What happens when past looks clashes with present flavors.
Editors Note: the original post was on a separate site prior to this page's remodel. What you're reading now is a remake of that article. This restaurant still remains open after the COVID-19 pandemic.
There's a saying I'm sure you've heard it once or twice. The one about you can't teach an old dog new tricks? Remember that one? And there's another saying that goes something like "you shouldn't judge a book by it's cover". Those two phrases are what came into my mind when I think back back to my stay at The Raleigh Times. Although this place looks old and dated on the inside, the plates they're serving bring a flavor that are sure to make you feel young again.
“If time travel is possible, where are the tourists from the future?”
I discovered The Raleigh Times through a group of coworkers from another restaurant I was working part time. For months they each told me I had to give it a try, that it was one of downtown Raleigh's best, bringing me samples of their nachos and other appetizers. Goes without saying I wasn't impressed, not at first. I mean c'mon..."who can't do a good plate of nachos" I thought as I passed them up again and again. My pride at the time wasn't going to give in that easily...until "it" happened. The it was this - It was when one of those mentioned associates brought me the menu and I took a glance at it to see two of my favorite foods in the same place. I knew then something was pulling my leg to drop my pride and see what all the talk was about. So...I went.
At first glance, the interior looked like something out a Dick Tracey movie. It had class, plenty of space, and at night there's a unique charm to the restaurant. Housing a dining room downstairs, outdoor dining upstairs, and curbside tables outside, The Raleigh Times proved at face value to be just what I was told it was. But looks aren't everything and I needed to be convinced if the food, and more importantly if the Banging Shrimp Po'boy and Fried Pickles for whence I came for, were really all that. Spoiler alert - they were.
“nom nom nom”
Fried Pickles are always a go to of mine whenever I eat a restaurant that has them. This sampling reminded me more why this is the perfect appetizer. They were light enough to not make eating the full plate take too much room, perfectly fired with just the right crunch, seasoned evenly and served with a house made ranch dressing to seal the deal. I didn't leave a crumb behind and I'm not ashamed of it. The next part of this trip was my main course - The Banging Shrimp Po'boy.
This sandwich is a beast. As described from their menu the po'boy is made from house seasoned fried shrimp, yum-yum sauce, lettuce, sesame oil, and a Vietnamese slaw that give an impressive balance of spice and southern savouriness. My taste buds had been singing praises from the fried pickles and by time I finished the po'boy (and the order of fries it came with) their voices had ran dry. Once again, I didn't leave a crumb behind and still wasn't ashamed.
Over so soon?
All in all, I was put in my place. The Raleigh Times has flare, something a lot of restaurants lack these days and if you're in the area you too would be sure to leave the way I did. My palette was happy, my pride intact, and multiple visits later I can still say this - worth it.
And what would dinner be without something to wash it down with? I highly recommend their Old Fashioned cocktail.
For more information on this restaurant's food and it's historic location please visit http://raleightimesbar.com
Comentarios