Saltbox Seafood Joint — Restaurant in Durham

This place is an indefinite 10 in my book. The customer service was great, the cashier, Tavion, made some great recommendations and was super personable and polite. Based on Customer Service alone, I would have come back. I happen to see this restaurant on a TikTok video and decided to try it out with my son after a track meet we were at got rained out. We got the catfish, the fried shrimp, the crispy potatoes, the honey hush puppies, and the collard greens. Everything was delicious. The catfish was delicate and flavorful, the shrimp were crispy and juicy, the honey hush puppies were the perfect combination of sweet and savory, the crispy potatoes were delicious, and I loved the peppers and onions in them, the tartar sauce, and the cocktail sauce were not your run of the mill versions and we’re so flavorful and delicious, and the greens were a home run. The aesthetic for the restaurant was very on team for the type of food they served and it was super clean inside and had a good size parking lot. When we came in there was no wait but quickly thereafter the line piled up and I can see why. If I had to give any criticism I would say I wasn’t a fan of the sweet tea, but wasn’t a big deal for me at all because I was able to grab a fountain drink instead so honestly not an issue for me at all. I’ve already recommended this place to several people and it’s only been about four hours since us being there. The next time we are in Durham, we will definitely be making another stop to try some other menu items and I can’t wait! I really want to thank this restaurant for such great food and service. I feel like the combination is that times a rarity when eating out so it was much...

I think the James Beard award story for Chef Ricky Moore is great, and he must be a really great chef, but I have not had the pleasure of having any of his signature specials like the oyster grits. The menu at Saltbox is normally very simple with a choice of various fish or shellfish fried or spice griddled and sides of fried potatoes cooked with green peppers and onions, cole slaw, cornmeal fritters, collards or fried Brussels sprouts. I always get the potatoes and cole slaw and they are very good. I have also only gotten either fried oysters or fried flounder and have fond the results variable. I mean fried seafood is fried seafood and you can't do better than having good seafood and cooking it perfectly, and I have found the results quite variable here. I have had great fried oysters here, but honestly no better than at other seafood restaurants. This evening, 11/7/2023, my niece an I each had a fried oyster plate and we were both disappointed. The serving size was ample, but the oysters were quite small and I would say overcooked. Instead of the moist, succulent oyster you expect inside the light crispy batter, these were dry and tasteless and the batter was dark from overcooking. I suspected that they had a batch of small oysters and did not adjust the cooking time, and the staff confirmed that the oysters were small. Maybe the chef would have compensated for the size, but since shooting to fame, he seems to rarely be here and that shows. This week he is at a festival in NAPA Valley. I will try to time my next meal here to coincide with his presence and hopefully catch the...

I've had this place on my list to try for a couple of years - it was featured in a YT video before winning the James Beard award. I'm in town for work and decided to stop by for lunch.

I arrived as early as possible to avoid a line and because the menu is hand written - I couldn't plan my order. I was energetically greeted and was helped thru the menu. I settled on the amberjack, coleslaw, collards, and sea peas. Last time I had amberjack was a day fishing trip off the Virginia coast and I enjoyed it. The slaw is vinegar based - IMHO, that's how it should be.

It didn't take long for the food to come out - I got all three sauces to try. For every item, the texture was perfect - fish was not overcooked, collards weren't mushy, the slaw had crunch, and the beans were firm but not undercooked. Also, the fish wasn't greasy - you could eat it with your hands and not have to carry a packet of napkins.

My only critique would be the seasoning on the fish. In my opinion, it was a bit under seasoned. I took steps to try the fish - first as it came out, then with lemon, and finally with each of the sauces. Tasting it as it came out and with lemon, I never felt like I was getting the full flavor of the amberjack. But there were sauces and they were very flavorful, so not all was lost.

Everything else I had exhibited great flavor. I might reduce sugar and increase acid on some things based on personal preference, but that's what that is, personal preference. I wouldn't call any of the sides flawed - they were enjoyable.

Would I...