Familiar flavors and a funky good time at Soul Gastrolounge
Three years after closing its wildly popular Plaza Midwood location, Soul Gastrolounge has reopened, this time at The Pass in NoDa.
If the space looks familiar, it’s intentional. Designer Scott Weaver incorporated Soul’s original booths, artwork by Duy Huynh, even the taxidermy peacock, which is mounted over a booth near the entrance.
“We’re trying to make it as much like the old place as possible,” co-owner Andy Kastanas said ahead of the opening. “A lot of the original menu is coming back. I think people love their favorites, so we’re going to keep them on there.”
That means those beloved Asian-glazed pork-belly tacos are back, along with lamb lollipops, sashimi tuna tacos and “Dirty South” nachos — fried chicken skins with pimento cheese fondue and jalapeno pickled okra. There are sushi rolls and sandwiches, and craft cocktails like the popular Saguaro, Soul’s take on a margarita with tequila, strawberry agave, green pepper and lime juice.
With seating for up to 221, the space is more than double the size of Soul’s previous location, which opened in 2009. There’s a small patio that seats 30. Unlike the old Soul, which was notoriously hard to get in, the new restaurant takes reservations via Tock. Some tables remain open for walk-ins.
Soul is open seven days a week, with a local DJ spinning nightly. Still to come: Weekend brunch, along with Tattoo Liquor Lounge, an intimate, late-night listening room with vintage audiophile equipment and vinyl from Andy’s personal collection.
— Cathy Martin
Soul Gastrolounge is located at 4110 Raleigh St. SP
Photographs by Justin Smith courtesy Soul Gastrolounge
