Steakhouse Archives ~ NC Triangle Dining Food Blog

December 9, 2017 by Ron Wen

Retake: The Angus Barn in Raleigh For Aged Beef and Holiday Magic!

Entry to the Angus Barn in Raleigh - nctriangledining.com — Entry to the Angus Barn in Raleigh – nctriangledining.com

When it comes to classic Raleigh restaurants, it’s rare when people do NOT mention the Angus Barn! Around for over 55 years, the Angus Barn has become synonymous with family celebrations and special occasions for many families in the Raleigh area. However, given it’s location off of Lumley Road in N. Raleigh, I had yet to get the full Angus Barn experience. But as anyone in the area knows, if you’re going to visit the Angus Barn, you definitely do not want to miss them during the holidays. So off I go to grab dinner and some aged beef at the ever-popular Angus Barn on a Sunday night…

The Angus Barn in Raleigh - nctriangledining.com — The Angus Barn in Raleigh – nctriangledining.com

Located on the south-bound side of Glenwood Avenue at the Lumley Avenue intersection, you can not miss the Angus Barn because of its size! A huge sprawling red barn, the Angus Barn is totally lit up for the holidays with white lights. If you’re headed to RDU airport, the Angus Barn sits conveniently on the north side of the landing field within easy reach of the terminals. As you pull into the parking lot at the Angus Barn, you realize how big the place must be given the number of spaces and how full they are! Past the covered patio front of the restaurant, I head on inside to the warmth of their main dining room.

Holiday decor at the Angus Barn in Raleigh - nctriangledining.com — Holiday decor at the Angus Barn in Raleigh – nctriangledining.com

Up front, the lobby is bustling with people and activity. General store to the left, hostess kiosk in front, everything is cheerfully adorned in red, white and green for the holidays! The dining rooms are pretty rustic with checked cloth tables and a farmhouse feel. Tonight we’re dining upstairs in the Wild Turkey Lounge. As we head upstairs you pass through a lobby area with their centerpiece Christmas tree. It’s nearly 30 feet tall and stretches upward to meet the timbered high ceilings here. A stunning holiday display along with a display of antique firearms and pistols in back.

Beautiful Christmas tree at the Angus Barn in Raleigh - nctriangledining.com — Beautiful Christmas tree at the Angus Barn in Raleigh – nctriangledining.com

In the Wild Turkey Lounge the space is jammed with diners and drinkers. One large bar in the center with leather stuffed seating to the right and left. There’s a small dining area primarily consisting of 4-tops in the back and seating is first come, first served. It all feels very warm and cozy, this lounge seems to be very popular with the old guard Raleigh crowd and locals. We grab a couple of seats at the bar to keep things simple tonight, the lounge is already 95% full by 6pm! I order up a glass of wine to get my meal started, the Angus Barn is known for its extensive wine list and has one of the best wine cellars in the country.

Wild Turkey Lounge at the Angus Barn in Raleigh - nctriangledining.com — Wild Turkey Lounge at the Angus Barn in Raleigh – nctriangledining.com

And before you even start your meal, the Angus Barn offers up complimentary olives, pickles, crackers, and cheese at a table. Most long-timers LOVE the cheese here but I chose not to fill up on extras. The menu at the Angus Barn is pretty typical steakhouse offering up dry-aged beef, along with ribs, crab, lobster and a handful of other choices. While the entrees in the Wild Turkey Lounge range from $25 to $50 (potato-starch included), the main dining room entrees also include a salad-soup and is priced higher for the additional starter course.

Ahi tuna at the Angus Barn in Raleigh - nctriangledining.com — Ahi tuna at the Angus Barn in Raleigh – nctriangledining.com

We start our meal off with the ahi tuna appetizer, four nicely seared slices of deep pink fish served with a soy-teriyaki and wasabi sauces. A basic and nicely done dish that is a light bite before our meat-filled meals coming later. The Angus Barn has about a dozen appetizers on the menu ranging from French onion soup, shrimp cocktail, king crab claws and oysters ranging from $8 to $20+.

