Jul 29 2012

Spice & Curry Indian restaurant – Durham, NC

Recently, I tried a new Indian restaurant in the area because a colleague recommended it to me. I had mentioned to him that I’d been going to Sitar, and really enjoyed it, but he insisted that a place called Spice & Curry was better. Seeing as he has had some good restaurant recommendations in the past, I thought that I would give it a go.

I went on a Sunday, and the buffet was a bit cheaper than Sitar, but it also offered fewer items. Interestingly, the staple of Indian food in America (Chicken tikka masala) was not present. However, there were were two alternatives to it: Paneer tikka masala (which is the same dish, but with cheese instead of chicken [and since I’m allergic to cheese, I couldn’t eat it]), and Butter chicken. Though it was good, I find it to be a little heavy. They also had many rice dishes like Biryani, with either chicken of vegetables. They were both tasty, but fairly generic.

They also had one of my favourite sides, which is Idli, but in my opinion, they were really overcooked, and had a gritty texture to them. Though they didn’t have tamarind chutney on the buffet, the waiter readily brought me a dish of it when I asked. It, like the other generally sweet chutneys, was a little bitter and astringent. Idli is typically a breakfast side that is eaten with a coconut or other sweet chutney. Not having that sweetness made the idli a bit bland.

The service at Spice & Curry was quite good, and the cheaper price was nice. That being said, I didn’t really think that the quality of food was very high, and therefore, not worth it despite the lower cost. If you haven’t been to Sitar, make sure to check out my post about it, and I would urge you to try it instead of Spice & Curry.

Cheers,
Zach

Jul 28 2012

Wine tasting review – 28 July 2012

The five wines that were on the tasting table today were all from Barnett Vineyards, atop Spring Mountain in California. Barnett is comprised of many smaller vineyards in the area, and as such, the wines are all tied to the particular sub-vineyard where they are grown.

HV Bottle Shop tasting - 28 July 2012
Wines are discussed from right to left

The first wine of the day was the 2010 Savoy Vineyard Chardonnay, which was aged for 10 months in new French oak (20%) and once-used French oak (80%). It had a vibrant yellow colour, with thick, very slow-paced legs. Though it had a grapefruit aroma, the primary taste I experienced was a delicate lemon (maybe even Meyer lemon). It had a wonderful citrus finish, and great acidity.

The second offering was also a 2010 Chardonnay, but from the Sangiacomo Vineyard. It had a softer scent of cream, along with the more delicate taste. The finish maintained a nice acidity, but was tamed by a mild honeysuckle flavour. I can’t say which Chardonnay was better, as they were both quite different.

The third pour was a 2010 Pinot Noir from the Tina Marie Vineyard, which was aged for 10 months in new French oak (50%) and once-used (50%). This sub-vineyard is in the Green Valley of the Russian River Valley, which is a cooler microclimate. It had a light ruby colour with medium contrast between the centre and edge, as well as very thick, slow-moving legs. It was incredibly fragrant, with white pepper and lush, juicy fruit up front. It had a peppery mid-palette and finish, but there was a very nice raspberry nuance to it. Interestingly, it had a lighter mouth feel than I’m used to with Pinot Noir.

The fourth wine was also a 2010 Pinot Noir, but this time from the Savoy Vineyard. It had a deeper ruby colour and lower contrast from centre to edge than did the Tina Marie Pinot. It also had slightly thinner legs, but they were still slow-moving. I noticed spiced scents of pepper and some clove, and the taste was primarily black cherry. It had an outstanding spiced finish with a medium body. I couldn’t let this one go, so I purchased a bottle (which I will likely age for the next few years).

The final selection of the day was the 2010 Estate Cabernet Sauvignon, which is the flagship varietal of Spring Mountain. It had an incredibly deep garnet colour at the centre, with a medium ruby colour at its very thin edge. It was very pure in its display of blackcurrant and spice, but I noticed some mild vanilla in the background. It was a very well-rounded Cab, and one that I would have liked to have taken home with me.

Though I’m a much bigger fan of “Old World” wines, these were some exquisitely made wines from California. Chardonnays are not generally my favourites, but even they were wonderful in their fruit expression. Overall, a great selection today, and one that will force me to remember Barnett Vineyards.

Cheers,
Zach

Jul 26 2012

Kashi soft cereal bars – cherry vanilla

I am continuously on the lookout for new products that are healthy, yet still have some type of taste. Seeing as I generally watch my fat intake (especially saturated fat) more than anything else, I look for foods that are low in fat, even if they are a bit higher in carbohydrates, calories, sugars, et cetera. One of my favourite brands of healthier snacks is Kashi, and I particularly like their snacks (as opposed to their cereals or other meals).

At the same time that I purchased the Banana Chocolate Chip Soft n’ Chewy bars, I picked up a few boxes of their soft cereal bars (in different flavours). One of the flavours that’s currently available is Cherry Vanilla, and I hope that it is one they decide to keep making for a long time!

Kashi Cherry Vanilla soft cereal bar

These bars have a great flavour combination with the prominent cherry, and a subtle vanilla taste. Normally, an after taste has a somewhat negative connotation, but in this case, I think that the vanilla after taste is very nice. The two flavours go together very nicely, and it’s not a combination that I’ve seen in cereal bars from other companies. The bars are a little bit dry by themselves (but I find most cereal bars to be that way), but that is easily overcome with either a glass of milk or by putting the bars in the microwave for ten seconds or so.

The bars are 35g, have 120 calories (30 from fat), and 3g of total fat (0 saturated / 0 trans). There are 3g of fibre per bar, but it is all insoluble fibre (though that is great for digestion). They also have 23g of carbs, 9g of sugars 2g of protein. For those watching carbs, they might not be the best choice, but then again, cereal bars in general are relatively high in carbs. Overall, I find them to be a fairly nutritious way for me to snack, and to have something that satiates my need for something sweet at the same time. 🙂

Cheers,
Zach