Cary Restaurant Reviews on NC Triangle Dining

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

July 28, 2019 by Ron Wen

Retake: Anvil’s Cheesesteaks in Raleigh for a Classic Philly Cheesesteak Experience

Front of Anvil's Cheesesteaks in Raleigh — Front of Anvil’s Cheesesteaks in Raleigh

When it comes to regional delicacies, a Philly cheesesteak is pretty high on my To Eat list! Chopped steak on a grill and topped with melty cheese and peppers on a soft roll is always a winner in my book. But given its regionality, a good cheesesteak is usually pretty hard to find and that’s no different here in the Triangle. When I first moved to North Carolina back in 2005, I spent several years looking around for a good cheesesteak to no avail. But finally in 2010, ran into Anvil’s Cheesesteaks on the edge of Raleigh. Nine years later I’m still going back to Anvil’s and loving what they are putting out from that grill!

Order counter at Anvil's Cheesesteaks in Raleigh — Order counter at Anvil’s Cheesesteaks in Raleigh

As a first-time visitor to Anvil’s, the location might be a bit of a mystery. It sits in the back corner of Swift Creek plaza (not far from Cary Crossroads) and is a bit hidden. With the large bushes out front, you might miss the place unless you’re keeping an eye out for it. Inside, Anvil’s it’s a totally casual grill set-up. Formica tables, plastic chairs, you’re not coming here for ambiance, just good eats. And thankfully, Anvil’s delivers a great sandwich! Its small menu covers a handful of Philadelphia-Italian sandwich favorites (about $9 per sandwich) along with maybe some specials, cole slaw, chips, soft drinks and beers, that’s it. But what Anvil’s does, it does really well.

Dining area at Anvil's Cheesesteaks in Raleigh — Dining area at Anvil’s Cheesesteaks in Raleigh

Order at the counter, self-serve your drink or maybe go with a Birch beer (similar to root beer) to make your dining experience totally Philly! As you wait, you’ll hear the clanking of metal spatulas on the kitchen grill top as the steak is minced into delicious morsels. The food comes out to you in plastic baskets lined with white butchers paper. I typically forgo the chips and just try to do another sandwich as an appetizer when visiting. 🙂

Classic cheesesteak at Anvil's Cheesesteaks in Raleigh — Classic cheesesteak at Anvil’s Cheesesteaks in Raleigh

Pizza steak at Anvil's Cheesesteaks in Raleigh — Pizza steak at Anvil’s Cheesesteaks in Raleigh

The classic cheesesteak here at Anvil’s is excellent, served up on soft 11″ hoagie rolls. The provolone is well melted into the chopped meat and onion making for a tasty mix of beef and savory cheese. The sandwiches are perfectly filled, making for a nice meal. Anvil’s pizza cheesesteak adds some pepperoni and marinara sauce giving the sandwich a bit of an Italian flair which makes for a taste sensation!

Roast Italian pork sandwich at Anvil's Cheesesteaks in Raleigh — Roast Italian pork sandwich at Anvil’s Cheesesteaks in Raleigh

Beyond cheesesteaks, consider the rare Italian roast pork sandwich. A local favorite up in Philly that’s hard to find elsewhere, Anvil’s serves up thin-sliced roast pork topped with provolone, spinach (broccolini is the classic green used) and peppers. This sandwich is soft, moist and full of soft, pork flavor. The greens provide a bit of contrast to the luscious meat giving the sandwich a balanced flavor. I also recently tried their Sicilian sausage sandwich special which is chopped sausage topped with peppers, onion and cheese, another great option beyond cheesesteaks. Anvil’s also offers up chicken sandwiches and a portobello mushroom (for vegetarians) sandwich but I have yet to try them yet.

So a slow round of applause for this delicious sandwich shop. Given its discrete location on the Raleigh-Cary city line and bare-bones dining experience, it would be easy to pass by Anvil’s and not think twice. BUT if you’re up for a great cheesesteak or Italian roast pork sandwich, you’d be missing out on one of the best spots for a classic Philly sandwich experience. I have yet to find any other spots serving up this type of sandwich deliciousness in the Triangle even after all these years. Enjoy and you can thank me later!

