140169 Thu Mar 16 21:04:52 -0800 2006 12 11 South 0 749811 Fellow hounds, I will be driving from Charlotte (Douglas Airport) to RDU in the early evening (dinner time). Any good eats? Better if they are closer to Charlotte than to RDU. Any type of food is fine. The less of a detour it is, the better. Thanks for the kind advice. D. Hound. Thu Mar 16 21:04:52 -0800 2006 0 D. Hound 1 749817 Keaton's. Fri Mar 17 07:29:19 -0800 2006 749811 0 Nab 2 749818 Just had lunch at Keaton's yesterday. Good choice, but it is about a two hour detour to go up 77 to 40 rather than to go 85 to 40. A better idea would be to hit Lexington BBQ which would be a much shorter detour. Just take 85 business when you get near Lexington and it will be on your left. Fri Mar 17 07:45:11 -0800 2006 749817 0 brentk 3 749848 Keaton's is worth a drive no matter where you are coming from. Chicken bliss. Sun Mar 19 09:39:29 -0800 2006 749818 0 raleighfoodlover 1 749820 The Ranch House steak house is very near the a/p in Charlotte. I recommend a couple of shrimp cocktails to go ( I used to have this on my twice monthly flights to NYC). They don't open until five however and are not open for lunch. Their freshly grated horseradish sauce is FANTASTIC. Further up 85 (Keaton's is good but IMHO not worth the detour on 77) Lexington #1 or BBQ Center in Lexington are landmarks. DON'T eat at Gary's in China Grove...not worth exiting the interstate. Stamey's in Greensboro is a bit out of the way but is in the same league w/ the places in Lexington. Allen and Sons just off 85 in Chapel Hill is another great Q place. Hursey's and any other place in Burlington are NOT recommended. Angus barn steak house is close to RDU but has mixed reviews. I like the place but many folks don't care for it a bit. Raleigh is too far away from RDU to consider, IMHO. By the way RDU has the worst parking system of any a/p I have ever visited (and I was a serious international road warrior for twelve years). The signs make no sense, the remote lots are hidden and the daily lots are a disaster. Fri Mar 17 09:39:02 -0800 2006 749811 0 michael b 2 749847 Michael, my take is that you aren't from around here, are you? Sun Mar 19 09:37:43 -0800 2006 749820 0 raleighfoodlover 3 749861 Sorry son but I was born in NC, have degrees from Chapel Thrill and Wake. My daughters and wife were born in NC...guess you could call us Tarheels. I can sound like a redneck when buying hay, a banker when (nice selection of Hickey Freeman's in the closet)getting a loan (our account is in Myers Park) and a Parker Myers (had to be in Charlotte to understand that one) when buying a car. Keatons is about thirty minutes from my new house (five years old but still feels new) and is very good but not worth a even a thirty minute detour. Someone leaving the Charlotte A/P would be...devoid of brains?...to take a two hour detour to hit Keatons. Our family eats there about once every two months but compared to places in Lexington it is second rate. Great chicken but not as good as Price's in Charlotte. Mon Mar 20 09:12:48 -0800 2006 749847 0 michael b 4 749883 Try Backcountry Bar-B-Q. Linwood exit off I-85 (exit 88) great bar-B-Q, chicken,etc. They even have a 20 oz. steak special for $ 17.95. Mon Mar 20 16:25:36 -0800 2006 749861 0 steveindurham 4 749892 Thanks for the offer, but I already have a father. Thanks for enlightening us on your pedigree, though. Enjoy Charlotte; it's a shame most of you don't realize there is more to NC than outside the boundaries of Mecklenburg County. Mon Mar 20 21:25:21 -0800 2006 749861 0 raleighfoodlover 5 749922 Do you know him? PS there really isn't much in NC (w/ a few notable exceptions, none of which are in Wake county) outside of Mecklenburg county. Great state of Meecklenburg? Wed Mar 22 10:05:16 -0800 2006 749892 0 michael b 4 749901 Hey Micahel b, As a fellow native Charlottian I appreciate your knowledge of Mecklenburg County and your willingness to share. I find your posts insightful, helpful and generally spot on. That's what makes Chowhound great - people sharing their knowledge of THEIR OWN areas. Please post back if you manage to run the road block on I 85! ;>) Tue Mar 21 14:10:12 -0800 2006 749861 0 Tee 1 749835 Miguel's Mexican Restaurant is off of 85, it is an old diner on the side of a closed hotel, a little scary, but great food. Look on the internet for directions. 2nd option- Leaving the airport, you can stay straight on Billy Graham South and go straight to South Blvd, turn left and go about 4 or 5 miles and there is a bbq biker bar called Mac's. Nice restaurant and great food in Charlotte, worth the drive and money is Barrington's (only if you are a foodie) some other options for nice (i.e. expensive) is Carpe Diem & The Fig Tree. A MUST in the Raleigh area is Maximillians on Chapel Hill Road. My other favorite restaurants in Raleigh are Dalat Vietnamese and Royal India. Hope this helps. Driving from Charlotte to Raleigh, there is a fast food chain called Biscuitville, they have great biscuits and sweet tea. Also on the way to Raleigh, you will pass a small town called Lexington, it is the bbq capital. Sat Mar 18 15:58:11 -0800 2006 749811 0 tonya 2 749853 I'd like to also add that Royal India may very well give you a bad vibe like it has given me, but don't be deterred, b/c it is surprisingly outstanding. Even looking at the menu one would think they're a little too ambitious at attempting to cover so many regions/styles, but they are, indeed, able to execute. S.Indian cuisine aside, it's the best Indian food in the Triangle. Biscuitville is a favorite of mine too. Sun Mar 19 11:09:49 -0800 2006 749835 0 Nab