So for V-day my girlfriend got me tickets to see Tony Bourdain, of Travel Channel's No Reservations, in Durham. So in return i got reservations at Magnolia Grill, the number 11 restaurant in the country according to gourmet and has two James Beard awards hanging on the wall. The low brick building right on the edge of a residential area and not exactly close to downtown Durham, was unassuming and was almost disheartening. But the inside was all that could be expected from a southern fine dining restaurant, warm with the obligatory white table cloths but weird sea food figurines hung on the walls. For starters we got the veal sweet breads wrapped in serrano ham and the pork belly, both were incredible and instantly made me think that gourmet had gotten this one right. For dinner I got the pan seared striped bass with mussels and chorizo, and it was the best complete fish dish i have ever eaten, hands down. Dessert came around, the second James Beard award is for the pastry chef, and we got the apple pound cake with rum-raisin ice cream, as well as the bacon & date tart with cinnamon cream cheese ice cream. Mr. Beard also correct on this award, as they were both ridiculously good including the strange bacon date tart. The waiter said that they believe in getting the daily allowance of "vitamin-p" (or pig).
We enjoyed our food a little too much it seems because we had to almost run to our car and speed the five minutes to the venue to see Bourdain and were only on time because they started late. Tony was his normal self, hating on most things food network and feeling bad for Bobby Flay because they have damned him to getting his ass kicked in throwdown and iron chef America. He discussed his views on the way the economy would effect the restaurant industry and home cooking (i think it will send home cooks in a good direction having to create good food for cheap and according to Tony, David Chang thinks the same thing about restaurants.)
This was an amazing evening and I wish I had Bourdain's job and if I ever move to the Durham area I am aiming for a job at Magnolia Grill. Ben and Karen Barker, if you read this I will send you a resume if you're looking for line cooks.
We enjoyed our food a little too much it seems because we had to almost run to our car and speed the five minutes to the venue to see Bourdain and were only on time because they started late. Tony was his normal self, hating on most things food network and feeling bad for Bobby Flay because they have damned him to getting his ass kicked in throwdown and iron chef America. He discussed his views on the way the economy would effect the restaurant industry and home cooking (i think it will send home cooks in a good direction having to create good food for cheap and according to Tony, David Chang thinks the same thing about restaurants.)
This was an amazing evening and I wish I had Bourdain's job and if I ever move to the Durham area I am aiming for a job at Magnolia Grill. Ben and Karen Barker, if you read this I will send you a resume if you're looking for line cooks.
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