After Hours Underwhelms

Recently, I was intrigued by the renaissance of Fuquay-Varina’s After Hours Pub, now situated in a different location after years of dormancy. After visiting the new establishment, though, I came away underwhelmed. 

Ostensibly the proprietor(s) of After Hours hope to provide a place where patrons can enjoy drinking beer, throwing darts and eating a burger. While theoretically that’s all well and good, the execution leaves something to be desired. 

On the day I visited, I stood inside the front entrance for several minutes before even being acknowledged by a staff member. Once seated, it took several more minutes for anyone to come and take my drink order. Not a great start to the dining experience. 

My server was friendly enough, but she seemed overwhelmed by the three other tables for which she was responsible. Consequently, my glass of Diet Coke stayed empty more than it remained full, and it also took longer than it should have for utensils to arrive once the food showed up. 

The After Hours menu features the predictable, requisite sports bar fare: burgers, sandwiches and chicken tenders. It would have been nice to see something more appealing—like fresh guacamole or Cajun-spiced cheese fries. 

To be fair, my burger and fries were tasty and arrived piping hot. The serving of hand-cut fries was actually larger than I expected, and I ended up leaving quite a few on the plate.

When I asked the server what beers were on tap, she informed me that no draft choices were available. This struck me as odd for a pub, even though I’m not one who imbibes adult beverages.  

As for décor, simple, Formica-laden tables and vinyl booth seats give After Hours a run-of-the-mill vibe. Maybe a few select pieces of sports memorabilia on the walls would bolster an otherwise ho-hum environment.

After Hours needs to step up its game if it wants to become a legitimate go-to place in Fuquay. 

Lunch Always Classic at Elliotts

You’d be hard-pressed to find a full-service soda fountain more historic than the one at Elliotts Pharmacy, a locally owned, family-run business in downtown Fuquay-Varina. Originally established in 1918, the current fountain bar, swivel stools and other equipment have been in place since 1954.

The soda fountain at Elliotts serves as the quintessential place for locals and visitors alike to get their fill of chicken salad, pimiento cheese sandwiches, fresh-squeezed orangeades, old-fashioned milkshakes and much more. Never mind that just across the aisle from the soda fountain, rows of metal shelves are filled with pharmacy staples like Band-Aids, aspirin and low-priced greeting cards. Without question, Elliotts represents the epitome of a bygone era.

But for many who enter this iconic place, it’s not just to pick up a birthday card, cough drops or a prescription. People like me are more likely to turn up for a reasonably priced lunch and a laid-back conversation with friendly staff.

When it comes to the food, all the popular sandwich spreads are made in-house, including the pimiento cheese, chicken salad, egg salad and ham salad. According to Edwin Holleman, registered pharmacist and the store’s manager, the recipes were created by Sallie Fitzhugh, who ran the fountain for some 40 years.

Most sandwiches are prepared using a classic sandwich press and then served with chips and Bay Valley brand bread and butter pickle slices. It’s best to pair your sandwich with an orangeade or vanilla Coke, either of which will be served over crushed ice. It’s the small details like this that Elliotts gets right time and again.

Be sure to save room for the best chocolate milkshake in Wake County — bar none. Made with Maola ice cream and Hershey’s Genuine Chocolate Syrup, this otherworldly concoction is spun using a classic stainless-steel Hamilton Beach milkshake machine. If you’d rather have a scoop or two of ice cream, half a dozen flavors like chocolate revel or moose tracks are sure to hit the sweet spot.

Elliotts Pharmacy Soda Fountain is open Monday through Friday from 9 a.m. until 5:30 p.m. and Saturdays from 9 a.m. until 2:30 p.m. Cash, checks and credit cards are accepted. The menu is available at www.elliottspharmacy.com/.

Fleming's filet and lobster

Fleming’s Prime Steakhouse & Wine Bar is currently offering a tantalizing combination dinner that pairs its tender filet mignon with succulent North Atlantic Lobster tail, plus a starter course and side item, for less than $35. This special deal, referred to as the “Spring Break Celebration,” is an off-menu special available by request from now through April 7, 2012.

