Food lovers of the Triangle, I ask you: Do we need Atlanta to tell us how Southern-style cooking is done? Nay, we scoff at the very idea.
Still, we are friendly folks, as well aslet’s face itbig fans of all-day breakfast joints. So we welcome the newest outpost of Atlanta-based Flying Biscuit Cafe (2016 Clark Ave., Raleigh, 833-6924, www.flyingbiscuit.com), which opened recently in Cameron Village.
The Flying Biscuit Cafe calls itself “an eclectic neighborhood restaurant recognized for its natural, hip cuisine and charming atmosphere.” It serves lunch and dinner too. Raleigh is its seventh location, and only the second outside of Georgia.
Since opening in 1993, The Flying Biscuit Cafe has become known for its “non-stop breakfast menu” featuring items such as “Egg-Ceptional Eggs,” “Smoked Salmon Scrambler” and “Egg-Stravaganza.” It also serves shrimp and grits, creamed chicken over biscuits, fried egg salad and “Love Cakes”black bean and cornmeal patties, sautéed and topped with a tomatillo salsa, sour cream, feta cheese and spears of red onion. One menu item unique to Raleigh is the “When Pigs Fly Quesadilla,” which includes Carolina-style pulled pork.
“Ladye Jane,” a contributor to the New Raleigh blog (www.newraleigh.com), was thrilled at the idea of a “Biscuit” in these parts and visited during opening week. “I had super high expectations,” she wrote, “and I have to say that it lived up to them.”
Congratulations to Chapel Hill’s SandwHich (431 W. Franklin St., 929-2114, sandwhich.biz), which received an eeny-weeny but very notable mention on page 24 of the January issue of Bon Appetit. Restaurant Editor Andrew Knowlton, who labeled Durham and Chapel Hill as America’s foodiest small towns in last October’s issue, listed SandwHich’s lamb tagine sandwich with housemade potato chips as one of the top 10 restaurant meals he ate during 2008. His list includes meals in New York City, London, San Francisco and Paris, so this is very cool.
SandwHich’s menu changes seasonally, and the lamb tagine is not currently available. But the chips are, thank goodness. I get them with the Mr. Crunch (thinly sliced prosciutto, fresh mozzarella, mint, oregano vinaigrette and lettuce on a baguette). Or, in high summer, I love the Outrageous B.L.T. (applewood-smoked bacon, fire-roasted jalapeños, tomatoes, avocado, house-made garlic mayo and organic greens on sourdough).
Blue Corn Cafe (716 Ninth St., Durham, 286-9600, www.bluecorn-tosca.com) will host a Latin Wine and Food Night Jan. 27, featuring the wines of Mont Gras Winery in Chile. Instead of a set price and menu, Blue Corn will have menu specials and wine flights, so you can order what you like while listening to live Latin music. A representative from Mont Gras will be on hand, and the guys from Hope Valley Bottle Shop (4711 Hope Valley Road, Durham, 403-5200, hvbottleshop@gmail.com) will be there to offer the wines being tasted for retail sale, at a discount. For reservations, contact Blue Corn Cafe.
Know about a fun food happening in the Triangle? Send it to Now Serving at food@indyweek.com.
