Sushi Kingdom

 

Located at 5872 Samet Drive in the Palladium Shopping Center in High Point, Sushi Kingdom offers sushi and Japanese cuisine. All-you-can eat sushi and online ordering are available. Sushi Kingdom is open from 11-3 and 4:30 to 10 on weekdays and 12-10 on weekends.

The presence of several existing establishments in the near vicinity made Sushi Kingdom’s debut a headscratcher, but the minute all you can eat was unveiled, it became a game-changer. AYCE previously required a long-ish trek to northern Greensboro, so having such an option close by is a welcome relief. You’re getting more than just quantity here, however, as Sushi Kingdom has some of the best sushi in High Point.

First, a caveat: Sushi Kingdom fills up easily. It’s housed in a former Moe’s that is probably too small for its operation. We stopped by on a Monday night and encountered a wait (arrive early if you’re planning a weekend visit). Due to that busyness, our constantly-hustling server felt like she was doing the jobs of three people. She was great, but don’t be surprised if you get a “Did you order this?” query or two from the beleaguered staff.

That bit of chaos aside, Sushi Kingdom otherwise offered an excellent early birthday meal. My wife and I both went for AYCE at $29 per person, and it was worth it. Sushi Kingdom offers a variety of kitchen apps, hibachi dishes, classic and specialty rolls. We tried the edamame, crab rangoons, tempura vegetables, miso, and several classic and specialty rolls. 

There were no misses in the bunch. It may have been the coolness of the evening, but the miso was especially satisfying. The sushi tasted fresh, and they didn’t skimp on the sizing. Our favorite was the Diamond Roll (salmon, eel, avocado, and crab deep fried and topped with spicy crab and ponzu sauce) though anyone wanting a change of pace should look into the Summer Mango (mango, avocado, and cucumber topped with salmon and mango sauce). The sweetness paired well with the other roll’s heat.

 

While Sushi Kingdom does place a two-hour time limit on AYCE, we felt no pressure during our meal. They explained the “rules” (leftovers = extra charge) at the beginning and let us eat in peace. Though the staff were, as mentioned, working up a storm, they remained cordial throughout.

Defying the odds, Sushi Kingdom shows that you can do all you can eat without sacrificing quality. I look forward to a return visit. Come early, and come hungry.

Andor

 

Searching for his long-lost sister, thief Cassian Andor (Diego Luna) ends up on the run from corporate security investigator Syril Karn (Kyler Soller). Andor’s friend Bix (Adria Arjona) puts him in contact with a black-market buyer, Luthen Rael (Stellan Skarsgard), who is actually a well-connected Rebel operative posing as an antiquities dealer. He hired Cassian for an audacious heist to strike at the heart of the Empire, an act that attracts the attention of intelligence officer Dedra Meero (Denise Gough) and makes Senator Mon Mothma (Genevieve O’Reilly), who is secretly funding the Rebellion, nervous. As different factions plot to outmaneuver one another, Cassian could be the one piece that ties everything together.

 

A spinoff of a Star Wars prequel inevitably raises the question “Who asked for this?,” but Andor’s relative disconnect from the greater mythology is one of its biggest assets. Freed from the need to fill in dozens of film-induced plotholes or pander to fans with familiar character cameos, this Tony Gilroy-created Disney Plus series is a refreshingly mature take on a Star Wars series.

 

Part political drama and part police procedural, Andor is a show that demands patience. There is no shortage of action (Cassian and Luthen’s introduction, the aforementioned heist, and a supremely tense finale being a few standout examples), but Andor takes its time to build up characters and their motivations before sending them into the fray. Given the various competing factions and ideologies, this is beneficial in the long run.

 

With neither Jedi nor Sith among the cast, Andor is able to offer a more grounded and nuanced depiction of the Star Wars universe. Luna is good in the title role, playing Andor as a mercenary cynic who eventually finds a cause worth believing in. The always dependable Skarsgard adds a layered performance as Luthen, who is somewhere between Nick Fury and Amanda Waller among ruthless but well-intentioned spymasters. Soller’s buttoned-down, perpetually humiliated Karn plays as a youthful and overmatched Javert to Andor’s Valjean, and Fiona Shaw, as Andor’s adaptive mother Maarva, provides pluck and hearty moral fortitude.

 

Paradoxically, fully appreciating Andor requires both some interest in wider Star Wars canon as well as some distance from it. For those who can strike this balance, there will be a planned second season to look forward to.

New in 2022 High Point/Jamestown Coffee Shop Roundup

 Though it was hardly lacking in coffee options beforehand, the High Point area welcomed several new coffeeshops onto the scene in 2022. I tried three of them – Message Coffee, Kindred Coffee, and Core Coffee – during the past month. Here’s how the cups stack up.

 

Message Coffee

Message Coffee is located inside of the Stock + Grain Assembly Food Hall in downtown High Point, which is both a blessing and a curse. Plenty of tasty food is but a few steps away, but during peak hours, foot traffic can be intense. Given the location, a reading/work space this is not.

Message offers hot and cold coffees, teas, and refreshers as well as a few pastries (from Camino Bakery). I went with an iced Salted Honeycomb for my first visit and found it quite sweet but not unpleasant. As with every Stock + Grain business, you end up overpaying for the location. Still, if you happen to be downtown and catch a coffee craving, you could do worse than overpaying to support these folks.