Executive Chef Russell Skall says the classic favorite pairs nicely with Fleming’s seasonal cocktails or a wine from the restaurant’s extensive collection.

When it comes to your starter, two tempting options vie for consideration. You can’t go wrong with either the crisp wedge salad with iceberg lettuce, grape tomatoes, red onions and crumbled blue cheese or savory French onion soup with gruyere and parmesan cheeses.

The lean filet and broiled lobster tail with drawn butter are accompanied by a choice of French green beans with shiitake mushrooms and porcini essence or creamy mashed potatoes topped with blue cheese, parmesan-peppercorn or roasted garlic.

The fine folks at Fleming’s have made several gift cards available for some fortunate Lunchboy Says readers. Simply email me in 25 words or less the reason you deserve dinner at Fleming's. My address is dmccrear@gmail.com. The winners will be chosen sometime next week.

Little Hen Shines

Eager locavores are now rejoicing over the recent opening of Little Hen, an upscale farm-to-table restaurant in Holly Springs.The restaurant represents a dream come true for husband-and-wife duo Regan and Dawn Stachler.

Regan, a trained chef who hails from Fort Myers Beach, Fla., met Dawn, a Singapore native and practicing attorney, at the French Culinary Institute in New York. He honed his chops at the renowned Gramercy Tavern, among other fine-dining establishments, while she spent time staging (similar to interning) at iconic eatery Blue Hill at Stone Barns in Pocantico Hills, N.Y. The couple relocated to North Carolina in 2008, when they began planning to make their reverie a reality.

To say that Little Hen is an ambitious venture would be to understate the situation. After all, it’s certainly not every day — if ever — that bucolic gastronomy hits southern Wake County. But the Stachlers believe the time has come for the area to embrace a sustainable concept with the objective of offering seasonal cuisine prepared from locally grown ingredients.

Already, the couple has aligned themselves with Bobby Tucker of Siler City’s Okfuskee Farm, who will purvey the meat, vegetables and grain to Little Hen. Supporting local farmers is a core tenet of Little Hen.

A versatile chef who churned out a tableful of appetizers, side dishes, entrees and more recently,  Regan does not shy away from delivering an eclectic array of modern American cuisine. Ponder this diverse lineup that arrived at the table: roasted fennel with heritage pork salami and poached duck egg; local carrots with a honey sherry gastrique and toasted almonds; house-made sausage served with arugula chimichurri and watermelon radish; a whole young local chicken with a scallion béchamel, Christmas lima beans and grits; and scratch-made ricotta with blueberry and apple compote, an after-dinner cheese course.

Photo courtesy of Jonathan Fredin/S&A Cherokee

Regan says the menu will remain fluid, and there are no limitations to what we Little Hen will feature. The menu will evolve often and will largely depend on what is sourced to the eatery. 

Also exciting is the recent addition of Scott Frye, the restaurant’s talented pastry chef. Originally from Winston-Salem, Frye graduated from the Culinary Institute of America in Hyde Park, N.Y., and then went on to pastry school in Paris. 

On the occasion I visited, Frye presented an exquisite assortment of desserts, including a pine-nut tart with rosemary cream, a lemon cream tart with fresh fruit and a life-changing good goat cheesecake encrusted in hazelnut brittle with blood orange sauce.

Photo courtesy of Jonathan Fredin/S&A Cherokee

Lest you think it’s all about the food at Little Hen, the 70-seat dining room makes a tremendous first impression all by itself. Industrial-style exposed ductwork and a high ceiling coalesce with modern farmhouse décor to create a contrast that beckons patrons to come and enjoy an inimitable dining experience. Where else around here will you find white linen tablecloths and rustic agricultural implements under the same roof? Consider it farmhouse chic.

Added touches like fresh flowers in vintage glass milk containers and framed chalkboards on the walls do not go unnoticed. Then there are the funky Edison lights, distressed wood benches and floor-to-ceiling windows that only enrich the overall ambiance.