10 oz. prime rib with asparagus at the Angus Barn in Raleigh - nctriangledining.com — 10 oz. prime rib with asparagus at the Angus Barn in Raleigh – nctriangledining.com

Pork barbeque ribs at the Angus Barn in Raleigh - nctriangledining.com — Pork barbeque ribs at the Angus Barn in Raleigh – nctriangledining.com

For our entrees, I’m going with the combination prime rib and barbeque ribs while my table mate also gets the ribs and a double-stuffed potato. My meal shows up and the prime rib looks great! About an inch thick and pink in the middle with plenty of fat around the edges. Served simply with some au jus, horseradish sauce and a grilled tomato. We’ve both got pork ribs but the entree portion comes as a full rack and a half, whoa! The ribs at Angus Barn are tasty and come off the bone easily. Overall the meats here are well-prepared but a bit under-spiced in terms of salt and spicing. My chocolate chess pies is a nice finish to the meal and is apparently the signature Angus Barn dessert.

And what can I say about the service at the Angus Barn but it was stellar. I’ve dealt with them a handful of times over the phone and such and they are EXTREMELY well-trained in terms of hospitality. The bartender in the Wild Turkey Lounge was not only handling a huge crush of customers, she was taking care of all our needs without even having to be asked. And as I left the Angus Barn I did come to the realization of what makes this place so special for Raleighites. While the food falls in the middle of the road for me in terms of options and flavors, it’s the type of place to bring your family and parents who may be picky eaters. It’s a place to celebrate and enjoy solid American fare and be assured of a great dining and service experience. And while for me, personally, it wouldn’t be at the top of my list due to price and location, it totally serves its purpose for a lot of others. So thanks so much Angus Barn! I really enjoyed visiting you for the holidays and may your lights shine ever so bright for another 55 years!

The Angus Barn

9401 Glenwood Avenue

Raleigh, NC 27617

919.781.2444

The Angus Barn menu

Full gallery of Angus Barn pictures

Location on Google maps

November 27, 2017 by Ron Wen

Photos: The Angus Barn in Raleigh, Ready for Christmas and the Holidays!

July 9, 2017 by Ron Wen

Media: J. Alexander’s in Raleigh for a Modern Steakhouse Dining Experience

J. Alexander's in Raleigh - NC Triangle Dining — J. Alexander’s in Raleigh – NC Triangle Dining

Are you in the mood for a modern steakhouse and looking for something a bit different? If so, you might want to try out the new J Alexander’s in Raleigh behind Crabtree Valley Mall! I recently received an invite for a media visit to the new restaurant and had a great dinner here. While it has a menu that focuses on meats and seafood, there are a couple of twists in their repertoire. Here’s how my visit went down at the new J. Alexander’s in Raleigh!

Stylish bar at J. Alexander's in Raleigh - NC Triangle Dining — Stylish bar at J. Alexander’s in Raleigh – NC Triangle Dining

First things first, if you’re looking for J. Alexander’s, finding it is not as easy as you would think. Your GPS will send you to the north side of Crabtree Valley Avenue (by Creedmoor) and you’ll see the restaurant but it’s located above you on a hilltop. Head towards the Edwards Mill Road stub off of Crabtree Valley Avenue, pass a new set of buildings on the left and J. Alexanders will be right in front of you on the left. It’s just not that obvious but stay focused, my foodie friend! Up front, you’ll find a large covered patio at J. Alexander’s along with a demure entrance enhanced by stonework and glass. A simple and quiet restaurant front but things pick up really quickly!

Modern dining room at J. Alexander's in Raleigh - NC Triangle Dining — Modern dining room at J. Alexander’s in Raleigh – NC Triangle Dining

Like most steakhouses, J. Alexander’s has an upscale bar in front and we’re brought around to a booth in the main dining room. The design here is clean and organic in rustic browns and clean blacks making for a very modern space. Tables and booths have plenty of space between them making for a more subdued dining room that works well for conversation. All around the dining room, you’ll find wood paneling and rough-hewn slats overhead giving the space a very warm and welcoming feel. While comparable to Seasons 52 around the corner in terms of price and decor, I like the interior design here a bit more at J. Alexander’s.

