JC’s

The food I had at JC’s (706 E. Main St.) was not as anointed as the wall led me to expect–it wasn’t bad, but for the same type of thing you should go to Thompson’s (previously Coleman’s), where the fried chicken, beans, and collards were much better (though my collard gold standard is still The Know). Also,Thompson’s has beer. JC seems to stand for the Savior, and there is no alcohol at his (sorry, His) establishment. By far the best thing I had there was the banana pudding. It was my first banana pudding experience so I can’t really compare, but I thought it was good…probably not jello pudding, and the cook told me repeatedly that I was lucky to have gotten it fresh.

But still, I’ll be going back. Michael helpfully commented that the breakfast sausage is great.

Durbar 84

Today I stopped by Durbar 84 (2103 Allendown Dr) for lunch. Durbar classifies itself as a Napalese & Indian restaurant. We got there about a half hour before they closed for lunch, and the place was dead, so the buffet (which looked pretty inclusive) was not in the cards. Besides, I was interested in the Napalese aspect of the place, which does not seem to be featured in the buffet.

I tried the momos, which I had never heard of, let alone tried before. At least as they are served at Durbar, they are dumplings filled with ground chicken, turkey, and spices. They are served with an interesting spicy sauce — basically tomatoes cooked in their tandoor mixed with sesame seed, chili peppers, and lemon juice. It was an interesting experience for me. I quite liked the momos, but especially so after I got the balance of dumpling to sauce correct. You should absolutely order them if you go there, but even though I liked them and am glad I ordered them, there was something missing to make them a truly great experience that I would go out of my way to return for.

The highlight of the meal was actually something the waiter needed to convince me to overcome my fullness to try: the rice pudding. They have, unequivocally, the best rice pudding I have ever had. It is perfectly balanced with cardamom, actually giving the dish the mistaken impression it contains cinnamon and nutmeg. Seriously, this was the stuff dreams are made of.

La Fondita: Asi Asi

I became very interested in visiting La Fondita (2000 Avondale Drive) after I read about it in TSQ75’s response to BryanZ’s recent critique of Taqueria Lopez on Chowhound. (and this was a rather roundabout way to learn about it, I guess…) It is located next to Compare Foods, a fun grocery store featured in another post on Carpe Durham.

I had a craving for some huevos rancheros this morning, so I decided to check it out. The atmosphere was interesting, with a Christian spin I’ve not noticed in area Mexican restaurants before. They even had Salmos posted on the walls. The chips and salsa that they brought out to start was good. The salsa was scented with lots of herbs and chilis, and had good heat to it.

I’d describe myself as a huevos rancheros enthusiast. I try it at every Mexican restaurant that I frequent. My favorite version of this dish generally involves eggs sunny side up with a spicy red sauce. It is even better if there are a few bits of onion and bell pepper in the sauce so that I can feel as if I’m eating something healthy. I have to say that by this standard, my huevos were only asi-asi. The eggs were cooked all the way through, and they were dotted with a few little globs of cheese and green sauce. Also, I had to ask for the tortillas that normally are served alongside it. I did not bother much with the sides–the rice was dry and the beans were boring. Finally, I was told that there were no desserts available even though the menu listed several, including an interesting-sounding plaintain and sugar cane dessert.

My friend had better luck with her pupusas–one filled with cheese and two with pork. She especially loved the coleslaw they served on the side, and actually wanted to ask for a pound to go.

Bottom line: I might return, but I would stay away from platillos. The menu had a Southern Mexican/Caribbean spin, including dishes such as tapado, a coconut milk/seafood soup that I’d love to try…assuming that they are serving it.

Taqueria Abierto’s

This tienda and taqueria (1915 B Chapel Hill Rd, across from Lakewood) is actually called Tienda Latino, which is only slight less generic a name than its unofficial name of Taqueria Abeirto’s (abierto means “open”). It’s very subtle in this photo, but at night, the “abierto” sign is basically the only one you can see, and the person who told me about this place said that everyone he knows just calls it Abierto’s.

