Someone wrote: > > A friend said that she saw a feature on a television program about a place > called Magnolia Grill in Durham. Supposedly, the chef there has been ranked > as one of the best in the country. I have never heard of this place. If > anybody has been there: > > 1. Is the food all that wonderful; with a ranking of that stature for their > chef, it had better be great! > > 2. How do I get there from Raleigh? > > Any other comments would be appreciated. Thanks in advance. > > Arnold Schmidt, Raleigh, NC, [email removed] > > `[1;36;47mNet-Tamer V 1.05.1 - Test Drive The food is excellent and the menu changes often. I've gone there several times and always been very pleased with both the food and the service. I think most people on this newsgroup will agree that they are one of the best restaurants in the triangle. The only downside is that the restaurant is in a house, the dining area is small, the tables are close together, and the noise level is high. If you go, make sure you make a reservation or you will not get in. They are located on 9th Street in Durham, take the 9th Street exit off of Durham Freeway, follow the signs to 9th Street. They are on the right about a mile north of the Durham Freeway. Regards, Daniel
Raleigh-Durham, NC
Magnolia Grill in Durham?
Overrated. Try Nana's in Durham instead--comparable food (although I think a bit better) and definitely better service without the "attitude." Jon Someone wrote: > > >A friend said that she saw a feature on a television program about a place >called Magnolia Grill in Durham. Supposedly, the chef there has been ranked >as one of the best in the country. I have never heard of this place. If >anybody has been there: > >1. Is the food all that wonderful; with a ranking of that stature for their >chef, it had better be great! > >2. How do I get there from Raleigh? > >Any other comments would be appreciated. Thanks in advance. > >Arnold Schmidt, Raleigh, NC, [email removed] > >`[1;36;47mNet-Tamer V 1.05.1 - Test Drive > REMOVE "nospam" FROM EMAIL ADDRESS TO CONTACT ME ___________________________________________________________ NOTICE TO ALL BULK EMAILERS: Pursuant to US Code, Title 47, Chapter 5, Subchapter II, 227, any and all nonsolicited commercial E-mail sent to this address is subject to a download and archival fee of $500 U.S. All legal fees incurred in collection to be paid by entity originating and/or forwarding all such unsolicited commercial E-mail. E-mailing denotes acceptance of these terms.
Yes, Magnolia Grill deserves all the great publicity it has received. I have always found the food exceptional and the service very attentive. The menu offers good variety as does the wine list. It is located on 9th Street in the original home of Wellspring, and was another grocery before that, Scarborough's I think. While they don't do BBQ as we know and love it, they do very very nice things to pork. Well worth the trip.
In , on 07/23/97
Daniel B. wrote:
<- The food is excellent and the menu changes often. I've gone there <- several times and always been very pleased with both the food and the <- service. I think most people on this newsgroup will agree that they <- are one of the best restaurants in the triangle. The only downside is <- that the restaurant is in a house, the dining area is small, the <- tables are close together, and the noise level is high.
<- If you go, make sure you make a reservation or you will not get in. <- They are located on 9th Street in Durham, take the 9th Street exit off <- of Durham Freeway, follow the signs to 9th Street. They are on the <- right about a mile north of the Durham Freeway.
It is an excellent restaurant and part of the fun is the constantly changing menu--a reflection of the use of local produce as well as of inventiveness and a desire not to get stale. The service is the most professional in the Triangle; the servers tend to have worked there a long time and menu knowledge and even wine knowledge is very high. It is possible to breeze in, casually dressed, and grab a table (no reservation) in the bar area and have a meal. Eating in the bar area you lose the white tablecloth and server/customer ratio is lower. And it is a bizarre bargain--try eating like this in NYC or SF or... ; you'd be out twice or more as much.
--
Regards,
David
"What would life be without arithmetic, but a scene of horrors?"
-Rev. Sydney Smith, letter to young lady, 22 July 1835
When cryptography is outlawed, bayl bhgynjf jvyy unir cevinpl.
