walras's Profile
Tallula's in Chapel Hill
My experience is exactly the opposite. We dine there at least once a month, often for brunch on the weekend. The waitstaff, particularly the young woman from the Black Sea coast of Turkey, are professional and adept. In the evening, often crowded during student-y weekends with music, it can get hectic, but if one goes to Franklin Street restaurants on Saturday nights one needs to expect strange. A couple of Yelps do not a serious opinion make.
Greek in the Chapel Hill area?
We go to Tallulah's about once a month, and have for the past year or so. LuLusMom is dead on -- after a bad period it's very good these days.
I thought the OP was skittish about it so that's what produced Papa's as a rec. Papa's is much "finer" dining, but I'll take Tallulah's grilled fish (sea bass or sea bream) flown in from their Mediterranean purveyor each Thursday for the weekend over lamb any day.
Greek in the Chapel Hill area?
Papa's Grill is the right place. It's a bit pricey for dinner (compared to say Spartacus (ugh)), but for "seniors" it really dominates the other places -- good food and nice ambiance.
One week near RDU - where to eat?
And don't forget 9N9 for quite good Vietnamese food off Alexander Drive and Miami Blvd in the airport-RTP area. Their website http://pho9n9.com/en/index.php will give you good information.
Sheep's milk yogurt in Durham area?
A Southern Season sometimes carries (expensive) sheep's milk yogurt. Have chowhounds seen this anywhere else in the Durham/Chapel Hill area? Thanks.
What kind of turkey to buy, & where?
We've been buying fresh turkeys from Whole Foods in Chapel Hill for many years. For Thanksgiving, you place your order weeks ahead of time, then pick it up on the Tuesday or Wednesday. They have a very good organic etc. producer in Pennsylvania and get the truck delivery in late Monday. Since Asheville is now a real foodie town, I'd be shocked if this was not the practice there too.
Bangkok 54 (Chapel Hill)?
Living very close by, this is our "regular" and has been since it opened. Their specials are always good (soft shell in season for instance). I especially like their take on chicken with ginger sauce. And their Pad Thai is non-gummy, unlike places like Achira and Twisted Noodle. They're nice folks too. Since Thai Palace has long since stopped adding interesting daily specials, and just "cruises along", we have said goodbye to them.
Hounds help with the best brunch RTP
No -- I've had all their egg dishes: huevos mexicanos, huevos divorciados, and huevos rancheros. It's the sauces that are stunning. Beyond those dishes, I simply can't recall.
It seems Andreas visits the farmer's market on Saturday early morning, and in prepping for the Saturday dinner meal, and advance prepping for some of the week's meals, his crew and he'll be there on Saturday morning anyway, so we get the benefit of eating the freshest local stuff.
Hounds help with the best brunch RTP
Tonali is our go to place for brunch on Saturdays. Andreas has a wonderful menu of things not available elsewhere for brunch. And very elegant presentations, too. (Not open on Sunday, though.)
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Tonali Restaurant
3642 Shannon Rd Ste 1, Durham, NC 27707
RDU quiet special restaurant
Four Square in Durham is both very good, and non-noisy. I've also found Il Palio, and The Fairview at the Washington Duke work very well for dining out with two sets of friends with one in each couple getting more hearing impaired as they age.
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Four Square Restaurant
2701 Chapel Hill Rd., Durham, NC 27707
Help me find veal near Durham!
Cliff's in Carrboro has been around longest, and to me is the best butcher around.
Turducken in central NC?
In the past Cliff's Meat Market, in Carrboro, has had them.
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Cliff's Meat Market
100 W Main St, Carrboro, NC
eggplant or chicken parmigiana sandwich in Chapel Hill area?
Both Pulcinella's and Randy's (Woodcroft) do them. Pulcinella's used to be pretty good, in fact -- haven't had one recently though.
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Pulcinella Restaurant
4711 Hope Valley Rd, Durham, NC 27707
Archira, Chapel Hill
Archira is a new Thai/Japanese restaurant in the East 54 complex in Chapel Hill (same side of ellipse as Saffron). Wife and I went for a look at their menu around 7:30PM the other day, and then to bring home some Thai takeout (wife had been there the previous week for lunch.
The setting is lovely -- inside very sleek, with warm woods in contrast to pottery (nice collection) and modern tables, chairs, cutlery, etc. The menu is extensive as the website suggests. What I was not prepared for was the quality for the price charged. We ordered very conservatively, as we do at any new place, to check out how "standards" are treated. The "pot stickers" were served in a thick red curry broth. It was not dumbed down for US palates, but had quite a lovely bite to it. Tastes were clean not muddy at all. The roast duck salad was impressive, lots of good trimmed duck over a pepper, cucumber melange and dressed calmly. Again, tastes were clean and very distinct. The pad thai was lovely. Not the kind of gelatinous mess that too many local places are now serving. Everything was perfectly cooked, and the tastes again were fresh. And someone in the kitchen had fun making the carrot rosettes.
