Poor Man's Pina Colada

11.11.2009 Menu Specials

House Pinot Noir

Weekly Menu Specials for 10.28.09

Scooter Winner

Check out our very happy scooter winner!

Weekly Menu Specials

How We Found The Place

Watch our newest video about the history of the restaurant and then join us to celebrate 13 years next week on the 22nd of October.

Weekly Menu Specials

518 Favorite Dish

Weekly Menu Specials

518 Braised Pork Ragout

Weekly Specials Menu

Weekly Specials Menu

Lunch meetings

If your last office lunch meeting consisted of half a turkey sandwich, chips and a pickle while someone droned on explaining powerpoint slides, I have a suggestion. Get your takeout from 518 West next time.

Our affordable lunch menu includes lots of options under $10. There's Whole Wheat Fettucine, Mediterranean Primavera, Spaghetti Marinara, Lasagna Bolognese plus plenty of sandwiches, salads and appetizers.

Check out our full lunch menu then order it to go or have us cater the whole thing.

We can't make the powerpoint any more interesting, but we can do something about the meal.

Fresh Italian Contest Entry

Entries continue to come in for our Fresh Italian recipe contest. Next week we'll be selecting a winner to receive a $100 gift card and a chance to cook the dish here in the 518 West kitchen. If you haven't gotten your recipe in, email us this week 518West@518West.com.

Here's another example of the great entries we've received. This recipe for Shrimp and Spinach Pasta comes to us from Scott Sides in Garner:

Gamberetti e Spinaci Pappilon Pasta
(serves 6)

Ingredients:
1 box of Bow Tie Pasta
1 lb. Fresh large shrimp (deveined and pealed)
2 cloves of Garlic (finely chopped)
2 tablespoons EVOO
1 tablespoon butter
1 whole lemon
¼ cup of Sun Dried Tomatoes (chopped)
1 bunch Fresh spinach
1 - 4 oz. package of Feta Cheese
Fresh Grated Parmesan Cheese
 
Directions:
In a large sauce pan, cook bowtie pasta according to directions of box.  In the last 2 minutes of cooking pasta add sun dried tomatoes to the boiling water to soften.

In large sauté pan, heat olive oil and melt butter over medium heat.  Add garlic, cook approx. 4 minutes until lightly brown.  Add shrimp and squeeze half of lemon onto the shrimp, and cook until shrimp turn bright pink.  Add spinach and cover for a couple of minutes until spinach is wilted.  Remove from heat.

Drain pasta/sundried tomatoes and put into large bowl, add shrimp and spinach mixture (undrained), sprinkle on Feta Cheese, squeeze the other half of lemon on top and stir.  Sprinkle with Parmesan cheese. Serve with toasted garlic bread.

Pour your favorite Pinot Grigio and enjoy!
 

Weekly Menu Specials

And don't forget our three-course Restaurant Week menu is available all week for just $20 per person.

Four Sisters Sauvignon Blanc

Bar manager Ian Willis talks wine with Casey Smith.

Restaurant Week

Starting Monday the 24th, we'll be participating in Restaurant Week here in Raleigh. You can enjoy a three course meal for just $20 per person.

I think we've created a menu you'll really enjoy.

New Weekly Specials

Consistency

I feel that it's very important for a customer to know what they are getting each and every time they visit the restaurant. So we pride ourselves on the consistency we deliver here at 518.

Many times when we think of consistency, it’s in terms of the food and the quality of ingredients that go into making each dish. But we also strive to maintain consistency in our staff and quality of service. The best way I know to do that is by retaining great employees. We’ve been lucky that so many good people have chosen to come to work with us over the years and we do a lot to make sure they want to stay around.

First and foremost we try and listen to our employees and what their needs are. We provide flexible scheduling so that college students can attend classes, those who have other jobs have the time to fit both jobs into their schedules, some folks travel with bands (some of them well known), and some servers just want a weekend off to go to the beach. Once given a set schedule servers are allowed to juggle and trade shifts as needed.

Listening to employees is another way for an employee to feel like they are contributing. The server is our direct link to our customers and through them we get immediate feedback. Many drink specials and weekly food specials have been created by just listening.

