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November 27, 2016 by Ron Wen Leave a Comment

First Take: The New Dame’s Chicken & Waffles in Cary

Front of Dame's Chicken & Waffles in Cary - NC Triangle Dining
Front of Dame’s Chicken & Waffles in Cary – NC Triangle Dining

Chicken and waffles! One of those odd culinary combos like pizza and honey or salt on watermelon. But chicken and waffles are all about creating that savory mouth sensation of sweet and salty, crunchy and soft, along with a lot more. And one restaurant that is doing chicken and waffles really well is Dame’s Chicken & Waffles. Originally Dame’s opened up in downtown Durham but since then, has expanded to new locations in Greensboro and now Cary, woohoo! Given the small size of the original spot, I usually passed on Dame’s but with its new and bigger location, I have a much better chicken and waffle oasis.  And if you or your stomach are intrigued, read on my friend!

Entryway of Dame's Chicken & Waffles in Cary - NC Triangle Dining
Entryway of Dame’s Chicken & Waffles in Cary – NC Triangle Dining

Dame’s Cary is located in a convenient and busy shopping plaza right off of Harrison Avenue and next to Bass Pro Shops. When I show up at 10:30 am on a Saturday, the place is already busy and I love the feel of their space! Large open dining room with marigold walls, bright artwork overhead and an open kitchen area in the back. I get seated at a 2-top and order up an unsweetened tea to start off the meal. And thankfully, Dame’s menu is pretty simple with 8 or so specialty waffle options all offering up a fried chicken, waffle type (regular, sweet potato, blueberry) along with a flavored butter “shmear”! It’s pretty quick for me, I’m going with the Carolina Cockerel which features chicken wings, blueberry waffle and peach-apricot shmear. You can also sub out different waffles and shmears if desired.

Dining room at Dame's Chicken & Waffles in Cary - NC Triangle
Dining room at Dame’s Chicken & Waffles in Cary – NC Triangle Dining

As I wait for my meal I scan the crowd. Everyone is chatting and happy waiting for their chicken and waffles and I don’t blame them a bit. And I gotta believe the brightly colored artwork and light decor helps with the mood of the dining room here. Dame’s has the feel of well-appointed cafe, nothing too fancy but pretty good in its own right.

Carolina Cockerel at Dame's Chicken & Waffles in Cary - NC Triangle Dining
Carolina Cockerel at Dame’s Chicken & Waffles in Cary – NC Triangle Dining

Given how busy Dame’s is, it doesn’t take too too long for my eats, maybe 15 to 20 minute. A beautiful plate is laid on the table, making me salivate immediately! I’ve got three perfectly fried wings (drum, flat and tip) sitting on a speckled, fruity waffle. I ask for some syrup and start to dig into lunch. I always like trying out each individual element of a meal to see where it stands by itself and I can certainly tell you that Dame’s fried chicken is excellent. A light coating that’s lightly spiced, the chicken is tender and juicy, they use a good bird here. The waffle is soft and pliable and when drizzled with syrup, brings you back to mornings as a kid. The shmear has some fruitiness that is a nice spin to everything else on the plate. And yes, more syrup please! Take some chicken, add some waffle and dip it in the syrup, dee-licious! I get about halfway through the meal but have to tap out. While there’s a lot of flavor happening on the plate at Dame’s, a bit of caloric discretion never hurts for this plump foodie.

Back counter at Dame's Chicken & Waffles in Cary - NC Triangle Dining
Back counter at Dame’s Chicken & Waffles in Cary – NC Triangle Dining

A take-out box and my check is brought out, I wrap up my meal. The line of people is getting quite long here at Dame’s Chicken and Waffles, even though it’s only about 11:30am. So what can I say, I guess I’m not the only fan of the salty, sweet, crispy and soft mouth combination you get with chicken and waffles. And while you probably shouldn’t be eating here every week, I can say that Dame’s is doing a fine job when you get hit with the craving. So rock on Dame’s, glad to have you on this side of the Triangle, finally!

