9/20/2011 9:46:09 PM

As an update to my previous unimpressed Beasley's review that only I care about, I made a chocolate chess pie last weekend and it didn't set up right. I have no idea what happened, but the upshot is now that Beasley's doesn't make the worst chocolate chess pie I've ever had, just the second worst.

In other news, I went to Chuck's on Sunday night and it was freaking delicious. Got the Dirty South and fries with the Sweet Chili sauce. My girlfriend got the High and the Valley and said it was great. The service was attentive and helpful. Everything was fantastic. Well, they were out of some of the soft drinks due to SparkCon, but that's okay, I had a Czechvar instead. I don't understand the little self-serve water jug with the glass dixie cups, but whatever.

A++++++ will gorge again

[Edited on September 20, 2011 at 10:08 PM. Reason : =]

9/20/2011 10:07:38 PM

^Yeah, I'm kind of pissed off about the tiny water glasses. The self-serve is fine, but why the tiny-ass glasses? I assume that's just because if it was a large glass people would fill it up and not always drink it all, and the waiters have to refill the water container because it's not a tap setup. Still, I think it's pretty annoying. I sat there and had three shots of water before filling up a fourth and going to the table. Looked like a bit of an idiot but I was thirsty and I wasn't going to get up every 3 minutes to fill it up.

9/21/2011 1:18:54 AM

How does Chuck's compare to Chuck Em's?

9/21/2011 1:27:32 AM

^they charge 15 bucks for a burger and fries and can't even provide a full sized water?
OMFG I WANT TO GO THERE SO BAD

9/21/2011 7:16:28 AM

^^^ Welcome to my life for the past four years. God that pissed me off so bad every time I went to a restaurant with kiddie water glasses. The worst was going to curry restaurants that used those

9/21/2011 10:15:32 AM

http://finance.yahoo.com/real-estate/article/113528/americas-best-cities-2011-businessweek;_ylt=Ahkb1icyaCtgHMbJ97r0YQFO0tIF;_ylu=X3oDMTBzdWhmNWhlBHBvcwMxBHNlYwNhcnRpY2xlRmluYWwEc2xrAzE

9/21/2011 11:14:06 AM

You don't drink water with your burger at Chuck's. You drink a beer.

Anyway, I went today and had the Spirit Animal and it was by far the best burger I've ever had. The cream cheese is so good (I'm going to ask for more next time). The fries were great as well, and I could have eaten the comeback sauce with a spoon.

9/25/2011 3:44:28 AM

The comeback sauce was indeed awesome. I just had a late night beer with some fries so I can't comment on the burgers yet. I also paid a visit to Fox's and I have to say I was extremely disappointed. It was only 10oclock and already insanely crowded (not their fault but it added to the frustration). I got there and waited at the bar for 20 minutes before the bartender actually took my order. I finally had to yell, "NO! You're going to take OUR order now!" 15 minutes later we got our drinks. However, the drinks themselves were delicious. I'll save final judgement after I save up the money to go back again.

9/25/2011 10:31:45 PM

Quote :

"You don't drink water with your burger at Chuck's. You drink a beer."

You're not helping this whole problem with people blindly hating on AC restaurants. Nothing wrong with reasonably acknowledging a fault of practicality. I did have a beer, but as stated I'd walked around an outdoor convention for the last four hours, fuck if I'm stupid enough to not drink water.

Quote :

"I finally had to yell, "NO! You're going to take OUR order now!" "

So you loved the drink despite the fact that everyone spit in it before bringing it to you?

[Edited on September 26, 2011 at 12:34 AM. Reason : f]

9/26/2011 12:33:54 AM

^^haha social awkwardness

9/26/2011 10:12:45 AM

I went to Beasley's this weekend and I, too, was not impressed. I love Poole's and acknowledge that AC is a very talented chef with a lot of good vision but this place was not worth the hype.

The chicken was good, just not worth the price. Although it was expensive, that isn't what will likely keep me from going there again. There are only 3 items on the menu, one of which is offered at limited times. After going once, I really see nothing that should inspire anyone to go again.

$30 for two chicken biscuits and a side of mac-n-cheese or two 4pc supremes for $10...

