Tacos come (close) to Trinity Park

I was super excited to learn that Trinity Park was getting a locally-owned, nonfancy taqueria within walking distance. Chubby’s (748 Ninth Street) is where Xiloa used to be, and I think that it does a great job of filling in the Trinity Park taco gap. Service was fast, the food was good, and I’ll definitely be walking there a lot when I get back next fall.
An initial word on atmosphere: Chubby’s seems to be catering to the student clientele from nearby East Campus, toeing the line between generic corporate Mexican and the local shops on Roxboro, but with a hippie twist. The plastic containers are made of corn, the flatware is made of potatoes, and then there is a tofu taco with mixed veggies. (I didn’t try it—sorry).
In addition to offering the usual options that one can find at other local taquerias such as barbacoa, pastor, and asada, Chubby’s has seafood (grilled tilapia, ahi tuna, and grilled shrimp) and some vegetarian tacos (rice and bean, no lard, the aforementioned tofu taco). My tacos were pretty good. The tacos al pastor were less greasy than others I’ve had in the area, but I could not find any pineapple in them. The tilapia taco was very flavorful and the chipotle cream sauce on it added a pleasant richness. (Warning: I haven’t had many fish tacos, so all I can say is that I enjoyed them, but I don’t know how they compare to the kind you get on the West coast.) My only complaint is that each taco only came with one tortilla, so they were falling apart by the time I got them home to eat.

Chubby’s doesn’t have a salsa bar, but they have a wide variety of housemade salsas in condiment bottles lined up next to the kitchen. I tried and liked them all, and my favorites were the chile de arbol, with a creamy texture, and a guacamole-based green salsa.

Juice lovers will be pleased to learn that they offer a few juice options—today’s selections were horchata and sandia (watermelon). I don’t drink juice, but the lady in front of me sampled the sandia and thought it was good enough to order despite being on some kind of no-sugar diet.

A taco al pastor will cost you $2, a tilapia taco is $3, and the top-of-the-line extra special seafood tacos are $4. I didn’t try the gorditas, tortas, burritos, or any of the various desserts they offer, but will report back when I do. Also, soon they’ll be expanding the menu with breakfasts including huevos rancheros, migas, Mexican pastries, and breakfast burritos. PLUS, they’re applying for a liquor license so that they can serve margaritas and beer. (And you all know how we feel about that!)

Superior!

I have been feeling very sorry for myself lately, so I decided to take a break from sitting in front of my computer not studying to go out for some tacos while not studying.  La Superior  (3325 North Roxoboro) provided a perfect diversion–it’s like a Latin American market nested inside a Latin American grocery store.  It has an almost carnival atmosphere that I knew would put me in a better mood.

            

Juice Bar      

     

Taqueria

We could have gone grocery shopping in Superior’s full-service grocery and butcher shop, but the goal of today’s trip was to get some tacos.  The cafeteria area is tucked into the back part of the store and is divided into a panaderia/tortilleria, juice bar, and taqueria.  Each of these separate shops occupies a wall in a very large room which a mysterious staircase that apparently leads nowhere right in the middle of it.  Tables and chairs are set up around the staircase.  And, of course, there are always televisions on playing soccer or telenovelas.

La Superior has an impressive salsa bar

First, we stopped at the taqueria and put in our food orders.  I got a taco pastor (these have pineapple!) and a chicken tinga tostada, and my friend got a taco pastor and a taco de tripa.  I like lots of vegetables, so I buried my food under a large pile of salsa and cilantro at the salsa bar.  At the juice bar, I picked up a nice fruit cocktail of fresh papaya and pineapple, and my friend got an agua fresca de mango and an elote (ear of corn) slathered with crema, then sprinkled with soft white cheese, lime juice, and chili powder.   No, I am not sure why corn on the cob would belong to the juice bar section.  Either way, it was pretty delicious.  My friend says that fully-loaded elotes are difficult to find in the area.

 

Beautiful Elotes

Pastor on the Left, Tripa on the Right

My friend is a taco pastor expert and thought that they were only so-so, but I really liked mine.  The meat was way more tender than is often the case, and infused with a subtle pineapple flavor.  The chicken tinga had just the right amount of smokiness, and they gave me an extra tortilla for the top, like a sandwich.  I’d never had tripe before–it was OK, basically superrich like any other organ meat.  It was not too dry or chewy as my friend had feared.

Postre

After we ate, we checked out the grocery.  The butchery is pretty impressive, with whole tilapia, big steaks, and an entire case filled with various dried pork skin products.  There’s also a good array of fresh fruits and vegetables, jars of honey with honeycomb, and a kitchenware section where they sell huge stockpots and comales.

 

Various pork products

Lots of beans!

A note on getting there:  it comes up very suddenly around a bend on Roxboro.  Be vigilant, or you’ll drive right by it.