I joined 518 before it even opened in 1995. One of our bartenders and servers, Stephany, was here when we first opened the doors. She is still employed here and has since had 2 children and obtained her Masters degree in education from Meredith College. Rosa, our morning dishwasher has been at the restaurant since near the beginning. Our sous chef, Joey, has been here since 1997 and 2 other kitchen managers have been with us for 10 and 6 years respectively moving up through the ranks. Luis and Ian, our floor managers, are long time guys, starting as wait people, moving to bartending and then to management.

So as cliché as it seems to sound, yes we are a family, which means our customers see a familiar smiling face each time they walk through the door.

Blaine

New weekly specials

New Video

Blaine puts together the Carolina Margherita Pizzette with fresh local tomatoes in our latest video.

More Recipes

The entries continue to come in for the Fresh Italian recipe contest. It's easy to enter, just email your recipe to 518west@518west.com

I'll be sharing some of the recipes we receive throughout the month, like this one from Peri Banker:

Caramelized Onion and Goat Cheese Pizza

Makes 1 12” pizzas

Pizza dough (this pizza dough makes enough for 4 12” pizzas)
1 cup warm water
1 package or 1 Tbl yeast
1 tsp sugar
1 tsp salt
2 cups bread flower

2 Tbl butter
2 medium sized onions
½-3/4 cup goat cheese
½-3/4 cup shredded mozzarella
Dried rubbed sage leaves

Melt 2 Tbl butter and sauté 2 medium sized sweet (or reg) onions on medium heat until caramelized (about 1 hour). Keep stirring occasionally incorporating brown caramelized stuff on the bottom into all of the onions.

For dough:
Dissolve yeast in water and sugar and allow to dissolve fully and activate for 3-4 minutes. Add flour and salt and stir and knead –adding extra flour if sticky. Allow to rise 2X size. Punch down-knead and roll out for pizzas using yellow corn meal now to keep from sticking. Place on pizza pans which already have corn meal spread to stop from sticking.

Drizzle olive oil onto the pizza and then spread caramelized onions, break ½ cup goat cheese into ½ inch clumps and spread around, followed by ½ cup of shredded mozzarella on top. Sprinkle on dried rubbed sage.
Cook in 500 degree oven for 10-15 minutes or until done.

May also be modified by the addition of duck, grilled chicken or grilled eggplant.

Fresh Italian Recipe Contest

As you've probably heard, we're conducting our first ever "Fresh Italian" recipe contest here at 518. It's very simple, choose your favorite original Italian recipe featuring fresh ingredients and send it in. We'll choose a winner at the end of the month to receive a $100 gift card and a chance to cook your dish with us here in the kitchen at 518.

It's easy to enter, just email your recipe and contact info to us, 518west@518west.com.

Throughout the month we'll also post a sampling of the recipes we've received. Like this one from Bill Fish:

Garlicky Italian beans

Two cups shucked Borliotti beans (available at NC Framers Market as Cranberry beans or October beans)
4oz pancetta cut in small cubes
∏ small onion diced
3-4 garlic cloves chopped fine
A bay leaf
I teas. dried thyme
3-4 cups low sodium chicken broth
3 ripe roma tomatoes seeded and coarsely chopped

Saute onion, pancetta and bay leaf in olive oil until wilted and pancetta is lightly browned. Add garlic and thyme and stir for 20 seconds. Then add some broth scraping up any browned bits. Add shucked beans and broth to cover. Turn up to high and cover and bring to a boil. Once boiling reduce heat to simmer and cook until desired level of doneness with lid slightly ajar. Prior to serving add chopped tomatoes long enough for them to warm. Serve with meat of your choice.

New weekly specials

518's "Fresh Italian" contest

I think that the best Italian recipes start with fresh quality ingredients that are found locally. It’s how we’ve developed every dish on the menu here at 518.

This month we’re happy to announce our "Fresh Italian" contest. Starting today we want to hear about your best original Italian dishes. Send them in and then we’ll share the best recipes we receive online.

At the end of the month we’ll choose a winner to receive a $100 gift card and the chance to cook their dish with me here in the kitchen at 518 West. Then that dish will be featured on our weekly specials menu in September.

