eatraleigh

[eatraleigh]

St. Roch Fine Oysters +

Bar

It's weird for me to think of St.Roch as a downtown Raleigh fixture when I remember the space's past life as the Wilmoore Cafe, which was two iterations ago for 223 South Wilmington Street. But it has already been 7 years since Ashley Christensen closed her coffee shop Joule and passed the space to Sunny Gerhart to create St.Roch.

As food media people, we love the new thing. We flock to the new restaurant openings, get wrapped up in the excitement of possibilities. I'm as guilty of that as much as any other. But St.Roch throughout its tenure in downtown has shown the city who they are. St.Roch doesn't need to ride on possibilities, as they have 7 years of serving stellar food. And that's something that deserves excitement too.

Accompanied with attentive service, the thing that elevates St.Roch is execution. Every piece of my dirty rice duck confit was excellent individually but had a purpose when brought together. Succulent duck, flavorful rice and punch and sweetness from pineapple mostarda.

The BBQ Shrimp was the same way featuring a coconut curry that could be sold and enjoyed by the glass.

Through the ebbs and flows of the dining scene and downtown Raleigh, St. Roch has stood consistent in its exceptional food. Which may not always result in a Tik Tok or Instagram frenzy but maybe it should.

St. Roch Fine Oysters + Bar

223 S Wilmington St, Raleigh, NC 27601

#seafood #downtown #duck

[eatraleigh]

Ponysaurus Brewing Co.

Raleigh Iron Works is just one of the numerous development projects in the city that promised to bring high class living, work, shopping and dining all in the same community. The development had got the city buzzing by bringing in popular Triangle eateries like Andia's Ice Cream and Eastcut Sandwiches to the Oak City. Adding to the hype is the celebrated Ponysaurus Brewery. What started out as a tiny nanobrewery in 2015 has grown to a multiple locations throughout NC. The team was gracious enough to send me a sneak preview invite.

Ponysaurus opening in Raleigh is also a homecoming for Executive Chef Jeff Seizer and CDC Roxy Garza. Chef Seizer established himself in the Raleigh culinary scene with his work at the City Market favorite, Royale, before it fell victim to the pandemic. Chef Garza has worked in Raleigh classics, Fiction Kitchen and Lily's Pizza.

I am a sucker for places that can dress up the common bar snack without making it a lesser version of the original. Regular popcorn is great and is already a terrific compliment to a beer. But the peppery and herb kick of the brewery's rendition was a satisfying twist to the snack.

At the center of the Ponysaurus menu is their pizza. A host of intriguing toppings make up the specialty pizza menu. Like the clam pie feels like an ode to New Haven apizza. I ordered the Fox and Farm pie, which featured local mushrooms & charred radicchio.

Bringing another Bull City eatery to the Capital City, Ponysaurus ice cream sandwich was a collaboration with Downtown Durham's Simon Says Dip This. A rotating feature, the inaugural rendition included tiramisu and toasted hazelnut.

Admittedly, sometimes I feel a bit weary of these developments like Raleigh Iron Works. As if the intentionality to bring all things together in one place feels less organic than I'd preferred. But Raleigh Iron Works and how it's given space for so many local spots, like Ponysaurus Raleigh, show how these kind of development can do good.

Ponysaurus Brewing Co

https://www.ponysaurusbrewing.com/ral

Iron Works Dr Suite 100, Raleigh, NC 27604

#pizza #brewery #dessert #iron works

[eatraleigh]

Premier Cakes Diner

I don't know why but I have a soft spot for the museum restaurant. Maybe it's this idea that we as people expect to have a good meal anywhere. Maybe it's the idea that quality museum restaurants that serve an honest meal are often unnoticed or overlooked due to the location. Or that it would be simple, and even in a way understandable, for a museum to see their food eatery as an afterthought or a simple money grab to extract an extra dollar not going towards the admission or gift shop.

The restaurant space inside of the NC Museum of History has had a difficult run over the past 6 years or so. It's longtime tenant, Pharaoh's, vacated the location in 2018. The promising Sweet Tea and Cornbread took its place, ran by Tonya Council, the granddaughter of the legendary Mama Dip. Unfortunately the pandemic hauled Sweet Tea and Cornbread before it was able to reach it's full potential after it was unable to recover from it's long COVID hiatus and loss of downtown office workers. I had wondered if the space was ever going to be filled or if it was going to end up a permanent loss of the pandemic.