Nouveau Durham: Watts Grocery

We’ve been told that we slum it too often, so today we have a very special post regarding a fancy local restaurant!

I’ve heard lots of mixed reviews regarding dinner at Watts, so I was nervous when my friends decided to dine there after learning that Piedmont was overrun by the hipsters in town for Full Frame.  I am pleased to report that my dining experience at Watts was overall positive:  the service was not bad, the food was very good, and the atmosphere was just fine.

When we walked in, we were quickly shown to a table in the bar area once the host learned that we did not have reservations.  The server was mildly overattentive, but still managed to make a mistake with my drink order.  This put me a little more on edge.  Fortunately, it was then cocktail time!

A word about cocktails

Their cocktail menu was kind of boring, but claims to use fresh fruit juices and purees.  This got me excited, so I ordered a salty dog (grapefruit and gin, salted rim), which is always a favorite drink of mine.  It was a pretty shade of pink and good tasting, but not that special for the $9 price tag.  I would have to say that for cocktails, i would always choose Piedmont, which is creative enough with its cocktails to justify paying more. 

Appetizer

I ordered the asparagus and mushroom hash with poached egg as a starter.  When it first came out, I was a little surprised because it gave the appearance of a stirfry, not a hash.  I always associate hashes with potatoes, and this contained none. Despite this dissonance with my expectations, I liked the dish.  The mushrooms were extremely flavorful and well-seasoned without being too salty, the asparagus was al dente, and the egg, while a touch runny, had a bright, beautiful yolk bespeaking a nice local egg.

The Main Course

Next, we split a vegetarian plate and a steak.  The vegetarian plate was well-composed compared to many I’ve had in upscale restaurants, and was very well-presented.  A few snowdrifts (this is really how they were shaped.  for those of you from warmer climates, think sandune…)  of pureed cauliflower were interspersed with little piles of quickly sauteed vegetables including some kind of greens, some red peppers, and florets of cauliflower.  The protein component was an excellent mushroom custard–that’s what the server called it, anyway; I’d call it a boudin.  The steak was very well-seasoned and cooked exactly as I had requested it.  It was accompanied by a few spears of grilled asparagus and red bell pepper, plus some kind of special chipotle seasoned pinto beans.  I was impressed by the number and quality of sides since this is one aspect of a meal that is often overlooked.

Closing Thoughts

I told my coblogger about this meal, and she expressed reservations again.  We agreed that we really want to like Watts, but we are not yet comfortable putting a full CarpeDurham seal of approval on it.  Her reasons are that she has had some spotty experiences with the food, though she loves all of the servers.  My main concern relates to the balance of flavors in general.  The plates are just not well-composed in the way that I would expect from a restaurant that charges that much in Durham, and that bills itself as a sort of nouveau/southern cuisine type of restaurant.  Rather than melding the two approaches–nouveau and southern–seamlessly, which is what I’d ideally expect, the menu jumps from one to the other.  For example, I liked the beans that were served with my steak, but they did not seem like either a natural or a (pleasantly) surprising fit.  They seemed like a southern or southwestern add-on. Similarly, the vegetarian plate was quite delicious, but very nouveau-oriented.  I did not see the south represented at all.  Additionally, it probably should have included some kind of carboydrate-based component.  If nothing else, the “southern” half would seem to connote a hearty meal.

I think that this is why we normally like to eat and and review ethnic restaurants in the area.  We know that it’s really difficult to invent a perfect menu, and it’s usually cheaper and easier to find at a Mexican or Vietnamese place where the cooks are just working to recreate a menu that has already been perfected through tradition.  That said, we will return to Watts, and definitely have an open mind about it. 

Piedmont Farm Tour

Celebrate Earth Day with a trip to pastoral North Carolina! The Carolina Farm Stewardship Association has organized a farm tour to take place on the weekend of April 19 & 20.

I am especially excited about Iron Gate Winery (farm #10), where visitors get to see fainting goats, whatever those are, and Infinity Biodynamic Farm (farm #8), since I have no idea what that means, either.

Dueling Late-Night Taco Trucks?

Hillsborough has become a corridor of late-night taco trucks.  This is great news for me since I drive down Hillsborough very late almost every night after a back-breaking day of learning about the law and stuff. 

 Tonight, I discovered Taqueria Lopez’s late-night outpost mere blocks from the taco bus we reviewed a week or two ago; it’s in the parking lot of the Shell Station across from Chick-Fil-A.  I’ve got to say that the truck cannot compete with the bus for panache–but what could, really?  However, the taco experience was at least slightly better, and the service was super-efficient.

