Braise Contemporary Southern

UPDATE: I called the Raleigh police department to see if the hotel/restaurant had the right to deny me service because their conference guests disagreed with my stand asking to protect mandated reporters and stop abuse in nursing homes, and he said yes they can.
—But he agreed, in this case, to do so, says more about the hotel, the restaurant and the conference guests than the would-be diner. Why is asking for protections against elder abuse offensive to a nursing home association? (NCHCFA) And…now you know why I was out there.
Guess I’ll never know about the food.
🤷🏻‍♀️ *I know this isn’t the place, but they got me here.
Below are the posters they didn’t like and me in the morning.
Hard to see, but those are names on the jacket of patients I’ve seen hurt or killed by bad care in NC nursing homes.
💔 Original review: I cannot speak to the food because they would not let me in.
Why? I don’t know, the security guard just told me “they” don’t want you in there. I had been out front with a poster urging the nursing home association and legislators who were having a conference to pass protections for mandated reporters (it is currently legal to fire mandated reporters who report abuse, unlike other states), but that is not controversial or offensive.
I had checked in with the hotel front desk in advance, let them know what I was doing, that I would stay in an appropriate place, not bother anyone, and close up in 2 hours.
They said okay, and that is what I did. When done I folded up my stuff and started walking to the restaurant to eat or have a glass of wine, just like any other customer. I never was allowed to get to the restaurant door.
The security guard stopped me and said if took another step he would have me arrested and things would get ugly.
No reason except “they just don’t want you in there and I’m just doing my job.” Who “they” were he did not specify, he was just told to keep me out.
Even when I offered to put my poster in the trash can instead of carry it folded up, that was not good enough.
I was clean, polite, did not argue or get rude, I was dressed like many who had passed me by.
I’m a 62 year old gramma OT, not radical in any way.
I was just going to eat. I do have the whole exchange on video but haven’t shared. I do not understand the reason for this.
Not sure where to go with it, nothing like this has ever happened to me before.
I just wanted to check out the restaurant.
But as would be expected, I do not have good feelings about Braise or the Marriott.

Food was good and the atmosphere is relaxing even though you’re in the middle of a lobby and conversation area.
I can’t speak to their breakfast buffet but it looks pretty nice.
My beyond burger was ok, it lacked some spices and the caramelized onions were actually grills and not very well.
But that’s a small complaint in the scheme of things.

I wanted this to be good, the dining options within a half mile of this hotel include, several national chains of good upscale casual food, they all would have been a better choice than eating in.
The chicken is salty, and contains less than 4 ounces total is like they took a breast cut out into half, then used half that for the food, fries are bland and dry.
Brussel sprouts are under cooked the sauce is overcooked and just does not work.
The only reason this is not a 1 star is that the bartender Jennifer was very good, fast, quick service. Avoid if you can