608475 Tue Mar 31 19:06:20 -0700 2009 44 11 South 0 4556172 We will be there a few days - maybe one nice dinner out, and several local inexpensive paces. We aren't big meat eaters but like fish and ethnic food. We live near Smith Street in Brooklyn, so that's our frame of reference. Also would love some eating suggestions for the drive down 95, if there's any hope. Tue Mar 31 19:06:20 -0700 2009 279052 LisaPhoto 1 4556320 For a nice dinner out in Durham, I highly recommend Revolution. The dishes I've had there range from very good to sublime, and the atmosphere is sophisticated without being fussy. Don't miss out on the Mexican food in the area. Suggestions will vary widely on this board, but I love Taqueria la Vaquita. I also enjoy Costa Azul; you can get great Honduran/Mexican food there. La Vaquita only has picnic tables outside, and Costa Azul lacks atmosphere, but they are both excellent and a great value. Tue Mar 31 20:03:38 -0700 2009 4556172 59801 anne7134 1 4556682 Amazingly enough, I'm not familar with Smith Steet in Brooklyn; however, the "search" feature is your friend. Wed Apr 01 03:48:35 -0700 2009 4556172 25751 carolinadawg 1 4559416 For your one "nice" dinner out....I would recommend Pop's...you have to get the mussels for an app. Wed Apr 01 18:33:15 -0700 2009 4556172 277461 RRG 2 4560600 I like Pop's, but if you haven't tried the mussels at Revolution, RRG, they are amazing. You don't have to commit to a whole meal there, just hit the bar (drinks are too expensive, I think, but the beer is fine), grab a beer and have the mussels with some of their bread. Really good. Thu Apr 02 07:30:59 -0700 2009 4559416 26542 suse 1 4559470 Elmo's Diner..lots of breakfast items all day, but when I went I had Spinach Enhiladas. I thought the food was really diverse, good quality, served hot and varied menu. Loud inside but good food from $8 to $10 a plate..tops. Wed Apr 01 18:47:31 -0700 2009 4556172 218622 BurgJoy 2 4560228 On Sunday mornings we either had breakfast at Elmo's or Foster's Market and never were disappointed with either. Thu Apr 02 04:41:23 -0700 2009 4559470 240293 Lewes17266 3 4560290 Avoid Elmo's at all costs. It is terrible. Especially if you live near Smith St. in Brooklyn, you will absolutely despise this place. The only thing you can find here that you don't have near Smith St. in Brooklyn is good BBQ, and for that, go to Allen and Sons. I'll second the suggestion for using the Search feature. It works very well. Thu Apr 02 05:32:39 -0700 2009 4560228 97400 Shag Waits 4 4560355 I agree with Shag that Elmo's does the big S and sucks. The food is overrated and under seasoned. And all they are is a bland tasteless dinner. But to say that the area has nothing to offer that you would not find near Smith St in Brooklyn is just plain wrong headed. Try Magnolia Grill for the one blow out meal. There style of high end southern is not something you see in New York, and they do have the best desserts in the area . Also Crooks Corner in Chapel hill is another great example of high end or gourmand southern. But a word of advise, while you are down here try not to tell everyone that things are better in Brooklyn, this coming from an ex resident of Brooklyn Heights. Thu Apr 02 06:09:18 -0700 2009 4560290 69475 chazzer 5 4560362 well at least I know where to go now when i get off the train - Smith Street Thu Apr 02 06:13:14 -0700 2009 4560355 240293 Lewes17266 5 4560528 I agree with the Magnolia Grill dessert assessment. Top notch. I've found the savory food to be hit or miss. Last time I had a seared foie gras appetizer, it was stone cold. Ambiance also kinda blows. Only good thing I've had at Crook's Corner is shrimp and grits. Maybe worth a stop for that. While not particulary unique or Southern, I had a fantastic tasting menu at Nana's a few weeks ago. It is a quite a steal at $55 (even though their website says $50) for 5 courses and $25 for wine pairings. I don't think you can find a deal like that near Smith St. in Brooklyn. Nearly everything was technically perfect. Our wait dude was super cool, too. He was the first dude to say, "I'm going to wait a bit before putting the order in to allow you some time to enjoy your cocktails." Practically every