Parts & Labor — Restaurant in Durham

I ordered the Moto-Bahn, which is supposed to be a paté-based bahn mi sandwich, they even advertise the brand of local paté or whatever that they are going to give you. However when I bit into my sandwich, the meat in question tasted like or was pummeled and boiled chicken, steamrolled very thinly. I guess most people don’t care! I personally found it unappetizing so I sent it back with a nice waitress in exchange for a tofu bahn mi, thinking I would be safe. But upon biting into the second sandwich, I noticed the chef had chosen to use PARSLEY instead of cilantro! Granted, they are easily confused. But they taste really different and serve different purposes so I had to complain again, which was embarrassing, and even though the server told me “we don’t even have parsley in the kitchen," there was definitely parsley in my sandwich, and it didn't taste too good. It would have been futile trying to convince her we had parsley here and not cilantro, so I chose to remove each piece of parsley to eat my sandwich and in so doing i did find one piece of cilantro which was delicious. Since I'm here I should also mention that my friend ordered the cauliflower wings, which were fried on the outside but like cold on the inside, and the “motor oil” sauce tasted like marmite/ rotten honey bbq sauce! What a weird experience! I used to go here a lot in 2014, and it was good, but the last few times I went it wasn't very tasty. Ps: the waitress was graceful about this and comped us the stuff we didn't like. Overall, while maybe some of the stuff I complained about is subjective what really made me feel nuts was the parsley headtrip! You can plant ID this picture of the leaf I found in my bahn mi and see...

We have been going to Motorco for a while (their Bloody Mary's really are the best in the triangle), so we were excited when we saw the menu for Part's and Labor. The prices are on par with the food trucks that frequent this area, as is the quality. I think they knew they had to compete with all the good food and variety and they have done a good job. Everything we've had on their menu is good.

The artichoke beinets are delicious, puffy, and you would eat the dipping sauce alone if no one was looking. You get four to five, so it's perfect to share.

The Veggie Samosas are wonderful - crusty and flaky pastry around a potato based filling that's delicately spiced. The tomato chutney is just a bit spicy and worth remembering it's on the plate (if you can wait long enough to drop any piece of the pastry in it). The somosa is fairly large.

My husband had the Churrasco Slider with chimmichurri - he informed me that it was delicious and he would share next time! It's small, but hearty.

The Moto Bahn is good for a non viet place (better than City Bev's). Good pickled veggies, lots of cilantro, and a mild pate. It's also very large, so a good deal if you're hungry.

The Fried Oyster salad is not huge, but it's a good meal and very light. It comes with a bit cucumber onion salad.

The Potato Latkes might be my favorite thing here. You get two giant potato latkes, but the star is the spiced apple sauce that comes with it. If there are two of you and you're getting other things, share an order. Or get two, you may want them all for yourself!

If you haven't been, head over there next Sunday for Bloody Brunch. It's an inexpensive brunch option that does not short change you on...

Overall Rating: 5.5/10 The laid-back and unique atmosphere enhanced the dining experience, making up for food that was good but not exceptional.

Atmosphere / Service: 6.9/10 The building is very unique, both inside and out. There's variety in seating with different styles, an upstairs area, and a pleasant outdoor section. The self-service model allows for an uninterrupted meal and experience.

Food:

Cheeseburger Sliders: 5.2/10 The sliders were decent. The meat was tasty, but the buns were too big and not as good as it could of been. One of the bites was full of bun and left a bad taste.

Water - 9.1 - Yes, water made the review. complementary self-serve water. The container was neat and added to the overall atmosphere, however the water was FREEZING COLD. Coldest non iced water one could have. KUDOS!

Beer Battered Cheese Curds: 4.2/10 While these were cooked perfectly, the flavor didn't suit my taste and left an unpleasant aftertaste. Even the sauce didn't help.

Bulgogi Taco: 6.2/10 The menu has some interesting Korean options. The Bulgogi Taco could pass for something from an authentic Korean restaurant, which was a nice surprise. However, it's a unique choice that might not appeal to everyone.

Value: The pricing seems fair - $4 for a slider and $8 for the Bulgogi Taco is reasonable for the quality provided, especially compared to other places.

Extra Note: The menu could use some clarification on some of the sauces. Names like "Mole Sauce" or "Motor Oil" sauce are intriguing but not self-explanatory. Without a waitress to ask, diners might not understand what...