Magnolia Grill

Yes, it is relatively expensive compared to other restaurants in the triangle (Chapel Hill/Durham/Raleigh). Our meal last night, however, was one of the best we've had EVER. Maybe we "picked" well from the menu, but each dish was divine. For starters we had a crispy bacalao (cod) cake (DH) and Grilled Beef sirloin with spring onions, greens & asparagus. Entrees were a heavenly Alaskan halibut with a pearl barley risotto (me) and Pan-roasted venison in syrah-Juniper jus on toasted pecan spatzle with broccoli rabe. Wow. The venison was tender and rich...the halibut was thick and almost fluffy and seasoned delicately (it smelled SO amazing). We had a nice California Pinot Noir which complimented everything. The Desserts were amazing -- strawberry rhubarb sorbet with buttermilk sabayon and Ginger spice cake w/pear sauce & brandy vanilla ice cream. We walked in to snag one of the 7 tables kept for walk-ins.
Don't expect dried out, well done meats or McDs fries at a wonderful restaurant like this. Also, this IS a small town. People eat much earlier here. Go around 7, NOT at 9pm. When in Rome....

A couple of nights ago I ate some of the best food I've ever put in my mouth here. The restaurant wasn't perfect, but its best dishes were so good I'd forgive almost anything to experience them. I particularly enjoyed the grits-cheese- mushroom dish that is the restaurants' signature dish. The vegetarian member of our party expressed disappointment at his entree, which the waiter acknowleged is a weak point for the restaurant. Also, service wasn't quite attentive enough toward the end of our meal. Water glasses went dry.

As they say, the 1% of people who have a "bad" experience will complain the loudest. Aside from writing an essay on the complete failure of the current consumer society of America, I would like to laud the virtues of Magnolia. The restaurant serves fabulous food in an environment that is welcome to all. The folks that work at and run Magnolia are there to make a living and espouse the virtues of fantastic food in relaxed surroundings. If you wasted your last paycheck paying for your suv and would rather eat steak-umms and wonder bread in copius amounts, please avoid magnolia. Please, spend your money on education and travel.