“It’s kind of like Thanksgiving every day,” Blevins says.
Or sushi-quality hamachi (Japanese amberjack).ĭiners are encouraged to order several different menu items to share amongst themselves.
#Wandering willows savory items trial
And through the trial and error of feeding his friends, he’s been able to come up with a menu that features innovative combinations of international ingredients blended with fresh viands from just down the country road - cheeses from nearby dairies, freshly picked produce and savory, locally cured meats, like Lady Edison ham out of the Chapel Hill area.īlevins is not discarding the farm-to-table moniker, “but that farm may be in Argentina.” His use of fruity aji amarillo chile peppers is a good example. Somehow, in some way, MACHETE has been able to preserve that dinner party feeling. Friends invited more friends, and once the gatherings outgrew his house, Blevins acquired the space formerly inhabited by Crafted: Art of the Street Food. That’s because MACHETE was dreamed into existence in Blevins’ own home, where he hosted communal meals for friends and family. Judging from my recent visits, however, Blevins - who grew up in Greensboro, went to UNCG, then moved to San Francisco (where he lived for 20 years) - actually pulls it off.
“This is our home you are not our customer, you are our guest.” Easy to say hard to do. Add novel accents from the best cuisines on the planet: Asian inflections from miso, green Thai chili and ponzu sauce, European hues from foie gras and roasted olives or good old, local favorites - country ham and chicken livers. Their philosophy? “Food should not only be delicious, it should also be creative, evoke memories and be a communal experience.” Start with fresh, farm-to-table ingredients. The brainchild of San Francisco-transplant Tal Blevins, MACHETE is not just another casual gourmet eatery. That’s why I’m so excited about what’s happening on the 600 block of Battleground Avenue near Deep Roots Market. I much prefer eating out to having Pepto-Bismol for dessert. Paul SimonĪlthough I’ve become adept at making a darn good Thanksgiving dinner, I am otherwise a lousy cook. There was a dish called Mother and Child Reunion. I was eating in a Chinese restaurant downtown.
I’d be lost (and uninspired) without them