#FoodieFriday | Family Dining at FIREBIRDS Wood Fired Grill #NorthHills @FirebirdsGrill #Raleigh

November 9, 2018SobeSavvy 10 Comments

Happy Friday! Time for another drool-worthy Foodie Friday Feature. This time I am highlighting Firebirds Wood Fired Grill. Have you ever been? We have three locations here in the Triangle [Durham/Southpoint Mall, Morrisville and Raleigh/North Hills]. I had gone before to enjoy their Happy Hour but I did not know about their amazing Kids Menu! I learned more about the restaurant at the North Hills Block Party event and was interested in dining there with my family. We went there for lunch on Sunday prior to seeing The Nutcracker and The Four Realms and had an enjoyable experience. From the great service to the tastiness of the food and the welcoming atmosphere, I would definitely recommend dining at Firebirds!

Drinks/Appetizer

With a full bar featuring an extensive wine list and creative cocktails, there are so many beverage choices to choose from. Our waiter kindly suggested we try a few of their non-alcoholic craft beverages. I am so glad he did because the Strawberry Basil Cooler and Wild Berry Ginger Craft Soda were both refreshing.

Firebirds partners with an organization called “Alex’s Lemondade Stand“. They contribute a portion of every lemonade sale to this pediatric cancer foundation. So naturally we ordered a lemonade for our daughter!

We had the Lobster Spinach Queso as a shareable appetizer. Chunks of lobster and fresh spinach in delicious high quality queso cheese with bell peppers. Tri-colored tortilla chips came with it. Simply one of the best quesos I have ever had! Three words of advice: ORDER.THIS.APPETIZER.

Recommended: Lobster Spinach Queso

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Kids Menu

I was very happy to see that the food offered to little ones are from a KidsLiveWell approved menu. Not many restaurants have this healthy recognition for most of the items on their kids menu, so I am pleased to see this and spread the word to other parents!

The Kids Live Well program verifies that certain kids dishes meets or exceed child nutritional standards. They have 5 entrees and 3 sides that meet this standard. Their kids menu has everything from shrimp tacos and wood grilled mahi to ribs. My daughter wanted the ribs. They came fall- off -the -bone tender with a honey barbeque sauce. She chose fresh fruit and brocolli for healthy sides. Fries came out in error so it was a bonus side for her.

Speaking of bonus, the Kids Menu itself is a mini activity book unlike anothet focusing on important values and interviews from Kid Heros. For more Kids Fun Visit FIREBIRDSKIDS.COM

Entreés

If I had to describe their entrees with one word it would be delicious. Firebirds offers so many yummy options on their menu and what we each ordered was tasty, flavorful, and satisfying!

My husband went with their Filet Mignon which was cooked to a perfect medium at his request. It came tender with a side of mashed potatoes and port mushrooms. Every steak they serve is aged a minimum of 21 days.Top quality and great taste.

Recommended: Filet Mignon is a staple on the menu. Their kitchen is a scratch kitchen and all of their steaks and seafood are hand-cut in house.

I went with the wood grilled salmon. It was basted with key lime butter and veggies. At my waiter’s suggestion, I got it chile rubbed style. In fact he advised that you can request anything on the menu to be chile rubbed. I added a skewer of shrimp and a side of Southwest Au Gratin Potatoes. We all enjoyed the gooey baked goodness of that side dish!

Dessert

Four Words.: SAVE.ROOM.FOR.DESSERT ! Firebirds offers an array of terrific desserts like Warm Chocolate Brownies, Key Lime Pie, Chocolate Cake and a White Chocolate Mousse. But me and my sweet tooth are here to testify that their Creme Brulee Cheesecake will knock your socks off ! Such a fantasic sweet ending to a fantastic meal!

Recommended: Crème Brulee Cheesecake

SobeSavvy Tip: Firebirds offers dishes featuring ingredients for that season. The next seasonal feature is not until their Winter Features which will launch on November 28^th. Be sure to mark your calenders and make reservations [on OpenTable] today! Plus, join the Firebirds Inner Circle for updates. Check out more from Firebirds on their website.

Also Firebirds is honoring our Veterans on Monday with this awesome deal⤵️

Firebirds is an excellent choice for a date night, meeting with friends, celebrating a special occassion or simply dining with family in a nice casual setting. Adults and kids can find alot to love about Firebirds. I know we enjoyed everything about our meal and look forward to dining here again!

