I recently hosted a bridal shower for my daughter at La Residence. It is Such a cute place with vibrant colors and beautiful paintings. The ambiance was great also. Ms Gualtieri and family did a wonderful job with everything. The tables were beautifully decorated with vases filled with fresh cut flowers. The food on the brunch buffet was delicious. Mimosas were served along with beignets that were exquisite. The staff was so attentive and made sure our guests were taken care of. The guests expressed how much they enjoyed everything. I would highly recommend La Residence to everyone for your next event. Thanks again Dieter and family for helping to make my daughter Cierra's bridal shower so special. Everyone had a great time. read more

Made a reservation for a Sunday brunch. Got seated quickly at this shaky, small, and very tattered up table. The ambiance was nice though, it was like dining in a small cosy house. Our waitress was very nice, but it took a very long time for us to get our orders in and to get our food. I'm assuming they were pretty busy. Anyways, I got the eggs benedict which had an eggs benedict of course, which was poached perfectly. Really good. It also came with potatoes and a side salad. Everything was balanced well together, and the flavors weren't too strong. It was a good meal but I probably just a one time brunch thing. read more

La Residence - Eggs Benedict - New American Near Me - Chapel Hill, North Carolina

Very ho hum. We had pre-fixe team dinner tonight which was not very tasty. The meal just wasn't great. For dessert they brought out a muffin. Kinda ridiculous. read more

My kids took my wife and me to this place On Mother's Day, it is just a continental breakfast , nothing really special, but charge us $60 per person! read more

Stopped by for brunch. The beignets were perfect - a mix of donut and croissant with powdered sugar. They came out quick so was worried they might not be fresh but they were warm and perfect. I had the smoked salmon bagel that was great. Chicken and waffles were good but nothing special. Our server Ava was fantastic. read more

My spouse and our friends came here for brunch following an event in chapel hill. There were several parking lots around and there was not a wait, around 11:00 on a Sunday. I got the GOAT Bloody Mary and it was good. The little grilled cheese wedges are a nice touch. I ordered the chicken and waffles and my spouse got huevos rancheros. Both of our food was a little on the cooler side of warm, which was a little bit of a disappointment. However, we did overhear our server saying they were incredibly short staffed. The chicken, minus the temperature, was 10/10 - some of the best chicken I've had. The waffle was also good, nothing special about it but it was well done. My spouses huevos rancheros were good and the pico tasted very fresh. However, it was VERY heavy on the potato's, which pretty much covered the bottom of the bowl. My spouse said it was a 3.5-4. Overall, I'd give this place a 3.5-4 for brunch. read more

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Nice ambience with a cute screened in garden space. Service was friendly and pretty fast. However, it's very much "American inspired" French food so not a place to have classic french dishes - menu (for brunch) seemed to be a mix of southern, mexican, french options. Price is very reasonable for the portion and the atmosphere. I would recommend it to people who are looking for a casual & elegant brunch while not craving for a specific kind of food. read more

La Residence - "Croque madame" - New American Near Me - Chapel Hill, North Carolina

My partner and I came with another couple after an event in chapel hill. I was impressed that there was no wait and there was a lot of parking close (had to pay per hour). I had the GOAT Bloody Mary, which was very good. I felt meh about the grilled cheese but the rest was great! I had the chicken and waffles and my partner had the brunch squatch. The chicken and waffles was really good! The waffle was just okay but the chicken was bomb! My partner's food was on the cooler side was his biggest complaint. It was a lot of food! I tried the grits and didn't love them, but I'm not a huge grits fan. It was also super cute inside and had a huge bar. I loved the vibe of the decor and set up. Over all, I'd say go back for the chicken and waffles and bloody Mary's! Everything else was meh and I'd order something different next time. read more

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Sooooo good. I love this place. The food is so good, especially brunch. Super pretty great for pics.

The atmosphere wasn't what we expected. I have t been there in quite awhile... probably 20 years. I knew it had changed hands but didn't realize it was a college bar now. read more

We had a delicious brunch today. The food and our server, Ava, were great! The coffee, beignets, cheese grits, eggs, and home fries were delicious. Such a cozy little spot. Give it a try! read more

Great eggs Benedict - always go here for brunch when my friends/family are in town. The inside is also super cute and all the waitresses have been really nice! read more

