Ron Wen, Author at NC Triangle Dining

September 14, 2019 by Ron Wen

News: Wegman’s in Raleigh Opens on September 29!

I don’t know about you but I’ve been hearing about Wegman’s for years! Relatives up north would regale me with stories about this mythical food emporium serving up amazing, restaurant-quality eats and gourmet groceries. So yeah, I was pretty excited when I heard about the first Raleigh location opening up on Wake Forest Road. And that date is coming soon, September 29th! Along with Wegmans, there will be other additional restaurants coming to the Midtown East plaza, details below.

Current Lineup

I’ll be updating this post with more information when available, I’ve been invited to one of their preview events and am excited to see what the fuss is all about. Until then, enjoy these articles about the passion customers have for Wegmans and sign up for their Shoppers Club for digital coupons and more!

Wegmans

1200 Wake Towne Drive

Raleigh, NC 27609

984.233.8186

Location on Google maps

September 9, 2019 by Ron Wen

First Take: Shake Shack Waverly Delivers Delicious Beef on a Bun!

Front of Shake Shack in Cary - nctriangledining.com

If you’re a fan of a great, seared hamburger, you might know a bit about Shake Shack! This national chain of fast-casual restaurants that’s known for its high-quality burgers, fries and shakes has finally made it to the Triangle at Waverly Place in Cary (Opened on August 21st). And yes, the place is popular and the lines are a bit long right now. But I can say that for the most part if you haven’t tried out Shake Shack yet, it’s worth the wait. Here’s why!

Located in a stand-alone jewel box building at Waverly Place, Shake Shack totally sticks out as the centerpiece of this plaza. Brick building with a lot of plate glass windows and wrap-around patio seating, it’s a modern looking space for a restaurant with such a simple menu. In its opening week, there was probably a 30 minute to 1 hour wait to get your food here but the crowds are slowly dying down now.

Shake Shack at Waverly Place in Cary - nctriangledining.com

Shake Shack menu in Cary - nctriangledining.com

The Shake Shack menu is super simple offering up a handful of burgers, chicken sandwiches, hot dogs and fries along with shakes, custards, beer and wine (all under $10). Shake Shack Waverly also offers up some local specials for its shake and concrete flavors. Order at the counter, you’ll be greeted by a friendly Shake Shack employee and handed a black plastic buzzer. Your food will probably take 10 to 20 minutes. While you wait, self-serve your drink, grab some condiments, napkins and find a seat in the dining room! The Shake Shack patio overlooks the main Waverly Place plaza where you can sit back and watch the pedestrian traffic for entertainment!

Condiments area at Shake Shack in Cary - nctriangledining.com

Dining area at Shake Shack in Cary - nctriangledining.com

Hopefully your buzzer goes off pretty quickly and you can grab your food at the front counter. Shake Shack serves up its food on aluminum trays and in paper containers and baskets, take-out eats are neatly packed together in a paper bag. And I can tell you that getting your food at Shake Shack is pretty exciting given the wonderfully, savory aromas emanating from the building. When you get back to your table with your eats, you’ll immediately notice some nice little touches. Shake Shack uses soft, Martins potato buns for their sandwiches and they are grilled on the insides. All the cheese is very nicely melted over your burger and the lettuce and tomato is sliced perfectly to just cover up your patty and make for easier eating. I recommend going with the double for any burgers, Shake Shack use 1/4 lb. patties of an Angus beef blend. And 100% cage-free chicken for its chicken sandwiches, the quality of ingredients here is obvious.

Double Shack Burger at Shake Shack in Cary - nctriangledining.com

Tasty double Shack Burger at Shake Shack in Cary - nctriangledining.com

Just be aware that you can’t customize your burgers, it’s either the standard Shack Burger or Smokehouse Burger to keep things simple and orders flowing. When you bite into a Shake Shack burger, you can taste the tender, well seared beef along with a bit of salt on the edges. The cheese, lettuce and tomato make for great balance and the first burger I tried was cooked a perfect medium well. The beauty of a Shake Shack burger is its simplicity, no need for toppings piled on high.

Double SmokeShack Burger at Shake Shack in Cary - nctriangledining.com

Chick n Shack sandwich at Shake Shack in Cary - nctriangledining.com

The SmokeShack burger is your other beef option and it adds in crispy bacon, peppers and savory Shack sauce! While I liked this burger, my 2nd visit resulted in a patty that was a bit over-cooked. If you’re not in the mood for beef, Shake Shack’s Chick n Shack is a wonderful take on the classic Southern chicken sandwich and features a thick, seasoned chicken breast with mayo, shredded lettuce and fresh bread and butter pickles with just enough snap and tang. A great alternative if you’re not up for a hamburger. And yes, those Shake Shack crinkle fries are quite good with crispy edges, perfect for dipping in the condiment of your choice.

Patio at Shake Shack in Cary - nctriangledining.com

So while the hype may be really high for Shake Shack, for the most part it meets expectations. The burgers at Shake Shack are top notch, perfectly made and well-constructed. And while the grill concept is super basic, it’s really well executed and delicious. I’ll be back to try more off the Shake Shack menu but call me impressed so far! I hope you will be, too.

