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Pie

August 24, 2019 by Ron Wen 2 Comments

Beasley’s Chicken and Honey in Raleigh for Southern Eats and Goodness

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
Smashburger at Beasley's Chicken and Honey in Raleigh - nctriangledining.com
Smashburger at Beasley’s Chicken and Honey in Raleigh – nctriangledining.com
Frites at Beasley's Chicken and Honey in Raleigh - nctriangledining.com
Frites at Beasley’s Chicken and Honey in Raleigh – nctriangledining.com

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 Restaurants

October 20, 2013 by Ron Wen Leave a Comment

D&S Cafeteria, Cary- An Old-School Cafeteria Serving Up Classics

Front of D&S Cafeteria in Raleigh- NC Triangle Dining
Front of D&S Cafeteria in Raleigh- NC Triangle Dining

I admit that since I’ve lived in Raleigh, I’ve heard about this chain of restaurants called K&W.  But for some reason, I never checked the place out even though there’s one right down the street from me.  As luck would have it, a co-worker suggests checking out D&S Cafeteria in Cary which had been converted from a K&W so it’s game on!  I haven’t been to a cafeteria in ages so I have to confess that my curiosity was piqued.  I stalked the menu online to figure out what I wanted to eat and finally the big day arrives…

Service line at D&S Cafeteria in Raleigh- NC Triangle Dining
Service line at D&S Cafeteria in Raleigh- NC Triangle Dining

First off, D&S Cafeteria is a non-descript brick building on the eastern side of South Hills Mall.  Senior citizens are streaming in when we arrive a bit before noon time, it’s the early bird special!  Inside you’ve got a long serving line with steam trays full of all sorts of Southern eats imaginable.  Salad, pasta, meats, veggies, dessert and more.  This place can get busy so you should have some idea of what you want to order before you hit the first server.  An LCD panel shows off what’s on the menu and you work through all the different stations where servers will either give you a plate or small bowl for your meal.  They’ve got traditional Southern fare like fried chicken, chicken fried steak, baked spaghetti and fried fish.  An array of sides and desserts finish off the serving area along with a smallish selection of drinks.  You get your bill at the end but pay on your way out.  Now comes the search for a table!  This place is popular with the church crowd so timing is everything.  Mostly booths and some slightly larger round tables, we find one that’ll seat five, take our meals off the tray and it’s time to eat!

Lunch tray at D&S Cafeteria in Raleigh- NC Triangle Dining
Lunch tray at D&S Cafeteria in Raleigh- NC Triangle Dining

I went with a bit of everything: fruit salad, chicken pie, yam souffle, mac n cheese, corn bread, apple pie and unsweetened tea for $11+.  It was a LOT of food but I figured I wanted to try things out given it was my first visit.  The fruit salad was fresh and the cornbread solid but not quite as moist and sweet as I would have liked.  The chicken pie was a huge portion of pastry and dense chicken, peas and carrots.  Pretty much a chicken pot pie as a slice.  The yam souffle was fluffy, sweet and delish while the mac n cheese was over-cooked for me.  The pie was decent but probably from canned fruit given the consistency.  But nice crust, it was sprinkled with sugar and tender.  My overall take on the food at D&S was that it’s consistently over-cooked, soft and a bit bland.  But as I looked around the dining room, I totally understand.  We were pretty much the youngest people there and…  we’re not that young.

Chicken pie at D&S Cafeteria in Raleigh- NC Triangle Dining
Chicken pie at D&S Cafeteria in Raleigh- NC Triangle Dining
Fruit, yam souffle, mac n cheese at D&S Cafeteria in Raleigh- NC Triangle Dining
Fruit, yam souffle, mac n cheese at D&S Cafeteria in Raleigh- NC Triangle Dining

But I do think D&S is a great example of a classic Southern cafeteria and works well for people that enjoy this style of food.  Service is polite, efficient and fast, this place serves a LOT of people with large portions of decently cooked food.  But I also know that my tastes are a bit different and I’m not into soft, bland food which is sorta the deal here.  Would I come back?  Sure I would, but it wouldn’t be my first choice for my daily calories.  But I totally understand why D&S Cafeteria rocks for its primary audience.  So if you’re up for large portions of filling comfort food, stop by and check out this place in South Hills mall.  You can’t get much more traditional and family-friendly than this place…

 

D&S Cafeteria

1177 Buck Jones Road

Raleigh, NC 27606

919.462.8404

D&S Cafeteria Menu

Location on Google maps

Filed Under: Raleigh, Restaurant & Bar Reviews Tagged With: Cafeteria, Pie, Southern Restaurants

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