Premier Cakes announced they were taking over the space last year. Once trying to satisfy a craving my sweet tooth a couple years ago, I found Premier Cakes off of Falls of Neuse Road, a cute, unassuming bakery with loads of cake slices. When the pandemic hit, like many others, they converted their operations to a takeout window only but kept these odd hours I never quite understood. It was almost like classic food truck era, where they would just post on their Facebook went they were opened that day and eventually they would update the page that they were sold out.

But surprisingly enough, the spot in the NC Museum of History isn't a bakery, its a diner. Classic flattop grill items like hot dogs and burgers. What I appreciate is they make cook it order. Its honest food and real cooking.

Something like the fried wing bag is something that doesn't need anything too ornate to be good, mostly it just needs to be freshly fried and served piping hot out the fryer, which it was.

Every now and then they'll do a soul food menu for events and the weekend.

The diner does bring lots of cake inventory to their diner space with slices like a simple chocolate frosted yellow cake to a lemon blueberry cake that rivals any in the city.

Primer Cakes Diner is the best of museum dining. Its just simple food, cooked by folks who care. And if you're too busy taking in the exhibits or chasing your kid around, you might just miss it.

Premier Cakes Diner https://www.ncmuseumofhistory.org/visit/premier-cakes-diner-north-carolina-museum-history 5 E Edenton St, Raleigh, NC 27601

#diner #cake #downtown #raleigh #black owned

[eatraleigh]

J.Betski's (2.0)

The original J.Betski's, when it was located in Seaboard Station was a posh, special occasion place. Adorned with dark woods, low lighting, and high-end Eastern European dishes. But then things changed. Seaboard Station was sold and began re-development, causing most of the former residences to close.

J.Betski took the opportunity to not only move into a new location but also a new concept. A more casual, accessible dining experience than the one regulars came to know. Owner John Korzekwinski will admit that it took a bit for everyone, including the diners(personally I love ordering from my phone), to get adjusted but now J.Betski's 2.0 has found a sweet spot between a casual eatery and its refined dining roots. The team invited us out to checkout the new digs.

The perogies are still as good as they were in the original J.Betski's. And it's not just because the dish is hard to find anywhere else.

Packed with ingredients, nicely seared and topped with accompaniments.

Dishes like the perogies burger showcase the more casual side of this new version of J.Betski. An excellently cooked, juicy burger topped with a mushroom perogies. I'll admit that I was initially suspicious about the cohesion of textures between perogies dough, mushroom filling, buns and a burger. But each bite dispelled my concerns.

The smoked brisket is a dish that shows that this version of J.Betski can still served refined fare. Jonathan is a big fan of smoking meat and is particularly proud of the brisket. Dressed up with cherry gastric and served alongside pumpkin perogies, the dish delighted by providing harmony between smoky, salty, sweet, fatty and nutty.

This brisket was my favorite I had since my visit to Texas.

When we were talking to our server, he mentioned his affection for the German noodle classic spaetzle. He likened it to Mac and cheese and it was a fair comparison.

Deep fried potatoes are typically a good choice at most places but the potato crisps are on another level. Layers of crispy potatoes stacked with beef tallow and butter then deep fried. Truffle aioli puts the decadence of this side over the top.

Desserts are terrific too, particularly the chocolate hazelnut torte. Salty notes from the caramel and crispy bits of candied bacon makes this dessert a highlight.

There's times I still miss the old J.Betski, maybe it's just the nostalgic longing for the time that has past or the special occasion feeling from dining there but I'm coming love this more accessible J.Betski's just as much, probably because the food is just as good

J.Betski

https://www.jbetskis.com/

1916 Bernard St, Raleigh, NC 27608

#midtown #german #eastern europe

[eatraleigh]

East End Bistrot

In my current season of life, I feel like I go to a lot of fast casuals. Being a dad of a 8 year old apparently means a lot of ordering straight-forward food at a restaurant's counter. And its not like there's a problem with the relatively good food, cheaper price point and casual atmosphere of a good fast casual. However, there are times where I long for a thoughtful and exciting menu, full of dishes that have been meticulously conceptualized and cooked by high skilled chefs. And where I don't have to bus my own table.

