual atmosphere.” 1060 Darrington Drive, Cary; (919) 468-7229; luganocary.com
Mamma Mia Italian Bistro
“A taste of Italy in every bite” 708 Laura Duncan Road, Apex; (919) 363-2228; mammamianc.com
Ruckus Pizza, Pasta & Spirits
“Great food always, with a side of good times.” 1055 Pine Plaza Drive, Apex; (919) 446-6333; ruckuspizza.com
Rudy’s Pub & Grill
“Comfortable and familiar, just like home.” 780 W. Williams St., Apex; (919) 303-5061; rudysofapex.com
Salem Street Pub
“Friendly faces and extensive menu.” 113 N. Salem St., Apex; (919) 387-9992; salemstreetpub.com
Scratch Kitchen and Taproom
“Asian-influenced American cuisine” 225 N. Salem St., Apex; (919) 372-5370; scratchkitchenandtaproom.com
Skipper’s Fish Fry
“Homemade from our own special recipes.” 1001 E. Williams St., Apex; (919) 303-2400; skippersfish.com
The Peak on Salem
“Seasonal contemporary Southern cuisine” 126 North Salem St., Apex (919) 446-6060; thepeakonsalem.com
The Provincial
“Fresh. Simple.” 119 Salem St., Apex; (919) 372-5921; theprovincialapex.com
The Wake Zone Espresso
“Your special home away from home.” 6108 Old Jenks Road, Apex; (919) 267-4622; thewakezone.com
Vegan Community Kitchen
“Meatless with a Turkish spin.” 803 E Williams St., Apex; (919) 372-5027; vegancommunitykitchen.com
FUQUAY-VARINA
Anna’s Pizzeria
“Piping hot pizzas and mouthwatering Italian food.” 138 S. Main St., Fuquay-Varina; (919) 285-2497; annaspizzeria.com
Aviator SmokeHouse BBQ Restaurant
“All of our food is made in-house.” 525 E. Broad St., Fuquay-Varina; (919) 557-7675; aviatorbrew.com
Cultivate Coffee Roasters
“Modern industrial twist on a small town coffee shop.” 128 S. Fuquay Ave., Fuquay Varina (919) 285-4067; cultivate.coffe
Juicehaus
“Made-to-order fresh, raw juice.” 509 North Broad St, Fuquay Varina (919) 396-5588; juicehaus.or
Los Tres Magueyes
“We prepare our food fresh daily.” 401 Wake Chapel Road, Fuquay-Varina; (919) 552-3957; lostresmagueyes.com
Stick Boy Bread Co.
“Handcrafted baked goods from scratch … all natural ingredients.” 127 S. Main St., Fuquay-Varina; (919) 557-2237; stickboyfuquay.com
The Mason Jar Tavern
“All the comforts of Southern hospitality with a modern twist.” 305 S. Main St., Fuquay-Varina; (919) 762-5555; themasonjartavern.com
Wingin’ It Bar and Grille
“Serves lunch, dinner and drinks.” 1625 N. Main St., Suite 109, Fuquay-Varina; (919) 762-0962; facebook.com/winginitbarandgrille
HOLLY SPRINGS
Acme Pizza Co.