We visited La Res last evening, as part of a wedding rehearsal party of twenty or so persons. In a word, the staff was "attentive." As folks were arriving, they were discretely directed to the bar, where various vintages had just been poured. Beer and other alcohol were poured to order. This really cut down wait time, and increased time to socialize! (I wish I'd noted the label of the pinot noir they served - it was excellent!) We were given discretionary time to mingle - that is to say, the tables were ready, they were waiting on us. When we did finally move into those two rooms up front, the wait staff was prepared. They were prompt yet unobtrusive; refreshing wine glasses and other beverages and taking orders seamlessly. (I would guess they had enough staff to wait on our group - I say this only because our young man was present whenever we needed him and as soon as we needed him, but kept more or less out of sight when we didn't.) Although there were varied dishes on our Prix fixe menu, I can only comment about the quality of what I had. To start, there was gazpacho. It was complex enough to make me smile! You could taste the individual flavors, so clearly it had been made fresh. The beef tenderloin over mashed potatoes with asparagus and carrots was done to perfection! I don't eat a lot of red meat anymore, so when I do have it, I want the top-of-the-line stuff... and this was it! Beautifully marbled, tender and juicy. The asparagus was a bit on the large side, and the potatoes were just okay... but the overall impression was that I'd had an excellent meal. The groom's cake for dessert (carrot cake with cream cheese icing) was very tasty indeed, and the cappuccino was expertly made. I've been in the area for almost 20 years now, and this was my first visit to La Res. I'm looking forward to a return visit later this summer, to see what their service is like for smaller or more intimate groups. read more

La Residence - Gazpacho - fresh and delicious! - New American Near Me - Chapel Hill, North Carolina

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Brunch... slow service, sub- par food, and tasted like folgers coffee. to be clear, folgers is fine. but not at that price. maybe and off day, but oy read more

Decided to have Brunch here since we were staying at hotel next door. The menu looked good, yelp reviews looked good, & a hotel employee recommended it. So we gave it a try & I hate to say it but our brunch was a major disappointment. The Staff was friendly and attentive but when I say the food was sub par it's not an exaggeration. My wife and I both ordered American breakfast- fairly simple: eggs, meat, potatoes and toast. Both our eggs were severely over cooked, - with my wife's actually being black around the edges. Her bacon was good but cold and my sausage was so over cooked I could barely cut it. It was shriveled up like jerky. We actually would have sent the food back if not for being on a strict time schedule. My son had the French toast which he enjoyed and my daughter had the grits bowl which she also said she enjoyed. The Coffee was very good but served in a tiny cup. You'll need a few refills if you're a morning coffee drinker. I will probably give them one more try when I am back in town, anyone can have a bad day but I am highly skeptical. Lastly, brunch prices are a bit steep. Could probably eat in a diner for half the price . Hope their dinner effort is better, we'll try that next time and update. read more

I came here for an event and so they had a special menu set up for us, and gave us a private room. The staff was very friendly and had great timing when serving the 3 courses. I ordered a salad to start, with mixed greens, wonderful candies walnuts and vinegarette dressing. My entree was a pumpkin risotto with cheese and cranberries, a strange combination but surprisingly wonderful because all of the flavors complimented each other. I ordered a creme brûlée for desert that was wonderful, just sweet enough to not be too much, and a well done caramelized top. Overall great experience, and a little funny because I normally go to La Rez at 1am on weekends. read more

La Residence - Pumpkin risotto - New American Near Me - Chapel Hill, North Carolina

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If I can give La Rez one bit of advice, it would be: Don't rest on your laurels. I too was there for the Triangle Restaurant Week. My food was excellent, though for the pricing, I expect local, non-chain restaurants to be incorporating (at least some) local ingredients listed on the menu for that price point. Not only that, but the service is not at $50+ a person standards. Memorize your specials, what's 86'd, be polite, don't order me around, and don't pour water all over my place at the table. I'm happy to pay the money for great food and a lovely evening, but don't take advantage of TRW to slack off or not put your best foot forward to support your waitstaff. I don't feel like making waitstaff generate a $25 pre-fix discount at the register from the normal menu is entirely appropriate. They didn't choose to take part in this, the restaurant did. We are were an 8 top. Sometimes that does take more than one person. I'm there for the experience, not just the food on my plate or the drink in my glass. After the other reviews, this seems to just be the sprinkles on the whipped cream, on the already iced cake...but it's yelp, and there's my two cents. read more

Food and service was great! Great prices and nice sized portions. Great place for large gatherings.

