Diners, Roadhouses, Joints and Dives

[justin]

are you sure her food is not worth going over for anymore. Cause I just called my a friend in Cary goes by the name of Fat Duck on a couple of UNC boards and he said he still feels like the food is great.

Was the meal you guys had bad enough to write her place off as just a tourist trap?

Mama Dips was very average. Similar to the quality of cafeteria food or Golden Corral type food. When you get done eating, you're full. But you don't reflect on how great the meal was. The service was bad too.

Many reviewers at the CitySearch website agree with me:
http://triangle.citysearch.com/review/6158343

I have also noticed a trend in Chapel Hill. There are "Chapel Hill People" that like "Chapel Hill food".

To summarize "Chapel Hill food" and the typical Chapel Hill restaurant, the quality is low to average and the prices are high with a fu-fu atmosphere. Chapel Hill consumers seem to decide on a restaurant based on the name and reputation more so than the quality of food and service.

In general, if I'm able to identify a "Chapel Hill person" in advance, I just ask them for good restaurant recommendations, and that way I know which places to avoid like the plague. Maybe your buddy from Cary is a "Chapel Hill person". If he lives in Cary he's probably not from around here.

I would give you the names of some dives in Cary (I grew up there), but nothing was there 10 years ago, so nothing has acquired the "dive" title yet. Ask your buddy what local (Cary/Raleigh) dives he likes. Then I can tell you if he's a "Chapel Hill person". Not that there's anything wrong with that.

 

[astromeria]

Tuba City Truck Stop, Tuba City, Arizona. It was crowded, but it appeared that we were the only non-Navajos when we had lunch there en route from Grand Canyon to Monument Valley. We loved the Navajo tacos--taco stuff on fry bread...now I'm drooling!

 

[Martha]

. . .  the quality is low to average and the prices are high with a fu-fu atmosphere. 

Do you really mean "fu-fu?"

http://www.urbandictionary.com/define.php?term=fu+fu

 

[justin]

Do you really mean "fu-fu?"

http://www.urbandictionary.com/define.php?term=fu+fu

Looks like, according to that dictionary, it is properly spelled "foo foo". See also "shi shi". Sometimes commonly referred to in the local vernacular as a compound phrase "foo foo shi shi". The latter phrase is not found in urbandictionary.com. Hope that helps!

 

[F-One]

So there used to be some good places in Cary? I have lived there for last 20 years and I guess I'm an exception to norm (grew up in Burlington, NC).

Unfortunately for Mama Dips, I would agree with Justin. They moved/remodeled a number of years ago and it's not the same. Something is lost when a "dive" remodels or moves. In Burlington, it use to be Zack's for hot dogs, then they moved and it's not as good. 

 

[justin]

So there used to be some good places in Cary? I have lived there for last 20 years and I guess I'm an exception to norm (grew up in Burlington, NC).

We moved in 18 years ago. As you probably recall, there wasn't much there at the time that was more than a decade old. I've been living in Chapel Hill or Raleigh since 1998, but I go back frequently for shopping or visiting parents.

One "dive" I can think of in Cary is/was Serendipity's. I think they went down hill and are now closed. The one time I tried it I was underimpressed.

Everything else it seems has changed names or is closed now. Coyote Cafe, Fox and Hound (not a dive). Remington Grill is a pretty good local chain that started in Cary - great burgers+sanwiches and endless fries in a casual environment. But it's can't be more than 15 years old.

The problem with Cary is that it's all too nice to have dives. There may be a couple of Chinese take-out places and a mexican place or two that are dingy and old enough to be dives (Los Tres Magueyes comes to mind).

 

[OldAgePensioner]

how about:

Tantric Eating In Dives

 

[OldAgePensioner]

I just had the best sandwich in my long and perverted lifetime.

Saigon Sandwich on Larkin between Turk and Eddy. At 1:30PM still a line of 15 people waiting to get in. Place has one little round table and the counter is about 4 ft long. It was a zoo.

