romantic Archives ~ NC Triangle Dining

January 1, 2015 by Ron Wen Leave a Comment

Five Star, Raleigh for Stylish and Delicious Chinese-American Eats

Front of Five Star Restaurant in Raleigh- NC Triangle Dining

My second stop for Downtown Raleigh Restaurant Week was the very popular Five Star! Located in a quiet area of Hargett Street, Five Star does Americanized Chinese food in a frou-frou setting. We’re talking about a dim, sorta sexy space with some nice ambiance. And I’ll be honest with you, I was always pretty tough on Five Star and its food. I loved the concept and had seen it done in San Francisco but even if the food was going to be Asian-fusion or Asian-inspired, I still wanted it to be tasty. And the several times I ate at Five Star, it had fallen short. But a couple of weeks back I had stopped in to meet a friend and grab a beer. And the apps I had were decent. So I figured it was time for a re-visit and full meal, here’s how it all went down!

Bar at Five Star Restaurant in Raleigh- NC Triangle Dining

For Downtown Raleigh Restaurant Week, Five Star had a decent $20 deal but in all honesty, their prices are usually pretty reasonable to begin with. From the outside, Five Star has a totally inconspicuous front face with only a dark, heavy wood door disclosing what may lie ahead. Inside Five Star you’ll come up immediately on the hostess stand. A good-looking bar right in front, dining room to the left and larger dining room set back to the right.. There’s also an upstairs lounge area where they sometimes have a DJ and dance music but we’re here to eat tonight! We’re seated right up front which is fine since the place is busy…

Loungey interior at Five Star Restaurant in Raleigh- NC Triangle Dining

The waitperson looks a bit familiar and I will say that I have usually had very professional service at Five Star during my infrequent visits. We put our orders in for the entire meal including dessert. I’ve got some Asian pork tostadas, honey walnut shrimp and warm chocolate cake is on the menu for tonight! Looking around the dining room, I can say that Five Star brings in a traditional ITB crowd. Very Raleigh, very Southern and a bit buttoned down. Which is why the Americanized Chinese cuisine works so well here, think along the lines of PF Changs. But hey, I’m open to another go-around.

Asian pork tostada at Five Star Restaurant in Raleigh- NC Triangle Dining

Our apps show up and my tostadas look pretty impressive! 3″ square chips loaded up with five-spiced pork along with some colorful slaw, nice. It’s a tasty handful but also a little tough to eat. The tender pork on top of a crunchy chip is delicious but of course, breaks up. Can’t go with the chopsticks here, things are going to be messy! Overall a very nice start to our meal. My friend’s heatseeker shrimp is a generous portion of nicely fried seafood, slivers of scallions and carrots along with some black sesame atop. Very nice looking appetizer.

Heatseeker shrimp at Five Star Restaurant in Raleigh- NC Triangle Dining

And finally my entree of honey-walnut chicken shows up. It’s a smaller portion of shrimp with candied nuts on some steamed broccoli, basic Chinese-American fare. But well-done with tender shrimp in that sweet, luscious sauce with some crisp from the veggies. Paired with a nice bowl of steamed rice, I’m thinking “nicely done” again so we’re on a roll! While I love my traditional Chinese food, I’m good with Chinese-American or Chinese frou-frou as long as it’s good. We’re pretty stuffed right now but on to the third course. My chocolate cake dessert is fine, nothing too special but a good finish for the meal.

And all I can say is that I’m glad I made it back to Five Star for a do-over. I can be really hard when it comes to my Asian eats given I grew up on Chinese food and lived in San Francisco. My brother-in-law even owned an upscale sorta fancy Chinese-American restaurant decades ago so I’m familiar with the concept. In the end, there’s a wide spectrum of Chinese food that I’ll eat but I have high expectations for it all. It’s got to be prepared well with good flavor, technique and reasonable prices. And I think Five Star has shifted gears and raised up their Chinese-American fare to the pretty tasty and good range for me, surprise! That really makes me happy because I’ve always liked the space but now they have decent food to match. But yeah, I’ll have to come back and try out the rest of their broad menu because I need to make sure they have upped their game. So cheers Five Star! You’re up to four stars in my opinion and I’m hoping for more and better on my next visit.

