'After parties' give TerraVita fans another chance to revel

The extraordinary collaborative meals presented by some of the best chefs in the South, and the thought provoking discussions lead by artisans and sustainable food advocates, often leave fans of the TerraVita Food and Drink Festival wishing they could stay for just a little bit more culinary magic. This year, they can.

For its sixth annual festival, organizers are opening formerly closed doors with public "after parties" that give lucky ticket holders a chance to rub elbows with trendsetters whose work is changing the way people outside of the South view our gastronomic achievements. It's a chance to connect with thought leaders who will participate in two days of Sustainable Classroom sessions, chat with chefs and producers who mindfully usher ingredients from farm to table, and make lasting connections with others who feel passionately about our Southern foodways.
"The events each have their own vibe with great food and drink," says TerraVita founder Colleen Minton. "The after parties we held in the past were small, private gatherings for participants. We're happy to open it up this year so more people can enjoy the experience. They offer a great chance to engage the chefs, distillers, producers, writers, and all-around movers and shakers in a relaxed, low-key environment."

For example, the day need not end with Thursday's traditional Carolina Table: East Meets West Dinner (now sold out). Stars will continue to shine as the evening shifts to Lambs & Clams After Party mode at Weathervane at Southern Season (9-11 p.m., $55). This bash is perfect for so many of us wannabes unable to make the annual pilgrimage to Lambstock, Craig Rogers' celebration of all things lamb for industry insiders at Border Springs Farm in Virginia. For this after party, Lambstock's legendary Lambs & Clams feast, a partnership with Travis Croxton of Rappahanock Oysters, will be recreated with several major players in Southern food and drink.

Among those joining Rogers and Murphy will be Brandon Carter of the soon-to-open FARM Restaurant in Bluffton, SC; Kyle McKnight of Highland Avenue in Hickory (recently named one of the South's best restaurants by Southern Living); Josh Munchel from Counting House in Durham; and Jay Pierce of the Marshall Free House in Greensboro. Beverage options will be provided by Cathead Distillery in Mississippi, Crude Bitters & Soda of Raleigh, Fullsteam Brewery of Durham and Mystery Brewing of Hillsborough, wines from Piedmont Wine Imports of Durham and the fledgling End of the Vine of Chapel Hill, as well as coffee from Winston-Salem's Krankies.

Following Friday's first day of Sustainable Classroom sessions, TerraVita introduces a new dinner event: HILL FIRE: Pits, Spits & Grills (5:30-8:30 p.m., $75). The Carrboro Town Commons will become a pitmasters haven as celebrated Southern chefs grill everything from pig to seafood and vegetarian options. The truly all-star lineup includes: Jason Stanhope (2015 James Beard "Best Chef - Southeast") of FIG in Charleston; Ashley Christensen (2014 James Beard "Best Chef - Southeast") of AC Restaurants in Raleigh; Sam Jones of Skylight Inn of Ayden; Joe Sparatta of Heritage and Southbound in Richmond; Clay Trainum of Autumn Olive Farms in Virginia's Shenandoah Valley; Wyatt Dickson of Pig Whistle and, with partner Ben Adams of the soon-to-open Picnic in Durham; among others. Cary baker Norma Kessler of Sweet Arielle and Deric McGuffey from G2B in Durham will be providing signature desserts.

The Film and Fare After Party (9-11 p.m., $40) will follow at TOPO Distillery. The highlight of the event will be screening of special footage from Original Fare, a PBS series in which globetrotting host Kelly Cox searches "for the best ingredients on earth." The third season of the food and travel program recently launched on PBS stations nationwide. Nibbles will be provided by two great talents based in Cary: Lionel Vatinet of La Farm Bakery and Steven Deveraux Greene of Herons at The Umstead Hotel & Spa, each of whom will incorporate Raleigh's Videri Chocolate and Sunburst Trout from Canton, North Carolina, in their creations. Drink options include craft beer from Cameron Read of Edmond's Oast in Charleston and cocktails byTOPO Organic Spirits and Asheville Distilling Company.

Tickets for these and all other TerraVita events are available online at TerraVitaevent.com.

This post first appeared on WRAL Out and About.