 I got un taco campechano–beef AND pork for those of us who like to have it all/don’t like to make decisions.  The lady behind the glass seemed surprised that I only wanted one taco, and I can understand why.  It was pretty fantastic.  The meat was very well-seasoned and a little crispy around the edges, not as greasy as the meat in the taco bus tacos, and it was topped off with chopped onions, cilantro, and radishes, all of which seemed reasonably fresh.  The meal also included two do-it-yourself sides, some green salsa and salt packets.  I am really into customization, so this was extra appealing to me.  I’ll probably stop here when I’m grouchy and want to put my own damn salt on my tacos, but will go to the taco bus when festive. 

 Oh, and I get double points for patronizing local businesses with this meal–I drove right home and had my taco with Celebrator Double Bock that I had bought at Sam’s, our favorite beer store.  I highly recommend this beer, if only because it is sold with a little charm shaped like a mountain goat.

La Fondita: Asi Asi

I became very interested in visiting La Fondita (2000 Avondale Drive) after I read about it in TSQ75’s response to BryanZ’s recent critique of Taqueria Lopez on Chowhound. (and this was a rather roundabout way to learn about it, I guess…) It is located next to Compare Foods, a fun grocery store featured in another post on Carpe Durham.

I had a craving for some huevos rancheros this morning, so I decided to check it out. The atmosphere was interesting, with a Christian spin I’ve not noticed in area Mexican restaurants before. They even had Salmos posted on the walls. The chips and salsa that they brought out to start was good. The salsa was scented with lots of herbs and chilis, and had good heat to it.

I’d describe myself as a huevos rancheros enthusiast. I try it at every Mexican restaurant that I frequent. My favorite version of this dish generally involves eggs sunny side up with a spicy red sauce. It is even better if there are a few bits of onion and bell pepper in the sauce so that I can feel as if I’m eating something healthy. I have to say that by this standard, my huevos were only asi-asi. The eggs were cooked all the way through, and they were dotted with a few little globs of cheese and green sauce. Also, I had to ask for the tortillas that normally are served alongside it. I did not bother much with the sides–the rice was dry and the beans were boring. Finally, I was told that there were no desserts available even though the menu listed several, including an interesting-sounding plaintain and sugar cane dessert.

My friend had better luck with her pupusas–one filled with cheese and two with pork. She especially loved the coleslaw they served on the side, and actually wanted to ask for a pound to go.

Bottom line: I might return, but I would stay away from platillos. The menu had a Southern Mexican/Caribbean spin, including dishes such as tapado, a coconut milk/seafood soup that I’d love to try…assuming that they are serving it.

mmm…Fried Tofu

Going to Bahn’s on 9th Street makes me feel cool.  I know that they serve special food on certain days and not-so-special food every other day of the week.  I have a favorite menu item.  Best of all, the nice lady behind the counter now recognizes me and knows my ordering preferences.  (Wednesday’s Vegetarian plate, extra vegetable side) 

For those of you not already in the know like me, Bahn’s is on 9th Street.  They normally serve Chinese food that appears to sit under a lamp all day .  But something special happens on Wednesday and Saturday, and they add to their menu very good Vietnamese food at very good prices. 

 The best and most popular dish is the fried tofu with black bean sauce served with sticky rice.  It is best eaten fresh, when the tofu is crispy on the outside and creamy on the inside.  I go on Wednesdays as a pre-pint night ritual, when the tofu  is accompanied by a vegetable side of broccoli, bean sprouts, and bok choy.   The very best part is that they sprinkle crunchy brown onions all over the top.  On Saturdays, it comes with a somewhat less spactacular spring roll.  Other good things that I have tried are the pork and celery soup, the shrimp with rice noodles, and this weird rice flour bun thing filled with unidentifiable chunks of meat. 

 

Fried Tofu Vegetarian Plate

 I am not sure what made Bahn’s decide that Wednesday and Saturday are so special, but they have made Wednesday an auspicious day for me, at least. 

Coffee and Crepes (and Wine and Beer)

Shade Tree has been a favorite study spot of mine for a long time. Most people who go there seem to go for the purpose of studying, so they are quiet. The lighting is good during the day thanks to two walls of windows. And, most importantly, they serve a very good cup of coffee.

My friend and I went there the other day for a reading sprint. Caffeine is helpful for that. She was also hungry (and it is hard to read on an empty stomach), so she decided to try an artichoke heart-spinach crepe from their new crepe menu. These crepes are made just like they do it in France, with buckwheat, and they have lots of fillings–both sweet and savory.

My friend liked that the fillings were fresh and simply prepared. I got all excited when I saw that the crepes were made of buckwheat, so I asked the owner about them. He said that they also contained wheat, but only a little wheat. This is enough to give me hives, so I said no thanks. However, he also said that if there were sufficient demand, he could try making them with NO WHEAT AT ALL. So, if you want to help me out (or you are allergic to wheat or intolerant to gluten), you should go in and ask Greg about this all subtle-like. Or tell him that I said to ask. I do not care.

