An ethnic panorama in cuisine, interior design, music, and staff.
Sunday, July 15, 2007
Spice Street is an artful representation of the confluence of diverse peoples in modern America. Something about the eating experience is mystical. It must be the physical set-up - the high ceilings, the fountain of water, the relationship of lighting and space, the Arabic food - that makes me feel I am eating fruits in the garden of Eden. The menu, the interior design, the wait and culinary staff merge the whole world in one kitchen and dining room. Some think the colors, sounds, and smells fight, but I see a microcosm of the mosaic that is Chapel Hill. What an appropriate restaurant to have in this town. It is a total testament to our cosmopolitan, open-minded, forward-moving community.
The food service is simply remarkable. The staff gave me a tour behind the scenes. I inspected the kitchen and the two room-sized fridges. The kitchen is at the heart of the restaurant. It is meticulously organized and clean. The vegetable storage is stocked with fresh, whole produce - pyramids of romaine lettuce, eggplant, okra, chickpeas, parsley, cilantro, tomatoes, russet potatoes, zucchini, green chili, red bell peppers, yellow squash, onions, yardlong beans. Raw black and white chocolates and custards sit behind a smaller glass fridge. In the meat storage are packages of fresh squid, beef steaks, whole chicken. The head baker kneads dough and bakes pastries and bread in a large oven in the center of the kitchen. If you imagine that Spice Street is overpriced, you do undercredit the freshness of the food and the authenticity of its preparation. Seven dollars for a Fatouche Salad is a pretty good deal, considering that Spice Street has "kept it real," or at least as real as it can get on Estes Drive.
I recommend that you have lunch or dinner at Spice Street. You would have a luxurious and delicious experience, but just as important, you would patronize the local color(s)!
Pros: Architecture, interior design, cuisine, service, parking
Cons: Spice Street is simply fine dining.