NC Triangle Dining Food Blog

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

  • NC Triangle Dining Food Blog
  • Home
    • Blog
  • Best Restaurants
    • Best Restaurants and Food in Raleigh, NC
    • Best Restaurants and Food in Durham, NC
    • Best Restaurants and Food in Cary, NC
    • Best Restaurants and Food in Chapel Hill – Carrboro, NC
    • Best Food Specials and Deals in Raleigh, Durham, Cary and Chapel Hill
    • Triangle Top Three’s- Bars
  • News
    • New Restaurants and Bars, Coming Soon to the Triangle
    • New Restaurants and Bars in Cary and Morrisville
    • New Restaurants and Bars in Chapel Hill and Carrboro
    • New Restaurants and Bars in Durham
    • New Restaurants and Bars in Raleigh
    • New Restaurants and Bars of the Triangle, 2020 Edition
    • New Restaurants and Bars of the Triangle, 2019 Edition
  • Index of Reviews
    • Cary Restaurant and Bar Reviews
    • Chapel Hill and Carrboro – Restaurant and Bar Reviews
    • Durham Restaurant and Bar Reviews
    • Raleigh Restaurant and Bar Reviews
    • NC Video Reviews
    • Travel Reviews
  • Food Photos
    • Food Event Photos
    • Memorable Meals for 2019
    • Memorable Meals for 2018
  • About
    • NCTD Blogger- Ron Wen
    • NC Triangle Dining Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
    • NC Triangle Dining Blog Policy
    • Working with NC Triangle Dining
    • NC Triangle Dining Blog and Social Media Statistics

August 23, 2016 by Ron Wen Leave a Comment

First Take: Simply Southern at V’s Kitchen in RTP

Front of V's Kitchen in Durham- NC Triangle Dining
Front of V’s Kitchen in Durham- NC Triangle Dining

Sometimes only fried chicken will do and that’s where V’s Kitchen comes into play. Located in RTP, I had yet to find a good Southern eatery within lunch range of my office. I had seen V’s Kitchen from the outside but the mirrored windows hid what lay inside. But of course, hunger and curiosity usually gets the best of me so it was finally time for a lunch visit to this classic Southern eatery!

Dining room at V's Kitchen in Durham- NC Triangle Dining
Dining room at V’s Kitchen in Durham- NC Triangle Dining

I stopped in on a Wednesday afternoon and inside V’s Kitchen it was a pleasant surprise. Clean but casual, two menus up front show off the delicious eats offered and it’s counter order. V’s Kitchen has a short menu with fried chicken, ribs, burgers and a slew of Southern sides. I go for the fried chicken dinner which comes with 2 sides and cornbread. It also looks like V’s Kitchen does some catering in the area if you need to feed a group! I grab my number, self-service my drink and find a table. It’s a small dining room with tiled floor, some four-tops and a couple of padded booths, very comfortable. V’s Kitchen sports some artwork on the walls that’s for sale, a nice touch.

Fried chicken and sides at V's Kitchen in Durham- NC Triangle Dining
Fried chicken and sides at V’s Kitchen in Durham- NC Triangle Dining

It doesn’t take too long at all (10 minutes) and my food comes out. Served in multiple plates and dishes, there’s a lot to please the eye! Some good looking sweet potato “fluff” or what I call mashed. Some collards, a lovely corner of cornbread and two pieces of dark meat chicken fried (drum and thigh). As usual, I dive into the sides. Love the sweet potatoes which are well mashed, light and sweetened, great texture here. The collards are solid and spiked with some meat, thankfully they aren’t over-cooked. And the cornbread is nearly perfect. Slightly moist with a hint of sweet and pliable.

Seating at V's Kitchen in Durham- NC Triangle Dining
Seating at V’s Kitchen in Durham- NC Triangle Dining

But of course this meal is all about the fried chicken and it is ON the money. Super juicy, perfectly fried with a basic flour coating with just the right amount of salt. Biting through the crisp, lightly bubbled crust and into the tender chicken underneath is a wonderful experience. Very nicely done, V! Service is fine here and totally works for a quick lunch if you work in the RTP area. So what can I say but V’s Kitchen was totally worth the visit. It offers lovely, classic Southern eats to fill your basic needs in a comfortable setting. And if you love good fried chicken, then you definitely need to stop in for a meal…

 

V’s Kitchen

2945 S Miami Boulevard

Durham, NC 27703

919.237.1257

 

Location on Google maps

Save

Save

Filed Under: Durham, Restaurant & Bar Reviews Tagged With: Soul Food Restaurants

April 10, 2015 by Ron Wen Leave a Comment

Jack’s Seafood and Soul Food, Raleigh: Dishing Out Inexpensive Eats

 

Humble front of Jack's Seafood and Soul Food in Raleigh- NC Triangle Dining
Humble front of Jack’s Seafood and Soul Food in Raleigh- NC Triangle Dining

Out in E. Raleigh you’ll find a cluster of old-school Raleigh businesses and restaurants off of New Bern Avenue. Along with the Bojangles and Cook Out you’ll also find hidden gems like Frank’s Pizza and Jack’s Seafood and Soul Food.  I had seen reviews for this place on Yelp and had it bookmarked for ages but never stopped in. I’m trying to cut back on my fried food no matter how tasty it is. But a fish has gotta swim and I need my fried seafood! So finally I caved in and headed out for a lunch visit.