UPDATE: Had my wedding rehearsal dinner here 3 days ago. They've learned how to make a dirty martini since last time, and the arrangements were very nice. They gave us our own room (with full bar) in the back so we could gather before dinner, and the appetizers were tasty and the waitstaff were right on the spot to help. They even helped us stall for time when a couple of the guests were late! Dinner went very smoothly, and all of the guests appeared to enjoy their meals (vegetarians and meatasauruses alike). We had the choice of tenderloin, salmon, or polenta, all of which were nicely presented. And I don't know where the restaurant gets their baked goods, but the carrot cake for dessert was *seriously* good. Hats off to my new father-in-law for choosing La Res for the dinner! ================ ORIGINAL REVIEW: I admit it: I judge places by how well they listen when I order a very dirty martini, house gin, with olives. La Res didn't pass the test--almost no "dirt" in the one I got last Saturday night. Bah. After a bit too long of a wait, my dining companions ordered appetizers--one got the sweet potato gnocchi; the other, the house salad. Both of them were just fine, they said. Then two of us ordered the venison with roasted root vegetables. The venison was OK and mostly rare, as it's supposed to be, but the vegetables were outstanding (and I hate vegetables). The grouper ordered by the other person was good, too. They finished off with coffee and apple crisp, which they said was very good. La Res is in a renovated bungalow, and it has comfortable seating, a quiet atmosphere, and a good floor plan. We were surprised by how empty the place was on a Saturday night, but maybe that was because of the ACC tournament games going on that day. For the prices La Res charges, I think I'd rather go to Magnolia Grill in Durham, where the food and service are in a league of their own. read more

La Residence - Sweet potato gnocchi - New American Near Me - Chapel Hill, North Carolina

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An impressive showing by executive chef Fearrington highlighted well sourced local ingredients - some are grown in the owner's garden - and impeccable culinary technique. The four course tomato menu, currently featured on Groupon, is a very good bargain for the level of food and service offered at the attractive Chapel Hill venue. A salad of local beets, goat cheese and heirloom tomatoes with mizuna microgreens was a tasty study in complementary flavors, textures and colors on the plate. Better yet was the soup course, a luxuriously creamy, full bodied tomato bisque that focused on pure tomato flavor. It had a beautifully lush texture achieved without the use of cream. The meat and fish courses were perfectly cooked and seasoned, and the side of buttery grits with the sea bass and braised local vegetables was a spoonful of Southern flavored heaven. Purple basil, ricotta and lime sorbets were house made and delicious, and the tomato creme brulee was served with a just-right bite of charred heirloom tomato. While I could have wished for a touch less sweetness and more assertive tomato flavor in the brulee, I didn't regret getting to taste it. The venue is classy and attractive, both the indoor area and the spacious outdoor patio. The food is excellent and the staff are friendly and attentive. Definitely do recommend. The one major downside is the parking situation. Come early or during the off season and you'll be more likely to grab one of the limited spots nearby. read more

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My book club had a reservation for 8 people at 7PM. The restaurant was busy as they were hosting two parties, but we had a nice table in a quiet area that facilitated our discussion. However, we did not have orders taken until 7:50 and then our food came at 8:50. This happens, we understood. And our waiter was perfectly lovely and comped us two appetizers for the table. The food was pretty good, some from our group enjoyed the duck and the salmon. However, as we were leaving an older man came over to our group and called us a "chatty bunch of women" and proceeded to denigrate our book club. If this were just another patron, this would be fine, as it is not in the restaurant's control. But this man told us that his wife is the owner. Not only that, as I was trying to extricate our group from his inane chauvanistic chatter, a waiter whispered to me "Good luck" clearly indicating that this has been a problem before. This is completely unprofessional. I will never go back and will actively discourage others from going there. read more

Extreme disappointment. Not sure what happened to LaRes but we tried brunch. Awful. 1. Beignets were tasteless, dinner roll like. No flavor just a bunch of sugar on a tasteless dough. 2. Avacado toast with poached egg. The egg seemed to have been precooked and served right out of the fridge. Just plain bad. 3. The worst was the croque madam. Rather than the traditional meat (ham), as the menu indicated, the chef decided to use roast pork. No indication on the menu that it was pork instead of the expected ham. It was terrible. No offer to comp or substitute. Needless to say we will not return. Terrible. read more

We have eaten at La Rez over a 35 year period and it was never better than tonight. The shrimp and grits was better than Crook's Corner. Guess we won't have to worry about CC being closed! Scallops also outstanding. The only thing better than the food was the service. If you haven't been to La Rez for awhile - GO! read more

I've been to La Residence twice now and would not hesitate to return. My sister had been wanting to try it for some time, so we first went a couple of months back, and then again a few weeks ago. The ambience is lovely, our servers were both perfectly attentive and the duck breast (w/mashed potatoes and green beans) was so good the first time that I ordered it again the second time. Yum! I can't remember what my sister ordered the first time, but she had the truffle risotto on visit #2 and raved about it. The only (slight) negative was that my vegetarian niece didn't feel as though she had a lot of options (although she regretted not ordering her mother's risotto after she tried it). read more

Went here for brunch for my husband's birthday. By far the best breakfast restaurant we have been to in CH.

