Raleigh’s Eclectic Ethnic
Food Scene Serves All
Caitlin Griffin, StaffWriter
Once a city where one
could only find down-home country
cooking and the same old fast food
places, Raleigh’s restaurant scene
now includes various types of eth
nic dishes that reflect the Triangle’s
growing cultural diversity. Under
“Raleigh: Recreation” on city-data,
com, Raleigh is specifically praised
for its unusual “ethnic eateries.”
The restaurant styles tend to be just
as diverse as the food served; some
are elegant sit-down places whereas
others are little “hole-in-the-wall”
joints; some are owned by ambi
tious Americans, while still others
are family-owned by immigrants
from the host country. Regardless
of the style of restaurant or type of
ethnic cuisine, Raleigh citizens can
enjoy a unique cultural variety of
food choices that have sprouted up
in and around the Triangle over the
last decade.
Amber Williams, a contrib
uting writer for the Raleigh Ethnic
Restaurants Examiner, writes about
Abysinnia, an Ethiopian restaurant
on Avent Ferry Road. Williams
states, “Abysinnia has such an
authentic Ethiopian atmosphere
that a visit can make you forget
you are still in Raleigh, NC.” She
further explains why Abysinnia
provides a more “intimate” experi
ence for customers: “There
is a comfort level here that
feels as if one has walked
into someone’s home and
not a place of business.
The hostess and wait staff
are considerate and veiy
attentive without being
pushy. Conversation over
dinner is expected and not
rushed. Most tables are
set up for t^vo people at a
small, round table, just big
enough for a plate from
which both people share.”
Williams sings this restau
rant’s praises for anyone
seeking a drastically dif
ferent dining experience.
For example, one cultural
aspect that restaurant go
ers may find unusual is
the lack of silverware. .
“Silverware is not required
for this journey,” Williams states,
“An adventure to this place means
going beyond the ordinary dining
experience and satisfying the taste
for something different.” For more
information on Abysinnia, check
out http://abyssiniarestaurant.
net/.
Raleigh citizens hungry
for a different kind of Asian food
need look no farther than Crazy
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Fire Mongolian Grill. Based in
North Carolina, Crazy Fire has five
locations, three of which fall in the
Triangle. In this unconventional
restaurant, one makes his or her
own meal by choosing various raw
meats and seafood from a refriger
ated buffet and taking them to the
grill. Then the chef of the day tosses
the bowls of raw food over the fire
and cooks it to fit each customer’s
individual preferences. Best of all,
the chefs often do demonstrations
of entertaining “tricks” while cook
ing the food, so Crazy Fire provides
dinner and a mini show all in one!
More information about this Mon
golian local treasure can be found
at http://www.crazyfiremongolian.
com/.
Ron W., author of the
popular blog “Foodallcious Fol
lies: The Triangle’s Food Scene,”
spends the majority of his time
eating out and critiquing every one
of his restaurant experiences. One
of his ethnic Raleigh favorites is The
Oakwood Cafe on Edenton Street.
Although neither the name nor the
first-sight appearance of the cafe
screams “ethnic,” this Argentin
ean family-owned-and-operated,
“hidden ethnic gem” of a restaurant
Photo courtesy of The Oakwood Cafe
serves the only authentic Argentinean and
Cuban cuisine in Raleigh. Ron W. describes
the atmosphere of the small restaurant as
“spartan” and “reminiscent of a down-home
countiy restaurant.” As for the food, he
highly recommends the empanadas, which
are little, puffy, fried triangles stuffed with
one’s choice of beef, cheese, spinach, or
chicken, and he especially praises the great
selection of meats: “Like most Latin-Amer-
ican cuisine, the Oakwood Cafe is really
about the meat. Whether you’re talking pork
tenderloin or churrasco steak, that’s where
Oakwood really shines.” Ron W. ends his
blog entry with a special appraisal of his fa
vorite dessert on the menu; the “tender and
toothsome” fried, caramelized plantains. For
more information on The Oakwood Cafe,
visit the website at http://oakwoodcafera-
leigh.com/.
Raleigh citizens are lucky to have
multiple cultural eateries to choose from
when chowing down out on the town. Be
they small, family-owned businesses or
multiple-location chains, the eclectic, ethnic
food scene in Raleigh that serves all has
something fitting for every taste bud.