fried chicken Archives ~ NC Triangle Dining

May 28, 2019 by Ron Wen

DeeLuxe Chicken, Durham – A Glorious Take on Southern Fried Chicken

Front of DeeLuxe Chicken in Durham - nctriangledining.com — Front of DeeLuxe Chicken in Durham – nctriangledining.com

When it comes to all American eats, it’s hard to go wrong with the essential fried chicken! Wings, drums, thighs and more, dropped into a deep fryer and brought on a plate, steaming hot is always a special treat in my book. So who else is excited for the new DeeLuxe Chicken out in Durham, raise your hand?! Brought to you by Chef Scott Howell of Nana fame, DeeLuxe Chicken goes for the more informal dining route with a fast-casual, counter set-up, table service. And right out of the chute, DeeLuxe Chicken is doing a lot of things right!

Interior of DeeLuxe Chicken in Durham - nctriangledining.com — Interior of DeeLuxe Chicken in Durham – nctriangledining.com

If you’re new to Durham, Broad Street runs parallel to 9th Street and has its own little vibe. Quieter but with still some fun options like Watts Grocery, the Green Room (billiards) and the Palace International. DeeLuxe Chickens sits on the corner in premium spot, showing off a retro 60’s facade in bright red and blue. Nice, covered patio in the front, cool Rooster mural on the side, they’ve done a really great job renovating the space and I barely recognize it from its predecessors (Oval Park Grille). If you’re into casual and colorful, you’ll like DeeLuxe Chicken!

Counter order at DeeLuxe Chicken in Durham - nctriangledining.com — Counter order at DeeLuxe Chicken in Durham – nctriangledining.com

Head on over to the order counter and you’ll find a short menu overhead covering chicken baskets, seafood baskets, burgers, sandwiches, salads and sides. Everything’s a bit cheeky and fun at Deeluxe Chicken, including the classic grill menu. Once you order your food, you’ll be given a number on a stand, grab your drink and find a table! Oh and don’t miss the condiments and sauce station near the entrance. You’ll find a wide assortment of flavors here: honey mustard, spicy green, ranch, chili sauce and more, 12 in total along with bread pickles and lemons. I’m guessing that these sauces are for blinging out your tenders or sandwiches!

Condiment bar at DeeLuxe Chicken in Durham - nctriangledining.com — Condiment bar at DeeLuxe Chicken in Durham – nctriangledining.com

Dining room at DeeLuxe Chicken in Durham - nctriangledining.com — Dining room at DeeLuxe Chicken in Durham – nctriangledining.com

While Deeluxe Chicken is great for families with its quick casual setup, it’s also got a nice selection of craft beers, wine and cocktails for the adults. A long bar on the side is probably best suited for single diners and couples. The food at Deeluxe Chicken comes out pretty quickly (thankfully, they’ve got a short menu), usually under 10 minutes in my experience. And their chicken looks really mouth-watering!

Quarter chicken dark with sweet potato fries at DeeLuxe Chicken in Durham - nctriangledining.com — Quarter chicken dark with sweet potato fries at DeeLuxe Chicken in Durham – nctriangledining.com

Covered in a thick, crunchy and bumpy batter, the chicken at Deeluxe is moist and flavored a bit (paprika?). I’ve done the quarter dark which is a large and plump bird along with some chili-dusted sweet potato fries. Unlike some 1/4 chicken offerings, there’s plenty of food here. A perfectly seared and buttered piece of Texas toast finishes the meal. All of the chicken baskets at Deeluxe chicken come with a side-kick which ranges from fries, potato salad, slaw, mac n cheese, spicy Asian cucumbers or a salad. A nice range of options for your side.

The Purist chicken sandwich at DeeLuxe Chicken in Durham - nctriangledining.com — The Purist chicken sandwich at DeeLuxe Chicken in Durham – nctriangledining.com

The sandwiches here at Deeluxe Chicken are super substantial! Try the Purist which seems to be a play on the classic Southern chicken sandwich (Chick-fil-a). Loaded with thick and sweet pickles, on a seared bun, it’s a great sammich. Simple and to the point, it hits all the right notes for a satisfying Southern chicken sandwich. And you can now finish up your meal with some soft serve, Deeluxe Chicken offers ice cream cones with a “flavor burst” (chocolate, strawberry, butterscotch) for $1.50

Service at DeeLuxe chicken has been very good during my visits here, a nice touch for the budget price you pay. Overall I think you’ll be happy with a casual meal at Deeluxe Chicken. Inexpensive, tasty and filling, it’s a perfect spot for families and students looking for some quick chicken. While the menu is short, they’re added burgers and more which is plenty to keep most people happy. Paired with the beer, wine and soft-serve means you’ve got a more adult version of a Chick-fil-a which is A-OK to me!

DeeLuxe Chicken

1116 Broad Street

Durham, NC 27705

919.294.8128

Menu at DeeLuxe Chicken

Location on Google maps

December 19, 2018 by Ron Wen

Media: Lula’s in Chapel Hill is Now Serving a Fantastic Southern Brunch and Fried Chicken!