Roasted pork, and about 4 magical herbs. BBQ pork, carrot, onion cilantro, jalapeno, mayo, and magic Saigon sauce.

Here's an internet review of the place and believe every poster is correct in some way.l

Definitely try it if you hit SF. http://www.yelp.com/biz/hqQoVK0vadOX7_4gN1sh3g

 

[justin]

I'll have to add Bali Hai Mongolian Grill in Raleigh (they have a location in Durham too). http://www.balihainc.com/

I usually hit them up once a week or so for unbeatable Mongolian Grill food. Mmmm... I've never tasted the same flavors anywhere else. If only I could crack their secret recipe for the sauce and seasonings... Line out the door for 30-45 minutes during lunch. Arrive before 11:30 or after 12:30 for less than 15 minute wait!


It's been around for a two decades at least. Unfortunately the original Raleigh location just got flooded by Alberto last week. Hopefully it will reopen.

 

[OldAgePensioner]

justin,
I suspect that the Cambodians and Vietnamese use a lot of the same spices but this sandwich had sweet, lemony, peppery, aromatic, and meaty flavors all at once. Hard to imagine I've missed that combination because I've visited SE Asia a lot. Just not Vietnam.

I'll definitely be hitting this joint every week or two.

My brother mentioned a great Mongolian BBQ place in Durham but he likes Kemp's Seafood on H-70 for the broiled Cajun scallop and oyster plate.

 

[justin]

My brother mentioned a great Mongolian BBQ place in Durham but he likes Kemp's Seafood on H-70 for the broiled Cajun scallop and oyster plate.

Hmm... not too many Mongolian places around here. He might be talking about Bali Hai. The only other one I can think of is "Crazy Fire", which is the same kind of restaurant - big grill and you pick your own raw ingredients from a "buffet" line.

Re: Kemp's Seafood - it's supposed to be one of the nicer restaurants around town, but somewhat pricey. I've heard mixed reviews about it. The broiled plates are probably good, but if one is looking for the plain old Calabash/southern style fried fish n shrimp, there's probably better choices (Mayflower - a good local chain).

 

[Sarah in SC]

So I guess I'll have to stop making fun of DH's Mom in Concord NC for the Mayflower gift certificates we give her at Christmas every year. Nothing like the inherent seafood snobbery of coastal dwellers for "inland seafood" restaurants. Now that it has a better rep, then I'll be condemned to just making fun of the boat sitting out front with a couple of tables in it for that special "street-side" dining experience.
Sarah

 

[justin]

So I guess I'll have to stop making fun of DH's Mom in Concord NC for the Mayflower gift certificates we give her at Christmas every year. Nothing like the inherent seafood snobbery of coastal dwellers for "inland seafood" restaurants. Now that it has a better rep, then I'll be condemned to just making fun of the boat sitting out front with a couple of tables in it for that special "street-side" dining experience.

Well, after years of diligent research, I've determined you can get plenty of marginal quality seafood at the coast just as easily as you can get it in inland areas. The difference is you usually pay 2x as much for marginal quality seafood near the coast!

Mayflower isn't a good restaurant to get something like gently roasted salmon marinated in a lemon, dill, and butter base cooked to perfection with a french bread crumb crust served with a tangy yet sweet balsamic vinegar reduction on top and a medley of chopped toasted walnuts and almonds spinkled over everything. They just serve good, cheap fried fish and shrimp along with fries/hushpuppies/slaw in a very non-pretentious manner.

http://www.mayflowerseafood.com/index.html (burlington, NC location, not Raleigh)

Tomorrow all me and all my work buddies are going to Mayflower for their $5.79 Fried flounder and shrimp Thursday Special. Mmmmmm....

