Lisa Jeffries Nobling – Raleigh, NC

Tag: Cameron Village

  • Brunch at Tazza Kitchen: No Syrup Needed

    Johnnie Bud and I have been big fans of Tazza Kitchen since it opened in Cameron Village earlier this year. They’ve got a great cocktail menu and and a foodie menu made for sharing each other’s plates, so of course we were excited to hear they were adding Sunday brunch to their tasty lineup.

    We called ahead around 12:30 p.m. on Sunday and were thrilled to hear there was no wait to seat two, so we drove over to Cameron Village, sat at the bar, and quickly ordered a Sunday afternoon staple – mimosas, please! (Very happy to report that they used fresh squeezed orange juice and a very generous pour of prosecco at $6. Next time, we’ll go for the $12 1/2 liter carafe option.)

    The brunch menu wasn’t super vegetarian-friendly, but still super appealing nonetheless.

    • Johnnie Bud ordered the French Toast: house-made brioche, cashew praline butter, blueberry vincotto sauce, basil, whipped mascarpone – $9.5
    • I chose the Broccoli Rabe & Smoke Mozzarella Sandwich: oven roasted tomatoes, smokey tomato mayo – $9.5

    Neither disappointed, but Johnnie’s choice was clearly the brunch champ this go around. The blueberries and praline butter made a great sweetener – no syrup required!

    My sandwich was a good choice with the mayo on the side, but would have been a better breakfast item with a fried egg or egg over medium/well added in between the ciabatta slices.

    We got plate envy watching the Huevos Rancheros (corn tostadas, chorizo, sofritto, baked eggs*, salsa verde, pico de gallo, crema, cranberry beans, hash browns – $10.5) and Breakfast Pizza (béchamel, bacon, mozzarella, grana padano, baked local eggs – $13) being delivered to nearby tables, so you can bet we’ll be back in the coming weekends to try those options A.S.A.P.

  • A New Raleigh Restaurant and New Crafty Website Addiction

    Renee and I were chatting on the way to Cafe Caturra last night about how we both have sewing machines, but wish we actually knew what we were doing in that department.

    Now granted, I had to take a class or two in garment construction for my TATM degree… but my awesome momma may or may not have helped me with my final project after I broke TWO sewing machines in the process. (Read into that as much as you’d like.) I can rock out a design and the pattern construction. But, the actual garment construction? Notsomuch.

    Nonetheless, it hasn’t kept me from stumbling upon BurdaStyle.com:

    The site, “for people who sew”, has patterns, projects, skills, tutorials and more. I signed up for their eNews, so let’s see if Renee and I actually improve our lack of crafty skills in this department sometime this summer 🙂

    Oh yeah, back to the wine!

    Renee and I may or may not have sampled mmm… say 5 or 6 of the wine bar and restaurant’s 10 reds, 10 whites, and 5 dessert wines… many of which are seasonal which means enjoy them now, because come fall there will be some new wines to love. You can buy any of their wines in several sizes, so we opted for the 3 oz. pours, which is perfect if you don’t want a large pour of wine or want to indulge in several smaller. (I’m sure you can see where this is going.)

    I profiled the pre-opening of this place on i heart retail and was glad to read in TBJ yesterday that it finally opened. Renee and I just enjoyed the wine last night, but they do a full fresh food menu, so I’ll be back to try the food soon. Cafe Caturra is in Cameron Village near Talbot’s.

  • Taking Local Love to a New Level

    So this whole “concept” is something that Mandy and I have been talking up for a looooong time. And I am really pumped to finally be getting it out there. It’s not anywhere close to being as content-rich as it will be soon, but it’s at least a start.

    Right now, the biggest features are the email newsletter (bringing local style and retail directly to your inbox – but no, not like Express/Banana Republic/etc. style… I refuse to harass you all daily), Top Picks, and the feature appearances from local readers, too!

    If you have a few minutes, please stop by and check it out. Today our Black Friday content is still up, so you can check out what we liked for November… but tomorrow and over the next few days, December will be making its way in.

    And if you’re a local shopper, or just appreciate good style, please consider joining the email list, too 🙂

    And YES, I really DO want YOU to send me your tips, pictures, etc. I think this is going to be a lot of fun. A lot of work, of course – but most importantly… a lot of fun.

    www.iheartretail.com

  • Cameron Village Scoop

    Courtesy of Sue Stock’s blog – our local retail insider!

    Uncle Fatty’s on menu

    Folks who dine at Raleigh’s Cameron Village may not have heard of John White, but he’s had an influence on many of the restaurants in that center.

    White was one of the original partners in Foster’s restaurant (before it became Nelson’s and then turned back into Foster’s).

    He’s also a partner in five Moe’s Southwest Grills, including the one at Cameron Village.

    And he’s a 50 percent partner in the center’s new hot restaurant, The Flying Biscuit.

    Now White is on to his next venture, and I bet you can guess where it will be located.

    Uncle Fatty’s Drive-In has a fun name, but it’s kind of a misnomer since the restaurant won’t have car hops or anything like a ’50s style drive-in. But it will serve the burgers, shakes, fries and other quick foods that are hallmarks for such restaurants.