 

Dame’s Chicken and Waffles, Cary

1823 Bass Pro Lane

Cary, NC 27513

919.234.0824

 

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Filed Under: Cary, First Takes, Restaurant & Bar Reviews Tagged With: fried chicken

January 12, 2015 by Ron Wen 2 Comments

Bojangles for Fried Chicken, the Cheddar Bo Biscuit and Much Mo

Front of Bojangles on Western Blvd, Raleigh- NC Triangle Dining
Front of Bojangles on Western Blvd, Raleigh- NC Triangle Dining

In the world of fried chicken, you can say I’m a Bojangles fan.  Since I didn’t grow up around here, my favorites used to be Church’s and then Popeye’s.  But yes, living in North Carolina, you can bet your bo that I’m all about the Bojangles now.  It’s a guilty pleasure but most of my road trips over 4 hours involve a stop at a Bojangles for a biscuit or fried bawk bawk.  Oddly enough, I normally don’t do BoJo’s here in Raleigh since it just seems like overkill to me unless…

Counter at Bojangles on Western Blvd, Raleigh- NC Triangle Dining
Counter at Bojangles on Western Blvd, Raleigh- NC Triangle Dining

Yes, I had heard that Bojangles was running a limited three-month special, the Cheddar Bo!  Previously limited to a franchise operator in the eastern part of the state, the Cheddar Bo Biscuit was now available in all the Bojangles locations for the start of 2015.  A Cheddar Bo Biscuit petition started by Steve McQuaid forced Bojangles hand so we all get to enjoy this lovely treat. It was time for a visit to my local Bojangles out on Western Boulevard!

Dining area at Bojangles on Western Blvd, Raleigh- NC Triangle Dining
Dining area at Bojangles on Western Blvd, Raleigh- NC Triangle Dining

So while Bojangles is a franchise and chain, there are slight differences at each location that do make a difference.  The Western Boulevard Bojangles is a popular haunt for NC State students and its location right next to Cook Out mean you’re in fast food heaven.  Heading over to this location, be aware of the sharp, uphill right you need to take into the parking lot.  If you’ve got a stick, make sure you downshift into a lower gear to get into that tight uphill.  Inside Bojangles you’re met with a lot of orange and wood. I usually do takeout here but today I’m dining in.  Plenty of friendly staff on hand to take your order, I do a 2-piece dinner along with the Cheddar Bo, snarf!

Fried chicken at Bojangles on Western Blvd, Raleigh- NC Triangle Dining
Fried chicken at Bojangles on Western Blvd, Raleigh- NC Triangle Dining

My tray is put together in a couple of minutes and the women staffing the counter are super-sweet.  Do you need condiments?  How about some ketchup?  For a fast-food joint, Bojangles is all Southern and polite, it’s definitely appreciated.  I drag my food over to a two-top, I’ve got a plate of fried chicken, my biscuit and some sweet tea, yum!  I’m just glad I went to the gym this morning!  Digging in you definitely appreciate the fast food eats here at Bojangles. $5.79 for the two piece meal with fries, $1.79 for the Cheddar Bo.  It’s not elegant eating, it’s not healthy but it’s darn tasty and you’d have a hard time replicating this meal at home.  The chicken at Bojangles is extra crispety and crunchy, well-coated with a bit of spice. Paired with the tender juicy chicken underneath, there’s a lot of yum going on here.  The Cheddar Bo lives up to expectations.  A salted, fluffy biscuit sandwiching warm, tasty cheddar cheese.  The cheese overflow is seared on the grill giving it a chewy texture on the edges.  All in all it’s a salty, gooey treat which will jack up your cholesterol count but well worth the effort.  And yeah the skin-on fries at Bojangles are also solid.

Cheddar Bo biscuit at Bojangles on Western Blvd, Raleigh- NC Triangle Dining
Cheddar Bo biscuit at Bojangles on Western Blvd, Raleigh- NC Triangle Dining

We’re not talking fancy, we’re talking delicious and cheap and I’m glad to have been converted to Bojangles fried chicken over my years in North Carolina.  I’m pretty sure it’s some of the best fast food fried chicken in the country and when you tie in the friendly and excellent staff, you’ve got yourself an easy and tasty winner.   Rock on, BoJo’s!

 

Bojangles Fried Chicken- Western Boulevard

3808 Western Boulevard

Raleigh, NC 27606

919.664.8613

 

Location on Google maps

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Filed Under: Raleigh, Restaurant & Bar Reviews Tagged With: fast food, fried chicken

August 24, 2012 by Ron Wen 2 Comments

Beasley’s Chicken and Honey in Raleigh

Front of Beasley's in Raleigh, NC Triangle Dining
Front of Beasley’s in Raleigh, NC Triangle Dining

“Don’t buy into the hype”, that was the thought rolling through my head on my first visit to Beasley’s Chicken and Honey. I had eaten at Pooles Diner, Ashley Christensen’s well-acclaimed flagship restaurant but people were REALLY excited for her upcoming trifecta of gourmetness on Wilmington Street. Beasley’s was designed to deliver solid comfort food with the Christensen twist but at much lower price points. While I enjoyed my first couple of visits to Beasley’s I really wasn’t blown away. Comfort food is just that, simple basic food that warms the heart but is rarely super interesting in my eyes. The menu was so short and the food came out so quickly, I was concerned the menu was designed for efficiency over a great eating experience. So Beasley’s fell off my list of restaurants to dine at for a while.

