One Community. One Vision. One Voice.

6036 Six Forks Road

Raleigh, NC 27609
Phone: (919) 844-0098

Member Recipe of the Month: Structure House - Split Pea Soup

Ingredients:
¾ cup split peas
4 ¼ cups water
¼ cup onion, chopped
1/4 cup celery, diced
¼ cup carrots, chopped

Procedure:
1. Clean peas of any stones and rinse right before using.
2. Mix all ingredients together and bring to a boil.
Turn down to a simmer and cook for 2 ½ to 3 hours until
slightly thickened.

Makes 10 (1/2 cup) servings.

Want to share?
Submit your recipe to:
DerekL@ncrla.biz

12 www.NCRLA.biz
 July/August 2010

Community 2010 Legislative ‘Short Session’ Wrap Up

Calendar
T he 2010 legislative session has come to its conclusion and there have been many noteworthy
changes. While there was nothing quite as big as last year’s ban on smoking in restaurants
and bars, many of the issues that concerned NCRLA members were brought up and several of
Great American them have reached a resolution.
Dine Out
September 19-25
Throughout NC & USA NCRLA members will be mailed a full legislative wrap up in the near future, but for now, here are
some of the highlights:

PAC Golf Tournament Occupancy Taxes: There were several local occupancy tax bills introduced this Session. We are
September 20 pleased to report that, working with our partner the Travel & Tourism Coalition, the bills that
Hasentree Golf Club, passed were all consistent with our adopted guidelines. One bill that was not in compliance, for the
Wake Forest, NC Town of Banner Elk , did not pass.

We are also pleased to report that NCRLA was successful in preventing a Lumberton occupancy
visit tax bill from being introduced. It would have violated the guidelines. . NCRLA met with
NCRLA.BIZ
for more details several member hotels, the local TDA and communicated to the Mayor our opposition for a
recommendation to increase Lumberton’s occupancy tax an additional 3%, in part to help pay for
police and safety. An increase is still a possibility in the future, but the allocation to police funds
has been removed completely.

Online Travel Company Taxes: At the state level, legislation was introduced and ultimately
included in the State Budget that would impose sales and occupancy taxes on the compensation
received by the OTCs. NCRLA, working with our partner The NC Travel and Tourism Coalition,
was successful in obtaining liability protection for hotels. We also lobbied hard for the admin fee
but, while we had some good support, in the end we did not have enough to include this provision
in the final budget amendment bill Continued on Page 6

Governor Perdue Attends ‘Rally in Raleigh’ ; Speaks to Members

G uests at the 2010 Rally in Raleigh were treated with a

special guest appearance by Governor Bev Perdue! The
event, which is held during mid-session each year, took place on
June 23rd at Big Ed’s City Market. The event gave hospitality
owners and operators from throughout the state of North
Carolina the opportunity to connect with their representatives.

The event featured upwards of 100 hospitality operators and

legislators. Topics of discussion at the event ranged from the
state-wide collection of occupancy taxes, to fees for online hotel
booking. Recent legislation involving trash cans being placed
outside of restaurants, as well as the ban on video poker were
Governor Perdue speaks to the crowd at the
also discussed hotly amongst guests at the event.
NCRLA Rally in Raleigh on June 23rd
NCRLA would like to offer a special thanks to Big Ed’s City at Big Ed’s City Market.
Market Restaurant, for once again providing the arena for this
popular event.
www.NCRLA.biz 1
 Share our Strength’s NC Hospitality is the Official Publication of the
2010 Great American Dine Out North Carolina Restaurant
and Lodging Association

S hare Our Strength’s Great American Dine Out® is a

national, week-long event that brings together thousands
of restaurants and millions of consumers to help make sure
News Items, profile requests, recipe submissions
and Advertising Inquires:
no child in America grows up hungry. From September 19- Derek Levandowski
25, 2010, participating restaurants representing the entire
industry will raise funds through a variety of ways to support DerekL@NCRLA.biz
No Kid Hungry™, Share Our Strength’s national campaign (800) 582-8750
to end childhood hunger in America by 2015.

