Tuesday, November 9, 2010

Dame's Chicken and Waffles: Review from a Guest Blogger

This weekend Gavin had brunch at the new buzzed about place downtown, Dame's Chicken and Waffles. He was so blown away by it, he felt inspired to write a review, to be featured here on Bull City Food. Considering my lack of gluten tolerance, I probably won't be eating there any time soon but have heard great things. So for anyone interested in an "Almost World Famous" chicken and waffle meal, read on:
Chicken and Waffles: As Good as Unicorn Meat
This may sound weird, but chicken and waffles are what I imagine eating Unicorn meat to be like. First off, it is something I never thought I would consume.  Second, when the plate arrived, I looked down at it and it just seemed wrong – like my brain couldn’t comprehend what it was looking at.  However, after those first few bites, I quickly realized that I was eating something magical.  Chicken and waffles are sweet, spicy, salty, meaty, soft and crunchy all at the same time.  The dish, a terribly wonderful concoction, is something not of this world.  While it is something you can’t possibly expect to eat every day, Durhamites are now lucky enough to have a great place downtown that specializes in this culinary oddity.

Dame’s “Almost World Famous” Chicken & Waffles opened this summer downtown at 317 W. Main St near Beyu Caffe.  The atmosphere has the nondescript decor of a small-town Chinese restaurant - basic with cafeteria-style seating and self-serve coffee, sweet tea and water.  With that said, the service is excellent and you don’t mind getting up to get your own refills.   The wait staff greets you when you walk-in and are friendly without being too chatty – something you tend to find with new restaurants.  I do have to say that I find it funny when restaurants that serve meat hang images of Ghandi on their walls – a devoted vegetarian.  It just seems ironic.  Perhaps the image is meant to be less about vegetarianism and more about how something as simple as good food can unite people world-wide.  Or it may be the fact that Ghandi was known as “The Great Soul” and chicken and waffles are, of course, Soul Food.  Or…it could be the fact that chicken and waffles, like Unicorn meat, are simply illogical and one would do better to not try to make sense of it and just enjoy it.

Dame’s offers 10 varieties of their main dish.  Having no idea what to order, I asked my server to recommend his favorite.  He suggested “The Carolina Cockerel” which is billed as “Dame’s personal favorite! A trio of whole chicken wings served w/ a side of “Dub’s hot sauce,” a crisp and tender blueberry waffle schmeared w/ Peach and Apricot Crème $10.25.”  As mentioned above, I really enjoyed the Carolina Cockerel.  It was a culinary first for me, but one that I am sure to enjoy again (particularly after a long night of drinking).  

Chicken and waffles was a first for me so if you've never experienced what I am only assuming rivals Unicorn meat, head to downtown Durham and visit Dame's for this magical dish.



Dame's Chicken & Waffles on Urbanspoon

9 comments:

  1. Wow what an imagination!! Unicorn meat?!! That is the most interesting yet disturbing comparison for food i've ever heard! I've been wondering if the chicken and waffles were worth the slightly high prices - but after this review.. how could i turn down a chance at magical unicorn meat?? Gotta go now for sure! :0)

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  2. By the way - i totally think you need to sell the tag line "Chicken and Waffles: As Good as Unicorn Meat" to Dame's - very very catchy for sure!

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  3. I'm going to have to check it out. I hadn't even heard about the place, but will now make it a point to drag one of my froo froo friends down there.

    Pam

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  4. This craze actually started in ATL with Gladys Knights chicken and Waffles(http://gladysandron.net/locations.html) it has since caught on around the country with a commericial type chain such as Rosoes(http://www.roscoeschickenandwaffles.com/). I was in downtown ATL a few weekends ago and there was a 2 hour wait. Needless to say, I went around the corner to Varsity. Anyhow, last night I decided to see what the buzz was in Durham. Atmosphere could improve, but the product and pricing seem to be right where they need to be. Maybe find some bigger wings. Might I suggest getting the recipe from Mingis(Greensboro, NC shutdown now). They're wing recipe had the wings tasting as sweet as pancakes.

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  5. As a student at the North Carolina School of Science and Math I am appalled at your desire to taste the flesh of a Unicorn. The Unicorn is our treasured mascot and is to be honored, not devoured. That being said, I can't wait to try Dames today!

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  6. I'm going to have to find this place. I want to go there with my family.

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  7. Unicorn meat?? it sounds to me. I can't wait. I am gonna to tell my husband about that place and Dame's Chicken and Waffles. I can't wait to try Dames Chicken & Waffle.

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  8. Great Post Thanks for sharing this information

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