Mateo has improved for me with each visit. That said, I must agree that I've learned what to avoid (and unfortunately they don't know the first thing about sweetbreads, ie, how to clean them!), and also have had greater success at lunch.

Following up to say that I did take a knife to Southern Season and was pleased with the result. They told me they use a service called Pro Chef.

Yes, sorry, I did mean Kitchenworks. I've used them twice for 2 different knives and afraid my experience wasn't as positive as others'. One of the blades was visibly bent when it was returned (not to say that they bent it, but that they didn't fix it). Maybe I'll try Southern Season.

Looking for recommendations, preferably iin Durham, Chapel Hill and Raleigh area. I use a diamond and steel on regular basis but my knives are still dull. I've been disappointed in results from a recommended shop in a Chapel Hill shopping centre. Appreciate suggestions.

hugely disappointing. Some one in this thread already issued a warning re tuna tartare. I hadn't seen it on a menu anywhere in years and ordered out of nostalgia. They clearly threw it in a food processor. It was stringy and disgusting. Service was appalling, even by local standards. Arriving as a single woman in advance of my party I was ignored by host who seated later-arriving parties before me and worse. Waiter had no knowledge of the menu and no sense to offer to find out. I could go on but prefer to... go on.

Any updates on this method? I opened a 2001 Anne Gros Burgundy that I've carted back and forth from east and west coasts for the past decade and perhaps not surprisingly given history, it was badly corked. Just poured it into a decanter with a wad of Glad brand plastic wrap (it's what I have, and not sure if it was concluded that the trick was effective tout court, and that Saran brand wrap was essential or superior, if so. Appreciate advice, as it's not the only bottle that has endured the journeys.

Couldn't agree more about the fried fish. Also very tired of the pickled carrot/jasmine rice thing. To DRC: are you talking about Slanted Door move from Valencia or has it moved from Ferry Bdg? I started at Valencia but have been going to Ferry Building since it moved-- early 2000? and it's just as good, but I admit I usually ate at the bar when I was known! I have NOT been in the past couple years and hadn't heard that it had relocated.

padrons and shishitos are in season and available from multiple vendors at Durham and Carrboro farmers' markets.

Spain Farm has them just about every Saturday at the Durham Farmers' Market. As some one else mentioned, Fickle Creek has started duck and had fresh this past Saturday.

Agree with recommendation for Neal's chicken noodle and would add that their daily special (which I think is generally vegan) is also invariably excellent. Toast soups make a good start but would be significantly improved by a lighter hand with salt and cheese. They are often more like sauces than soups. I sometimes take them home an heat up with additional broth or water. Guglhupf often makes a decent soup, as does Scratch. Very disappointed with all Chinese restaurant soups (and Chinese food in general) in this region. I had an excellent soup at Pomegranate Kitchen on my recent first visit. Foster's soups are leaden, consistent with their other offerings. Front Street Cafe does avgolemono which I long for, but I suspect them of cornstarch, or cream, or both. The place is just a little too strange for me as is Spartacus which I also discovered in search of avgolemono-- if soup was really good at either place I would not even comment on the weird environment or service. Cinelli's in Durham used to do a very nice stracchiatella but the last couple times I had it (over 6 months ago) I did not detect any chicken in the broth, just salt and water. I LOVE soup and might add that a good soup begins with and exhibits a highly extracted stock. I would truly love to find a real, regular source of consommé (other than my kitchen).

concur. Off the Square is passable which is best you can get (my experience is limited, to be sure). Assume your visitors are coming to The Fork. Nothing I mean nothing to eat in the area.Why would you even mention Thai in NC?

Thanks for your counsel. I believe I tried Elliott's before based on their aspirational web site.

I've been to the area about 3 times in as many years, and have enjoyed 195 twice, and on the other occasion still preferred to other local options. Will be making a return trip soon but something about the web site says 'transition'. Maybe I just overlooked this before but it occurs to me to ask if anyone has news or recent experience to report. Many thanks.

Lantern and Nana's. Or you could do Lantern twice.

I guess I'm looking forward to trying, but I can't fathom why Nana's hit on a taco restaurant as a concept. I like Nana's. But I don't get the slavish (dare I say kitsch) dedication to the taco and the burger in this region. Ditto food trucks. I'm bracing myself for a wave of ssam bars.

Lunch today was neither prix fixe nor terribly promising. Far too many staff tripping over one another and guests, hovering; reciting a menu and adhering to a script rather than engaging out of a more complex and deep understanding, appreciation of food, wine and service that are the basic but unexceptional hallmarks of a good restaurant. The server introduced himself by name and volunteered his recommendations about what to order the better to 'fill [us] up' and countless others stopped by to check on this or that, but my dropped napkin went unnoticed and unaddressed throughout the meal. The overall impression is one of a restaurant too deeply in awe of itself and its patrons (and perhaps too wedded to a business formula?) to be able to comprehend and serve either effectively. One wonders what family meal looks like here. On two occasions in the past 6 months I've had 'tuna tartare' (actually poke) that tasted of refrigerator. Today I tried the 'southport salad' and the snapper was very well prepared but in need of salt which was undistinguished, and the vegetables pretty but inedible-- pickled and al dente to the point of participating exclusively in the attractive presentation of the dish.