Development has been a constant theme for the area around East Whitaker Mill Road, with a multitude of projects like Raleigh Iron Works popping up. East End Market was built over the ruins of a nondescript strip of office spaces on Progress Circle that use to host a collection of different businesses. Everything from fine art to defunked old brewery Sub Noir. The development welcomed its first food offering in 2023 with East End Bistrot from the Giorgio Restaurant Group.

Giorgio Bakatasias' s aggressive expansion into the Raleigh market over the past few years has been an interesting storyline. He had long been established in Chapel Hill and Durham, I was wondering if he was content not to jump into the Raleigh market. Then at what feels like the most vulnerable time to open restaurants, he opened four eateries in the City of Oaks with another concept in the works.

Leaning into it's fine dining pedigree with a regal atmosphere and high end dishes (with high end prices), East End Bistrot felt gutsy to open. But the move pays off by providing a superb dining experience.

While East End Bistrot's space and service both earn high praise, none of it matters unless the food hits the mark. And for a place like East End, the food cannot just be good, it has to be great.

The peeky toe crab souffle is exactly that - great. A fluffy, crabby souffle would have been excellent by itself but drizzled in the middle is lobster coral butter. An lavish elixir that makes this dish itself worth a visit.

Although the crab souffle is a remarkable dish, East End Bistrot's Chilean Sea Bass Roti is the restaurant's best dish. Quite honestly, it was perfect. Which I don't feel like its an exaggeration to say, as I literally can't come up with one fault in the dish.

The robust and meaty Sea Bass starkly contrasted with the deep umami flavors of the black mushroom providing a delight with each bite. However the highlight of the dish was the sauce Vadouvan. Impossibly velvety and with the perfect kiss of Indian inspired spice, the sauce makes the whole dish transcendental.

East End Bistrot is the type of restaurant that reminds you about the sheer joy of the all-encompassing experience of finer dining.

East End Bistrot

https://www.eastendbistrotraleigh.com/

2020 Progress Ct suite 110, Raleigh, NC 27608

#fine dining #midtown #French

[eatraleigh]

KPOT Korean BBQ & Hot Pot

If there's any type of threshold for when a cuisine is fully adapted into American culture, making that cuisine all-you-can-eat is certainly one of them. Once upon a time hot pot and Korean BBQ were seen as an exotic meal but places like KPot off Capital Blvd has fast tracked it into awareness.

KPot is part of a chain of restaurant that has rapidly expanding across the US. With a few opened in North Carolina, the KPot location at the Capital Boulevard Shoppee plaza is the first one in the Triangle with more pending locations.

The concept is simple. You get two hours (you have a running clock on the tablet you order on) to cook as much meat as you can eat. Each table at KPot is equipped with a table grill and personal burners for hot pot. I find the personal burners a nice touch as it means that diners can have their own individual hot pot. You are provided the choice to choose just one cooking method, but having both hot pot and Korean BBQ is just a few more dollars.

The item options are plentiful and run the gambit from seafood to dumplings to beef. The service is attentive, maybe even over zealous, quick to replace your grill once char starts to build. But they are quick to come out with the ordered items and keeping drinks full.

Unlike some other Hot Pot or Korean BBQ places, there aren't any pre-prepared foods you can order from the kitchen (shout out to brown sugar rice cakes). But the items from the kitchen are fresh and well seasoned. Their selection of pork belly is noteworthy with smoke garlic being an item that is punched in with each order.

KPot does offer a sauce station with a buffet of banchon like treats and fried foods. Of course, those items are mostly a distraction from the main event.

Admittedly, when cooking on both the hot pot and BBQ, it an become almost too much like actual cooking as you try to manage and time each item cooking. But its a fun novelty to do at least once. But I won't feel bad next time just doing BBQ.

Sometimes the worry for All-You-Can-Eat places is that its a lesser version of a cuisine but KPot wasn't a diminished experience for either hot pot or Korean BBQ.

KPot https://thekpot.com/ 3105 Capital Blvd, Raleigh, NC 27604

#midtown #korean #hot pot #bbq #korean bbq #asian

[eatraleigh]

Vidrio

When Vidrio opened in 2017, it marked a new era of dining in Glenwood South. Along with the acclaimed Cortez, Vidrio brought a refreshed refined dining scene to a street more known for its bars and nightlife. The dining room's iconic wall of hundreds of hand blown glass bowls and orbs acts as a reminder of the experience that can be had with dining, one that feels far away from the casual dining or fast casual concept that has been proliferated.

