For those that don't know the lay of the land in the Triangle, Durham and Raleigh are only 25 minutes apart. Chapel Hill is another 10 minutes past Durham. It's not far, yet seems a world away at times. MM and I both work and live in Raleigh, so it's easy to just stay in Raleigh for dinner. We will go to Durham for baseball games and events at the Durham Performing Arts Center, but never can seem to fit time in for dinner and an event, even though it's a short drive away.
Durham is known for Duke University and the site of the movie "Bull Durham." It does get a rap for being a little rough, but it has a unique character with many tobacco factory buildings revamped into strips of shops, offices and restaurants. They also do have a great food scene.
We make reservations Saturday evening at Vin Rouge, a French bistro on 9th Street, which is the heart of the Duke University area. There is a large patio in the front that is reminiscent of a true French bistro. Once inside the restaurant, the exposed kitchen is immediately ahead of you, while there is a small waiting area surrounded by several tables on the way to the bar. We are seated in an adjacent room next to a window that overlooks a second patio, lined with potted herbs and assorted flowers. This patio was not being used that evening, but easily could be, as the restaurant was packed. The tables are quite close together, so it is a little tight.
We start with the oysters gratinee, which are served on an oyster platter, but are not served in the shell - they are shucked, covered in bacon, leeks and gruyere cheese. I did pick up some pernod (licorice) flavor as well, and they did not skimp - one order had approximately 15 oysters, and they were delicious.
For our entrees, I get the Poulet Rôti Grand-Mére, also known as rotisserie chicken. Two small chicken breast and thighs are served a top a broth with braised carrots, pearl onions, mushrooms, potatoes with thyme. The chicken, while small, is incredibly moist, and there is great depth of flavor in the braised vegetables. The thyme is really what accents this dish. It's tough to have chicken after having Thomas Keller's chicken at Bouchon, but still pretty darn good.
MM gets the steak au poivre, which was being served as a ribeye this night instead of the usual sirloin. It is served with a huge serving of pomme frites and a side of bearnaise sauce. The steak was rather rare for a medium rare steak, and was a little overseasoned on the pepper, but the frites and bearnaise were delicious. I took half my chicken home and continued to eat MM's frites (isn't that what women are supposed to do?)
The highlight of the night may have been dessert, surprisingly. We order the apple bread pudding, which our waiter tells us is his favorite. A piece approximately 3 inches high makes its way to the table, with a dollop of house made whipped cream and in a bed of apple caramel sauce. The perfect dessert, as it wasn't too heavy but full of flavor.
Vin Rouge has received many accolades, and is referred to as one of the best restaurants in the area. Maybe not the best restaurant, but would definitely put it in my top 5.
The next morning, we meet some friends that live in Durham for brunch, who recommend a couple restaurants, and based on the menus, we choose Watts Grocery, which is adjacent to the Duke campus. In an old small brick store front, the interior is very modern with exposed beams and bricks and colorful decor.
We start with southwestern churros, smothered in cinnamon and served with a chocolate dipping sauce. They had enough crunch on the outside, but soft and chewy on the inside. Choosing an entree was no easy feat, as one entree sounded better than the next. I opted for the omelet, which had chicken confit, arugula and pimiento cheese. I chose grits over hash browns as my side, and a biscuit.
The chicken was very moist, the arugula was still raw which gave it some texture, and pimiento cheese melted? Need I say more? The omelet, however, was overshadowed by the grits. I usually don't order plain grits, as they tend to be very bland. However, these were buttery and perfectly prepared. The best standalone grits I've ever had (and I know...I'm a northerner, so nowhere near an expert...so we could say they are Yankee-approved). The other surprise on the plate was the homemade raspberry jam. I could have licked the inside of the cup, but that may have been frowned upon. Nothing is better than homemade jam, and this was no exception.
MM got the house made chorizo and scrambled egg tacos, that were served with avocado and crumbled queso fresco. Jalapenos were optional, which were even making Mr. Spicy sweat. The chorizo was full of flavor and spice.
We hit two jewels in less than a 24 hour span, and will make me make the drive to see what else the Bull City has to offer my taste buds.
Vin Rouge
2010 Hillsborough Road
Durham NC 27705
www.vinrougerestaurant.com
Watts Grocery
1116 Broad Street
Durham NC 27705
www.wattsgrocery.com