Deviled eggs with candied bacon at J. Alexander's in Raleigh - NC Triangle Dining — Deviled eggs with candied bacon at J. Alexander’s in Raleigh – NC Triangle Dining

At the table we’re perusing the menu after ordering a beer and some wine to tide us over. J. Alexander’s does offer quite a few steakhouse classics ranging from deviled eggs, crabcakes along with salmon, steak and ribs. One interesting part of the menu is a selection of sushi rolls which gives J. Alexander’s a modern surf and turf feel. While most of the entrees are in the $20 to low $30’s range befitting an upscale steakhouse, J. Alexander’s also offers a selection of salads and sandwiches in the $10 to $15 range if you’re eating lightly. We start with some delicious deviled eggs which are heaped high with filling. What makes the deviled eggs is the candied bacon strips which provide some great contrast. Definitely get these delicious deviled eggs!

Filet mignon at J. Alexander's in Raleigh - NC Triangle Dining — Filet mignon at J. Alexander’s in Raleigh – NC Triangle Dining

NY Strip and mac n cheese at J. Alexander's in Raleigh - NC Triangle Dining — NY Strip and mac n cheese at J. Alexander’s in Raleigh – NC Triangle Dining

We move on to our mains which fall under the classic beef category. My tablemate goes with a filet mignon served with mashed potatoes and roasted peppers. It’s declared the best steak of the year, J. Alexander’s serves up wet-aged certified Angus beef that’s perfectly grilled and finished with a compound butter, yum! My NY Strip is thick and bears that beautiful cross-hatching that’s so pleasing to the eyes. And the mac n cheese au gratin? Really fantastic showing off the tang from some gruyere cheese and pecorino romano, highly recommend it as a side here.

We’re ready to fall asleep with all this food when we’re asked about dessert and, well ok, you’ve twisted my arm! We go with the classic molten chocolate cake served up with a dense vanilla ice cream and drizzled with chocolate sauce. Some serious dessert noms, the chocolate cake is gooey and huge. Even though we’re full we plow through this dessert and now, we’re ready to tap out. The staff here at J. Alexander’s is young but well-trained and are decked out in classic black befitting a higher end restaurant. I can honestly say I was pleasantly surprised at my experience here. While it’s a bit on the upscale and pricier side, J. Alexander’s certainly delivers the goods in terms of decor, ambiance, food quality and portions along with service making for a strong dinner option in the Crabtree Valley Mall area! Once you’re able to find the place, it’s all downhill from there, enjoy!

J. Alexander’s

4600 Crabtree Valley Avenue

Raleigh, NC 27612

984.200.4493

Location on Google maps

July 10, 2016 by Ron Wen Leave a Comment

Media: The Capital Grille comes to North Hills in Raleigh on July 11th

The new Capital Grille at North Hills, Raleigh- NC Triangle Dining

Out on the newer side of North Hills you’ll find tons of construction and new businesses popping up left and right. You’ll also find the brand, spanking new Capital Grille offering up an upscale and modern steakhouse experience! I had the chance to preview this new fine-dining restaurant during their service training week and it was an impressive visit, overall. Here’s what to expect if you plan on eating at the Capital Grille.

Entrance at the Capital Grille at North Hills, Raleigh- NC Triangle Dining

Even though the Capital Grille has a Six Forks Road address it’s located right off of Dartmouth Road and near the entrance for the newer section of North Hills. Up front you’ll find two regal lions greeting you at the entrance and inside, the Capital Grille goes with a refreshed steakhouse feel: a bit opulent, a bit formal and definitely upscale. There’s a large wine bottle display in the entrance area, cocktail lounge to the right and staff is either dressed in classic white-black or a more formal short-waisted tan jacket and tie. The staff is on high-alert today given the service training session, I’m visiting on day 2 of their practice week.