“Participating in the Great American Dine Out is a critical

step in aligning the restaurant industry to help end childhood
hunger,” said Ray Blanchette, CEO, Ignite Restaurant Group
and the Great American Dine Out Board Chairman, 2010. Alfred & Charlie’s BBQ House
“It will take everyone in our industry to make sure that no Burger King
child in America grows up City Electric Supply
hungry. ” Darryl’s Wood Fired Grill
Dos Perros Restaurant
Ducks of Swansboro
More than 3,500 restaurants
Dynamic Print Solutions
participated in the 2009
Hampton Inn of Lumberton, NC
Great American Dine Out,
Hospitality Staffing Solutions
including company-owned Howard Johnson Express Inn
and franchise multi-units, Knights Inn
franchised single-units, Market Restaurant
and independently owned Mildred’s Grill / Grandfather Mtn. Museum
restaurants. OPA!
Profood Consulting LLC
For more information on how Simon Roofing
your restaurant can be a part Southern Inn
of the Great American Dine The Claddagh Restaurant & Bar
Out in 2010, visit Top Of The Hill Restaurant & Brewery
www.Strength.org and help Travelers Inn
make a difference! Travelodge - Nags Head Beach Hotel
Utility Management Services
Restaurant Neighbor Awards

T he National Restaurant Association salutes 2010 Restaurant Neighbor Award Winners:

restaurateurs who go above and beyond in giving back
S!
to their communities through the Restaurant Neighbor Humanitarian Award:
N

Award. Each year four national winners receive $5,000 each Tom Sasser
O

to continue their charitable works. Harper’s Restaurant

TI
A

“Providing nourishment, quality of life, opportunity, Small Restaurant Award

L

and enjoyment, America’s restaurants are not only good John Love
TU

neighbors but important contributors to our nation’s health Red Rocks Cafe (NCRLA member)
A

and prosperity,” says Dawn Sweeney, National Restaurant

R

Association president and CEO. “Restaurants support local Medium Restaurant Award
G

youth activities, community health initiatives, national Niall Hanley

N

charities, and neighborhood improvement projects. We Hibernian

O

created the Restaurant Neighbor Award to recognize these

C

remarkable efforts and strongly encourage restaurants Large Restaurant Award

nationwide to share their stories with us.” Dean Ogan
Rocky Top Hospitality (NCRLA member)
2 www.NCRLA.biz
 U.S. FOODSERVICE®
YOUR PARTNER BEYOND THE PLATE™
U.S. Foodservice's® roots go back a long way…more than 150 years. Our company is an
extraordinary collection of foodservice distributors such as Rykoff-Sexton, PYA/Monarch,
Alliant Foodservice and others. We are proud of our heritage and the strong reputation
that these companies have built over the years. Through acquisition and organic growth,
we’ve steadily built upon our greatest asset—our people. They are our equity…they are
our prized inventory.

U.S. Foodservice® is a federation of extraordinarily diverse and talented people. Their

talents have been blended together to create a team capable of catering to any need.
Working as partners with our customers, we are dedicated to doing whatever it takes to
help our customers reach their business goals.
 “Your partner beyond the plate®”.... More than
words…it’s our anthem. A promise backed by three
pillars guaranteed to place us a notch above:

INTEGRITY SERVICE RESOURCES

Together we— Raleigh Division

Provide food and related 919.404.4100
products and services to more www.raleigh.usfoodservice.com
than 250,000 customers, including
restaurants, hospitals, hotels, schools and Fort Mill Division
governmental operations. 803-802-6000
www.fortmill.usfoodservice.com
Employ more than 26,000 associates and operate
more than 60 distribution centers.

Offer more than 300,000 fresh, frozen, dry and nonfood

products from every major national brand and a robust offering of
exclusive brands of our own.

www.NCRLA.biz 3
 New Town Bistro Utilizing Social Media to Gain Popularity

O ver the last 16 years, New Town Bistro of Winston-Salem has

become somewhat of a landmark restaurant in the area, but that
does not mean they are old fashioned. Whether it be a Facebook
promotion or painting dessert plates, New Town Bistro is always on the
cutting edge.

“I think we were a bit ahead of our time on social media,” says Kyle
Agha, owner and member of the NCRLA Board of Directors. “We
want to stay on the top of mind. It (Facebook) can’t be all about
advertising, or people will reject it. It has to be fun.”

One strategy that Agha has taken is to offer $10 gift cards to patrons
who capture a photograph of their receipt and post it on their Facebook
page. This has helped New Town Bistro gain over 720 Facebook fans
within the last year.

“We know that most people have four or five favorite restaurants that New Town Bistro has been on the cutting
they will go to. We know someone isn’t going to come here every time, edge, especially with social media, since
but we want to be in the discussion every time.” opening in the 1990’s.
Another interesting strategy of New Town Bistro is allowing members
to sign up for the VIP Club (via their website, newtownbistro.com).
VIP members get special offers on their birthday and anniversary, an
e-newsletter, and are automatically entered into a monthly drawing for a
$100 gift card.

