Durham, Fuck Yeah

[Pantone287]

Oh shit, Backyard does hickory smoke theirs! I stand corrected, sorry. Really thought I'd done my due diligence on this. I haven't been there in forever, I'm going to have to find my way out there.

I'll still defend Allen & Son to the death, but I can now accept your opinion as defensible, at least.

 

[aiw]

Dickey's also hickory smokes theirs, but they're a chain with 500+ locations. The Durham one is run by Indians (dots).

 

[ZackM]

Cool...Pantone is one of those amateurs that thinks everything should be smoked with hickory.

 

[StopThePumpFakesShav]

Oh shit, Backyard does hickory smoke theirs! I stand corrected, sorry. Really thought I'd done my due diligence on this. I haven't been there in forever, I'm going to have to find my way out there.

I'll still defend Allen & Son to the death, but I can now accept your opinion as defensible, at least.

I've actually only been to the Pittsboro location so your point is taken as well. Will have to get to Chapel Hill next time I am in NC.

 

[rome8180]

This should also be expanded for some other categories.

My favorite bookstore - Letters (now that Nice Price is closed). Nice foot-traffic friendly place on Main St. with both new and used books. I discovered last time I was in there that the owner is a college friend. Super-cool guy.

My favorite cafe - Joe Van Gogh on Broad St. A lot of people will say Cocoa Cinnamon, and their drinks are certainly good. But they are horribly crowded at all times, and have limited/awkward seating. Just not a pleasant hanging-out experience, yet alone if you want to get work done.

Other categories?

 

[skins]

Went to Luna on Friday and Pizzeria Pompieri and Ponysaurus on Saturday. The pulled chicken, empanadas, and plantains at Luna were great. Pompieri is the place to go when you really want pizza but Toro is too crowded. I'll have to give it another shot but it's a class below Toro for me. Ponysaurus was really cool, I'm sure we'll be back there a lot this summer.

 

[DukeNukem05]

Yeah, I went to Ponysaurus a couple weeks ago for the first time. Loved it over there.

 

[skins]

The $1 scoops of swedish fish are great. I'd love to bring my dog over but it might be sensory overload for her.

 

[SeanMayTriedToEatMe]

 

[aiw]

There are about 10 Rises now, including one downtown.

And one in Charlotte

 

[aiw]

You guys feel free, I'll be back in America in June or something.

ETA: Put Rome's updates into the OP.

Do we also want to list the fancy places like Nana's?

I'll list ya a some medium to fancy places:

Mateo: tapas, Main Street, James Beard nominated, awesome
Counting House: in 21c hotel
Dashi: Fancy ramen, weird Japanese bar upstairs at night, Chapel Hill Street
Juju: from the makers of Jujube in Chapel Hill, Asian fusion tapas, 9th Street
Gocciolina: the only really nice place north of 85. Italian, small, need way in advance reservations, can get out of there (sans alcohol) with a date for $40. Best value in town
Nana's of course
Revolution: Main Street, small and large plates, tasting menu
Four Square: in a house, American
Lucia: former new Pop's location (old Pop's is now Lily's Pizza (awesome)) on Main Street, awesome Italian food
Watt's Grocery: 9th street, across the lot from the Green Room, southern, regional food
The Durham restaurant: haven't been there, but Andrea Reusing Lantern fame
Vin Rouge: French, 9th Street
Rue Cler: French, Chapel Hill Street

There are more that I need to think about, but I would eat at all of them every day if I could but I'd be broke

Four Square is closed
Revolution is closed
Lucia changed to Motto changed to It's a Southern Thing--heard good things
Gocciolina remains great
Rue Cler was fantastic
Finally eaten at The Durham Restaurant- really good steak, awesome charcuterie, great beer selection
The Durham Rooftop has some of the biggest, bestest raw oysters in town
The St. James oyster house by Matt Kelly of Mateo and Vin Rouge fame will open imminently
Alivia's repurposed itself into Maverick's Smokehouse, just reopened
M Kokko has the best fucking chicken sandwich on the planet- only 6 things on the menu. Different concoctions of Korean chicken (sandwich, wings, ramen, rice bowl, a couple of other things)
M Sushi-great sushi. M Taco and M something else coming soon
Pie Pushers - located over the Pinhook has great pizza that you can get by the slice
Pour has 60 beers on tap that you pour yourself

 

[aiw]

This place is coming

http://www.newsobserver.com/living/food ... 33826.html

British Indian gastropub to take over Beyu Caffe space in Durham

It's alright

 

[aiw]

Wtf is meats and sweets? Rose's?

Yeah. All that resonated in my mind was the 'meats and sweets' part.

Rose's got rid of the butcher part of the business, which is disappointing because they cut perfect steaks and did it with love. The sweets part is still there and now they are a restaurant serving Asian type things. Haven't been since they made the switch.

 

[aiw]

Oh, their building a Shuckin Shack near parizades. I love going there when I'm at the beach.

 

[NOD]

Wtf is meats and sweets? Rose's?

Yeah. All that resonated in my mind was the 'meats and sweets' part.

Rose's got rid of the butcher part of the business, which is disappointing because they cut perfect steaks and did it with love. The sweets part is still there and now they are a restaurant serving Asian type things. Haven't been since they made the switch.

Damn. Deep Throat is gonna be pissed. Their butcher is a good buddy of his.

 

[surfpenguin]

Tried to eat at M.Kokko last night but it was an hour and fifteen minute wait for a table. Was bummed out since I wanted some fried chicken but ended up at Luna Rotisserie. Got had a Patacon Piscao, essentially a fried plantain sandwich, filled with brisket. It was delicious. However, the garlic kale was way too salty for me. I'd eat there again, but the community dining tables were fucking stupid so I'll probably just get take-out from now on.

 

[aiw]

Huh. I've never sat at a community table at Luna. I never even noticed them. Maybe they're new.

Get to M Kokko right at opening if you can or 30 minutes before close. BTW, the chicken sandwich would have been worth the wait (as would the ramen and the rice bowl and everything else). Head to The Durham rooftop while you wait.

 

[rome8180]

Tried to eat at M.Kokko last night but it was an hour and fifteen minute wait for a table. Was bummed out since I wanted some fried chicken but ended up at Luna Rotisserie. Got had a Patacon Piscao, essentially a fried plantain sandwich, filled with brisket. It was delicious. However, the garlic kale was way too salty for me. I'd eat there again, but the community dining tables were fucking stupid so I'll probably just get take-out from now on.

Can't remember if I had the kale, but every side item I've had there has been delicious. And the patacon is definitely the way to go.

I also hate community tables. They stop me from eating at Bull City Burger more often.

 

[aiw]

Now living in Chicago does.

 

[rome8180]

I will be back for Christmas break. My girlfriend has never been to Toro, so that will be our first meal out.