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发帖数: 385 | 1 http://www.newsobserver.com/2015/01/29/4511518_2015-best-restau
We find the best Triangle restaurants for 2015
By Greg Cox
January 29, 2015
Every year, as I’m rereading old reviews and previous editions of my annual
Best Restaurants roundup in preparation for this year’s list, it feels
like I’m looking at old family photo albums. My, what a difference a few
years make.
Back in the ’90s, the local dining scene was a precocious toddler with a
handful of talented young chefs and a more diverse assortment of ethnic
restaurants than other regions of comparable size.
The next decade saw the region’s early promise begin to be realized in a
bigger way than anyone could have predicted. In 2000, one of those talented
young chefs – Ben Barker of Magnolia Grill – won the James Beard Award for
Best Chef in the Southeast, the culinary world’s equivalent to an Oscar.
Then came the adolescent years. The local landscape blossomed with new
culinary talent – both homegrown and, as word got out about our burgeoning
dining scene, from all over the world. By 2011, the Triangle had racked up
three more Beard Awards: Karen Barker of Magnolia Grill for America’s
Outstanding Pastry Chef; Crook’s Corner for American Classic; and Andrea
Reusing of Lantern for Best Chef in the Southeast.
Last year, Ashley Christensen, owner-chef of Poole’s Downtown Diner,
brought home the region’s third Beard Award for Best Chef in the Southeast.
In addition to being richly deserved (Poole’s is the flagship of a small
empire of Christensen eating and drinking establishments, all of them first-
rate), the award is a fitting recognition of Raleigh’s coming of age as an
equal gastronomic partner with Durham and Chapel Hill.
In fact, I think it’s safe to say that the region as a whole has matured
into adulthood. That’s not to say that the Triangle’s potential is fully
realized. We’re not yet as elegant as Cousin Charleston in South Carolina,
or as worldly as Auntie New Orleans. And we’re certainly not in the same
league with the granddaddy of them all, New York. But when it comes time to
select a birthday cake for our region’s symbolic 21 candles, we can now
choose from a tantalizingly broad spectrum of options, from the corner
bakery’s pig pickin’ cake to world-class pastry from a French patisserie.
Note: You can find my reviews of these (and hundreds more) restaurants at
newsobserver.com/dining and events.triangle.com/restaurants.
RESTAURANT OF THE YEAR
Gocciolina
3314 Guess Road, Durham
919-973-4089
gocciolina.com
Cuisine: Italian
Prior to opening Gocciolina in June of last year, Aaron Benjamin worked for
more than a decade in downtown Durham restaurants. Cooking in these
restaurants, including the estimable Rue Cler and Pizzeria Toro, Benjamin
was part of a downtown revival that transformed the district into one of the
hottest nightlife destinations in the Triangle. As the talented chef began
to think about opening his first restaurant, a downtown Durham location had
to look like a can’t-miss proposition.
It took a lot of courage, then, to open Gocciolina in a nondescript strip
mall in northern Durham, an area known to foodies for taquerias and little
else. Benjamin had to have faith that people would seek out a little place
that served authentic Italian fare (he spent a year honing his skills at the
University of Gastronomic Sciences in northern Italy) in a compact,
trattoria-casual setting. A place whose sign, I might add, is nearly
impossible to see from the road.
Clearly, judging by a dining room that’s frequently (and on weekends,
invariably) full, they’ve found it. After they’ve dined on Gocciolina’s
house-made pastas (carbonara is the real deal here), charcuterie, and other
temptations ranging from grilled N.C. black drum with chanterelles and
wilted romaine to crispy fried eggplant with roasted beet and Gorgonzola, no
doubt many become regulars. With every repeat visit, it grows more obvious
that nothing should be overlooked here, from blackboard specials to a la
carte sides featuring local produce to desserts.
Turns out Aaron Benjamin knew what he was doing after all. People in
northern Durham have been effusive in expressing their gratitude at finally
having a top-notch restaurant on their home turf. And from the looks of
things, denizens of downtown – and beyond, for that matter – are finding
Gocciolina well worth seeking out.
