Takeout Archives ~ NC Triangle Dining Food Blog

May 21, 2021 by Ron Wen Leave a Comment

Jin Jin China in Raleigh – A Classic Take-out Joint for Affordable Chinese American Eats

Front of Jin Jin CFront of Jin Jin China in Raleigh - nctriangledining.com — Front of Jin Jin CFront of Jin Jin China in Raleigh – nctriangledining.com

When it comes to Asian food, I sort of know my stuff. Especially when it comes to Chinese food given I’ve been eating it most of my life. Everything from authentic Cantonese to Hunan, Szechuan, Shandong and more, I’ve had most of what you can find in the US. From banquet food (weddings, parties), street food and more, Chinese-American eats are about as ubiquitous as barbeque, Italian and Mexican. And I have to tell you that finding good Chinese-American cuisine is NOT easy at all in Raleigh.

Interior of Jin Jin China in Raleigh during the COVID pandemic - nctriangledining.com — Interior of Jin Jin China in Raleigh during the COVID pandemic – nctriangledining.com

Beef and broccoli lunch at Jin Jin China in Raleigh - nctriangledining.com — Beef and broccoli lunch at Jin Jin China in Raleigh – nctriangledining.com

Boneless ribs appetizer at Jin Jin China in Raleigh - nctriangledining.com — Boneless ribs appetizer at Jin Jin China in Raleigh – nctriangledining.com

But thankfully you have Chinese-American spots like Jin Jin China off of S. Wilmington in Raleigh! Located in what’s primarily a Hispanic-Latino plaza, Jin Jin dishes out some fantastic Chinese food at a great price. Their menu is expansive and covers favorites like beef and broccoli, roast pork egg foo yung, and moo sho chicken. While 90% of the menu is familiar, there are a handful of items that show off the breadth of their chef’s skills. And their soups are awesome from egg drop to wonton. For lunch you can get an entree with rice for under $7 and I’m guessing you’re unlikely to finish it. You really get great bang for your buck as long as you don’t expect too much. The place is shielded up for the pandemic and service is efficient but not always super friendly but that’s no big deal.

Orange beef from Jin Jin China in Raleigh - nctriangledining.com — Orange beef from Jin Jin China in Raleigh – nctriangledining.com

Moo-shu chicken from Jin Jin China in Raleigh - nctriangledining.com — Moo-shu chicken from Jin Jin China in Raleigh – nctriangledining.com

Triple Family from Jin Jin China in Raleigh - nctriangledining.com — Triple Family from Jin Jin China in Raleigh – nctriangledining.com

House lo mein at Jin Jin China in Raleigh - nctriangledining.com — House lo mein at Jin Jin China in Raleigh – nctriangledining.com

Portions are large and I enjoy their classic onion fried rice which is just way better than white rice! They also offer a homemade chili oil which is a nice touch. Given that business is mostly take-out now, fast and efficient works for me! But for sure, their food is above average using nice vegetables like zucchini, baby corn, and more in addition to the ubiquitous carrots and broccoli. I’m excited to try more off their Chinese-American menu given I now live in the neighborhood but it’s impressive so far. Enjoy and appreciate their solid Chinese-American eats for a great price because believe it or not, it’s not so easy to find in Raleigh…

March 2021 menu and prices at Jin Jin China in Raleigh - nctriangledining.com — March 2021 menu and prices at Jin Jin China in Raleigh – nctriangledining.com

Lunch menu and prices at Jin Jin China in Raleigh - nctriangledining.com — Lunch menu and prices at Jin Jin China in Raleigh – nctriangledining.com

Jin Jin China

421 Chapanoke Road

Raleigh, NC 27603

919.772.8868

Location on Google maps

August 21, 2014 by Ron Wen 4 Comments

First Take: NC Seafood Restaurant at the State Farmer’s Market in Raleigh!