Five Star

511 W Hargett Street

Raleigh, NC 27603

919.833.3311

Five Star menu

Location on Google maps

April 23, 2014 by Ron Wen 2 Comments

Second Empire, Raleigh: A Civilized and Relaxed Dining Experience!

Second Empire, Raleigh- NC Triangle Dining

So FINALLY I made over to Second Empire and let’s just say I wasn’t disappointed at all which is pretty impressive given expectations. After living in Raleigh for 6+ years, I had seen plenty of reviews and friends come here for dinner so I was just hoping to not be disappointed. And I’ve walked by Second Empire many times wondering what lay inside that big brick house on Hillsborough. And I’m glad to say that I finally know and it was an excellent dining experience with my two fellow bloggers, Kristen, Leigh and her husband Will…

Brick dining area at the Tavern at Second Empire, Raleigh- NC Triangle Dining

Second Empire is really two restaurants in one. In the main house is a formal and antiqued dining space with multiple rooms decked out in period woodwork and decor. The Tavern at Second Empire is a more casual dining room with a separate entrance in back, a bar area along with two dining areas. A clubby, bricked dining space along with a atrium room which is more modern and airy. The beauty of the Tavern is that you have access to two menus if you’re not interested in the more austere and proper main dining room. Prices on the Tavern menu are about $2 – $3 less for entree but not wildly different.

Bar at the Tavern at Second Empire, Raleigh- NC Triangle Dining

The bar at the Tavern is pretty small, maybe 10 seats or so with a classic look and feel. A good selection of liquors, a small selection of draft beers, service at the bar is attentive and old-school. Sitting at the bar and drinking my G&T, I noticed the substantial amount of waitstaff which you would expect at a place like Second Empire-Tavern. Classic white shirts, black vests and pants, definitely a traditional look. We’re brought to a four-top in the atrium with a nice window view of the sidewalk We’re given four menus, one for both Second Empire and the Tavern, one for wine-cocktails and one for cheeses. Our wait-person is extremely well-versed in the menu and specials, rolling through a long and extensive list of ingredients, nice job! I go with a pork shoulder spring roll for my app and a t-bone pork chop for my main.

SecondEmpireTavern-Bar-PorkSpringRoll — Asian pork shoulder spring roll at the Tavern at Second Empire, Raleigh- NC Triangle Dining

Wine prices by the glass are pretty standard ($9 – $12) and I enjoy a glass of syrah with my meal. My pork shoulder spring roll arrives and it’s a interesting looking app. Soft roll atop some jasmine rice stir-fry, it’s got a nice balance of soft, crisp and tasty. Looking around the table and my dining-mates starters, you can see a common theme of fairly complex plating and presentation which you’d expect here.

Grilled pork chop at the Tavern at Second Empire, Raleigh- NC Triangle Dining

Scallops with pineapple salsa at the Tavern at Second Empire, Raleigh- NC Triangle Dining

Grilled swordfish at the Tavern at Second Empire, Raleigh- NC Triangle Dining

Again, given the relaxed service here, it’s a bit of time before the entree is brought out. Which is fine since we’re hearing about fellow blogger Leigh Hines wedding reception that happened here at Second Empire! All the entrees are brought out simultaneously with a bit of flourish from the staff. I’ve got a perfectly cooked pork loin chop on top of collards, pureed squash and ditalini pasta, an excellent and satisfying dish! The flavors are all Southern but amped up quite a bit with extras, very enjoyable. Leigh has a nice scallop entree with lentils and pineapple salsa while Kristen goes with a citrus-rosemary swordfish, both look excellent.