9/26/2011 10:23:59 AM

Quote :

""NO! You're going to take OUR order now!""

you do realize that when you talk to a bartender like this in a crowded bar you will get horrible service. They have plenty of customers who wait patiently and still tip well. If you dont like waiting then you either need to tip well above normal or go to a bar that isnt crowded. When i worked behind a bar somebody that yelled at me would get passed up many times before they got their drinks. and they had a very very low chance of getting drinks from me again for the rest of the night.
This is how crowded bars work and you yelling is not going to change this. I fail to see how people dont understand this concept. Simple supply and demand. Plenty of customers that want drinks.

9/26/2011 10:33:20 AM

^^If you have to lie or exaggerate to make a point, its usually not a good point

Chicken Biscuit = $6.75 X2 = $13.50 +$3.50 side of mac/cheese = $17.00 =/= $30.00

9/26/2011 11:24:30 AM

^^Sigh. Since I didn't really go into much detail I will ignore your condescending attitude.

Quote :

"If you dont like waiting then you either need to tip well above normal"

Doesn't really help much on the first (and only) drink we had there.

Quote :

"This is how crowded bars work and you yelling is not going to change this."

I've been to plenty of crowded bars. Many that were much more crowded and I had to wait much longer. Never have I ever had to tell a bartender to take my order. That should tell you how bad this was.

We got there and sat down right at the bar in front of the guy. There were plenty of people standing up but no one was sitting at these seats so we thought, why not? Like I said, there were plenty of people waiting for drinks so we just hung out for a while since the guy was obviously swamped. Eventually, everyone who was there before us had been served and we began to expect he would make some eye contact and take our orders. Instead he served some guy he knew that walked up with a four drink order. Then he served some big titted girl (understandable). Then some guy "had to go right now because his friends were leaving" and he served him. Keep in mind we had no drinks, not even a water in front of us. Just an empty bar and we were directly in front of him. He serves another guy that just walked in the bar. At this point I had to convince the rest of my party not to leave. Finally, another guy walks up and the bartender starts to take his order. That's when I interjected and said (didn't yell btw. despite my previous capitalization) that we were there longer and he should make our drinks first.

Guess what? He apologized, made the drinks, and was super attentive the remainder of our time there. Brought us waters without us asking and asked us multiple times how the drinks were. Turns out he had only been working there a week(he had a cheat sheet for every cocktail) and was still feeling things out. I felt bad for him and still tipped him well. So, excuse me if I don't take your advice on this one. Me calling the guy out actually resulted in us having a great experience the rest of the time there. We didn't get "passed up many times" and have a "very low chance of getting drinks again". But thanks for telling me how crowded bars work.

[Edited on September 26, 2011 at 4:39 PM. Reason : ]

9/26/2011 4:37:29 PM

Yeah I don't think there's necessarily anything wrong with calling a bartender out if he is consistently skipping over you. Good chance he's just being a dummy and not realizing he hasn't gotten to you in the first place.

9/28/2011 8:42:27 AM

From personal experience, 90% of the time if you call out the bartender it is not going to get you better service. In a crowded bar it will most likely get you worse service. Maybe not the first time you get his attention by yelling at him, but you can be sure he will pass you over when you come back for drinks.

meh, just what i have seen and experienced in the 8 years i worked in volume based bars.

9/28/2011 10:21:48 AM

They started adding the outer casing to the "death star"/museum project within the last few days. I will be out of town for a week, but will try to get over there to take some pictures when I get back.

9/28/2011 11:28:49 AM

Also a new rendering (new for me at least) of the ale house on Glenwood South:

9/28/2011 11:45:33 AM

so is that thing gonna be built at some point or what

9/28/2011 12:24:36 PM

sounds like they are in their final stages of city/approval and have a goal of summer 2012.

9/28/2011 12:31:33 PM

Too bad its gonna be on glenwood south

9/28/2011 2:22:35 PM

Sadly Glenwood South was the place to be when they bought it ~5 years ago.

9/28/2011 2:46:04 PM

yay an ale house! maybe next we can get an applebees or a ruby tuesday by downtown!

9/28/2011 3:07:02 PM

Yeah I feel pretty meh about a Carolina Ale House. What else is going to be in that building?