Thank you to Firebirds for hosting SobeSavvy.com at your Raleigh North Hills location for Lunch. My opinions of the dining experience are 100% my own!

FIREBIRDS Wood Fired Grill

North Hills

4350 Lassiter At NORTH HILLS Ave. Ste 118, Raleigh,NC 27609

919.788.8778

Raleigh.FirebirdsRestaurants.com

#FoodieFriday spotlight on @KamadoGrille ‘s New #HappyHour in #Raleigh ! #Cocktails #Appetizers

May 27, 2016SobeSavvy Leave a comment

Clay vessels have been used by humans to cook food for many thousands of years. Clay cooking pots have been found in every part of the world and some of the earliest dated by Archaeologists to be over 3000 years old have been found in China. It is believed that in these circular clay cooking vessels are the origins of the modern Kamado albeit the clay finally being superseded by ceramic materials

Now that the history lesson is over, I can tell you where you can go dine by food prepared using the above ancient method. That place is Kamado Grille in North Raleigh.

They already have a devout following for their dinner scene but now they want to do the same for their new Happy Hour.

Between the hours of 4-6pm, Monday thru Thursday, you can get specially priced drinks and half-off mouth watering appetizers. My family and I went there on Tuesday to enjoy their signature Backyard Cocktails, their great food, and their lawn games that sit out front of the restaurant. Since it was a gorgeous late afternoon we opted to sit at one of their attractive patio tables.

We started with two cocktails from their backyard cocktails menu. A Spiked Blueberry Lemonade and a Dirty Shirley( think Shirley Temple but the adult version). On such a warm afternoon they both were cold and refreshing.
*complete list of backyard cocktails as seen on their electronic menu

A Sips & Selfie moment =)

The appetizers menu offers a delicious variety of tasty options. Oysters Kamadofeller were first up. 4 Oysters on the half shell topped with Andouille Sausage and Spinach cream sauce. AWESOME !!

My little one (did I mention Kamado Grille is family friendly?!) was getting restless so we played a few rounds of bean bag throw on their lawn before our second appetizer arrived.

Grilled Shrimp Scampi arrived and promptly disappeared ! The garlic foccacia bread that accompanied it was mouth watering as well.

Tip: Order the Crab Cakes and Lamb Chops(which come with cheese grits) together, both offered on the appetizers menu, and have yourself a surf & turf meal at deal. The portion size is great and the taste even greater! All for 50% off during happy hour.

It was time for another backyard game (this time table tennis ) and a cocktail break. I ordered the KG Spiked Palmer at the suggestion of our server, who advised it was his favorite out of all the cocktails. It became my personal fave as well and I think helped me win the game !

We worked up a bit of an appetite after playing these games and ordered two entrees: Ribs {Which are slow cooked for 18 hrs} & Miso Salmon.

Needless to say this duo left us full and satisfied. No room for dessert, but plenty of memories of our early evening of foodie fun!

Sip,Sip Hooray …
Cheers to Kamado Grille, their new Happy Hour and always delicious food !
https://www.instagram.com/p/BF66kZJCXJP/

#TastyThursday : #Breakfast +Beach=Bliss! #PrestonsMarket #LoewsMiami @Loews_Hotels

April 21, 2016SobeSavvy Leave a comment

Last Saturday, after my wonderful morning at Exhale spa, I decided to dine at Loews Hotels Miami Beach because of convenience of location (right next door, same property) and to check out their brand new terrace while eating real ‘good for you’ food for breakfast.

What do I mean by real good for you? On the menu there are plenty of healthy options to choose from such as fresh cold pressed juices, gluten free dishes, and quality organic food . Our waitress assured us that “nothing is fake, everything is real, including her.” Ha!

Although the dining area was beautiful, my guest and I were happy to sit on the covered terrace with a view of the pool, and ocean. After being offered morning beverages such as coffee and freshly squeezed Florida orange juice, we headed inside to feast our eyes on the breakfast buffet. Almost all of my favorite morning indulgences were featured on the spread. Even a special little buffet for children was available because “Loews Loves Kids“.

