Chipotle Night!

Courtesy of The Roanoke Times

Chipotle night is over but a great time was had by all! The weather ended up being great for camping out, our tents were relatively easy to set up, there were plenty of snacks and games, and we had visitors stop by all night. The time went by surprisingly quick and I think all of us really enjoyed it. There were games of cornhole, ladder ball, frisbee golf; snacks of pretzel M&M's, Chick-Fil-A, Late Night Cheeseburger Doritos, and Starbucks; a seven week old chocolate lab puppy that came by for a visit; even reporters from WBDJ7, WSLS, and The Roanoke Times came out to talk to us! For the record, the reporter from WSLS did a great job and really seemed to know what he was doing - and he's one of the few people that managed to correctly pronounce the name of the restaurant. It's funny how so many people claim to be "THE BIGGEST FANS" but can't even say the name of the place. It's Chipotle! Not Chipolte! Only six of us ended up spending the night, but it was exactly what I was hoping for when I first thought about camping out for the opening. A big shout out to Nicole, Brent, Mom, Hunter, & Parker for joining me in this crazy adventure and staying the night!

Hanging out on Monday night and Tuesday morning was a lot of fun, and we were excited once Chipotle actually opened. A line started to form while we were taking our tents down and cleaning up, but we still managed to keep our spots at the front of the line (pretty sure we earned that even though some people appeared to be trying to cut in front of us). The general manager came out and announced they were opening five minutes early because everyone was so excited, so we ordered our first burritos at 10:55am! I had a burrito with carnitas (pork), black beans, rice, pico de gallo, corn salsa, lettuce, & cheese. Delicious! After finishing my massive burrito, I rushed over to the Roanoke YMCA (that place is awesome) to take a shower and then headed over to work at the Roanoke Visitor's Center. In all, it was a great day and experience and something I'll never forget. Here are the links from the news coverage:

Chipotle opens in Roanoke - WDBJ7
Mini-fiesta greets opening of Roanoke Chipotle - The Roanoke Times

The Welcome Committee

When I came back to Roanoke a few months ago, I was stunned when I saw the signs for a Chipotle that was under construction. They are taking over the old Hollywood Video store at Towers Mall on Colonial Avenue and they are scheduled to open on Tuesday, June 7. Ironically, I wasn't a big fan of Chipotle after my first visit because I thought the food was too spicy (some of the spice on their meat is no joke). Now, I think I've tried everything on the menu, figured out the milder items, and it has become one of my favorite places to eat.

In what has become a growing industry of tex-mex/fast food burrito companies, I think Chipotle is the gold standard. It's comparable to Moe's, QDoba, Barberitos, Willy's, & other chains, but Chipotle focuses primarily on burritos and tacos - that's it. Everything is cooked fresh and they talk about how they teach their employees how to cook, not just press buttons and make cookie cutter recipes. The company is also founded on principles of finding fresh ingredients that taste great and aren't harmful to the environment. They do everything they can to serve organic and hormone free ingredients while keeping prices as low as possible. I think it's a great formula: quality ingredients that are freshly prepared by people that know how to cook for a reasonable price (~$7). The chain has exploded over the past few years and new locations are popping up all over the country, including Roanoke!

When I drove by the new location a few weeks ago, the thought crossed my mind of camping out for the grand opening. I know people who've participated in Chick-Fil-A grand openings to receive free food for a year, but I didn't know if it would be something that would work with Chipotle - especially without the promise of any free food. I told some family and friends about the idea and people seemed interested, so I decided to see what store management thought. I told the manager about my idea and the interest of others and he was extremely excited about it and encouraged me to get as many people as possible and throw a party. So....that's what we're going to do!

Camping out at the Blacksburg location.

We are camping out in front of Chipotle on Monday night for their grand opening on Tuesday, June 7. The store is scheduled to open at 11am and there is supposed to be a ribbon cutting ceremony beforehand and we'll be there for the celebration; not to mention, first in line for some burritos! The weather is supposed to be great and we've had some great response on Facebook from people who are interested in coming. We've also invited the newspaper, local tv stations, and radio stations in the hopes that they'll come out. We are excited about welcoming Chipotle into the Roanoke community and excited about being able to eat there ALL THE TIME!

And I'm quite certain of what my first order will be: Carnitas Burrito with Rice, Black Beans, Cheese, Lettuce, Pico de Gallo, & Corn Salsa. I can't wait!