----------------------------------------------------------- David Auerbach [email removed] (David Auerbach) Department of Philosophy & Religion NCSU Box 8103 Raleigh, 27695-8103
-----------------------------------------------------------Actually, I have eaten at more than my share of Michelin rated restaurants when I LIVED in Europe. I have also eaten at some of the finest restaurants in the U.S., particularly New Orleans, which blows anything in this area out of the water (can YOU say Brigtsen's? Commander's Palace? Uegelich? Upperline?). New York is okay, but overrated like Mag Grill. San Francisco is great, as are many places in the Monterey and Napa areas. As to your inane retort about the "James Beard Foundation" and the fact some publications rate Ben and Karen "outstanding," these are very subjective opinions. Ben has a great publicist who ensures he is featured in many magazines. Frank Stitt is another talented chef that has recieved international recognition (as is Frank Brigtsen), but you seldom hear their name as they do not employ a publicist to spread the word of their talents--rather they rely on quality, creativity and word of mouth (in case you haven't heard of Frank Stitt, try Botega's or Highland Bar and Grill in Birmingham, Al.). Your comment about Scott Howell I find particularly amusing. Scott did spend some time with Ben, as well as in Italy and other restaurants in Europe and the U.S. This makes sense, as ANY aspiring chef should attempt to develop and broaden their culinary skills. BTW--There is also a third partner in Pop's (do you know her name?). I did not say Ben and Karen are without talent--but their reataurant is DEFINITELY OVERRATED!!! The food is good--although there are better places in the Triangle--and the wait staff are pretentious to the point of nausea. But, as with all things SUBJECTIVE--it is to the individual to determine what they enjoy and what they do not care for. As for me, I enjoy the best there is to be had!! Jon > >CDwin wrote: > >>Jon wrote: >> >> >> >>>Overrated. Try Nana's in Durham instead--comparable food (although I >>>think a bit better) and definitely better service without the >>>"attitude." >>>Jon >>> >>> >> >>Overrated by whom? The James Beard Foundation which has nominated Ben >>Barker, the owner-chef, for its best chef in the Southeast award for each >>of the last two years, each of the major gourmet magazines which have had >>feature articles on Ben and Karen Barker, the numerous aspiring chefs who >>have gone to work with Ben Barker to learn their craft? >> >>Indeed, Scott Howell, the owner-chef of Nana's, trained with Ben Barker >>and now co-owns Pops in Durham with the Barkers. >> >>Magnolia Grill is far and away the best restaurant the Triangle and one of >>the best restaurants in the United States. That is not simply my opinion >>as noted above. I can say that I've eaten in some of the great restaurants >>in the world, including a number of two and three star Michelin >>restaurants, so I have some basis for comparison. Can those who criticize >>Magnolia Grill in this newsgroup say the same? I doubt it. >> >>Nana's is very good but it is not Magnolia Grill either from the >>standpoint of the consistent quality or the diversity of the menu items. >> >>I can only add that those who would criticize the waitstaff's "attitude" >>or, as others have, the cost of eating at Magnolia Grill should try one of >>the top restaurants in New York or Los Angeles or London or Paris to see >>"attitude" and fell the pinch of the prices. >> >>Chuck > REMOVE "nospam" FROM EMAIL ADDRESS TO CONTACT ME ___________________________________________________________ NOTICE TO ALL BULK EMAILERS: Pursuant to US Code, Title 47, Chapter 5, Subchapter II, 227, any and all nonsolicited commercial E-mail sent to this address is subject to a download and archival fee of $500 U.S. All legal fees incurred in collection to be paid by entity originating and/or forwarding all such unsolicited commercial E-mail. E-mailing denotes acceptance of these terms.