Front of NC Seafood Restaurant, Raleigh- NC Triangle Dining

As a huge fan of the State Farmer’s Market in Raleigh, I’ve passed by the NC Seafood Restaurant many times. Located in the back row in a stand-alone building, you’ll immediately notice the red tents and picnic tables on the side of the building. And it had been a while since I had done some fried seafood so I took advantage of a day off to check out this Raleigh and Farmer’s Market classic!

When you think fried seafood in North Carolina, you think Calabash. Growing up in New England they fry seafood differently up there but round these parts, it’ll be very lightly breaded and served with hushpuppies and slaw. The NC Seafood Restaurant has the usual choices of fish (whiting, flounder, trout, shrimp, scallops, oyster and more) which you can get fried, broiled or in a sandwich. The interior of the restaurant is pretty bare and warehouse-like with a large black and white sign listing the menu. I order at the counter, going with the two way combo of shrimp and trout for $12. I get my receipt and number, grab a drink and chill out waiting for my order.

Order area at NC Seafood Restaurant, Raleigh- NC Triangle Dining

Inside there are a bunch of four-tops scattered about along with some longer communal tables for sharing. Crowd looks very local and senior for lunch, no surprise there! At each table you’ve go ketchup, tartar and seafood-cocktail sauce to bling out your food. My meal takes about 15 minutes and I get handed over a large Styrofoam container that’s pretty darn heavy. Cracking it open I’ve got a heap of potato wedges, hushpuppies, small fried shrimp and two trout filets along with some slaw, wow! In my crystal ball I see a nap in my future…

Seafood combo at NC Seafood Restaurant, Raleigh- NC Triangle Dining

Everything is nicely done in this huge plate off food. Hushpuppies are nicely fried and oniony and the potato wedges tender. Lightweight coating on the small shrimp along with nicely fried trout round out the meal. Don’t think the cole slaw is fresh-made but it worked fine to counter-balance all the fried. But the truth is that while the food here at the NC Seafood restaurant is all pretty solid, it’s more about quantity here than pure taste. Because while everything I ate was decent, nothing really stood out either.

So next time you’re at the NC State Farmer’s Market and not in the mood for the Southern eats at the Farmer’s Market Restaurant, you can go more casual and do seafood at the NC Seafood Restaurant. Just be careful with your portion control because they give you enough food to feed two people here! And yeah, while fried seafood may be tasty, it’s going to jack up your cholesterol levels just a wee bit…

NC Seafood Restaurant and Market

1201 Agricultural Street

Raleigh, NC 27603

919.833.4661

NC Seafood Restaurant menu

Location on Google maps

September 1, 2014 by Ron Wen Leave a Comment

Char-Grill for Tried and True Burgers from a Raleigh Institution

Sign out front of Char-Grill, Raleigh- NC Triangle Dining

When you think of all the new burger places in the Triangle, you sometimes forget about classic spots like the Mecca and of course, Char-Grill. The Hillsborough Street location is a tribute to a simpler place and time with the 50’s retro sign, interesting roof-line and cooks and servers dressed in white. Char-Grill had been a favorite of mine when I first moved into Raleigh but like a lot of other spots, fell off my food radar screen over time. But I had a GroupOn in hand so it was time for a re-visit. And I have to say, it was not what I remembered which is sorta sad.

Order slip at Char-Grill, Raleigh- NC Triangle Dining

If you’ve never been to Char-Grill you may be a bit surprise. Counter service and take-out only, there are long order pads up front where you check off the items you want. The menu is pretty small: burgers, steak burgers, dogs, fries, apple fritters and that’s about it! Slide that order slip into the slot at the front window and hang loose while your meal is cooked to order.

Front of Char-Grill, Raleigh- NC Triangle Dining

There are large plate glass windows all around Char-Grill so hang out and watch the smoke and flames fly off the grill. There’s no doubt as to whether or not your your burger is going to get charred! Ten to fifteen minutes, your name gets called, pay on the right hand side of place and you’re off! I ordered up the Steakburger Jr. with fries and some fritters.