place serves the first course while I'm working on my martini. I hate that. My boyfriend usually has a cosmo and he hates that, too. Thu Apr 02 07:11:12 -0700 2009 4560355 97400 Shag Waits 4 4560375 I love Allen and Son, but given that the OP said they aren't big meat eaters, it doesn't seem like a place they'd interested in. Thu Apr 02 06:17:35 -0700 2009 4560290 25751 carolinadawg 4 4561388 Yes, avoid Elmo's. Thu Apr 02 11:11:49 -0700 2009 4560290 56762 LulusMom 1 4560215 Is the Top Hat still around? That was a great little dive in Durham for a great burger, excellent fries, and a cold one back in the day. Thu Apr 02 04:29:46 -0700 2009 4556172 253377 Buddha49 2 4560613 The Top Hat is looooooooooong gone. Selling drugs out the back door did them in. I loved their chili cheese burgers. Thu Apr 02 07:33:00 -0700 2009 4560215 26542 suse 1 4560636 When are you coming? Downtown will be hopping with film festival people this coming weekend. Watts St. Grocery and/or Magnolia Grill both offer high-end Southern-ish fare using local ingredients. Revolution is really nice, but with less Southern tendencies. Same goes for Nana's. The Federal on Main St. is a fun, local place with excellent food. Back room is non-smoking. Breakfast at Guglhupf is good - or Foster's right next door (15-501). Guglhupf is a true German bakery and Foster's is owned by a local Martha Stewart protegee. The breakfasts are good, but I would stay away from the scones, they're as big as your head and you could build houses with them that no wolf could blow down. Thu Apr 02 07:40:00 -0700 2009 4556172 26542 suse 1 4561028 We recently had dinner at Revolution last week. It is fairly heavy on seafood. We had fresh oysters which was what was expected and well priced, 9 for $10, the octopus was incredible, we had periwinkles on crostini which was a bit too salty and they do have a bit of a funky taste (which was appealing to me, not DH), fried zuchini with blossoms still attached which was ok (oil could have been changed in fryer) scottish salmon with lentils and red wine butter sauce (very tasty) The bread is from Tribeca grill in NY and was very good. Service was very good and friendly with good suggestions. Atmosphere is 'urban' in feeling, lots of white with hints of rich colors thrown in. All menu items were priced well for what you got. It is a laid back feeling, servers wear t shirts. Make a reservation. Thu Apr 02 09:38:20 -0700 2009 4556172 94656 winedine 2 4561399 Even non-weekend on the reservation for Revolution? We're thinking of trying it soon ... Thu Apr 02 11:14:12 -0700 2009 4561028 56762 LulusMom 3 4562915 If you're just going to be two people you can always sit at the bar. That's what we've done, but I'm a total barfly when it comes to nice restaurants. Thu Apr 02 18:55:41 -0700 2009 4561399 26542 suse 4 4563484 Yeah, quite often when we don't have Lulu in tow we sit at the bar too. Thanks for the info. Fri Apr 03 01:59:03 -0700 2009 4562915 56762 LulusMom 1 4561559 I don't know much about Brooklyn, but I highly recommend Watt's Grocery off of Broad St. in Durham. Especially for brunch. They specialize in locally-sourced ingredients and have a wonderful "new-Southern" menu. The quality of the food is really high, but the prices are reasonable. Also, brunch at Crook's Corner is excellent too (shrimp and grits with homemade biscuits and orange marmalade). Taqueria La Vaquita is one of my favorite places to eat for lunch - their huarache with chicken and the chicken tamales incredibly tasty, but again you have to do takeaway or eat outside. For hanging out outside of the downtown area, I recommend City Beverage near I-40/751/NC 54. They have a great selection of really good NC-based beers, so you can get a good idea of what is offered locally. The food is good, if not a bit retro, but then so is the decor. And, although it was mentioned before, Allen and Sons has some of the best BBQ in the state, and is totally worth the effort of getting there. It is off of NC 86, north of I-40, just a couple minutes outside of Chapel Hill. Thu Apr 02 12:03:12 -0700 2009 4556172 88792 jazzy77 1 4564751 I cast my vote AGAINST Revolution. The service is deplorable, the food is hit or miss and the ambience