Cape Fear Foodie: Vicious Biscuit

WILMINGTON, N.C. (WECT) - With new restaurants constantly opening, it can be tough to keep track of what is fresh to the scene. I try my best to jot down a new café or seafood joint, but Southeastern North Carolina’s explosive growth makes it a real chore. However one restaurant that has opened with a bang is the new breakfast & brunch spot, Vicious Biscuit.

The restaurant gained fame in Charleston, South Carolina, and has since spread out across the Carolinas (and even to Florida). Growing up in West Virginia, Tudor’s Biscuit World reigns supreme in my mind when it comes to fast food biscuits. However my childhood favorite now has some serious competition about who makes the best biscuit.

Vicious Biscuit is located in The Forum in Wilmington, and when I visited on Friday afternoon, the place was packed with a lengthy line to get in the door. Don’t be discouraged by the lines though, it moves quickly with plenty of indoor and outdoor seating space. General Manager John White says his crew has been stunned by the immediate success and crowds they have seen, noting word-of-mouth on social media as a big driving factor. Though they shouldn’t sell themselves too short here, the food and service is why everyone is raving about the place.

The restaurant puts a twist on Southern comfort food, but sticks to its roots with appetizers like fried green tomatoes, beignets and hush puppies. Though you’re really coming here for one reason, the biscuits. These aren’t your granny’s creations either. Sure you can get a classic bacon, egg and cheese or sausage biscuit, but Vicious Biscuit ups the ante with a collection of biscuits topped with everything from pulled pork and eggs to fried shrimp and Thai-chili slaw.

I had my heart set on “The Flamethrower,” a cheddar & jalapeno biscuit, with a fried chicken breast tossed in hot sauce, candied bacon, white cheddar, spicy remoulade and jalapenos. At first glance you may think it’s a little off-balanced, with a heavy lean towards heat and not much else, but that’s not the case. The jalapenos and hot sauce are offset by the sweet and smokiness of the bacon and the pungent white cheddar. The biscuit itself is crispy on the outside, and super soft in the middle. It was more of a big, brawny chicken sandwich than what you would typically think of as a biscuit.

I could have eaten the whole thing, but I had to save room for the true test of any biscuit place worth its salt (and buttermilk). I tacked on an order of “The Gravy Train,” a tall buttermilk biscuit smothered in maple sausage gravy and chives. The biscuit was pillowy soft, the gravy thick, creamy, and peppery with a unique sweetness from the maple sausage. It’s different than some others I have had through the years, but in a good “oh, I’ve never had something like this” kind of way.

If you’re looking for options other than biscuits, there are also classic breakfast plates, vegan dishes, and power bowls on the menu. So if you’re trying to stick to your diet or meal plan and visiting with a friend, you don’t have to indulge (even if you really want to). Plus, what is brunch without some booze? Vicious Biscuit also has a host of craft cocktails and mimosas to round out your meal.

Besides the food, the space is very open and welcoming, as is the staff. Everyone is over-the-top nice, and each order is served up with some classic Southern hospitality. White says that’s a big proponent of the company, treat your employees well and in turn they will pass on the goodwill and cheer to the customers. On this visit, that mindset paid serious dividends, as every guest I saw left with a smile on their face, and a stomach full of delicious biscuits. I think you will as well.

IF YOU GO:

Vicious Biscuit is located at 1121 Military Cutoff Road, Wilmington, NC 28045

Do you recommend a restaurant? Or know of a best kept secret that you want the rest of the Cape Fear to know about? Shoot me an email at corey.preece@gray.tv and I would love to feature your selection. Cheers!

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