Yum Yum Better Ice Cream

Yum Yum Better Ice Cream is the formal name for a small hot dog and ice cream stand that is located behind Beef Burger in Greensboro, NC. Both are stellar examples of antiquated fast food (Southern) cuisine. During my trip to visit my parents my Dad made me promise that I would so get ice cream with him at Yum Yums (as the locals call it).

Yum Yum Dog.
Yum Yum Dog.

Even if I’d used my good camera this picture would look the same. White bun, pink dog in the center, a  boiled down yet meaty chili sauce with the faintest hint of heat, raw onions flecked on top, crisp slaw barely pickled with white vinegar. That’s it. That’s all you need in a Yum Yum dog. This is what it looks like later. .

All Gone
All Gone

But here’s the secret. When you order the dog, add a bottle of Cheerwine to the total. Sip the bottle slowly and sparingly. After you’ve digested your entree go back to the counter and order a single scoop of the lemon ice cream (made on the premises in a small room in the back) bring the cup of delectable lemony airy goodness back to your table and eat the ice cream in some sort of pattern.

Me? I'm a volcano gal.
Me? I'm a volcano gal.

Some people like to eat the center out. . .as if you were clearing flour for eggs to make pasta. I like to create an trench on the circumference. Pour the Cheerwine over the lemon ice cream.

Big Rock Candy Mountain.
Big Rock Candy Mountain.
Another view from the top.
Another view from the top.

The Cheerwine fizzes with the lemon ice cream in a way that bubbles and thrusts like a root beer float, but this is. . .tropical. . .cherry and lemon instead of burdock and vanilla. It dances instead of seducing. To give credit where credit was due, I didn’t make this up. My twin sister Anna (the muse of this blog) ran with a crew of rough and tumble Southern red-necks who would skip school to partake of these delicacies. Anna passed the legend on to me and now, dear readers, I am sharing it with you. We’re so lucky.

Oh yeah, I ate waffles at that window.

I recently returned from a 9 day trip to the South and I have lots of posts in the works.  Before heading to the land of expired condiments and mosquito bites Aaron and I visited the Waffle Window on Hawthorne. The weather was beautiful, the company was stellar and the Waffle Window is a place I will definitely return to in the future. The waffles are crisp on the outside, airy and sweet on the inside, the topping choices are innovative and fresh, the coffee is properly brewed. I also appreciated the real silverware and the kind faces on the business side of the window.

Waffle Window
Waffle Window
My favorite waffler.
My favorite waffler.
I loved my waffle with fresh blueberries and lemon panna cotta!
I loved my waffle with fresh blueberries and lemon panna cotta!
Aaron enjoyed the "Three B's" - Pepper bacon, Brie, fresh basil and house made peach jam!
Aaron enjoyed the "Three B's" - Pepper bacon, Brie, fresh basil and house made peach jam!

First Blush at Casa Naranja

Aaron and I received a phone invitation to have dinner with Aaron’s mom (Laurie) and step-dad (Jim) last Wednesday. I’m always happy when they call with a last minute idea because they are delightful and interesting people. Aaron and Laurie are alike in far more ways than they are different: they share a nearly identical view of the human experience (bad circumstances lead to unexpectedly awesome results) and they have an uncanny way of disarming people to create friendly and informative verbal banner. I’m pleased that Jim and I share a similar viewpoint on dinning out: know where you’re going before you get in the car and try new restaurants as often as possible (this is Portland, after all).

Casa Naranja is a laid back restaurant in North Portland with genuine service and good food. They have a patio that surrounds 3/4 of a cute little house. We scouted the back patio where tanned men were lounging in hammock chairs and smoking cigarettes. Laurie requires a smoke free exsistence (she’s classy like that) so we turned back to sit on the front deck. Our table provided ample seating for a party of four and a great view of North Mississippi Avenue.

We shared many small plates throughout the evening and I was very pleased with the vegetarian options that Laurie and I were able to enjoy while Aaron and Jim sampled wild boar ribs and a unrelated dish of chorizo in puffed pastry.

Spicy Basil
Spicy Basil

The cocktails were good but they all seemed to explore the sweeter side of alcohol charged libations. This Spicy Basil concoction lived up to it’s name. . .in the Basil department. Not as spicy as I would have liked. The real cocktail winner of the evening was the Portland Manhattan that Jim ordered, a Pacific Northwest berry-centric delight with just the right amount of bourbon.

I decided to post about Casa Naranja because I wanted to share the following dish with a few vegetarian friends who read this blog.

Veggie Tartar
Veggie Tartar

The Veggie Tartar is great, almost as great as the smoked tofu salad with roasted beets, arugula and sherry vinigrette. A micro thin slice of zucchini surrounds an army of diced veggies that are perched on a fantastic sun-dried tomato base. The dish is topped with micro greens and crispy wontons. This is truly a great veggie take on a classic meat-centric French dish.  The whole package is drizzled with quality olive oil.

When I lived in the South I tried to visit a restaurant several times before posting an opinion. Some restaurants (like a certain Ryan Adams themed pizza parlor) were strong contenders for a great blog review and over time the consistency failed and I chose not to write about the restaurant instead of writing a negative review. I feel a bit more bold in Portland so if my initial experience with a restaurant warrants an A or B average I’ll write about here and you are welcome to read my unsolicited (and anosmic) advice.