Sitting in here right now, someone should have given me a heads up about this place!

Food is amazing though, full report later

1/24/2010 1:37:11 PM

I want to go to there.

1/24/2010 1:38:32 PM

I hate that word... irregardless... even more than I hate the word inflammable.

1/24/2010 1:40:00 PM

they are good and not TOO expensive...

1/24/2010 1:41:14 PM

^^ so does this guy

1/24/2010 1:44:59 PM

Quote :

"someone should have given me a heads up about this place!"

It always comes up in a thread about good eating spots in Raleigh.

1/24/2010 1:47:55 PM

I'm pretty sure they've been in trouble more than once for employing Mexican illegals. I've always loved their menu, but I boycott them because of their past (and present?) hiring practices. Over the last decade, I've heard numerous reports from local chefs stating that they wouldn't even consider job applicants unless they spoke fluent Spanish.

1/24/2010 2:17:53 PM

One of my housemates works there.
He speaks no spanish that I know of.
Who was your waiter paerabol?

1/24/2010 3:10:40 PM

Allow me to explain the OP:

Imagine, if you will, a flamboyant gay man strolling alone into a packed biker bar in the asscrack of Alabama. Perhaps you will envision the stares, dare I say even scoffs, afforded him by the indigenous, and the wariness of the staff dubious of the stranger's intent.

Now imagine the opposite. After parking my bike on the wrong slope of a precarious hill adjacent to the restaurant, I optimistically approached the entry of the quaint cafe. No sooner did I grasp the door handle than did a middle-aged Rainbow Brigade burst triumphantly forth in a fit of "Oh mmy!'s" and "Why thank yooou!'s." I politely held the door for the several of them, and entered.

The squat, jaded but begrudgingly pleasant little host man ushered me nervously to a cocktail table by the bar, and on the way I engaged the respective stares of nearly the entire bustling restaurant. It suddenly dawned on me that there was naught but purse-lipped men and handsome groups of women, and not only was I in their territory but my leather jacket, blue jeans, biker boots and helmet most certainly did not fit their Sunday brunch dress code.

The staff, admittedly busy, granted me a compulsory courtesy but years of working in the service industry has given me the uncanny ability to discern their judgements virtually to the letter. As I was the annoying grungy smudge on their otherwise fabulous tapestry, I made sure to at least immediately whip out the iPhone to help assuage the fear that I would also be scant in my gratuity.

I made every attempt to make up for my appearance with gushing manners and genuine smiles. My waiter was pleasant enough, while he made no attempt at any personality he was professional and provided excellent service. The fresh bread appetizer, I assume provided to all tables, was wonderful as was the complimentary small glass of fresh-squeezed orange juice.

After I placed my order, Athenian Chicken, I took the time to sit back and take in all that is Irregardless Cafe. It's an open yet intimate cafe with a pleasant, bright ambiance enriched by the airy meanderings of a live acoustic musician. Obviously I enjoyed the WiFi, and I took note that the bar was not a mere gesture but stocked for the more sophisticated pallet. The food was very satisfying, and though I am not hard to please I would place it in the upper echelons of Raleigh bourgeois cuisine. The price is fair, the timing is brisk, and the service efficient. I mustn't have spent more than 25 minutes there altogether.

After paying I made a hasty exit back to the comfort and solitude of my motorcycle, and as I tore off down Morgan St. I exhaled the sigh of the content and well-fed. I will definitely return, next time perhaps more respectfully dressed and with a friend. This is the heads up I wish I had!

[Edited on January 24, 2010 at 3:25 PM. Reason : ^I never got his name]

1/24/2010 3:23:36 PM

A+ prose.

1/24/2010 3:26:38 PM

cliff notes?

1/24/2010 3:27:35 PM

good food

a bit overpriced


hello and welcome to at least 2002

1/24/2010 3:30:56 PM

After paying I made a hasty exit back to the comfort and solitude of my forklift, and as I tore off down Morgan St. I exhaled the sigh of the sophisticated pallet.

1/24/2010 3:46:02 PM

Quote :

"A+ prose."

thanks. sometimes I'm annoyed by my inability to just write things concisely, but i'm a product of NCSU so I have to keep my writing sharp somehow. this brings me to-

Quote :

"cliff notes?"

"family" friendly.
food is great, not cheap but priced fairly.
put on a collared shirt.

Quote :

"After paying I made a hasty exit back to the comfort and solitude of my forklift, and as I tore off down Morgan St. I exhaled the sigh of the sophisticated pallet."

I chortled

1/24/2010 3:51:00 PM

thanks brah.

1/24/2010 3:59:08 PM

I feel like I've heard the name of this place on NPR (WUNC) sometimes, so I figured it was somewhere in the triangle.

This thread has prompted me to look up their menu. I may give this place a try in the not too distant future.

http://www.irregardless.com/pages/10/lunch-dinner-brunch-tea-wine-beer-coffee/

1/24/2010 4:08:06 PM

^x8 Best biker restaurant review I've ever read.

[Edited on January 24, 2010 at 4:29 PM. Reason : Irregardless of the fact that it's the only one I've ever read.]

1/24/2010 4:28:46 PM

next time you go, i want to come, kthx

1/24/2010 4:40:44 PM

i totally want to go there.

1/24/2010 5:50:54 PM

i went there for prom and the few times after i was less than impressed

1/24/2010 5:56:52 PM

i went there for the first time a couple weeks ago. pretty chill.

1/24/2010 5:59:46 PM

i went there for the first time a couple weeks ago. pretty chill.

1/24/2010 6:20:41 PM

I love their Sunday brunch

They also have a banging Thanksgiving dinner menu. My family did that one year when our oven went on the fritz the day before Thanksgiving

1/24/2010 8:03:36 PM

Never been. However, my folks used to go all the time back about 25 or 30 years ago. Says something that the place has managed to stay in business that long.

1/24/2010 8:05:36 PM

^Ditto, my dad used to live in the area in the early 70s and he ate there all the time apparently.

I haven't been yet, but I plan to. It's in one of my Raleigh Food threads.

1/24/2010 10:57:21 PM

wow I had no idea the place had been around that long

1/25/2010 1:33:15 PM

whoops

[Edited on January 25, 2010 at 1:35 PM. Reason : asdf]

1/25/2010 1:35:04 PM

I went there for Thanksgiving dinner like 10 years ago, and I remember it being very good.

[Edited on January 25, 2010 at 1:39 PM. Reason : and nice writing skills dude]

1/25/2010 1:38:26 PM

^^^ Me neither

1/27/2010 9:44:39 PM