I just had a cappuccino and a macaroon. Sometimes they will draw a little fern or heart on the top of espresso-based drinks, but they didn’t this time. Disappointing, but at least it spared me the displeasure of ruining the drawing when I stirred my sugar in. Either way, it tasted good.

They also have wine and beer. I have never partaken, but I sometimes worry that they’ll stop serving if no one orders it, so you all should go and drink there. The bar area is kind of cute. And a coffee/wine/beer bar is so continental.

A few other notes: the crepe addition is not the only change that we have observed. They used to make a big deal about some aspect of their milk, like that it was local or organic or something. Also, their website seems to be outdated, claiming to serve Guglhupf pastries and silent on the matter of the crepes.

Biryani

Thanks to one of our very special readers (Britt) we were tipped off to the fact that Little India, an Indian grocery store behind Target, sells home-made chicken biryani on Thursdays (and Fridays, it turns out). When I went on Thursday I got there right before closing (9pm) and the biryani (packed in to-go containers) was no longer warm, but was still quite good, especially with the yogurt sauce. Not that it would take much, but it was far better than the level of Indian I expect around Durham. Apparently it was even better when my friend happened to get there for a fresh batch (around 8pm) on Friday.*** They also have fresh samosas—by 8:45 there was only one cold sad one left, but it would be worth checking out to see if they’re better earlier in the evening.

***(From the friend) Actually, I picked mine up at Spice Bazaar, which is in front of Target. (Random aside/tip for those of you with wheat and gluten allergies: check out Spice Bazaar’s great selection of flour, much cheaper than you will find at some yuppie health food store).

I had never been to Spice Bazaar before, and by happy coincidence was there at the same time that they had received a fresh shipment of the biryani, still hot. The guy at the counter pressured me into buying it. He said that it was homemade by his friend. Anyway, I was weak with hunger and had no will to resist. They had chicken curry and biryani, plus samosas. The guy said that I absolutely should go for the biryani since it involved special rice that I couldn’t make at home. (Nevermind that I would have no idea how to make chicken curry at home.) The biryani consisted of some streaky-looking yellow rice mixed with little bits of dark meat. There was also a chicken leg in there, and the rice mixture was topped off with cashews, some unidentifiable green herb, and caramelized onions. Finally, there was also a little container holding some kind of yogurt and onion sauce. The guy insisted that I pour this over. That turned out to be a good choice–the biryani was very flavorful, had a little kick, and I really liked being able to stir all of the condiments on top into it. 

So yeah, it’s definitely the same biryani at both stores, maybe one is only Thursdays and the other only Fridays?  They’re basically around the strip-mall block from one another so if one doesn’t work out, try the other. 

The Great Taqueria Tour of Durham

One goal of this blog is to celebrate all things Durham, and one of our most favorite things about Durham is its taquerias. Our taquerias are so fantastic, in fact, that they have been featured in Gourmet magazine. (Check out the September 2007 issue.)

We are on a mission to try all of Durham’s famous (and not-so-famous) taquerias and to report back. We’ve already told you about a few places, but this is the formal kickoff of our Tour.

SUPER TAQUERIA

Super Taqueria on Roxboro has everything one could ask for in a taqueria: salsa bar, licuado station, special weekend soups and ceviche, and a big screen TV playing Univision. The decor is also especially upscale when compared to Durham’s other taquerias, sporting a nice paint job and prints of vaguely Florentine landscapes.

I took my mom to Super Taqueria the other day to share some tacos, so all menu items involving organ meats or lots of spice (basically, anything her Midwestern palate would consider “weird”) were out. Still, we were able to do a complete tour of the more familiar menu items–tacos de barbacoa and carnitas, and gorditas de carne asada and pollo, plus a plate of rice and beans.

We especially loved the gorditas de pollo. If you are rolling your eyes now, that is understandable; many taquerias fill their tacos and gorditas de pollo with limp chicken in a boring sauce. Not Super Taqueria; they cook little chopped bits of chicken on a grill so that they are caramelized and flavorful. Their gordita shells are also perfect–crispy on the very edges, chewy a little farther in, doughy in the very middle, and not greasy at all.

My mother considers the carnitas at Chipotle to be the gold standard, and she did not think that Super Taqueria’s carnitas were comparable. Embarassing admission: I agreed. Even lots of salt and lime juice could not raise them to the level of deliciousness that I had hoped for. Still, they were passable and everything else was fantastic.

A special note on the salsa bar: Super Taqueria’s salsa bar is one of the best we’ve found in the Triangle. Radishes and cucumbers are on rotation, but pico de gallo and various more liquid salsas are always available, along with their extra fresh-tasting pickled carrots.

Gordita de Carne Asada. Mmm…

Taco de Barbacoa and Pickled Carrots