Cary’s Neighborhood 4 Star Restaurant

October 26, 2009 | Story by: Lindsey Chester | Categories: Food, Go Local, Restaurants

Story by Lindsey Chester and photos by Hal Goodtree.

Cary is fortunate to have a burgeoning restaurant scene. From casual to upscale, there are plenty of interesting choices. But there’s no place like Heron’s.

Haven’t been? It’s right off Harrison Ave. near 40. Take a right into the SAS Campus and the first left to the valet parking and you’re in another world. It’s the perfect place for that special dinner, celebration or big business meeting.

We recently attended Heron’s “Chefs of the Month” evening in which the restaurant highlights guest chefs from renowned restaurants to create 1 course each of the evening’s menu.

From the moment you drive up to the entrance of Heron’s and pass your keys to the captain of valet parking, you know you are in for VIP treatment (even if that car is a 12 year old Honda Wagon like mine).  As you walk inside, you are greeted with unique modern art sculptures and paintings, and  rooms enveloped with hard wood paneling.

As each course was served, an accompanying wine was poured. The beauty of this arrangement is that each chef would bring something novel to their creation and through the evening we tasted things that we might not have thought to order. Okay, we would have never imagined ordering.

For starters, we had salmon tartar with slivered radishes and pickle. On its own diminutive plate, crafted like a piece of art,  it gave us a glimpse into what the restaurant had in store for the rest of the evening. Each course was served with such precision that there was no doubt that the staff was well-versed in uncompromising service. No banter, no mistakes, just perfect presentation and attention to detail. The Chenin Blanc was crisp and bright.

Each course brought a surprise. A warm Okinawa red yam soup was poured table-side into a large bowl where a “custard” floated in the center with an apple/pecan relish. A seared scallop was presented like an abstract painting on the plate with a paint stroke of sauce which the scallop sat atop and was garnished with garlic and celery root. This was my personal favorite of the evening. A close second was the skate served in a Brodo (broth) with a homemade pasta served on top, and carmelized bacon chunks for a crunchy accent. Hal (the publisher CaryCitizen and, if you must know, my husband)  grunted like a man over the bacon wrapped rabbit with tender chunks of potatoes and a squash hazelnut chutney. The last meat course was the tender short ribs with an exclamation point of pureed espresso-scented potatoe puree – to die for!

The service was totally unhurried as we sampled each dish, drank the wine and relaxed to the sounds of Monk in the background. The room was warm and rich, lively but not loud. Hal hates a loud restaurant. The men wore ties and the ladies wore dresses.

Truly a 4 star experience. Cary has arrived with an establishment of this caliber. Along with the Umstead Hotel and Spa,Heron’s is sure to play host to many of the signature events in our growing community.

If you like fine dining, you must try Heron’s. Now Hal doesn’t have to worry about where to take me on my anniversary.