 

[Sarah in SC]

Wait a minute, aren't you the one who likes Michelinas frozen dinners?    
Look now, we have our fried seafood joints and they are always preferable to the frou-frou (not mixing that word up) downtown restaurants.  In Charleston, the best seafood dives are the Wreck and the Anchor Line.  Fried shrimp--best ever! 
Most of the time we buy fresh shrimp off the docks on Wadmalaw (still nice to see the boats go out, with seagulls following all the way down the river to the inlet) 
I'll have to swallow my pride and eat at the Mayflower at Christmas, but if I'm in NC, I'd rather eat at What-a-Burger or Troutmans BBQ. Do NOT get me started on BBQ!   Yes...vinegar-based only. 
Sarah

 

[justin]

Wait a minute, aren't you the one who likes Michelinas frozen dinners?
Look now, we have our fried seafood joints and they are always preferable to the frou-frou (not mixing that word up) downtown restaurants. In Charleston, the best seafood dives are the Wreck and the Anchor Line. Fried shrimp--best ever!
Most of the time we buy fresh shrimp off the docks on Wadmalaw (still nice to see the boats go out, with seagulls following all the way down the river to the inlet)
I'll have to swallow my pride and eat at the Mayflower at Christmas, but if I'm in NC, I'd rather eat at What-a-Burger or Troutmans BBQ. Do NOT get me started on BBQ! Yes...vinegar-based only.
Sarah

I don't think we have any What-A-Burgers in NC. Never heard of Troutman's BBQ. They are probably both better than Michelina's though!

For good BBQ around Raleigh I go to Don Murray's (another hole in the wall - I love em all!). Nice small buffet with fried fish, bbq (sometimes whole pig), fried chicken and all the fixins and southern veggies. $8/person all the time. The fried fish there almost beats Mayflower's.

 

[Sarah in SC]

Mmm, only in the south can you really know what "fixins" are...like good hash & rice, collards, limas, and soft white bread to sop with...
My grandfather has the best sauce for the whole hog he cooked every year (now just does butts, since he's 85)--it is just vinegar, black pepper, and red pepper. Cooked all night in a pit over coals scooped from the burn barrel. Mmmm.

The What-a-burger and Troutman's are local chains (I suppose) to the Charlotte NC area.
Sarah

 

[justin]

The What-a-burger and Troutman's are local chains (I suppose) to the Charlotte NC area.

After googling it, I found Whataburger.com for the Whataburger chain located in the southern US and Mexico (about 600 stores). Not to be confused with the What-A-Burger chain you're referring to in N.C (looks like ~10 stores). I recognize the What-A-Burger sign from driving around the Charlotte area I suppose, though I've never eaten in one.

 

[P.S.]

Saigon Sandwich on Larkin between Turk and Eddy.  At 1:30PM still a line of 15 people waiting to get in.  Place has one little round table and the counter is about 4 ft long.  It was a zoo.
 http://www.yelp.com/biz/hqQoVK0vadOX7_4gN1sh3g

my mom's favorite place for sandwiches.  Try the pho place on the corner, diagonal, down the street.  They use slices of prime cuts for the beef pho.

Also recommend R + G Lounge on Kearny St. > try the fried crab, clams in egg sauce (like custard).

In the DC area, Bob's Noodle house in Rockville.  The fried flounder is awesome. Oyster pancake is also very good.  Actually everything I've had there is good..except the stinky tofu, but then again I don't like stinky tofu.

Edited to add:
the fried crab, they call it salt and pepper crab. And it's oysters in egg sauce (confused with another dish).

 

[OldAgePensioner]

p.s.,
I will try both and thanks for the tips. That Saigon Sandwich place is a true treasure. I would eat there everyday if I lived closer and had high metabolism.

The pho place is on my radar. Maybe this afternoon.

 

[larry]

Had to share this: Our profile was on the Food Network twice last night and it will be aired again on July 8th at 4 O'clock and July 9th at 5. The name of the show is The Food Network Challenge and the episode is "BAMA QUE" Not only is The Shed covered at the competition in Mobile, but they came to the restaurant and they also filmed and talked about the storm damage here on the Coast. Tell EVERYBODY!
Linda O