Steakburger Jr at Char-Grill, Raleigh- NC Triangle Dining

At home I unpack my meal and the steakburger looks like maybe a double burger unstacked with large char marks on the patty. Oblong sesame seed bun, some American cheese, lettuce, onion and pickle, at least you get to custom order your sammich. I bite into the burger with anticipation and… disappointment sets in. It’s probably been a year since I enjoyed one of these Char-Grill burgers and wow, what happened? The burger is a bit thin, dry and chewy with too much char. The whole sandwich has a bit of a mushy texture to it with the extras. But thankfully, the steak fries are solid but still… Hoping the apple fritter may redeem Char-Grill, I hit disappointment again. The fritters are basically like the old fried McDonalds apple pie but these treats are low on taste and the crust was a bit soft inside.

Takeout meat from Char-Grill, Raleigh- NC Triangle Dining

Maybe when I first got to Raleigh I was just super-hungry with lower expectations but I was really hoping for more from Char-Grill. What makes it worse is that it’s not even cheap compared to say, Cook-Out. Or go all the way and do Chuck’s, BurgerFi, Five Guys or one of the many other burger options in the area. In the end, I love that Char-Grill is a Raleigh institution but at the the same time, I’ve often been disappointed by restaurants in this category. Unfortunately when you don’t change your formula over the years, time and the market catches up to you and whizzes on by. So I tip a white paper cap to Char-Grill, good luck but I’m not sure when I’ll be by here to eat again…

Char-Grill

618 Hillsborough Street

Raleigh, NC 27603

919.821.7636

Location on Google maps

Save

December 4, 2016 by Ron Wen Leave a Comment

First Take: Carroll’s Kitchen in Raleigh Dishes Out Some Food Love

Front of Carroll's Kitchen in Raleigh - NC Triangle Dining — Front of Carroll’s Kitchen in Raleigh – NC Triangle Dining

While it’s always good to see new restaurant concepts open up in the Triangle, it’s always more interesting to see restaurants opening up with a cause. And that was the case with Carroll’s Kitchen. I attended their launch party way back in April because I was curious about the concept: helping homeless women in Raleigh through re-training and a restaurant. I had a chance to meet the people behind Carroll’s Kitchen (Jim Freeze, Vicky Ismail) but it was still too early for food. Flash forward to September and a media preview event gives me a chance to sample out their food. And now here in December I’ve had a chance to try out their full retail experience. I’m always a supporter of any good causes but I’m also a believer in good food and moving the Triangle dining scene forward. And I’m happy to say that Carroll’s is doing a great job there, for real!

Sandwich case at Carroll's Kitchen in Raleigh - NC Triangle Dining — Sandwich case at Carroll’s Kitchen in Raleigh – NC Triangle Dining

Located on the corner of Martin and Wilmington Street, Carroll’s Kitchen will eventually be moving to a bigger space but enjoy it here in this convenient downtown location for now. Inside, you’ll find a couple of display cases with their sandwiches, quiches, pastries and more. Carroll’s is meant to be grab and go but also does catering for events. The menu is simple but quirky. What caught my eye today was their kolaches which is a pastry more common to Texas and of Czech descent. You can get a variety of kolaches here both in sweet and savory form. I go with the grilled ham panini along with some apple and pepperoni pizza kolaches for my visit!

Ham sandwich at Carroll's Kitchen in Raleigh - NC Triangle Dining — Ham sandwich at Carroll’s Kitchen in Raleigh – NC Triangle Dining

Kolaches at Carroll's Kitchen in Raleigh - NC Triangle Dining — Kolaches at Carroll’s Kitchen in Raleigh – NC Triangle Dining

I rush home for mah lunch and unwrap the eats, yum! It all looks great, the Carroll’s Kitchen ham sandwich sports beautiful grill marks and is stuffed with thin-sliced ham, melty cheese and a layer of pickled peppers. And while I’m not a ham fan, the thin layers of meat work well here, making for a more tender and less salty bite. The pickled peppers add just a bit of acid and flavor to play off all the savory here, a wonderful touch. The kolaches I’ve ordered come in two forms: the more traditional flattened pastry for the apple and a ball form for the pepperoni pizza. Carroll’s Kitchen allows you to mix and match four kolaches for $6 which is a wonderful deal. I heat up my pepperoni kolaches and they are dee-licious! The pastry has a thickish crust but once you break through, the interior is lighter and wraps up the tomato, pepperoni and cheese beautifully. Great baking touch here. And a thumbs-up to the apple kolache for a sweet ending.

