It was impossible to get a good camera-phone photo inside of Pam’s Farmhouse Kitchen.  And there wasn’t much point in fiddling with my camera; my food arrived within seconds (yes, seconds) of ordering, and I wasn’t about to let it get cold.

Pam’s Farmhouse Kitchen is something of a rarity among restaurants.  Set in an older mixed residental / commercial area of southwestern Raleigh, it has that delightful styling from the 1970’s that you just don’t find anymore.  Exposed brickwork on the inside goes side-by-side with mirrored walls; the mirrors have that printed-on “crackle” look.  The lighting is dim, the cutlery is served in a little waxed paper envelope and there’s a framed picture of The Last Supper in one of the dining areas.

The menu at Pam’s is simple.  My sweet tea came in a mason jar.  Lunch consisted of a lunch meat (sliced turkey) with stuffing, two side vegetables (corn and collard greens), hush puppies and cornbread.  Gravy on top of everything.  The service was snappy, and as I said before, my food appeared with almost magical speed.

Restaurants like this are social places; cross-table conversations were the rule more than the exception, and I got the impression I was the only one who wasn’t related to one of the staff.

I’m especially fond of restaurants where they hand-write the checks - especially when the hand writing is indecipherable.

Pam’s is a cultural experience - one of the last of a dying breed of “family” restaurant.  And I highly recommend it.