NC Triangle Dining

The Best Restaurants and Bars in Raleigh, Durham, Cary & Chapel Hill

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Layered Croissanterie: A Flaky Take on Delectable Pastries for Downtown Raleigh

Front of Layered Croissanterie in Raleigh - nctriangledining.com
Front of Layered Croissanterie in Raleigh – nctriangledining.com

While I’m more of a savory guy versus a sweets guy, color me curious when I first heard about Layered Croissanterie coming to West Street in Raleigh. I hadn’t heard much through the foodie grapevine and its quirky location just north of Peace Street had me wondering. Layered Croissanterie officially opened up on June 30 and I’ve been able to stop in several times and sample their pastries. And I can tell you for sure that this savory-loving foodie is super excited to have them in the neighborhood, here’s why!

Pastel logo at Layered Croissanterie in Raleigh - nctriangledining.com
Pastel logo at Layered Croissanterie in Raleigh – nctriangledining.com

First things first, if you’re headed over to Layered, it’s located on a quiet section of West Street just north of the popular Cardinal Bar and the future Publix. You can also access West street off of Wade Avenue, right on the exit ramp for Capital Boulevard South which is really easy if you notice it. Layered Croissanterie sits in a newer, renovated building in white brick, just look for the pastel-colored logo and roll-up garage door.

Seating area at Layered Croissanterie in Raleigh - nctriangledining.com
Seating area at Layered Croissanterie in Raleigh – nctriangledining.com
Viewable baking area at Layered Croissanterie in Raleigh - nctriangledining.com
Viewable baking area at Layered Croissanterie in Raleigh – nctriangledining.com

Inside Layered Croissanterie it all feels white, light and airy with plenty of sunlight, casual seating up front. The modern looking space features a viewable baking area and small, counter order area in the back-right. A display of the day’s pastries sits up front on white pedestals so you can commence drooling before ordering! Note that Layered Croissanterie is only accepting cards as payment right now and is open 7 days a week.

Crowd at Layered Croissanterie in Raleigh - nctriangledining.com
Crowd at Layered Croissanterie in Raleigh – nctriangledining.com
Layered Croissanterie menu - nctriangledining.com
Layered Croissanterie menu – nctriangledining.com

The menu at Layered Croissanterie is super simple: a handful of regular croissant pastries, rotating seasonal pastries along with coffee drinks and beverages, easy peasy! I’ve worked my way through a good chunk of the menu and have high praise for the croissants here. They are perfectly baked, buttery and showcase a density of layers for your enjoyment.

Croissant display at Layered Croissanterie - nctriangledining.com
Do not eat, for display only at Layered Croissanterie 🙂 – nctriangledining.com

While you can’t go wrong with any of them, my favorites include the double-baked bananas foster which is split down the middle and filled with chunky, banana spread and topped with cream. The lemon meringue cruffin (croissant muffin) is also fantastic, crowned with soft and sticky meringue and filled with a bit of lemony cream down the center. Oh and the kouign amann (pronounced Queen Aman) pastries are delicious simplicity. A croissant type pastry layered in a sugary crust, yum!  Get your pastries for take-home or enjoy it at Layered with a hearty cup of Counter Culture coffee and you’ll be in sweet and flaky heaven!

Lemon meringue cruffin at Layered Croissanterie - nctriangledining.com
Lemon meringue cruffin at Layered Croissanterie – nctriangledining.com

I had a chance to chat with Layered Croissanterie’s owners, Mark and Kawsar to learn more about their business and pastries. A very cool and hip couple, Layered Croissanterie is their first food-retail bakery experience and their baking talents were honed over 10 years as a hobby. Head baker Kawsar, was a school-teacher in her prior life and has been baking for friends and family before channeling her skills into Layered.

Croissant display at Layered Croissanterie - nctriangledining.com
Croissant display at Layered Croissanterie – nctriangledining.com

They are usually up and working on pastries at 3 to 4 am given the 3-day process to make the croissants (make dough, shape dough, proof and bake). Wondering how they get those wonderful layers? Butter is laminated/layered on the dough, folded over three times and then folded several more times resulting in anywhere from 9 to 12 layers of flaky goodness, very time intensive.

Ham and gruyere croissant at Layered Croissanterie - nctriangledining.com
Ham and gruyere croissant at Layered Croissanterie – nctriangledining.com

And there will be more seasonal/international flavors over time, a savory spinach-bechamel croissiant (the Popeye) is the latest addition to the Layered Croissanterie menu! All I can say is that I’m excited to have this new pastry shop in Raleigh (and so close to home) but I’m pretty sure my waistline will be bearing the brunt of their deliciousness. So welcome to the neighborhood, Layered Croissanterie. Can’t wait to see what comes out of your ovens over the rest of 2019!

