Raleigh Favorite: Mandolin

Today, I am so excited to share a favorite Raleigh restaurant with y’all, that not only had delicious food and a great vibe, but gives back to something I am passionate about in my personal life. I have long been a fan of Mandolin, but recently I learned that Chef Fowler and his wife are involved with a project about redesigning school lunches in public schools and that Chef sits on the Interfaith Food Shuttle Board. Being a public school enthusiast, I was over the moon to learn about the poke bowl that benefits the Wake County PTA that Mandolin serves.

Recently, DG and I had a date night at Mandolin and we tried several delicious items off of their spring menu. I am so excited to share those with you today!

For appetizers, we tried the charcuterie plate, a carbonara dish, and a scallops dish. One of my favorite details of Mandolin is how the menu changes depending on the fresh ingredients that the kitchen is using. So the menu is often a sample menu, and their daily updates are delicious!

For dinner, I ordered the soft shell crab, which is one of my favorite meals for summer. It was absolutely divine. Not only is the presentation gorgeous, but everything is edible in the service, with most of the produce sourced from Chef Fowler’s farm. I think it is absolutely amazing that the Fowlers have their own farm for their farm-to-fork concept.

DG ordered the chicken and waffles, which is another Southern staple. We also sampled the fish of the day and the poke bowl. It is honestly hard to choose and hard to go wrong on the menu. The staff is super helpful and offers great suggestions based on preferences.