New Town Bistro prides itself on being “a fun place to meet and make
new friends.” The Bistro changes their menu quarterly to take advantage
of the freshest seasonal ingredients, offering many new and exciting
menu items for guests to choose from.

“We always do our best to buy local produce, especially meats and
cheeses. Local wines are very popular as well,” said Agha.
Painted dessert plates give diners a unique
On celebrating a sweet sixteen years of service, Agha said the Bistro was feel when they visit New Town Bistro.
becoming one of the more long-lasting restaurants of the Triad.

“We’ve been here for almost seventeen years. In Winston-Salem there

aren’t many places that have been around that long, so it’s almost like
we’re approaching landmark status.”

Hopefully, New Town Bistro will be a landmark for many years to come.

For a truly refreshing, and social, dining experience, try New Town
Bistro, one of the Triad’s favorite restaurants. For reservations, call
(336) 659-8062. Don’t forget to become a fan of New Town Bistro on
Facebook!

Executive Chef Donny Smith is known for

creating dishes that are rich and unique in
taste, as well as visually exciting.
4 www.NCRLA.biz
 In Good Company: A ‘Spirited’ Profile of the Country Squire Inn

W hen you visit the Country Squire Inn, you may be traveling solo…
but you still may have company! It is said that a friendly ghost, or
ghosts, roam the grounds at the Inn and have been known to move objects,
cast their shadows on the wall, and even, on occasion, let their voices be
heard.

Located between the beautiful and historic towns of Kenansville and

Warsaw, North Carolina, the old-world charm of this world famous
restaurant and hotel combo has charmed guests for almost fifty years! The
Country Squire Restaurant, Vintage Inn, Winery & Gift Shop opened in
1961. Originally just a restaurant, it has been taking in overnight guests
since 1973 with twelve rooms on the guest level and four rooms in a guest
house.
Vist the Country Squire Inn for a taste of
In keeping with their tradition of excellence, in 2005 The Country the extraordinary, and of the paranormal!
Squire opened its own working winery in the 18th Century portion of
the restaurant building. The Tartan Tasting Room & Gift Shop is a new
addition, open to visitors from Wednesday to Saturday (and by special
appointment). Many of the wines at The Country Squire are named after
favorite areas at the Squire and the wine label design is reflective of the
Scottish heritage of the owners and operators of the Winery, the Lennon
family.

While guests enjoy the lovely wine and the historic décor, it is the ghostly
presence at the Inn that has garnered most of the fame for the Inn in recent
years. The Inn was investigated by Port City Paranormal Research, out of
Wilmington, as well as East Coast Illusions and Haunted NC.

According to hauntednc.com, “The owner and staff of the Country Squire

have reported seeing shadowy figures in the oldest part of the restaurant.
They report having seen a dark apparition (possibly of a cloaked figure)
walking through the restaurant and have seen and heard tables and chairs
move as if by an unseen hand. One couple dining at the restaurant reported
that darts embedded in a dart board suddenly flew across the room and
landed near them. Another couple in the bar reported an apparition of a
man that suddenly appeared and walked towards a wall and disappeared.
Other reports are of objects in the gift shop falling off the wall, a window
shutter that closed by itself, and voices heard in the restaurant after the last
guests have left for the evening.”

“We are the only restaurant in North Carolina that makes accommodations
for ghosts,” joked Iris Lennon who bought the Country Squire in 1993.

Another fun feature of the Country Squire is the 72-ounce steak, served
with crackers, a salad and a potato. If a guest can finish the entire meal,
which is sold at $85, the meal is free.

To make reservations at The Country Squire Inn, call toll-free at (877) 830- (above) Artist’s rendering of one of the
1602. The Country Squire Winery is also on facebook, so become a fan ghosts of the Country Squire Inn.
for updates and more pictures! Visit www.CountrySquireInn.com for more
info.

www.NCRLA.biz 5
 2010 Legislative Wrap Up (cont’d)
Travel and Tourism Promotion Funding: We are pleased to report that the final state budget bill included a $1 Million
increase for travel and tourism promotion. Also noteworthy was the exclusion from the budget of a proposal that would
have made all Welcome Centers fee-supported. This would have ended 42 years of free brochure distribution for tourism
businesses, including many restaurants and bed & breakfast operations.

