137674 Wed Jul 14 10:28:02 -0700 2004 10 11 South 0 737881 I paid my first visit to Allen and Sons in about a year, and found it as I remembered it. The cue and the slaw were excellent (A); the fries, though fresh cut, were flaccid and soggy (C); the hushpuppies were oil-soacked and dense to the point of inedibility (D); the blueberry pie was okay (B-); the bread pudding was like a tasteless wet sponge (C-). And, to boot, the meal was not cheap by cue standards: $30 for two. I left the restaurant feeling mildly annoyed. Why -- with such good cue as the centerpiece -- was the meal so mediocre when taken as a whole? For one thing, I noticed when glancing behind the counter that the hushpuppies were not served fresh from the oil. They were pre-cooked and lying in a giant pile, and then either refried or reheated under a lamp. The same may have applied to the fries. What's the excuse for such lousy versions of such simple dishes -- hushpuppies, fries, bread pudding -- when an earnest homecook will have no trouble making exemplary versions of these basics? Why is it that every bistro in France can make perfect fries -- toothsomely crisp on the outside, fluffy on the inside, fragrant with the scent of earth -- but in America such fries are an occasion for hosannahs and roadtrips? I recur to my old explanation: the American restaurant culture is suffused by a subtle laziness. Plain and simple. I'll return to Allen and Sons for its fine cue, but next time I'll skip the extras that would have lent the meal a pleasing completion. Changing my tune, let me again extol Taqueria Superior, where my wife and I had a wonderfully cheap and piquant meal last week: six tacos al pastor, a beef quesadilla, chili-marinated carrots and fixings on the house, and two diet cokes (it seemed a bit too hot for horchata), all for $12. We left with unqualified smiles. David A. Wed Jul 14 10:28:02 -0700 2004 0 David A. 1 737883 Ain't it the truth. They ,a ubiquitous term to be sure, seem to be comfortable with having a twenty year vetern man the pit but a gum chewing moron amn the fryolator. Your comments about Europe ring true. I've got a trip in October to Europe coming up and and must admit that one of the things I'm looking forward to is the fries from any roadside vendor in Belgium. Arlon here I come. Wed Jul 14 11:08:38 -0700 2004 737881 0 michael b 1 737905 Where EXACTLY is Taqueria Superior? I used to go to the stand near Costco, and am totally bummed it is gone. I feel a taco fix coming on.... Thu Jul 15 11:29:58 -0700 2004 737881 0 rs 2 737909 Superior is a taco joint on Roxboro Rd., just across the street from the fishmonger, near the intersection with whatever street the Science Museum is on. It's spacious and clean, very cheap, piquant and fresh (though the don't make their own tortillas). It's grown on me considerably. A word of warning: they don't speak English. David A. Fri Jul 16 10:01:28 -0700 2004 737905 0 David A. 3 737910 Thanks...I had been looking too far up Roxboro, closer to Wal Mart. FYI the street at the intersection is Murray Ave., and the fishmongers is Leo's. Also, at that same intersection is Current's, which has real "down home" cooking. I mean that in the good (tasty and cheap) and bad (greasy!) senses. Of course that is based on just 1 experience. I've often thought of trying it again, but the proper hunger/time/space coincidence has not occured yet. I'll try to get by Superior this weekend. Many thanks. Fri Jul 16 11:48:19 -0700 2004 737909 0 rs 4 737911 Current Cafeteria is excellent for breakfast. 2 eggs, 1 meat, toast or biscuits, grits or hash browns for $ 2.95. The eggs are cooked to order while you wait. I highly recommend the link sausage. Fri Jul 16 12:20:03 -0700 2004 737910 0 steveindurham 4 737961 Good fried chicken...and they are cheap...but that's about all the accolades I can muster about them. They ladies who work there are gruff at times. Mon Jul 19 11:10:25 -0700 2004 737910 0 Sant 4 737976 Finally found Superior this weekend -- the big sign says SUPER but everything else is SUPERIOR. I guess adding the 3 letters onto the sign was too expensive. But that just added to the experience. My wife is fluent in Spanish, which helps a bit in these places. I can negotiate with my Spanish vocabulary of about a dozen words but not always to my satisfaction. And with no TVs and jukeboxes all you hear is conversation and chair legs scraping the floor, which was loud enough. Anyway, the food: GREAT! The cooks were really working in the kitchen, as it was lunch hour on Saturday and they were jammed with families and groups of workers. With all that, the food came pretty quickly. Big selections of tacos, tortas and....other things I forget now. We just got tacos (asada and al pastor) and tried out the array of salsas and toppings at the condiments bar. We'll be back for sure. I know this has been beat to death, but where oh where can I find good tamales around here? I've had plenty of bad ones. Tue Jul 20 10:59:59 -0700 2004 737910 0 rs 1 737960 My sons go to Forest View Elementary on the other end of Mt. Siani Rd. from Allen & Sons. I often go by after picking them up and get two pounds of que to go and make my own sides at home. As for Superior, my mother-in-law, who is from Mexico (Merida), is perfectly happy to eat there whenever she's in town. I still go there even though one of the workers asked her if my wife was married? :-) Mon Jul 19 11:07:13 -0700 2004 737881 0 Sant 1 737969 i recently moved to the area, and absolutely love the fact that i'm only a 6 minute drive to Allen & Son. the place has been discussed extensively here, so i'm not gonna chime in on much - just one thing though - i love their hushpuppies and always manage to get them fresh (often times too hot to handle). what time were you there at ? so it's great to be so close to A & S, but man am i dissapointed with the mexican food here given the numerous choices. is it hopeless in chapel hill, or are there some good finds ? i haven't yet been to that place that Sant plugs often ... can't remember the name, but off of 15-501 towards the Super Target / Sam's Club / mega-everything plaza-mall (starts with a "T" i believe). Mon Jul 19 17:07:59 -0700 2004 737881 0 Nab 2 738005 You're right, the Mexican choices are not good here. The place that I think is passable that I have "plugged" is Torero's. However, I don't like the one near Target/Sam's. I like the original one on Main St. in downtown Durham. However, the place I frequent the most is Tacqueria Superior on Roxboro St. (discussed a lot elsewhere on this board), also in Durham. It's good, it's cheap, and it's casual. For $5.50 (three loaded tacos and a drink) I garauntee you'll leave stuffed. Wed Jul 21 12:09:22 -0700 2004 737969 0 Sant