 

Kindred Coffee

 

Kindred Coffee is the newest tenant in the former Miller's Market space in Jamestown, but they are not new to the coffee game. If you remember buying coffee from a VW Bus (Cause Roast) in the former Black Dog Home lot a few years back, these are the same folks. They are on a limited coffee-only menu while they are starting out but will be adding food (and nitro cold brew) in the future.

As with the building's previous occupant, Kindred's space is bright and clean. The proprietors are personable and passionate about what they do, and they use a quality product (HEX Coffee, a specialty roaster out of Charlotte). The caramel latte I tried was smooth and satisfying (low acidity, good flavor, not too sweet).

That said, Kindred managed to be even more expensive than Message. My 12-ounce latte ran $5.75, and a 12-ounce peppermint mocha with oat milk was $6.75. Coffee that was miles ahead of everything available locally could perhaps justify the cost, but that wasn't the case here.

I will likely reappraise once Kindred has gotten a chance to expand its offerings. For their sake (and mine - it would be very convenient to have a coffee stop on the way to work), I hope that they are able to stick.

 

Core Coffee

 

Housed in Carolina Core Wellness on an offshoot of Penny Road, Core Coffee is considerably off the beaten path. Location aside, however, there is a lot to like here. The coffee shop is spacious and bright with comfortable-looking chairs and tasteful artwork. The baristas are kind, and, thankfully, patient. Core's fairly extensive repertoire of teas, coffees (they use Fortuna beans), and smoothies includes everything from nitro to a dozen seasonal drinks, which can make for a tough decision.

I opted for a Moravian Cookie Latte and picked up a lavender soy latte for my wife. The former included welcome spice notes that did not overpower, and my wife reported that the latter passed her "not too sweet" test. Prices here are reasonable (a 24-ounce latte ran $6), and they also offer Happy Hour discounts from 2 to 4 p.m.

While there may be more readily accessible java options elsewhere in town, if you're in the Palladium area and want a break from chain coffee, give Core a try.

High Point Bagels

 

Located at 1228 Eastchester Drive in High Point, High Point Bagels offers bagels, sandwiches, and baked goods. It is open from 6 a.m. to 2 p.m. daily (though temporarily closed on Tuesdays). Catering is available.

 

Contrary to popular belief, good bagels are not hard to find in the Triad. You just need to know where to look. New Garden Bagels in Greensboro, with its Northern roots and traditional preparation (boil then bake), is one such spot, and High Point Bagels, which shares those attributes, is another. Though a bit rough around the edges, HPB offers unquestionably the best bagel in High Point and among the best in the region.

 

Owned by a Long Islander (with the accent and attitude to match), High Point Bagels lives up to its pedigree. Those of us from the New York/New Jersey area will find little to sneer at here as they nail the requisite (crisp outside/chewy inside) texture. And while the inventory varies, when HPB is fully stocked, the selection is hard to beat. On a good day, every flavor you’d expect (everything, pumpernickel, onion) will likely be accounted for, plus HPB offers the ever-elusive egg bagel as well as several types of spreads and cream cheeses (and muffins and black and white cookies and….you get the idea). You can’t go wrong with a breakfast sandwich here (they offer Taylor ham, which nets them another authenticity point) though if you arrive later in the day, the Reuben sandwiches, messy as they can be, are delicious. Try one on pumpernickel.

Though food quality is a constant, your experience may otherwise vary. High Point Bagels occupies a small, utilitarian (wall of license plates notwithstanding) space with only a few tables, and lines out the door aren’t uncommon. Staff are mostly friendly and frequently husting, but woe unto thee who ends up in line behind a large, complex order. In short, don’t go here if you’re in a hurry or want a quiet eat-in experience (unless it's an off-hour), but if you’re getting your bagels to go and have time to spare, you should be fine.

Biscuits Brisket & Beer

 

Located at 275 North Elm Street inside the Stock + Grain Assembly food hall, Biscuits Brisket & Beer offers smoked meats, homemade biscuits, toppings, and sauces, and beer on tap. It is open daily from 11 a.m. until food runs out.

 

Biscuits Brisket & Beer offers a great concept (gotta love the name) and food quality to match but there are a few caveats to eating here.

 

My wife and I stopped by not long past opening on a Saturday (a good time to avoid Stock + Grain’s crowds). We opted for the Big Gull Platter, a sampler than included a quarter pound of brisket, turkey, and sausage plus a biscuit and topping (options included everything from gravy to honey to fried green tomatoes to the pimento we went with). Our food came out surprisingly quickly, and we were given a choice of sauces (sweet, mustard, or garlic).

 

While not the best BBQ in the area, Biscuits Brisket & Beer can hold its own. The brisket was tender and paired well with the sweet sauce. The turkey was nicely peppered though the garlicky sausage was, unexpectedly, the star of the plate. The biscuit was good but not particularly memorable.

 

However, Biscuits Brisket & Beer shares the same high price/small portion problem that plagues at least one of its Stock + Grain neighbors. The lunch specials (brisket or turkey with fries, for $10 or $9, respectively) do seem like a considerably better deal, but the $24 Big Gull delivered little value.