Closed on Mondays, Little Hen is open for dinner service Tuesday through Saturday. Reservations are accepted. The restaurant's phone number recently changed to (919) 363-0000.

Super Wok Mostly Satisfies

Cary’s Super Wok Chinese restaurant has been on my must-visit list ever since esteemed food critic Greg Cox of The News & Observer gave it a four-star rating and ranked it “Best in Class” for 2011. After eating there today, I will say that the food lives up the hype, but the atmosphere and service leave something to be desired.

Bento-box style lunchtime specials are attractive at just $6.25, and that includes iced tea. A wide array of “American menu” offerings range from Chicken Pad Thai and Mongolian beef to Hunan tofu with vegetables and stir-fried string beans. As designated on the menu, the tri-pepper chicken was piquant and contained more residual warmth than an infrared heater.  Still, I enjoyed it.

When it comes to authentic Chinese fare, Super Wok offers up an extensive selection of legit options like the fish-head and tofu hotpot, fried whole fish in Sichuan spicy sauce and pork tripe with pickled vegetable. If you’re feeling particularly adventurous, you can always try the stir-fried intestine with ginger & scallion or the steamed eel with black beans.

Super Wok’s décor is typical of most strip-mall situated Chinese establishments, only more unpretentious. Vinyl flooring, Formica-type tabletops and fluorescent lights provide a trifecta for lame ambiance.  Service during my visit was spotty (for example: my tea glass remained empty for nearly 10 minutes) and lacked warmth and enthusiasm. But perhaps the waitress was overwhelmed by the busload (literally) of Asian customers that arrived just after my food hit the table.

Super Wok was good enough to warrant return visits, but it won’t be a go-to destination for me like Tangerine Café or Ginger Asian Cuisine.

Racin' Java Worth the Pitstop

Since the closure of popular drive-thru coffee kiosk Leapin’ Lizards, patrons seeking to support an independent coffee business in Fuquay have been out of luck.

Until now.

With the opening of Racin’ Java in early 2011, there’s much to get excited about when it comes to quality hot and cold coffee-centric selections as well as shakes and other beverages.  Whether you prefer standard fare like lattes, espressos and brewed coffee or frappes (frozen coffee drinks) and smoothies, Racin’ Java has you covered.

As refreshing as it is to have the new business up and running, it’s even more energizing to see it sourcing coffee from Stockton Graham & Co., an esteemed specialty beverage purveyor based in Raleigh. The coffee is smooth, robust and satisfying, lacking only the bitterness of other well-known beans.

Then there are the creative offerings like Frozen Left Turn (espresso, chocolate coconut and almond) and Gas N Go with chocolate, caramel and hazelnut. Shakes like Oreo, peanut butter cup and M &M’s will keep young and old patrons alike happy during the warmer months.

While the quick service is certain to appeal to the soccer mom set, an all-female barista staff will undoubtedly resonate with male patrons. It’s just one more sharp approach to help make Racin’ Java a pitstop worth visiting time and again. 

Nil's Offers Reliable Lunch Spot

The only thing better than the inimitable chicken salad at Nil’s Café and Bakery in Varina is the always-friendly service of proprietors Sibel and Mustafa Hizaroglu. Winning bread choices include made-fresh pumpernickel, sun-dried tomato, sourdough, Italian or wheat, or for a bit extra you can get a croissant. For your side, go with either taboule, German potato salad, a small side salad or any of the available winning soups (not-so-subliminal hint: lentil).

When it comes to pastry and dessert options, you can’t go wrong with chocolate croissants, baklava, or lemon squares.  An assortment of oversized cookies are also available, but these don’t leave a lasting impression. For something different to drink, Turkish coffee is a good option to consider.

A mixture of two- and four-top tables provides seating for approximately 30 patrons in the cozy dining area.  Ambiance leans toward the quaint European café, although the bridal portraits adorning the walls seem like an afterthought.

One small drawback: At lunchtime, when business is usually bustling, it would be nice to have access to ice without having to ask for it from behind the counter.  Just consider going early for window seat so you can watch passersby or enjoy the free WiFi without having people bump your chair on the way by to get their food.