Anvil’s Cheesesteaks

2893 Jones Franklin Road

Raleigh, NC 27606

919.854.0558

Anvil’s Cheesesteaks menu

Location on Google maps

June 10, 2019 by Ron Wen

First Take: Everest Nepali Kitchen in Cary Delivers Mountainous Flavor

Front of Everest Nepali Kitchen in Cary - nctriangledining.com — Front of Everest Nepali Kitchen in Cary – nctriangledining.com

Over the years of living in the Triangle, I’ve learned that if you really want good, down-home ethnic eats, you’ll find a lot of it in Cary and Morrisville. From Chinese to Indian, Mexican and more, there always seems to be a plethora of good, inexpensive, family-run eateries in these two cities. And one of the more common categories of cuisine you’ll find in Cary is Nepalese! Given its location on the planet, the mix of Indian, Nepali and Indo-Chinese fare makes Nepalese food a favorite in my book. I decided to check out a newer Nepalese spot recently, Everest Nepali Kitchen out in Cary and here’s what YOU can expect!

Dining room at Everest Nepali Kitchen in Cary - nctriangledining.com — Dining room at Everest Nepali Kitchen in Cary – nctriangledining.com

Inside Everest Nepali Kitchen you’ll find a brightly colored dining room in yellows and maroons. Warm, casual and homey space, it’s definitely low-brow when it comes to decor. Grab one of the booths for maximum space and comfort! The menu at Everest Nepali Kitchen is similar to many of the other Nepalese options you’ll find in the area covering momos, samosas, chili chicken, tikka masala, tandoor meats and more. But Everest Nepali Kitchen has some interesting items that I haven’t seen elsewhere: tandoori wings, chips chili, kashmiri naan (pineapple, cherries) along with chili momos, cool! Over the course of my visits, I’ve had a chance to dive into a bit of the menu to get a taste for what Everest Nepali Kitchen can do.

Onion bhaji at Everest Nepali Kitchen in Cary - nctriangledining.com — Onion bhaji at Everest Nepali Kitchen in Cary – nctriangledining.com

Tandoori wings at Everest Nepali Kitchen in Cary - nctriangledining.com — Tandoori wings at Everest Nepali Kitchen in Cary – nctriangledining.com

For starters, consider the onion bhaji! Strips of tender onion deep-fried, similar to an onion ring. Served with some chutney sauce, the onion bhaji at Everest Nepali Kitchen is tasty and crunchy but my plate was a bit over-fried. Another great option for an appetizer is their tandoori wings. A small order of six plump wings show up bathed in a yellow marinade and showing off some charred bits. The wings are full of garlic and ginger flavor on top of super-tender, fall off the bone chicken that tandoor meats are known for. A thumbs up here from me, tandoori wings can be hard to find on many menus in the area. Everest Nepali Kitchen will also customize the spiciness/heat level of your food on a scale of 1 to 10. I went with the middle (5) for my visits which was perfect.

Chicken korma at Everest Nepali Kitchen in Cary - nctriangledining.com — Chicken korma at Everest Nepali Kitchen in Cary – nctriangledining.com

For the main entrees, I’ve gone with the chicken korma twice! A large, silver-plated bowl of simmered chicken in a yogurt tomato sauce loaded with raisins and more. Korma is a super, flavorful dish and seems to be nearly as popular as chicken tikka masala of late. I’ve found the entree sauces at Everest Nepali Kitchen to be a bit deeper and stronger then my usual Nepalese favorite, Himalayan Range Nepali. Also the portion sizes at Everest Nepali Kitchen are LARGE. From the entree itself to the biryani rice served on the side, you get a lot of food for the money here. And one of my bigger barometers for Nepalese food is the breads. Everest Nepali Kitchen offers a large assortment of naan, kulcha, poori and more. Their garlic naan was decent but a bit bready and doughy, a good and decent effort but less then top-notch.

I can say for sure that Everest Nepali Kitchen is doing a great job with its Nepali menu. There’s plenty of great menu choices with solid flavor, large portion sizes and good prices. But I’d still have to put Everest Nepali Kitchen a notch below Himalayan Range Nepali right now. For the sauce based dishes I might give Everest Nepali Kitchen an edge but in other areas of the menu, not so much. In the end, it’s still an excellent choice for Nepali cuisine. And given the competition it really has to be! Can’t wait to try the other Nepali restaurants to compare (Kathmandu Kitchen, Himalyan Nepali) but kudos to Everest Nepali Kitchen for offering a great dining option to those looking for Indian and Chinese flavors in their eats.

