Fire in the Triad: Battle Ostrich

My eyes were popping out of my head when I learned that the secret ingredient for battle Spring House vs. Noble’s Grille was ostrich. My hopeful speculation that strawberries would be the featured component of the evening could not have been more wrong. I wasn’t really thrilled until the third course, but now I’ve had ostrich prepared more ways than I could have imagined, including alongside a Devil’s Food Cupcake.

Attending Competition Dining's Fire in the Triad is a hugely fun way to spend your evening. Jimmy Crippen is once again the engaging emcee, and the event begins with a “cocktail hour” reception. After being seated, the lights are dimmed and we get a clue as to what the secret ingredient will be. My first bite of ostrich in my 25 years was from Spring House’s Chef Grandinetti: a salad featuring Ostrich Roulade, Asparagus, Beets, Radish, and a Blueberry Gastrique. Roulade is essentially meat wrapped around a filling – in this case, ostrich stuffing. I had trouble with the fact that it was cold, and I didn’t see a lot of continuity with the dish. The beets were the star here, though they could have been a bit more al dente.

Chef Bobby from Noble’s Grille produced a better dish with his Ostrich Tartare (which is RAW, mind you), Fried Egg, Pickled Red Onion, Shaved Fennel, Arugula, Radish and Black Garlic Aioli. This is a classic French preparation, and the richness of the egg yolk enhanced the tartare very well. Again, since the ostrich was cold, I wasn’t entirely satisfied with either of these plates.

As soon as I saw the description for course #3, my eyes were pleased, and I knew my stomach finally would be. In a “gumbo”-like dish, Spring House presented Charred Ostrich atop a Lobster Hash, with Andouille Sausgae, Mushrooms and Bell Pepper Gravy. It was pleasantly spicy, but the ostrich would have been better in chunks, among the rest of the dish. Instead, it seemed like a bit of an afterthought, being placed on top of the stew.

Noble’s clearly won this round. Peppercorn Crusted Ostrich Filet is paired with Toasted Farro, Ostrich Sausage, Charred Patty Pan Salad, Parsnip Chips and Pomegranate Seeds. This Farro was much like a creamy risotto, and the ostrich sausage boasted wonderful notes of sage. The Parsnip Chips were a nice salty crunch, and the tart pops of pomegranate seeds were excellent surprises. The ostrich was cooked a perfect medium rare.

Course #5 didn’t disappoint, featuring a Pan Roasted Ostrich Filet with Curried NC Sweet Potato and Carrot Puree, Slab Bacon, Crispy Potato Strings and Red Wine Reduction. My tablemates and I searched for (and couldn’t find) any bacon, but instead found two dollops of Bleu Cheese. The Potato Strings were a nice crunch, and the puree would be perfect for autumn, though the curry notes were notably missing.

At this point, I was getting tired of such gamey dishes. I was truly hoping Chef Bobby would attempt a dessert, but I wanted it to be GOOD. He must have read my mind, as I was presented with a Devil’s Food Cake topped with a Milk Chocolate Chantilly, with Cast Iron Cocoa Ostrich Carpaccio alongside thin Strawberry slices. A Strawberry Consommé was a nice base, and it was difficult to distinguish between the strawberries and the ostrich, since they have such similar textures. The mint did a nice job disguising the gamey flavor. Not being a chocolate person, this was the best Devil’s Food Cake I’ve ever had, moister than any I can remember, and the Chantilly Cream was a nice replacement to a heavy frosting.

It was pretty clear Noble’s had it in the bag when it was announced who completed each dish. Fire in the Triad runs through June 26, and I’m game (ha) for anyone who wants to go try it out. Tickets are $59, but you definitely get your money’s worth. Fellow adventurous eaters – here’s your chance to play Iron Chef.

The Great Gatsby

Starring: Leonardo DiCaprio, Carey Mulligan, Tobey Maguire, Joel Edgerton
Director: Baz Luhrmann
Running Time: 2 hours, 23 minutes
Rating: PG-13

I had been itching to see this film since it got pushed back from its Winter 2012 release date. The day finally arrived. This is quintessential Baz Luhrmann, for fans of “Moulin Rouge” and “Romeo + Juliet,” like myself, and my friends out there who get weak in the knees for Leo, you will not be disappointed. The 1974 production and Baz's take are quite different, and I prefer Luhrmann’s film. It’s visually stunning with thoughtful casting (for the most part), and the costumes, cars and hairstyles transport you back to the roaring ‘20s.

We spend a lot of time with Tobey Maguire as our trustworthy narrator Nick Carraway. (“Brothers” totally changed my opinion of Maguire – rent it as SOON as you finish reading this if you haven’t seen it.) Nick’s narration takes a new route: we hear the story as a flashback while Nick is in a rehabilitation clinic. And the tale begins.

