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ch-scene - Re: mmmmmm, Durham

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Subject: RTP-area local music and culture

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  • From: "Bo Williams" <bowilliams AT gmail.com>
  • To: "RTP-area local music and culture" <ch-scene AT lists.ibiblio.org>
  • Subject: Re: mmmmmm, Durham
  • Date: Tue, 12 Dec 2006 14:02:25 -0500

"You've got your [delicious] $5 Banh's, or the various tacquerias, and
then you've
got Starlu and Four Square and Magnolia Grill. In between there's a
mixed bag of chain restaurants &/or places with midline prices but
mediocre food."

For what it's worth, this is a complaint of virtually everyone I know,
no matter where they live. I think the "factory food" places force
everyone else to either get out or raise prices and compete on the
high end.

Pig is cheap. High end pork dishes keep the food cost down. More pig
for everyone!


On 12/12/06, grady <grady AT ibiblio.org> wrote:
Not saying that Piedmont *should* charge more. I'm saying that the
setting, the quality of the service, the food, the ingredients, and the
care that goes into their preparation are all in line with a price-point
that's somewhat higher than what they're charging, compared to pretty
much every-other-restaurant of that caliber. The fact that they charge
what they do means either they got a really good deal on their lease, or
that Abby, Andy & Drew are willing to work extra hours & take home less
profit. The latter, while admirable, can also lead to burnout, so here's
hoping they've figured out how to make what they're doing sustainable.

As for your desire for Durham to have more restaurants like Federal and
Piedmont, well, don't get *too* greedy. Most towns don't even have *one*
restaurant that good & that inexpensive ;-)

I do dig what you're saying about Durham & the range of restaurants;
it's a conversation that I've had with other people as well. You've got
your [delicious] $5 Banh's, or the various tacquerias, and then you've
got Starlu and Four Square and Magnolia Grill. In between there's a
mixed bag of chain restaurants &/or places with midline prices but
mediocre food.

Rue Cler seems to be trying to hit that same $8-$15 sweet spot. I
haven't been there for dinner (which I've been told, by at least a
half-dozen different people, is excellent), but at lunch yesterday, $10
for a Salade Nicoise featuring a big plate of those pre-washed greens, a
single hard-boiled egg, and half a can of tuna was *not* doing the trick
for me.

The prewashed salad green revolution has pretty much killed the
restaurant salad, near as I can tell. Nearly everyplace I go, I wind up
with a *huge* plate of greens that's out-of-balance with the other
ingredients, *and* (presumably thanks to the "pre-washed" sticker on the
bag) inevitably the salad prep cook hasn't bothered to actually touch or
inspect the greens, so the giant pile is laced with little
shriveled/gooey blackened bits of rotting lettuce. I pulled 3 or 4
particularly unappetizing examples out of the Rue Cler Nicoise
yesterday, but I've also had similar experiences at too many other
restaurants to name.

Of course, I guess the lesson I should take away from this is to not
order a green salad unless it's in-season, and you can reasonably trust
the restaurant to have a reliable local source of fresh greens. Duh. OK.
Point taken.

Back to more talk of nice, reasonably-priced food in Durham! I had a
really nice plate of Italian-style braised pork shoulder just now for
lunch at the Park Diner. $7.95 with 2 vegetables and all the fresh bread
you can eat. The only catch is that they're only open for lunch M-F.

And have I raved here about Vit Goal Tofu Restaurant yet?

Ross

Virginia Ingram wrote:
> I love Durham. I love the food in Durham. I love that Durham
is well-known for it's food.
>
> However, I 100% disagree that they should be charging more for the food at
Piedmont. I was there last night and it IS delicious. But Durham needs to be
more competitive with restaurants in the Federal and Piedmont price-range. There
are way, way too many 2 course one of them $17 dollar places in Durham.
>
> ----------------------------------------
>
> From: "rick sawyer" <rickbang AT gmail.com>
> Sent: Tuesday, December 12, 2006 9:17 AM
> To: "RTP-area local music and culture" <ch-scene AT lists.ibiblio.org>
> Subject: Re: mmmmmm, Durham
>
>> What's the vegetarian option like? Or, alternately, where do they source
>> their ingredients?
>>
>
> vegetarian options are scarce but available. they source their
> ingredients locally, for the most part. when ordering, make sure that
> you ask if there is hidden pork in the vegetables. they love the pig.
>
> r.
> -- ch-scene: the list that mirrors alt.music.chapel-hill --
> http://lists.ibiblio.org/mailman/listinfo/ch-scene
>
>
> -- ch-scene: the list that mirrors alt.music.chapel-hill --
> http://lists.ibiblio.org/mailman/listinfo/ch-scene
>
>
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