    “It’s going to be just a cool little place,” White said. “It’ll be smaller than Moe’s, around 60 seats with a nice little patio.”

    Uncle Fatty’s Drive-In will also serve a salad or two, for those who are in search of a healthier option, but White said he’s trying to keep prices affordable — around $5 for most items.

    Uncle Fatty’s is going into the old Jill Flink space next to Piccola Italia. Work on the restaurant could begin in as little as a month. White is shooting for a summer opening.

    Mmmmm… sounds yummy!

  • More Flying Biscuit Love

    Our local Flying Biscuit, a la Cameron Village, opens Monday!

    And a fantastic wedding guest gesture from EAD:

    “Someone just delivered biscuits–are they a gift from God? I don’t know why they’re here but I’m not going to question it.”Mmm… can’t wait!

  • {Double Post} The Shop with a Conscience

    I can’t believe this is another thing I’ve never remember to blog about, because it’s one of my Cameron Village favorites – Beleza: A Fair Trade Boutique.

    Described on their website as a place where:…you will find unique and extraordinary textiles and hats, jewelry and art that catch your eye and touch your heart.

    Beyond offering beautiful things, Beleza exists to provide hard working people from countries around the world – and here in the US – essential support to provide daily necessities for their families.

    While the store is fair trade, the major emphasis of Beleza is to treat people as they should be treated, and assist in global economic development.

    Beleza is owned and operated by two of the most wonderful people I know: P. Dail and his wife Sara.

    I received the following email today from Sara about a new addition coming to their store that I am really excited about:

    Recently we met Audias from Honduras. Born without arms, he paints with his feet. We will have his work in the store very soon and encourage you to come see this work. Audias has no other means of support. We plan to host a special event for you to meet him.I’ll be sure to update when I hear more details!

    In the mean time, go check out Beleza and become an addict of their amazing selection of goods with a heart, too.

  • Southern Favorites: Biscuits

    I am a biscuit fan – big time. I was beyond upset when my $15.00 Bojangles combo at Bank of America Stadium this past weekend for the UNC vs. WVU bowl game did not include a biscuit. (Seriously – wtf?!)

    Naturally, I think this Biscuit of the Month Club highlighted in an email from Garden & Gun (it’s one of my inbox favorites – make sure you get on the list) sounds a-may-zing.

    I’m also super excited about the forthcoming The Flying Biscuit Cafe to Cameron Village – which I’ve been told actually does some of my favorite southern staples like biscuits, gravy, and grits (not to be confused with G.R.I.T.S) right! I’ll be sure to post an update as soon as it opens and I give it a try myself.
    (Image Source: GoGoRaleigh.com)    Anyone tried either of these southern favorites?

  • Even More Coming to Cameron Village

    Sue Stock is quickly becoming one of my FAVORITE N&O writers, but no one can ever replace Dennis Rogers. Ashton Smith has always been one of my favorites, and I love her even more for sending me a daily update of what Sue (and other Raleighs) are covering!

    From Cameron Village Evolves:

    Despite being one of the country’s oldest shopping centers, Raleigh’s Cameron Village remains one of this area’s most popular shopping destinations.

    One reason is that the center is continually evolving, in an effort to stay fresh in the face of ever-increasing competition from new malls and the consumer spending slowdown. The changes at Cameron Village tend to come in waves, and I’ve got several to report:

    * Cherry Modern Design is closing this month, and home furnishings and accessories store Carlton & Co. will relocate to the Cherry Modern Design space on June 1.

    * Foster’s restaurant — formerly Nelsons — will reopen Thursday.

    * Cameron Bar & Grill will open this coming week. It is owned by the folks who own the North Ridge Pub and Cafe Tiramisu in North Raleigh. (See my perpetual blogs on this.)

    * Next door, a chain called The Flying Biscuit Cafe will open its first Triangle store this fall, selling a vast array of biscuit-related food. Its only other North Carolina store is in Charlotte. (Mmmm… biscuits.)

    * BurgerDawgz will open next to Piccola Italia late this year or early next year, serving milkshakes, burgers, hot dogs and sandwiches. (The BF will LOVE this.)

  • Update: Cameron Bar & Grill Coming Soon!

    If you read my previous post on new additions to Cameron Village you might be as excited as I am to read that Cameron Bar and Grill should be opening in the middle of this coming week (the good news came from the always ahead of the game GoGoRaleigh.com blog).

    Hopefully the food will be delish (a possibility noted in the GGR article based on the owners’ history)… and some outdoor seating would be icing on the cake.

  • Well Crap…

    Looks like the industry rumors are true… Nelson’s is closed (but it’s reopening, as Ashton says, as Foster’s … again).

    Check out the N&O article on all the happenings in Cameron Village. We’ll shall see what will become of the Nelson’s Late-Night and if Foster’s will offer something similar.

    In all honesty though, the same article reports the closing of my favorite little organizational shop – Hold Your Own – in Cameron Village. That’s what I’m really bummed about. It notes that their other store in Durham is remaining open… but we all know that I can rarely be found venturing to Durham for anything. (There was that one time freshman year where I wandered over for the last iPod in a two-county radius… but that was a special exception.)