NC Triangle Dining Food Blog

The Best Restaurants and Bars in Raleigh, Durham, Cary, Chapel Hill and the 919

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January 2, 2018 by Ron Wen

First Take: Waffle House for Heart-Warming Southern Eats

Front of Waffle House in Durham - nctriangledining.com
Front of S. Miami Blvd Waffle House in Durham – nctriangledining.com

I’ll confess that given I grew up outside of the North Carolina area, so I had NO clue about Waffle House. I was always more of a Denny’s or IHOP sort of guy when it came to greasy breakfasts but it would be a mistake not to put Waffle House on the list of great casual breakfast and lunch joints. Around for over 60 years, the Waffle House has been an iconic diner for the Southeast with that famous yellow and black lettered sign. They specialize in down-home breakfast and lunch eats, perfect for fueling up for a long day of activities if you’re on the road. And given they’re open 24 hours a day, it’s hard to find an excuse NOT to eat here every once in a while when the mood hits you. Well as a newbie, I’m still learning about this Southern diner classic and so far, so good! Especially those hash browns….

Counter at S. Miami Blvd Waffle House in Durham - nctriangledining.com
Counter at S. Miami Blvd Waffle House in Durham – nctriangledining.com

Having stepped into several Waffle Houses (GA, SC, NC) at this point in my life, the experience is usually pretty consistent. Inside Waffle House and you’ll usually find a lot of noise and activity given their popularity with the locals. Open kitchen with counter seating to watch all the action. Rows of booths with vinyl benches and formica tables lined up against plate glass windows, Waffle House is the quintessential Southern diner experience. You’ll be handed over a laminated, plastic menu by a very seasoned waitress who affectionately calls you honey or sweetheart and gets you started with a coffee or soft drink.

Waffle House menu - nctriangledining.com
Waffle House menu – nctriangledining.com

The menu is pretty basic, listing the usual breakfast favorites ranging from eggs, bacon and sausage to their always-famous, hash browns!! Why the hash browns? The Waffle House does a hash brown with shredded potatoes and then you customize the sh** out of it! You can add cheese, gravy, onions, ham, tomatoes, mushrooms and more using the Waffle House hash brown code (scattered, smothered, covered, chunked, etc…) And yes, there’s American cheese on a lot of the food here so you won’t go home hungry! And pretty much everything is under $10 outside of the steak options.

All-Star special at S. Miami Blvd Waffle House in Durham - nctriangledining.com
All-Star special at S. Miami Blvd Waffle House in Durham – nctriangledining.com
Pecan waffle at S. Miami Blvd Waffle House in Durham - nctriangledining.com
Pecan waffle at S. Miami Blvd Waffle House in Durham – nctriangledining.com

I’ve had the chance to sample several items off the Waffle House menu, from breakfast to lunch and it’s all pretty solid! For breakfast, you can’t go wrong with their All-Star Special: Two eggs, breakfast meat, grits, and toast along with one of their famous waffles ($7+). I’d recommend upgrading to hash browns and trying the fluffy and crunchy pecan waffles to get the full experience. My sunny-side up eggs were cooked perfectly and loved the hash browns topped and covered (chili and American cheese). There’s a LOT of food here so take your time!

Texas bacon cheesesteak melt at S. Miami Blvd Waffle House in Durham - nctriangledining.com
Texas bacon cheesesteak melt at S. Miami Blvd Waffle House in Durham – nctriangledining.com

For lunch I’ve tried their Texas bacon cheesesteak melt which takes two thick pieces of toast and stuffs it with thinly sliced beef, grilled onions and some bacon. A bit heavy on the salt but definitely a satisfying sammich. Paired with some hash browns melted with American cheese and onion and you’ve got yourself a meal! Just don’t plan any after lunch meetings after this onion-filled lunch.

Iconic sign at S. Miami Blvd Waffle House in Durham - nctriangledining.com
Iconic sign at S. Miami Blvd Waffle House in Durham – nctriangledining.com

So what can I say but Waffle House, you really hit the spot. While the menu is a bit small compared to other diner options, what Waffle House serves up is really good. And the service is usually super-friendly and personable. It’s a dependable dining option that’s open 24 hours a day, which is pretty impressive. There’s even a Waffle House Disaster Index which rates the severity of a disaster by the local Waffle House status. If Waffle House is closed, you know it’s REALLY bad out there. Rock on Waffle House, I’m not sure when I’ll be back but you can be sure that I’ll be getting those hash browns again…

 

Waffle House

2,500 various locations in the Southeast

Filed Under: Durham, Raleigh, Restaurant & Bar Reviews Tagged With: Breakfast, Diner, Open 24 hours

February 4, 2017 by Ron Wen

First Take: Metro Diner in N. Raleigh Busting Out a Great Breakfast

Front of Metro Diner in Raleigh - NC Triangle Dining
Front of Metro Diner in Raleigh – NC Triangle Dining

I don’t know about you but I’m usually not a fan of chains. From a bland menu to questionable and inexperienced service, I typically avoid them. But I had heard about Metro Diner coming to the Triangle a while back and while I missed their grand opening, online reviews that soon popped up seemed very positive. And while I’m not a breakfast guy, sometimes you can’t resist so I decided it was time for an early visit to the new Metro Diner in N. Raleigh!

