Edward's Mill Bar and Grill

Sight:

Very large and pretty outdoor eating area under a gazibo thats cooled in the summertime and heated during the colder times. Indoors was less than exciting with very dark colors and low lighting even in the day time. More of a "bar" feel even in the separated dining section of the building. We ate outside this time though so I can't say much about the indoor atmosphere. I will say that as far as I can see, I'd probably prefer to eat outside on the pretty patio than inside any day.

Sound:
As you can see, we went at a very odd time so there wasn't much to complain about as far as noise goes, with the exeption of the traffic on the road that the restaurant backs up to. Even that wasn't enough to make the experience uncomfortable at all. The bar is separated from the actual dining room so the noise is deminished greatly.

Touch:

The dark colors of the indoor dining room were a little much for me (I prefer it to be a bit more cheerful) but not dreary at all.

Smell:
The smell of smoke is the first thing that hits you as you walk in the door which is a bit strange seeing as it is now banned in restaurants but it is still apparently very prominent in the kitchen.

TASTE!:

Food was honestly quite dissapointing..The bread that was served first was very very good and the salads were fresh and well portioned. Sadly, with the exeption of my fries, the meal went down in quality from there. My BBQ chicken breast was good, small but good. The rice was instant and poor quality, but the fries like I said were exeptional. My moms Blackened crab cakes tasted like they were made of cheap canned crab, and her slaw was lacking in..flavor. The selection on the menu was the usual 'bar and grill' variety, with an excelent beer menu. The food would have been acceptable had the price been equivilent to the quality, but the sad truth is that if it hadn't been for a coupon for half off, I would never have paid $35.00 for the food we got. If your looking for a place to just have a beer and maybe some appetizers, this could be the place for you, but if your looking for a good quality Meal at a reasonable price, Edward's Mill is not the place for you..or me at that..I do not plan on going back any time soon.

I'd give Edwards a 2.8 of 5..sorry

Jubala Village Coffee

Sight:
Jubala is located in one of the most quant shopping centers I`ve seen in a while. The Lafayette Village suite complex on Falls of Neuse Rd. In Raleigh has has success7fuly created a European feel that extends even to the little mock second story windows decorated with window baskets and colorful shutters. The over all appearance of this little complex is enough to make anyone stop just to take a walk around and enjoy the scenery, hungry or not. Jubala itself has a very open clean feel that is immediately welcoming and comfortable. With tall ceiling, large windows, and a little bar around the baristas, its a nice contrast to the usual close, and dark quarters of most coffee shops *cough* Starbucks *cough*.

Sound:
This will be my one and only complaint. Because of the hight of the ceiling and the lack of sound absorbing clutter, there is very little privacy in conversations. Because of the very open and "light" atmosphere, there seems to be more of a casual feel and because of that, there seems very little need for secrecy or privacy. Simply put, if you are looking for a warm cozy place to curl up with your book, this isnt your best option.

Touch:
Not much as far as touch goes, there are a few pictures for sale on the walls, not many  worth buying.. The bar is beautiful and the baristas even more so ;-) Employees are very friendly and well educated.

Smell:
Not overpowering thankfully but the smell of  burnt waffle is prominent at the moment. Aside from that, nothing too strong, and the smell of the well prepared cinnamon waffle was almost as wonderful as the actual flavor.

TASTE!:
The menu selection is very simple..very..It makes it very easy to decide and gives room for the s
wide selection of coffees provided (all local). We got Guatemalan coffee in a 32 oz french press which was given to us with a timer to let us know when it was done. I will say I was disappointed in the flavor (Guatemalan being one of my least favorites) but the consistency and quality were very good. The waffle was the highlight of th visit. Warm, perfect size, well cooked and crispy with perfect accounts KF cinnamon and sugar :-). They also come in a variety of flavors including Nutella, chocolate chip, and various other fruits.

Over all I'd give Jubala a 4 on the coffee/breakfast scale. I plan on coming back very soon to say the least.







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Tony's Oyster Bar & Restaurant

Sight :

From the outside looking in, Tony's..doesn't look like much. In the back of a now practially empty shopping center, this restaurant seems at first glance to offer very little variety or quality. This thankfully is only the case as I said, from the outside looking in. Inside, Tony's is divided very comfortably into bar, oyster bar, and restaurant. Very clean and open, with only one TV!! Pet peeve of mine. I prefer to watch the people around me, not those on a screen. As far as dress goes, ladies, heals and blouse are appreciated it seemed and men, unless your going to eat at the oyster bar, no t-shirts please ;)

Sound:

As you can see, we were there at a very quiet time of the evening. We ate at about 8:30 and when we got there, about 4 tables were finishing up and the oyster bar had about 8-10 people, so not a very loud night :) The music was pleasant and our waitress enjoyed it every bit as much as my dancing niece.

Touch:

Food presentation was not the main goal, but everything was fresh, clean, and well proportioned. Family friendly. Very few personal touches graced this restaurant, making it perhaps a bit bland, but the layout was over all very comfortable. Menus are a HUGE thing for me so I was a bit disappointed when we received the laminated, two page menus, but the selection made up for any lack of decorum. The variety of food served was very impressive especially considering that they specialize in seafood. It ranged from seafood, to pasta, poultry, steaks, ribs, and even gator meat as an appetizer which I was sadly not brave enough to try.

Smell:

Being an Oyster bar as well as restaurant, there were the occasional rather powerful whiffs off the fried fish, but never offensive enough to make it unpleasant. I would like to add in here, how grateful I will always for the fact that we no longer have to deal with the disgusting smell of smoke clouding up every restaurant we go to! It always tickled me to see the waitress lead us to the non-smoking "area" two feet away from the table covered with ashes..."oh no ma'am, you've made a mistake, we want no smoking..whats that?..Oh, well I do see that now! Ha, I'm sorry, I always forget how those magic little signs just whisk away the odor. Thank you so much, its all good now!"

TASTE!:

To begin the meal, we received a selection of rolls including cheese biscuits, white rolls and hushpuppies. All delicious and not cheap/fake. Each meal came with a well portioned, fresh salad that was out very promptly. I chose Blackened Chicken Breast with a side of steamed veggies and french fries. The chicken was cooked perfectly and seasoned generously, served with a side of house bbq sauce that was spicy and perfect on the chicken. Fries were great and again, not cheap/fake at all. The veggies were where I was disappointed; they tasted more like they were frozen together months ago, and still had that "blended" flavor, where you can't really tell which type your eating, whether its carrots, peas, or squash. This was the only complaint I heard across the board. One of us got the fried shrimp which was recommended highly, and the other, a 14 oz. ribeye steak that was drooled over and deemed one of the best in a long time (this recommendation came from one of the most picky steak eaters I've met so I trust him entirely). All of the food was out within a very very good amount of time and we came away full and very well satisfied.

Final Thoughts:

Over all, Tony's is a place I would recommend with confidence if you are looking to get a very good meal with great service in a laid back environment.We were able to speak with the chef for a few minuets, and learned that he personally buys all of the fish and oysters used at the restaurant. Very comfortable, and satisfying meal for a great price as well. My meal, including bread, salad, blackened chicken breast dinner w/two sides, and water to drink came to a grand total of $10.00 which I would say for the quality of food and comfortable arrangements, was a steal. The only negative thing I personally could find with this restaurant, was simply that there was not much to it as far as decor and personality goes, but as a family dinner or date night (as long as your not trying to be romantic) this was a great place.

On the scale from one to five, I'd give Tony's a well deserved 3.5