School Start Date: The current law states that public school cannot start school earlier than August 25th or end later
than June 10th The School Calendar Law, H 593, was amended. Under the current law, the State Board of Education is
authorized to grant an exception to a local school board if the school unit has been closed 8 days or more per year during
any four of the previous eight years. H 593 amends the law to provide that, for purposes of this exception, a school is
considered closed if the school is closed for two or more hours on that day. H 593 passed the House and Senate and has
gone to the Governor’s desk for signature.

ABC Issues: There were no changes in the taxes on alcoholic beverages and no raise in fees for ABC permits. There were
some adjustments to ABC law, however. The Legislature passed H 1717, which completed legislative action this year
aimed at reforming city and county liquor control boards. Under the bill, members of local ABC boards will be subject
to a ban on gifts. Each local board will be subject to performance standards set by the state ABC Commission, including
store operating efficiency, solvency, customer service and enforcement of the alcohol laws. This reform bill does not have
any provisions that would affect daily operations for restaurants and bars.

Video Poker Ban Adopted: After lengthy and sometimes angry debate, the House concurred in Senate amendments to (H
80), which bans public machines and computer programs that simulate video poker, bingo, keno, lotto, and similar games.
Legitimate sweepstakes promotions and games offered over the internet by restaurants and hotels should not be affected.
The video poker industry lobbied hard against the bill. H 80 goes to the Governor’s desk for signature.
Plastic Bag Ban Expanded: Beginning this fall, Outer Banks businesses in Currituck, Dare and Hyde counties will be
required to bag customers’ purchases in recycled paper bags or a reusable cloth bag. Customers using reusable bags will be
entitled to a cash refund worth the cost of the bags not used in the purchase.

Plastic Bag Ban: Beginning this fall, Outer Banks businesses located on the barrier islands in Currituck, Dare and Hyde
counties will be required to bag customers’ purchases in recycled paper bags or a reusable cloth bag. Customers using their
own reusable bags will be entitled to a cash refund or credit equal to the cost of the bags not used in the purchase.

This budget provision expands a plastic bag ban enacted last year which applied to major retailers and chain operators
from distributing lightweight plastic bags to their customers. The new provision will apply to all retailers on the barrier
islands in these 3 counties beginning on Oct. 1.

There are many more issues to look for in our full legislative wrap up, which will be arriving in your mailboxes in the
coming days. We thank everyone who contributed on any of these issues and look forward to another strong session in
2011. Until then, look for our View from Jones Street e-newsletter on the first Monday of each month!

ServSafe Starters Provides Online ServSafe Training Course for $15 per Employee

S ervSafe is, by far, the leading industry standard for food safety
training. Many of our members have shown a commitment to food
safety by having their managers trained in ServSafe.

Now, our members can get their entire staff trained in an online course
for as little as $15 per employee with a revolutionary program called
ServSafe Starters.

To order ServSafe Starters for your employees, visit

www.servsafe.com/starters. There, you can view sample exams and
sample chapters from the course book.

6 www.NCRLA.biz
Lower Your Processing Costs and Build
Your Business With First Data and the North
Carolina Restaurant and Lodging Association
We’ve negotiated a great rate with First Data for payment
processing, available only to North Carolina Restaurant and Lodging
Association members. The agreement offers numerous benefits,
including:
J Money-saving price structure for all credit and debit
card transactions
J Easy implementation and training
J One convenient statement, incorporating all card transactions
J Online reporting and toll-free customer support 24/7
Accept more payments, lower processing costs and build
your business.

For more information, call 1-800-482-1706.

301-904

www.NCRLA.biz 7
 2010 PAC Golf Event: Tee Off This Election Season!

2010 PAC Golf Tournament

When: September 20, 2010

9 am
Where: Hasentree Golf Club,
Wake Forest, NC
REGISTER NOW at
Do you have what it takes to bring home this www.ncrla.biz
year’s first place trophey at the
2010 PAC Golf Tournament?

All proceeds will go toward the NCRLA Political

Action Committee, which plays a key role in making
sure only business-friendly officials are
elected or re-elected in upcoming elections.

Cary Reconstruction: The Disaster Relief Experts

P ipes break. Fires and floods happen. No business is expecting a disaster, but
since 1992 CRC has been helping businesses get back on their feet. What
started out with a couple of trucks and a hand full of employees had become the
largest restoration company in North Carolina. Since its inception, CRC has
expanded and diversified into a comprehensive emergency services firm known for
its professionalism, as well as for its excellent turn key work completed by its own in
house staff. This work includes; fire damage, water damage, floods, mold remediation,
environmental issues, disaster planning and recovery on a county level. CRC is
a preferred vendor for every major insurance company and has been ranked #1 in Toll Free: 1-888-501-7824
restoration for the last two years by Business Leader Magazine. www.CallCRC.com

With offices in Charlotte, Fayetteville, Greensboro, and Apex CRC offers 24/7
emergency response to both commercial and residential customers.