I hadn't been to La Res for years and heard the food had gone downhill. What changed? They renovated the kitchen (I haven't seen it, heard that it is amazing, all shiny and new), fixed up the interior, changed the menu and hired a chef from Paris. From what I understand, there are 2 groups who go here. 1) generally an older crowd for whom food is important, and 2) students who come late at night for drinking and dancing. I belong to the first group. I made a reservation a day ahead and said that my son was vegan, would the chef prepare something for him. There were 3 of us--son, husband and moi. Chef made an outstanding dish for my son--he made the tomato/onion tart into a vegan dish with caramelized onions as the base instead of the crust. My husband and I ordered 3 small plates: Shaking Beef Salad--filet mignon sautéed with hoison sauce over mixed greens; Cucumber Linguini with Shrimp--cucumber with poached shrimp, parsley, lemon oil, aged balsamic reduction; Crab Cake. The waiter made a mistake, brought Duck Confit Sliders--on a brioche bun with either caramelized onions, slaw or fried onions instead of the Crab Cake. He offered to bring the Crab Cake in addition but we said we'd get it another time. Actually, we decided to get dessert instead of the crab cake and I'm so glad we did, because it was absolutely delicious. We split the Kalouga with orange, semi-sweet chocolate, bourbon, whiskey, and brandy. When I say split, it means my husband has 2-3 bites and I eat the rest which is just fine with me. This was an outstanding molten chocolate dessert that was intensely flavorful with deep dark chocolate. How could we go wrong? The beef was tender, succulent and flavorful, perfectly cooked, generous portion served with a small salad. The quantity of shrimp was also generous and the dish was very creative. We gave feedback to the chef that it was bland and he agreed to make a stronger dressing. I think it was a citrus dressing instead of the balsamic. I really wanted the crab cake but the sliders were excellent; guess I'll need to go back. Presentation of each dish was beautiful. This place is a winner. La Residence has had poor reviews in the past several years so I urge people to come try it again. I'm ready to go back. read more

Went for a birthday dinner during the UNC holiday break, almost no one there, which was a little creepy. And it had a serious 80's vibe. We tried the onion soup. It wasn't bad, but the baked cheese on top tasted like mozzarella, not gruyere. The waiter brought stale sliced bread to the table, another disappointment. The entrees seemed ok: crab cake, hamburger and sautéed scallops. I ate a wedge salad. But the best thing was the chocolate mousse cake and the creme brulee, both unexpectedly rich and delicious. I think the menu needs a reboot into the 21st century if this restaurant is to survive. read more

I feel like my review is going to be a squirt of gasoline on an already well-stoked fire. Oh well, in for a penny, in for a pound. First, let me preface everything by saying that I hate the banjo. As an instrument, I think it should be struck from the collective memory and history of humanity. We'd be better off. So, the fact that an enthusiastic banjo player was crouched in the corner singing songs in an off-kilter dialect, set my expectations for the evening low. Live music does not good music make. It was, apparently, intrustive enough that one of the first things our maladroit waiter excused was his inability to hear our orders due to the twangy caterwauling behind him. Which is slightly unbelieveable given the requirements we had to meet to order at all. This guy could have a long and fulfilling career in any government organization. I fully expected him to hand us Forms 231.2A and B, in triplicate, to facilitate the acquisition of some booze. Phil G. forgot to print his name first, and was summarily executed. They are very strict there. Seriously though. We began by dictating, and phonetically spelling our last names, as well as describing - in intimate detail - the relations (or lack thereof) to the people next to us. Clockwise. While our server took detailed notes on a pad, and possibly into a voice recorder - ostensibly for use in his doctoral thesis, "You Should Be Happy Being Served At All." He then asked us for our drink orders before we discussed the menu. There's a method, see. Following our drink orders, he vanished. Upon his return, and subsequent foreplay with Dan C, he discussed the menu with us. No mention of missing food. Low stock. No stock. Just took all our orders and firmly suggested we order dessert now, rather than later - despite that palate preferences change based on what food and drink you've recently consumed. No, let's get all the tedious decisions out of the way immediatedly. You'd think all the forethought would equate to a relieving absence of errors. You'd think. However, two people didn't get the appetizers they wanted, three people had fish so salty they couldn't eat it. Drinks were poured everywhere (the tablecloth was saturated by the end of the night). I was glared at for ordering a coffee with my dessert (which was not offered to me, or anyone until I requested it), and finally the cheques came - with some creative math I haven't seen since the "imaginary number" stuff in High School. We were also instructed to return the cheque folders to the waiter in a specific order, to speed up and facilitate being rung up. They of course took 20-30 minutes to return, and were (apologetically) out of order. Some people may read this and think I dwell on the negatives. They'd be right. I dwell on the negatives because I am paying for a positive experience. If all goes well, then you get 5 stars: you get a glowing report of how awesome everything was, and we all live fattily ever after. You get enough things wrong for a group of 8 to talk about it all night, then hey - you're doing something wrong and you (and other customers) should know about it. The saving grace of La Rez - for me - was the food and even moreso, the spectacular conversation. My steak was delicious, as was the accompanying sauce and potatoes. The cumin donuts were awesome - I could eat a dozen of them - and of course the dessert was super tasty. Even the coffee was good. But hey, my wife can cook anything (I'm a terrible cook), and I can make a kick-ass cup of coffee. You go out to a place like La Residence for a treat. To be treated well. To be taken care of and pleasantly surprised. They know how to cook over there, but their wait staff needs work. Hey, if it was only about the food, why would it be $120 (before the quantumn discount algorithm) for two people to eat? read more