Best Thing I Ever Ate: Strawberry Shortcake

I have had many strawberry shortcakes in my life. It's a rather popular southern dessert, a dish you see at picnic/potluck meals, and something that most people like - which makes it a dessert that is frequently made or served at restaurants. I wouldn't consider myself a strawberry shortcake connoisseur, but I have tried many different varieties in many different places - some good and some bad. I've had any number of combinations between store bought angel food cake cups, homemade angel food cakes, white cake mix, homemade shortcake, fresh strawberries, prepackaged sweetened strawberries, strawberries in sugary syrup, vanilla ice cream, fresh whipped cream, canned whipped cream, cool whip, and any other ingredient that seems like it would fit. I've sampled strawberry shortcake at church lunches, the famous Beaches & Cream Soda Shop at Walt Disney World, The Cheesecake Factory, and many other places, but I'm pretty sure I've found the best one...the version my wife makes.

Cheesecake Factory Strawberry Shortcake

Since we've been married, my wife has become a very good baker. She practices making all sorts of things - cookies, cakes, breads, cupcakes, muffins, and she appears to have mastered strawberry shortcake. She is always looking at different blogs and websites for recipe ideas and found this version of strawberry shortcake from a site called Vintage Victuals, which is full of awesome and creative recipes. Nicole has made the strawberry shortcake numerous times for different people and everyone loves it, including me. It's a simple list of ingredients and simple to make, but I don't think you can beat the flavors. Put together an amazing shortcake biscuit, fresh strawberries that macerate in sugar, vanilla ice cream, & whipped cream and you have an outstanding dessert, especially when you get the biscuit hot out of the oven. We had it as our dessert for Memorial Day and it was a big hit, even though the Bisquick was a little old. Nicole made another batch the next day with fresh Bisquick and everyone was extremely impressed.

The ingredients list is pretty small and consists of things we normally have sitting around the house:
 -Strawberries

Nicole's Strawberry Shortcake

 -Sugar
 -Bisquick
 -Milk
 -Butter
 -Vanilla Ice Cream & Whipped Cream

Here's the link for the rest of the recipe: strawberry shortcake and I encourage you to check out the other things on the site. Major props to Ellie at Vintage Victuals and to Nicole for making the best strawberry shortcake I've ever had.

Family Style Cooking

Apparently, I had family in downtown Roanoke and didn't even realize it. Thelma's Chicken & Waffles is welcoming people into their family and they have a new home in the downtown area on Market Street. Over the past few weeks, I had heard nothing but good things about Thelma's but I still hadn't been able to try it. I had also heard about chicken & waffles on many different occasions and had seen it in different restaurants, and I was excited to see that Thelma's serves an option of chicken fingers & waffles, instead of just chicken wings & waffles.

When we went for dinner on Friday night, we didn't have to wait at all to be seated. I hope Thelma's has a strong lunch crowd because the empty tables for dinner on a Friday night can't be good for business. As we walked in to the restaurant, there were two ladies standing at the door to welcome us and they also said, "welcome to the family." We were told the same thing by our waitress, and we were treated like family through the entire meal. It felt like the staff at Thelma's were cooking food in the kitchen and they were excited to be able to share it with their guests - a feeling I rarely receive at restaurants. They also make sure you are taken care of through the meal, joke around with you, and do everything they can to provide a friendly and welcoming atmosphere.

As for the food...I LOVED it! We ordered the Richie Rich Chili Mac & Cheese as an appetizer for the table and everyone was a big fan. Nothing fancy about it - elbow macaroni, chili, and cheese - but it was delicious. After that, I was excited to dive into my entree - chicken tenders, belgian waffle, & fried potatoes. There were three decent sized chicken tenders that reminded me of Zaxby's and a thick belgian waffle with some butter melting in the middle, along with a side dish of fried potatoes. The potatoes were very good but the chicken and waffle were the stars. I spread the butter around and poured some syrup over my waffle, then cut a piece of waffle and a piece of chicken and put them together in one meaty, syrupy, buttery bite. MONEY! The waffle even had cinnamon mixed into the batter which added another layer and flavor to the palate. It's a wonderful combination of flavor and texture that everyone should try. I finished everything on my plate and enjoyed every bite of it and wondered what had taken me so long to get to Thelma's. Everyone else enjoyed their food and I also tried Nicole's cornbread, which was delicious. It was more like cake than bread, but that's the way I like it. I also washed everything down with a few glasses of sweet tea, which couldn't have been more appropriate.

Thelma's is the sort of restaurant I love. Great staff that make you feel welcome. Simple menu with great comfort food that isn't overly complicated. Cool location and atmosphere. Great value/prices for the food you get - it costs around $7-$10 per person.  And an experience that makes you want to return. I loved everything about it and can't wait to go back. Thelma's, thank you for welcoming me into the family - I'll come around more often.

Rinse. Repeat.

