Another Thyme

The salmon was awesome. There is no denying that. But... We had a reservation for 6:30 and arrived slightly early. We waited at least 3 minutes at the door before our presence was even acknowledged. It was acknowledged by a young waiter who was coming to get menus and said, I'll come back and seat you as soon as I finish what I'm doing."" How nice of him. I then watched him deliver those menus, disappear into the back, return to take a table's orders, disappear into the back, and return with wine and glasses for yet another table. In the meantime, another employee, an older man about my age came up and told us someone would be with us shortly. I replied that we had indeed been so informed. Throughout the evening, I never saw the older man wait on any tables. It's perplexing why he could not have seated us. As our first young waiter was returning with his bottle of wine and glasses, he moved toward us, and noticing my focused gaze (glare? perhaps) he remembered that sometime earlier in the evening he had promised to seat us. We were finally seated, joy of joys, at one of his tables. Another person delivered water and bread in a reasonably timely fashion. Our waiter returned to us, also reasonably promptly. We had questions about the menu, which he answered, and we ordered a half bottle of wine. They were out of that wine. How do you run out of something on your menu at 6:30 on a Saturday evening? Lack of preparation would be my guess. We instead ordered an Australian Shiraz which we thoroughly enjoyed. When the waiter came to take our orders, my date and I had a miscommunication. Unbeknown to me, she wanted to share a salad. It took us a moment to get our act together, and in that moment, our waiter decided he didn't have enough time to wait for us to get ourselves sorted out, and asked, without really asking, if we needed more time and was already turning away when we said, yeah, sure. Several minutes later, we must have appeared more ready, and our waiter returned and took our orders. We ordered a salad and a first course to share and separate entrees. He never brought us our first course. Once we had finished eating, we sat for many minutes, ten, fifteen, maybe more, with empty plates in front of us before someone (I don't remember if it was our waiter or someone else) cleared them off. When our waiter returned to offer us desert, we had already decided to take our desert business across the street to Amelia's and declined and asked for our check. The waiter brought us our check, we already had our credit card out and immediately put it in the holder. But the waiter had already left and was now taking orders from a large party up on the mezzanine. Realizing it was going to be some time before he returned, we snagged another waiter, lied that we had an appointment, and got him to take care of our bill. I hope our young waiter realizes that his paltry 10% tip was a reflection of his service, and doesn't think, ""Oh they're just lousy tippers; I'm glad I didn't waste any more time on them."" Still, the salmon was to die for, and with me at my age and the waiter as slow as he was, it began to seem like a real possiblity. Pros: Easy free parking Cons: terrible service more

If you are from durham or traveling through it like i did twenty years ago for the first thyme You need to stop and try mary bacon's timeless restaurant . I was amazed to find flavors that i have rarely tasted for the past twenty years and i know what i am talking about! The sauteed diver scallop with penne rigate,lightly coated with mustard butter,who would have thought of that?... sitting in a more than perfect provencale tomato sauce that is stil hard to find even in provence ,and i love provence the flavors are singing to me like the cigales and memories in my youth .Thank you Mary for keeping my memories alive with your sublime food , I will send every one i know and recommend your restaurant . People need to know that there is a place where they can feel young again, food is magic and you will find that magic at anothertyme .see it for yourself ,dont take my word for it .. Pros: Rare Flavors more

New to Durham and came across AnotherThyme last week when in Brightleaf square, and so glad we did! We have been back twice since. The largest wholistic menu we have seen so far and there is not a bad thing on the menu. The wait staff is extremely knowledgable and eager to share there knowledge of an extensive wine list and menu that is sure to please the pallet. Go check it out, you wont be dissapointed. Pros: Best Selection! more

I am a 35 year resident of Durham and in the past a frequent patron of SomeThyme and AnotherThyme. I had not been to AnotherThyme in some 15 years. The last time I went with my wife we waited a long time for the food, served by inattentive waitstaff. So Saturday I went back to AnotherThyme with a group of 10 friends. I did not suggest the venue, but was willing to go and see if things had changed. Pros: easy parking Cons: took 90 minutes to get dinner more

I enjoyed dining at Anotherthyme a couple of years ago. In fact, my first experience was back in the 1980s, and it was good; but my recent visits have left me doubting I will return. Pros: Flavorful food Cons: Arrogant waiters, bad service more