Gold Medal
An
2800 Renaissance Park Place, Cary
919-677-9229
ancuisines.com
Cuisine: contemporary Asian
Fearrington House
2000 Fearrington Village Center, Pittsboro
919-542-2121
fearringtonhouse.com
Cuisine: contemporary
Herons
100 Woodland Pond, in the Umstead Hotel & Spa, Cary
919-447-4000
theumstead.com
Cuisine: contemporary
Lantern
423 W. Franklin St., Chapel Hill
919-969-8846
lanternrestaurant.com
Cuisine: Asian
Mateo
109 W. Chapel Hill St., Durham
919-530-8700
mateotapas.com
Cuisine: Spanish (tapas)
Nana’s
2514 University Drive, Durham
919-493-8545
nanasdurham.com
Cuisine: contemporary Mediterranean
One
100 Meadowmont Village Circle, Chapel Hill
919-537-8207
one-restaurant.com
Cuisine: contemporary
Panciuto
110 S. Churton St., Hillsborough
919-732-6261
panciuto.com
Cuisine: contemporary Italian
Poole’s Downtown Diner
426 S. McDowell St., Raleigh
919-832-4477
poolesdowntowndiner.com
Cuisine: American bistro
Yamazushi
4711 Hope Valley Road, Durham
919-493-7748
yamazushirestaurant.com
Cuisine: Japanese
Silver Medal
18 Seaboard
18-100 Seaboard Ave., Raleigh
919-861-4318
18seaboard.com
Cuisine: contemporary Southern, grill
Angus Barn
9401 Glenwood Ave., Raleigh
919-781-2444
angusbarn.com
Cuisine: steakhouse
Bida Manda
222 S. Blount St., Raleigh
919-829-9999
bidamanda.com
Cuisine: Laotian
Bleu Olive
1821 Hillandale Road, Durham
919-383-8502
bleuolivebistro.com
Cuisine: contemporary Mediterranean
Bloomsbury Bistro
509-101 West Whitaker Mill Road, Raleigh
919-834-9011
bloomsburybistro.com
Cuisine: contemporary
Bruno
11211 Galleria Ave., Raleigh
919-435-6640
brunoraleigh.com
Cuisine: steaks, seafood, Italian
bu.ku
110 E. Davie St., Raleigh
919-834-6963
bukuraleigh.com
Cuisine: global street food
Coquette
4351 The Circle at North Hills, Raleigh
919-789-0606
coquetteraleigh.com
Cuisine: French
Elaine’s on Franklin
454 W. Franklin St., Chapel Hill
919-960-2770
elainesonfranklin.com
Cuisine: contemporary
Fairview
3001 Cameron Blvd., in the Washington Duke Inn, Durham
919-490-0999
washingtondukeinn.com
Cuisine: contemporary
Four Square
2701 Chapel Hill Road, Durham
919-401-9877
foursquarerestaurant.com
Cuisine: contemporary
Glenwood Grill
2603 Glenwood Ave., Raleigh
919-782-3102
glenwoodgrill.com
Cuisine: contemporary Southern
Guglhupf
2706 Durham-Chapel Hill Blvd., Durham
919-401-2600
guglhupf.com
Cuisine: German
Il Palio
1505 E. Franklin St., in the Siena Hotel, Chapel Hill
919-929-4000
sienahotel.com
Cuisine: Italian
Kitchen
764 Martin Luther King Blvd., Chapel Hill
919-537-8167
kitchenchapelhill.com
Cuisine: French, contemporary
Little Hen
5160 Sunset Lake Road, Apex
919-363-0000
littlehennc.com
Cuisine: American
Mandolin
2519 Fairview Road, Raleigh
919-322-0365
mandolinraleigh.com
Cuisine: contemporary Southern
Margaux’s
8111-111 Creedmoor Road, in Brennan Station, Raleigh
919-846-9846
margauxsrestaurant.com
Cuisine: contemporary, seafood
Oakleaf
480 Hillsboro St., Pittsboro
919-533-6303
oakleafnc.com
Cuisine: contemporary
Piedmont
401-B2 Foster St., Durham
919-683-1213
piedmontrestaurant.com
Cuisine: contemporary
Saint Jacques
6112 Falls of Neuse Road, Raleigh
919-862-2770
saintjacquesfrenchcuisine.com
Cuisine: French
Second Empire
330 Hillsborough St., Raleigh
919-829-3663
second-empire.com
Cuisine: contemporary
Stanbury
938 N. Blount St., Raleigh
919-977-4321
stanburyraleigh.com
Cuisine: contemporary
Vivace
4209-115 Lassiter Mill Road, in The Alexan, Raleigh
919-787-7747
vivaceraleigh.com
Cuisine: Italian
Watts Grocery
1116 Broad St., Durham
919-416-5040
wattsgrocery.com
Cuisine: contemporary Southern
Best In Class
(by Cuisine)
African
Queen of Sheba
1129-O Weaver Dairy Road, Chapel Hill
919-932-4986