9/28/2011 3:28:08 PM

I'll frequent that new Ale House strictly for the fact that I love drinking outside whilst above street level

9/28/2011 9:21:11 PM

Cool. Another building that looks like Solas.

9/28/2011 10:12:12 PM

The problem with Solas isn't the building.

It's everything else.

9/28/2011 10:24:42 PM

Tobacco Road will always be the superior sports bar, but I'll try this for the outside seating for sure a few times.

9/28/2011 10:29:47 PM

Fuck I hate Carolina Ale House but I love elevated street views.

9/29/2011 12:37:19 AM

Quote :

"yay an ale house! maybe next we can get an applebees or a ruby tuesday by downtown!"

I'm sure all the Cary and Briar Creek nerds will flock to this place and then tell all their friends how they like going to Glenwood South.

[Edited on September 29, 2011 at 1:24 AM. Reason : l]

9/29/2011 1:24:18 AM

Quote :

"The problem with Solas isn't the building. It's everything else."

Mostly this. Although, the restaurant part isn't bad.

9/29/2011 7:17:36 AM

^^ Truth.

9/29/2011 8:36:35 AM

Actually, Solas is awesome. Especially on thursdays. $6 red bull & vodkas, crazy honeys, and great music.

9/29/2011 9:32:45 AM

you have just outed yourself as a gelhead who likely takes style cues from the jersey shore.

9/29/2011 9:34:21 AM

Actually, I am a gelhead, and have been for the past 7 years. Believe it or not, there were guidos before Jersey shore even existed.

9/29/2011 9:49:02 AM

hahaha, as long as you're proud of being that.

[Edited on September 29, 2011 at 10:16 AM. Reason : BRAH]

9/29/2011 10:15:26 AM

Quote :

"Cary and Briar Creek nerds"

?

9/29/2011 10:31:23 AM

Quote :

"$6 RED BULL & VODKAS"

(lol at that being a special everyone gets excited about. couldn't be more appropriate for that place)

9/29/2011 7:43:09 PM

Quote :

" Fuck I hate Carolina Ale House but I love elevated street views."

I lived in Greenville, SC for a while, and the Carolina Ale House on Main Street down there was pretty awesome. I'm no fan of the restaurant, but the second floor bar had bigass bay windows that would roll open for a rooftop bar experience. Place was constantly packed and the bar was pretty damn good.

9/29/2011 7:55:39 PM

^despite it being a chain, I am excited about its addition to Glenwood South for ^ those same reasons. Along with 2 more apartment buildings, and the Hampton Inn (and hopefully Powerhouse Plaza) Glenwood probably has the most forward momentum in all of downtown right now.

9/30/2011 9:37:31 AM

I'm kind of surprised Wilmington Street hasn't seen more development. It seems like the next logical step after Fayetteville Street. But I guess the economy plays a large role in that.

9/30/2011 9:47:12 AM

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=N5zlekkklgA&feature=player_embedded

9/30/2011 2:00:39 PM

^^I mean, I think it will slowly get there but it seems like a lot of private business owners are hesitant to set up shop there. The bus stop is right there, homeless/shady people are always around. It's funny how things are so different just one block over from Fayettville Street.

9/30/2011 5:24:53 PM

Quote :

"The bus stop is right there"

lol. Only in America is this a deterrent rather than a selling point.

9/30/2011 5:26:08 PM

There's plenty of development on Wilmington.

Three new restaurants and a bar in the past six months isn't enough?

Not to mention Empire is working on the former Brass Grill space.

9/30/2011 5:42:59 PM

^Yeah, AC has invested in that corner of Wilmington and has been quoted as saying she partially chose that spot in the hopes that it would encourage more people to do the same. So, you can't really act like it was all separate business owners doing their own thing. She decided to put all of those businesses right there for that very reason.

I didn't know about the Brass Grille space. What's going on there? And what's the third restaurant?

9/30/2011 5:51:01 PM

Wilmoore Cafe?

9/30/2011 6:05:56 PM

Not speaking for wolfpackgrrr but I am guessing she is referring to more than just street level/restaurant activity.

10/1/2011 3:55:24 AM

The entire street is filled with buildings aside from one block between the deck and Shaw. What else can you expect other than street level renovation of existing spaces?

10/1/2011 1:34:08 PM