The sushi bar is long and impressive. Looking it over, the fish looked good (I know, who can tell that way?) and the two sushi chefs were at attention waiting at that time on exactly no customers.
Lots of folk were sitting outside on the sidewalk patio, drinking all manner of things and seeming to enjoy the food as well. It was a nice mix of retired Meadowmont people, young attractive professionals, students, and dog owners!
It's certainly now in our rotation. And the sushi awaits sampling. Thai Palace, 200 yards away, is in for a competitive run. Archira has a head start.
Triangle Gyro Redux
Cilantro in RTP is the real deal for gyros - turning loaf, fresh baked bread ..
Chapel Hill Recs
La Residence is open Sunday for dinner.
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La Residence
202 W Rosemary St, Chapel Hill, NC 27516
Sitar in Durham- The best Indian food I've had -probably ever in terms of consistency.
Had dinner at Saffron Chapel Hill (www.dineatsaffron.com) a couple of days ago. When I asked about the connection to the one in Morrisville, I was told there is none at all -- I infer a family squable or something.
There were the usual new restaurant glitches -- "whose table is that" from servers, but it all worked out and the staff was helpful and courteous, if a bit raw. The food was ok -- had the chaat and the mixed grill to see if they were able to do simple things well. They were ok, not strongly flavored but reasonably tasty, though the tandoori fish was very dry, and the sheesh kebab was both spicy and and flavorless. Good breads and nice wine list by the glass. It would be more helpful if they noted on the menu what the entrees were accompanied with. We ordered raita and plain naan only to find that both were served with the meal. The room is quite lovely, and the decor is inviting -- they have a nice terrace as well, which was quite well patronized. No buffet at either lunch or dinner.
All in all, a comfortable place, but it would appear from only one dinner that the food needs a bit of tweaking. At present, it is probably a work in progress. As it stands, the Morrisville Saffron and Chapel Hill's Mint are far more accomplished and tasty. We'll go back in a few weeks to see if there is some improvement.
9N9 in RTP
I eat there around once every two weeks. Best pho around. Usually very crowded at lunch with RTP folk. Never had a bad meal there.
Best Huevos Rancheros in Durham/Chapel Hill?
Azteca Grill also has a fine huevos divorciados as standard on its daily menu, and even as a lunch special.
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Azteca Grill
1929 Chapel Hill Rd, Durham, NC 27707
Da Luigi Roma
I've eaten there often, and in fact rented their apartment, above the restaurant, for a couple of weeks in 2008. It's a solid place, reasonable value, fine seafood, primarily Roman menu, with several other "influences" as well, but mostly traditional quite well-executed. In season, I've enjoyed their punterelle for instance. The patio area, especially when the weather turns warmer, is lovely, as the Piazza is quite pretty.
Where to buy in Durham/Chapel Hill/Raleigh?
No. It's Thurs-Sat. Closed on Sunday. The best they have is what Tom brings in on Thursday each week from the coast. Call on Thursday to get your specific questions asked. They do take checks though, with good IDs.
Best bets for a Saturday brunch in Raleigh/Durham/Cary/Chapel Hill
I've gotten quite fond of Tonali's Saturday brunch. Really imaginative food, not very expensive (mains around $10-12), and very nice folks too.
Prime rib in Chapel Hill/Durham area
Fresh Market has them, and is promoting them on sale at $6.99/lb. Way better than Food Lion.
Restaurants near Pl. de la République
One more day in this area, tomorrow, Sunday. We've had a lovely diner at Au Bascou, and a perfectly ok simple omelette dinner at Cafe Du Temple, which one needs to visit for the decor. Mostly though we have cooked with the amazing stuff from Marche des Enfants Rouge.
I had hoped to have moules frites tomorrow at Taverne Republique, but it is no more it appears. The big brasserie on the square gets strange reviews on the French food sites, and Leon's de Bruxelles is generally awful.
Any suggestions, hounds?
Paris: Middle Eastern and N. African reccomendations?
Chez Omar, in the Marais steps away from L'enfant Rouge market (where the lady also has great couscous to go or eat on the benches)
Restaurant Eden in Durham, NC
Was there today for lunch, and was going to post anyway. The food is very good, the price is very low, and the service is excellent. The only problem was that there was hardly anyone there. It was almost eerie, so many empty tables, with front staff outnumbering diners. It's hard to quibble about value for money though. The gumbo (on their regular menu for lunch) was exemplary, nicely seasoned, lots of chicken, very tasty. The salmon burrito was also fine, so much so that one had to wonder about their losing money on the food itself, let alone the room and staff. I'm planning to go back often now that I've found it, but with such good value, the location must be a problem. But it's closer to Duke's West Campus than Brightleaf is. Very curious indeed.
Live Lobster in Durham/Chapel Hill or Raleigh
Although the retail store at Squids is long-closed, if you call the restaurant, a couple of days ahead, or even the day before, they will sell you anything they have on hand or on order. I've been buying live lobsters from them that way for a few years. And with no overhead, the prices are good.
