A Fork in the Road: State Farmers Market Restaurant (Raleigh, NC)

Right past downtown Raleigh is the Raleigh's Farmers Market and compared to ones in New York,  Hudson Valley, Colorado this one was ginormous!  Not only was there a building full of jams, jellies, jerky, there was an outdoor building for vegetables/produce/plants, as well as a separate drive-thru outdoor building for fruit.  Unfortunately, it wasn't prime fruit season, so you could just literally drive through the building. 

Overalls as the uniform...country touch!

In addition to the actual market, there is an entire store dedicated to gardeners and all of their needs.  The grounds house three restaurants, The Market Grill, The Seafood Restaurant and State Farmers Market Restaurant.  Late on a Saturday morning, my grandma and I pulled up to State Farmers market Restaurant.  As I looked around at the food and diners, I thought, 'this place seems pretty legit'.  It wasn't til much later on my walk through the produce building, that I understood how fresh these vegetables were.

Isn't she the cutest?  

When asked if she was going to get breakfast or lunch, my grandma said, 'I'm not getting anything I can make at home.'  Ha!  That meant no breakfast.  So, against my better judgment, I got lunch as well.  (I heard from my cousin that I really missed out, but not to fear, I will be back in a couple weeks) 

I ordered a half a barbecue chicken with collard greens and pickled beets.  I was skeptical ordering this chicken knowing it had a thick sauce (more like Tennessee barbecue), but lawdy, it was good.  Finger-licking good to be exact!  It had some peppery kick that paired nicely with the collards that I doused in vinegar sauce. 

Grandma ordered none other than a real Southern meal.  Fried chicken, mashed potatoes with gravy and green beans.  The fry is not the only secret to fried chicken, but the amount of salt and this was perfect.  It must have been fantastic because a 97 year old woman ate most everything! 

Complimentary banana pudding.  The best homemade banana pudding.  None of the boxed pudding involved in making this; just straight up milk, egg, flour and sugar.  Not too much sugar....just the perfect amount of sweetness.

We has started with one of my grandmas favorites: Fried Green Tomatoes
Perhaps I like cornmeal or tempura fried better.  These were oily and you could really taste the batter which I am not a fan of.

Don't 'cha just love the South?

http://www.ncagr.gov/markets/facilities/markets/raleigh/