We’re brought to our booth-table by the host and introduced to our server, Derecka who greets me by name. We’re dealing with a shorter menu today but the full menu has all the classic cuts, steak tartare, oysters, shrimp cocktail and the usual suspects with entrees in the $40 range, sides at $10+. The wine list is presented on an iPad with options by the glass, 1/2 bottle and full bottle. We go with a white wine even though we’re doing some red meat today…

Shrimp cocktail at the Capital Grille at North Hills, Raleigh- NC Triangle Dining

Lobster bisque at the Capital Grille at North Hills, Raleigh- NC Triangle Dining

I’m starting off with a lobster bisque which is fantastic! Full of flavor and a hint of sherry, it’s served with some finely diced chives and loaded with lobster meat. Definitely recommend. The shrimp cocktail is nicely presented on a bed of crushed ice for the table. As the meal continues we’re greeted by Joseph (Capital Grille’s managing partner) and Chris (manager) and so a quick thank you to both of them for the preview week invite!

Cut rib-eye steak at the Capital Grille at North Hills, Raleigh- NC Triangle Dining

Filet mignon at the Capital Grille at North Hills, Raleigh- NC Triangle Dining

Next up is our entrees and as you can guess, Capital Grille specializes in dry-aged beef! While my dining partner goes with a fork-tender filet mignon, I’m doing my favorite cut: the rib-eye. And having just eaten at NanaSteak last month, I can definitely pick up the difference in quality of beef here. My rib-eye is perfectly cooked medium and served bone-in with no sauce. It has some fat for flavor but is lean and tender with great mouth-feel, yum! When you’re dealing with quality beef you can serve it naked and it stands out on its own, great job Capital Grille!

Brussel sprouts with bacon at the Capital Grille at North Hills, Raleigh- NC Triangle Dining

We’ve got a side of asparagus chosen for the table but it looks a bit plain and sad. But our attentive server Derecka has heard me bemoaning the choice and brings over a platter of brussel sprouts spiked with thick-cut bacon! Now we’re cooking with gas… We finish off the meal with an excellent cheese-cake (with sugar crusted topping) and chocolate mousse. A perfect and lighter way to end dinner on a sweet note.

Dessert plate at the Capital Grille at North Hills, Raleigh- NC Triangle Dining

Suffice it to say that we had a great time and great dinner at the new Capital Grille opening Monday, July 11. You’ll get the classic steakhouse feel but in a much more modern setting, similar to what you might have at Sullivan’s Steakhouse. And its location in the booming North Hills area means you’ll have plenty to do before or after the meal. Given price points at the Capital Grille I suspect it will be more of a special events and business dinner type of destination which is perfectly fine given the menu, ambiance and service levels here. So welcome to the neighborhood, Capital Grille and best of luck on your opening week. Raleighites now have another great dining option at North Hills!

The Capital Grille, North Hills

4242 Six Forks Road

Raleigh, NC 27609

919.787.3901

Location on Google maps

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June 8, 2016 by Ron Wen Leave a Comment

First Take: NanaSteak For a Classic Steakhouse Experience Near DPAC

Front of NanaSteak in Durham- NC Triangle Dining

When it comes to steakhouses in the Triangle, people usually mention Angus Barn, Sullivan’s, Ruth Chris or maybe Flemings. I’m typically not a huge fan of them because they offer pretty basic food at usually, a pretty steep price. But they are great for celebrations because who can argue with the basics of meat and potatoes paired with great service? Which is usually what you get at a steakhouse. As luck would have it, a friend’s birthday celebration brought me out to the new NanaSteak in downtown Durham. And here’s how it went down, the good, the not so good and everything else…

Aloft Hotel with NanaSteak in Durham- NC Triangle Dining

If you haven’t been to downtown Durham or DPAC recently, you are IN for a surprise. I’m in the neighborhood pretty frequently and was still shocked at what I saw. I spent about 20 minutes trying to find NanaSteak and confess that I’m often confused trying to find businesses on Blackwell Street and the American Tobacco Center. But you can NOT miss the new Aloft Hotel next to the greens by DPAC. I snapped a couple of pictures and continued down Blackwell to find NanaSteak with no success. I eventually backtrack and take a closer look at the Aloft Hotel. And way on the bottom left I notice the discrete signage for NanaSteak on the 1st floor of the Aloft building, a-ha! On the bottom floor with the large glass panes you’ll find the sunken entrance across the green and a LONG way off from Blackwell. The signage is much more visible at night, trust me!