I went with a companion on a not-so-busy Saturday night. We were seated promptly, but after that it was difficult to get the attention of our waitress. Throughout the night, she would promise things like bread and drinks but we were continuously left watching other tables (served by a different waiter) get the service we craved. When the bread came, we were surprised that it came cold. Pros: Ambience and location (near Brightleaf Square) Cons: Mediocre food and service, poor value more

Pretty much the food that you get here you can get almost anywhere else in Durham for less. The service here is baffling - at its worst it is appaling, but at its best, you're only looking at what suffices as the bare minimum standard for service in any other restaurant, and by any other restaurant I mean other nice restaurants, chain restaurants, fast food restaurants, and vendor stands. Your experience may be awful or average, but it will never be outstanding. Common occurences are waiting more than 30 minutes for a table despite having reservations. Slow to nonexistent wait staff that behave as if they are annoyed that they should have to deign to serve you so much as a glass of water. On more than one occassion, after being served an acceptable but definitely less than stellar meal, myself and my other dinner guests asked for coffee and desert menus, only to have the wait staff tell us that no, they will not serve us anything because they need the table and promptly hand us the check (which was sadly the only prompt part of their service.) more

My partner and I went because of rave reviews elsewhere for the vegetarian food. I'm vegan, so I expected at least something on the menu. There was exactly one vegetarian entree, and I needed to request a modification to make it vegan, and unfortunately my date was less pleased and ordered bruschetta to speed out departure after seeing the trouble I was having (which is actually very unusual in a restaurant of their caliber and price range). When the item arrived, I was unimpressed. Overcooked vegetables over pasta and sauce that I could've made in my kitchen in less time with no effort. The wait staff was actually very friendly to us, and offered to comp the meal (before I'd yet made any complaint) after seeing for herself the quality of what I getting. It really struck me as incompetence, not a lack of creativity. Perhaps this restaurant should have been reviewed by an actual vegetarian before earning the distinction of serving vegetarian food. Pros: looked like the meat-eaters had options Cons: no serious veggie selections despite the claim more

If you're looking for an upscale restaurant, check out Anotherthyme. I've been there twice and have had two very good meals. Not great but very good. I had the salmon and my date had the burrito. There are a wide variety of choices (more than are listed on the website). I also like how they take reservations. My only complaint is the price of dessert at $6 each. The price of the entrees, from around $12-20 is pretty good. But like many nice restaurants, they give you less than say Olive Garden. (But quality is more important to me than quantity.) Pros: Neat choices of food Cons: Expensive desserts more

My friend Becca and I ventured to Anotherthyme one evening for dinner. We ordered the hummus. YUM! I then ordered a chicken dish that had mozarrella, roma tomatoes, and a balsalmic vinaegrette type of dressing. YUM! The flavor was exactly what my taste buds had in mind! Pros: Tiny cozy restaurant, great flavor, staff is friendly Cons: Pricey, could use a few more choices on the menu more

If you like rude management, crappy, wannabe-exotic food, lousy service and flushing money into the commode, run (do not walk) to Another Thyme. I went into this restaurant with a hunger for a good, well prepared meal. It didn't bother me that the prices were a little high because you get what you pay for, right? Not there. I ordered a pasta dish that I could have made at home for two dollars. There was nothing notable, or even tasty about it, for that matter. Our waiter was pretty much non-existent, but when he did come around, he was advising me that the restaurant was out of the dish I ordered half an hour before. When I asked to speak to a manager about my bill (which included one entree too many), out she came and told me she was going to sit with me until I signed the check in case I was planning on not paying my bill. I was so completely floored by this place. I've had better service at the snack bar in a Greyhound Bus Station. I'd rather stick a fork in my eye before going back to this over-priced nut house. Pros: It's 30 miles away on a one way street Cons: They have $45 of my money more

My wife and I were early bird diners, being seated promptly at 6:00 p.m. on Saturday evening. Our waitress quickly took our drink orders and explained the specials for the day. The white bread that was served while we waited for our appetizer course was dense, with a crisp crust and definitely above average compared to the white fluff that passes for bread in many of the restaurants in the area. The pear and gorgonzola salad had a light oil and vinegar dressing that allowed the flavors of the mixed greens and other ingredients to come through. The fried oyster and calamari appetizer we shared was served with two contrasting dipping sauces, one tomato based, one mayonaise based. Both were very good. I had the lemon glazed, ranch raised salmon which was baked to perfection and presented on a bed of wilted spinach and scalloped potatoes. My wife thoroughly enjoyed a goat cheese salad as her entree. I enjoyed the creme brulee for dessert, which was served warm, a change of pace from the usual custom, and one that allowed the subtle flavor of the dish to shine. Service was friendly and efficient. We would definitely go back. more