Coffee mug at Metro Diner in Raleigh - NC Triangle Dining
Coffee mug at Metro Diner in Raleigh – NC Triangle Dining

Heading up on Falls of Neuse Road, I’m scanning the area for Metro Diner. This area is rife with strip plazas so I wasn’t sure where it was exactly but my GPS brings me to an elevated plaza area up on a corner. I enter the plaza and spy Metro Diner on the far side, I’m pretty sure it’s in the same space that used to be Aladdin’s. The front of Metro Diner is a bit covered up behind a green, patio cover so keep your eyes peeled! And as I approach I realize why the patio is covered: the place is packed at 9:30 on a Sunday morning. Inside, there’s a small waiting area and the place is buzzing with conversation and activity. Every seat is taken and Metro Diner appears to be a favorite with families in the area. I’m able to grab a stool at the counter area near the kitchen, woo-hoo! It’s a prime spot for me as a blogger, right next to the service area.

Breakfast service area at Metro Diner in Raleigh - NC Triangle Dining
Breakfast service area at Metro Diner in Raleigh – NC Triangle Dining

The staff and kitchen is hustling hard this morning with the hungry crowd. Decked out in casual greet t-shirts, I’m immediately asked about a drink and have a laminated menu handed to me. A white, porcelain mug of nicely roasted coffee is dropped off in front of me while I scan the menu. I’m hungry for some sweets today and start piecing together a breakfast that combines some of Metro Diner’s waffles-pancakes-french toast along with the usual eggs and meat. But thankfully my server must have read my mind and suggests their Bissell Breakfast (2 eggs, bacon, hash browns and pancakes for $9.49) but allows for substitutions, woo-hoo! I go with two eggs over easy, sausage and their pecan, raisin cinnamon french toast as my blinged out breakfast!

Huevos rancheros at Metro Diner in Raleigh - NC Triangle Dining
Huevos rancheros at Metro Diner in Raleigh – NC Triangle Dining

As I’m waiting for my eats, I spin around in my stool to take in the scene here. Lots of locals and the dining room is jam-packed with a handful of folks sitting up front in the covered patio and in the waiting area. The dining room is SO busy I’m unable to get any clean photos of it but suffice it to say, it has a modern diner feel with plenty of ceiling fans spinning above. I’m guess that Metro Diner’s origins in Jacksonville, Florida may account for this more tropical, interior design style. Sitting by the staff service area, I see a lot of great looking breakfast plates heading out to the dining room, me hungry!

Bissell breakfast at Metro Diner in Raleigh - NC Triangle Dining
Bissell breakfast at Metro Diner in Raleigh – NC Triangle Dining
Pecan cinnamon raisin french toast at Metro Diner in Raleigh - NC Triangle Dining
Pecan cinnamon raisin french toast at Metro Diner in Raleigh – NC Triangle Dining

And thankfully, my breakfast comes up pretty quickly and it looks delicioso! Two eggs done over easy along with some wonderful link sausage, english muffin AND a heaping portion of hash browns, yum-may! Everything is perfectly cooked and grilled on my plate and I love that the hash browns are made from grated potato vs. home fries. The plate of pecan, cinnamon french toast is just over-kill at this point but I take a bite with some syrup, good stuff. While I’m not a huge breakfast fan, Metro Diner does it right. Over the course of the meal, staff stops by to check in on me and you can tell they are trained to handle the heavy crowds here.

Breakfast at Metro Diner in Raleigh - NC Triangle Dining
Breakfast at Metro Diner in Raleigh – NC Triangle Dining

Overall I found Metro Diner to be a very pleasant surprise. With 4 1/2 stars on Yelp I’m guessing I should not have been but I’m glad to see that the online reviews are accurate. If you’re looking for a casual spot and a hearty breakfast, I can heartily recommend this place! Given its location, it’s best for N. Raleighites but even worth the ride from downtown given that it’s not easy to find a good breakfast spot ITB in my opinion. So rock on Metro Diner! I’ll be back sometime soon to work off of your lunch menu.