 

I’ve learned to temper my expectations somewhat when it comes to Stock + Grain, but it hasn’t earned a spot on my avoid list. If nothing else, Biscuits Brisket & Beer has enough quality smoked meats to merit an eventual return.

Glass Onion: A Knives Out Mystery

 

Tech billionaire Miles Bron (Edward Norton) invites his close friends to his private island for a birthday celebration and a murder mystery. The group includes his company’s lead scientist Lionel Touissant (Leslie Odom Jr.), Connecticut governor Claire Debella (Kathryn Hahn), fashion model-turned-designer Birdie Jay (Kate Hudson) and her beleaguered assistant Peg (Jessica Henwick), men’s rights streamer Duke Cody (Dave Bautista) and his girlfriend/assistant Whiskey (Madelyn Cline), and embittered former business partner Andi Brand (Janelle Monae). Also joining the fray is renowned detective Benoit Blanc (Daniel Craig). But when Blanc learns that Bron never invited him, he suspects the eccentric host’s game might give way to a real murder, especially when Andi brings the guest’s entanglements with Bron’s shady dealings to light.

 

Rian Johnson’s 2019 hit Knives Out was an uproarious take on the Agatha Christie-style murder-in-a-manor. This sequel, connected only by Blanc’s appearance, takes more cues from “destination” murder mysteries such as Death on the Nile (with a touch of Murder by Death thrown in). It isn’t nearly as tightly constructed or clever as the first film, but it’s still plenty entertaining.

 

As with its predecessor, Glass Onion boasts a cast of A-listers spinning characters that range from hypocritical to over-the-top horrible into comedic gold. Hudson’s unfiltered, witless Birdie Jay makes the Jersey Shore cast seem urbane, Bautista’s perpetually gun-toting Duke is a Tucker Carlson Tonight reject whose vileness is tempered by pathetic desperation. The usually excellent Hahn isn’t given nearly as much to work with, but her (presumably Democratic) climate warrior politician funded by corporate cash extends Johnson’s penchant for skewering everyone.

 

The three juiciest parts, however, are also the best acted. Craig continues to thrive as a Southern-fried Poirot, alternating between embarrassing discomfort, brilliant (if pompously delivered) deduction, and sheer annoyance at the stupidity of others. The multitalented Monet makes the most of what turns out to be a dual role, playing each with distinction and conviction. Norton, is, on the surface, a transparent riff on Elon Musk, which would make him, a hyper-ambitious glory hog with no sense of restraint. His moments of affability and abject cowardice round the character, and there’s an interesting meta-layer to the casting (Norton being both highly intelligent and talented and very difficult to work with).

 

Despite the cast’s charisma, the striking island setting, and Nate Johnson’s (the director’s cousin) exciting score, Glass Onion’s plot is powered, to an alarming extent on contrivance, the mid-movie reveal being the most egregious example. For every hint that Rian Johnson is able to slip under the radar, there also seems to be one that is an obvious tell. This makes for a movie that is not nearly as narratively gripping as the first Knives Out, and the ending’s attempt at catharsis feels forced.

 

Netflix is due at least one more Knives Out film, and so we may see Blanc interact with even more impeccably cast deplorables before long. Their ability to make us laugh seems a given, but the ingenuity of the murder that engulfs them seems considerably less certain.

Black Panther: Wakanda Forever

 

Following the death of T’Challa (Chadwick Boseman), Wakanda’s king and protector, the nation falls into despair as his mother, Queen Ramonda (Angela Bassett), faces a world hungry for the country’s rare metal, vibranium. The pursuit of an alternate vibranium source leads Americans to the secretive underwater kingdom of Talokan, whose ruler Namor (Tenoch Huerta) urges Wakanda to ally against outside threats or else face devastation. However, Princess Shuri (Letitia Wright) instead decamps to the U.S. with General Okoye (Danai Guirira) on a mission to locate and rescue the teen genius (Dominique Thorne) behind the government’s vibranium detector before Namor’s forces can do her harm.

 

While writer/director Ryan Coogler’s Black Panther was a culturally resonant hit in 2018, lead actor Boseman’s 2020 death from colon cancer cast a long shadow over the second installment. The film tastefully honors his passing, but it also makes Wakanda Forever, at times, a very heavy affair. There is still plenty of visual spectacle to behold here along with several strong performances, but this cannot help but feel like a too-long (161 minutes) film that tries to do too much.

 

While Thorne’s Riri Williams seems rushed and shoehorned into her Iron Man successor role, the film’s character development is otherwise an asset with acting to match. Those (James Cameron the latest among them) who are quick to dismiss Marvel movies as emotionally stunted juvenilia should pay close attention to Bassett’s powerhouse performance here as a strong leader and grieving mother whose best intentions have catastrophic consequences. Namor, Marvel’s first antihero (dating back to the 1930s!), is usually depicted in the source material as ambiguously East Asian, so the switch to a Mesoamerican background (he’s synthesized with the Mayan god Kukulkan here) may be less about representation and more about separating him from his DC equivalent, Aquaman. At any rate, Huerta is both disarmingly genial and coldly and ruthlessly dedicated to protecting his people, a complexity that frees him from the generic megalomania that has plagued many a villain and that engenders sympathy. Wright, who shifts from smart-aleck sidekick/foil to a guilt-ridden leadership role, is outshined, but she does give her character more dimensionality, and the same can be said for Lupita Nyong’o as T’Challa’s friend and lover Nakia, an ex-spy living abroad. And for those who enjoyed his trollish performance the last time around, Winston Duke's M'Baku returns to do more scene-stealing as well.