Labeling itself a Mediterranean-inspired restaurant, Vidrio ties to the region always seemed more guidelines than a strict mandate. The dishes served are more dictated by the inspiration of the chef. Vidrio's kitchen at has pass through a few leaders since its inception with its most recent predecessor being celebrated Chef Saif Rahman, who's menu focused on highlighting local ingredients. Vidrio has since turned to executive chef Adel Diaz who has leaned into globally imported ingredients. As Chef Diaz mentioned at the media dinner the restaurant invited us too, he using simplicity in showcasing good quality products.

Serving the diners two unique ceviches exhibited Chef Abel's skill with seafood. The first offering combined an olive based sauce and roe, which gave it a distinct savoriness and richness that contrasted the raw slices of salmon. The next other ceviche felt more aligned with the flavor profile I typically associate with a ceviche, serving bright and tangy citrus alongside on top of the raw fish.

The dressed oyster was a delightful pop of intense flavors with a briny finish.

The main dish offering of Seared Ora King Salmon took an simplistic route, using an expert sear to elevate it exceptional fish.

Among the collection of other small plates that were served, the cheese croquettes, because who doesn't love breaded fried cheese.

The patatas bravas was also a fan favorite because the next best thing to fried cheese is eggs and potatoes.

Some of the other folks at my table refrained from having too much of the other dishes because they wanted to save room for Chef Abel's preparation of wagyu beef. Beautifully cooked to a medium rare center, the slices of wagyu were delightful. But the cauliflower puree was a strong counterpart to the adorned cow.

Chef Abel has continued what Vidrio started 6 years ago, providing Glenwood South a place for refined dining.

Vidrio https://www.vidrioraleigh.com/ 500 Glenwood Ave #100, Raleigh, NC 27603

#mediterranean #glenwood south

[eatraleigh]

Hady's Restaurant International Cuisine

I imagine there's a few folks who find Hady's Restaurant International Cuisine intimidating. Its location embedded within the residential streets of East Martin, feeling miles away from the commonly traveled streets of downtown. A menu that does not seem to temper its flavors or dishes to appease those who are unfamiliar. It were for those reasons I was so interested in visiting the place.

Hady's caught my attention right before the pandemic took hold of our daily lives in early 2020. To my surprise, despite the eatery being a new restaurant and serving a cuisine that is not completely embraced by the surrounding city, it was able to navigate through the hardship of COVID.

Its all too easy for me to think of African cuisine as one big monolithic style of cooking that covers the entire continent. But Hady's is a good reminder that each African country and region has a flavors all their own. With a menu serves dishes that span from Senegal to Niger, the restaurant truly lives up to its international moniker. From Senegal, Fish Fataya is Hady's rendition of a popular street food. Freshly fried and with a distinct fish taste, this hand pie provided an introduction to Senegalese tastes in a familiar deep fried package.

Years ago I was exploring a local African grocery and found a box of fufu. When we got around to cooking it, it was bland and an awkward gritty texture. Figured dish was that way to ensure that the stews typically served with fufu would be the focal point. But when I had Hady's fufu, I was surprised to be treated to a smoother and tasty version of fufu. Still not overwhelming with flavor, it was some similar to mashed potatoes.

While I enjoyed the fufu, it really is just a delivery method for the lamb peanut better stew. A thick and rich peanut butter soup, touched with a bit of spice. The heavy peanut butter taste paired well with the gamy lamb. The first half of my meal, I attempted to perfect my fufu scooping technique but more often then not got messy, so I resorted to a fork and chewing.

Grateful that Hady is in Raleigh giving a chance to experience African food.

Hady's Restaurant International Cuisine

https://hadyinternational.com/

717 E Martin St Suite 199, Raleigh, NC 27601

#african food #fufu #stew #east raleigh

[eatraleigh]

Bussin Pizza

You can tell how long someone has been living in Raleigh by what they remember being on Hillsborough Street. When someone waxes on about the glories of Sadlack Lunch or drunken evenings at East Village, you know they've been here awhile.