Everest Nepali Kitchen

212 Grande Heights Drive

Cary, NC 27513

919.378.9390

Everest Nepali Kitchen menu

Location on Google maps

April 7, 2019 by Ron Wen

Media: Annelore’s German Bakery, an Authentic Taste of Germany in Cary

Annelore's Germany Bakery, Cary - nctriangledining.com — Annelore’s Germany Bakery, Cary – nctriangledining.com

When it comes to bakeries, I try to avoid them to limit my sweets intake but every now and then, it’s a wonderful and special treat. Whether you’re talking about Guglhupf, La Farm Bakery or lucettegrace, I’m always tempted to order the entire counter! And a new bakery that’s been around forever has arrived on the scene for sweets: Annelore’s German Bakery! The name probably sounds familiar to you if you’ve been to local farmers markets. I remember running into Annelore’s at the NC State Farmer’s market many times over the years. They always had a stand next to Bee Blessed Honey and the flower vendors at the front of the farmer’s market. So I was really happy to get an invite to their local media event (Kaffee & Kuchen – Coffee and Cake) to check out Annelore’s new retail space in Cary!

Interior of Annelore's Germany Bakery, Cary - nctriangledining.com — Interior of Annelore’s Germany Bakery, Cary – nctriangledining.com

Pastry case at Annelore's Germany Bakery, Cary - nctriangledining.com — Pastry case at Annelore’s Germany Bakery, Cary – nctriangledining.com

Head on over Chatham Street in Cary and you’ll find Annelore’s German Bakery in a new, stand-alone building a couple of blocks down from La Farm Bakery, very cool! Inside I meet up with Annelore’s media contact, Tiffani and bump into some of the other local bloggers and news people attending the event. Even though I haven’t had a chance to visit Germany yet, I can say that Annelore’s interior design is clean and European with a large, curved display area full of bright colors and tempting sweets. There’s also a small cafe area to the side if you’d like to enjoy your coffee and sweets onsite.

For the media preview, we’ve got a beautiful display of Annelore’s baked goodies which spans a wide variety of categories, from sweet cookies and cakes to savory pretzels, breads and a lot more. I sample some of the goodies, love the classic Bee Sting cake layered with cream, honey, almonds and pastry, I remember this treat from the old NC State Farmers Market days! Some jam-filled cookies and Black Forest cake are also excellent, showing high quality ingredients without the overly sweet nature that some pastries might have. I’d describe Annelore’s pastries as your more classic European sweets without being overly complicated. Annelore’s bakes up a mean, butter spritz cookie along with a classic marzipan crescent dipped in chocolate and made of almond flour, chewy perfection!

Beautiful cakes and pastries at Annelore's Germany Bakery, Cary - nctriangledining.com — Beautiful cakes and pastries at Annelore’s Germany Bakery, Cary – nctriangledining.com

But Annelore’s German Bakery is not a one-trick pony only serving up sweets. Their large Bavarian pretzels are beautifully baked and show off a wonderfully, shiny sheen and the cheese-covered pretzels are as amazing as they sound. A row of bread loaves show off additional baking skills around multi-grain bread, purple wheat bread and more. These bread varieties are certainly different from what you usually see in the area. Ryes, purple wheat loaves and much more! I’m sure if you’re more familiar with German breads then I am, you’ll appreciate the variety turned out at Annelore’s.

Cheese and Bavarian pretzels at Annelore's Germany Bakery, Cary - nctriangledining.com — Cheese and Bavarian pretzels at Annelore’s Germany Bakery, Cary – nctriangledining.com

Breads at Annelore's Germany Bakery, Cary - nctriangledining.com — Breads at Annelore’s Germany Bakery, Cary – nctriangledining.com

Norbert and Annelore speaking at Annelore's Germany Bakery, Cary - nctriangledining.com — Norbert and Annelore speaking at Annelore’s Germany Bakery, Cary – nctriangledining.com

During the media event, owners Annelore and Norbert address the crowd and we learn more about the history of their bakery and construction of the new facility. Tours are given of the industrial kitchen which is super clean and well-organized. It’s also built super eco-friendly with an eye towards minimizing waste and energy usage. While everything inside is super-modern, it’s that old-school talent and human hands on the staff that makes their cakes and pastries so awesome. Annelore’s Bakery is definitely in a position to really increase their production volume and get their baked goods out to a wider audience beyond farmers markets, good for them!

