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