T O D A Y triangletodaync
@triangletodaync
@triangletodaync
ENTER TO WIN a pair of tickets to
NC THEATRE’S LOVE LETTERS Go to contest.triangletoday.com
THE
Z E T COR
Greg Cox for for TriangleToday
I
n 2005, the Ibarra family opened Jibarra, which demonstrated that “gourmet” and “Mexican” are not mutually exclusive terms. A few years later came Jose and Sons — named for family patriarch Jose Ibarra and his three sons — with a menu that combines the culinary heritage of two generations in a fusion of Mexican and Southern cuisines. So when two of the sons, Charlie and Hector Ibarra, announced that they were teaming up with Oscar Diaz (executive chef at Jose and Sons, and Jibarra before that) to open a seafood restaurant, you could bet on two things: It would not be an ordinary seafood restaurant, and it would probably be very
Clam Chowder: house smoked chowder with littleneck clams.
good. To say that The Cortez Seafood + Cocktail is a seafood restaurant with a Mexican accent doesn’t do justice to an offering that runs the gamut from serrano-spiked lobster roll to torched salmon banh mi. And those are just a couple of sandwiches that might pop up on a menu that changes frequently based on the catch and the chef ’s deep well of inspiration. About the only constant in offerings that surprise and delight at every turn is that the seafood — much of it harvested from North Carolina waters — is impeccably fresh and expertly prepared.
Photo by Juli Leonard
413 GLENWOOD AVE., RALEIGH Cuisine: Seafood (contemp.) Atmosphere: Casual,
contemporary, understated
Noise level: Moderate to high Recommended: Menu changes
frequently; dive in where you like Open: Dinner Tuesday-Sunday Reservations: Recommended Other: Full bar; accommodates children; limited vegetarian selection; patio; parking on street and in the lot behind the building.
INTRODUCING
My Choice Plan A flexible cell phone plan that's right for you
17 East Martin Street, Raleigh | www.republicwireless.com
It’s your choice. It’s that simple.
weekend planner
COMEDY TOUR, TRIBUTE BAND
good eats
One of the most exciting food cities in America is in the Triangle Drew Jackson for Triangle Today
ZOSO: THE ULTIMATE LED ZEPPELIN EXPERIENCE
Lincoln Theater, Raleigh: Legendary ’70s band Led Zeppelin comes to life through the sound and visual effects of Zoso — a tribute band formed in 1995 that has played thousands of performances.
TOBACCO ROAD TOURS RALEIGH COMEDY BUS TOUR
Paddy O’Beers: Raleigh. Get a unique look at the capital city’s history, architecture, politics and culture. Explore the five Oak City districts: Fayetteville Street, Capital, Glenwood South, Warehouse and Moore Square. Guests are welcome to bring their own wine and beer on the bus.
NORTH CAROLINA & WORLD WAR I
NC Museum of History, Raleigh: This interactive multimedia exhibit commemorates the centennial of US entry into World War I and focus on North Carolina’s role in the War to End All Wars on the western front in France and Belgium. Visitors discover what life was like for Tar Heel soldiers. COMING NEXT MONTH — FETTY WAP Fetty Wap has announced his “For My Fans Tour” and it includes a date at The Ritz in Raleigh Feb. 18. A Charlotte date is scheduled for Feb. 15. The rapper — nominated for a Grammy in 2016 for “Trap Queen” — will begin the 20-date tour this month. The tour is named after a mixtape he dropped in October called “For My Fans 2.” He is also preparing to release his second full-length album.