Modern kitchen at Annelore's Germany Bakery, Cary - nctriangledining.com — Modern kitchen at Annelore’s Germany Bakery, Cary – nctriangledining.com

Working hard at Annelore's Germany Bakery, Cary - nctriangledining.com — Working hard at Annelore’s Germany Bakery, Cary – nctriangledining.com

And at the end of the event, we’re all given goodie bags filled with tasty cookies, pastries, bread and more. It’s really great to see Annelore’s Bakery all growed up! While other businesses may have had more splashy entrances, Annelore’s has been slowly building up their reputation for high quality baked goods with a German flair, customer by customer, year by year. So congratulations, Annelore’s! If you’re in the Cary area it’s certainly worth a visit for their artisanal pastries and breads from Germany. I’m sure that for many, it will be a taste of home…

Annelore’s German Bakery

308 W Chatham Street

Cary, NC 27511

919.267.6846

Location on Google maps

January 31, 2019 by Ron Wen

First Take: Pizza La Stella Shines Bright in Cary for Italian Food

Front of Pizza La Stella in Cary - nctriangledining.com — Front of Pizza La Stella in Cary – nctriangledining.com

While I’m a huge pizza fan and pretty much love it all, there’s something about Neapolitan pizza that just hits the spot for me! Between the tender, fluffy crust, tangy tomato and fresh mozzarella, pizza purists tend to focus on great Neapolitan pizza. So color me curious when I heard Pizza La Stella was launching a second location out in Cary. I was familiar with their downtown Raleigh location but felt they spun the concept of Neapolitan pizza too far from its origins to take them too seriously. There are very specific guidelines around Neapolitan pizza and most restaurants take some liberties around them. But I was hopeful heading over to the new Pizza La Stella Cary, hopes that would prove to be fulfilled with its new chef, Massimo Di Lascio!

Dining room at Pizza La Stella in Cary - nctriangledining.com — Dining room at Pizza La Stella in Cary – nctriangledining.com

Conveniently off of Kildaire Farms Road is where you’ll find the new Pizza La Stella! Located in the old Hurricane Bar and Grill and across from the very busy Trader Joes, this parking lot gets slammed but thankfully they are located on the quieter side of things. A neat, little patio with umbrellas sits to the side with lights strung out overhead. Probably a great spot for a meal once things warm up! Inside, Pizza La Stella is decked out in dark woods along with a few TVs. The decor is modern cafe and there’s plenty of space to stretch out in, including a side-bar and side dining room. Italian songs and classics are crooning overhead to get you in the Neapolitan mood! Staff is decked out in navy t-shirts keeping the feel pretty casual at Pizza La Stella.

Kitchen window at Pizza La Stella in Cary - nctriangledining.com — Kitchen window at Pizza La Stella in Cary – nctriangledining.com

Meatball appetizer at Pizza La Stella in Cary - nctriangledining.com — Meatball appetizer at Pizza La Stella in Cary – nctriangledining.com

Scanning the menu you’ll find a short assortment of antipasto (appetizers), salads, pizza Napoletana, wings and calzones! Note that Neapolitan-style pizza is served as individual pies and are a touch pricey at Pizza La Stella, $14 to $18 per pizza. Definitely try the meatball appetizer which is simple but awesome! Three, thick meatballs served up seared with tomato sauce and nestled in a cast-iron skillet alongside hunks of oven roasted bread. The meatballs are dense with flavor in a rich, deep tomato sauce, fantastic. Dipping chunks of the oven-fired bread after you’re done with the meatballs is a nice bonus to finish this filling app.

Margherita pizza at Pizza La Stella in Cary - nctriangledining.com — Margherita pizza at Pizza La Stella in Cary – nctriangledining.com

Sausage lunch pizza at Pizza La Stella in Cary - nctriangledining.com — Sausage lunch pizza at Pizza La Stella in Cary – nctriangledining.com

On the pizza side of things I’ve tried their classic margherita which sports a leopard-speckled crust, nicely charred. An excellent fluffy crust (cornicione) with a fresh crushed tomato base and mozzarella make for a classic taste. A lunch visit shows off a more classic style of sausage pizza with a blend of cheeses on top but it’s still got that great crust! And at $10 for the lunch pizza with a soft drink, it’s also a very good deal. Overall I’d now put Pizza La Stella in the middle of the pack for Neapolitan because we’ve got some stiff competition out there in the Triangle now!

I’ve stopped by for both lunch and dinner, service has been solid for both visits so a thumbs up for the waitstaff. They are young but well-trained which is fine for the casual ambiance here. Given I didn’t have sky-high expectations coming in, I am really pleased with what they’ve done at Pizza La Stella, Cary. The focus on a simpler menu with the Italian basics works well in my book whether you’re talking about a family or quiet dinner for two. And while it’s certainly not cheap to eat here, it’s worthwhile for the price. And I’m also glad to see that the same changes in the menu have made it to the downtown Raleigh location which will save me 10 minutes of drive time. So welcome to Cary, Pizza La Stella! So glad to see you out here and love those delicious Neapolitan pies!

Cary Restaurant Reviews on NC Triangle Dining

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