 

Metro Diner

6325 Falls Of Neuse Road

Raleigh, NC 27615

919.578.9053

Metro Diner Raleigh menu

Location on Google maps

Filed Under: Raleigh, Restaurant & Bar Reviews Tagged With: Breakfast, Diner

December 11, 2016 by Ron Wen 2 Comments

First Take: True Flavors Diner in Durham Delivers a Full Plate

Front of True Flavors Diner in Durham - nctriangledining.com
Front of True Flavors Diner in Durham – nctriangledining.com

Out by Route 55 in Durham you’ll find a small cafe and catering business named True Flavors! I had heard a bit of buzz about it through my network but there wasn’t a ton of visibility given its part catering business and has limited hours (closes at 2:30pm in general). But I really wanted to check it out and took a special trip out there for a work lunch which was well worth the effort.

Dining area at True Flavors Diner in Durham - nctriangledining.com
Dining area at True Flavors Diner in Durham – nctriangledining.com

If you’re looking for True Flavors just be aware that it’s in a back corner of a quiet plaza, we stumbled on it nearly accidentally while getting lost! Big red signage in front, inside True Flavors has a nice open feel with a lot of sunshine and green for brightness. The place is busy already at noon time, I suspect they do more of a breakfast/early lunch type crowd here. There’s plenty of space to stretch out in and we get seated in a back corner with a friendly and enthusiastic waitress. But don’t miss the single seats by the kitchen where all the action happens!

Open kitchen at True Flavors Dining in Durham - nctriangledining.com
Open kitchen at True Flavors Dining in Durham – nctriangledining.com

Since we’re short on time, we put in our orders quickly for the Hot Bird chicken sandwich and a bacon-bourbon meatloaf that I had been stalking for a while! Yeah, I was checking out their menu for the last month or so and nothing would sway me from my plan. The food comes out REALLY quickly, in less that 10 minutes and closer to 5 which is great if you’re pressed for time. And it looks really impressive overall.

Chicken fried steak at True Flavors Dining in Durham - nctriangledining.com
Chicken fried steak at True Flavors Dining in Durham – nctriangledining.com
Hot chicken sandwich at True Flavors Diner in Durham - nctriangledining.com
Hot chicken sandwich at True Flavors Diner in Durham – nctriangledining.com

My meatloaf is hard to see under the gravy, bacon and greens but it’s sitting on some mashies along with some green beans! It’s a large portion for lunch but not close to the Hayes Barton Cafe which will coma you. I take a bite and it’s good, excellent meatloaf texture but not as much flavor in the meat. Taken as a whole with the mashies and beans it’s a good meal but fell a bit short on the flavor side for me. But at home I usually do a Cajun meatloaf which is loaded with peppers and spices so maybe my taste buds are tuned differently.

Bacon bourbon meatloaf at True Flavors Dining in Durham - nctriangledining.com
Bacon bourbon meatloaf at True Flavors Dining in Durham – nctriangledining.com
Onion rings at True Flavors Diner in Durham- NC Triangle Dining
Onion rings at True Flavors Diner in Durham- NC Triangle Dining

My table-mate’s TFD hot bird sandwich looks fantastic! A fried chicken breast with spicy sauce on brioche along with a wonderful stack of beer-battered onion rings, I’m a bit jealous of his choice but what the heck, maybe next time. Service through-out lunch is great and tempting, she asks about dessert but I’d actually like to be conscious back at the office this afternoon. So we head out of True Flavors, stuffed and happy, back to work! In the end, I think I may have picked the wrong lunch item but overall I think True Flavors is doing a good job and presenting a nice twist on diner food in a more gourmet setting. And yes, I’ll need to get back for visit two to understand how good this place is and you can bet I’m getting those onion rings!

 

True Flavors Diner + Catering

5410 NC-55

Durham, NC 27713

919.316.7978

Location on Google maps

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Filed Under: Durham, Restaurant & Bar Reviews Tagged With: Diner, Lunch

November 1, 2016 by Ron Wen Leave a Comment

Barry’s Cafe in Cary for Casual Diner Grub!

 

Front of Barry's Cafe in Raleigh, NC Triangle Dining
Front of Barry’s Cafe in Raleigh, NC Triangle Dining

Located in the same plaza as my fave, Anvil’s Cheesesteaks, Barry’s Cafe is a classic and old-school eatery!  Inside the discrete front facing you’ll find a double-sided dining room:  cash register and counter to the right, booths and tables to the left.  Firehouse paraphernalia hang throughout the space, an apparent homage to the firemen in the area. The best way to describe Barry’s is homey, you feel like you’re in somebody’s home kitchen or dining room.  Our server takes our drink order quickly and I scan the menu, pretty basic grill eats but I go with the well-acclaimed burger with cheddar, lettuce and onion.