Enter today by emailing your best Italian recipe to 518west@518west.com. All entries must be in by 8/28. Then we’ll announce the winner the following week. I can’t wait to see what you’re doing with fresh local ingredients.

Good luck.

Blaine

Menu Specials

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House Riesling

Our bar manager, Ian Willis, looks at the house Riesling in our latest video.

Green

Here at 518 we feel a responsibility to run the business in a way that minimizes our impact on the environment.

We buy fresh and local when we can and choose organic when it makes sense. We use polenta ground locally in Guilford County and goat Cheese (chevre) from Nash County. Local companies such as Cornocopia in Hillsborough and Capri Flavors in Morrisville provide us with many of our specialty products while U.S. Foods located in Zebulon provides us with many of our groceries. We also go to the farmers market to shop for North Carolina seasonal produce. At every point we source our products as close to nature and with the least amount of refinement possible, because that’s the way we like to eat.

When we began building 518 back in the mid ‘90’s there weren’t many “green measures” to guide us. But we recycled the brick in the building, both to maintain the historic integrity and to lower the impact at the landfill. All of the ironwork was custom cast by a local company in Pittsboro. The building’s original heart pine beams were sent away to be milled into our airlock and to provide the flooring for the upstairs portion of the restaurant.

Our to-go containers are made from either a compostable corn based material or from a sugar cane by-product. We use unbleached brown bags for bread. These all have a smaller impact on the environment than petroleum based plastic, which takes ages to break down in landfills. It also eliminates the bleach used to whiten paper sacks that ultimately leaches into the rivers near the paper mills.

And we have always recycled our cardboard, even before it was mandated by the city. Today we recycle all of our glass as well. We pay extra for this service, but it feels like the right thing to do. What we learned at 518 helped our sister restaurant in RTP, Mez Contemporary Mexican, to recently become the first LEED certified restaurant in North Carolina!

All these efforts come together to make 518 a more eco-friendly restaurant for you.

Blaine

Summer means local produce

Pick a summer afternoon and you're likely to see Blaine over at the North Carolina Farmer's Market searching for ingredients to make his next weekly special. He gives us the tour in our latest video.

New weekly menu specials

There's plenty of fresh local choices on this week's specials menu.

The Crab...a season inside

This year we were looking for an activity outside of the restaurant to initiate more team building and encourage everyone towards a sense of fellowship. We discussed joining an organized sport through the city of Raleigh with trepidation since six years ago we made an attempt at athletic team building with dodgeball, an activity we determined to be too demanding and strenuous (our 0-10 record spoke volumes). In came the grand idea of softball, a nice, leisurely sport, and interest was high amongst the staff. Soon 518’s official softball team, The Crab, was born.

We looked forward to a great season with the city of Raleigh's softball program. We began on a high note, winning our first game 8-5. Unfortunately The Crab did not experience much more success until two months and ten games later when we finally won again...via forfeit (they did not have enough players).

Many of our games were close, some were not, but through it all, we played our best and worked hard for each other. A tough season yes, but one that brought us all closer together as friends and generated a camaraderie I will not soon forget.


Check out more images of The Crab in action.

skirt! after work

Tomorrow it's our monthly skirt! after work party from 5:30-7:30 at 518. This month's theme is "I'm a feminist because..."

Enjoy $5 skirtinis and toast some of the featured feminists from this month's magazine. Look forward to seeing you here.

Lemon Linguine

Yesterday we talked about sharing recipes. Today you can see how we make Lemon Linguine in the Kitchen at 518.

Recipe Sharing

Here at 518 we often get requests for our recipes. I’m always happy to
oblige. I share those recipes online and in person because there are really
no great culinary secrets here. It's all been done before. Who am I to
horde the thousands of recipes I have collected or conjured up over the
years.

But there will always be some differences, big and small, between the dishes
we serve in the restaurant and the recipes that we share.

First of all, the actual recipes we use in the kitchen are designed to feed
large groups. So unless you’re ready to feed about 220 people, the recipe we
give you will have some adjustments.

Because we get so many requests for our most popular dishes, over the years
I’ve worked to scale them down for the home cook. The recipe for the Whole
Wheat fettuccine is one example. I gave that recipe to the N&O several years
ago and got great feedback, though including the caloric content was not my
idea.

