Death and Taxes — Restaurant in Raleigh

Obviously as a cemetery tour operator but one with a chef background and foodie guide publisher life story, a restaurant with a name like Death and Taxes is going to speak directly to me. This was our 2nd visit and am embarrassed to confess, in 4 years. Which is kind of what made this visit novel in a completely unexpected way? Never thought we'd get the same waiter and that the server, David, would be the one to immediately recognize us! WOW! My mind truly blown. I pride myself for my work in having a tactile memory and clearly David is no exception. Upon his announcement it all came rushing back! Everything after only spoke to the magic of the place, the magic of David as our table host. Other than the gorgeous historical setting in a historic bank on a big city street corner, where parking was fairly generous in case you're wondering, the layout of this place feels like a grand procession if just because of the attention the place gives to the open kitchen where clearly beyond David, there are a group of food artists at work. A cocktail chemist hard at play too I might add. Its been my experience that lots of higher end restaurants like this where clearly so much investment has been made, feel what I call, insert object here. They razzle dazzle everything up, but somehow they can't inseminate or capture a spirit among the staff or the food that feels mature or authentic. Its like you see the robots doing their jobs, and everything may be cohesive, but it feels all very plastic or esthetically perfect, but mechanical otherwise. Even tastes like that. Well stop the presses as Death and Taxes is wholly the opposite and has all of the integral working parts, but has captured and essence that all of your Five Senses can feel and they are all left stimulated and raised up! You can also feel relaxed here and while its a standard Who's Who and the hipsters are in the mix, its laced with locals young and older and all of the elements are simply right. Everyone working there is on point but they're also having a good time and you can tell, even on a rainy Thursday, are passionate and dedicated. Ah, but the food. The fire-grilled oysters were what drove us there and the delicious dozen were gone in under 90 seconds? Everyone's got a beef tare-tare right? Uh-uh. Welcome to your new mouth paradise they have re-invented that wheel. The portion was also incredible and one doesn't have to ask for anything extra to finish it up and whole night we made the dishwasher's job easy. But stand back Ladies & Gentlemen! The grilled or roasted octopus was the tare-tare's rival. Like all of the food served there, nothing on the plate feels decorative or incidental to the main dish. The rice peas, pine nut base all pointed back to the octopus and made complete sense to it texture and flavor wise. The only comprable one I've ever had, is Chive Blossom in Pawley's Island, SC. Personally I find to achieve great heights with that dish is a brag unto itself so major kudos to both of these kitchens respectfully. For entrees, I did the Long Island strip steak which was all on point and my date did the incredibly flavorful Farfalle that was zesty and made for great leftovers! A wonder no one has ever opened a Day Two restaurant as I'd clearly dine there especially if the food came from here! By the end after some gloriously fresh cocktails that too the mouth music to a sweet crescendo between dishes, we were pretty well spent but we also spent for one shared dessert, an easy on the eyes and the palate, the embered creme brulee with blueberry granita. To our surprise, David blessed us our reunion with him in a slice of Baked Alaska that was entirely sumptuous. Thank you David! On a final note, I want to say that it looked as if owner Ashley Christensen was on the floor working hard. No matter the case, it was inspiring to see and compliments to her for this Raleigh haven. You could drop this place into any food capital in the world where it would reign supreme among many, but in Raleigh, Death and Taxes (and David), may have few...

We went to Death and Taxes last night for my boyfriend’s birthday, and honestly, WOW. From start to finish, this meal was unforgettable. The hardest part of the evening was choosing what to order, because everything on the menu sounded so good. Luckily, we went all in and it paid off.

Drinks

I ordered the Placebo Effect (Zero Proof) — clarified pineapple and orange juice, ginger, and coconut. This drink was phenomenal. Refreshing, bright, and perfectly balanced with just the right amount of tartness. It paired seamlessly with every dish we ate and was so easy to sip on that it lasted me the entire two-hour dinner. A true standout in its own right.