Cheeseburger at Barry's Cafe in Raleigh, NC Triangle Dining
Cheeseburger at Barry’s Cafe in Raleigh, NC Triangle Dining

Ten minutes later our food comes out and it all looks pretty good!  A large burger with well-melted cheddar on top.  So well-melted I couldn’t see the patty underneath.  Along with some long, brown lightly seasoned fries, it’s time to eat!  Barry’s burgers are excellent, large enough to require two-handed eating.  Pretty sure the meat is ground in-house, the burger was tender and flavorful with a nice complement from the veggies.  The fries were decent but probably your standard, good-quality frozen fries.  I’ll have to confess to being spoiled by the fries at Chuck’s which are UH-mazing.  My dining companion’s cheese steak looks excellent but not quite the traditional Philly cheese steak that drives me crazy.

Homey interior at Barry's Cafe in Raleigh, NC Triangle Dining
Homey interior at Barry’s Cafe in Raleigh, NC Triangle Dining

Service at Barry’s is very good, our guy stops by several times and makes absolutely sure are glasses are always full.  If I remember correctly, we were even offered a complimentary dessert which I passed on.  Overall I like this place and if I lived in the hood, I’d definitely be back from time to time.  With a classic diner feel, solid down-home menu and excellent service, you could do far worse than Barry’s Cafe.  But I gotta confess that the cheesesteaks next-door will probably prove to be a huge hurdle.

 

Barry’s Cafe

2851 Jones Franklin Road

Raleigh, NC 27606

919.859.3555

Location on Google maps

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Filed Under: Cary, Restaurant & Bar Reviews Tagged With: Breakfast, Diner

March 14, 2014 by Ron Wen 4 Comments

First Take: Finch’s Restaurant, a Taste of Breakfast and Raleigh

Classic front of Finch's Restaurant in Raleigh, NC Triangle Dining Classic front of Finch’s Restaurant in Raleigh, NC Triangle Dining

 Along with the Mecca, Finch’s Restaurant is one of those places that often gets mentioned as a taste of old-school Raleigh.  And it TOTALLY is exactly that!  Located in a dusty parking lot on Peace Street near the on-ramp for Cap Boulevard, Finch’s looks like it used to be a drive-in eatery.  And the lot is usually packed on the weekends so try not to be scared off!  Inside Finch’s you’ll find a lot of formica, wood paneling and worn chrome.  Opened in 1953, Finch’s lays claim to being one of the oldest restaurants in Raleigh.  I grab a seat at the counter to watch the action in the kitchen and at the grill.  Order up the Big Man breakfast and it’s time to hang loose.

Menu at Finch's Restaurant in Raleigh, NC Triangle Dining Menu at Finch’s Restaurant in Raleigh, NC Triangle Dining

At the counter, I can spin around on my stool and check out the rest of the diner space.  Great mix of people, all ages and all colors, a real cross-section of Raleigh.  An old boombox is gently pumping out some pop tunes, regulars are stopping in to say hi and the grill cook is sassing the waitresses, it’s all good here at Finch’s!  My breakfast comes out on two plates: a couple of hotcakes on one, and my eggs over easy, sausage and home fries on another.  There is a lot of food here and even though I’m more of a small guy, the Big Man breakfast makes me happy.

Big man's breakfast at Finch's Restaurant in Raleigh, NC Triangle Dining Big man’s breakfast at Finch’s Restaurant in Raleigh, NC Triangle Dining

The pancakes are decent, probably buttermilk, light and fluffy. With a bit of butter and syrup, we’re talking about a solid starter.  The eggs and home fries aren’t quite as successful.  The eggs are fine and well-fried, the home fries are red skin potato chunks and tender but sorta flavorless, oh well.  The star of the plate is the hot link sausage which is different from what you usually get at breakfast spots.  It’s spicy and delicious, nice change of pace.  Overall Finch’s is a decent spot if you’re not expecting stellar food and just want a comfortable spot to nurse your hangover and watch the nice people of Raleigh pass by.  This Raleigh classic is still classic but don’t get too focused on the food, it’s all about the overall experience.

 

Finch’s Restaurant

401 W Peace Street

Raleigh, NC 27603

 

Location on Google maps

Finch's on Urbanspoon

Filed Under: Raleigh, Restaurant & Bar Reviews Tagged With: Breakfast, Diner

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