While the buffet choices looked amazing and the made to order omelet station seemed to be calling my name, I did not indulge (but my guest did and she enjoyed the variety of options and the quality of food on the buffet). I opted to get an egg benedict dish because Saturday April 16 was National Eggs Benedict Day ! Preston’s Market offers a unique twist on a traditional Eggs Benedict called the Market Eggs Benedict. Its served on country bread toast, made with organic eggs, avocado, braised short ribs, and mustard hollandaise.

We had great service, a terrific view, delicious food and quality time. I left with my stomach full and my heart happy! If you are planning a visit to South Beach or live in South Florida and planning a Staycation, Book Now thru 7/10/16 for the Rise & Dine Special! To take advantage of Loews Best Rate and daily complimentary breakfast buffet for two, enter promo code LBRDIR when booking.
Now that’s SobeSavvy!

Enjoy #SundayBrunch with A View @WitandWisdomTavern @FSBaltimore #WitontheWater

April 5, 2016SobeSavvy Leave a comment

Baltimore has indeed become a hot spot for food lovers everywhere. That’s why we decided to visit one of the waterfront restaurants during a recent trip to Charm City. I’ve heard great things about Wit & Wisdom, A Tavern by Michael Mina and made reservations for their lavish Sunday Brunch Buffet.

Located in the hip Harbor East neighborhood inside of Four Seasons Hotel Baltimore, Wit & Wisdom offers quality cuisine made from locally sourced ingredients.

The artisan-inspired, interactive Sunday Brunch Buffet features live music, a carving station featuring one meat (grilled rib eye) and one fish entrée (roasted rockfish), make-your-own omelet station, roast-your-own s’mores, buttermilk pancakes, biscuits and gravy, yogurt parfaits, fresh salads and more delicious seasonal favorites that combine the best of breakfast and lunch!
A savory and sweet crepe station offered a unique brunch experience as seen here…..
https://www.instagram.com/p/BDv9unviXFq/

I love seafood, so I was impressed by the raw bar featuring an array of shellfish with a fresh selection of local flavors including Old Bay–poached shrimp and Chesapeake oysters on the half shell. My sweet tooth was also satisfied by indulging in several mouthwatering desserts including a caramel bread pudding, and a variety of classic French pastries. Fit for a family, pint-sized patrons can enjoy a special kids bar featuring childhood favorites including mac ‘n’ cheese, PB&J, and chicken tenders.

With its wonderful waterside views and #witonthewater patio dining, Wit & Wisdom is the perfect place to treat yourself to a memorable meal or celebrate with a special brunch!
Hope you enjoy my photos featuring Wit and Wisdom’s interactive Sunday Brunch buffet!

Hey #Raleigh! Eat,Drink,Play & Get on my Level at @LevelUpNC ~ A #soNCsavvy review now on SobeSavvy.com

July 8, 2015SobeSavvy Leave a comment

Look up in the sky ..it’s a bar..it’s a restaurant..it’s an arcade..it’s Level Up !

Level Up is a unique place..Is it a bar? Is it a restaurant ? Is it a old school video arcade ? It is all three ! The atmosphere will transport you back to the 80’s but the food/drinks will take you back to the future! Located downtown Raleigh, this place is a fun place to hang, play your favorite 1980’s arcade games, watch sports on one of the many flat screens or see one of the classic 80’s movies. Now that we ‘ve established that one can be entertained..let’s talk about the food and drink.
I met the mixologist extradornaire, Johnny who was very polite and passionate about his craft cocktails. He is the main cocktail curator. Johnny advised that it’s a seasonal cocktail menu and it will change somewhat when the weather changes.

There are some variations of all time favorites and also some very unique choices. I enjoyed the Code Blue and Skywalker. Made with top notch ingredients and real fresh fruit. Both were awesome cocktails.Because it was my first time, I polled the staff on what we’re some of the menu faves. Hands down..the Yoshi eggs came highly recommended and did not disappoint. These are not your basic deviled eggs..definitely a level above the rest.

They also elevate tator tots with 4 dipping sauce choices. Their gourmet tacos were out of this world good. The Ahi Tuna was a nice surprise that worked well. The Pork ribs are dusted with sesame seeds and served with house made slaw using brussel sprouts. A knockout ! As the pictures below can attest this is not ordinary “bar” food. All ingredients are fresh wonderful flavors and tasty. I ordered a variety of other things and definitely will be returning with friends ! So if you ever wondered want a great time with good food and fun than elevate your bar scene to another level. Level up.