It's not very often you get all wet and bothered from a meal. Well...this past Tuesday as part of the Triangle Restaurant week, I did with a group of fellow Yelpers. Don't worry, no food was harmed in this review (at least by us)! Let me 'splain. Being one of our few free nights to get out (we're out of town for the rest of the week and won't be able to enjoy the other restos! Boo!), we decided to venture here among the many other restos we had seen - b/c we'd always been curious about the restaurant and it's setting. We weren't disappointed - the outdoor seating was beautiful (even if the chairs were a bit hard and uncomfortable after 3 hours of sitting down), and Tuesday nights from 5:30 - 10pm apparently seems to be the big deal here ($3 beer and wine specials as well as free live music). Couple that with the Triangle Restaurant week and (by far) one of the best menus I've seen to date (lots of choices including a veggie option and TWO seafood options), this seemed like a great choice......on paper. First, the service. I don't want to bash our waiter guy overly for his inexperience (or so it seemed), but the act of ordering seemed a bit confrontational. I felt like I was being inquisitioned by the Catholic Church (queue in Monty Python's ..."the inquisition" song....). The ordering procedure seemed a bit unnatural and he definitely seemed stressed over the whole situation - b/c apparently we were an unruly group of yelping diners? Kidding aside, yes...he did spill drinks over me and yes, I felt like I got more of Jonathan H.'s mojito than he did. Being the wily athletic guy I am, I deftly avoided any further encounters with my cat-like reflexes....not. In all fairness, he did apologize and gave me a nice lower back massage with the towel. Not the best massage I've ever had, but definitely 4 stars coming from the waitstaff! (This guy should really consider an alternative line of work as a masseur....if this gig doesn't work out.) It was a bit unfortunate that I was a victim of a drive by splashing courtesy of our waiter. Even despite the over complicated confrontational ordering system (e.g., "Last name first!", "put each table check below the previous one going counter clockwise...", etc.), the food was kind of hit and miss from what we ordered. The good? Her scallops with the basil risotto and the grilled daikons were amazing....my fresh fish dish (the dover sole) over a pancetta green saute with cauliflower and potatoes in a creamy sauce were great...until I ate a mouthful of the salt lick the dish was seasoned with. I know I wasn't the only one....b/c Nikki and Christina also ordered the same dish and made similar comments. The flavours in the fish dish would have been near perfect if it weren't for the heavy hand on the seasoning which really ruined the meal. I couldn't finish the fish...and from the looks of the other plates on the table, I wasn't the only one either. I'll chalk this up to operator error and maybe it was a bad day, but the saving grace (barely) was the scallops. They were done well, not over seasoned - juicy and plump with a nice pan sear on them. The only demerit on the dish was the seafood dumpling which again, seemed to be made by the same person with the heavy hand in seasonings. The filling was a bit over salted....but not near as much as the fish. The apps and dessert were alright. We had the green salad with a tasty dressing and the cumin doughnuts with the goat cheese dipping sauce. I preferred the salad over the fried doughnuts which seemed a bit over fried IMHO. For dessert, we had one of each of their offerings - a cheesecake and a chocolate mousse. The cheesecake was more of a deconstructed cheese cake and the "cake" was more mousse-like - airy and light. Together with a burnt sugar crisp and strawberries, it transported you back to the essence of a strawberry cheesecake. The mousse with the brownie and the cream was also quite good. The brownie had that deep fudgy goodness and was very easy on the palate. Overall, I'm going to err on the generous side and say just A-OK for La Residence. I'm willing to give it another try and I'll chalk this "bad" experience up to unfortunate events and maybe a "bad" day. The food was good...but i would be hard pressed to pay full price on their items considering the oversalted fish entree. So, Atmosphere = 4 stars Food = 4 stars for the scallops and desserts, 2 star for the fish, and 3 stars for the apps. Service = 2 stars Price = 2.5 stars Back massage = 4 stars I can't guarantee the back massage, but good ambiance and a great scallop dish help save this review. The other food would be great if they just went easy on the salt. read more