Chef Travis Robinson takes G2B upscale

There's no surprise in stating the G2B Gastropub in Durham is a terrific restaurant. But the place, curiously located on the backside of an office building on Shannon Road, has been through a lot of change in recent months.

It started last summer, when the popular eatery briefly closed for a makeover to install a nanobrewery. Longtime Executive Chef Carrie Schlieffer was excited about the opportunities this created for entirely house-made beer pairings.

G2B Executive Chef Travis Robinson

Then, in fall, Travis Robinson quietly joined G2B kitchen. By December, Schieffer departed to open Bar Virgile for Chef-Entrepreneur Scott Howard and the restaurant's new public relations team announced G2B's "reopening" with Robinson as executive chef.

It's enough intrigue for a soap opera, but the good news is that all is well on all fronts. Schlieffer is happy at her gig, and Robinson has injected a new energy at G2B, which has boosted its pub-focused menu to feature elegant, upscale courses and stunning desserts.

Tim and I enjoyed a recent dinner as Robinson's guests. It's hard to imagine that the food or service is any less exceptional for those who make their own arrangements - which we heartily recommend.

We dined on a week night, choosing to be seated on the "restaurant" side, which delivers a more elaborate menu from the "pub" side, which now features bar-height tables and chairs. (The pub menu also has been tweaked, but popular demand recently returned G2B's outstanding burger to the list.) With the exception of a cluster of angular red leather clubs chairs, the space otherwise flows one to the next with the focus still squarely on action in the open kitchen.

We started with one of G2B's new beers, the appealingly crisp and wintery Rye Amber ($4) served in gorgeous stemware said to enhance the aroma. Other options available that day from Brewer Andrew Christenbury, offered in generous samples, included a creamy porter and hoppy IPA. Ever the good neighbor, G2B maintains its commitment to pouring other North Carolina craft beers.

Our drinks arrived with a pair of savory gougeres tucked into a tiny tin bucket and warm, butter-brushed herb rolls. This was followed later by a curious amuse bouche, chewy cocoa macaroons sealed with mild bone marrow butter.

Among the tempting appetizers we chose the Spanish Octopus ($12), in which perfectly charred chunks were served with earthy cranberry beans, piquillo pepper and the citrus zing of kumquats. We also ordered a pair of fresh Chadwick Creek oysters ($2 each) with a light Asian pear mignonette. They were tasty, but not nearly so good as the lightly tart and more imaginative wild elberberry garnish recommended by our server.

Our dinners were beautifully presented, though my Flat Iron Steak ($25) from Mill's Family Farm in Mooresville was the winner over Tim's coastal-caught Golden NC Tilefish ($24). The steak was rare for my taste (surprisingly, I was not asked about preference), but it was both tender and robustly beefy. It was served atop a pillowy, pale green puree of parsley root with grilled bok choy and delicate mushrooms.

The seared tilefish was a bit bland but surrounded by savory and perfectly cooked parsnip and lion's mane mushrooms in a soupcon of roasted vegetable dashi broth.

Pastry Chef Deric McGuffey appeared unannounced with a series of four showstopper desserts ($10 each). Each assembled seasonal and top local ingredients in deconstructed precision.

The Roasted Sweet Potato Bavarian was enrobed in a spiced red wine-yuzu geee and mind-blowing bits of candied salsify. Even better was the Confit Pineapple, in which a coconut custard - topped with caramelized white chocolate and passion fruit glaze - was flanked with wafer-thin slices of pressed pineapple. What really made the combination sing was the dusting of pink peppercorn that garnished the plate. Tim, who likes neither pineapple nor coconut, was reluctant to share.

The next two offerings were equally dazzling. The Espresso Parfait cleverly paired creamy a frozen mousse banded by a coffee gelee with bites of date cake and a crunchy haystack of shredded phyllo. The Warm Guanaja Chocolate was perhaps the most artful of the treats, with a fermented, almost boozy soft chocolate tart joined by bites of almond terrine, malted milk dots, devil's food cake and roasted banana ice cream tucked under delicate leaves of dehydrated chocolate.

It takes a light touch to make all that come together, and a playful spirit to follow it with a yet another sweet - a parting gift of small minted chocolate truffles rolled in crushed nuts. Combined, it's impossible to leave without thinking about when you'll next return.