The Gourmez

Mirwinator Blu Seafood 9th Street, Durham $9 The mirwinator is made of Evan Williams brandy, thyme, orange juice, and lemon juice. Except for the thyme, that’s a pretty standard list of ingredients, and there’s a reason for it. The combination of those flavors always makes for a first-rate cocktail, and the mirwinator is no exception [...]

Cosmopolitan Wild Turkey Loft at the Angus Barn Raleigh Website $10 The Cosmopolitan is my favorite drink, for its high level of alcohol that comes with cranberry and citrus splashes to help it go down. There are many varieties of the drink, mainly tweaks on the amount of cranberry used and types of citrus juice, [...]

Shiki Sushi 207 W Highway 54 Homestead Market, Durham http://www.shikisushionline.com/ I am an unabashed fan of Shiki Sushi.  Their intriguing deluxe rolls, relaxing atmosphere, and fantastic selection of non-sushi items never fail to leave me well-fed and happy.  But there is the occasionally squeaky wheel and at last night’s dinner, it was the Shiki Tini.

1116 Broad Street Watts Hillandale area, Durham www.wattsgrocery.com Entrees:  $13-20 Watts Grocery is a lovely restaurant (no, not a grocery) that offers, brunch, lunch, dinner, and late night until at least midnight.  With so few places offering food at the witching hour, I’ve come to quite appreciate this place.  It has upscale American food with [...]