Shake Shack Cary

Waverly Place

310 Colonades Way

Cary, NC 27518

919.230.9390

Location on Google maps

September 1, 2019 by Ron Wen

News: Get Your Golf On at the New Drive Shack in Raleigh

Front of the new Drive Shack in Raleigh - nctriangledining.com — Front of the new Drive Shack in Raleigh – nctriangledining.com

If you’re a fan of golf or just hitting a little white ball around with a driver, you need to check out the new Drive Shack out in W. Raleigh! This brand new, three level driving range offers up a host of fun and food for the avid golfer or golfer wannabe. With 96 driving bays, two bars, restaurant, game area and patio, you’ll find lots of options to keep a group entertained. Play one of 5 classic, virtual golf courses or maybe a virtual golf game. Three TVs in each bay will show you where to hit your ball based upon real targets on the driving range. Order up some food or beer and have it delivered to the comfort of your driving bay couches. Driving bays are rented by the hour for up to 6 people. And prices for food and drink are reasonable! I’ll update this post after I have a chance to visit but until then, enjoy this virtual visit!

Drive Shack

6901 Play Golf Way

Raleigh, NC 27607

984.329.8229

Location on Google maps

August 22, 2019 by Ron Wen

St. Roch in Raleigh – A Taste of New Orleans Seafood for the Discerning Palate

Front of St. Roch in Raleigh - nctriangledining.com — Front of St. Roch in Raleigh – nctriangledining.com

While Raleigh may be a bit land-locked in the center of the state, thankfully great seafood is only a couple of hours away at the coast. And in the past two years we’ve seen the addition of great seafood restaurants like Saint James out in Durham along with Cortez Seafood in Raleigh. One restaurant that had slipped past my food radar screen was St. Roch (pronounced “saint rock”) out on Wilmington Street. It’s funny because I never ate much at this location given the previous tenant (Joule) and that just continued on as it transformed into St. Roch. But eventually I decided it was time to see what this eatery was doing for seafood in the Oak City!

Bar at St. Roch in Raleigh - nctriangledining.com — Bar at St. Roch in Raleigh – nctriangledining.com

Interior of St. Roch in Raleigh - nctriangledining.com — Interior of St. Roch in Raleigh – nctriangledining.com

The first think you’ll notice about St. Roch is the unique entryway: white tile floor, long, glass display windows to either side that give away it’s origins as an old men’s clothing store. Out front, St Roch exudes an early 20th century art deco feel but inside, it all gets hip! St. Roch’s dining room is a great looking place with a long bar to the right (perfect for slurping oysters) leather button-tufted booths down the middle and little two-tops to the side. A white metal stamped ceiling and stainless steel lamps hanging overhead give the space a great evening ambiance that’s dark and sultry. Some chalkboard menus behind the bar show off the daily specials along with the raw oysters available.

Oysters on ice at St. Roch in Raleigh - nctriangledining.com — Oysters on ice at St. Roch in Raleigh – nctriangledining.com

The staff at St. Roch is young, hip and they know the menu very well. I’d recommend starting with a plate of fresh oysters on the half-shell. Here at St. Roch, they are served with cocktail sauce, mignonette (red wine vinegar-shallots-pepper), jalapenos and fried saltines, yum! Putting a plump bivalve on that saltine with a dollop of cocktail sauce seems like a classic way to go. Take advantage of dollar oyster Tuesday’s if you want to save some money!

Fried oyster poboy at St. Roch in Raleigh - nctriangledining.com — Fried oyster poboy at St. Roch in Raleigh – nctriangledining.com

Crab St Roch at St. Roch in Raleigh - nctriangledining.com — Crab St Roch at St. Roch in Raleigh – nctriangledining.com

For the rest of the menu, I’ve tried an fried oyster poboy which literally had oysters spilling out of the roll. Perfectly fried plump oysters served with remoulade, lettuce and chives, a great sandwich. The crab St. Roch is a chilled mix of crab, shrimp and egg (seafood dip) served with those fried saltines again. And the fries at St. Roch are excellent, served skin-on with aioli and ketchup.

Fries with aioli at St. Roch in Raleigh - nctriangledining.com — Fries with aioli at St. Roch in Raleigh – nctriangledining.com

Brioche beignet at St. Roch Oyster Bar in Raleigh - nctriangledining.com — Brioche beignet at St. Roch Oyster Bar in Raleigh – nctriangledining.com

Over the course of several visits at St. Roch, I got the feel the St. Roch has a bunch of regulars here given its innocuous and slightly hidden space. And it’s earned that loyal following by dishing out great seafood prepared as a homage to the Big Easy. While it’s certainly not inexpensive, good seafood rarely is and St. Roch is serving up very good seafood with a touch of New Orleans. Offering up brunch, dinner and now lunch, you’ve got a lot of options to try out this great seafood eatery out on Wilmington Street!

St. Roch Fine Oysters and Bar

223 S Wilmington Street

Raleigh, NC 27601

919.322.0359

St Roch Oyster Bar menu

Location on Google maps

August 22, 2019 by Ron Wen

News: Coronato Pizza is Now Open in Carrboro and Serving Great Italian Pizzas and Cuisine

Front of Coronato Pizza in Carrboro - nctriangledining.com — Front of Coronato Pizza in Carrboro – nctriangledining.com

Foodies rejoice, the new Coronato Pizza is now open in Carrboro! Chef Teddy Diggs previously from Il Palio is serving up some wonderful Roman-style pizza and authentic Italian appetizers. While the ambiance may be casual, the food is a step above in terms of Italian cuisine. I’ll be back for more before I review Coronato Pizza but it’s off to a great start!

News: Wegman’s in Raleigh Opens on September 29!