I wish I had noticed that this was a taqueria when I lived around the corner from it–at the time, I thought it was just a tienda, and eating out for every meal gives me no reason to go to grocery stores. It’s not one of the absolute best taquerias I’ve tried, but it’s definitely solid. The asada taco was a tiny bit dry, but they do have a good salsa bar to help out with that. The pollo gordita was much better–the chicken was actually not at all dry, the tortilla was better and greasier than the thinner taco tortilla, and the queso was just right.

mmm…Fried Tofu

Going to Bahn’s on 9th Street makes me feel cool.  I know that they serve special food on certain days and not-so-special food every other day of the week.  I have a favorite menu item.  Best of all, the nice lady behind the counter now recognizes me and knows my ordering preferences.  (Wednesday’s Vegetarian plate, extra vegetable side) 

For those of you not already in the know like me, Bahn’s is on 9th Street.  They normally serve Chinese food that appears to sit under a lamp all day .  But something special happens on Wednesday and Saturday, and they add to their menu very good Vietnamese food at very good prices. 

 The best and most popular dish is the fried tofu with black bean sauce served with sticky rice.  It is best eaten fresh, when the tofu is crispy on the outside and creamy on the inside.  I go on Wednesdays as a pre-pint night ritual, when the tofu  is accompanied by a vegetable side of broccoli, bean sprouts, and bok choy.   The very best part is that they sprinkle crunchy brown onions all over the top.  On Saturdays, it comes with a somewhat less spactacular spring roll.  Other good things that I have tried are the pork and celery soup, the shrimp with rice noodles, and this weird rice flour bun thing filled with unidentifiable chunks of meat. 

 

Fried Tofu Vegetarian Plate

 I am not sure what made Bahn’s decide that Wednesday and Saturday are so special, but they have made Wednesday an auspicious day for me, at least. 

Know Catering

I’ve mentioned I love The Know. Last time I was there my friend noticed that they catered and pointed out that the law school usually gets kind of not-so-good places to cater events. (I think a lot of times it’s Q-Shack. Not my fave, though I do really like the slogan “BBQ, tender as a Mother’s Love” (TM).) So, for a law school event I organized I decided to go with The Know and it was a really good idea. Especially since I have about five pounds of the best greens ever left over. Also, as the proprietor pointed out 3 or 4 times, the macaroni and cheese had literally just come out of the oven.

Taqueria La Poblana

After driving by it almost every day for as long as I can remember, today I stopped by Taqueria La Poblana (2301 N. Roxboro St). This is the taqueria that everyone refers to as “the taqueria on Roxboro and Club.”

I had a chorizo gordita, and it was quite good. Not excellent, but definitely quite good — the main drawback is that it was far greasier than I am accustomed to. There were a group of people at the table next to me eating huaraches, which looked amazing. Next time I go, I am definitely getting one of those. Also, don’t go if you are in a hurry — it took about 20 minutes to get the food (but it was well worth it).

Street meat, or, where to get a curbside ‘dog in Durham

Speaking of meat, while looking for “Andrew’s Food Stand” (which no longer exists), I found a street meat vendor at the corner of Angier & S. Driver St. I had a hot sausage, and while definitely not the best street meat I have ever had (that honor belongs to a fine gentleman from Toronto), it definitely hit the spot. But to be honest, I don’t know if it qualifies as a street meat vendor per se, because I think the guy owns the storefront he was parked outside of (T-N-T Grill), which seems to be undergoing some renovation work. This is a pretty cool block that I had no idea existed. Unfortunately, the vacancy rate seems high.

** UPDATE: A helpful reader pointed out that I got the intersection wrong. The post has been corrected.

We Love Meat

Parker & Otis just got a shipment of bacon-related goods that caused me to go on a shopping spree. It includes lunch boxes, band-aids, and wrapping paper, among other things, and apparently they will shortly be getting in some placemats.

They also regularly have fancy chocolate with bacon bits in it. SO GOOD. If you’ve never tried it, the chocolate/savory combination is amazing.

Meelo’s Restaurant

Today the Restaurant Openings Report told me that Meelo’s (1821 Hillandale Rd Suite #3) was open for business. There was previously another Meelo’s in the same spot, but the new Meelo’s has a completely different menu and new owners. Meelo’s now serves a “fusion of continental cuisine with Italian & Spanish flair.”

I went in planning to get some empanadas (!!) and pesto linguini, but unfortunately they are not yet operating on their full menu. They indicated that they should be serving the empanadas and a variety of tapas within the next 2 weeks. Instead, I had Linguini alla Bolognese and some Penne Alfredo. Both were good — nothing I couldn’t make at home, but definitely better than grocery store offerings and very convenient if you are just looking for something to pick up on the way home. Plus, the manager (owner?) is very friendly.

I will definitely return in a couple of weeks once they are in full swing and let you know!