A 48-Hour Food Tour of the Triangle
Let me tell you a story. It’s about a girl and a boy, who would do anything for bacon. Or a good lobster roll. Or tacos. Or an amazing gin cocktail. Or oysters. Okay, who am I kidding. This isn’t a story. It’s my life. And it’s all true.
We moved to NC for the food. Well, the quality of life, mostly, and the change of scenery, but secretly the food. Because damn if the Triangle doesn’t have an awesome food scene, and I wanted to be a part of it.
So if you’ve got 48 hours off from living your real life, and you want to eat your way through the Triangle region, here are my suggestions for doing it proper.
Breakfast, Day One: La Farm. La Farm, La Farm, La Farm, all day long. But mostly for breakfast. Go. Godspeed. Eat a berry scone. Eat a croque madame or a prosciutto tartine. Dive head first into a cup of fresh roasted Counter Culture coffee. Bring a paper. Act French. Stay a while. (Cary)
Lunch, Day One: Kokyu Na’mean. I know what you’re thinking when your GPS tries to locate this sandwich shop. You’ll curse me for sending you into some shady strip mall on a weird stretch of 55 in Durham. Bite your tongue. Because I’m telling you, when you taste what’s about to be served to you, you’ll thank your lucky stars you followed my lead. Their Belly Banh sandwich is the stuff legends are made of. It’s the most insane pork belly banh mi you’ve ever had. But don’t stop there. If you’re with a friend, try one of their other insane sandwiches and split ’em. Trust me. (Durham)
Pre-Dinner Drink, Day One: Rooftop at The Durham. Drink in amazing views with a custom cocktail while hanging out on the rooftop as the Carolina blue sky starts to turn its legendary southern shades of gorgeous pink. Good times. (Durham)
Dinner, Day One: Mateo. If tapas could talk, they’d agree that this is where they’d want to go down in history. This is top-tapas. I haven’t met a dish here I didn’t savor every last bite of. So much flavor and soul in everything that arrives at your table. Their patatas bravas are sinful. Their costillas de puerco… perfection. You can translate those on your own time, I’m not here to teach you Spanish. (Durham)
Dessert, Day One: The Parlour. I know your stomach is stuffed to the gills. But you’re on a food tour, goddamnit, and it’s time to man up and get some ice cream. Because this is no ordinary, ‘I can bow out, tonight’ ice cream. No. This is what other ice cream dreams it could be someday, if someone cared enough to churn it all the way into flavor country. Vietnamese Coffee. Lavender Rose. Salted Butter Caramel. Strawberry Coriander Goat Cheese. You guys. It’s the ice cream I eat in my dreams. Every. Night. (Durham)
Breakfast, Day Two: Sola Coffee Cafe. Today is Raleigh’s day to shine. And shine it will. Drive over to Sola this AM for your pick-me-up. This gem of a coffee house is a standalone structure in a nondescript shopping plaza, but don’t be dissuaded. Their coffee is perfection and their donuts are divine. (Raleigh)
Lunch, Day Two: Beasley’s Chicken + Honey. I know what you’re thinking. Why chicken and honey? What’s that all about. I know. I thought this too. But it’s criminal for you to be in Raleigh and not try this Ashley Christensen staple. You’ve literally never had fried chicken until you’ve had this fried chicken. On a waffle. With honey drizzled on top. Just stop reading and go, please. Now. (Raleigh)
Dinner, Day Two: Bida Manda. World, meet Laotian food. Everything about this place. Everything. From the gorgeous decor, to the lovely owners, to the pumpkin curry. DAMN the pumpkin curry. (And also their green papaya salad.. shout out well deserved.) You remember that story about the kids who stayed overnight in the department store? And they thought it was so cool? Well I want to sneak into Bida Manda and stay there overnight. And just eat my way through their walk-ins. That would be my idea of heaven. (Raleigh)
Post-Dinner Cocktail, Day Two: Fox Liquor Bar. Everything about this is hipster, but honestly, they have those big square ice cubes that feel all fancy AF and they have a Grapefruit Collins with Peychaud’s Bitters that is kind of a perfect palette cleanser after all the flavors you plowed through today. So stay with me. Now, this is a ‘Member’s Only’ club. Which is sort of a Raleigh thing, and I think it has something to do with zoning laws in certain areas not allowing bars unless they’re private, so the way around it is a $1 lifetime membership, and they give you a cute little silver ‘token’ that’s your membership card. That’s how Raleigh do, y’all.
I’m not even going to suggest dessert on day two because honestly, what kind of glutton do you take me for?! That’s insulting! Bon appetit!
; )