One of the landmarks of Hillsborough Street's past was Sub Conscious. Perched on high the top of the stretch of road between Dan Allen and Gorman, the old sub shop earned a stellar reputation from old Wolfpac alumnus. However, the sub shop wasn't able to get through the pandemic closing their doors in 2020.

Eventually the Italian Kitchen of Raleigh took over the space but didn't find a solid footing. In early 2022, the business was sold and transformed into Bussin Pizza. Running this new pizzeria is a former owner of the original Brookside Pizza, which was a beloved local eatery that only neighborhood folks truly knew about.

To sustain some business during NC State's summer break, the pizzeria introduced a weekday pizza buffet. Lately, I have found myself longing for a quality local buffet. In the wake of COVID's devastation, the locally owned buffet seemed to be one of its causalities that haven't been able to find a way to resurface. Weekend brunch buffets have only been offered for special events and its harder to find a Indian lunch buffet now than before.

Upon arrival to Bussin' Pizza for its buffet, you are handed a sheet of paper listing about a dozen choices of slices to mark your order. After ordering piping hot pizza gets served to your table and the sheet for you to order more. This is a move that work better for their space and also the quality of the product.

The pizzeria's social media praises their Grandma pizza as famous. A bite of Bussin's Grandma pizza crunches as you sink your teeth into its square crust while chucks of tomato and herbs give it a distinct freshness. It was clearly the best slices of the offerings.

It be nice if Bussin Pizza is that next landmark that bridges the gap between NC State alumni and new students. If its grandma pizza is something beloved by old and new Raleighites. Because as the street and city changes, Raleigh could really use some more of those spaces.

Bussin Pizza https://www.bussinpizza.com/ 3209 Hillsborough St, Raleigh, NC 27607

#pizza #hillsborough st #buffet

[eatraleigh]

Humble Pie

Humble Pie was my first "small plate" restaurant experience. It was back in college during a date, I had thought the new culinary experience was going to be a particularly romantic event. Alas, Humble Pie has lasted a lot longer than that relationship did.

Even in the rapidly changing Warehouse District, Humble Pie has stood the the test of time. Its tiki bar and brunch service bridges the past to the ever evolving district it inhabits.

Seasonal and unpretentious, the food at Humble Pie isn't here to bullshit you. It's just tasty, well crafted food.

Humble Pie

https://humblepierestaurant.com/

317 S Harrington St, Raleigh, NC 27603

[eatraleigh]

Smokestacks Cafe

I feel like the term "hidden gem" is used more for getting visibility to a social media post rather than a restaurant matching any particular "diamond-in-the-rough" qualifications. But located in the middle of the Oakwood neighborhood, Smokestacks Cafe honestly fits the hidden gem bill.

Housed inside of a former community market (the former Quality Grocery had the best club in the city), Smokestack looks more like a grocery than a restaurant from the outside. Even not completely convincing you that its a restaurant once you enter it's retrofitted dining room.

But all questions are answered once Smokestack puts it's food on the table. Serving off a menu that changes daily, much of Smokestack's offerings centers around it's daily smoked meats. Smoked duck with an herbed ricotta-edamame sauce and pulled pork and pimento cheese empanadas show off the restaurant's versatility and creativeness with it's smoked offerings.

Smokestack is also able to execute more refine dishes as well, as we found out when we tried the saffron Parmesan risotto. A comforting bowl of properly executed risotto packed with veggies.

In an era where blowing up on Instagram is often the primary objective for both restaurants and influencers alike, the way that Smokestacks has been able to cook sublime food and do it without a massive online following is both mystifying and comendable.

Hidden gem may be more of a marketing term in a city like Raleigh but for Smokestack Cafe, it a true statement.

Smokestack Cafe

smokestackscaferaleigh.com

701 E Lane St, Raleigh, NC 27601

#raleigh #dinner #hidden gem #smoked

[eatraleigh]

Black Ivory

Juan Reyes was enrolled into a college accounting program, well on his way to graduation when he got the call for the opportunity to be part of Black Ivory, the coffee and boba shop tucked inside of the longstanding Shaba Shabu in Holly Park. He decided to take a pause in finishing his degree and open Black Ivory because he felt that Black Ivory was able to provide him something that a career in accounting couldn't, a chance to own and build something for himself and his family. A lifer in the restaurant industry, Juan started in the restaurant industry at a young age, working along side his parents.

