TRIANGLE TODAY | THE NEWS & OBSERVER
WEDNESDAY, MARCH 7, 2018
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CLASSIC AMERICAN DINER WITH A MODERN EDGE Greg Cox for Triangle Today
Just inside the front door, you’re greeted by Velma and Betty and Faye and maybe a dozen others, all names that evoke a time and place when waitresses (they wouldn’t have been called servers back then) called all their customers “Honey.” These are not actual people, mind you, but names on cards, one of which you’ll be given to take to your table once you’ve placed your order at the counter. On the counter just a few feet away, a chocolate cake on a cake stand dares you not to order a slice. You lose the dare. Then you ask the friendly woman taking your order about the large black and white photo of a Pure gas
station on one wall. She tells you the picture was taken in the 1950s, and that we’re standing in that building now. After extensive remodeling, the gas station became home to Grub last summer. Other clues — narrow dining room, booths, retro chrome counter stools, sugar packets on every table — reinforce the initial impression. Clearly, you think, Grub is a nostalgic tribute to the classic American diner that dominated the landscape in the middle of the last century. But hold on a sec. That countertop isn’t Formica but poured concrete. Behind it are a couple of flat screens and a bar stocked with local
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Get into some folk, Americana and bluegrass shows this month
GRUB see page 2
drafts, wines, and the makings of house specialty cocktails. There’s a patio and a rooftop bar, neither of which comes to mind when you think “classic diner.” So what is this place — vintage American diner, or something more modern?
Short answer: yes. Slightly longer answer: the vibe at Grub promises the best of both worlds, and the food delivers on that promise. The menu is an eclectic tapestry of traditional and contemporary fare, interwoven with a strong unifying thread: Virtually everything is made from scratch.
GRUB 1200 W. Chapel Hill St., Juli Durham Leo nar d grubdurham.com Cuisine: American Rating: ♦♦♦½ Prices: $$ Atmosphere: classic diner, updated Service: friendly and attentive (counter service, but they occasionally check on your table) Recommended: Brunswick stew, Maybelle’s Pastrami, The Barracuda, dinner specials, breakfast biscuits, The Slammer, house-baked cakes and pastries (especially the double chocolate cake) Read the full review at triangletoday.com
Renewal by Andersen relies on professional interior designers to bring its awardwinning, energy-efficient window and door products to life in clients’ homes. Now Renewal wants to individually recognize talented designers with its Toast the Expert special feature on triangletoday.com. Have you worked with a designer who did a fabulous job on your home project? Do you have a family member who’s a fabulous Triangle interior designer? Are you an experienced professional with a portfolio of beautiful spaces? Go to nando.com/toasttheexpert to suggest a professional designer for us to feature.
WEDNESDAY, MARCH 7, 2018
show picks
FOLK, AMERICANA, BLUEGRASS TOWN MOUNTAIN
Grounded in the spirited music of Bill Monroe and Flatt and Scruggs, Asheville’s Town Mountain also draws upon classic country and counterculture heroes Grateful Dead. With their smartly crafted songs and sparkling instrumental drive, they’ve earned fans across the acoustic spectrum, from Ryman Auditorium to Americana fests. The details: March. 9. 8 p.m. Haw River Ballroom, 1711 Saxapahaw-Bethlehem Church Road, Saxapahaw. $12-$15. 336-525-2314 or hawriverballroom.com.
LOCAL LEGENDS
Celebrate St. Patrick’s Day with an evening of music from Bob Vasile (Pratie Heads), Jack Herrick (Red Clay Ramblers) and Jane Peppler (Mappamundi). The details: March 17, 5 p.m. Motorco Music Hall, 723 Rigsbee Ave., Durham. Free. 919-901-0875 or motorcomusic.com.
DEL MCCOURY
The late, great Woody Guthrie left his family some 3,000 poems. Sorting through the poems, Guthrie’s daughter, Nora, recognized them as potential songs. She sent a sample to bluegrass legend Del McCoury, asking him to set them to music. The result is “Del and Woody,” a 12-song CD collaboration between Guthrie and the Del McCoury Band. Hear these gems when Carolina Performing Arts brings McCoury’s band, which includes his sons Ronnie and Rob, to Chapel Hill. The details: March 23, 8 p.m. Memorial Hall, 114 E. Cameron Ave., Chapel Hill, UNC. $25 and up. $10 for students. 919-843-3333 or carolinaperformingarts.org.
DELTA RAE
Americana favorite Delta Rae has come a long way from its home in Durham to land gigs at such prestigious festivals as Bonnaroo, Lollapalooza, and Austin City Limits. Recognized by NPR, The New York Times and Rolling Stone, Delta Rae is a band on the rise. The details: March 31, 8 p.m. Lincoln Theatre, Raleigh. $25. 919-821-4111 or deltarae.com.
Search the events calendar at triangletoday.com
TRIANGLE TODAY | THE NEWS & OBSERVER
LEARN HOW TO MAKE HAWAIIAN SPECIALTY POKÉ BOWLS AT HOME Debbie Moose for Triangle Today For something so cool, poké is really hot.
for an appetizer or as part of a meal.
