Crook's Corner Closed

I just read that Crook's Corner has closed. I was surprised to see this in the NY Times - not that the Times is the be all and end all, but if they are reporting on a restaurant far from NY, it speaks to the importance of the restaurant.

I only went a few times but really enjoyed it - as a born and bred northerner, it helped cement my love of southern food. Great food in a nice but not stuffy atmosphere. The first time I took my wife to Duke for a game (she had never been to NC), a few months after we were married, I took her to Crook's Corner and she loved it (Bullock's was the other must-eat on the trip and she loved it as well, confirming that I had married well).

I thought that the purpose of the federal stimulus was to help places like this weather the storm for a year or so until things returned to "normal," as they largely seem to be now. It's a shame they couldn't secure funding to stay afloat.

NYT link (might be paywalled): https://www.nytimes.com/2021/06/09/d...mentsContainer

WRAL link: https://www.wral.com/crook-s-corner-...ness/19718261/

I haven't eaten a Crook's Corner in a couple decades, but my wife and I still use their Shrimp and Grits recipe.

https://cooking.nytimes.com/recipes/...rimp-and-grits

Sad to see it go.

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Originally Posted by rthomas

I haven't eaten a Crook's Corner in a couple decades, but my wife and I still use their Shrimp and Grits recipe.

https://cooking.nytimes.com/recipes/...rimp-and-grits

Sad to see it go.

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Crook's Corner was a really big deal 25 years ago -- owner Bill Neal's most famous dish was a "re-imagining" of shrimp and grits, a dish we ate at home when I was a child in Charleston -- although not with all the pizzazz he added. His ideas were borrowed by Craig Claiborne in his Southern Cooking book. He died far too young. I don't know if his kids were involved in the restaurant after his death. He was a Duke grad.

Reminds me of the demise of the Magnolia Grill which once had a (badly needed) transformative effect (IMO) on the Durham dining scene. Swilling martinis with Boswell, Tom Wolfe hovering nearby...

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Originally Posted by CrazyNotCrazie

I just read that Crook's Corner has closed. I was surprised to see this in the NY Times - not that the Times is the be all and end all, but if they are reporting on a restaurant far from NY, it speaks to the importance of the restaurant.

I only went a few times but really enjoyed it - as a born and bred northerner, it helped cement my love of southern food. Great food in a nice but not stuffy atmosphere. The first time I took my wife to Duke for a game (she had never been to NC), a few months after we were married, I took her to Crook's Corner and she loved it (Bullock's was the other must-eat on the trip and she loved it as well, confirming that I had married well).

I thought that the purpose of the federal stimulus was to help places like this weather the storm for a year or so until things returned to "normal," as they largely seem to be now. It's a shame they couldn't secure funding to stay afloat.

NYT link (might be paywalled): https://www.nytimes.com/2021/06/09/d...mentsContainer

WRAL link: https://www.wral.com/crook-s-corner-...ness/19718261/

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The Times wrote up Crooks Corner years ago and put them on the map, if I remember correctly.

Crooks Corner is the kind of place you may not go to for a decade or more but is still part of the fabric of this area and you are happy it exists. And now I'm disappointed it is gone.

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Originally Posted by sagegrouse

Crook's Corner was a really big deal 25 years ago -- owner Bill Neal's most famous dish was a "re-imagining" of shrimp and grits, a dish we ate at home when I was a child in Charleston -- although not with all the pizzazz he added. His ideas were borrowed by Craig Claiborne in his Southern Cooking book. He died far too young. I don't know if his kids were involved in the restaurant after his death. He was a Duke grad.

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I believe after Neal's death, it was sold to his lead chef, who ran it until a couple of years ago. He retired and sold it to somebody else, and they're the ones who are closing it. I haven't been there in ages, but I'd expect it had gone downhill in the past two years, and the pandemic sealed it.

The property is probably far more valuable being redeveloped than leaving the building as is. (The redevelopment of Franklin St. hasn't quite made it that far west, but it's coming.)

i've been to Crooks 2wice....both times i was somewhat disappointed....heard raves about the shrimp n grits, but it wasn't nearly as good as raleigh's humble pie...the 2nd time i went was on a bad service night....very crowded, but wound up sitting for 45 mins to find out our order hadn't been turned in.

never went back...

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Originally Posted by moonpie23

i've been to Crooks 2wice...both times i was somewhat disappointed...heard raves about the shrimp n grits, but it wasn't nearly as good as raleigh's humble pie...the 2nd time i went was on a bad service night...very crowded, but wound up sitting for 45 mins to find out our order hadn't been turned in.

never went back...

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So it's your fault it closed?:)

I went there frequently as a visitor when I had Duke season tickets or was recruiting at Duke -- mostly in the 1990's through early 2000's. I had good experiences -- although it's really a diner with --at its best -- excellent regional cuisine.

On the occasional recent trip, the food wasn't as good -- more of a nostalgia visit -- and I'm sorry it's closed.

I want that big pink pig. Lawn art.