When you create our recipes at home you may also notice some differences
because we are likely using different ingredients like the brand of olive
oil or cheese, different tomatoes, even a different pan, which could change
some characteristics.

Finally, I try to nurture the inner cook in someone trying our recipes by
talking them through the dish and helping them personalize it. For instance
here’s how I shared the “recipe” for our Angel Hair Primavera with a regular
patron that called me recently:

Me - "You'll get started by heating a little olive oil in a pan and slowly
caramelize some garlic.”

Patron – “How much?”

Me – “Well, how much do you like garlic? After the garlic, you toss in some
oven roasted roma tomatoes...you have to have those ready ahead of time.”

Patron – “How do I do those?

Me – “I toss the tomatoes with some olive oil, salt and pepper and garlic.
Roast in the oven until slightly charred around the edges. Then peel the
tomatoes, saving the juices and roughly chop them all together.”

Patron – “How long and at what temperature?”

Me – “Oh, at home, about 375 degrees and 2 glasses of wine. Then you can add
some caramelized onions, again that have been slow cooked ahead of time with
olive oil and rosemary.”

Patron – “How much rosemary?”

Me – “That depends too, how much do you like rosemary? Next start cooking
some pasta and add to the sauté some spinach, feta cheese, and toasted pine
nuts. Toss this with the cooked pasta and grate some fresh cheese on top.”

Patron – “What kind of cheese do you use?”

Me - “Well we use Romano, but you should experiment and decide what you
like. Don't be afraid to add another ingredient here or there if you’ve got
a favorite.

Patron – “Thank you.”

Me – “You’re welcome. I’m glad you called and we’ll see you again soon.”

Of course we have recipes that we use in order to keep things consistent.
That’s one reason why people have been coming back to see us for so many
years. And if you insist, we'll give you exact ingredients and amounts. But
what would be the fun in that? Make it your own...you're the one eating it,
not me.

cheers,
Blaine

This week's specials

The new menu of weekly specials is out here at 518 West.

New Menu Specials

See what's new on the menu this week at 518.

Urban Spoon

Thanks to all our fans who’ve made 518 West the most popular Italian restaurant in the Triangle and #9 overall according to Urban Spoon today.

Jersey Boys specials continue

Jersey Boys has been a hit at the Progress Energy Center. Big crowds and nice reviews so far for the musical about Four Seasons. We're proud to offer a free appetizer or dessert whenever you present two Jersey Boys ticket stubs at 518 West. The offer is good through the end of the show on July 18th.

Making Fresh Pasta

Get a look at how we make our pasta fresh everyday at 518 West.

This week's specials

The latest specials from the kitchen at 518.

Brussels Chamber Orchestra

518 West is proud to sponsor the Cross Currents Chamber Music Arts Festival
beginning 7/2. www.crosscurrentsfestival.com

Weekly specials

Lemontini

Watch Holly as she makes our signature Lemontini.

The 518 approach

Freshness and value have always been key elements to our operating philosophy at 518 West.  Since we opened in October of 1996, we've maintained our commitment to serving great food at a great value.  It costs us a little more, but it's worth it to give our customers the best possible ingredients. 

In following that philosophy we try to source food products with the fewest added ingredients and artificial flavors, and fresh local produce whenever we can get it. We use whole milk cheeses, real olive oil, antibiotic free chicken and ground beef, hormone free pork,  and real sea salt (not that iodized stuff). 
 
This buying philosophy is maintained throughout  the whole restaurant and is nicely reflected In our wine offerings. We are always trying to find new affordable wines (I know, it’s a tough job but somebody has to do it) to place on our list. Our customers benefit from that hard work because you'll often find the wines we offer are more affordable than the same wine in other area restaurants. We were also the first restaurant in Raleigh to offer half price bottle wines on Monday night.
 
But setting trends is not what we're about. 518 West has never tried to be the latest gastro-hub of culinary awareness.  We just continue to use the same approach that has served us for over a decade, put a few common elements together in a nice package.  I hope you'll come by soon to sample our cuisine and become part of the 518 family of Raleigh. 

Blaine 

Salute to the SHEROES

Tonight 518 West welcomes Skirt Magazine as we salute SHEROES, women who inspire us.  $5 skirtinis and great prizes as well.  5:30-7:30.