Counter at Jack's Seafood and Soul Food in Raleigh- NC Triangle Dining
Counter at Jack’s Seafood and Soul Food in Raleigh- NC Triangle Dining

Turn into Jack’s Seafood’s tight parking lot and you’ll notice a small, low-slung building with red awning. Around the corner to the left you’ll find an unmarked door, enter here because all sorts of good Southern eats lie ahead! The space at Jack’s is small, maybe room for 15 people seated, it looks like 1/2 the people here are ordering to go. Whiteboard with all the fish specials, laminated menu with more details, I order up some fried shrimp and trout along with some fried chicken. Unfortunately they were out of barbeque today, boo!

Fried chicken snack at Jack's Seafood and Soul Food in Raleigh- NC Triangle Dining
Fried chicken snack at Jack’s Seafood and Soul Food in Raleigh- NC Triangle Dining

My food takes about 15 minutes, they’ve got a handful of people waiting in front of me. When my food is ready, the nice lady at the counter asks about condiments and extras, I’m all set! And carrying the bag out I can tell I’ve got a LOT of food for $11 (about $7 for shrimp-trout plate, $3 for chicken snack). At home I tear into the paper bags and as you can guess, I over-ordered. But that’s why I go to the gym! I dive into the fried chicken first which is nicely done, not much spice but a good coating. The fish is well fried with a great crunchy crust, not greasy at all. The lima beans and corn is decent as is the mac n cheese but nothing too memorable. The miss was on the hushpuppies because while they were well-fried, didn’t have much taste or texture underneath, oh well.

Fried shrimp and trout lunch plate at Jack's Seafood and Soul Food in Raleigh- NC Triangle Dining
Fried shrimp and trout lunch plate at Jack’s Seafood and Soul Food in Raleigh- NC Triangle Dining

But if you’re looking for a classic menu with Southern favorites, you can do far worse than Jack’s Seafood and Soul Food. Look past its humble surroundings and you’ll find an inexpensive feast that will keep your belly plenty happy! And there’s quite a bit to choose from beyond the seafood so I’d have to say that Jack’s is a step up from my old favorite, Saltwater Seafood and Fry Shack. So give Jack’s Seafood and Soul Food a shot for a quick meal, it’s only a hop, skip and a jump from downtown Raleigh and worth the trek…

 

Jack’s Seafood and Soul Food

1516 New Bern Avenue

Raleigh, NC 27610

919.755.1551

Location on Google maps
Jack's Seafood & Market Menu, Reviews, Photos, Location and Info - Zomato

Save

Filed Under: Raleigh, Restaurant & Bar Reviews Tagged With: Soul Food Restaurants

Subscribe to NC Triangle Dining

Popular Reviews

Layered Croissanterie: A Flaky Take on Delectable Pastries for Downtown Raleigh

Chido Taco in Raleigh: Serving Up Tacos and Mexican Deliciousness

Mason’s Famous Lobster Rolls, Raleigh – A Taste of New England Seafood in North Carolina

Don’t Miss

  • New Restaurants and Bars in Cary and Morrisville, Now Open
  • New Restaurants and Bars in Chapel Hill and Carrboro, Now Open
  • New Restaurants and Bars in Durham, Now Open
  • New Restaurants and Bars in Raleigh, Now Open
  • New Restaurants and Bars of the Triangle, 2020 Edition
  • New Restaurants and Bars, Coming Soon to the Triangle

Follow Us

  • Facebook
  • Twitter
  • Instagram
  • Pinterest
  • YouTube

New Reviews!

  • Photos: ParTee Shack for Indoor Mini-Golf in Raleigh
  • Photos: The New Bongiorno & Son Italian Market in Raleigh
  • LuLu Bang Bang, Durham – A Culinary Trip Across Asia for the RTP Crowd
  • Di Fara Pizza Tavern, Cary – An Exceptional Example of Classic NYC Pizza for NC

Connect with NCTD

  • Facebook
  • Instagram
  • Pinterest
  • Twitter
  • YouTube

NCTD Email Subscription


Handcrafted with on the Genesis Framework