Interior at Beasley's in Raleigh, NC Triangle Dining
Interior at Beasley’s in Raleigh, NC Triangle Dining
 Chalkboard menu at Beasley's in Raleigh, NC Triangle Dining
Chalkboard menu at Beasley’s in Raleigh, NC Triangle Dining

Fast forward to a couple of months back. Friends that I trust are talking up Beasley’s chicken and Sunday brunch options. Looks like it’s time to come back for a visit and yes, I think things have improved a lot at Beasley’s. While I’m still not a 100% sold on the communal table idea, the place has a great feel and I ended up eating at the bar again. The menu’s been expanded to include some bar bites and there’s just more choices which is great. For appetizers we start off with a fried Carolina shrimp with a smokey remoulade (mayonnaise based sauce). Out comes a plate of crunchy fried shrimp, nearly like a tempura: very lightweight coating with a lot of texture. Dee-licious! The shrimp are plump and tender, dab some of the very smoky sauce on top and you’ve got yourself a wonderful bite.

Carolina shrimp at Beasley's in Raleigh, NC Triangle Dining
Carolina shrimp at Beasley’s in Raleigh, NC Triangle Dining
Chicken plate at Beasley's in Raleigh, NC Triangle Dining
Chicken plate at Beasley’s in Raleigh, NC Triangle Dining

While my cousin ordered up the quintessential fried chicken, I went with the meatloaf (berkshire pork shoulder) and mashies. Out comes a medium sized bowl with a nice, thick seared piece of loaf, drizzled with gravy and on top of a bed of mashies. Loved the meatloaf, I believe it was fried on the griddle giving it a bit of a snappy crust before giving way to the meatiness underneath. The gravy makes for a nice savoriness and the mashies were decent but could have been whipped up a bit better. Overall a great comforting bowl of meat and potatoes, I definitely enjoyed this dish. The side of succotash with fresh butter beans was awesome, a melange of well-cooked and seasoned veggies.

Meatloaf at Beasley's in Raleigh, NC Triangle Dining
Meatloaf at Beasley’s in Raleigh, NC Triangle Dining

I had plans to do the silk chocolate pie with soft cream but just could not make it to the final course. Portion-size at Beasley’s is decent so maybe next time. And with very reasonable prices the place really hits the mark for a casual meal. The place was bustling but service was still solid and helpful, they do a great job here. So Beasley’s, way to step up your game and change up the menu a bit. While the fried chicken is still quite good, I love having some additional entree choices. So I have to tip my hat to Chef Christensen, fantastic job making your food delicious and accessible to everybody!

 

Beasley’s Chicken and Honey

237 S. Wilmington Street

Raleigh, NC 27601

919.322.0127

 

Location on Google maps

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Filed Under: Raleigh, Restaurant & Bar Reviews, Retakes Tagged With: best, fried chicken, pie, Southern

June 16, 2012 by Ron Wen

First Take: Lucky 32 Southern Kitchen in Cary

Front of Lucky 32 in Cary, NC Triangle Dining
Front of Lucky 32 in Cary, NC Triangle Dining

Over on Tryon Road, I’ve been dying to try Lucky 32 Southern Kitchen!  The story behind the name Lucky 32 is that the founder/owner’s father owned a race car with the number 32 and voila! Restaurant name. Finally I was able to stop by with some co-workers for a nice lunch and let’s just say that Lucky 32 is Southern cuisine, plus.  In front they’ve even got a small stand of produce that you can purchase from, nice touch!  The inside decor of Lucky 32 is classic and stylish, full of tans and ambers, high ceilings and a large open dining room.  It’s an impressive looking, open dining room, great for a business lunch.

Sitting in the side room we ordered it up pretty good, starting with some sweet-potato hush-puppies, voodoo pig bread (yes, you heard that right) and I did an entree of Southern fried catfish. The voodoo pig bread is a Lucky 32 special: ciabatta with pulled pork, chevre cheese, onions and cilantro, very tasty!