Layered Croissanterie

911 N West Street, Suite 107

Raleigh, NC 27603

 

Location on Google maps

 

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First Take: Heirloom Brewshop in Raleigh Offers a Zen Garden Setting for Hot Drinks and Snacks

Front of Heirloom Brewshop in Raleigh - nctriangledining.com
Front of Heirloom Brewshop in Raleigh – nctriangledining.com

Over the past year or two, the Warehouse District has been popping! With the new Union Station and Dillon building opening up, there’s an expectation for a lot of future growth in this neighborhood. And along with living quarters and transportation, you’re going to need some restaurants to feed all these people, eh? Well out at the Dillon building, we’re starting to see some new restaurants come to life and Heirloom Brewshop is one of the more recent additions. Offering up coffee, tea, sake and some snacks, this hip and modern space will give you some ideas on where the Raleigh food scene is headed towards. Step on inside and let’s go check it out!

Organic design at Heirloom Brewshop in Raleigh - nctriangledining.com
Organic design at Heirloom Brewshop in Raleigh – nctriangledining.com

From the outside, Heirloom looks pretty simple with gold, gilt lettering out front and a large glass face for maximum visibility. Walking by, you can see the milieu of young hipsters chatting away and working on their MacBooks. Inside you’ll find a modern but organic feel to the space. Primarily light woods and whites, there’s a trellis of sinuous wood slats overhead, highlighting the space. It all feels a lot like if Bida Manda and Brewery Bhavana got together and had a baby coffee shop! But it all works quite well, it’s a very clean space from an interior design perspective. Conceptually, I think Heirloom mimics a modern Asian tea shop in terms of esthetics and design.

Halogen beam coffee brewers at Heirloom Brewshop in Raleigh - nctriangledining.com
Halogen beam coffee brewers at Heirloom Brewshop in Raleigh – nctriangledining.com

At the counter order area, you’ll spy an interesting array of brewing equipment. From a wild-looking cold drip coffee distiller to modern, fusion tea brewers, they definitely spared no expense when it comes to brewing equipment here at Heirloom. Everything is displayed out in the open for your viewing pleasure. To the left of the counter is a retail space showing off a variety of tea products along with a selection of sake cans. Peruse through Heirloom’s menu and you’ll find a nice range of teas, coffees, sakes, cocktails and small plates to choose from. There’s also a display case of pastries to snack on, up front! Heirloom is open from 7am to 10pm (11pm on Friday and Saturday) making for easy access.

 

Retail area at Heirloom Brewshop in Raleigh - nctriangledining.com
Retail area at Heirloom Brewshop in Raleigh – nctriangledining.com
Counter area at Heirloom Brewshop in Raleigh - nctriangledining.com
Counter area at Heirloom Brewshop in Raleigh – nctriangledining.com

After you order, grab one of the small two-tops or hang out at the counter stools up front. Heirloom Brewshop provides a power-strip up by the front windows if you need to charge up your MacBook or laptop. The space is built for comfort, conversation and a lingering visit. Acoustics are decent here and it’s a good spot to have a quiet conversation. It all feels very comfortable and organic, Heirloom Brewshop provides a Zen-like feel to your visit.

Brewed tea at Heirloom Brewshop in Raleigh - nctriangledining.com
Brewed tea at Heirloom Brewshop in Raleigh – nctriangledining.com

Heirloom offers a great variety of brewed coffee, pour overs, cortados along with Asian oolong, jasmine tea and more. Check out the menus below for details. And while I’m certainly a fan of Heirloom’s teas and coffees, explore the small plates menu! With very Asian options such as fried Lotus root, chilled noodles and Taiwanese chicken, you can enjoy a snack with your drink. I also tried a really unique strawberry sakura crepe cake. A thinly layered (25+) stack of thin crepes with alternating buttercream frosting. Not super-sweet but the texture of this Sakura cake was really interesting.

Taiwanese popcorn chicken at Heirloom Brewshop in Raleigh - nctriangledining.com
Taiwanese popcorn chicken at Heirloom Brewshop in Raleigh – nctriangledining.com
Sakura crepe cake at Heirloom Brewshop in Raleigh - nctriangledining.com
Sakura crepe cake at Heirloom Brewshop in Raleigh – nctriangledining.com

All in all, it’s hard to really describe Heirloom Brewshop but I think it’s ahead of its time here in Raleigh. Part coffee shop, part lounge, part eatery, there’s a little bit for everybody here! They are pushing the envelope when it comes to hot-brewed drinks and certainly taking some chances with their in-house pastries. Just enjoy it for what it is, a relaxing garden setting for hot drinks, snacks and conversation!