Baked alaska at the Tavern at Second Empire, Raleigh- NC Triangle Dining

And of course, after a 2 hour meal, who can skip dessert? We order up a pound-cake and baked alaska to share with the table and it’s a great way to end the meal! When you talk about Second Empire, it mostly revolves around special occasions: birthdays, anniversaries, weddings and more which is to be expected when you are a Raleigh culinary icon. The majestic front of Second Empire speaks to a different time and place, a bit posh, a bit dressy and in all honesty, not the type of place I’d usually frequent. But if you take a look at the Second Empire menu, the prices aren’t that high at all. We’re talking about the $24 – $30 ranges which may mean you shouldn’t dine here weekly, but it’s certainly doable multiple times a year. While I’m not sure if I’ll ever check out the formal upstairs, I do think I’ll be back again relatively soon. With its convenient location, interesting food and stellar service, the Tavern at Second Empire is still a very approachable and well-appreciated dining experience for this hungry guy! Bon appetit…

The Tavern @Second Empire

330 Hillsborough Street

Raleigh, NC 27603

919.829.3663

Second Empire menu

Location on Google maps

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January 29, 2014 by Ron Wen 1 Comment

Little Dipper for Fondue Fun in Durham

Entry to Little Dipper, Durham- NC Triangle Dining

Fondue was on the brain when I was scanning the restaurants for Triangle Restaurant Week. While I was thinking Melting Pot, a couple of people pointed out Little Dipper in Durham so it was time to get my fondue on! I haven’t done fondue in ages and it’s as much about the experience as it is about the food so I was excited to meet up with a group of friends at Little Dipper in Brightleaf Square. And boy, what an interesting and fun experience it was…

Cool interior at Little Dipper, Durham- NC Triangle Dining

Little Dipper exudes cool and warmth all at the same time. Walk through the brick arched entryway and you’re transported into magical fondue land! Nice bright bar on the left, starry display on the right, cool white mod and geometric lamps hanging overhead. The space is multi-layered with high walls to create more intimate dining areas. Perfect for dates or a group outing. Lots of warm woods and muted lighting make for a great feel. We get led out to some back tables in a narrow space, very cool!

Dining room at Little Dipper, Durham- NC Triangle Dining

With Triangle Restaurant Week, we get a four course meal: cheese, salad/soup, meats and dessert for a bargain $30. I’m not sure what the normal price would be but it’s a LOT of food and fun. Just beware that if you’re indecisive, Little Dipper will be tough on you. As you go through each course there are a TON of decisions to be made. You get the choice of 6 different cheeses for the first course, 6 different salads/soup, 6 different cooking styles, 7 different meats/mains (pick 3) and 15 or so different sauces (pick 3). And then 3 different dessert plates and 12 chocolate/dessert dips. Whoa! It can probably be overwhelming for a newbie but I wouldn’t sweat it too much since it’s all probably really good at Little Dipper.

Food for dipping at Little Dipper, Durham- NC Triangle Dining

At the table there are two burners and we go with the Baja Cheddar and Sun-dried Tomato cheeses. A plate of bread, fruit, and veggies are brought out as dippee’s. The cheeses get blended and stirred right in front of you and it’s time to eat! Really enjoy the spice in the Baja along with the rich flavor of the tomato, yum! And while you’re working for your food, it all feels really decadent. I’m nearly partially full before we hit round 2, a beer cheese soup for me which is quite good.

Meats and eats for broth dipping at Little Dipper, Durham- NC Triangle Dining

But now the REAL food comes out. We all get a tray of our meats and sauces along with two pots of cooking broths: Asian ginger and merlot vegetable. While it’s not a ton of meat, it’s more than enough once you dip. I’ve got some pork, shrimp, meatballs along with drawn butter, thai peanut sauce and hibachi yum yum. Which is really yummy, surprise.

Meats and sauces at Little Dipper, Durham- NC Triangle Dining

You get a card with approximate cooking times for your meats which range from a minute plus for shrimp to four minutes plus for the meatballs. Fun to cook, fun to dip and delicious to eat! Little Dipper was slammed so our main course was a bit late. Unexpectedly, they comp’ed us a bottle of cava as we waited to eat, thank you so much…

Dessert supreme at Little Dipper, Durham- NC Triangle Dining

And finally the last course, we go with a French Broad chocolate with salt caramel which shows up in a yin-yang design, nice! As we mix up this sauce, they bring out a plate of supreme dippers: rice krispie treats, marshmallow, fruit, cookies, pretzels and mini cream puffs. Holy shnikes. I’m ready to tap out right now but no wimping out tonight at Little Dipper, we plunge through most of the desserts and end up on a chocolate and sugar high note. THE END…

The fondue experience at Little Dipper ended up being close to 3 hours, they were just so busy that evening. But they were really kind by sending over some extras during the meal which my chubby body did not need after the holidays. But again, thanks so much Little Dipper! Great locally sourced food items, gracious service in an intimate and cool setting is always appreciated. While I’m sure normal prices here are not cheap, the Little Dipper fondue experience would absolutely be worth it from time to time. Bonding over cheese, meats and sweets is even more awesome when you cook together, bon appetit!

