text: I was on my way to Good Food at Montford when I got mugged at gunpoint in the parking garage of my hotel That night I ate a sad albeit comped meal of overcooked steak Diane and chugged several glasses of Sutter Home in my hotel roomnnThe next night I was determined to take back my life starting with my taste buds I dined on the earlier side hoping to avoid crowds and grab a seat without a reservation Not only did I get a seat but I was able to saddle up at the chefs bar where I could watch Executive Chef Marc Jacksina prepare my dishes amazing that in NC executive chefs are actually working the night chef touching and cooking food Given that small dining room decked out in woodcarved everything from tables and chairs to chandeliers I believed that I had taken one of the better seats in the house nnMy server was a little frazzled perhaps a little clueless as he had a difficult time answering simple questions about several menu and wine items but he was polite about everything and I was not about to pick a fight I was there to be gastronomically cleansed nnI ordered a California syrah thinking that I would order myself some porkliciousness But I changed course as I watched Chef Marc work Knowing the pride Halcyon took in sourcing fresh ingredients locally I decided that I would focus solely on vegetarian dishes a huge departure from my largely carnivorous diet And I did not want to do the typical no wedge salad or cheese plate I remember a retired Marine who came into my wine store after serving his last tour of duty and upon my asking what he was looking for replied something memorable In no way do I wish to compare my trials and tribulations with those of our armed service men and women but I was looking for something akin to the bottle of Les Forts de Latour that I sent him home withnnI opted for a beet carpaccio and a ricotta gnudi over spaghetti sqaushnnThe thinlysliced beets were sprinkled with sugar and torched just enough so the top crusted over like a creme brulee This was accompanied by a caponota of pureed turnip shaved apples carrot puree and spots of aged balsamic Absolutely delicious an epiphany really each ingredient sold itself individually but blended together harmoniously a celebration of seasonal flavors textures colors and temperatures nnThen came the warm bowl that contained my gnudi and squash like a delicate eggs nestled in a fragile birds nest With just the right amount of brown sage butter and dash of nutmeg this dish put me over the edge The squash was just right not a yellow tasteless mush but with just a slight bite the way one would prefer their pasta al dente The gnudi was fluffy not heavy seared just right so it was not greasy showcasing the skill of a strong kitchen staff nnThis meal was incredibly meaningful coming on the heels of such a terrible experience I was incredibly appreciative that it did not disappoint In fact it was inspiring to watch Chef Marc and company coax such complexity from simplicity Quite a triumphant return for my traumatized palate