 

Heirloom Brewshop

219 S West Street

Raleigh, NC 27603

Heirloom Brewshop tea menu, coffee menu, sake menu, cocktail menu, small plates menu

 

Location on Google maps

 

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First Take: Cocoa Cinnamon Lakewood in Durham For Exquisite Coffee and Churros

Front of Cocoa Cinnamon Lakewood, Durham - nctriangledining.com
Front of Cocoa Cinnamon Lakewood, Durham – nctriangledining.com

There’s something to be said for a soothing cup of coffee or latte in a bustling shop! It’s all about a quick treat and break in your day whether you’re going solo or meeting up with a friend. A good coffeehouse is as much a neighborhood meeting spot as anything else. Out in the Lakewood neighborhood of Durham, you’ll find the latest outpost of the very popular Cocoa Cinnamon. And after a couple of visits, I’d have to say that I’m jealous of the Bull City and wish we could get one here in Raleigh, here’s why!

Interior of Cocoa Cinnamon Lakewood, Durham - nctriangledining.com
Interior of Cocoa Cinnamon Lakewood, Durham – nctriangledining.com

From the outside, Cocoa Cinnamon Lakewood is unassuming. Small patio out front, brick-faced building with some roll-up doors. Poke your head inside and you’ll quickly realize what it’s really all about! Cocoa Cinnamon stretches a long way back with plenty of space to chill out in. The bright artwork on the walls, cheerfully bright tables and multi-color retro plastic chairs give a bit of a fiesta feel to the space. All very basic and utilitarian, highlighted by the concrete floors and exposed metal beams.

Order area at Cocoa Cinnamon Lakewood, Durham - nctriangledining.com
Order area at Cocoa Cinnamon Lakewood, Durham – nctriangledining.com

I head to the back of the space, past a coffee grinding area, to the order counter. Cocoa Cinnamon has a small menu of gourmet coffees, lattes and hot chocolate along with the piece de la resistance: churros! Staying true to their Mexican roots, it all makes sense to me. A chalkboard menu shows off the beans for the day along with the specials. You may need to be a bit patient in line since Cocoa Cinnamon is quite popular and orders can get complicated.

Churro station at Cocoa Cinnamon Lakewood, Durham - nctriangledining.com
Churro station at Cocoa Cinnamon Lakewood, Durham – nctriangledining.com

Over a couple of visits I had a chance to try one of Cocoa Cinnamon’s chocolate drinks, a caramelo latte and churros! And while I certainly enjoyed the sipping chocolate (deep, rich and not too sweet) and coffee drink, what really gets me excited are the churros! Fried fresh in front of you, choose from regular sugar, cinnamon sugar, cardamom or orange sugar, yummy! The churros come out nice and warm with a crunchy, star shaped crust wrapped around a soft, tender interior. A fun snack that’s great for dipping in your coffee or cocoa.

Churros and sipping chocolate at Cocoa Cinnamon Lakewood, Durham - nctriangledining.com
Churros and sipping chocolate at Cocoa Cinnamon Lakewood, Durham – nctriangledining.com

The scene at Cocoa Cinnamon is also super-chill, a mix of families, hipsters and senior citizens, you seem to get a good cross-section of Durham here. You’ll find plenty of people hanging out with friends, playing board games or just studying. I actually like the Cocoa Cinnamon Lakewood better than the original, it feels more open and bright which works better for me! And it’s fun for people-watching…

Metal skull table at Cocoa Cinnamon Lakewood, Durham - nctriangledining.com
Metal skull table at Cocoa Cinnamon Lakewood, Durham – nctriangledining.com

So while I may not be a huge gourmet coffee fan, I certainly do appreciate the variety and quality of the hot drinks at Cocoa Cinnamon Lakewood. And double bonus for the freshly made churros! While I’m not 12 years old, I can certainly appreciate these fresh, crunchy pastry sticks, especially with some great coffee. Thanks so much Cocoa Cinnamon for your third Durham location! If I ask nicely, can I get a Cocoa Cinnamon Raleigh sometime soon?!

 

Cocoa Cinnamon Lakewood

2013 Chapel Hill Rd Suite A

Durham, NC 27707

 

Location on Google maps

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Boulted Bread in Raleigh Delivering Delicious Carbs in Loaf Form!

Corner of Boulted Bread, Raleigh- NC Triangle Dining
Corner of Boulted Bread, Raleigh- NC Triangle Dining

There’s something amazing about a good loaf of bread.  Thick crackly crust, soft leavened insides with just the right amount of pull and chew.  We’ve been blessed in Raleigh with the arrival of first, Yellow Dog Bakery and now, Boulted Bread!  I had seen an article about the three founders of Boulted Bread in IndyWeek and it piqued my curiosity.  Over the course of three visits, color me impressed and carb’ed up…

Counter at Boulted Bread, Raleigh- NC Triangle Dining
Counter at Boulted Bread, Raleigh- NC Triangle Dining