This is the perfect place (a) to go on a romantic date (my husband has taken me there for my birthday and for our anniversary) and (b) to entertain out-of-town guests. The menu is truly unique and extraordinary - local cuisine with exotic flair. The owners have decades of experience in the restaurant business, with dishes that are tried and true. I've never eaten anything there which I didn't absolutely love. The lighting is soft, the seating intimate and there are always fresh flowers on the table. Dinner menu entrees range from $12 to $29 each. I really recommend getting an appetizer or two - the bruschetta with goat cheese is to die for, and a simple side garden salad with one of their homemade gourmet dressings are great ideas for starters. The seafood and fish are fresh and seasoned to perfection. They also serve plenty of vegetarian, chicken, pork and beef dishes. The wine and beer lists are excellent. We like to dress up for dinner when we go to Another Thyme, though casual dress is perfectly fine as well. I highly recommend this restaurant, and I think you'll enjoy it too. Pros: Food, ambiance Cons: Service is either fantastic or awful, depending on the waiter. more

This profile needs to be changed to say, ""occasional"" late night dining because whenever I call to ask, they tell me they aren't doing it that night. This review may be harsh because I'm completely over never being able to get any good food after 10, but don't advertise it if you can't deliver. more

This is a fantastic restaurant. The food is tasty, fresh and has both upscale interesting dishes and good hearty ""home-style"" dishes. There is something for everyone. This place is a gem. It is unpretentious and sort of a nook that a lot of people do not know about. It reminds me of a restaurant you might find in Europe. I have always had good service. The weekends are busy but that is a good sign! This place is popular. So you should make a reservation and it is possible that you might have to wait for a table on Fridays and Saturdays. Though, you should expect to wait a while on the weekends if a restaurant is good. Pros: great food, wonderful atmosphere, romantic more

I sat at the bar and ordered dinner. Salmon cakes were good but not remarkable. The Fried Chicken sounded great but was disappointing -- mostly breading on a very, very thin chicken filet. Bartender got very busy with other customers, so he was not engaging or informative. I was not offered dessert which I read was highly recommended. Oh well.... maybe ""Another Thyme."" more

A jewel of Durham. Hip downtown location, beautiful and cozy interior design, consistently professional service, and high quality food that perks up bored tastebuds. Whether I'm there for a romantic dinner in the dining room or a drink in the stylish and refined bar, I leave happy. The menu is creative but not esoteric, seasonal yet I can still count on my favorites, and moderately priced. The winelist is tasteful and reasonably priced. The mixed drinks are fair to good. One of the few area restaurants with truly delicious and inspired vegetarian choices, and one of Durham's few locally owned establishments. A refreshing and satisfying experience. Pros: Ambiance, Delicious food, Moderate price more

Anotherthyme is a great place to take your date to enjoy a creative, tasty and affordable meal. The decor is very enticing and dimly lit, with a great little bar to enjoy an drink before your meal. Unlike most places in the Triangle, the staff was very engaging, experienced and paid alot of attention to detail... and the bartender made some incredible cocktails ! Pros: romantic, tasty food, great service more

We love this resturant. We have been twice in the last year and loved it both times. I even proposed to my fiance there! We think the food is excellent. The service was ok, but it seemed like the waitstaff was pretty young. Our waiter had some friends at the next table and he was giving them way more attention.... Over all it is a nice place!! Pros: Food, romantic, location Cons: young waitstaff more

We used to frequent Anotherthyme quite often and had always had great dining experiences. However, this past Saturday was a complete disappointment. Our waiter was borderline rude. He acted as if we were inconveniencing him the entire time that he waited on us. When he asked us if we would like ground pepper on our salads and a few of us said yes, he looked stunned that he had to go get the peppermill and bring it back to our table. I finally gave up on asking about getting my water glass refilled. It was an extremely disappointing evening. Although the food was delicious, there are too many great restaurants in Durham that have dedicated, polite, professional wait staff. We have many visitors coming in this summer and after our experience at Anthorthyme, we will definitely go else ware and tell all of our friends to do the same. Pros: Great Food Cons: Rude Wait Staff, Poor Service, Tables Too Close more