Before Black Ivory, Juan never had experience in being a barista but he is an eager learner. Black Ivory serves local roaster, Larry Beans. The standard coffee fare, all the coffee drinks at Black Ivory are respectable but using the same beans for both their drip and espresso, might lack a bit of depth for more nuanced coffee drinkers. 

The cafe offers a solid selection of boba, both in milk tea form and frozen. My son was a big fan of his strawberry smoothie.

Where I find that Black Ivory truly shines is its Asian inspired breakfast offerings. Some dishes offer a fusion take on American classics, like the Nana's chicken and waffles. 

A savory waffle topped with strips of a crunchy chicken katsu with sprinkles of nori and dizzled with spicy mayo, this is a hearty breakfast offering loaded with tons of flavors and textures. 

Other offerings are more traditionally Southeast Asian like the chok. A soul satiying chicken based congee. 

While the congee itself was enjoyable, the shrimp and chicken meatballs add welcomed sustance to the dish. 

At the moment, Black Ivory is found attached to the Shabu Shabu space in Holly Park but Juan has hopes to find a stand-alone space, possibly next door. Then evetually other locations, working towards his dream to make Black Ivory a vehicle into building a thriving business, a vehicle towards achieving the American Dream. 

Black Ivory

3080 Wake Forest Rd, Raleigh, NC 27609

#breakfast #Asian #Midtown #boba #coffee

[eatraleigh]

Longleaf Swine

I loved Oakwood Cafe. It was a gem from a fading era of Raleigh dining. It was hard to imagine something could move in and renovate the space into something I'd connect too. But Longleaf Swine is that place. And I'd like to think it is because, much like Oakwood Cafe, it serves an honest meal.

Longleaf Swine established themselves with their food truck, pickup pre-orders, and residencies at bars and restaurants. Eventually it was announced Longleaf was finding a brick and mortar home at Transfer Co Food Hall. But as fate would have it the two sides mutually agreed to part ways giving the barbecue joint the opportunity to take over the former Oakwood Cafe space.

It took some time for the restaurant to open it's doors, stalled by renovating an old building and the delays of that came to be synonymous with the pandemic. In the end, it was worth the worth the wait. Longleaf Swine brought a sprawling patio, sleek modern aesthetics and an outdoor bar to 300 E Edenton Street.

What I find most endearing about Longleaf Swine's food is it's commitment to whole hog Eastern Carolina barbecue. There's no cheating when you smoke a entire pig in a pit with wood fire. Its long hours, keen senses and patience.

Rather than shutting down for the evenings like many traditional barbecue joints do as they run out of meat, Longleaf switches their focus away from their smoked meats onto their diner menu. Longleaf flexes their cooking chops with dishes like a flaky chicken pot pie packed with smoky and flavorful chicken.

Deceptively, the collar green melt might be the best thing on the menu. Sweet, tangy, cheesy and salty, its an unexpected powerhouse in this menu of loud flavors.

Longleaf's chocolate chess pie rivals any other chocolate chess pie in the city, that includes the Angus Barn. A rich chocolate base encapsulated by delicious pastry, its these kind of dishes that elevate Longleaf Swine beyond just a barbecue joint. Yet the dishes still have that approachability and heartiness you'd get from iconic barbecue restaurants east of Raleigh

Its been a journey for Longleaf Swine to finally open their doors at 300 E Edenton Street but its been well worth the wait.

Longleaf Swine

https://longleafswine.com/

300 E Edenton St, Raleigh, NC 27601

#eastern barbecue #barbecue #downtown #dessert #pork

[eatraleigh]

Little Blue Bakehouse

Its a special privilege to see a small food vendor open their own brick and mortar. Its a journey that starts at markets, events, pop-ups and pre-orders to finally opening a home for their goods. Almost like that cool indie band that used to do shows at the Pour House is now headlining a show in PNC. As if you share in the accomplishment by having been present for the beginning of the journey. The Little Blue Bakehouse in East Raleigh isn't just the story of one business that made it, but how one place is the beginning of multiple small businesses. This dessert food hall serves as the permanent home of Little Blue Macarons while providing kitchen and retail space for a collection of small deserteries like Bold Batch Creamery, Bitten Bakery, Sunny Bakes, and Boozie Bakes.