Appetizers

We kicked off with three appetizers: two seasonal and one menu staple. • Fried NC Shrimp, Buried Garlic Aioli, Pickled Green Tomatoes Hands down the star of the night. Perfectly fried, juicy shrimp paired with tangy pickled tomatoes and the most addictive garlic aioli (the kind you unapologetically scrape clean with a spoon). It was so good that after our mains, Adam ordered a second round. That’s how good it was. • Grilled Golden Beets, Roasted Beet Purée, Dill Crema, Fennel, Pumpernickel Croutons Refreshing and beautifully balanced. The light earthiness of the beets met its match with the creamy dill and crunchy pumpernickel croutons. A perfect counterpoint to the richness of the shrimp and oysters. • Roasted NC Oysters, Chili Butter, Preserved Lemon Gremolata These were the best oysters I’ve ever had. The warmth of the chili butter with that hit of lemony brightness made each bite sing. I usually struggle with oyster texture, but I devoured my half of the plate. A couple had bits of shell (a reminder of just how fresh they were), but nothing that took away from the experience.

Main Course

We let our server guide us, and she steered us toward the NC Fish with Black Rice, Smoked Oyster XO Sauce, Bok Choy, and Prosciutto. A flawless choice.

The fish was perfectly charred and flaky, the black rice was creamy yet delightfully chewy, and the umami-packed XO sauce tied everything together. Even the bok choy, which I almost skipped at first, turned out to be one of my favorite bites of the night. The crunch of the prosciutto added the finishing touch to an already perfect dish. I will dream about this plate for weeks.

Dessert

Though we were nearly full, dessert was non-negotiable. • Grilled Cornmeal Cream Puff, Blueberry Mousse, Corn Flake Brittle, Burnt Honey Syrup Light yet indulgent, with all the right textures, airy mousse, crisp brittle, soft puff, and warm honey. It felt like the perfect bow to end the night.

And because we couldn’t resist, we took home the Corn Frangipane Tart with Market Peaches and Embered Whipped Cream, which I happily ate for breakfast this morning. Sweet-tart peaches, smoky cream, a buttery crust with just the right bite, and a little crumble on top, pure magic. Honestly the best breakfast I’ve ever had.

Final Thoughts

What I love most about Death and Taxes is how intentional every dish feels. Each element highlights the wood fire at the heart of the kitchen, without ever being gimmicky. Everything we ate was layered with flavor, balanced with texture, and beautifully plated.

This meal wasn’t just dinner, it was an experience. I can’t wait to see what’s on the next season’s menu, and I already know I’ll be back for those oysters and another round of the...

Making a reservation online was simple enough, but we wanted to change the time to later and the front staff was accommodating over the phone. The inside of the restaurant is a bit cramped in seating, and the amount of wait staff walking around they are literally bumping into each other since the seating have little room to walk between them. The service was prompt and attentive by not just one server but multiple they checked on you quite a bit. We ordered a couple cocktails, they were pricey right out the gate but we figured why not splurge and maybe they are the bomb. The mixed drink was ok, not very strong or big for what you pay $14 per. We ordered oysters as an app and they were very tasty, and you could tell they were boutique oysters clean and pretty uniform shells. Onto the main course. It seemed to take a long amount of time to get our mains after the oysters, between 30 to 40minutes. We ordered the steak and pork chop. The steak comes with a sweet potato which I have never been a fan of. I asked if I could sub a different side such as brussels, or grits. They refused a straight sub out unless I just didn't want the sweet potato I could pay for a different side ala cart. Well, they wanted 12 dollars for that change so I said forget it Ill take it as is. The chop was cooked right, and had good texture and flavor it was definitely a premium chop. It was good, but nothing super special in the flavor section. Since they advertise they cook on wood I would have expected to taste some of that maybe a perfume of oak or hickory wood but couldn't distinguish or taste any difference between that or something cooked over a propane grill. Actually I think the few crumbles of fennel sausage they put in the side was more unique than the chop. We actually didnt finish the chop which is rare we dont finish something, since it was just sort of boring. The cabbage side with the chop was also good and actually very different we both shared that and really like it. The steak was cooked perfect medium rare. It was not tough or chewy, but lacked in the rich beef flavor section. For that money $37 for a steak and a sweet potato I was expecting something far out prenominal but it was nothing special for the money and again no hint of being cooked on wood. It also had something what I would describe as charred bits maybe from the grill that you would feel cracking down on once in a while which was unpleasant. All in all, was a nice looking place inside and service was good. But prices too high considering what you get and the flavor profiles. We do like trying high end steakhouses around Raleigh and Wilmington area and have had some amazing knock your socks off experiences that made you feel it was worth the extra money, but not so much this place. And it being way too cramped and stuffy inside didn't help too...