Cornmeal crusted catfish at Lucky 32 in Cary, NC Triangle Dining
Cornmeal crusted catfish at Lucky 32 in Cary, NC Triangle Dining

And my main of corn-meal fried catfish was nicely prepared, cooked until just tender with a nice, non-greasy crust.  My favorite of the meal was the lightly whipped sweet potatoes although the cheese smothered broccoli was great too.  The sweet potato hush-puppies, I wasn’t so fond of, they were a bit dense and maybe over-fried.  Now I have to say that Lucky 32 does a very nice job with their food preparation, all the dishes are prepared with care.  But I also have to confess that I’m not a huge fan of this style of food, my taste buds lean towards more flavor and more spices.  Lucky 32’s focus is on well-prepared Southern seasonal which only gets me so excited.

Chicken sandwich at Lucky 32 in Cary, NC Triangle Dining
Chicken sandwich at Lucky 32 in Cary, NC Triangle Dining

Service-wise Lucky 32 is excellent, very well-trained staff that knows how to handle their tables, this place reminds me of 18 Seaboard which has a similar menu and also delivers great service.  So if you’re in the area and need to do a business lunch, I’ve got you a place!  I am really glad to have finally made it over to Lucky 32 and it’s a really decent dining spot.  Now if I can only make it back over here for their Wednesday Skillet Chicken night, I’m pretty sure it’ll be sometime soon!

 

Lucky 32 Southern Kitchen

7307 Tryon Road

Cary, NC 27518

919.233.1632

 

Menu at Lucky 32 Southern Kitchen

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Filed Under: Cary, First Takes Tagged With: fried chicken, Southern

September 8, 2011 by Ron Wen 8 Comments

Great Fried Chicken in the Triangle! Beasley’s, Dame’s and…

Lunch at Bojangles in Raleigh, NC Triangle Dining
Lunch at Bojangles in Raleigh, NC Triangle Dining

Everyone needs some guilty food pleasures in life and I’d have to say that fried chicken is one for me! There’s nothing like biting into a crispy, crunchy piece of freshly fried chicken that gets me drooling. It’s one of those classic, treats that you know you should stay away from. But fried chicken is sort of like pizza to me: even when it’s bad, it’s still pretty damn good. And while any good Southern restaurant will have its own special recipe, even fast-food fried chicken will hit the spot! Fans of Bojangles will clash with Popeye’s lovers over which one is better. The newly opened Beasley’s Chicken & Honey has been getting rave reviews. And what about the classic chicken and waffle combo at Dames? So in the interest of culinary clashes, I present to you my Fried Chicken Deathcage Match! May the best bird come out on top.

Front of Bojangles in Raleigh- NC Triangle Dining
Front of Bojangles in Raleigh- NC Triangle Dining
Inside of Bojangles in Raleigh- NC Triangle Dining
Inside of Bojangles in Raleigh- NC Triangle Dining

Let’s start with a Southern classic, Bojangles (or fondly known as BoJo’s) who dishes out great fried chicken but their biscuits and sweet tea are equally popular. My three-piece dark meat dinner, mashed potatoes and biscuit came out to ($6.80), super reasonable.

Fried chicken meal at Bojangles in Raleigh- NC Triangle Dining
Fried chicken meal at Bojangles in Raleigh- NC Triangle Dining

Bojangle’s fried chicken is cajun-style and a bit heavier on the breading so there’s a lot of crunch and snap to the skin. Inside the chicken was really juicy and there was just a hint of heat at the end. Portion size, the chicken was about the same as Popeye’s but the biscuits at Bojangles are solid: large, fluffy and with a bit of salt. The mashies? Well, nothing to write home about but if you put sausage gravy on top, I’m eatin’ it! Bojangles makes some excellent fast-food fried chicken, you really can’t go wrong here.

 

V's Southern Kitchen in RTP Durham, NC Triangle Dining
V’s Southern Kitchen in RTP Durham, NC Triangle Dining
V's Southern Kitchen in RTP Durham, NC Triangle Dining
V’s Southern Kitchen in RTP Durham, NC Triangle Dining

Next up is a lovely little cafe and eatery in RTP, V’s Southern Kitchen! A casual Southern kitchen, V’s does a lot of soul food classics like ribs, fried pork chops and sweet potato fluff. Inside the cafe is super clean and bright, a very comfortable setting. Order at the counter and the food gets brought out to you. V’s Southern Kitchen does fried chicken that’s perfectly fried, plump and juicy. A light flour coating keeps the skin crisp and shows off just a hint of seasoning, great stuff!