“When a pipe bursts at 2am, we are there. We’re available any time, day or night,” says Vice President of CRC’s
commercial division Phillip Galvan. “Whether it be water extraction or fire restoration, we know it can be stressful and
we want to make the situation as stress-free as possible.”

CRC’s 110 plus member team is well rehearsed in every phase of crisis recovery. With a state of the art drying and
restoration facility along with a 65,000 sq ft cleaning facility CRC has become one of the most well equipped and sought
after firms in the industry. This demand has created a need for additional offices throughout the country.

In the event of an emergency call CRC toll free at 888-501-7824 or visit www.callCRC.com. If you would like additional
information on CRC’s disaster planning, please contact 919-467-5517.
8
www.NCRLA.biz
Current 3 Star Partners
IFH Foodservice Distribution
One of the 13 largest food
distributors in the country.

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Serving insurance needs of
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Have you completed your
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to the foodservice industry, S&D
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www.NCRLA.biz 9
 NCRL A Community News One Community. One Vision. One Voice.

September 2-6, 2010 will be the dates for the Pinehurst Food and Wine Festival in
Pinehurst, North Carolina. The festival is a five-day celebration of food and wine,
featuring wine competitions, daily wine seminars, culinary/cooking demonstrations from
guest chefs, and gala food and wine dining events each night.

In new advertising for Bojangles’ Restaurants, a cop, a cowboy and a would-be fiancé
each hears his stomach growl, drops all and races to Bojangles’. The campaign is the first
work by advertising agency BooneOakley, Charlotte, for its new client. Three :30 TV spots
feature a highway arrest, a very pregnant frontier mom, and a proposal, each interrupted by
a rumbling belly and the campaign’s signature announcement, “It’s Bo Time.”

Food sponsored by:

Creating Opportunities. Changing Liv

Tribeca Tavern has been named the best place to eat crème brûlée by Independent
Weekly’s 2010 Best of the Triangle awards. Tribeca Tavern was a finalist for the best new #13
restaurant in Wake County, the best outdoor dining in Wake County and the best draft
beer selection. Winners are selected through readers’ polls.

A limited-time, premium-priced rib offering proved so popular for Burger King that
stores began to run out before the promotional period ended. TIME food columnist Josh
Ozersky offered kudos to the chain for trying something new. “The fact that the company
introduced a product that wasn’t perfectly uniform, and that supply ran out early, was the
best thing about Burger King’s rib experiment.”

Platinum Corral, a multi-unit franchise operator of Golden Corral Grill/Buffet

Restaurants, has announced that Billy Sewell, the company’s president and CEO, has
been appointed to lead the N.C. Economic Development Budget Review team. Sewell,
a Republican who has served as a member of the board since 2005, will be charged with
making state budgetary appropriation recommendations for board approval, which will
then be submitted to the Governor.

Maggiano’s Little Italy announced recently that it raised more than $500,000 to help
grant the wishes of more than 65 children during its seventh annual “Eat-A-Dish for
Make-A-Wish” campaign. The program ran April 15 through May 26 with proceeds
directly benefitting the Make-A-Wish Foundation, which grants the wishes of children
with life-threatening medical conditions.

Foodservice distributor Pate Dawson Company announced today it has acquired certain
assets of fellow North Carolina independent food distributor Southern Foods Group.
Pate Dawson created a subsidiary, Meat and Seafood Solutions, LLC, to acquire specific
assets of Southern Foods and will build on the strengths of the two well-known names
in the marketplace, according to Pate Dawson Chief Executive Officer Malcolm “Mac”
Sullivan. Sullivan will become the chief executive officer of Meat and Seafood Solutions
while remaining in that role with parent company Pate Dawson. The new company will
also have the rights to use the Southern Foods name.

Have News? Has your business won a recent award?

10
14 www.NCRLA.biz Let us know! Send your news to DerekL@ncrla.biz
The most expensive thing in your restaurant is...
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Sysco’s Mission
Helping Our Customers Succeed
Contact a Sysco location near you to start building for your future
Serving tremendous growth in our North Carolina market
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11
www.NCRLA.biz