“Chicago-style deep dish pizza.” 204 Village Walk Dr, Holly Springs (919) 552-8800; acmepizzaco.com
Los Tres Magueyes
325 North Main Street, Holly Springs; (919) 552-6272; lostresmagueyes.com
Mama Bird’s Cookies + Cream
“A unique spin on a timeless dessert.” 304 N. Main St., Holly Springs; (919) 762-7808; mamabirdsicecream.com
My Way Tavern
“Freshly made all-American foods.” 301 W. Center St., Holly Springs; (919) 285-2412; mywaytavern.com
Osha Thai Kitchen & Sushi
“Serving authentic Thai cuisine, fresh sushi and crafted cocktails.” 242 South Main St., Suite 100, Holly Springs (984) 538-6742; oshathaikitchennc.com
Rise Biscuits & Donuts
169 Grand Hill Place, Holly Springs; (919) 586-7343; risebiscuitsdonuts.com
Thai Thai Cuisine
“Fresh authentic Thai food.” 108 Osterville Drive, Holly Springs; (919) 303-5700; thaithaicuisinenc.com
The Butcher’s Market
“Premium meats and specialty grocery.” 4200 Lassiter Rd, Holly Springs (919) 267-919); thebutchersmarkets.com
The Mason Jar Tavern
“All the comforts of Southern hospitality with a modern twist.” 114 Grand Hill Place, Holly Springs; (919) 964-5060; themasonjartavern.com
The Original N.Y. Pizza
634 Holly Springs Road, Holly Springs (919) 567-0505; theoriginalnypizza.com
MORRISVILLE
Alpaca Peruvian Charcoal Chicken
“Unforgettable rotisserie chicken.” 9575 Chapel Hill Road, Morrisville; (919) 378-9259; alpacachicken.com
Another Broken Egg Café
“A totally egg-ceptional experience.” 1121 Market Center Drive, Morrisville; (919) 465-1079; anotherbrokenegg.com
Babymoon Café
“Pizzas, pastas, seafood, veal, steaks, sandwiches and gourmet salads.” 100 Jerusalem Drive, Suite 106, Morrisville; (919) 465 9006; babymooncafe.com
Bad Daddy’s Burger Bar
“The quality of the beef and the toppings make our burgers stand apart.” 3300 Village Market Place, Morrisville; (919) 297-0953; baddaddysburgerbar.com
Capital City Chop House
“Perfect place for a business lunch or dinner or a quick bite before catching a flight.” 151 Airgate Drive, Morrisville; (919) 484-7721; chophousesofnc.com
Clean Juice
“Organic juices, smoothies and acai bowls.” 3035 Village Market Place, Morrisville; (919) 468-8286; cleanjuice.com
Crumbl Cookies
Super-sized treats with a rotating menu of classic and unusual flavors. 1105 Market Center Drive, Morrisville (919) 364-1100; crumblcookies.com
Desy’s Grill & Bar
“Straightforward pub grub at a relaxed sports bar.” 10255 Chapel Hill Road, Suite 200, Morrisville; (919) 380-1617; desysbar.com
Firebirds Wood Fired Grill
“Steaks, seafood, chicken and ribs, all seared over local hickory, oak and pecan wood.” 3200 Village Market Place, Morrisville; (919) 653-0111; morrisville.firebirdsrestaurants.com
Fount Coffee + Kitchen
“Coffee and a menu that is 100 percent gluten-free.” 10954 Chapel Hill Road, Morrisville; (984) 888-5454; fountcoffee.com
The Full Moon Oyster Bar & Seafood Kitchen
“Homemade recipes handed down over the years.” 1600 Village Market Place, Morrisville; (919) 378-9524; fullmoonoysterbar.com
G. 58 Modern Chinese Cuisine
“Master chefs from China create an unforgettable fine dining experience.” 10958 Chapel Hill Road, Morrisville; (919) 466-8858; g58cuisine.com
Georgina’s Pizzeria & Restaurant
“Mouthwatering homemade Italian dishes.” 3536 Davis Drive, Morrisville; (919) 388-3820; georginaspizzeriaandrestaurant.com
HiPoke
“Fresh Fun Poke.” 9573 Chapel Hill Road, Morrisville (919) 650-3398; hipokes.com
Mi Cancun Mexican Restaurant
9605 Chapel Hill Road, Morrisville (919) 481-9002; micancunmx.com
Neomonde
“A wonderful mix of traditional and contemporary Mediterranean menu items.” 10235 Chapel Hill Road, Morrisville; (919) 466-8100; neomonde.com
Nothing Bundt Cakes
“Cakes are baked fresh daily, in a variety of flavors and sizes.” 2008 Market Center Drive, Unit 17130, Morrisville; (919) 694-5300; nothingbundtcakes.com
Rise Biscuits & Donuts
“Old school, new school, and specialty donuts.” 1100 Market Center Drive, Morrisville; (919) 377-0385; risebiscuitsdonuts.com
Rey’s
“Fine dining with a French Quarter flair.” 1130 Buck Jones Road, Raleigh (919) 380-0122; reysrestaurant.com
Ruckus Pizza, Pasta & Spirits
1101 Market Center Drive, Morrisville; (919) 388-3500; ruckuspizza.com
Saffron Restaurant & Lounge
“Gourmet Indian dining experience.” 4121 Davis Drive, Morrisville; (919) 469-5774; saffronnc.com
Smokey’s BBQ Shack
“Meats are dry rubbed with love and slow smoked with hickory wood.” 10800 Chapel Hill Road, Morrisville; (919) 469-1724; smokeysshack.com
Taste Vietnamese
“Prepared with passion and perfected through generations.” 152 Morrisville Square Way, Morrisville; (919) 234-6385; tastevietnamese.com
