WILMINGTON — Rolled and Baked is now open on Castle Street, turning out innovative takes on the iconic southern staple — the biscuit.
Owners Bill and Anna Ward and Chef Micah Edelstein announced plans to open the restaurant late last year, and have spent the intervening months overhauling the location — originally planned for Prestige Brewing — and fine-tuning the menu.
After a soft opening to see how the kitchen would handle some breakfast and lunch rush pressure, the Wards and Edelstein are ready to open their doors to the general public. Still, the neighborhood – and the neighbors – have been their favorite part of opening so far.
“The neighborhood’s been great,” Bill Ward said. “It’s been great to be a part of it — and so many of our new regulars have been neighbors.”
Rolled and Baked, which features all-green recyclable and compostable take-out containers, has also joined the community garden. Edelstein composts all her kitchen scraps at David Brenner’s community garden located on Castle Street.
Rolled and Baked joins neighboring restaurants and coffee shops like RX, Hungry Sparrow and Luna Cafe, but fills a unique niche — a breakfast and lunch, fast-casual restaurant with a chef-driven menu featuring local ingredients whenever possible.
Customers order at the counter and then help themselves to iced tea and hot coffee — or order a drink, including breakfast beers (yes, that’s a thing), from behind the bar. Food is brought out to the table, unless you want to just grab a frisket (that’s the offspring of a biscuit and a donut).
“Traditional twists”
Chef Edelstein hopes that customers will try the “traditional twists,” which she’s spent months perfecting.
“It’s about the ingredients, the fat and sweetness and acid, and the mouthfeel, and level of moisture, it’s all the things all together that make it something special,” Edelstein said.
Edelstein’s creations are served without modifications – except for allergies, including gluten-free grit cakes in place of biscuits. But, for those who want to mix and match their own meal, there’s plenty of “flying solo” options: biscuits and grit cakes, heritage pork sausage, local eggs, and one of Edelstein’s favorite, Rolled and Baked’s coffee and chili bacon, made in the restaurant.
And, of course, there’s breakfast beer. Yes, that’s a real thing.
More to come
Rolled and Baked is currently open for breakfast and lunch from Wednesday through Sunday, but there are plans to introduce a “biscuit hour” in the near future, Bill Ward said.
Edelstein said a happy-hour was one of the things local customers had been asking for, and she’s hoping to deliver.
“It’s a bit like tapas, with little biscuits,” Edelstein said.
Biscuit hour promises cocktail specials and Edelstein biscuit tapas, which she’s been experimenting with in the Rolled and Baked kitchen. Recent trial runs have including a biscuit-pretzel hybrid and “biscuit chips,” an unexpected use of biscuit dough fried in the style of a tortilla chip. Another creation in the running for biscuit hour is a mini biscuit pizza, with speck, basil, and mozzerella.
“It’s something to look forward to, for sure,” Edelstein said.
In the meantime, Rolled and Baked is open from 7 a.m. to 2 p.m. from Wednesday through Friday, and 8 a.m. to 3 p.m. on Saturday and Sunday.
Located at 509 Castle Street, Rolled and Baked can also be found on Facebook for more information and specials. You can find the current food and drink menus below.
On the menu: food and drink and Rolled and Baked
Send comments and tips to Benjamin Schachtman at ben@localvoicemedia.com, @pcdben on Twitter, and (910) 538-2001.
