The Moose Cafe
Ian Michie
Issue date: 9/14/07 Section: Features
The Moose Cafe
Piedmont Triad Farmers Market
2914 Sandy Ridge Road
Colfax, NC 27235
Price Range $$ out of $$$$
Heaping Helpings and Hospitality
The Moose Cafe is located in the expansive complex of buildings that make up the Piedmont Triad Farmers Market. The large lodge-like establishment resembles a roadside chain-restaurant, catering to country-cooking enthusiasts. There is a strong tourist-trap, roadside-rest-stop feel to the restaurant, and a couple of red flags went up when I saw a huge banner out front announcing all you can eat fish and shrimp on Fridays.
The Moose is a large restaurant; presumably to accommodate the all-you-can-eat fish crowd. A friendly hostess led me to a booth under a massive faux-medieval tapestry of a moose. A large American flag dominates an entire wall of the dining room, and I expected to hear a Toby Keith CD start playing any minute. I noticed soft-drink-filled mason jars on neighboring tables - more red-flags.
My server greeted me perkily and took my order. Service was very good, and the place seemed well staffed with competent employees. The door to the kitchen was open and I could see that the back-of-the-house was bustling, and the cooks' overly-loud enthusiasm often competed with the general hum of the diners.
I ordered the meatloaf with mashed potatoes and pinto-beans. The menu claims that all of the vegetables are purchased from the farmers market, which seemed a good selling point. The waitress delivered an appetizer of a rubbery biscuit with some sort of spread, possibly apple-butter. I ate about a quarter of it, but took a break from chewing so I could reposition my jaw.
Before I knew it the main course had arrived. It was huge. Close to a pound of meatloaf stared up from the plate, bordered by a heap of potatoes and a cereal-bowl full of pinto-beans. I knew that if I ate half of this plate I would have to rent a stroller to carry my stomach around for the rest of the day. Still, I dug in.
The meatloaf was hot and fresh, but aside from that it was flavorless. No discernable seasoning elevated the loaf above the status of a mashed jumble of ground beef. The potatoes, which were indeed from scratch, were identically under-seasoned, with viscous, starchy gravy giving the only flavor. The quart of pinto-beans provided a bright spot, but a nondescript chow-chow added nothing to them. I introduced the corn-muffin to the biscuit, thinking, "rubbery meet dry, dry meet rubbery."
For all this the bill came to around eight dollars before tip. At least there is some value-for-money in the serving sizes. There was enough on my plate to feed a family of four.
There are plenty of country style diners that do a better job than The Moose Cafe, but if you are trying to eat yourself into a coma, or are a wrestler trying to jump into a new weight-class, The Moose is the place. Unfortunately, these are the only selling points I can find about it.
Piedmont Triad Farmers Market
2914 Sandy Ridge Road
Colfax, NC 27235
Price Range $$ out of $$$$
Heaping Helpings and Hospitality
The Moose Cafe is located in the expansive complex of buildings that make up the Piedmont Triad Farmers Market. The large lodge-like establishment resembles a roadside chain-restaurant, catering to country-cooking enthusiasts. There is a strong tourist-trap, roadside-rest-stop feel to the restaurant, and a couple of red flags went up when I saw a huge banner out front announcing all you can eat fish and shrimp on Fridays.
The Moose is a large restaurant; presumably to accommodate the all-you-can-eat fish crowd. A friendly hostess led me to a booth under a massive faux-medieval tapestry of a moose. A large American flag dominates an entire wall of the dining room, and I expected to hear a Toby Keith CD start playing any minute. I noticed soft-drink-filled mason jars on neighboring tables - more red-flags.
My server greeted me perkily and took my order. Service was very good, and the place seemed well staffed with competent employees. The door to the kitchen was open and I could see that the back-of-the-house was bustling, and the cooks' overly-loud enthusiasm often competed with the general hum of the diners.
I ordered the meatloaf with mashed potatoes and pinto-beans. The menu claims that all of the vegetables are purchased from the farmers market, which seemed a good selling point. The waitress delivered an appetizer of a rubbery biscuit with some sort of spread, possibly apple-butter. I ate about a quarter of it, but took a break from chewing so I could reposition my jaw.
Before I knew it the main course had arrived. It was huge. Close to a pound of meatloaf stared up from the plate, bordered by a heap of potatoes and a cereal-bowl full of pinto-beans. I knew that if I ate half of this plate I would have to rent a stroller to carry my stomach around for the rest of the day. Still, I dug in.
The meatloaf was hot and fresh, but aside from that it was flavorless. No discernable seasoning elevated the loaf above the status of a mashed jumble of ground beef. The potatoes, which were indeed from scratch, were identically under-seasoned, with viscous, starchy gravy giving the only flavor. The quart of pinto-beans provided a bright spot, but a nondescript chow-chow added nothing to them. I introduced the corn-muffin to the biscuit, thinking, "rubbery meet dry, dry meet rubbery."
For all this the bill came to around eight dollars before tip. At least there is some value-for-money in the serving sizes. There was enough on my plate to feed a family of four.
There are plenty of country style diners that do a better job than The Moose Cafe, but if you are trying to eat yourself into a coma, or are a wrestler trying to jump into a new weight-class, The Moose is the place. Unfortunately, these are the only selling points I can find about it.
Viewing Comments 1 - 4 of 4
Brandon Cox
posted 6/04/08 @ 10:55 PM EST
The food at the Moose Cafe is not only reasonably priced and generously served, but the food itself is great Southern style food. I have not met many people that are as negative as the above about this restaurant. (Continued…)
Allison Bartholomew
posted 6/13/08 @ 4:08 PM EST
I now reside in New York but I used to be a server at the Moose Cafe. "You"(Ian Michie) are the worst people to serve.
The Moose Cafe is purposely "country" and if that wasnt what you were looking for you should have left. (Continued…)
bill walker
posted 7/21/08 @ 10:48 PM EST
Ian
You will be writting for a 2 bit college rag for the rest of your miserable life. You entered a country restaurant that does a great job and you wanted to review an expensive 4 star place. (Continued…)
Leslie Franco
posted 8/01/08 @ 5:51 PM EST
My 4yr & I tried the Farmer's Market Moose Cafe. They do have a small shop where they sell overpriced clothing & such advertising the Moose Cafe. There was only 1 other party in the restaurant when we were seated. (Continued…)
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