Tea is served in a sachet and coffee is suburban gourmet.

Overall it's just a weird place without a functional ethos to unify sourcing, preparation, service etc in a coherent identity. Or maybe I am just so far outside of their target audience that I cannot perceive it. In any event it's a pity as we need decent places for business lunches (not a one on in Durham or between Durham and Cary) and overall for good chefs and restaurants to help raise the bar.

Heron's lapses are the more egregious for its evidently lofty aspirations coupled with resources to support them.

do you know anything about how they source their products (eg, free range chicken, local veg)?

I need to find a good place for a long lunch this weekend between Virginia Beach & the Triangle. Are Edenton & Elizabeth City my best bets? Chero's gets high marks but it sounds pretty pedestrian to me. Fresh local fish and decent wine would be ideal. Also would be very interested in learning about the seasonal places mentioned above (esp if they are in season now).

Pearl and John Dory are somewhat surprising omissions from your list.

You don't mention Japanese and perhaps get to LA often enough to mitigate the need in NYC. Nevertheless if this does matter at all to you, I recommend you consider securing a lunch time reservation with Yasuda-san at Sushi Yasuda.

To me, your list seems pretty one-dimensional, but perhaps it is just very focussed on what you care about.

So, Revolution doesn't actually have a raw bar & they're all thrilled to announce that they have blue points (oh dear) but they're not bad for the area. They have added a fine steak tartare to the menu. That said, I was back in NYC last weekend for the long awaited John Dory and it was great-- not so much for oysters but the uni toast with oyster pan roast (skip the oyster pan roast) was super; and the new menu at Momufuku (noodle bar) includes more raw bar items including a great Taylor bay scallop and a Rhode Island oyster that I can't now recall. But I digress.

ask Tom Robinson

There's nothing here. Until recently I was a 2x/week regular at the GCOB and can't express how I miss a mixed dozen of sunset creeks, tomahawks, ninigret cups, glidden point, pemaquid, malespina, even on occasion when I was persuaded against my better judgment and seldom regretted, although it's the only time I'ld touch the oyster to the horseradish, and eat a cracker-- totten virginicas-- there's a place called Revolution that is supposed to open in Durham and represents itself as having a raw bar so perhaps there's hope?

Sorry if I am reposting but I wrote a long response that seems to have been lost. Let me offer my experience. Was last there solo in the summer when a potentially disastrous luncheon was transformed into a good story by a thoroughly professional staff. Table of porn actors and director (? just figuring by his attitude and looks. Maybe he was just their pimp) is seated adjacent, herself entering in a sheer dress with no undergarments (yes, heads swivelled) calling out loudly to her compatriots next to me. All order champagne and cocktails and hilarious discussion ensues concerning a recent bondage shoot in the desert.

I ask to be reseated and am given a lousy solo table, but staff are sympathetic and helpful (without ever appearing to insult their more exuberent guests).

The food was terrific (didn't I post on this before?) but it's the service that made the difference between good and great, as it usually does. Will try to post on Saturday at Annisa soon, as a case in point.

I like oden, but have been scared off a bit from the time in Tokyo when our meal (oden restaurant seated 10 around a counter & tv) ended up way more expensive than meals at Daiwa or Kozue. All we had was ordinary oden with a few daikon, no egg.... It ended up around $200 for 2. I guess we must have stumbled on a chic spot. Tant pis. Anyway, I think the point is not 'broth' which is generally just dashi. Does Village Yokocho specialize in oden and what are prices and usual items?

I went last night and found it just as annoying as I did the first time. The place feels like a food court on a rampage.

La Goulue or Fig and Olive.

Lucia, my 2 dinners with Thor were indeed with Gutenbrenner. The first time, the food was just good enough to make me want to return despite the other deficits which you note; the second time the balance tipped hard the other direction. Is there any reason to think the place has improved? Also, I made the possible mistake of choosing Thor for my first exposure to a Gutenbrenner kitchen and have shied away from Wallse, Blau Gans etc as a partial result, although the reports are pretty unanimously positive about these places and perhaps I should just discount Thor.

Sorry, it s---s. At least you have time to change your mind.

Last went to this place about 10 yrs ago, shortly after it opened, I think. Returning tomorrow evening with low expectations. Can anyone attest to the quality of the meat? Is the beef grass-fed? Any chance of sweetbreads or brains? An earlier post mentioned mouqueca at the buffet. Seriously? The web site is depressing.

Ok, then how about Sumile? I haven't been in over a year for no good reason; I had a fabulous dinner there right before Josh de Chellis went to Jovia (where his food was completely different, and not for the better); I know he left Jovia and is perhaps back at Sumile? There was that other restaurant that fell through in the mean time-- Kobe Steak?--unsure about what kind of relationship he has maintained with Sumile through this process. I tried to get a read from this board a few months back but no responses. It's on my list though. Re Urena-- I posted on this somewhere. Food is great but not great enough to overcome egregious deficits in service, room, etc.

Momofuku may be a little overhyped but it certainly meets your criteria. I don't think all the dishes on the new ssam bar menu have been sorted out yet (I had an inedibly salty chawan mushi and a not quite there uni dish the other week) but it's smart and serious and not self-important and will tease your brain a bit even as you fall ravenously on your plate.