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Well, after so many years, I finally went and dined at La Res. I took advantage of the Triangle Restaurant Week menu as the offerings looked quite delicious. Me and a group of yelpers came at 7:30 and enjoyed a table at the corner of the patio, with some live bluegrass in the background. So far, so good. Our waiter -- who, I really do think meant well -- was just a hair uncomfortable in his server shoes: *He addressed those with separate checks by referring us as "You're alone tonight?" rather than "Is your check separate?" Especially awkward since I was with my husband (and therefore, not alone) but would be paying separately. It was just kind of awkward. I remember when I had my first server training about a decade ago, and one rule we were given was to never say "Table for one?" as it might make someone feel badly. This was like that to the nth degree. *The order taking was a touch militant. "Alcohol first. Are you having any alcohol?" as I began to rattle off my pre-fixe selections prior to ordering a glass of wine. *Our cups floweth over. Literally. Poor Dan at the end of the table got his shirt splashed with water from the pitcher a few times. And Mari had a big ol' wetspot at her table where a glass was filled over capacity. Given the careful separation of the checks and alcohol-before-food ordering process, I was surprised that the meal took so long to be had (a little under three hours) and that the checks took a long while to come out. We were in good company and no particular hurry -- plus when you dine in a party of 8, you expect some slow-ups. The server even apologized and explained when he delivered the bills... the process for ringing up Triangle Restaurant Week orders there seemed very involved. Other restaurants I've gone to have simply broken the three dishes down so that they add up to $25. La Res, instead, tallied up the total the dishes :would: have cost -- then they put tax and auto-grat on that amount. And then they ran a discount, which brought the total of the meal (pre-tax and gratuity) to $25. I'll be honest: I think it's crappy to do it this way. It's not like we ordered a discounted meal or used a coupon on it. The gratuity and tax should have come from the $25 amount -- which is what Triangle Restaurant Week advertises as the cost of the meal. And other restaurants and their POS systems don't seem to have any trouble making such a calculation work. Okay -- anyway. The food... I started off with the cumin doughnuts with goat cheese and yogurt. Tasty and unique. Kind of like hushpuppies. My entree, sadly, was ruined by a very heavy hand of the salt shaker. I ordered the fish of the day which was served with potatoes, cauliflower and a spare bit of light cream sauce. I think the flavors could have been marvelous but the dish was salty to the point of being inedible. In fact, I didn't finish mine. Two others at the table ordered the fish and we all agreed the salt was completely overbearing. Such a shame. For dessert, I enjoyed the chocolate mousse and brownie, topped with a dollop of whipped cream. It was a wonderful conclusion to the meal. Their mousse is quite milky and not too rich, as some can be. The brownie, though a small portion, was dense and moist. And the wine specials? $3 special glasses and $15 special bottles. That made me a happy diner indeed. read more

