Eats

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.

Taqueria's have become popular throughout the Triangle; the majority seem to be located in Durham. Having spent a fair amount of time in San Diego - I've been happy that they have become more popular locally. Finding something to differentiate each one of them, however, has become difficult. Furthermore, differentiating them by culture may be even more difficult if you aren't familiar with the subtleties. It's nice when each taqueria has a specialty that separates it from the rest.

Costa Azul is an Honduran taqueria - there "taco" offerings were standard, having tried the carne asada and pollo. They were a bit dry and the filling was a bit uninspired. The torta's, however, were a bit unexpected. The "cuban torta" was a large sandwich with two layers of meat (beef & ham), a layer of fried egg, peppers, lettuce and tomato. An additional paste that was likely a pate was also present. The sandwich was served toasted and delicious! Though the location was a bit out of the way for the rest of the Triangle, Costa Azul will be a favorite of ours. Best part abou5t its location, however, is that it is located next to JJ Fish...

try the tortas - skip the tacos.

Costa Azul
2721 Guess Rd.
Durham NC 27713