This is how we want to see Leo – not in "J. Edgar" or "DjangoUnchained" (though he nailed both roles). Sadly, though, this is the second Baz Luhmann film that Leo dies at the end of. I found him more believable as the tortured Gatsby than Robert Redford in the original film. We don’t trust Gatsby, though we are easily mesmerized by him.

Photo courtesy of Cineplex

Carey Mulligan easily transforms into Daisy, and is thankfully not nearly as manic as Mia Farrow’s interpretation of the character. Joel Edgerton plays her brute of a husband, Tom, and is much harder than 1974’s Bruce Dern. I had a problem finding any sympathy for him, even at the end when he begs her to remember a time when she loved him. This is due in part to the fact that Luhrmann omitted a crucial monologue delivered by Tom’s mistress, Myrtle. In the 1974 film, we get a peek into Tom and Myrtle’s illicit affair, and she describes how they met, and how much she cares for him. I missed that here. As Myrtle, Isla Fisher was fine, but didn’t make a huge impact.

My heart melted a few times, once in particular when a little miniature schnauzer popped onscreen. (RIP my little schnauzer, Gretchen Peedwix Clark!) We also don’t see Daisy and Tom’s daughter until the final scene, while she had a bit of a larger role in the original film.

I love Flux Pavillion and the like (a little more than I want to admit), but I didn’t enjoy the hip-hop and dubstep "score" like I was hoping. My movie companion said she enjoyed it more than she was expecting. A tisket, a tasket. The party scenes are SO Baz – the close-ups on the musicians and alternating between fast and slow-motion shots echo “Moulin Rouge” and “R+J.”

The film has fallen victim to mixed reviews, but I loved it because I love Baz, Leo, Tobey and Carey. For those of you who don’t enjoy stylized films and who don’t think a classic book should be translated to the screen (and into a stylized film nonetheless) will have problems with it. Give it a chance though – you won’t get bored. Luhrmann and co. “repeat the past” pretty well here.

Milner's

I have fond memories of hanging out at what used to be Rock-Ola Café Winston-Salem in high school. Cast parties, first dates, birthdays – it crushed my heart when the restaurant closed its doors. Milner’s now occupies the space, with a swankier atmosphere, gorgeous hardwood floors and a spacious bar. John Milner, a personal friend, and his brother are challenging Southern cuisine meccas like Charleston and Savannah, with outstanding quality food and reasonable prices.

Though we dined on one of the warmest days we’ve had this year, the restaurant seemed a bit air conditioner-happy. A request to turn down the air volume was thankfully met. Mojitos are refreshing, a delicious combination of mint, simple syrup, rum and lime. I feel a true test to a restaurant is how well they prepare a mojito. Flavorful potato bread is presented with whipped butter, and replenished as often as you like, which was pretty often. This is an excellent alternative to white bread.

As a self-proclaimed Pimento Cheese aficionado, I was eager to try the Dip Trio, consisting of three Pimento Cheese varieties: Traditional Baked, Sausage and Goat Cheese, and Roasted Garlic Blue Cheese, served with house made tortilla chips. I would have eaten the Baked Pimento Cheese with a spoon – cheesy, salty, rich – this is everything you could possibly want in a pimento cheese. The Sausage and Goat Cheese and Roasted Garlic Blue Cheese are tied for second place – you can’t go wrong with any of these. Especially when you run out of crackers and use the potato bread as a dipper. Yowza.

North Carolina Mountain Trout is served skin-on with Cinnamon Apples and Salted Candy Pecans, doused in a Parsley Brown Butter Sauce, accented with lemon zest. This is one of the best sauces I’ve ever consumed. The richness of the brown butter paired with the acidity of the apples produces a pleasantly bitter vinegar-like flavor, yet remains light and sweet due to the notes of cinnamon and lemon. A Parmesan Grit Cake and Haricot Verts are fine as sides, but the fish and sauce are the reason to order this dish.

Grilled Mahi Mahi is cut thick, with gorgeous grill marks and char flavor, topped with a tangy Roasted Tomato-Herb Relish, and drizzled with Beurre Blanc, served alongside a Boursin-Chive Potato Cake and Sautéed Spinach. The Potato Cake takes the “cake,” if you will, when up against the Parmesan Grit Cake. Sauces are Milner’s thing – the combination of flavors is spot-on.

Angus Filet Mignon and Crab Cake “Benedict” is a delicious play on breakfast, served with that delicious Potato Cake and Asparagus, topped with a Poached Egg with Demi-Glace and Béarnaise. The tender filet is covered with the beautiful yolk, making for an indulgent dish. Butt and Belly features Eastern Carolina-Style Pulled Pork and Pork Butt, Baked Macaroni and Cheese, Collard Greens, with a Smoked Jalapeño Peach Chutney and Green Tomato Chow Chow. I could have used a bit more vinegar in the pulled pork, but I tend to prefer more vinegar than most people. This is quintessential Southern cuisine.