Village Deli & Grill
“Wholesome homemade foods.” 909 Aviation Parkway #100, Morrisville; (919) 462-6191; villagedeli.net
ZenFish Poké Bar
“Guilt-free, healthy, fast-casual dining.” 9924 Chapel Hill Road, Morrisville (919) 234-0914; zenfishpokebar.com
WRITTEN AND PHOTOGRAPHED BY L.A. JACKSON
Summer Spinach
Malabar Spinach
SPINACH IS a delectable springtime vegetable many local gardeners enjoy growing for salads and cooked meals. Unfortunately, as temperatures head towards the typical sizzle of summer, spinach bolts and its leaves turn bitter, meaning fresh harvests of these tasty greens are ending soon. But, with spinach’s seasonal decline, there are new opportunities. Now is a good time to experiment and try heatresisting substitutes that can have similar usefulness in the kitchen. Allow me to introduce two popular possibilities: Malabar Spinach (Basella sp.). It is not related to true spinach (Spinacia oleracea), but the taste of this leafy veggie is close, along with a slight, peppery twang. However, having thicker, almost succulent leaves, my best description of its texture is semi-squishy. I enjoy chomping on Malabar spinach raw (young leaves taste the best), but although they can be cooked, have shied away from heating up these greens because they can create a gelatinous yuck similar to boiled okra. Malabar spinach originates from the Asian tropics as a perennial vine. It does love our hot summers, but is not cold-hardy here, so grow this exotic edible as an annual. It is also called “climbing spinach,” and I know why — for the last three years, my vines zipped up an 8-foot-tall trellis I built for them and Malabar Spinach hung off the sides, looking for more territory to conquer.
This vine resists bolting in full sun, but extended dry conditions can turn the leaves bitter, so water regularly and mulch.
My first plants came from the Farmer’s Market in Raleigh, but then I found easy-to-grow seeds online at Park Seed (parkseed.com).
Okinawa Spinach (Gynura crepioides). This able spinach alternative, which hails originally from Southeast Asia, has similar tasting leaves accented by a light nutty flavoring with a hint of pine. A tender perennial, it makes a nice addition to any salad, and certainly isn’t a stranger to tempura and stir-fry dishes.
Okinawa Spinach
Okinawa spinach is also a rather pretty plant. Growing about 2 feet high and wide, it is adorned by slim, serrated leaves that are green on top and a catchy purple underneath. The leaves typically won’t turn bitter in the summer simmer, but to help them maintain their best flavor, provide at least some light midafternoon shade and water regularly.
Okinawa spinach can be e-purchased from specialty growers on sites such as Etsy (etsy.com), but I have stayed local and grabbed my starter plants at Big Bloomers (bigbloomersflowerfarm.com) in Sanford.
L.A. Jackson is the former editor of Carolina Gardener Magazine. Want to ask L.A. a question about your garden? Contact him by email at lajackson1@gmail.com.
TIMELY TIP
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Another leafy green that can be used as a spinach replacement in the summer is Swiss chard. A distant spinach relative, Swiss chard is comparable in flavor and possibilities for kitchen creations, both cooked and raw.
As a bonus, the stems, which with cultivars such as ‘Bright Lights’ and ‘Ruby Red’ are very colorful, can also be eaten and have a yummy, celery-like crunch. Although this alt-spinach resists turning bitter when grown in full sun, providing some afternoon shade will help stabilize its desired tastiness through the long growing season.
Because Swiss chard can be an attractive, low-growing plant, consider showing off a few as edible ornamentals in well-placed pots.
To Do in the GARDEN May
• While giving summer spinaches a whirl, don’t forget now is also the prime time to plant such warm-season veggie favorites as squash, tomatoes, pumpkins, eggplant, peppers, watermelons, okra, cucumbers and green beans. • Don’t be too quick to mulch annual flowers and vegetables.
Leave the growing ground bare through this month to allow the sun to heat up the soil, which will help stimulate stronger development of young roots. • Warmer temperatures also mean it’s time to turn such heatseeking bulbs as gladioli, dahlias, caladiums and cannas loose in the ornamental garden. • May is a good month to bring many houseplants outside for a summer vacation. Just be sure to set them in areas of filtered shade, so the sun’s strong summer rays won’t burn their leaves.