queenofshebachapelhill.com
Bakery
La Farm Bakery
4248 NW Cary Parkway, Cary
919-657-0657
lafarmbakery.com
Barbecue
Hillsborough BBQ Company
236 S. Nash St., Hillsborough
919-732-4647
hillsboroughbbq.com
Burger
Chuck’s
237 S. Wilmington St., Raleigh
919-322-0126
ac-restaurants.com/chucks
Cajun/creole
Battistella’s
200 E. Martin St., Raleigh
919-803-2501
battistellas.com
Caribbean
Gregoria’s Cuban Steakhouse
2701 Hillsborough Road, Durham
919-973-2717
gregoriassteakhouse.com
Central/South American
Machu Picchu
4500-100 Falls of Neuse Road, Raleigh
919-526-7378
machupicchuperuviancuisine.com
Chinese (Szechwan)
Gourmet Kingdom
301 E. Main St., Carrboro
919-932-7222
thegourmetkingdom.com
Chinese (Taiwanese)
Taipei Café
9825-G Chapel Hill Road, Morrisville
919-380-8568
taipei-cafe.com
Coffeehouse/Cafe
Joule Coffee
223 S. Wilmington St., Raleigh
919-424-7422
ac-restaurants.com/joule
Deli
Neal’s Deli
100-C E. Main St., Carrboro
919-967-2185
nealsdeli.com
French
Vin Rouge
2010 Hillsborough Road, Durham
919-416-0466
vinrougerestaurant.com
Fusion
Jose and Sons
327-102 W. Davie St., Raleigh
919-755-0556
joseandsons.com
Cuisine: Mexican-Southern fusion
German/Central European
J. Betski’s
10-120 W. Franklin St., Raleigh
919-833-7999
jbetskis.com
Greek
Kipos
431 W. Franklin St., Chapel Hill
919-425-0760
kiposgreektaverna.com
Indian
CholaNad
308 W. Franklin St., Chapel Hill
800-246-5262
cholanad.com
Irish Pub
Doherty’s
Two locations: 1979 High House Road, Cary; 5490 Apex Peakway, Apex
919-388-9930 (Cary); 919-387-4100 (Apex)
dohertysirishpubnc.com
Italian
Gravy
135 S. Wilmington St., Raleigh
919-896-8513
gravyraleigh.com
Japanese
Waraji
5910 Duraleigh Road, Raleigh
919-783-1883
warajijapaneserestaurant.com
Korean
Seoul Garden
4701 Atlantic Ave., Raleigh
919-850-9984
Mexican (Contemporary)
Dos Perros
200 N. Mangum St., Durham
919-956-2750
dosperrosrestaurant.com
Mexican (Traditional)
Centro
106 S. Wilmington St., Raleigh
919-835-3593
centroraleigh.com
Middle Eastern
Sitti
137 S. Wilmington St., Raleigh
919-239-4070
sitti-raleigh.com
Pastry Shop
lucettegrace
235 S. Salisbury St., Raleigh
919-307-4950
lucettegrace.com
Pizza
Pizzeria Toro
105 E. Chapel Hill St., Durham
919-908-6936
pizzeriatoro.com
Seafood
Blu Seafood & Bar
2002 Hillsborough Road, Durham
919-286-9777
bluseafoodandbar.com
Southern
Crook’s Corner
610 W. Franklin St., Chapel Hill
919-929-7643
crookscorner.com
Steakhouse
Bin 54
1201-M Raleigh Road, Chapel Hill
919-969-1155
bin54restaurant.com
Tapas
Mateo
109 W. Chapel Hill St., Durham
919-530-8700
mateotapas.com
Thai
Sawasdee
Two Raleigh locations: 6204 Glenwood Ave., 3601-107 Capital Blvd.
919-781-7599 (Glenwood Ave.); 919-878-0049 (Capital Blvd.)
sawasdeeraleigh.com
Vegetarian
The Fiction Kitchen
428 S. Dawson St., Raleigh
919-831-4177
thefictionkitchen.com
Vietnamese
Taste Vietnamese Cuisine
152 Morrisville Square Way, Morrisville
919-234-6385
facebook.com/taste.v.cuisine
Best New Restaurants
Banana Leaf
1026 Ryan Road, Cary
919-468-9958
bananaleafcary.com
Cuisine: pan-Asian (Cantonese specialty)
The Black House
5420 Durham-Chapel Hill Blvd., Durham
919-403-2233
strawvalleyfoodanddrink.com
Cuisine: contemporary
Garland
14 W. Martin St., Raleigh
919-833-6886
garlandraleigh.com
Cuisine: Indian, Asian, contemporary
Gocciolina
3314 Guess Road, Durham
919-973-4089
gocciolina.com
Cuisine: Italian
Harvest 18
8128-114 Renaissance Parkway, Durham
919-316-1818
harvest18restaurant.com
Cuisine: contemporary
Plates
301 Glenwood Ave., Raleigh
919-828-0018
plateskitchen.com
Cuisine: contemporary
Pompieri Pizza
102 City Hall Plaza, Durham
919-973-1589
pompieripizza.com
Cuisine: pizzeria
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