As a sandwich, a wrap may look not look like much from the outside. But once you open it up, you often realize just how much work and detail goes into it.
Kind of like Wrap & Roll Kitchen in North Augusta.
The eatery, which opened on Georgia Avenue earlier this year, looks charmingly small from the outside, with creamy gray walls and bright green columns. Inside, there are about seven wood tables with black metal seating, a statement wall with natural wood in a herringbone pattern, greenery and a neon sign, “Enjoy Life, It’s Delicious” and a counter where you place your order.
But a peek at the menu tells you that this is a serious restaurant. Its signature wraps include the TLC Wrap, loaded with lemon pepper chicken, lettuce, sauteed onions and peppers, avocado, bacon, smoked cheddar, sriracha aioli and ranch, or the Hello Wrap with beef bulgogi, kimchi fried rice, cucumbers and Korean BBQ sauce. Or you could choose its eggrolls (which come three to an order), like Mama’s Egg Roll, stuffed with ground beef, onion, smoked cheddar, and spaghetti sauce or the Fire Fire Egg Roll, with buffalo chicken, cream cheese, pepper jack cheese and a cooling ranch dipping sauce.
Something as simple as a catfish po-boy is elevated with the addition of pickled onions and jalapenos, an andouille sausage dog is topped with peppers, onions and crab dip. A veggie burger has fried pickles plus avocado ketchup along with the usual accompaniments. Entrees include a rack of lamb — an unexpected menu item — with a madeira sauce, a throwback cheesy beef helper with smoked beef brisket or smoked turkey burnt ends on mac and cheese with BBQ sauce, and a pork tenderloin dish called 3 Little Piggies featuring peach teriyaki sauce, fried yellow rice and haricot verts. And there’s so much more.
With all these choices, my friend Amanda and I both had a hard time deciding what to order. Even with our server suggesting that the Miss Mary Mack, a Mediterranean chicken sandwich on ciabatta bread, and Foot in Them Grits, topped with fried or sauteed shrimp in a Cajun cream sauce, both popular items, along with the TLC Wrap and Hello Wrap. But I decided to sample their take on two of my favorite foods—a burger and a California roll—while Amanda kept it simple too, with their fried fish.
While we waited, the restaurant got full, with a brisk to-go business happening too. Then, everything came at once. We both sampled the California roll appetizer, which came deep-fried with a peach teriyaki dipping sauce. Frying the roll transforms it to a crisp exterior and a warm creamy interior, with the soft crab meat, avocado and a smear of mayo. The peach teriyaki added almost a sweet and sour flavor.
Amanda’s fish was flat, thin and crispy, served simply with white bread, because it was so well seasoned, it didn’t need a sauce. Meanwhile, my burger more than made up for it in height, with a thick patty of American Wagyu beef, thick-cut strips of crisp bacon, two cheeses, sauteed onion and a pickle aioli—all on a buttery grilled bun placed inside out, which was fun. It was pure comfort food, with the juices running over my fingers as I took a bite.
My favorite part though was the fries. They were perfectly crisp on the outside and soft on the inside. But best of all was the jalapeno ketchup that it came with—which didn’t read as spicy but bright and citrusy. It was a fantastic dip.
Since I got an appetizer, Amanda ordered dessert—the pecan pie. We both agreed it was too small, but it did look charmingly like the Little Debbie pecan pies my mom used to slip inside my lunchbox. Fortunately, it tasted far better—with fresh crunchy pecans and a tender sweet and smooth filling.
I have to admit: Wrap & Roll Kitchen surprised me, in a good way. I love how its dishes tuck in little surprises, a special sauce here or a unique flavor there. And for people who might see the word “wrap” and worry they’ll leave hungry—believe me, there’s nothing to worry about. When you walk in and see what it’s all about, you’ll find a lot more than you may have expected.
Make Your Reservation
Wrap & Roll Kitchen
220 Georgia Ave., North Augusta
Entrée cost: $14 to $26
