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| Oysters at 42 Street Bar |
How does one spend a night in Raleigh? Restaurant hopping is
a definite option. Where 2 railroads meet a power station, a block north of
Hillsboro Street, there lays an intersection of restaurants, within a few steps
from each other and you never have to leave this block.
First stop is 42nd Street Oyster Bar. Opened as a grocery store in 1931 and
started to serve beer after prohibition was lifted in 1933. This place is
packed with people and has long lines out the door on a Saturday evening. I
suggest you go directly to the bar, have a dozen raw oysters, a North Carolina
beer from among the many on tap and/or a glass of Sauvignon Blanc and your
night is off to a great beginning. The oysters on the menu come mainly from
Virginia and Maryland. The Chesapeake is well known for muddy waters and its
oysters. I was a bit apprehensive at first and was looking for a colder water
oyster from the Pacific Northwest, but the Virginia oysters tasted clean, briny
and sweet, perfect to start the night with. If you want to hang and have dinner
here, there are plenty of seafood options to choose from. The incentive is to
hear the live band that starts at 10pm....but I am moving on.
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| Dinner at Mantra |
Second stop is Mantra Indian. Across from the Oyster bar, on West Street, is an
awesome Indian place. The freshly fried, paper-thin crisp--Papad or Papadum
were served with 3 types of sauce--mint chutney, raita and tamarind chutney. The
chickpea, lentil and rice are a typical base for the Papad. I had goat curry,
Channa Marsala, lamb vindaloo, basmati rice and plain Nan. I can taste the
sweet spices in the goat curry such as graham Marsala--a mixture typically made
with clove, cardamom and cinnamon. The meat was falling off the bones...so
tasty. Lamb vindaloo kept my spicy craving at bay. The lamb was cooked in a
vinegar base chili curry and potato. Chana Marsala is made with chickpea, curry
powder and graham Marsala. My husband's all time favorite chickpea dish is the
one at Ravi Kebab in the DC area. The one at Mantra, I think is better by far.
And the nightcap is over a beer. Across the street from the oyster bar, on Jones street, there lies an infamous taproom--Natty Greene's Brewery. Started by 2 UNC graduates in Greensboro in 2004, the Raleigh branch opened its doors in 2010. The old powerhouse, renovated and serves 12 beers on tap regularly. I had a light beer made in the Belgian style similar to my favorite Corsendonk, a perfect way to end the night indeed!
And the nightcap is over a beer. Across the street from the oyster bar, on Jones street, there lies an infamous taproom--Natty Greene's Brewery. Started by 2 UNC graduates in Greensboro in 2004, the Raleigh branch opened its doors in 2010. The old powerhouse, renovated and serves 12 beers on tap regularly. I had a light beer made in the Belgian style similar to my favorite Corsendonk, a perfect way to end the night indeed!
Cheers!
Teera