Find details at triangletoday.com
Your bellies do not deceive you, Raleigh is one of the best places to eat in the country according to Zagat. It ranked the Oak City No. 12 on the list of the 30 most exciting food cities in the country. Those pork buns you’re eating or those oysters you’re slurping are part of one of the nation’s most exciting dining scenes. That’s according to Zagat, the national dining guide, which this week named Raleigh among the 30 most exciting food cities in America this past year. It’s No. 12, ahead of New York, Nashville and Miami. Asheville, Raleigh’s beer-soaked cousin to the west, made the list at No. 30. Zagat notes Raleigh may have been “overshadowed by hipperseeming neighbors” in the past, often bested by cities like Durham and Charleston in the hearts and bellies of diners. But Raleigh is a new city these days, Zagat notes, and its food has helped make it that way. Zagat points to chef Ashley Christensen’s inclusion as a James Beard Award semifinalist
Zagat, the esteemed dining guide, mentions Royale in downtown Raleigh as one of the reasons Raleigh is one of the country’s most exciting food cities. Photo by Juli Leonard
for Best Chef for the country. The owner of Poole’s Diner, Death and Taxes and other downtown Raleigh restaurants previously won the James Beard for Best Chef: Southeast. She is one of The News & Observer’s Tar Heels of the Year, alongside Kinston chef Vivian Howard of Chef & the Farmer.
Brewery Bhavana, launched earlier this year by the sibling creators of Bida Manda, seemingly shows up weekly on another best new restaurant list. It’s one of Bon Appetit’s Top 10 best new restaurants in the country this year and was just named by Forbes as one of the coolest places to eat in 2018.
There also is new James Beard attention for Steven Devereux Greene at the height of fine-dining Herons (which, technically is in Cary) and Cheetie Kumar at pan-Asian whirlwind Garland. Both were James Beard semifinalists this year for Best Chef: Southeast.
With Raleigh’s new restaurants and plenty of accolades collected in 2017, it seems the city may outgrow the surprised reactions it sometimes gets from out-of-state diners.
Lionel Vatinet of La Farm Bakery (also in Cary) is renowned as one of the country’s best bakers, and
Zagat also lauds The Cortez Seafood + Cocktail, St. Roch Fine Oysters + Bar and Royale, all new restaurants that have opened in the past year in downtown Raleigh.
Ashley Christensen discusses the local restaurant community in a video at triangletoday.com.
NC vibes at the upcoming Golden Globes “Stranger Things” and “Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri” make North Carolina a solid supporting player in this year’s Golden Globe Awards, airing Jan. 7. “Three Billboards,” filmed in the Jackson County town of Sylva last year, though it’s set in Missouri, had six nominations. And Durham is a major presence in “Stranger Things” thanks to the brotherly duo of writers/ directors Matt and Ross Duffer — who were born in the Bull City and sprinkle local references throughout every episode, though it’s set in the fictional town of Hawkins, Ind. “Stranger Things” picked up a pair of Golden Globe nominations.
food truckin’ AMERICAN MELTDOWN The Cubano sandwich (smoked pork, house-made pickles, Swiss cheese, ham, roasted red peppers and Dijon) from American Meltdown. Most sandwiches $7-8, Sides $3-5 americanmeltdown.org
Photo by Juli Leonard
Go to triangletoday.com for the full review by Greg Cox.
#healthyvibes
MEET YOUR MATCHA Matcha a superfood? You betcha. The superest. With one of the highest oxygen radical absorbance capacity (ORAC) values — a marker antioxidant capabilities — of any superfood, the antioxidant powerhouse is prepared by grinding down the actual leaves. Translation? You ingest the whole tealeaf. Ergo, you reap 100 percent of its benefits: think boosted alertness, memory, concentration and metabolism; cancer-, virus- and heart disease-fighting properties (matcha contains four times the amount of powerhouse catechin of regular brewed green tea. Gloves on!); better breath and skin; and much more.
BOTTOMS UP!
Go to triangletoday.com for our picks for local matcha sips (real ones — not the syrup substitute).
“BUT WHERE’S
THE
SUN?”
This season, REI is helping you brave the weather, find some motivation, and increase your outdoor know-how, all in the name of turning your “buts” into booyahs. Explore gear, classes, expert advice and more at rei.com.
ASHEVILLE / CARY / CHARLOTTE / DURHAM / GREENSBORO / PINEVILLE / RALEIGH
! s u n i o J FEBRUARY IS TRIANGLE TODAY’S
I WINE MONTH
DETAILS COMING SOON! CONTESTS EVENTS GIVEAWAYS
' n o D
! t i s s i m t