 

Visually, Wakanda Forever combines the silly and the sublime. The warriors of Talokan appear blue when on land, which invites unfortunate Avatar comparisons. Whereas the first Black Panther suffered from decidedly dodgy CGI animals, the fauna don’t look as bad here; they are just used in ridiculous ways (whales as troop transports, anyone?). That said, Talokan’s first appearance is grippingly suspenseful, and the movie’s grand battles are gripping and majestic. There is, however, a sense that they could be shaved by a few minutes to speed the movie along as by the 150 minute-mark, Wakanda Forever feels as if it will go on….you get the idea.

 

Between Boseman’s death, COVID-related production delays, and the taint of Wright’s anti-vax activism, Coogler faced an extraordinarily difficult path in bringing Wakanda Forever to the screen. What he was able to achieve is commendable even if this film lacks some of its predecessor’s vibrance and cachet. 

Werewolf by Night

 

When Ulysses Bloodstone, leader of a group of monster hunters, dies, the other group members are enlisted to compete in a hunt to determine who will replace him and wield the powerful Bloodstone. The aspirants include Ulysses’s daughter Elsa (Laura Donnelly), who had forsaken her family’s legacy, as well as Jack Russell (Gael Garcia Bernal), who boasts an impressive track record and harbors more than a few secrets. As the hunt gets underway, it soon becomes clear that nothing is as it seems, including the monster the group is chasing.

Prolific composer Michael Giacchino’s directorial debut is billed as a Marvel Studios Special Presentation, occupying a middle ground between a feature-length film and an episode of a Marvel/Disney Plus streaming series. Tonally and aesthetically, however, it stands apart from either. Shot in black and white, it is a faithful homage to the monster movies of old. Far from being a mere nostalgia act, however, Werewolf by Night is a stylistic spectacle that highlights lesser-known Marvel characters.

The film’s 53-minute runtime is both a blessing and a curse. Werewolf by Night is tautly paced with nary a wasted moment, let alone a superfluous subplot or ham-handed declaration of theme (I’m looking at you, She-Hulk). However, because we follow them so briefly, we do not get to know most of the movie’s characters very well. The stakes will always be lower for red shirts led to slaughter than they will be for fan favorites biting the dust.

Despite these confines, however, Bernal and Donnelly do a decent job of fleshing their characters out. Bernal’s Russell is enigmatic, and though he is not the tortured soul of his comic book counterpart, he has more depth and morality than his initial appearance suggests. Donnelly exudes a cool competence verging on boredom at times, but this façade crumbles when she finds herself face-to-face with a monster she did not expect. As Elsa’s stepmother Verussa, Harriet Sansom Harris hams it up with aplomb, her demonstrativeness a throwback to the old monster flicks that inspired this one. “Ted” also makes quite an impression, but to say more would be to spoil one of the movie’s best-kept secrets.

Style, however, is where Werewolf by Night really shines. The use of black-and-white is striking, and it allows the bright red Bloodstone (the only bit of color throughout much of the run time) to take on a grandly sinister aura. It also helps mask the film’s brutality as Werewolf by Night is considerably gorier than typical Marvel fare. Practical effects rather than copious CGI further establish the movie’s old school bona fides. While Giacchino shows surprising flair from the director’s chair, he is still equally adept at his day job: the film’s score is a perfect fit for its mood.

If the worst that can be said for Werewolf by Night is that it is too short, then its creators must be doing something right. Don’t go looking for the reality-bending visuals of a Doctor Strange or the further development of Marvel’s increasingly complex interconnected mythology here. Do enjoy it on its own terms: a brief bit of distinctively rendered scary fun.

Island Cuisine

Located at 6246 Towncenter Drive in Clemmons, Island Cuisine offers Filipino and Asian Fusion cuisine. It is open from 4-8 p.m. Tuesday-Thursday, 11-8 Friday-Sunday, and closed Monday. Outdoor seating, online ordering, and catering are available.

 

It had been too long since I had Filipino cooking, so I was eager to give Island Cuisine a try. It didn’t disappoint though there is room for improvement in a few areas.

 

Island Cuisine boasts a fairly extensive menu, offering everything from apps to noodles (pancit) to rice bowls to various proteins to soups and more. You can do breakfast for dinner here, and there are several vegetarian options as well. For our first visit, my wife and I went with a meat lumpia, a pinakbet (Japanese eggplant, squash, green beans, and okra over rice), and a pork binagoongan (pork with pineapple in a coconut milk sauce). We didn’t have long to wait for our food, and the pricing here (our entrees were in the $10 to $12 range) left no complaints.

 

The food offered more hits than misses. The lumpia were quite thin but tasty and crispy. The vegetables in the pinakbet made for a vibrant medley, and the Japanese eggplant in particular shined. The pork dish featured a very satisfying sauce that reminded me a bit of a Panang curry. However, the accompanying sauteed zucchini was confusingly lukewarm. We'd also paid $3 extra to add fried pork belly to the pinakbet, and it proved very dry.