Read about Judy Luxford and other SHEROES then come out to celebrate with us.

Jersey Boys

518 West welcomes Jersey Boys, opening Wed. at the Progress Energy Center. Through 7/18 present two Jersey Boys ticket stubs and get a free appetizer or dessert.

Easy parking

For the past couple of years we’ve been anxiously awaiting the construction of the new public parking deck directly behind 518 West.   We’re happy to say that the deck is open and there’s more parking available for 518 West than ever. 

Blue Ridge Realty’s public parking deck is open just behind the restaurant with an entrance off of Jones St.  It’s just a $1.00 per hour at lunch and $1.50 per hour in the evenings.

Two other parking options are available as well.  We provide valet parking nightly and for Sunday brunch for $3.00 per vehicle.  And the Progress Energy Deck is a half block up Jones street across the Railroad Tracks.  Flat rates there range from $1.00 at lunch to $5.00 after 8:00pm.

There’s more location and parking info here or you can call 829-2518 to talk Rita or any of our other hosts or hostesses.  They’ll tell you all you need to know.

Check out our new cocktail menu at 518

518 West on Facebook

become a fan of 518 West on Facebook.

There is a new "food" picture posted...comment on that photo and enter a drawing to receive a $25.00 gift certificate.

click here

Brussels Chamber Music Festival Fundraiser

518 WEST…
GOOD FOOD, GREAT MUSIC, A WINNING COMBINATION.

518 West is once again offering good food, a glass of wine (make it red, it’s good for your heart) and a chance to make something magical and musical happen this summer simply by eating a good meal with a friend.

Meet a friend for lunch or take someone you love out to dinner on Tuesday February 10th (avoid the Valentine's Day rush!) and 518 West will donate 10% of their sales to help establish a summer music festival in Raleigh and Cary.

Think of it as a meal today that will feed your soul with music this summer.

It’s a delicious way to raise money to bring the Brussels Chamber Orchestra (www.brusselschamberorchestra.com) here to establish the Cross Currents Summer Music Festival in Raleigh and Cary. Plans are now in place for the Festival to run from July 3rd through July 11th…and this year the BCO is planning on bringing along some of their most talented friends.

Come have a great meal and make something magical happen in July.

Tuesday, February 10th, 2009

518 West Italian Café, 518 West Jones Street/ Raleigh
(919) 829-2518

The Rise and Fall of the Airlock Sentinel

So what has become of the beloved 518 gargoyle that sat over the airlock as you entered the restaurant? One of the owners, in unfathomable wisdom, has decided to take part in the change of the restaurant and make his contribution. And that contribution is...you guessed it...removing the gargoyle to replace it with what? We aren't quite sure...when queried the reply was "I have an idea of something else that can go there"...well what? It seems that the idea has not quite morphed itself into a reality beyond the removal of our friend. Why am I a little upset over this? Well..that gargoyle has remained the one constant at 518 that we could count on. He has been our sentinel sitting over the airlock keeping watch on the goings on of the restaurant since we opened. We put reindeer antlers on him during Christmas, just to see who may notice and to add a bit of whimsy to our lives here at the restaurant. Children notice him and point him out to the amusement of their parents. He is our friend. And now without us even being given a chance to postulate an opinion, he is gone. So keep your eyes peeled for whatever may take his place, and watch out for the incarnation of the gargoyle.

Check Out Our Changes...

... as most folks are now looking even more for value driven products, we are offering up a bit of change on our own. Our business has remained strong I think in part due to the fact that we are still a value driven restaurant...we have great pricing on our wines, we have not raised prices even as our costs have gone up, and we strive to maintain our quality.

However we are even going one step further. We are lowering prices on several menu items as our costs have dropped, passing that savings on to our customers. I suppose the biggest news is that we are again going to be offering up half orders of all our pastas...and yes, meatballs are back on the menu. We are updating several of our classics like the Chicken Marsala and the Pork Milanese, and changing up the Eggplant Parm a bit.

With all the great changes taking place in the country, we are offering up a little change of our own.

Please check out our menu.

Coming on January 21st.....

see ya then,
Blaine