Herons — Restaurant in Cary

I wanted to preface this review with the fact that Herons is on par if not better than some of the one and two star Michelin Restaurants around the world. Some of the restaurants that I believe Herons is better than are Baan Tepa (Bangkok Two Star), Cranes (DC One Star), Tenjaku (Kyoto One Star) and Canvas (Bangkok One Star). This is not to take away anything from these other excellent restaurants but merely to illustrate the caliber of restaurant Herons represents. If there is a restaurant in NC that will put NC in the international spotlight for Fine Dining, then it would be Herons unequivocally.

Everything from the service, atmosphere, wine and of course food is exquisitely prepared/presented with unending attention to detail.

Atmosphere - The restaurant is certainy luxury but feels relaxed and casual at the same time. The words i would use to describe the setting would be "quiet luxury". The table cloths are of an exquisite weave but not obtrusive to the eyes. The table flowers are unique but dont crowd the table. The semi open kitchen concept connects diners with the brigade but doesn't distract from the overall aesthetic of the dining area.

Wine - The wine menu is extremely deep and nuanced. It is not filled with non-sense wines. The wine pairings were artfully selected by Hannah Barton. I was impressed with her choice of Vin Santo from Tuscany for the apple dessert. Herons goes above and beyond by having almost a dozen wine professionals on staff to provide diners with the perfect wine for their choice of dish. My only regret is not dining with more friends so we could truly embrace the full potential of Herons wine menu.

Service - The words i would use to describe Herons service would be; 'welcoming', 'attentive' and 'professional'. The service professionals at Herons are not your average waiters from any other restaurant. Most had badges from either WSET or CMS (it was hard to tell from the lighting) indicating that they have a certain level of wine service training and expertise. Napkins were quickly whisked away when diner went to the restrooms with new ones presented via tongs. Crumbs were swept by the elegant crumb knife. Servers were deeply knowledgeable of the menu indicating that they were thoroughly prepared by the chef and director of wine for the courses to come.

Food - The words i would use to describe Herons food would be; 'fun', 'inventive', 'familiar' and 'delectable'. Every dish was pleasing to the eye. Every dish was very fun to dissect and devour. The form factors of the dishes kept me connected to the ingredients and did not overuse modern gastronomy techniques like foams, gelees and spherification. I could distinguish ingredients like honey crisp apples, uni and truffle in the dishes. Each and every dish was complex, layered and displayed mastery of fundamental culinary techniques.

This is a long winded review for a restaurant that deserves high praise. If the Michelin guide or Tabelog (from japan) ever came to Raleigh/Cary, Herons would certainly be...

Any rating under 5 stars is a Joke, and most likely made by either a pompous ass, or by another restaurant upset that they cant book a chef like the ones at Herons. Herons is hands-down the best place to eat in the area, possibly even in all of North Carolina. I like to travel as much as possible and am usually spoiled by some of the worlds finest dining. Although they lack in quality when compared to a restaurant like Noma, they certainly make up for it in hospitality and competitive pricing. This is without a doubt one of the few places in North Carolina that actually offers Fine Dining. When in town, this is about the only place I would eat unless I have the time for a home cooked meal.

All of their menus offer a range of choices, without an overwhelming amount to choose from. There is minimal wait-time between courses, and the timing usually works out pretty well. Every single element to the courses are quality and will leave you satisfied. The only way to feel good is to eat good, and Herons food is definitely good. I am personally not into the detail, but if you are a food connoisseur you will enjoy the intricate dishes and seasonal menus.

The experience starts off with Complimentary Valet Parking. Although complimentary I do suggest tipping the Valet, its not the best job in the world. If you can afford to eat at a Restaurant like Herons, you can probably afford to tip the Valet... So don't be stingy!

The bathroom has automatic toilets and sinks, with individual hand towels for drying. The restaurant itself has a tasteful decor with plenty of artwork and floral displays. When dining, the dishes and utensils are both artsy and tasteful.

The wait-staff goes above and beyond in catering towards your needs. I find that they are constantly checking on you, unlike a lot of other places where they might schedule a few checkups. All of the people working there go above and beyond to make sure any needs are met. I find that the Valet remembers my name, and the wait-staff remembers previous visits. They have also been able to setup a table for me outside on the balcony on more than one occasion. They have even offered to allow me to take the cup of coffee I was drinking with me where ever I was going.

If you are looking for the best dining possible, and price is not an issue, Herons is THE place to go when in the area. I am actually very impressed with the pricing of Herons, as food of this quality could easily go for double what they charge.

MY ONLY COMPLAINT: There is absolutely no cell-signal inside the restaurant. I am assuming that they have a signal jammer to prevent people from obnoxiously talking on their cell phones. I typically eat by myself and enjoy staying efficient with my time by working on my computer. The only way for me to get a signal for my computer is to...

Where do I begin….😊

My family had quite a bit of milestones this year but due to pandemic conditions and restrictions, we were unable to celebrate any of them. Mother’s Day was slowly approaching and I heard that Herons had re-opened for fine dining, so I thought yes, we can go there for brunch. Unfortunately, we found out the week of Mother’s Day that we were all exposed to the Covid virus which then resulted in positive test results……so much for that idea……..When we were all healthy again, I decided to do something special to celebrate all of the missed milestone achievements (3 birthdays, 2 graduations - High School and College, and Mother’s Day). It was due time for us to have a well-deserved combined celebration and where better to do it than to book a few nights stay at The Umstead Hotel and Spa Resort.

Dinner at Herons:

We made reservations to have dinner at Herons on our second night stay at the resort. We got dressed in our formal wear and went down to the restaurant. We were greeted with a lovely smile and professionalism and escorted to our table immediately. There we met our absolutely fabulous server, Carlos; he was assisted by Mandy I believe.

Carlos is an excellent and knowledgeable server with a great balance of charm and professionalism. He understood and shared in our excitement for our various celebrations. He was fully engaged in ensuring we had the type of service and experience expected of a restaurant with such high caliber as Herons.

We had a four course meal. Each dish and items that were brought to the table were unique In presentation, the way the dish was culminated, and the flavors. The texture was just right with the perfect balance of moisture and tenderness. Everything was exceptional! We were intrigued and sat anxiously anticipating the next treat to come from the kitchen. The chefs had us fully engaged with our mouths watering for the next dish.

We were equally impressed by the synchronization of our meals being served. All dishes arrived at the same time and were presented to us with class. Any questions we had were answered immediately with a smile and appropriate level of detail. We felt comfortable and appreciated. There were five of us dining together and every single person echoed the exact same sentiments. The experience that we received made our long awaited celebrations worth the wait.

I have recommended you before but now I am inclined to escalate my level of recommendation for your restaurant and staff. Truly impressive food and dining service!

Well done Chefs, Carlos, and the entire Herons staff! We had extremely high expectations and you met them...