I came to La Residance on a Tuesday during Triangle Restaurant Week. I expected this restaurant to put their best foot forward but I was disappointed. Let me start with the food (which was better than the service)... I chose the flatbread (which I was told is like a bruschetta/pizza) from the appetizer menu and I was told about 30min later that they were out of this item so I had to make another choice. I selected cumin doughnuts which were good but more like a glorified hushpuppy served with yogurt. It was interesting but nothing really incredible. Main course was Skirt Steak. Presentation was good but portion was small and the meat was a bit overcooked. The steak was precut and we were not asked how we liked our steak so I guess it was the chef's choice (possibly the safe choice considering some people have a problem with any pink). I think precutting the steak caused it to lose some of the juice. For dessert I had the chocolate mousse and I have no complaints. It was rich and sweet and matched my expectation for this type of dessert. Service, was, unfortunately, pretty bad. I feel like the server was a bit inexperienced. We had a large group (8 people) but we all were ordering from the pre fixe menu so I didn't expect things to be difficult. Despite the explicit instructions on how to order (to make his job easier) the process was slow and not very well-orchestrated. Drink orders (such as when someone asked for coffee) were treated with disdain (not enthusiasm). Perhaps this restaurant should focus more on training and better prepare their employees. I should also mention that La Residence has an EXCELLENT drink special on Tuesday. Certain glasses of wine were $3 (I think we could choose between a Pinot Noir and Pinot Grigio). I had both varietals and enjoyed them both but I am not sure which winery they were from. 2-stars might be a little harsh but I guess I was hoping to be "wowed" but was let down with mediocre food and service. Maybe my expectations were too high(?). Maybe this restaurant just didn't take Triangle Restaurant Week seriously and didn't create a pre fixe menu that matched the quality of their regular menu.... read more

La Residence - Skirt steak (sorry for the blurriness) - New American Near Me - Chapel Hill, North Carolina

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(Second Yelp review in a week... I'm on a roll) The wife and I took advantage of the Groupon at La Residence to go out and be a little fru-fru. It was well worth the expense. Make no mistake - La Residence is not the sort of place to go to for casual dining. It is a place for a refined palette and deep pockets. Wishing to test the sommelier's abilities I asked for his wining pairings to go along with the Fall Menu included as part of the Groupon. Upon arriving for our 6pm reservation, the wife and I were promptly seated by the host/sommelier who was prompt and unobstrusive throughout our meal. A waitress provided bread and water and kept a close eye as well. It should be noted that it was a slow night with only ours, a three-top, and another two-top to occupy the attention of the waitstaff. (Note: aside from the lack of wine and the dessert, the wife's and my meal were identical.) The meal started with an Il Conti Pinot Grigio - Light body with little character to the nose; notes of raspberry and allspice - and a "Petite Lettuce Salad." The salad was a mix green salad with house-made raisins, beets, cherry tomatoes, and crushed nuts lightly dressed with a cider vinaigrette. A good salad and a good start to the meal. We continued with a McWilliams Chardonay - unfortunately bland with little nose; a dry specimen with notes of cherry - and a Butternut Squash Soup that was superb. Combining a creamy squash broth with shimeji mushrooms, a Pork and Apple ravioli, and a hint of white truffle oil there was a lot going on with this Autumn concoction. A strike for the McWilliams but a solid triple for the soup. Our entree was the beef tenderloin accompanied by a Redpin Cabernet - medium bodied with a spicy nose, low sugar and notes of blackberry and oak. We both ordered the steaks medium-rare and so they were delivered. Perfectly. One of the best steaks I've had in many a year. The steaks were presented on a bed of (overly) wilted chard and accompanied by a layered potato gratin that was tasty. On top and surrounding that were Shitake mushrooms and cipollini onions. All in all, a great steak and potatoes. The cab accompanying it was definitely a "would buy again." To finish our meal I had the Chocolate Pot de Creme while the wife enjoyed the Creme Brûlée. The wife would like Yelp to know that the Creme Brûlée was rich, creamy and delicious... as is only right and proper. The Pot de Creme was heavenly. 'Nough Said. Accompanying the dessert was a Tokai - a new experience for me. Starting with strong nose of apricots, the Tokai (a Hungarian dessert wine) is a little too sweet for my taste. But! Given the heavy, spicy and intense dessert, it was definitely the perfect digestif. All told: The wife and I will be returning. Assuming one of us wins the lottery. La Residence has a lot going for it with fantastic food* and good wine pairings but at 180$ before the Groupon this just isn't the right tax-bracket for most Chapel Hillians. *I wasn't going to gush but the wife insisted because of the steak. read more

Excellent food and the waiter had great recommendations. While the service was a bit slow the quality of the food certainly compensated and they went above and beyond to make our birthday celebration memorable. Will definitely recommend the crab cakes, scallops, filet mignon and duck. They were superb! A most do once your in the area. read more

