Tag Archive | uptown greenwood

TRY IT TUESDAY – Moldova Wines Tasting #wines #moldova

TRY IT TUESDAY – Moldova Wines Tasting

If you love wine like I do, you probably look for events that allow you to try wines from different regions.

I attended a wine tasting of wines from Moldova because that area is not one that commonly associated with having vineyards and I wondered how wines tasted from that country.

The tasting was held at Flynn’s on Maxwell. The presenter Sergio is from Moldova and has been committed to introducing their fine wines to the US.

Wine: Crisecco (sparkling wine)
Grape Variety: Feteasca Alba 90% (Moldova variety), Muscat 10%
Aroma: hint of citrus
Taste: Light sweet, very bubbly
TOW: This was fine. If you like prosecco, you will like this. Pairs well with fruit.

Wine: Feteasca Regala (white dry wine)
Grape Variety: Feteasca Regala 100% (Moldova variety)
Aroma: Light fruity notes
Taste: Crisp, medium finish, smooth, not too dry, notes of peach and lemon
TOW: If you are looking for a pinot grigio, you will like this.

Wine: Rose de Purcari (Rose dry wine)
Grape Variety: Rara Neagra 15% (Moldovan variety) Merlot 35% Cabernet Sauvignon 50%
Aroma: Berries, especially strawberry
Taste: Earthy, medium body, long finish, dry but not overly so
TOW: Because of the long finish, I think this is better with cheese.

Wine: Rara Neagra de Purcari (Aged red dry wine)
Grape Variety: Rara Neagra 100% (Moldovan variety)
Aroma: Fruity and vanilla notes
Taste: Strong oaky flavor, full body, long finish, velvety taste
TOW: If you like dry red wines, you will love this.

Wine: Cuvee Rouge (Aged red dry wine)
Grape Variety: Rara Neagra 5% (Moldovan variety) Saperavi 15% (Eastern Europe variety) Merlot 30% Cabernet Sauvignon 50%
Aroma: Fruity and smoky notes
Taste: Strong flavor, full body, long finish, velvety taste
TOW: This is more of a classic blend and pairs well with red meat or pasta dishes.

TOW Final Word: I thoroughly enjoyed the wine tasting, learning about Moldova, and was glad to find Crissesco. I do love a nice bubbly wine!

TOW comment: I was cleaning out my drafts and couldn’t find my photos from this event. The wines were delicious though!

Chef It Up #tryitTuesday #greenwoodsc #uptowngreenwood

Jul19

tryitTuesday

For my Try It Tuesday feature this month, I want to focus on a new business venture from my favorite local restaurant Montague’s called Chef it Up.

The concept is very simple: they prepare ingredients for you to take home and cook a delicious gourmet meal. The majority of the recipe’s ingredients are in the bag and already measured, chopped, and diced, ready for you to sauté in the saucepan. You may need some pantry items like butter, flour, or vegetable oil.

On their website (www.chefitupgreenwood.com) they say:

Our meal recipes are created by chefs, feature local meats and produce, and are ready to cook right out of the bag. We take the guesswork out of cooking and put the fun and enjoyment back in.

I am well known among my friends for my lack of cooking ability. I love to bake, but cooking, no so much. While I can follow directions for a recipe, cooking is not something that I have a passion to do. Thankfully, the hubs likes to cook more than I do.

However, the concept of having everything prepped already intrigued me enough to purchase Chef It Up bag meal chicken piccata from the Uptown Market last Saturday. In addition to having all of the ingredients already prepped, inside the bag was a recipe card and a QR code for a how-to video.

On Sunday afternoon, I set out my ingredients, got out two saucepans, and turned on the stove to begin cooking. I didn’t watch the video first, but the recipe card was very easy to follow.

Seasoning the chicken

Cooked chicken in the orange glaze and almonds

This was delicious!!! I was so surprised, mainly because I have little confidence in my own cooking ability. It was quick and easy to prepare. Being able to cook this AND it turned out like the picture gave my self esteem a boost.

Should you try? Yes!!! This is a great option when you want something a little fancy but don’t feel like trying to buy all the special ingredients to make that happen.

For someone who does not like to cook, I definitely am going to do this again. Signing up for their weekly newsletter will let me know what meal options are available in the coming week. I might even suggest to the hubs that I need to have a regular monthly cooking night.

Foodie Friday @Caffe312 #uptownGreenwood #winebar #coffee

Dec7

This is a BELATED Foodie Friday post!

It seems for December, there has been so much going on that I totally missed the fact that I did not post for Foodie Friday.

