The Oakz, recently opened in downtown Raleigh, Â is a father/daughter-owned restaurant specializing in upscale American comfort food. The OAKZ is named after the owner Ira’s grandchildren in chronological order, Oakley, Annie, Karly and Zack. We recently sat down for a menu tasting of six courses and were impressed by the ambiance, food, and service provided. Here’s a little glimpse into the meal we enjoyed!
To begin with, we were served the Ahi Tuna Lettuce Sliderz, which consisted of soy-marinated tuna on Bibb lettuce, topped with sliced carrots and onions. It was crisp, flavorful, and refreshing.
Our next course from the Appetizer section of the menu was the Crispy Pork Belly Taco: pickled vegetables served on a corn taco and drizzled with chipotle aioli and cilantro. Once again the dish was flavorful and the chipotle aioli added a pleasant kick.
Moving on to the Entrées, our first dish was the Chicken and Dumplings. This was a particular favorite of the table. The way the dumpling was served was at once familiar and modern. All the flavors you would expect were represented well, and the chicken was excellent.
The last entrée we were served was the Shrimp and Grits. Local stone ground grits with Tasso ham and gulf shrimp in a creole sauce, it was warm and tasty, exactly as it should be.
 Finally, we were served two desserts. The first, the S’mores Brownie, was absolutely amazing. House made marshmallow, chocolate brownie on a house cinnamon nut cracker topped with sea salt and chocolate ganache. The marshmallow was pleasantly sweet and the brownie was deliciously moist and crumbly. It was one of the best desserts I’ve had in a long time.
And for the final course, a second dessert was served: cheesecake! It was a cheesecake with a graham cracker crust and served with a fresh fruit coulis. The citrus flavor added a unique and excellent twist on a dessert staple. It was made with ricotta cheese and was incredibly fluffy and light.
We highly recommend giving the Oakz a visit. From the decor to the attentive staff to the homespun and delicious food, the family touch the co-owners bring was evident in every aspect of the restaurant.
And it’s perfect for birthday’s too!
510 Glenwood Ave #010, Raleigh, NC 27603
Hours :
Mon:Â 4:00PM – 10PM
Tues – Thurs:Â 11:30AM – 10PM
Fri: 11:30AM – 11PM
Sat: 4:00PM – 12AM
Sun: CLOSED