Entries by Ray

The Triangle has a number of "famous places" - unfortunately, either most of these are past their prime or never actually were worth it.

Angus Barn - I had one of the worst steaks ever there about 10 years ago... and decided to finally give it a try again. Sorry, it just isn't worth it. The desserts, the meat - all not worth the outrageous expense. I'm not willing to go back, even on someone else's tab. Even the supposedly famous ostrich satay was bland and uninspiring.

Flying Biscuit - We once saw a line out the door and were excited to try it... what a waste of my stomach. Everything was excessively salty and had too much pepper. Once again, completely uninspiring food.

These restaurants are now the anti-litmus test. If you like them... our tastes are obviously polar opposites. bleah.

Recently, there has been a lot of press (including national) about The Pit in Raleigh. Given the excitement, it obviously has been high on our list of places to try.

The restaurant seems to be divided into a few major sections - one fancier appearing dining room which could be out of any nice restaurant, the rest more run of the mill. It was clean and comfortable; hard to say for most barbecue places.

The menu is extensive, but doesn't necessarily read as anything unique in itself - just fairly standard southern fare. Thankfully, the menu doesn't do the food justice. We ordered the baby back ribs and pimento burger, as well as the jalapeno corn bread for an appetizer.

The baby back smoked ribs were simply incredible - the sauce, a lightly spicy, mostly sweet (maple syrup) was delicious, but wholly finger licking good, wish I could eat the bones too.

We will be back...!

328 West Davie St
Raleigh, NC 27601
(919) 890-4500

Signs are up for the new Chubby's Tacos in Woodcroft Plaza - Yes!

Update! Chubby's in Woodcroft is open as of 12/9/09.

I've driven past the Saigon Grill on North Roxboro a number of times. It is housed in a rather non-descript building on the west die of the road with a gravel parking lot which did not serve as an inviting setting... but given some of the feedback from others, it was worth a try.

Since it is mid-August, the noodle dishes didn't seem incredibly appealing, so I only ordered the fresh spring rolls and a staple pork chop / shreddded pork / egg cake over rice dish as a take out.

The spring rolls were filled with some of the freshest ingredients I have had in this area; with pork and shrimp, and were absolutely delightful! Almost worth the drive just based on these appetizers. The rice dish was pretty par for the course; fresh, but nothing spectacular. We are ready to head back soon, and try the full menu. The restaurant decor is spartan, but clean. Noticeably absent on their menu were subs and some of the fresh "salad" like dishes seen at other Vietnamese restaurants. However, they did have some other specialties on the menu that I'm eager to try... and maybe we'll save the pho for the fall or winter.


Saigon Grill
2929 N Roxboro St
Durham, NC 27704
919-220-5979

We've been hoping for solid fish tacos and a taqueria or equivalent trully worth frequenting. A number of the local authentic taqueria's just don't have the environment that you feel comfortable frequenting, even though the food may be solid.

Chubby's tacos on 9th street changes that - no, it is not less rustic or more clean inside - its still an interesting crowd - but at least it is more welcoming. The fish tacos (though pricey at $4 each) are very good. Large pieces of tuna with a spicy sauce - these aren't Tijuana style, but they are very good. The other "regular" tacos are less expensive, down to $2, but also very good. A huge salsa spread lets you choose your heat level and flavoring. The store is tiny - we find it just as easy to get carry out and eat somewhere close - maybe the lawns over on Duke campus.

Great Korean BBQ is already hard to find in the area - the Korean Steakhouse on Capital Blvd survived only a few months. However, it has been rescued and converted into a BBQ buffet - at reasonable prices, too!

While the overall selection is somewhat limited, it is sufficient for a great lunch, and provides greater variety than a "normal" meal. Beef, fatty pork, and chicken were all availabile for grill at your own table.