Little Dipper

905 West Main Street, Suite 21A

Durham, NC 27701

919.908.1023

Little Dipper menu

Location on Google maps

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October 4, 2013 by Ron Wen 2 Comments

Stanbury in Raleigh for High-Class Neighborhood Eats

Front of Stanbury in Raleigh- NC Triangle Dining

When you think neighborhood restaurant, it’s rare when you get a cozy and gourmet spot like the Stanbury. Located in the old space previously housing Market Restaurant, the Stanbury is a shining star in the Mordecai neighborhood. Odd to find this level of quality in a restaurant on a quiet, mostly residential street. Is it perfect? No, but it does a lot of things well and given it’s only been open for several weeks, expect more and better from this sexy little spot!

Cool interior at the Stanbury in Raleigh- NC Triangle Dining

While this area is a bit beaten-down, the Stanbury brings a lot of warmth and style to its small space. Extensive renovations inside have turned the previous simple interior into a sultry, romantic dining room that’s perfect for a date or small party. There’s a large roll-up garage door on the left-hand side that opens up to a large patio with two four-tops. The bar has been gussied up with a nice display of bottles which is great since the Stanbury takes its cocktails pretty seriously. In back, there’s a red, high-back padded corner for a hint of color in the otherwise organic and muted color scheme. And hints of metal and woodwork show there was a lot of thought put into the interior decor.

Cocktail and menu at the Stanbury in Raleigh- NC Triangle Dining

For my visit I grabbed a seat at the bar and there’s a short list of eight cocktails along with beer and wine. My Semi-cloudy cocktail is a play on the traditional Dark and Stormy and it makes for a good start with its lightweight spiciness, perfect for a warm summer’s night. My friend shows up and we get seated in the back corner but fair warning, the space is pretty darn loud. I expect the Stanbury to be pretty busy so high conversation volumes will probably be the norm. The menus are on paper and seasonal, I’m pretty sure there won’t be a set menu here. Lots of interesting meats like beef hearts, sweet meats and marrow, pretty locavore in style. Small plates are $7 – $11 while the large mains are $17 – $29, sorta pricey. I go with a pork belly app along with a swordfish-chorizo large plate.

Pork belly app at the Stanbury in Raleigh- NC Triangle Dining

The crowd here is noisy and probably locals along with foodies in the know. This place hasn’t been open long at all but it’s already busy! My pork belly app is 4 or 5 thick-ish slices with braised sweet potato and prune. The pork belly was seared nicely for a crisp skin that opened up into the rich fattiness underneath, a very nice start. My main wasn’t quite as delicious. The swordfish was lightly coated, pan-fried and came on top of some veggies and along with some clams and chorizo bits. The whole dish was pretty salty to me but not only from the chorizo, it was also the coating. There were also two pieces of crostini on the side so the entree seemed over-complicated to me. I ate most of it but the saltiness eventually got to me!

In the end, the Stanbury does a great job bringing interesting meats and seafood prepared with thought, care and flavor. Love the space, love the bar and cocktails, I have to hope that the food will become more consistent over time but they’re off to a good start. Probably the best place to compare it to would be maybe the Kitchen out in Chapel Hill or maybe the old Fraziers in Raleigh. Check em out soon if you want something different in downtown Raleigh, where else are you going to go for some delicious bone marrow?!

The Stanbury

938 North Blount Street

Raleigh, NC 27604

919.977.4321

Location on Google maps

July 5, 2013 by Ron Wen 9 Comments

Best Restaurants for Dating and Dining in Durham!

