Can I have some remedy?

Headed to a newish place downtown, The Remedy Diner, this past week for a St. Patty’s Day (I want dah gold!) dinner with friends. I was bugging for a yummy sandwich. “Cures What Ales You” is the place’s tagline/brand promise, and they delivered on it.

welcome to the remedy diner

The remedy motif is carried out through the entire menu with these listings: Quick Fixes (appetizers like hummus, pico & chips), Experimental Treatments (Daily Specials), Morning Doses (Breakfast Fare), Alternative Therapies (Vegetarian & Vegan Sandwiches), Mainstream Therapies (Sandwiches with Carne), Prescription Only (Booze). I ordered from the Alt Therapies, The Veggie Hero. The kitchen was out of hoagie rolls, so I substituted ciabatta (good move): Cucumbers, banana peppers, red onion, tomato, lettuce, sprouts, Swiss, mayo.

an heroic veggie sandwich

I am in the midst of a revived obsession with sandwiches, particularly with piling on the veggies. I’ve had plenty of veggie sandwiches before, mostly mediocre. But Remedy used the freshest ingredients, and the most delicious, soft ciabatta. It’s a good reminder that simple is better, and better ingredients require less “treatment.”

Other orders at the table included…

the spicy turkey sandwich (with jalapeños & chipotle mayo)

the greek salad

an impressive vegetarian chicken salad pita (a non-vegetarian eater said, "this tastes just like chicken!")

the remedy breakfast (with eggs, bacon, toast, grits, hashbrowns)

all-beef hot dog (a veggie dog is also on the menu)

With such a varried menu catering to meat-eaters and vegetarians alike, plus a strong selection of beers, The Remedy Diner will be appealing to many people passing through, going out or working downtown. It’s a great addition.

Some other side notes on the experience…the interior is cute, though a little tight for a place that has a strong following already. Goodnight Raleigh!’s contributing history editor did some good digging on the building’s origin as a physician’s practice.

There are a couple of tables outside on the street that will be ideal for people watching on sunny afternoons. I see Remedy Diner possibly reaching Rockford status for the Moore’s Square area, as a lunchtime favorite with an eclectic crowd. That is a big compliment from a Rockford lover.

dig their signage

And now a little something I’ve got in the works: a cooking contest! I’ve been testing recipes and taste testing. A thorough entry will follow in the next couple of weeks, but just this preview and hint for now:

testing our puff pastry & some different flavor profiles

Asian Tilapia Roll= Always a SUCCESS

I go to The Rockford about once a week. A quick walk from work in Glenwood South, it’s quite convenient. Though not obvious. It’s got the tricky 320 1/2 street address. Choose the door between the salon and the boutique and head upstairs. The loft space is small, and usually packed. Picture hard wood floors, windows out onto Glenwood Avenue, funky art on the walls, cute Castro-looking hipster host and a massive bar running the length of the far wall. I love this place. LG. Come to Raleigh. We. will. go.

I get caught up ordering the same thing nearly everytime…the Asian Tilapia Roll is just that delicious and I can’t help myself. I’ve tried the veggie burrito (boring, better just to get that at Armadillo Grill across the street), the veggie and turkey burgers (both deserve high marks, especially for the variety of toppings the chef rotates), the Cubana and the Cannelini Bean sandwich. And yet I keep coming back to the tilapia roll. Here are the major players: grilled spinach tortilla; sautéed, flaky tilapia; purple cabbage slaw with coconut milk dressing and spicy Thai chili sauce. The warm and cold, spicy and sweet, crunchy and tender all amount to a bangin’ lunch. Another great thing about The Rockford: a variety of sides rotate seasonally. In the past I’ve have the succotash, Thai green beens, pasta salad, and the tomato basil soup (soup for an additional charge). The tomato basil soup was perked up with a roasted, somewhat smoky flavor and a touch of heat. And it wasn’t over-blended, so it maintained just a little bit of texture. New to the side list now: garlic mashed potatoes. It’s going to be a good winter season at The Rockford. With the warmness of the soup and mashed potatoes, I won’t mind the cold lunch-hour walk.