Last Sunday, a friend and I headed to Provenance for brunch. Neither one of us had been there before, but afterwards, we agreed we'll be going again in the future. It's nice when you have your hopes set high on a place and it doesn't disappoint.
Brunch is a great way to try a new place out, in my opinion. If brunch is not delicious, then I don't see a reason to make an effort to go to a place for lunch or dinner.
Provenance, prides itself on keeping it local.
According to their website, they know all their farmers well, and exactly how those farmers produce their foods.
According to Teddy Klopf, the Founder and Executive Chef of Provenance, "we’re really trying to define a sense of place-what it means to be from North Carolina”.
I can appreciate this, and I think there is a growing population of people who also appreciate and prefer to dine at restaurants that operate this way.
To start, I opted for a latte, and then perused the menu. That latte though... not only yummy, but how pretty is the plating & the overall presentation? As I do when I come across something I find to be beautiful, I investigate. I looked under the saucer to see who it's made by. Turns out it's a North Carolina pottery company called HAAND. Impressive, that it's not just the food that's locally sourced at Provenance.
While we sipped our drinks, a couple of biscuits arrived for us to share. We had them with some jam and butter. It was so delicious that I completely forgot to snap a photo of it. Those biscuits were tasty too, but the jam and butter was outstanding.
I ordered the cornmeal catfish, which was one of the most satisfying meals I've had in a long time. Everything was cooked to perfection and beautifully plated. The surprise was the flavor of those dots of sauce. I presumed they were on my plate for decorative purposes, but after tasting one, I was really wowed. The flavor was very interesting. Best word I can think of to describe it is, vibrant. I remember commenting to my friend how delicious it was, and yet, I couldn't begin to guess what the main ingredient was, or any ingredient in it. I suppose I could have asked, but I was so into this dish, that I didn't want to take time away from eating. PS - I ate all of the dots. ;)
My friend ordered an omelette which came with petit rouge peas and greens. No complaints here.
The dining room is beautiful. The light-colored wood and all the natural light streaming in from the many windows, makes for a very pleanant and relaxing dining experience.
The bar is beautiful, and that's all she wrote. ;)
Keeping with the local theme... even the artwork is by a North Carolina artist. Raleigh-based Kalesia Kuenzel. I was so pleased that we were seated directly in front of these beautiful works, as I kept glancing at them throughout the entire meal over my friend's head.
This is no ordinary restaurant and and no ordinary cuisine. Provenance is right up my alley as it's a true foodie "experience".
ADDRESS:
Provenance
120 E. Martin St.
Raleigh, NC 27601
WEBSITE: http://provenanceraleigh.com/
TWITTER: https://twitter.com/provenance_ral