is decidedly generic. There's no need to brave all the "nuances" of downtown Durham just to eat at this place for the experience that you get in return. I'd rather go to Watts, Mag Grill, or Pop's than Revolution any day. Fri Apr 03 10:57:00 -0700 2009 4556172 201446 samhopkins 1 4565730 I'm very surprised no one has mentioned Piedmont in this thread. Certainly as good if not more to my taste than Watts Grocery, at the same price point. Fri Apr 03 15:37:21 -0700 2009 4556172 22446 walras 2 4565885 Agreed - much better than Watts, and worthy of mention. Fri Apr 03 16:25:56 -0700 2009 4565730 56762 LulusMom 3 4573597 In the last 18 months. I've been to Piedmont twice and Watt's five times, based on popularity. Piedmont is certainly worth a visit, but Watt's is really impressing me lately, especailly the late night smelts. Mon Apr 06 19:50:00 -0700 2009 4565885 15062 Tom from Raleigh 2 4566504 The only reason that I didn't mention it is because I have yet to eat there (but have heard wonderful reviews from friends who have). It's one of the top places on my list. Fri Apr 03 21:04:03 -0700 2009 4565730 88792 jazzy77 1 4573515 Wow - posted about Elmo's. I was in Durham a year ago and liked Elmo's. I am not from the area but enjoyed the meal I had. I have eaten at Magnolia also and agree the experience would be nice. Still think Elmo's had food that pleased my in-laws, 20 year old son and my husband and self. Mon Apr 06 19:20:09 -0700 2009 4556172 218622 BurgJoy 2 4574560 Elmo's apparently is not so good now. It has been a few years since we were there. I still love my Elmo's t-shirt and have good memories of many Sunday mornings there. Tue Apr 07 07:40:18 -0700 2009 4573515 240293 Lewes17266 1 4576172 I'm not sure if this counts as a thread hijack or merely a narrowing of focus. How about a good Durham eatery that is convenient for lunch when visiting Sarah Duke gardens on a weekend? No, it doesn't have to be walking distance, but somewhere that isn't a drive to the other side of town. Thanks! Tue Apr 07 14:14:37 -0700 2009 4556172 37297 klmonline 2 4577768 Nasher Art Museum cafe - http://www.nasher.duke.edu/museum_cafe.php The gardens also has their own cafe (Terrace Cafe), but I've never gotten anything from them, so can't speak to quality there. Or just bring your own food and have a picnic on the grounds! Wed Apr 08 06:48:18 -0700 2009 4576172 133831 romansperson 3 4577999 Wow! I wish I had known about all these wonderful restaurants when I lived in the area. Wed Apr 08 08:07:41 -0700 2009 4577768 240293 Lewes17266 2 4577813 Erwin Square is a quick drive from the Gardens. Home to Baba Gannouj, Parizade and Vita. Go another block or two and you're at 9th Street. The Brightleaf area is also quite close IMO, but I'm not sure if that's what you mean by going across town. We did the Gardens this weekend, and had lunch at Parker and Otis. I was a great day. Wed Apr 08 07:18:09 -0700 2009 4576172 80944 Lucydevil 3 4578039 BG is no longer there, Vita is bad, and Parizade is only passable IMO. I would go to Nasher but if you must drive continue on to 9th Street or Broad St. Broad St. has the Broad St. Cafe, Watts Grocery, a new African restaurant (haven't tried yet), and Whole Foods cafe. Wed Apr 08 08:16:11 -0700 2009 4577813 21285 bbqme 4 4579223 Just to set the record straight, BG is too still there! Had it last night - please don't put it out of business by posting that it's gone! Still, it's not where I'd send an out-of-town visitor. Nasher museum restaurant is fabulous unless you're looking for giant portions, which they don't have. I second that Parker & Otis is a fun lunch too. Wed Apr 08 14:14:09 -0700 2009 4578039 277708 Tartan 2 4577913 There are food courts inside various buildings. We had a quick lunch occasionally on Sundays at a building next to Duke Chapel. You could check it out. http://www.duke.edu/services/dining/index.php Also, The Duke Washington Inn is right there. We had a beautiful Sunday lunch there once but I think you can get a simple sandwich there also. http://www.washingtondukeinn.com/Dining/dining.asp Wed Apr 08 07:47:02 -0700 2009 4576172 240293 Lewes17266 1 4576277 I'll throw in a recommendation for Four Square. Same price point as