All in all, I’m quite optimistic for Carroll’s Kitchen from both the perspectives of the operations as a take-out restaurant and in its goal of preparing homeless women for the workforce. While I’ll always support the cause, I’m even more happy that Carroll’s Kitchen food rises to the challenge for the competitive Raleigh dining scene. So if you work downtown, don’t miss this hidden gem and help out a great cause! Go, go, go Carroll’s Kitchen, you’re dishing out some love and great food here…

Carroll’s Kitchen

19 E Martin Street

Raleigh, NC 27601

919.670.3622

Location on Google maps

Save

July 5, 2015 by Ron Wen Leave a Comment

Saltbox Seafood in Durham: A Simple But Fancier Take on Take-Out Seafood

Sign at Saltbox Seafood Joint, Durham- NC Triangle Dining

When it comes to fried seafood I can be a bit of a push-over. There’s nothing better than some great fish or shrimp in a crispy coating! I had seen the online reviews for Saltbox Seafood for a while and finally made an effort to visit for lunch. Given its N. Mangum location, Saltbox Seafood is a bit off the beaten path but there was a line when I showed up at 11:45 and here’s why!

Busy line outside of Saltbox Seafood in Durham- NC Triangle Dining

From the outside, Saltbox Seafood is really a shack but I mean it in a good way! Small order windows with some picnic tables outside, 80’s rock is pumping out of some speakers and there’s a slew of hungry patrons waiting outside. Given it was my first visit, I wasn’t sure what to expect. The day’s menu is scrawled on a chalkboard and it’s really simple. Six or so fishes in sandwich form or platter form with sides. There’s flounder, spot, mullet, tuna and more but right as I’m in line, flounder gets crossed off, boo! I decide to go with a mullet sandwich along with some much talked about honey hush-puppies.

Honey hush-puppies at Saltbox Seafood in Durham- NC Triangle Dining

While my lemonade keeps me company, it’s a bit of a wait for lunch. Twenty or so minutes if I had to guess. My name gets called out and I grab my food at the pick-up window. The platter of hush-puppies is great, eight or so pieces for $4. Thick corn grain and perfectly fried. One large fish fillet in sandwich form decked out with purple slaw and some pickled veggies. The fish is nicely fried in a lemon pepper coating and the bun is solid. Unfortunately the moisture off the veggies soaks the bun pretty quickly turning it a bit mushy and messy. But the flavor is all there and it’s a tasty sandwich!

Mullet sandwich from Saltbox Seafood in Durham- NC Triangle Dining

I finish off my lunch toss it in the garbage cans out front and head on back to Raleigh. And while I enjoyed my lunch at Saltbox Seafood, I still had some concerns. With the lunch running $18+ ($4 hush-puppies, $12 sandwich, $2 lemonade) it was a pricey afternoon meal. But the Saltbox Seafood Joint is nicely done, little hints like seashells in the gravel walkway are nice touches. And the food is good but I’m still having a hard time wrapping my head around their prices given I’ve eaten at traditional NC seafood shacks for nearly half the price. Still if you appreciate the slightly upscale take on seafood here, you’ll enjoy your meal. No doubt! So rock on, Saltbox Seafood Joint, you did pretty good on my first visit…

Saltbox Seafood Joint

608 N Mangum Street

Durham, NC 27701

919.908.8970

Location on Google maps

Save

Jin Jin China in Raleigh – A Classic Take-out Joint for Affordable Chinese American Eats