 

Overall, Island Cuisine offers a good change-of-pace, and I will keep it in mind the next time a Filipino craving hits.

 

SouthEnd Brewing

Located at 117B West Lewis Street in Downtown Greensboro, SouthEnd Brewing offers more than a dozen craft beers on tap and a menu featuring pub fare. It is open from 4 p.m. to 10 p.m. Monday-Thursday, 2-12 on Friday, 12-12 on Sunday, and 10:30-9 on Sunday. Dog-friendly outdoor seating is available, live music is held regularly, and a brunch is offered on Sundays.

 

Though it would have benefited from the location regardless, SouthEnd definitely does not coast on that or fun beer names (such as the Wendover River blonde ale or the HaHop with Nelson hops) alone. For fans of the building’s previous tenant, the master brewer here is a Gibbs Hundred veteran. There is also plenty of space, some eye-catching murals, and food that is several notches above standard brewery fare.

 

My wife and I tried SouthEnd for Sunday brunch and found it bustling but far from full. It’s counter service here, and you’ll want to watch where you line up so that you don’t block anyone’s path. A preponderance of tantalizing options (poke nachos, chicken and waffles, and various specialty fries among them) made decisions difficult, but we ultimately went with a brunch bowl, a maple porter brisket sandwich, and Bavarian pretzels to share. My wife also opted for a Three Raccoons in a Trench Coat vanilla porter and found it to her liking.

 

Food took a bit to arrive, but it was well worth the wait. The brunch bowl offers a choice of egg styles, meats, and potatoes or grits, and my wife opted for potatoes (fried nice and crispy) and pork with a delectable gravy. The pretzels were very salty (as, perhaps, they should be), and we paired them with very good beer cheese. Both of these items came in rather filling quantities. However, “rather filling” does not even begin to describe the brisket sandwich. Unless you fast beforehand, this is a two-person job. Thick slices of brisket join bacon, onion straws, tomato, egg, and pepper jack along with maple porter honey mustard on a bun that can barely contain it all. It’s a glorious meat-tastic mess of a sandwich, one that will require several napkins and considerable resolve and stomach capacity to get through while leaving you thoroughly enjoying every bite even if you can barely move afterwards.

 

Given the quantities, prices here definitely aren’t anything to complain about. Pretzels with beer cheese were $8, the brunch bowl was a mere $10, and the overstuffed brisket sandwich was $14. Add to that friendly staff and bartenders, and SouthEnd sets itself apart from the other downtown breweries and bars.

 

Al-Falah Kabab & Gyro

 Located at the Mobil station at 1010 North Main Street in High Point, Al-Falah serves Middle Eastern and Pakistani halal cuisine from 11 a.m. to 9 p.m. daily.

 

I must have driven past this food truck a hundred times before I finally paid it a visit. It was enough to make me wish I had stopped much sooner. Al-Falah offers a combination of Pakistani (chapli kabobs, chicken tikka, samosas), Middle Eastern/Mediterranean (gyros), and American (hot dogs and cheesesteaks) sandwiches and entrees, all made fresh to order. Expect a ten or so minute wait.

Prices aren’t posted, but my chapli kabob over rice came out to $10. It ended up being quite a bit of food for the money, and while not quite on-par with the best Middle Eastern or South Asian in the area, it was still very tasty. The meat was well-seasoned and the white sauce made for a nice complement. If offered spicy sauce, be forewarned that it lives up to its name.

 

If you made my mistake of passing Al-Falah by without a second thought, let a gyro or kabab be your penance. You won’t regret it.

42 & Lawrence

 Located at 134 East Martin Street in Downtown Raleigh, 42 & Lawrence offers coffees, teas, and pastries. It is open from 7 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. Sunday-Thursday, 7-7 Friday and Saturday, and closed Monday. Specialty beverages rotate seasonally, and online ordering is available.

 

Named for a Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy reference (and for local roaster Larry Larson), it is perhaps somewhat fitting that this gem of a coffee shop has become our annual post-GalaxyCon caffeinate-and-cool off destination. While it boasts a sleek modern ambiance and welcoming staff, the biggest draw can be summed up in two words: coffee flights. With options including nitro cold brews, draft lattes, and more, this is a great way to sample a bit of everything and still get your caffeine fix. They are my wife’s go-to order while I usually opt for one of the seasonal drinks. The orange creamsicle I tried during our most recent visit isn’t something I would repeat, but I do credit them for trying out a variety of syrups and flavors.

 

There are plenty of coffee shops in Downtown Raleigh, but if you can abide by the limited seating, 42 and Lawrence offers all the strong coffee, inventive flavorings, and charm that you need.

The Big Easy

 

Located at 222 Fayetteville Street in Downtown Raleigh, The Big Easy offers Cajun and Creole cuisine from 11 a.m. to 2 a.m. daily. There is a full bar with craft cocktails and daily drink specials as well as live music on Saturdays. Catering and private dining are available.

 

I’m always on the lookout for Louisiana cooking and was glad to have found it in Raleigh. It isn’t the best representation thereof you’re likely to have come across, but it still made for a very enjoyable lunch.