Bar at NanaSteak in Durham- NC Triangle Dining

Inside NanaSteak you’ll immediately be struck by the classic feel to the space. There’s a beautiful polished wood bar up front in the first dining room with crystal chandelier overhead. Reminds me a bit of Bar Virgile. The patrons at NanaSteak are a bit older, befitting a steak house. Probably in the 30 – 60 year old range. The hostess brings me back into the 2nd dining room which is large and open, to a flight of stairs leading to the events space. There, past a display of wine bottles, we’ve got a table for 14 set up, woo-hoo success!

Dining room at NanaSteak in Durham- NC Triangle Dining

Eventually our whole group filters in, including the happy birthday girl. We’ve got one wait-person for the table which should be interesting since NanaSteak has only been for 3 months or so. The menu at NanaSteak is pretty short like most steakhouses. Nine or so apps, 3 pastas and a slew of roasted meats and seafood paired with a handful of sides and vegetables. Prices at NanaSteak are actually pretty reasonable for the basic Certified Angus Beef ($25 to $35) but bump into the higher range for grass-fed beef, $40 to $55. While most of the meal is a la carte you do get one veggie with your main which is definitely a plus! I order up some fried oysters, a 12 oz. ribeye along with some bearnaise sauce, creamed greens and truffled cauliflower.

Fried oyster app at NanaSteak in Durham- NC Triangle Dining

Mussels app at NanaSteak in Durham- NC Triangle Dining

The apps come out and it’s a decent plate of small fried oysters (corn meal coating, I think). This dish is a bit different served up with some light broth and pork belly. I like it but the broth softens up the fried coating and the pork belly, while nice, seems like a throw-in which doesn’t necessarily enhance the oysters. The plate of mussels brought to the table look quite good, too…

Prime rib at NanaSteak in Durham- NC Triangle Dining

Ribeye steak at NanaSteak in Durham- NC Triangle Dining

Service is a bit slow here but we’re talking about a Saturday night at prime time for a group of 14, ouch. It takes a while for our mains and when they do come out, there’s definitely some confusion as to who gets what. But eventually my rib-eye steak shows up and she looks great! A deep cross-hatch sear on both sides, cup of bearnaise and large helping of cauliflower fill out the plate. I bite into the steak and the meat is tender and fatty, no surprise for this cut. The truffled cauliflower is nicely done and has that back-end umami from the truffle sauce, delish. My only concern is that it’s served a bit messily on the steak’s juice. I’m assuming the rib-eye was rested before serving which is the right thing to do but the cauliflower mixed into the juices doesn’t look great. I would have preferred the cauliflower served in its own dish. And the bearnaise sauce was solid and buttery but you can probably pass on it given the quality and taste of the bare steak here.

We wrap up our meal grab our checks and need to head out to our next destination. It’s been a 2 hour plus meal but we did bring a large party in. Overall NanaSteak is doing a pretty decent job at bringing a reasonably priced steak house to Durham. And given its premium location as THE closest restaurant to the DPAC, I’m relatively certain it will do great. Was the experience perfect? No it wasn’t but given the slightly lower prices I think the miscues are forgivable. And Nana Steak is still relatively new so here’s to continued evolution and improvement. So thank you NanaSteak for the delicious evening, I’m already looking forward to my next DPAC show and dinner here!

NanaSteak

345 Blackwell Street

Durham, NC 27701

919.282.1183

Location on Google maps

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Retake: The Angus Barn in Raleigh For Aged Beef and Holiday Magic!