Opened by Allison Vick in 2018, Little Blue Macaron established themselves with their tasty flavors, custom designs, and vegan options. They would start popping up at coffee shops, like Purr Cup Cafe and Idle Hour and host pop-ups. It was early 2022 when Little Blue Bakehouse was announced and revealed that the space wasn't just going to be a coffee house and retail space for LBB but an incubator for other small pastry and dessert operations. To help open the doors, Vick looked towards the community. In response, the community of over 200 people pledged over $25k to their successful Kickstarter.

I don't remember the first time I saw Bold Batch Creamy but I do know it was on Instagram. One of the few times I've thanked the almighty algorithm. Back then Bold Batch was going by their original name, 12 Paws Ice Cream and explaining to folks that their ice cream was in fact for humans. And to be honest, the flavors were so tempting that even if it was meant for canines, I might have eaten it anyways. Photos of Bold Batch's ice cream that were stuffed with goodies like candies or cookies then swirled together with ripples of syrups or fudge were torture as they would be only available by pre-order or at a night market I couldn't attend. The Little Blue Bakehouse has given a chance to finally enjoy their ice cream.

Bitten Bakery was a similar story. Pictures of giant stuffed cookies would appear on my social media feeds and Bitten Bakery would ultimately be the source. Originally going by the name Bites of Sam, I stalked the account at length hoping the stars would align to where, they would be at an event that I could attend. Our first visit to the Little Blue Bakehouse my son immediately found the case of Bitten Bakery goods and emphatically choose an Oreo stuffed cookie.

Part of the beauty of any food hall is making new discoveries. For me, Boozie Bakes and Sunny Bakes were discoveries I only found because I was visiting the Bakehouse.

A testament of what's possible when you share your passion with the community, Little Blue Bakehouse gives East Raleigh not only a place to find sweet treats but other small dessert vendors a place to begin their own journey.

Little Blue Bakehouse

https://littlebluebakehouse.com/

2116-H New Bern Ave, Raleigh, NC 27610

#dessert #food hall #cupcake #ice cream #east raleigh #cookies

[eatraleigh]

Soul Taco - Closed

Early on during the pandemic, Remedy Diner unceremoniously closed the doors of their West Morgan Street restaurant. Throughout the pandemic the location sat empty while the street around it began to change.

The space caught the eye of the team behind the Guy Fieri approved, Soul Taco. The Richmond based restaurant had been looking to expand into the Oak City and found that the former diner space could fit their plans to not only expand the Soul Taco brand but open a new Soul Food Deli concept, JewFro. After experiencing months of painful delays, the Soul Taco side of the restaurant was able to open their doors over the summer. (Our server did mention that the JewFro side was ready to be built out and was hoping it could possibly open in January 2023).

Fusion cuisine, back when I first started this blog, felt as if that was the Pinnacle of culinary creativity. But it feels like nowadays its often scoffed at, a lot of it rightfully so, for being a cheap gimmick. But the mending together of southern food with Latin flavors at Soul Taco shows how each cuisine can build off each other to create something interesting and new.

The Mississippi pot roast nachos are a prime example of the ethos of Soul Taco. Tender pot roast generously topping fresh chips with a heap of cheese sauce, fried onions and other goodies.

Despite offering a solid selection of other options, as the name suggests, tacos are the main attraction. Surprising for me was the vegetarian options were the most interesting. The sweet potato and black-eyed peas taco was a clever mix of textures while balancing out sweetness and savory.

The 7-Layer Dip Gordita, complete with a soft taco tortilla wrapped around a hard taco shell and served with a fried avocado on top, was as whimsical as it was tasty.

This is not to say the tacos with proteins were any less quality. Both the shrimp po'boy and cornmeal catfish were freshly fried and packed with toppings and sauce.

Places like Soul Taco is what is going to re-energize downtown as it emerges from its pandemic fog.