 

Housed next to the City of Raleigh Museum, The Big Easy offers a comfortable atmosphere with low lighting and vintage photos on the walls. There is a large bar area but plenty of tables as well.

 

The menu here is true to the establishment’s concept, offering up everything from jambalayas and gumbos and etouffees to muffuletas and po boys and more. It all sounded good, but with some more walking around in our near future, my wife and I bypassed the heavier entrees in favor of two sandwiches (fried green tomato & pimento and a half shrimp, half oyster po boy) and an app (fried alligator bites).

The Big Easy’s food rates as good, not great. The po boy was generously stuffed with well-breaded seafood and featured a flavorful creole mayo. A side of slaw was nice and creamy, but it was outclassed by the other side, a wonderfully smoky red beans and rice. The tomato and pimento came on toast that held everything together well and offered a very satisfying crunch albeit at the expense of being a bit dry. The alligator bites, while not tough or unpleasant, were somewhat chewy (the dipping sauce was quite good though).

 

Given the Downtown Raleigh location, The Big Easy’s pricing wasn’t as high as expected. The alligator bites ($12.95) weren’t cheap, but they are also not something you can find easily elsewhere. The po boy was only $1 more while the tomato & pimento ran $10.95, both with sides included. We weren’t waiting long for food to come out, and Monique was a friendly and knowledgeable server.

 

They might not do the single best version of anything here, but if you’re looking for a large selection of mostly satisfying Cajun/Creole fare in Raleigh, look no further. The promise of bananas foster bread pudding alone merits a return.

Yumi Sushi Tea Sake

 

Located at 275 North Elm Street in the Stock and Grain Food Hall, Yumi offers Japanese food and drinks. It is open daily from 11 a.m. to 8:30 p.m. (Monday-Thursday), 9:30 (Saturday) or 7 (Sunday).

 

Yumi, like its Stock and Grain neighbors, is a fairly new addition to High Point’s dining scene. That recency begets a certain need for patience as the eatery gains its footing, but even with that consideration in mind, this place was a bit disappointing.

 

Positives first: for its compact size, Yumi boasts an impressive menu. It offers everything from apps (think gyoza and edamame) to sushi (nigri, sashimi, maki, and specialty rolls) to poke bowls/burritos (a half-dozen presets, and you can build your own) to bubble teas and slushes to sakes, beers, and cocktails. Staff here are pleasant, and they had no trouble taking our order correctly despite the noise of the bustling food hall.

 

That said, be prepared to wait, and be prepared to pay. My wife and I went with a burrito and a bowl, respectively, and waited at least a half hour. Yumi’s staff were definitely not slacking but were simply struggling to keep up with demand. When the food was finally ready, it did little to justify its price tag. The $14.50 bowl was a decent sized portion, more expensive than Ninja Café’s equivalent offering, but you would expect to pay a bit more for location here. The same-priced sushi burrito, however, was a great deal smaller than either Ninja Café’s or Toshi’s version, and the same lack of value is suggested by Yumi’s specialty roll pricing (most are $17).

 

To Yumi’s credit, the ingredients were fresh, and both items were prepared as requested. The mango and pickled radish and ginger in my bowl made for a colorful presentation, and the sweet and acidic flavors played off each other really well.

 

I wouldn’t rule out a future visit to Yumi especially after they have had time to get settled. The food quality and menu variety are enough to keep that door open. Just the same, its pricing and an underwhelming first visit mean that I won’t be hurrying back. 

Namaste Lumbini Restaurant and Bar

 

Located at 727 West Main Street in Jamestown, Namaste Lumbini serves Indian, Nepalese, and Tibetan cuisine. It is open from 11 a.m. to 9 p.m. Mondays, Wednesdays, and Thursdays, 11-9:30 Fridays and Saturdays, and closed Tuesday. Online ordering is available.

 

The latest eatery to occupy the former Penny’s and El Agavero location, Namaste Lumbini brings something different to the Jamestown area. Time will tell if it has staying power, but service and food quality are strong right out of the gate.

 

My wife and I arrived before 6 p.m. on a Saturday to find Namaste Lumbini mostly empty, not a good sign. By the time we left, however, business had picked up considerably. The restaurant has the space to accommodate groups should anyone need a place for a get-together. While the building is old, the interior has been touched up nicely.

 

Namaste Lumbini’s menu is impressively deep. It boasts many familiar Indian dishes – tandooris and tikkas masalas and biryanis – but it also offers Indo-Chinese selections as well as momo (Nepalese dumplings). There are plenty of vegetarian options, and there are also thalis for the indecisive/those who want to try a little bit of everything.

 

My wife and I opted to split a vegetable samosa, a chicken 65, and a vegetarian thali. Our food came out promptly, and it was preceded by a complementary papadam with tamarind and mint chutneys. I will offer a caveat in that if you want your food spicy, you will have to request it as such. Only the billed-as-spicy chicken 65 brought any heat, and it was about medium. That said, while spiciness may have been subdued, flavors were not. The chicken 65 was nice and tangy, and the thali’s saag paneer, aloo gobi, and dal were tasty and comforting. Naan was included, and it performed sauce mop-up commendably.