Magnolia Grill and Nana's, but I find it to be consistently better. Also, the atmosphere is just lovely (renovated historic house). I'll second recommendations for Watt's, Piedmont (probably my favorite at the moment), Fosters, Guglhupf, and the Federal. I'd say that you might want to hold off on Revolution, though. Yeah, it's the new hot spot, and one look at this list will tell you that a lot of chowhounds LOVE it, but there are also a lot of mixed reviews out there. I had an excellent experience there, but if you're in town briefly you might want to go with a more seasoned restaurant. Someone mentioned City Beverage. Love the food, hate the service. Don't ever go for lunch unless you have a whooooole lot of time on your hands. It's our neighborhood haunt, and my wife and I used to eat there regularly, but issues with the service have turned us off a bit. I've heard nothing but good things about Vaquita and have been dying to eat there. North Durham also boasts a number of excellent taquerias, but if you want more upscale Mexican, try Tonali. This ain't your typical taco and burrito joint. Dishes are creative, ingredients are fresh, and the menu is excellent. In the four years I lived in NYC, I never encountered a Mexican restaurant anything like it. Tue Apr 07 14:40:40 -0700 2009 4556172 271374 mrzeau 1 4576304 My favorite restaurant in durham is Hong Kong Chinese (for lunch). You can find the location on google maps. It's an more or less ordinary chinese restaurant, but they also serve Dim Sum, which is awesome. Weekends they have a full cart service for lunch, and for Weekday lunch and dinner, they have a limited menu, but still tasty. Tue Apr 07 14:47:05 -0700 2009 4556172 279935 DreamCyn 2 4576426 Hong Kong is not an ordinary Chinese restaurant for these parts. It's actually good. Most Chinese restaurants around here are very bad serving American-ized Chinese food. Tue Apr 07 15:23:09 -0700 2009 4576304 15062 Tom from Raleigh 3 4578047 Ordinary in appearance. Don't let that scare you off from trying the place. Wed Apr 08 08:18:39 -0700 2009 4576426 21285 bbqme 1 4627626 Elmo's and Magnolia grill in the same thread? The poor Diner doesn't stand a chance. Elmo's is a great little Diner with a more eclectic menu than you would expect from such establishments. It's not for the gourmand but it's a great meal to ground you after a night on the town. For a little more upscale brunch Vin Rouge right across the street is a nice Sunday morning on the porch in appropriate weather. A couple of places worth mentioning in the Downtown area that haven't made the list is Tosca hidden in the West Village apartments, and Rue Claire. Italian and French cuisine respectively as the names would imply. I enjoyed Revolution but most of the folks that have tried both have given the nod to Rue Claire. Revolution's meal tasting flight can be quite enjoyable. I too can't understand why Peidmont doesn't get more press. It's quite consistent just is Pops. Neither place will be the meal of a lifetime but they're quite good and as of yet I haven't had an off night at either one. Sat Apr 25 08:28:59 -0700 2009 4556172 286046 Jammin72 2 4627718 just a minor correction to Jammin72's post - it's rue cler: http://www.ruecler-durham.com/ Sat Apr 25 09:17:58 -0700 2009 4627626 13959 cervisiam 3 4627816 Rue Cler is the best brunch in Durham, yum! Also Durham is blessed to have Nana's and Mag Grill. Sat Apr 25 10:15:05 -0700 2009 4627718 222223 spitcup 3 4633853 Thanks for the spell check! :blush: Mon Apr 27 16:12:33 -0700 2009 4627718 286046 Jammin72 1 4664423 For great and inexpensive food, try George's Diner on Hillsborough Rd. It's a 24-hr diner with a kitschy 50s theme. They have a huge menu, everything from breakfast (served all day) to nice dinner entrees. The prices are good and the food is great. I really hope folks check them out, since I want them to stay around long enough to try all nine pages of the menu! Thu May 07 18:05:21 -0700 2009 4556172 290780 cranewife 1 4709865 George's Diner, at the 85 exit for Hillsborough Street: http://georgesdinernc.com/ Great food, great people, open 24 hours... better than I expected for sure! Sat May 23 19:07:19 -0700 2009 4556172 322397 Evergreen_Man