More and more people are finding themselves like me, apologizing as we look up at a waiter asking questions like, “Is the flour organic?” “Is the filet grass-fed?” There are jokes about consumers like us, but food allergies aren’t funny at all, if you suffer from the effects of chemicals and additives.

Surprisingly, I found the answer to all my questions at the DLA’s Battle of the Pizza, an event held in June to welcome new residents at 927 West Morgan Street Apartments.  The winner of the pizza taste-off and owner of Clockwork, Souheil Al-Awar, has turned his zeal for fresh, chemical free ingredients into a creative menu that would suit any palate.  He explains, “I can eat here because it’s all homemade and fresh.  It’s like eating in your own kitchen.  Food takes a little longer to prepare because it is made from scratch.  If you order an organic salad with the Orange Vinaigrette, the vinaigrette is made at the time of the order.  Fresh grated orange peel, olive oil….. “  Everything isn’t farm to table because some ingredients are just better from Italy or abroad.

Many are attracted to the restaurant at 519 W. North St. because of its fresh-made cocktails and hip decor that blurs the line between inside and out, but for me the fresh, unique menu is the real jewel.  Now more than 90 days preservative free, I love how I feel and it’s bliss to be able to walk around the corner from where I live on Glenwood South and enjoy a meal that ensures that I’ll keep feeling as good as the food tastes.

At the DLA’s pizza contest, residents at the Morgan St. apartments voted overwhelmingly for both Clockwork’s vegetarian pizza, Tri Me (with a cream sauce base, topped with sliced jalapenos, mandarin oranges, pistachios, and mozzarella) and the meat lovers pizza, The Two O’clock (with local pepperoni, local sweet Italian Sausage, local organic flour, and homemade tomato sauce with mozzarella.)  Al-Alwar says that the most popular items he sells include his tacos, falafel, chicken, carnitas, NY strip and mahi mahi.

Clockwork now offers a 20% discount to Downtown Residents on Sunday and Monday nights. (This discount applies to the food only.)

See you at Clockwork and especially on a Sunday or Monday night!

Cheers!

Written by Tracy Barnes

Also check out this recent article on Clockwork’s interior design, Retro Rebirth at Clockwork.

510 Glenwood

My wife and I have owned our condo at 510 Glenwood from the beginning, when it was built 13 years ago.  We were excited then to live in downtown Raleigh’s first mixed use building.  For years, we used the shorthand – “above Bogarts” – when telling new friends where we lived.  Then it became “where Bogarts used to be.”  That became the front of a long tale, as it was joined by other Rocky Top Hospitality closings: Draft and Red Room.  Cantina South and Krave (Bogarts and Red Room replacements) both had short stays.

But now we’re getting ready to tell a new story.

Of course everyone knows that Carolina Ale House will be holding down the south end next door.  With the departure of Oryx, the north corner of the building will feature an Italian restaurant owned by Vincent Barressi, the owner of Vincent’s on Creedmoor Road.  As for my wife and me, we’ll now be able to say that we live about Shuckers Oyster Bar and Grill that will be moving shortly into the former Cantina South space. Rounding out the building is The Oakz in what was formerly Draft Restaurant.

A Glenwood South turning point

2014 seems to be a turning point for all of Glenwood South.  The rebirth of the popular Hibernian Pub and the much anticipated completion of the Carolina Ale House restaurant complex has sparked renewed confidence in downtown Raleigh’s first “entertainment district”.

My wife and I have always been happy to live here and we’ve loved having Hampton Inn & Suites as new neighbors.  We’re excited at the influx of residents and visitors to the street and thrilled that they’ll now have four new reasons to come.