 

Namaste Lumbini’s service is attentive and polite. We were greeted upon entry and checked on throughout the meal. Prices here are moderate with entrees in the teens.

 

Given the food and service quality and the vast swaths of menu left to explore, we will almost certainly be back. If its execution remains consistent, Namaste Lumbini could easily become the go-to for Indian eats in the Jamestown/east High Point area. 

Thor: Love and Thunder

 

When his daughter Love (India Hemsworth) dies and his prayers go unanswered, Gorr (Christian Bale), a devout follower of the god Rapu (Jonathan Brugh) takes up the powerful-yet-cursed Necrosword and slays the callous, mocking deity, vowing that all gods must die. This puts the “God Butcher” on a collision with Thor Odinson (Chris Hemsworth), the Asgardian god of thunder, who has been fighting alongside the Guardians of the Galaxy but finds little pleasure or purpose outside of combat. Meanwhile, Thor’s former girlfriend, the renowned astrophysicist Jane Foster (Natalie Portman) is dying of cancer. Desperate for a cure, she wonders if Asgardian magic might hold the answer. The refugee settlement turned tourist attraction of New Asgard, Norway, run by the last surviving Valkyrie (Tessa Thompson) seems to have what everyone is looking for.

 

The fourth solo Thor film, Love and Thunder is helmed by Taika Waititi, who injected a badly needed dose of vitality into the franchise with 2017’s Ragnarok. Waititi also returns as the voice of amiable alien rock monster Korg, who serves as the film’s narrator, and the film is an odd mixture of Waititi’s trademark awkward humor, 1980s nostalgia, and inspiration from Jason Aaron’s divisive comic book run. The results are often entertaining, sometimes heartfelt, tonally catastrophic, and narratively frustrating.

 

Perhaps the biggest gripe that can be leveled against Love and Thunder is that its character work is largely threadbare. Thor’s “finding out who he is” arc was largely explored in Ragnarok, and this feels like a rehash. Jane has largely been absent from the MCU mythos for years, and so her sudden cancer diagnosis and equally sudden acquisition of Asgardian power feels less like character development and more like sudden change to move the story forward. The one exception to this is Gorr, whom a bald, ashen-skinned, shadow-ensconced Bale renders both creepy and sympathetic (perhaps too much so given the relative absence of benign deities).

 

However, Love and Thunder’s tonal ping-pong ultimately works against Bale’s effectiveness here. Films – and especially MCU films – can balance comedy and action, and prior Thor entries did this well (pronouncedly so in Ragnarok, but even the original Thor had its hilarious pet shop horse demand). Here, however, the effect is that of a romantic comedy spliced together with a much darker (aesthetically and tonally) action-drama, and the two strands undercut rather than complement each other.

 

None of this is the actors’ fault. Hemsworth might not be doing anything radically new with the character, but he still makes for an excellent Thor. Jane’s compacted arc aside, Portman’s return to a prominent role is welcome, and here she gets to display combat prowess to go with her and Hemsworth’s banter. There’s also a supremely hammy Russell Crowe as Zeus, sporting a selfish attitude (no surprise there) and a confusing (Grecco-Italian?) accent.

 

Moreover, for all of its storytelling faults, Love and Thunder is, at times, both funny and fun. Toothgnasher and Toothgrinder, pullers of the mythological Thor’s chariot, are rendered here as a pair of inappropriately screaming goats, Matt Damon and Luke Hemsworth return as members of a cheesy Asgardian acting troupe (joined by Melissa McCarthy playing Hela with all the subtlety of the Wicked Witch of the West), and the film as a whole is a long, strange ode to Guns n Roses (!). As an added perk, Hemsworth’s and Portman’s children pop up in small but important roles, and some of Thor’s all-but-forgotten comrades make a return as well.

 

Ultimately, Love and Thunder does little to advance the Marvel Cinematic Universe’s increasingly byzantine mythology, nor is it a stellar stand-alone film. It is, however, an amusing way to kill two hours.

Augustino Gusto Bakery

 

Located at 2508 New Garden Road E in Greensboro, Augustino Gusto offers scratch-made European baked goods. The bakery is open on Wednesdays (10 a.m. -6:30 p.m.) and Saturdays (9:30 a.m. – 5 p.m.).

 

Augustino Gusto had long been on my radar – it received glowing reviews from the start – but its distance from High Point and its limited operating hours made it a “some day” destination. Some day finally arrived during a Greensboro sojourn last Saturday. While there are a number of things to like about this bakery, I nevertheless walked away feeling a bit disappointed.

 

Located in a converted house near the Greensboro Science Center, Augustino Gusto is off the beaten path. That’s OK: many hidden gems are. Park in the gravel lot, traverse the long front entrance ramp, and hopefully avoid a line out the door, and you’ll come face-to-face with an impressive array of baked goods. Augustino Gusto might have the most impressive assortment of quiches and croissants I’ve ever seen. There are breads and pies and more to be had here as well, and making a decision can be difficult. You won’t want to dawdle too long though as space inside is limited.