Break out the old game tape, the NBA will have a rematch of the 2006 NBA Finals. The Dallas Mavericks and Miami Heat both finished their conference finals series in five games and both teams have clearly played the best basketball in their conferences over the first three rounds of the playoffs. The Mavericks defeated the Portland TrailBlazers (a team I thought would pull the upset) in the first round, destroyed the Los Angeles Lakers in the second round, and flexed their muscles against the Oklahoma City Thunder to win the Western Conference. The Heat have handled the pressure and expectations through their first three rounds against the Philadelphia Sixers, Boston Celtics, & Chicago Bulls and they seem to be putting it all together at the right time.

2006 was all D-Wade.

When these two teams met five years ago, things were quite different. The Mavericks had the young head coach (Avery Johnson) and Miami had the well-known veteran (Pat Riley). Dallas had a quick, explosive, young point guard in Devin Harris. And Dwyane Wade put the Heat on his back and carried them to a championship while averaging 35 ppg and earning the Finals MVP award. However, it's interesting to look back and see the similarities between 2006 and 2011. In 2006, the Heat were the 2 seed in the Eastern Conference and defeated the top seeded Detroit Pistons to reach the finals, another team that was built on defense and had the best regular season record, similar to this year's Chicago Bulls. The Mavericks entered the playoffs with a good record, but were not considered to be the class of the Western Conference and didn't carry the expectations they've had in other years, similar to this year's Dallas team. And both teams will create interesting match-up problems for each other, similar to 2006. Who guards Dirk Nowitzki? Who prevents LeBron from getting into the lane at will? Who does Jason Kidd guard? Will Miami be able to counter Dallas' depth off the bench? Will it even matter? There are so many questions that will be discussed over the next few days, and that's part of the fun in the build up to the NBA Finals.

Will Jason Kidd be the difference?

When I look at this series on paper, I think the Heat will win - but I'm not confident enough to put money on it. The Mavs are playing great right now, and Dirk Nowitzki might be playing better than anyone. I know the Heat just shut down Derrick Rose, but he was also inconsistent in the two rounds leading up to playing against Miami. I think Tyson Chandler can present problems for Chris Bosh he hasn't had to face yet, and I like what Dallas brings with their second unit. Even though they'd have to close out on the road, I like Dallas' chances a lot more if this series goes six or seven games. Still, I think the Heat are the better defensive team and I think they'll be able to keep the Mavericks from getting many open looks. I also think the Heat are the type of team you look for when filling out your bracket for the NCAA Tournament every year - the team that may not have played the best over the entire season, but they appear to be peaking at the right time and playing their best when it matters most.

And because we still have 4 days until this series actually starts, there will be a ridiculous amount of coverage and discussion about the same topics. Here are some things I'm sure everyone will be sick of hearing, if they aren't already:
  - The "I'm taking my talents to South Beach" quote by LeBron James
  - What would winning a title do for LeBron's legacy/image?
  - Is Dirk one of the best players never to win a championship?
  - Is this season a failure for the Heat if they don't win the title?
  - Can the Heat handle the pressure and expectations of the NBA Finals?

Jalen Rose - ESPN's NBA Idiot

Here's my last thing about the Heat and the way they are talked about in the media - MAKE UP YOUR MIND! One day, Miami can't handle the pressure, expectations, hatred, can't finish, & "championship or bust" mentality they have experienced throughout the season. The next day - the story is that the Heat have magically handled the pressure, tuned out all the distractions, their coach has done a masterful job, LeBron will be the best ever, this team will get better and better, and let's give them every championship for the next five years. Their goal at the beginning of the season was the same as every other team - to win the NBA championship. Now, they are four games away from meeting that goal. How about we wait to evaluate their season once it's actually finished? Oh wait, that doesn't help ratings and doesn't give our former NBA player now turned useless analyst something to talk about. Nevermind.

My "Teams"



J.J. Redick likes the Magic as much as I do.

As much as I enjoy following professional sports, I'm really not a die hard fan. I'll watch games, read recaps, look up stats, & follow front office decisions, but not for just "my team." I have always been a sort of sports statistical/trivia freak (it's more pathetic than cool) and I enjoy learning as much about different players and teams and leagues as I can. I'm much more passionate and loyal in college sports, following Duke basketball and Georgia football and baseball very closely, but I don't really have strong professional allegiances. In the MLB & NFL, there are certain players and teams I enjoy watching, but I don't really have a strong rooting interest in any of the games. In the NBA, I want guys that went to school at Duke to succeed and I usually pull for their teams. However, when I was younger, I was much more loyal to two specific teams.

Growing up in Roanoke, Virginia, there wasn't a local pro team to follow - in any sport. We had minor league baseball and hockey teams, but they constantly changed affiliates and no one really cared unless you went to a game. The closest teams to the area were the teams in Washington, D.C. (Redskins, Bullets/Wizards, later Nationals) & Charlotte (Hornets & Panthers). We never went to any game in Washington and my dad and I would occasionally go to Hornets games, but we weren't big fans. Instead, I became a fan of the two teams I could watch on TV all the time, the Chicago Bulls and Atlanta Braves. As part of our satellite package, WGN (the Chicago station) was one of our channels, and we were able to see almost every Bulls game. And because the Braves were owned by Ted Turner, we watched nearly all of their games that were shown on TBS.

