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Stopped by J. Betski's with a friend for dinner at the bar last night. All in all, really like the food. Very hearty and soulful. I thought the service was fine but we did have a couple issues. Took a while for the bartender to acknowledge us and take our drink order. We also ordered a side of spaetzle that never showed up.
Besides that, the food and drink are certainly worth a return visit. The limoncello negroni was a nice way start the evening. With the cocktail, I sampled the white bean and bacon pierogies, smoked beef and pork kielbasa, and a special that included a housemade pretzel with a textbook chicken liver pate and a somewhat strange cheese and cornichon spread.
Switched over to a nice beer recommended by the bartender--my knowledge of German beers is woefully limited--and tried the pork strudel and the crispy trout. The trout was the better option, nicely crispy and amply portioned. The pork strudel was something like finely chopped braised pork wrapped in pastry and fried. Interesting idea, but I thought it fell just short. I liked eating it, but if the filling was more assertively and interestingly spiced the dish would be really cool.
A bit of a drive from Durham, but definitely a noteworthy Triangle dining spot.
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Went for dinner here last night and had a great meal. One of my friends in the group is allergic to sulphates which can be found in vinegar, beer and wine, basically staples of polish/ german cooking. She is headed to Poland this summer so this was kind of a trial run to see what she can eat. The wait staff was super patient with all of her questions and the chef owner came out and discussed how they make things and what would be appropriate to eat. They make their own saurerkraut, cure their own sausages etc. We settled on a shared appetizer of the keilbasa with saurerkraut and mustard (on the side for those in the group without dietary issues.) Really, really good. I had the trout two ways which was excellent and the white bean stew was voted wonderful by a pretty accomplished home cook. My friend had a duck dish which she liked as well. Coffee came in a french press with a timer for optimum brew time and my dessert, gingerbread with a beer sabayon sauce was very good. I am happy to see young chefs in Raleigh and the rest of the triangle (piedmont, rue cler) really stepping up and creating some interesting food.
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I ate here Saturday night and it was AMAZING. My family is Polish and I was so excited to be able to have some authentic polish food. I had the stuffed cabbage with home made saurkraut and it was excellent. We shared the crab & mushroom pierogis and they were terrific. My date had the pork shoulder which came with kraut and potatoes. It had a taste and it was really, really good too. The service was great and they had a nice selection of beer. This was by far the best meal I have had in Raleigh in years! Thank you J Betskis!!!
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re: karenmcgee
Totally agree with this. Have had a couple of amazing meals there. One of the stars of the Triangle; best German/Polish food I've had since my grandmother's cooking.
Will be taking quite a number of out-of-town guests here. Apparently good German food is hard to come by anywhere, as all of my upcoming guests have listed this place as their most anticipated.
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tablewines
Jan 30, 2007 01:41 PM
This place is outstanding. Food, wine, and service are all first rate. John and Jeremy have knocked it out of the park. I can only see them getting better. I understand that they are going to add long picnic tables outside in the spring for a biergarten atmosphere. Too cool!
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Went last night for a belated Christmas party. This place ROCKS! The food is excellent, the wine and drink menu solid, and the beer selection is wonderful. Seeing as how I was with a bunch of beer geeks we sampled most of their beer varieties and pronounced them delicious. The wait staff were great and the owner/manager John was very personable and friendly.
I'll go back as soon as I can get a my wife and my babysquatter to agree on a night.
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re: chewbobba
peetoteeto
Jan 30, 2007 06:30 PM
Chewbobba,
Great news about the beer selection. Do tell: was it mostly Rheinheitsgebot-y Pilsners, Bocks, and the like? Or did the beer choices include locals and "big" offerings?
Thanks,
Fellow Beer Geek
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