We had lunch the other day at Cafe Capistrano, mainly because any restaurant within walking distance of the casa is worth a look. It was the day after Christmas. We were out running a few errands and hungry and thought we’d give it a try.
The restaurant is located right near the railroad tracks on Durant Road, about a mile west of Capital Boulevard. It sits in a new strip mall which is not near much other commercial business. I’ve been a bit worried that a fledgling restaurant in this seemingly middle-of-knowhere location would have a tough time attracting business.
I shouldn’t have worried. The restaurant had an impressive amount of business for an after-Christmas lunch. We were seated immediately. In spite of working the whole restaurant essentially by herself, our pleasant server took our order right away and with no mistakes.
The decor isn’t the most charming as the room’s plain layout is typical of its strip-mall location. Its a quibble I also have about Nina’s – another excellent North Raleigh restaurant tucked into a strip mall. The owners have done a good job of working with what they have, though. The interior is painted a warm color. One wall has paintings for sale by local artists. A pleasant fountain stands in the middle.
Our lunches were brought out quickly and were at just the right temperature. I had a tasty chicken chimichanga, with rice and black beans for $8. The food was excellent and presented well. The portion was huge as well. Kelly enjoyed her chicken burrito, with”smashed” beans and rice for $7. She also took hers home, having too much to eat.
As I was still enjoying my vacation I ordered a margarita for $3. I got a tall margarita in return, made with California white wine. I didn’t taste (or later feel) much alcohol but enjoyed it all the same. The one thing Cafe Capistrano is missing is a bar. I’ve always wanted a neighborhood bar within stumbling distance of the house. On the other hand, it was nice to enjoy lunch without having to talk over a TV showing sports highlights.
The owners are quite friendly. The service was excellent. The food was also excellent. The wine list is impressive. The bill for the whole family, including entrees, margarita, other drinks, an ample amount of leftovers, and tip was $29. You can spend that much at a fast-food restaurant and not have nearly as enjoyable a meal.
Cafe Capistrano is open Monday through Saturday from 11 AM to 3 PM for lunch, 3 to 9 PM for dinner Monday through Thursday, to 10 PM Friday and Saturday. You might want to make reservations for dinner once word gets out.
MT.Net says check it out!
We’ll have to try that one… we got slightly worried when we saw it was not food, but *gasp* “cuisine”, so that’s why we haven’t tried it yet.
Another strip mall restaurant that is quite good is Waraji. Best sushi in Raleigh!
Thanks for the tip about Waraji, Crystal. We’ll have to check that out!