(Updated 10/20/14) A while back I had written up some of my favorite date spots in Raleigh and it got me thinking about the same deal for Durham. Where to go when you’re meeting someone for the first (or second) time and want to make a nice impression? A place where there’s decent food, energy and a discrete back door out to an alleyway in case you need to escape? Ok, I’m just kidding about that last requirement but everything else still stands. And the place needs to be reasonably priced cause you know you shouldn’t be blowing a ton of money on a first date! So here are some of my favorite options in the D-ham, when you’re looking to stir up a bit of l’amour…

My first and foremost favorite in Durham is probably Toast because it does gourmet while keeping things real. Bright cheery inside, cool sidewalk seating on Five Points, great sandwiches, soups, salads with some inexpensive wine. Love their tramezzini, mozzarella crostini and pretty much everything else on the menu! And you can easily get out of here for $30 with an adult bevvy. The wine quartino’s are a deal and usually are good for two glasses of vino. And if the date went well, you could head on over to Criterion or Alley 26 to continue the conversation. I’ll be honest with you, if I brought a date here and she DIDN’T like Toast, I doubt there’d be much of a future for the two of us!

Another casual choice for me would be to match up Fullsteam Brewery with one of the nearby food options, Parts & Labor. I mean you can really tell a lot about somebody and if they are good with this pairing, you know your date is pretty easy-going and fun. How can you go wrong with some great Southern beer, happy Durhamites and delicious street eats?! Yeah, it can be a bit messy and casual eating small plates outdoors but what better way to show you care but to share your eats? And afterwards, maybe you can catch some live music at Motorco.

Another great option in a similar vein would be Guglhupf out on Durham-Chapel Hill Road but in a very different way. You could do a lunch-brunch on their huge patio and enjoy their sandwiches or pastries. Or come at night where they atmosphere totally changes. Guglhupf literally glows at nights with the outside lighting and overhead lanterns. Great German food with solid service, you really can’t go wrong and there’s plenty of people-watching options. Guglhupf is a great place to woo a date but the one drawback is there’s not much else to move on to after dinner in this area.

Little Dipper in Durham- NC Triangle Dining

Next on my Durham dating list would be Little Dipper out in Brightleaf Square! Known for its fondue, Little Dipper makes a dinner a dining experience with romantic, decor, great service and the fun act of dipping all sorts of goodies in cheese, broth and chocolate. And if your date drops her/his bread into the pot, well somebody should get kissed! While Little Dipper is not an inexpensive date, they run a lot of specials Monday to Thursday so check out their website for details and savings. But overall a GREAT spot for a fun evening…

My final dating option would be the newer Mateo for Spanish tapas. Similar to Guglhupf, this place also glows at night and is filled with European ambiance. Large mirrors, blown glass lighting fixtures in addition to a great small plates menu that allows you to graze a bit. Mateo is a lovely experience that takes you away for an hour or two with fantastic food, wine and ambiance which is great to get to know somebody. The one concern I’d have is to avoid the crazy times if you want to have a conversation cause this place is usually busy and can get quite loud. I think it would work perfectly on a Tues-Thur or slightly off-peak hour period. But yeah, great spot for a potentially great date, you will pay a bit more for Mateo.

So there you go, five great options for a great date without totally killing your wallet. Food has always been to me, a way to bring people together, even if it’s just two of you. And I have to confess that it’s a great way to screen in (or out) if somebody’s going to be compatible. You can tell if somebody is adventurous, easy-going and fun in no time at all once you’re sitting down with a menu in front of you right?! But in the end, it should all be fun because if you hit one of these places up for a date, while you may not find love, you will find yourself a great meal. Bon appetit

Great Date Spots and Restaurants in Durham!

Toast- Sandwiches

Fullsteam Brewery/Parts & Labor

Guglhupf- German

Little Dipper- Fondue

Mateo- Spanish, Tapas

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Five Star, Raleigh for Stylish and Delicious Chinese-American Eats

Second Empire, Raleigh: A Civilized and Relaxed Dining Experience!

Little Dipper for Fondue Fun in Durham

Stanbury in Raleigh for High-Class Neighborhood Eats

Best Restaurants for Dating and Dining in Durham!

Great Date Spots and Restaurants in Durham!

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Great Date Spots and Restaurants in Durham!

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