313844 Mon Jul 31 21:08:03 -0700 2006 5 11 South 0 1778741 On a recent visit to Chapel Hill I suggested to my mom that we have dinner at the Weathervane, the restaurant inside Southern Season’s store. I hadn’t been there in years but remembered it as a place with relatively simple and good food. I was a little surprised when I saw the current menu, though, which was heavy on fusion-y dishes. For example, the appetizer of “shrimp hushpuppies ... served with Texas Pete basil pesto aioli.” I love Texas Pete on barbecue etc. but this strikes me as just silly. Okay, I didn’t order that. And though I probably could have found something on the menu that would have made me happier I took a chance on their shrimp and grits, since I don’t get back to the South often enough. This dish at the Weathervane is served with chorizo and a chipotle sauce. The good news is that the shrimp were nice and fresh and the grits were delicious. But the chorizo was very strange. It was neither Mexican chorizo nor Spanish chorizo. Instead it was the size and tightness of Italian sausage, with a definite taste of fennel – as if someone had taken a basic Italian sausage, worked a little chile ancho powder into the mix, and declared it chorizo. I wanted to grab the chef and send him or her down to Don José or another area tienda for a little sausage re-education. Moreover, though the sauce on the dish was the right color and consistency for a chipotle-based sauce, there was almost no piquancy or smokiness to the flavor. How can a sauce made with chipotle be bland? It was a little bizarre. Chorizo or chipotle could theoretically be a good addition to shrimp and grits (maybe especially Spanish chorizo rather than Mexican – think paella). I mean, unlike Texas-Pete-pesto-aioli the combination is not inherently absurd. But the rendition at the Weathervane made me fear that the chef doesn’t know much about the cuisines he/she is borrowing from (here, Mexican) and is just putting novel combinations together for the sake of trendiness. Fusional cooking is one of those things hard to do well* and all too easy to do mediocre-ly. Next time at the Weathervane I think I’ll stick to something simple like roast chicken. Amata * In contrast to my disappointment at Weathervane, I think the fusional dishes I sampled at Jujube were much more successful, and I will say more about that in a separate post as soon as I figure out how to include a picture with it. The Weathervane A Southern Season University Mall Hwy 15-501 @ Estes Drive Chapel Hill, NC 27514 919.929.9466 Mon Jul 31 21:08:03 -0700 2006 21560 Amata 1 1779877 Weathervane has long been, really since Devin left to open the ill-fated Babette's, an outpost for rich old ladies to be served tasteless food by clueless college kids. They bank on the cachet of Southern Season to charge a lot of money for not very good food, in a space that is prettier than it is practical. Much like a few other more well established places in the area (ie, fearrington and crook's), the emphasis has gone away from actual quality; instead, it has been steered very heavily toward an elaborate facade of said quality. Try somewhere where the chef has actually been to the places whose cuisine he or she is trying to emulate (like, as you mentioned, jujube). not enough coffee this morning. sorry for the vituperative tone. have a nice day! Tue Aug 01 13:44:12 -0700 2006 1778741 14280 HeelsSoxHound 1 1780857 Dammit, now I need a dictionary... :-) Tue Aug 01 19:59:02 -0700 2006 1778741 21285 bbqme 1 1781274 You said it..I only eat fusion if it's a couple of hundred years old; viz: excellent Merlion. Most of modern fusion is made-up garbage, merely an excuse to charge a lot of $. Chefs should look to established fusion cuisines such as; Vietnamese-French, Goan - Portuguese-Indian, Macao- Chinese-Portuguese, Caribbean- Trinidad (blissful food) there are plenty of unplumbed delicious dishes etc. What is good Southern food but a fusion of English & African food. Rory Tue Aug 01 22:26:06 -0700 2006 1778741 18627 Rory 1 1783011 I travel to the area regularly to go to my "home office" out in Haw River (30 min past Carrboro), but always try to eat at South Street located in the same mall. And, I have been able to use it as an excuse to get coworkers to join me. Ask the maitre de to request the kitchen to prepare the "tasting menu" -- I try to go with at least 5 other people to get the best selection. Ambience in the bar area is great. However, if your group is 20+ they have a special room besides the bar that has the best ambience you could ever want. Will make you completely forget the Weathervane. (however, I will not stop shopping at Southern Season, if only for the Goat Brie.) Wed Aug 02 17:45:17 -0700 2006 1778741 20239 bliebman2 1 1785507 I assume you mean Spice Street. How long ago was your last meal there, and could you please describe one of their typical tasting menus? Having unfortunately worked there for a bit a couple years ago, I can't imagine them doing well. That cavernous space was never full. Thu Aug 03 17:22:53 -0700 2006 1778741 16740 Chapel Will