The combination of chopped raw fish, rice and vegetables – pronounced POH-keh – started in Hawaii, where you can pick it up like fast food. Now poké is spreading across the country to restaurant appetizer menus and dedicated poké bars, such as One Fish Two Fish in Carrboro and ZenFish in Durham, which opened last year.
Next, the question is: to marinate or not to marinate? Marinating the fish overnight in the refrigerator in a combination of soy sauce and sesame oil is traditional. However, marinating gives the fish a chewy texture. If you prefer a more sushi-like experience, don’t marinate.
It’s even better to make poké bowls at home. Get the right ingredients, do a little chopping and you have a simple, satisfying meal. You can even throw a poké party and let guests fill their bowls with the base, fish, toppings and sauce they prefer.
Typically, cooked and cooled sushi rice is the base for the fish and toppings. Other kinds of rice or even shredded greens also are options.
Fish is a crucial part of a poké bowl. Tuna is traditional in Hawaii, but you can use other kinds of firm thick fish. Thin flaky fish, such as flounder, will not hold together in cubes as well. Cooked shrimp or crawfish also are good. Some poké bars offer cooked chicken or tofu for those who don’t like fish. The Food Network’s Aarti Sequeira has used roasted beet cubes to make vegetarian poké. No matter the fish, it’s important that it’s absolutely fresh, as with sushi, because you’re using it raw. Remember that the term “sushi-grade” is not regulated, so it could mean anything. Use your eyes and nose. Ask where the fish came from and when it arrived at the store. Fresh fish shouldn’t smell “fishy,” but have a clean, oceanlike scent. Avoid fish that appears slimy or has a sheen that may indicate age or the use of preservatives. Be sure that cutting surfaces and utensils are clean. Use a different cutting board and knife for vegetables to avoid cross-contamination from raw fish. The key to poké is cutting the fish into small bitesized cubes, about 1 inch. Everything about poké should be easy to eat with either chopsticks or a fork. Because you’ll be combining it with other ingredients, 1 pound of fish should be plenty for a main dish for one person. Half a pound would do
Customize your poké bowl with a selection of toppings. Fresh ingredients and flavors usually work best. But whatever you use, cut it into small pieces, similar in size to the fish. The amount of toppings is up Juli L e to you, but try not to overwhelm the fish, ona rd which is the star. If you didn’t marinate the fish, add a sauce – and you can get creative here, too. Go to triangletoday.com to see the assembly insructions and ingredient suggestions and you’ll be making poké like a pro for yourself or a crowd.
TRIANGLE TODAY | THE NEWS & OBSERVER
CHOOSE A COCKTAIL PERFECT FOR DRINKING OUTSIDE Layla Khoury-Hanold for Triangle Today
WEDNESDAY, MARCH 7, 2018
Love Your Organized Space • Custom Closets • Garage Cabinets • Home Offices • Pantries, Laundries & Murphy Beds
40% off 15% off any $1500 or more order.
all garage and flooring.
Expires 3/31/18.
Expires 3/31/18.
Vita Vite’s Apple Cider Mimosa takes a starring turn on the winter menu, where fresh apple cider is mixed with Casas del Mar Cava.Juli Leonard
We’re lucky to have four seasons in North Carolina, with one of those seasons usually described as “mild winters.” And with the Triangle’s wealth of patios and rooftops, that would suggest an extended (if not year-round) outdoor dining and drinking season. We’ve found five winter cocktails to sip al fresco, from festive apple cider mimosas to tequila-spiked hot chocolate. The forecast? Warm and fuzzy. See the full list and where to get them at triangletoday.com
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TRIANGLE TODAY | THE NEWS & OBSERVER
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Discount applied by retailer representative at time of contract execution and applies to purchase of 4 or more windows. Buy two windows, get the second two windows, of equal or lesser value, 50% off. Discount applied to lowest priced windows in purchase. Cannot be combined with other offers or prior purchases. To qualify for discount offer, initial contact for a free In-home Design Consultation must be made and documented on or before 3/31/18 with the appointment then occurring no more than 10 days after the initial contact. Promotional offer available without financing option. 2No payments and deferred interest for 12 months available to well qualified buyers on approved credit only. Not all customers may qualify. Higher rates apply for customer with lower credit ratings. Financing not valid with other offers or prior purchases. No Finance Charges will be assessed if promo balance is paid in full in 12 months. Renewal by Andersen retailers are independently owned and operated retailers, and are neither brokers nor lenders. All financing is provided by third-party lenders unaffiliated with Renewal by Andersen retailers, under terms and conditions arranged directly between the customer and such lender, all subject to credit requirements. Renewal by Andersen retailers do not assist with, counsel or negotiate financing, other than providing customers an introduction to lenders interested in financing. “Renewal by Andersen” and all other marks where denoted are marks of Andersen Corporation. ©2018 Andersen Corporation. All rights reserved. ©2018 Lead Surge LLC. All rights reserved. 1