Dame's Chicken & Waffles in Durham- NC Triangle Dining
Dame’s Chicken & Waffles in Durham- NC Triangle Dining

Going up the fried chicken food chain is the down-home, Dames Chicken and Waffles in Durham. (Note: There is a new Dames Chicken & Waffles in Cary now) I’m not sure who the brilliant person was that concocted this combination but they should be congratulated! Dames is a small family-run joint that has only one thing on the menu: chicken and waffles. BUT you get to choose from a variety of plates for chicken drums, wings or filets. There are different types of waffles and different shmears (flavored butter) and syrups to go along with that delicious fried chicken. Home-made sides ranging from fruit to mac n cheese and sauteed squash, finish off the meal.

Dame's Chicken & Waffles in Durham- NC Triangle Dining
Dame’s Chicken & Waffles in Durham- NC Triangle Dining

Supported by a group of voracious Triangle Yelper’s, we popped into Dames for lunch today. My order of the Red-Crested Rose Comb comes with two chicken legs kissed with powdered sugar, strawberry shmear and a beautiful, soft waffle. Dames really knows its fried chicken: well-seasoned coating, deeply fried which makes it tender, tasty without much grease. Syrup at the table gives you an opportunity to bling out your waffle a bit. Slice off some chicken, fork it on with some waffle, dip it into some butter shmear-syrup and whoa. Flavor party in your mouth! The side of macaroni and cheese was also great, creamy and spiked with oregano. At $12.80 not a bad deal at all for the chicken, waffle, side and sweet tea. (Note: Dame’s dishes out a LOT of food and in our group, the clean plate club was dominated by the Yelp women. A tip of my hat to the ladies…)

Beasley's in Raleigh- NC Triangle Dining
Beasley’s in Raleigh- NC Triangle Dining

Pretty much anything Chef Ashley Christensen touches turns to gold in Raleigh so when Beasley’s Chicken & Honey opened up, there was a tremendous amount of buzz. I waited a couple of weeks before visiting just to let the place settle in a bit. The space is open and well-lit with natural sunlight. One long communal table down the middle, some four-tops on the edges and stools at the bar make for plenty of seating in Beasley’s space. The menu is brilliantly simple, you can have chicken, chicken, or if you feel like it, chicken! Chalked up on the overhead (similar to Poole’s Diner) menu you’ve get three chicken options (1/4 chicken, chicken biscuit, chicken and waffles for brunch/late night) and maybe six or so sides.

Fried chicken plate with mac n cheese and collards at Beasley's in Raleigh- NC Triangle Dining
Fried chicken plate with mac n cheese and collards at Beasley’s in Raleigh- NC Triangle Dining

I went with the dark chicken and we went a bit crazy beyond that ordering biscuits, collards, beans and mac n cheese. Beasley’s chicken is beautiful on the plate: well-browned, plump and drizzled with a little bit of honey. Bite in and there’s a bit of salt (my guess is the meat may be brined) on the tongue, along with juicy chicken and some sweetness, delicious! Breading is minimal so it’s all about the meat at Beasley’s. And the sides are excellent, chopped collard greens, beans spiked with jalapenos and a square of baked mac n cheese. The biscuits are nearly scone-like, fluffy but a touch dry. However at Beasley’s prices, the meal HAS to be good. At $7.50 for just the chicken, $3.50 for a la carte sides, you’ll drop $13 at the minimum for a meal.

Chicken and waffles at Beasley's in Raleigh- NC Triangle Dining
Chicken and waffles at Beasley’s in Raleigh- NC Triangle Dining

Now it’s really hard to go wrong with fried chicken, it’s all good! And I’m certainly not trying to directly compare upscale Beasley’s chicken with Bojangles but you do need to know what you’re getting for your hard-earned dollars. You can go fancy, get the frou-frou honey-chicken at Beasley’s (check our my updated review here!) or just feel content to eat your fried chicken at a plastic table, the choice is yours. Or you can go the middle route of fried chicken with those delectable waffles! And don’t forget the biscuit, mac n cheese and collards, because the sides count too. Bawk-bawk and bon appetit…

 

Great Fried Chicken in the Triangle

—————————————-

Popeyes- Various Locations

Bojangles- Various Locations

Dame’s Chicken and Waffles- Durham

Beasley’s Chicken and Honey- Raleigh

 

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Filed Under: Durham, Overviews, Raleigh, Restaurant & Bar Reviews Tagged With: fast food, fried chicken, triangle

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