Category Archives: Restaurants

Ciao Serena

Leave a reply

There are certain seminal events in the lives of people that leave an indelible mark on our memory.  The events are different for all of us.  For some it is that time they see that special someone for the first time.  Maybe it was the birth of a child or the start of a new job.  While I do have those memories, the one I am reminded of today is the opening of a new restaurant.  Those of us raised in Sanford, who are of a certain age, will recall with fondness the opening of Bojangles.  It was such a watershed moment in the history of our town that it earned a spot in Sandprints (our yearbook).  The line stretched down Horner Blvd. for weeks.

I am pleased to report that I still get excited about the opening of a new restaurant, although now my tastes are a bit more refined than chicken and biscuits.  This past Saturday the boss and I got the opportunity to try a new place located in the Stonehenge (oh how they danced) shopping center.  The place is Serena.  Serena was recommended to us by a friend who has children with Celiac as a great place to go.  Apparently they have their first location in Durham and I am sure that it is every bit as good as their new spot.  Serena has taken over the old location of Wildflour which means that they inherited a brick oven for pizza.  I was informed by the waiter that they are still perfecting their dough recipe and will have gluten-free crust as well.

We arrived early on Saturday evening because I wanted to talk with our server about their gluten-free options.  He was extremely knowledgeable and when he wasn’t sure, he went back to speak with the chef.  Our drink orders were promptly gathered.  The boss went with a white wine while I had Omission Pale Ale.  Omission is one of the only gluten-free beers I have found that taste like beer.  The menu is fairly extensive, so do what we did and peruse it after you order the truffle fries for an appetizer.  Yum!  All of their fries are made in a dedicated fryer so I could have my fill.  For her entree the boss had the Grey Goose Sauce with gluten-free penne topped with a portobello.  Hers was great.  As for me, I had the Red Clam Sauce with the gluten-free penne topped with blackened chicken.  It was wonderful and loaded with clams.  Both of us had enough for lunch the next day.  Since we were full, we opted out of dessert.

The only drawback to this fantastic place is that it can be a bit pricey.  However, knowing I can eat without getting gluten-gut is a wonderful thing.  It is also exciting to have a good restaurant so close to my house where I can just duck in for a beer and some fries.  Next time I’ll try another sauce, a different kind of fry, or maybe one of their specialty drinks.  One thing is certain, there will be a next time.  While Serena did not open to the fanfare of that Bojangles in Sanford almost 20 years ago, I am equally as excited, though in a more mature and reserved way.

 

Finding my way

Leave a reply

I haven’t been roaming too much lately.  School has started back here, so we are trying to get into a routine and so far things are going well.  The boss and I thought it might be fun to take Lucy and Ethel out to dinner after their first day of school on Monday to celebrate the start of a successful school year.  Well, that and we had to do a kid-switch since Ethel has soccer practice and Lucy didn’t want to go.  Going out to dinner is definitely more complicated since I was diagnosed with Celiac.  Often I get asked; “What is the hardest part about having Celiac?”  Going out to dinner is absolutely one of those things.

It used to be that if we wanted to go to dinner, we’d simply load up and head somewhere.  You want Chinese food? OK!  Mexican food this time?  Alright!!  Italian?  Why not!  Now however, we can’t be quite as cavalier in our choices.  Fortunately, living in Raleigh affords us lots of options, and our part of town is solid for choices.  For dinner, this time, we opted to go to Milton’s Pizza and Pasta.   Milton’s does a nice job of providing more than just gluten-free pizza.  They actually have appetizers and pasta dishes.  On this night, I went with the penne pasta with marinara and sauteed mushrooms.  Ethel had the gluten-free pizza (so I could have a slice) and the boss and Lucy opted for the salad bar.   On the whole the dinner was solid and reasonably priced.  There is a certain comfort knowing that the restaurant is attentive to this issue and in my experience hasn’t left me feeling uneasy.

There is a bit of sad news, however.  When I first received my diagnosis, I was concerned that at some point I would start to forget what items that contained gluten tasted like.  I believe that it is happening.  I took a bite of my pasta and immediately had the boss try it to make sure I was ok.  She informed me that the pasta was definitely gluten-free.  Unfortunately, I may be losing that piece of my past.  That too, is another issue that I had.  It was difficult to switch, almost overnight, close to 40 years of eating what I wanted.    My advice for those who have recently received a diagnosis of Celiac or are concerned about it is to go shopping.

Go to your local grocery store and buy whatever gluten-free foods sound good to you.  While you’re at the store, have a trusted person (spouse or otherwise) stay at home and purge your fridge and pantry of all foods containing gluten.  It was like ripping off a bandage, getting rid of all of that food at once.  But, after I went shopping and felt I had food to eat at home, it suddenly became a more manageable thing to take on.  As far as what I like, I may mention some of those products down the road.  I am considering creating a “Resources” page that contains links to foods that I find tasty and tummy friendly.

That’s it for now- We’ll be closing down the pool once again and saying our good-byes to a great summer.  I hope everyone has a great Labor Day Weekend.  Don’t forget to bookmark the blog and tell a friend!

Adios, Old Friend

Leave a reply

Once I had a friend who lived a few towns over from my town.  We didn’t get to see each other all that often, but when we did it was like no time had passed.  Sadly, we lost touch and the last time I tried to swing by for a visit, I discovered that they had moved.  As I drove home feeling forlorn I saw a wonderous site!  My friend had moved to my town, within two miles of my house.  I couldn’t wait to go visit.  I gave them some time to unpack and get settled and then I went by.  Unfortunately, things weren’t the same.  Maybe it is because they just got there I thought.  So I gave them some more time, and tried again with the same results.  Finally, I gave them one final shot to be my “old friend”.  They were distant, uncaring, and not the person I knew.  The time had come to move on.

My old friend is a place that holds special memories for me in Chapel Hill.  The Flying Burrito was awesome.  I remember when my cousin, Mike, used to take me there as a kid.  When I went to Carolina, it became a go-to place.  Solid food, cool atmosphere, and it was cheap.  I would go back for dinner with the boss and the girls as we could and I enjoyed introducing my old haunts to the kids.  Last year, after a women’s basketball game we tried to go by for dinner only to discover that they had closed and were moving to Raleigh.

It is with a heavy heart that I report the place just ain’t the same after the move.  I went by last Friday to give them a third and final shot to be my old friend.  I was flying solo, so I sat at the bar.  It took over 10 minutes to get a drink.  I believe that I shouldn’t have to flag down a bartender in a place with only 8 of 16 barstools occupied.  They have no gluten-free beer, so I went with the house margarita.  Eh.  Too sweet and mostly devoid of tequila.  For my food, I ordered the flying chicken without the tortilla.  My dinner was also uninspired and bland.  There was little by way of seasoning or effort on the part of the kitchen.  From the waitstaff to the food, The Flying Burrito has become a shell of the restaurant I used to love in Chapel Hill.  It almost feels like they don’t care anymore.  Like with old friends, when one person tries and the other doesn’t, you almost wish they had just faded away leaving you with fond memories.  Good bye friend, we’ll always have the Hill.