Well, I'll try to avoid the little flame-fest that has erupted here, but since my wife and I took our first trip to MG this evening, I'll throw in my two-cents. First, my credentials: 1. I like to eat good food. 2. I have no idea what the "James Beard Foundation" or a "Michelin rated restaurant" is (I thought they made tires). 3. I've lived all over the triangle over the past 15 years, so I can probably give you decent directions. 4. I used to have a subscription to "Bon Appetit". I know it's not a serious cooking magazine, but the recipes are good enough to empress a date if she's not a serious gourmet. :) > A friend said that she saw a feature on a television program about a place > called Magnolia Grill in Durham. Supposedly, the chef there has been ranked > as one of the best in the country. I have never heard of this place. If > anybody has been there: There was a 1993 newpaper article on display at the entrance that said Ben was rated as one of the top-10 new chefs in in the country. I don't remember the exact name of the magazine, but "Food and Wine" rings a bell. If that kind of thing empresses you, there it is. > 1. Is the food all that wonderful; with a ranking of that stature for their > chef, it had better be great! My wife and I were quite pleased. I had a NY Strip and my wife had lamb. Someone commented that the portions were small. I thought the portions were about right. The food was excellent and the presentation was good. The menu had today's date on it, so I would assume it does change regularly. > 2. How do I get there from Raleigh? Peter's directions are good from I-40 (Swift Ave. exit). If Hwy. 70 is more convenient, the following will also work. Take Hwy 70 to Durham. 70 will merge into I-85 South. Take the Gregson St. exit off of I-85. Gregson is one-way, so if you end up going the wrong way, you'll find out real quick. I think Club Blvd will be the second light. Take a right onto Club. Go about 1-2 miles through several lights. Look for 9th Street on your left and turn onto 9th Street (9th Street deadends onto Club here, so you can only turn left. The NC School of Science and Mathematics will be on your right). MG will be about a half mile up on the left. Drive slow and watch carefully, it's easy to miss. I seem to remember there being a sign on the outside, but it was gone when we went there today. We recognized it from the name on the inner doors, which are pretty easy to see from the street. If you pass the 9th Street Bakery (on your left) or Wellspring Grocery (on your right), you've gone too far. Peter's directions will bring you from the other end of 9th Street, so look for MG on the right shortly after Wellspring and the bakery if you come that way. > Any other comments would be appreciated. Thanks in advance. Some people have commented that the staff is pretentious. My water glass never got below half-full. The waitress and hostess were both quite pleasant. The waitress seemed knowledgeable about the menu when we had questions. She made herself easily available, but was not constantly interrupting our meal to check on us. I didn't have to wait on the check, but did not feel rushed to leave the restaurant when we were done. I was satisfied enough to leave a bit more than the standard 15%. The restaurant is a little on the noisy side if that's a problem. I would also recommend getting reservations a couple of days in advance. I called last Monday and tried to get reservations for Tuesday. They had nothing before 9pm. For Friday, they had nothing before 8:30, and Saturday it was either 5:30 or after 9. I've also heard people mention Nana's and Fearington House. I've been to both and would say MG is in the same league. I'm really not enough of a gourmet to say that one is any better than another. My wife and I talked with the wine and beverage coordinator at the Angus Barn a while back and his opinion was that the top three chefs in the triangle area were the wine cellar chef at AB (apparently they have a chef just for the private dining room in the wine cellar) and the chefs at MG and Nana's. A lot of people here like to bash the Angus Barn, but their wine collection is pretty substantial. If the guy knows enough for them to trust him with their wine purchases, I'd at least TRY a place that he gives such high marks to. IMHO, MG is worth the trip from Raleigh if for no other reason than to judge for yourself. If you decide to go, let us know what you think. Clint Eaker
>>Overrated. Try Nana's in Durham instead--comparable food (although I >>think a bit better) and definitely better service without the >>"attitude." >Overrated by whom? The James Beard Foundation which has nominated Ben >Barker, the owner-chef, for its best chef in the Southeast award for each >of the last two years, each of the major gourmet magazines which have had >feature articles on Ben and Karen Barker, the numerous aspiring chefs who >have gone to work with Ben Barker to learn their craft? Thanks for all the name dropping, but most of us prefer to rate restaurants based on our own taste buds. Magnolia Grill didn't make the cut for me. >I can only add that those who would criticize the waitstaff's "attitude" >or, as others have, the cost of eating at Magnolia Grill should try one of >the top restaurants in New York or Los Angeles or London or Paris to see >"attitude" and fell the pinch of the prices. The fact that there are places even worse than the Magnolia Grill in these regards does nothing to change the fact that the Magnolia Grill is indeed bad in these regards. Using a similar defense you could say "If you think Jack the Ripper killed a lot of people, look at Hitler or Stalin". Do you think Jack the Ripper was an okay guy after all? I don't.