Johnny "Red" Kerr

It didn't hurt that I grew up in the Golden Era of Bulls basketball and Braves baseball. The Bulls teams of the early/mid-90's are some of the greatest in the history of the game and the Braves were dominating the National League and regularly playing in the World Series. I knew everything about the starting five for the Bulls and their second unit, and I could roll through the Braves lineup and give you the starting rotation - important priorities for a 7 year old. As I look back on it, it's funny to me that those were my teams, even though I had never seen either of them play in person.

"BRAVES WIN!"

I watched the two teams religiously on what were essentially their home tv networks and had strong loyalty. I grew up listening to Johnny "Red" Kerr announce Bulls games and Skip Caray cover the Braves. I have memories of Michael Jordan chalking his hands in front of Red Kerr before tip-off and Kerr yelling "MICHAEL" when Jordan would hit another back-breaking shot during those dominant seasons. I have memories of Skip Caray calling the masterpiece pitching performances of Maddux, Smoltz, & Glavine and announcing "BRAVES WIN! BRAVES WIN!" when Sid Bream slid safely into home to put the Braves into the World Series in 1992. Those are the sports memories I grew up on and part of what made me so passionate about sports. Those two announcers brought sports to life for me and made me feel like I was part of the game. Both have passed away in the last couple years, and sports broadcasting isn't the same without them. They were two of the greats and they were the two primary sports voices of my childhood.

 

I still hate the Knicks.



Even though I'd no longer consider myself a huge fan, I still want the Bulls & the Braves to do well. I was fortunate to be able to attend a number of Braves games while going to school in Athens, and the Bulls have a couple former Duke players, Luol Deng & Carlos Boozer, who are both doing well. The hatred I used to have for the New York Knicks, Detroit Pistons, Boston Celtics, Philadelphia Phillies, New York Mets, & Los Angeles Dodgers still lingers from the 90's and I hardly ever pull against the Braves or Bulls. I'm not nearly as passionate as I used to be, but those were the teams I grew up with - and, in a way, I guess they'll always be "my teams." 

Nawab

Two years ago, I wouldn't have even considered eating at a restaurant that served indian food. I didn't like the smell of most indian food and figured everything would be spicy and bizarre, and I had no interest in trying it. I also thought they used different kinds of meat, which scared me off. Fortunately, the past two years have exposed me to cultures and food from around the world, and I've been able to expand my tastes and become more adventurous. When it comes to indian cuisine, I've learned about the different types of curry, the incredible variety of spices and seasonings they use, the unique cooking style with many of their dishes, their varying levels of spicy-ness, and the creative dishes and combinations they put together. We had excellent indian food during our time in South Africa, so we decided we'd have to check out Nawab once we came back to Roanoke.

Nawab is located in downtown Roanoke on Campbell Avenue and it has been there for a number of years. I had previously heard good things, but I was too afraid to try it - until yesterday! I went to lunch with Nicole and my dad and I was very impressed. They have a regular menu, but they also serve a lunch buffet with a variety of dishes, which is what the three of us had.

Tandoori Chicken

The buffet isn't huge, but I felt like there was plenty to chose from - especially for the very reasonable price of $7.95. They offered two kinds of basmati rice, chicken curry, roasted tandoori chicken with peppers & onions, tandoori chicken with a creamy tomato sauce, korma curry, and a variety of vegetables that were prepared in different ways. There was a small salad bar, which also had fruit, chocolate mousse, & rice pudding. AND - they bring you a basket of garlic naan! I'm sure there are more appropriate names and descriptions of the food, but I'm not an expert and didn't really study the descriptions of the dishes. I was a huge fan of the curry and the two tandoori dishes. The curry and the tandoori with the cream sauce went great on top of the rice and the roasted chicken had a great skin and tasted like a really good rotisserie chicken. The garlic naan was delicious as well - and I particularly liked it with the tzatziki-like sauce (which was much better than the ranch dressing I accidentally got). I wasn't too fond of some of the vegetables (particularly the fried broccoli) or the rice pudding, but the chocolate mousse and orange slices served as a nice ending.

The service was very good and the atmosphere is cool. It's not the tacky Bollywood look that some Indian places have and there is plenty of space to handle busy crowds. As always with downtown restaurants, parking is a bit of an issue, but this is a good change of pace from many downtown Roanoke spots. And while I used to be a skeptic, I’ve now converted. The buffet at Nawab was worth a try and I look forward to going back to try dinner.