 

My wife and I opted to take home a chocolate mousse, a chocolate croissant, and a Nutella bread pudding. At $20 for these three items, Augustino Gusto’s prices are high, which would not have been an issue if the bakery’s reputation preceded it. Our experiences, however, were mixed. The mousse was very creamy and possibly my favorite item of the three. The bread pudding had good a good flavor but it was dense and a bit dry. The croissant was wonderfully buttery and flaky, yet what little chocolate there was within was entirely at the bottom of the pastry.

 

Despite these setbacks, given the huge selection and the ongoing stream of positive reviews, I would give Augustino Gusto another chance if I were in the area. However, it isn’t a place I would feel compelled to go out of my way to seek out.

Khrissy's Kitchen

 

A Randleman-based food truck, Khrissy’s Kitchen serves up Jamaican cuisine at locations across the Triad. Follow the business’s Facebook page for appearances and updates.

 

I had a craving for Jamaican but didn’t feel like driving to Greensboro for Da Reggae, so it was fortuitous that Khrissy’s Kitchen hit up Brown Truck Brewery a few weeks back. The truck’s menu offered the expected jerks and curries in sandwich, taco, and entrée form albeit with a few surprises: you won’t find beef patties here, but you will find lumpia. Khrissy, the proprietor, helpfully offered to answer any questions.

 

I opted for a shrimp curry entrée for myself and a “surf and turf” (jerk chicken and fried saltfish tacos) for my wife to enjoy later. Given the components involved, both the wait (10-15 minutes) and the prices (teens) were reasonable.

 

The food was, without qualification, excellent. The shrimp featured a rich and savory sauce, and a side of plantains was cooked to a perfect golden brown. Even simple white rice tasted better here.

 

Khrissy’s Kitchen is relatively new, and so word may not have gotten around yet, but if you see this truck appearing at your closest brewery, it’s a must-try.

Kau Greensboro

 

Located at 2003 Yanceyville Street in Revolution Mills in Greensboro, Kau is a combination steakhouse restaurant/bar/butcher shop. It is open from 4-10 Wednesday to Friday, 11-10 on Saturday, and 11-9 on Sunday. Indoor and patio seating are available, and there is also a private dining space. Brunch is available on Sundays.

 

A labor of love for Natty Green’s/Old Town Draught House vet Kayne Fisher, Kau occupies a beautifully repurposed industrial space. The scope of it – multiple bar areas, hand-cut Braveheart Prime steaks, etc. – makes it seem out of reach for all but the most special of occasions, but it needn’t be. As my wife and I found out, it also makes for a fantastic weekend lunch spot.

 

Kau understandably likes to play up its meat offerings, but there is a lot more than just steak and chops on the menu. An impressive assortment of apps, salads, sandwiches, burgers, tacos, and bowls makes for a very tough decision. Upon the recommendations of our server, we went with a collard dip starter, a pretty bird sandwich, and a meatloaf sandwich.

 

We hadn’t long to wait for our food, and Ashley did not steer us wrong. The collard dip featured three kinds of cheese (cheddar, parm, and cream), bacon crumbles, and thick, warm pieces of housemade pita. It was deliciously cheesy, and it felt like the absolute apex version of a classic spinach dip. The meatloaf was a bit loose, which led to some interesting sandwich structural integrity challenges, but the flavors (a bit sweet, a bit smokey) were excellent. This is as strong a challenger I’ve seen to the meatloaf sandwich GOAT (Morgan’s Tavern in New Bern) in years. The pretty bird’s chicken too was smokey and flavorful, and it paired very well with the sweetness of the roasted red peppers. The lemon aioli was understated, and balsamic might have been a better pairing. Both sides – a refreshing tomato-cucumber salad and thick-cut, parmesan-and-herb-laden fries – were quality.

 

Kau was not a cheap lunch (the dip was $12 and the sandwiches were in the teens), but it was a lot more reasonable than the steakhouse cachet would suggest, and the food was absolutely worth it. I don’t get out to this side of Greensboro very often, but Kau may very well hasten my return.

Bistro 1605

 

Located at 1605 North Main Street in High Point, Bistro 1605 serves sandwiches, soups, and salads for lunch on weekdays. Sandwich specials and soups change regularly. Limited outdoor seating is available.

 

Bistro 1605 is a result of Alexandria’s Hamilton Street Bistro moving into the former Cork and Grind location. While I never got to try the old restaurant, I was curious about the new. I stopped by a little before noon on a Friday to find the establishment very busy, a testament to Alexandria’s loyal following. As much as I wanted to like this place, however, it just didn’t strike me as anything special.

 

Positives first: Alesha is a friendly and welcoming presence, and the staff here seem hard-working and personable. Though the menu is fairly limited, several items – a crostini and a spinach/hummus/red pepper/quinoa wrap – held appeal.

 

I ultimately went with the day’s special, an Italian sandwich. It took a while to arrive, but given how busy – and new – the bistro was, I’m inclined to cut them some slack. While the sandwich featured a good amount of meat, it was oddly sweet due to the choice of pepper. Banana peppers and a dash of oregano would have been a welcome remedy. Like a few of the other sandwich offerings, the Italian clocked in at $12 with a bag of chips included. Some of the salads reached ambitiously into the teens.

 

I may need to give Bistro 1605 another shot after they are fully up to speed at their new location, but initial impressions suggest a place that will serve you neither a bad lunch (and there is something to be said for that consistency alone) nor a particularly memorable one.