Dining at Milner’s makes for a fabulous evening. It rivals your grandmother’s kitchen. No doubt the Milners' new joint, Brothers Restaurant, will do wonders when it opens in Clemmons. I don’t miss Rock-Ola too much anymore.

Afternoon Tea at the O.Henry Hotel

I’ve felt truly posh on just a few occasions in my life. Clinking champagne flutes (albeit plastic ones) during the intermission of “Swan Lake” at the Met, and taking a riverboat cruise down the River Thames are two that stand out, but now I can feel like a cast member of Downton Abbey any day of the week from 2-5pm at the O. Henry Hotel. My friends have been encouraging me to try this since I arrived in Greensboro last summer, and they were right: Afternoon Tea is one of the best ways to spend your day, and it’s a wonderful excuse to wear that dress or those cufflinks you’ve been saving.

My tea party partner and I chose the Wedding White Tea, with notes of lemon and vanilla. A delicate tea kettle arrived, and we each got about 4 cups in our petite mugs. Dishes with lemon wedges, brown sugar cubes and cream are wonderful compliments, but my American palate didn't find any additions necessary. There are several nibble options, but the O.Henry Tea Selection gives you the best bang for your buck, and a little taste of everything you could ever want at a tea party. My absolute favorite was the Vanilla Scone, served warm with Clotted Cream and Lemon Curd. Absolutely scrumptious. This beats the one time I had "real" tea and scones in London.

Savory items don’t disappoint. Cucumber Sandwich with Dill Cream Cheese on White Bread is light and enjoyable, for someone who doesn't consider herself a "sandwich person." The Rosemary and Cheddar Madeleine is perfectly salty, and could have been larger for my sake. Other savory options include a Truffled Mushroom Quiche, which I enjoyed at brunch a few months ago, a Ham and Brie Croissant with Fig Mayonnaise and a Spicy Cheddar Wafer.

The tray of sweets was a dream come true. Lemon Squares are tart, and fill a buttery shortbread crust that’s so good, in fact, that you're also served a separate wedge of it. Slightly salty and rich – this is proof that simple, good ingredients can create perfection. Yellow cake is dipped in chocolate and rolled in coconut - reminiscent of, but better than what your mom used to pack in your school lunchbox. The sweet that takes the cake, if you will, is – drumroll, please – the Strawberry Almond Macaron filled with a luscious buttercream frosting. The meringue cookie had notes of Marzipan, which added to the chewy and slight nuttiness of the treat. I would eat these every day.

Upon leaving, we were offered a fresh to-go cup, each with our own teabag. I’m telling you, this is royal treatment. Get your pinkies up and head to the O.Henry for tea. They even offer a split of Prosecco for an additional $8. It doesn’t get any better than this.

Stoker

Starring: Nicole Kidman, Mia Wasikowska, Matthew Goode, Dermot Mulroney, Jacki Weaver
Director: Chan-wook Park
Running Time: 1 hour, 39 minutes
Rating: R

Christian Bale set the bar high for smoking hot psychopaths in “American Psycho,” and Matthew Goode almost reaches it in Chan-wook Park’s English-language film debut “Stoker.” This sexy cat and mouse game quickly turns into a thriller, though your imagination gives you almost a better story before we find out this twisted family’s dark secret. Mia Wasikowska is one-noted and difficult to read as India, a troubled teen whose father has just died. However, Mia’s roles don’t usually disappoint. Nicole Kidman is ice cold as India’s mother Evie. Nicole, I love you, but please lay off the Botox.

Wentworth Miller of "Prison Break's" first screenplay has nothing to do with Bram Stoker or “Dracula.” Unless you consider the dysfunctional and disturbed family that lives in a Gothic mansion, and the pale protagonist with jet black hair. The introduction is inventive – credits are knocked over by tennis balls and wisp away with the wind. The film is saturated with beautiful and startling imagery, like hair turning into long blades of grass. Not only is it visually stunning, the story keeps you on your toes.

We meet India on the day of her father’s funeral. We have to wonder if his death caused her depression, or if she was always a bit dark. Probably the latter. Her Uncle Charlie moves in and seduces Evie, who is not a good mother, though we should consider the distant daughter she had to deal with. There are layers of emotion in Evie’s scenes with India, and a few times, the film is taken to a whole new level of disturbing.

Family bonds are tested in flashbacks with Dermot Mulroney as India’s father, and Jacki Weaver as India’s Great Aunt. As Uncle Charlie, Matthew Goode lures you in, though we immediately know something is off. The ending is ambiguous – we’re left wanting closure and an explanation; instead, it just leaves you with a furrowed brow and several questions.

The monumental house, drab costumes and eerie music give you a weird feeling in your stomach the entire time. Ending credits roll in reverse, representative of the backwardness of the movie. Wentworth Miller has come a long way since Prison Break. He has definitely tapped into a new calling. Go see this if you’re into dark films, but you might be a bit creeped out if you watch it alone.