The place is a full circle solution solution. La Res has spoken a list of famous chefs but its so much more. The old style house is an institution nestled in a big blue house one block from the UNC campus. One half classic french restaurant, other half college bar, La Res, as it is called, is a contradiction of itself. Imagine a restaurant that from 5-9 was for the button downed crowd, and beyond 10 was reserved primarily for the 19-23 field. The completely renovated classical southern home extends outside to a latice yard that is strung with white lights. The metal tables and chairs surround a giant oak tree that hung over the entire yard. On the average Thursday the yard is set up with at least 2-3 seperate bars and there was typically some sort of live music. Having spent 100's of nights pouring over bottles of wine I can tell you that it was addictive. This space was often a site for weddings in the summer. I've had many good dining experiences at La Res. There's the fact that they used to bring us out fresh baked cookies at midnight while boozing. But there is one meal that stands out in my mind. While my girlfriend was abroad in London she aquired a 1982(same year I was born) bottle of St Emelion during her travels in France, which she gave to me for my birthday. When I recieved the bottle, knowing I'd have to save it for her return, I wondered what would be the appropriate way to enjoy a 20 year old bottle of wine. The chef of La Rez was an extremely nice, young guy and very talented so one evening I went back to the kitchen and asked him if he might make a 5 course menu for the bottle that was appropriate foget the price and he didn't hesitate to oblige. The meal was great. We were celebrating my girlfriend being home. We were served by our favorite bartenders outside under the tree. The started us off with an amuse and some champagne. This was followed by 5 addition courses, the highlight of which was the duck. I can't tell you how rewarding it was to see all the 40-somethings asking what we were having and hearing the waiter explain that it was a special menu. Each course complimented the complexity of the wine perfectly. Its been a while since I've been back but its refreshing to see a place that serves brie soup with green apples in the evening but caters to the college crowd at night. Oh, and the reserve wine list is bomb. read more

A poor man's Top of the Hill. La Res, for short, is an upscale restaurant that turns into a UNC student bar around 10pm. Haven't tried the food, but the bar scene is very hit or miss. Too often it turns into a fraternity standoff regarding who can pop his collar higher. Bar gets very crowded and drinks are over-priced for Chapel Hill standards. Sometimes nice for a change, but if you're looking for an upscale college bar, stick with Top-O. read more

This is a surprisingly decent place if you're looking for a nice meal. It's a little on the pricey side, as you'll spend about $25 an entree and $12 or so for each appetizer. I came out here on a Sunday night and it was pretty dead, there was a party outside but otherwise only 2 or 3 tables eating inside. We got the duck breast which was good, though I'm not sure it was worth the $28 or so it cost. For an appetizer I got the barbecue shrimp on grits, the shrimp was okay, but the grits were excellent and by far the best part of the meal. We also had a caesar salad that was pretty forgettable and small, not really worth the $6. Dessert we got a chocolate souffle type cake, again it was good, but nothing memorable. The service here was really great, but in the end I'm not sure if the restaurant was good enough to command those prices, which probably explains why it's empty during dinner time. read more

I was with Ruben G. for a rehearsal dinner here this past week. I had been here once before for a later drink with friends, so I was interested to try the food. We had a set menu to choose from so I started with the gazpacho. It was very basil-forward, and not like any other I've had from a restaurant before. It was also gone very quickly. Presentation was definitely done with care as it had a pansy bursting in the middle. Next was the entree of salmon with a hollandaise sauce over polenta with mushrooms and sauteed spinach on the side. It was a good meal, not great. Well-plated, odd portions (a lot of spinach, three mushrooms). The polenta was a vessel for the sauce and the sauce wasn't worth forking. I also find it difficult when I think more fondly of the veggies than anything else on the plate. The staff was attuned to our drinking needs, and were accepting of our loud party. The house itself is set back from Rosemary, and both times I haven't felt crowded, but they were also during the summer when the pesky students are gone. read more

A very good restaurant but not in the league of the top restaurants in the Triangle. Had mussels as an appetizer, all very fresh and tasty with no grit. Short rib as a main course, which was nice but a little dense and the flavor did not fully keep up with the meat. Again, it was a good meal but not what I would refer to as memorable. read more

This place is alright. The food and wine are and the expensive side. Food is average and certainly cannot compare to other establishments in the Triangle such as Watt's Grocery, Piedmont or Nana's. The back bar area was packed. We went there on the day that UNC played VT in college football. We could tell that our waiter had been tail-gating all day,... he smelled of it. Average,... wouldn't really impress a date. read more

I've come here a few times on weekday nights for some drinks, and as a bar it's fully serviceable. They have more of a lean towards wine than most of the places around here, which is fine by me... They have a pretty good wine selection at more than reasonable prices (Tuesdays for cheap wine!), and the atmosphere suits wine very well. The staff is a bit brusque, and the clientele is often annoying, bordering on maddening. You'll want to find a way to keep yourself sane amidst the obnoxious frat crowd and their entourage that come out to this place on many nights. read more