Soul Taco

https://www.soultacorva.com/

927 W Morgan St, Raleigh, NC 27603

[eatraleigh]

Bendito - CLOSED

If names like Christensen, Crawford and Kumar have catapulted Raleigh's culinary profile into the national sphere then names like Chef Kevin Ruiz will be the ones keeping the Oak City in the spotlight. Although Chef Ruiz had been cooking some of Raleigh's most renowned kitchens like The Cortez, it wasn't until he took over the reins at the ill-fated Lady Luck that I took notice . At Lady Luck, Chef Ruiz showcased his ability to craft flavorful dishes with popping colors and ranges of textures. He followed up his time at Lady Luck by bringing the Glenwood South classic, The Rockford, back to prominence. He took a menu that was mostly known for its apple, bacon and cheese sandwich and elevated the menu with dishes like blackened sea bass or Brussels sprouts (that I still think about). After moving on from Rockford, Chef Ruiz helped North Hill's Cucciolo Terrazza until opening Bendito.

This take on modern Puerto Rican cuisine feels as much as an autobiography as it is a restaurant. Chef Ruiz noted that Bendito was an ode to his childhood flavors and summers.

Bendito's Pinchos, or skewers, act as a gateway into the rest of the menu. The skewers of well-seasoned and grilled proteins are an approachable introduction to Chef Ruiz's cooking.

The pork belly tocino spoke to my own Filipino roots with the bits of char and sweetness. Although the swordfish's ancho chili sauce was also note worthy.

The yautia gnocchi has everything I come to enjoy from Chef Ruiz's food. Visually appeasing, depth of textures and lots of flavor.

I ordered bread just to have something to soak up the leftover marinara.

For my meal, I took a seat at the bar chatting with Chef Ruiz and the new beverage manager, Jacob Cruze. Avid MMA fans (Chef Ruiz is a former high school wrestler, so that's another thing I appreciate), we mostly talked about an upcoming fight card. But between the conversations about prize fighting, Jacob clued me in on a few upcoming cocktails.

The Nightwalker #2 immediately peaked my interest. Not being a big drinker, I couldn't recall every aspect of the drink but it had coffee, chocolate and an obscene amount of fresh mint. Delicious and refreshing.

Chef Ruiz sent out some oyster topped with watermelon aji caviar. The little boba-like pearls popped while slurping in the fresh oyster made for a fun experience.

I've never had Tembleque, a Puerto Rican coconut pudding, before Bendito but the flavor was oddly nostalgic.

The bright lime notes, the sweetness, the mild coconut and even bits of crunchiness connected me with a feeling of familiarity. My brain wanted to say Trix cereal but I'm not sure that's it.

A talented chef, dynamic food, a great vibe, Bendito has all the ingredients to become one of Raleigh's star restaurants.

Bendito

https://benditonc.com/

2330 Bale St Suite 112, Raleigh, NC 27608

#mcneil pointe #midtown #puerto rican #pork #dinner #dessert

[eatraleigh]

Lao Lao Food Truck

It felt like I had been chasing Lao Lao Food Truck for years. Whether it has been scheduling, massive lines I couldn't wait in, or even one time they had just ran out of food by the time I got to their booth, I'd continuously missed out on Lao Lao's food. So when the generator on their truck died on the afternoon I was waiting in the food truck's line, I figured it was the latest of the series of missed opportunities. But just as I was surveying the scene for other possible dinner options, the rumble of the generator kicked in.

When I finally got to the ordering window, I apologized in advance for mispronouncing the names of the dishes. With a warm smile, the person taking my order replied "It's ok, we appreciate that you try."

Nam Khao was the first one I ordered. Thanks to some quick googling, I think I nailed the pronunciation. This dish of coconut curry rice that has been cooked to give the rice an astounding crisp was a favorite among our family. Each of us trying to get another bite from the container.

Papaya salad and sticky rice are the two dishes I identify the most being Laotian cooking. Lao Lao papaya salad surprised me with its distinctness from other variations I've had. Forward with the fish sauce, it paired well with the scoops of sticky rice I balled into my fingers.

Sai Oua was the dish I probably butchered the pronunciation the most. But luckily the person at the window still knew what I wanted. The sausages filling was looser than I'm typically used too but it was a combination of garlic and pork that I enjoyed.

Half of the fun of a food truck is the adventures of chasing it down and braving whatever scenario, whether it be massive lines or failing equipment, to finally taste its food. And in the case of the Lao Lao Food Truck, the adventure was worth it.

Lao Lao Food Truck

https://www.laolaofoodtruck.com