Boulted Bread sits in a quiet spot off of Boylan Heights on South Street.  The right you’ve got the Men at Work car wash and barber shop.  Across the street the Ice Market and a church.  But there on a corner in the burnished blue storefront and garage roll-up door is Boulted Bread!  It’s a pretty tiny (cozy) space and an interesting mix of hipster and old school Raleigh.  Small display counter up front, check out the chalkboard on the side-wall to get an idea of what’s on the bread menu for the day.  While the shop may open at 8am, the breads were scheduled to come out at 8:30 am and 12:30 pm during my visit.  For my visit, Boulted Bread had Levain (sourdough), rye, ciabatta and baguettes in the oven…

Bread rack at Boulted Bread, Raleigh- NC Triangle Dining
Bread rack at Boulted Bread, Raleigh- NC Triangle Dining
Beautiful loaf of levain bread from Boulted Bread, Raleigh-NC Triangle Dining
Beautiful loaf of levain bread from Boulted Bread, Raleigh-NC Triangle Dining

In addition to the breads, you’ll find a lovely display of pastries ranging from croissants to buns and tarts.  I’m making some seafood stew that night so I order up  a loaf of levain ($6.50) and a pull-apart bun made with raspberry jam and Escazu chocolate ($4) .  While prices at Boulted are on the slightly higher side, you do get the comfort of knowing you’re support some baking artisans and the local economy which is always a good thing.  At home I pull the bread out of the loaf and it’s a wonderfully crusty and slightly burnished exterior with a super soft and elastic interior.  There’s a lot of glutinous texture to this Levain loaf and the hit of sour makes it perfect to be paired with my cioppino for the evening.  I didn’t get to the bun that evening but snacked on it the next day and it was solid too.

Pastries at Boulted Bread, Raleigh- NC Triangle Dining
Pastries at Boulted Bread, Raleigh- NC Triangle Dining

So thanks for perking up this neighborhood with your wonderful baked goods, Boulted Bread!  While you’ve only been up and running for several months, I think your breads may be on par with my bakery fave, La Farm.  And with Yellow Dog Bread Company on the east side and Boulted Bread right in the center of downtown Raleigh, we are looking good for all manners of baked goods and breads.   I’m already looking forward to my next visit…

 

Boulted Bread

614 W South Street

Raleigh, NC 27603

919.999.3984

 

Location on Google maps

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Powdered Deliciousness at Cafe Du Monde in New Orleans!

Exterior of Cafe Du Monde, New Orleans- NC Triangle Dining
Exterior of Cafe Du Monde, New Orleans- NC Triangle Dining

Next up on the New Orleans foodie faves list is Cafe Du Monde.  Located near Jackson Square, their large green awning and patio seating is hard to miss when you’re in the area.  And that large patio is usually filled so it was time to find out why.  Cafe Du Monde is seat yourself so at about 2:30pm I grab a seat by the sidewalk so I can watch the street action go by.

Inside of Cafe Du Monde, New Orleans- NC Triangle Dining
Inside of Cafe Du Monde, New Orleans- NC Triangle Dining

Menu’s are at each little marble-topped table and it’s a small one.  Beignets, coffee, drinks and that’s about it.  A young man in white paper cap stops by and grabs my order for 3 beignets and a cafe au lait coffee.  Prices are very reasonable here about, $3 and $2 respectively for those items.  Looking around under the darkened patio, people are happily munching away on their treats and sipping java, ahhhh!

Coffee and beignet at Cafe Du Monde, New Orleans- NC Triangle Dining
Coffee and beignet at Cafe Du Monde, New Orleans- NC Triangle Dining

Again, service here is quick given the volume they do here.  Five minutes later I get a small plate of beignets doused, covered, poured over with confectionery sugar!  The beignets are smaller than Cafe Beignet, not that I can really see them under all that powdered sugar, maybe 3″ square.  I take a bite trying to keep as much sugar on top and yum!  Very crisp, bumpy outside and light inside. The surface area does a good job holding the sugar on which makes for a very sweet bite. .And even though they’re smaller that’s not a bad thing.  I eat my plate of three and I am totally stuffed, ugh…

Powdered pants at Cafe Du Monde, New Orleans- NC Triangle Dining
Powdered pants at Cafe Du Monde, New Orleans- NC Triangle Dining

I sit out there sipping their excellent coffee (most coffee is really good in New Orleans), covered in powdered sugar.  I must have looked like a little pig to all the passer-by’s on the sidewalk but the beignets were so good I didn’t care.  Time to turn over the table, so I brush the powdered sugar off my pants and head out, very happy with my visit to Cafe Du Monde.  Like Acme Oyster House, a super-popular tourist spot but Cafe Du Monde delivered some delicious beignets and I’d definitely come back.  Just remember to put a napkin down over your pants before diving in, you’ve been warned…

 

Cafe Du Monde

800 Decatur Street

New Orleans, LA 70116

504.525.4544

 

Location on Google maps

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