I have been eating so much delicious food, that it was hard to decide what to spotlight. In the end, I decided to talk about a local restaurant: Caffe 312

Caffe 312 is an uptown Greenwood restaurant that is a wine/coffee bar. The food is European style. They use a lot of locally sourced produce and organic ingredients for the food. However, they also import scrumptious cheeses and other delectable desserts.

iced chai latte

I think that they have the best quiche in town. I love it paired with a salad or soup. Pictured is the French onion soup. Soups change depending what is in season. I have had butternut squash soup and purple cauliflower soup. Both were also really tasty.

soup and quiche

Their pastry case always has an assortment of goodies to choose. If I want something light, I usually choose a macaroon. Pistachio is my favorite flavor.

pistachio macaroons

As a side note, Caffe 312 also has Music on Main. They feature a musical guest Sunday evenings at 7pm with no cover!

I recommend going. You will not be disappointed.

Inn on the Square #innonthesquare @uptowngreenwood #foodiefriday

Oct2

It’s time for Foodie Friday!

If you are not familiar with Uptown Greenwood SC, you probably are unaware that Inn on the Square is re-opening. Or what a big deal that previous statement is. It was about 5 years ago that Inn on the Square closed. This was unfortunate for many reasons but mainly because it is in a prominent place in Uptown Greenwood. It needed to be occupied and opened.

Earlier this year, the new owners said that they beginning renovations and were opening this fall. Date was set for October 1st. They hired Claire Griffth as the Events Manager (best thing they could have done in my opinion) and she began furiously working to make sure everything was in place to open without delays.

On Sept 25th hubby and I were invited to be dinner guests while the chef and kitchen staff tested a few of their menu items.

When we arrived, we were told we could go the Fox and Hound lounge for a drink while we waited for our table to be arranged. When we walked inside, I felt like it was classy, but in an unpretentious way.

We were called into the dining room and our server took our order. I listed everything that people from our table ordered—

Appetizers

Lump Crab Fritters (I ordered) – these were about the size of a golf ball. Lots of lumps of crab and corn. Crispy to perfection on the outside. I want this again. I told the chef that is going to be the first thing I order when they open.

Pulled Chicken Spring Rolls – comments at the table were that these were outstanding.

Antipasto Platter – comments at the table were that this was delicious too. I wish I could have ordered this as well as the crab fritters.

From the Garden

Argula and Apple Salad (I ordered) – Delicious! Arugula, lettuce greens, apple, candied walnuts, raisins, and blue cheese tossed in apple cider vinaigrette. My kind of salad. The bite of arugula paired well with the apple. The walnuts added crunch. While the blue cheese added a tart creamy flavor.

Entrees

Catfish and Grits – I tasted the fish and LOVED the breading mix because it was really crunchy but the fish was light and flakey on the inside. I do not prefer to eat grits, but my friend said those were good too.

Peppercorn Tuna (I ordered) – Peppercorn tuna is one of my favorite dishes. I like a lot of peppercorns and this was prepared the way I like it. It was served with wasabi mashed potatoes. Genius! Not very spicy, but there was enough of the flavor there to know there was wasabi in it.

Pan-Seared Sirloin – Hubby said this was the best sirloin he had. He ordered medium rare.

Desserts

Free formed apple tart with caramel sauce – I liked this but wish there had been more caramel sauce. Tasty!

Carrot cake with cream cheese frosting – This was a little dense for carrot cake, but the flavor and frosting was good.

Almond Joy inspired mousse (I ordered) – I tasted all of the desserts and this was my favorite. It was chocolaty and creamy but not super sweet.

Inn on the Square

104 East Court Avenue

Greenwood SC 29649

innonthesquare.net

Lump Crab Fritters

Antipasto Platter

Argula and Apple Salad

Peppercorn Tuna

Catfish and Grits

Pan-Seared Sirloin

Free formed apple tart with caramel sauce

Carrot cake with cream cheese frosting

Almond Joy inspired mousse

#Montagues -my favorite #pasta dish #foodiefriday #greenwoodsc

May2

Happy Foodie Friday! This is a meme I am doing to share my fave dishes and everything related to food.

Today I am going to talk about one of my favorite things to order when I go to Montague’s. Of course, you probably know that Montague’s is my all time favorite restaurant in Greenwood, SC.

I love it. The people are nice and attentive. There is a great atmosphere. Having a good personality will only get you so far when it comes to food.

Montague’s knows how to deliver. My comfort food when I do not know what to order is the chicken Parmesan.

I do not know if it is the sauce, the cheese, the angel hair pasta, or the chicken that makes this my favorite pasta dish. Everything about this dish is good.

AND the portion size is HUGE! I can eat two meals off of this one plate of food.

I have heard people say that Montague’s is pricey, but I do not get it. This is a super affordable dish and when you factor in the portion size, it is a double win.

TOW opinion: Go to Montague’s and order the chicken Parmesan. Delicious.