Lula's in Chapel Hill, NC - nctriangledining.com

Over the past year, I’ve been pretty impressed with the food scene in Chapel Hill. Great additions like Hops Burger Bar, Cha House, MidiCi Italian Kitchen and more have really amped up the food scene in the area. And a recent media invite to the new Lula’s restaurant in Chapel Hill spiked my curiosity. I had known about the previous tenant in this space (Spanky’s) and had seen some social media on Lula’s eats so color me curious. And hungry! So I was excited to head out to the Thrill to try out Lula’s new brunch menu on a bright and cheery Sunday afternoon.

Dining room at Lula's in Chapel Hill, NC - nctriangledining.com

Bar at Lula's in Chapel Hill, NC - nctriangledining.com

Stepping into Lula’s, you’ll find yourself in a classic looking restaurant full of polished woods and a black and white checkered floor. The space is bright and sunny, perfect for an afternoon meal along with plenty of seating. For today’s meal, we head upstairs to the private rooms which seats about 90 people. A table full of local social media influencers are waiting upstairs to get the meal started! Lula’s is part of the Chapel Hill restaurant group and helmed by Chef William D’Auvray, formerly from buku and Fins in Raleigh.

Sample brunch menu at Lula's in Chapel Hill, NC - nctriangledining.com

While Lula’s has been open since June 2018, their brunch menu was just launched in November. They’ve still got the great skillet chicken on the dinner menu but have also added classics such as chicken and waffles, eggs and sausage along with a biscuit benedict. Just be aware that Lula’s has a pretty short menu that’s really focused on fried chicken and Southern classics. Lula’s also offers up some great brunch cocktails with quirky names like the Breakfast Bramble (vodka, yogurt, fruit, blackberry jam, granola), Damn Fine Sunday (vodka, coffee liqeur, vanilla bean syrup) and more.

Breakfast Bramble at Lula's in Chapel Hill, NC - nctriangledining.com

Biscuits with spun sage honey at Lula's in Chapel Hill, NC - nctriangledining.com

Over the course of two hours, we are treated to a barrage of wonderful Southern eats on Lula’s menu! First up are the wonderful biscuits at Lula’s. Now biscuits are a pretty simple food item but Lula’s elevates them to another level. Browned and bumpy, the biscuit here show off a crunchy, perfectly salted exterior along with a wonderfully fluffy interior. Paired with a thick and sticky sage honey, they could be a meal in themselves. But wisely, Lula’s uses them as a carb base for several of the other brunch dishes on the menu.

Maple bacon donuts with vanilla custard at Lula's in Chapel Hill, NC - nctriangledining.com

Sweet potato-squash strata at Lula's in Chapel Hill, NC - nctriangledining.com

The next winner on the menu is Lula’s raised maple-bacon donuts with vanilla custard! Fresh out of the fryer, cake donuts are doused in syrup and served up with a round of baked custard and piece of crispy bacon. It hits all of your foodie senses with sweet and salty crunchiness along with the luscious custard. A fun play on the common donut and done very well. Counter-balancing the sweet of the donuts is the wonderful, layered strata! Thin slices of sweet potato and squash along with egg are stacked together in a tasty casserole and topped with cornbread and tomato. A great choice if you’re a vegetarian looking for something to eat. I found it quite satisfying even as a confessed meatatarian.

Skillet of fried chicken at Lula's in Chapel Hill, NC - nctriangledining.com

Biscuit benedicts at Lula's in Chapel Hill, NC - nctriangledining.com

But of course, given Lula’s homage to fried chicken, we were all waiting on the main course! Served up in a cast iron skillet fit for a giant, a heaping pile of lovingly, browned Southern fried chicken is placed on a display table. Our group of influencers swarm about the chicken skillet but all I can tell you is that it’s very good! Soaked in a buttermilk wash and fried in a spice-laden coating, Lula’s does a great Southern fried chicken with plenty of taste and just enough salt. Although I admit, I wish I could have tried some of this cluck-cluck chicken in a dark meat, the breast still held up with good moist tenderness. We’re also served up a wonderful biscuit benedict topped with fried green tomato, country ham and hollandaise. Really nicely done, that biscuit steals the show again, offering up a great alternative to the classic English muffin.

Our lovely brunch finishes up with Chef William’s classic dessert, funeral cake! Apparently given out as solace for grieving friends and neighbors, the funeral cake is stacked high and tall with four levels of what I think is Devil’s Food cake along with a light buttercream frosting. A wonderful finish and touch to this Southern brunch. As we thank our gracious hosts and pass along good-byes to each other, I’m just trying to figure out when I can get back for a repeat visit. While the menu at Lula’s is not that big, they are executing really well on what’s coming out of that kitchen. And what’s coming out of Lula’s kitchen is some wonderful, heart-warming Southern fare with some slight twists. Add in those wonderfully crafted cocktails and I suspect you’ll be a happy camper at Lula’s for brunch. I’m glad to have it here on Franklin Street in Chapel Hill because while Spanky’s may have been a Carolina legend, I’m pretty sure it wouldn’t stand a chance against the great eats coming out of the kitchen now. So thank you Lula’s for a fantastic brunch and raising the bar for the Chapel Hill dining scene!

Lula’s

101 E Franklin Street

Chapel Hill, NC 27514

919.967.2678

Lula’s menu

Location on Google maps

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

Location on Google maps

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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

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

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

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

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

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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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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DeeLuxe Chicken, Durham – A Glorious Take on Southern Fried Chicken