We began Friday with snacks and rose (of course) and then watched Finding Dory and Mean Girls, because we're millennial girls and it's pretty much required that at a sleepover you watch nostalgia fodder. She was gracious enough to let me stay in her guest room. Sidebar: doesn't that sound grown up? I have friends who have a guest room!
On Saturday morning we decided to treat ourselves to brunch at a restaurant we both had been wanting to try: Poole's Diner. Poole's was opened by Raleigh's own Iron Chef Ashley Christensen and as with all her other ventures, this meal was nothing short of extraordinary.
Poole's Diner is located at 426 S McDowell St, Raleigh, NC 27601 and frankly I have driven by this location multiple times and have never once realized this small unassuming building housed such a magnificent restaurant. The menu uses fresh and seasonal ingredients and as such they don't post it online. Several of the brunch items changed weekly according to what was freshest.
Décor: the restaurant is very narrow. There is a long bar snaking its way from the entrance to the back of the restaurant and several smaller tables and booths along the wall. Despite the narrowness of the space it didn't look cluttered and never once did I feel claustrophobic or like I was sitting on top of my fellow diners. Everything feels vintage-yet luxurious from the booths and bar stools to the chalkboard menus and wait staff.
Food appearance: everything looked divine. If Ashley Christensen's name is on it, it's without a doubt going to look as great as it will taste.
Food taste: we began with mimosas because it was brunch, the socially acceptable time to drink prior to noon on any given day. Neither of us had eaten dinner on Friday night so by 11:00 AM on Saturday we were both pretty ravenous. Luckily for us, the menu offered sides and starters for brunch! We were stuck between the Cinnamon Sugar Doughnuts and the Biscuits - ultimately, (with some help from our server) we decided on the Biscuits and boy I'm glad we did! The biscuits were served warm, were huge, flaky, buttery, slightly crunchy and served with cultured butter and house-made peach jam. I am literally drooling as I reminisce about the way these biscuits tasted. The peach jam was slightly sweet without being overpowering and the butter was delightfully decadent. My only knock was the butter was a little too hard for spreading purposes.
Abbey ordered the BLT sandwich. Toasted sourdough bread slathered with malt aioli, fresh slices of avocado, crisp lettuce, juicy tomato and slice-upon-slice of crispy bacon. She said it was delightful, and (when used to sop up my remaining béarnaise sauce) should be served with a side of sauce all it's own to make the sandwich even more indulgent.
Service: the staff was friendly, knowledgeable and professional. Everything worked like a well oiled machine from the host to the kitchen. Definitely A+ service in this establishment.
Cleanliness: tables were quickly turned over and reset and the bathrooms (dubbed "people rooms") were some of the cleanest and most well stocked I've ever experienced. Bobby pins, hairspray, q-tips, cotton swabs and feminine products galore! It was refreshing to see a restaurant take such care for something so minor.
I would definitely recommend paying a visit to Poole's Diner if you're ANYWHERE near Raleigh. It's excellent food in a relaxed atmosphere and you will most definitely NOT leave hungry. I found out this weekend that Mama and Papa Hart will be visiting Nate and I for Thanksgiving, maybe I can convince them to brunch with us at this glorious testament to food.
Enjoy your short week everyone!
The tomatoes on the BLT look really good. Very thick, and I'm sure very firm (please hold in your laughs).
ReplyDeleteWould love to go!
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