Chatham County Detour!

Mike and I had plans to go to the beach. What I didn't know was that Mike has not only gotten to be a good sport about not being able to eat until after I take pictures of our meals, but apparently he's also on the lookout for new places for us to go!

After our trip to the South 21 Drive-In turned out to be such a success, I believe Mike was ready to try the next place on the Our State magazine list of great burgers, and I was all for it!

We were both off work and didn't have to be in Wilmington at any time in particular, so there was plenty of time to make a side trip to Chatham County.

We got to Siler City a little early for lunch and decided to see what the town had to offer. We drove around some and then decided to take a stroll down the main drag. It was kinda slow downtown on an overcast day, and when it started to drizzle, we ducked into one of the more interesting shops on the block. More than a little curious we found ourselves perusing the local pawn shop.

Just a storefront, this place was packed to the rafters with musical instruments, jewelry, wheels and tires, scooters and ATVs, guns and other weapons, even a double barrel shotgun that had been used in Texas by Rangers to disperse angry mobs... the sign said "anything of resale value" and they weren't kidding!

One-stop shopping if you're in the market for a trombone, a pink .380 handgun, and a nugget ring.

But now it was time for lunch! With visions of hamburgers dancing in our heads, we made our way to Chris's Drive-In, located at 1329 N. 2nd Avenue, Siler City, NC 27344, to make our own assessment of their burger offerings.

A smallish white building this place doesn't make much of an impression from the outside, but the parking lot was filling up in a hurry and we were hoping that meant good things about what we were going to find inside.

A blue and white checkered tile floor, white walls and blue trim, this place was pretty basic. But that wasn't why we had made this trip... We were about to find out why this place made the magazine's list and why there were so many cars outside!

The Rollie burger was Mike's choice! Two handmade patties, strips of crispy bacon, plenty of Velveeta cheese, and a big bun to wrap your hands around, this burger was a treat! All that and a side of fries for four bucks! It was also a real deal!

I decided to take a chance on the Rollie bologna sandwich, and I was not disappointed!

Lettuce, tomato, mayo, and my own big dose of Velveeta cheese topped two thick and sizzling slices of bologna...

If I had any doubt about my decision before the first bite, there was not a shred of doubt after it! Perfectly cooked, extra thick slices of bologna, and that amazing Velveeta! Deee-luxe!

We were both pretty darn full, but there was one more thing on the menu that called out to us... there was pie!! The lemon pie came highly recommended... and with good reason!

We shared a slice, and it was wonderful! The consistency was not quite what you would expect... it was thicker than a custard but lighter than a cheesecake and topped with a frothy meringue... this pie perfectly smooth and quite delicious!

Siler City was a worthy detour! With full bellies and smiles on our faces, we were on the road to our New Hanover County destination!

Fast Cars and Fried Chicken!

If Friday night was urban and artsy, Saturday was not! Our plans included the NASCAR Hall of Fame and the Bar-B-Q King! And I could not wait! Yee-haw!

We checked out of the hotel and headed to the Hall. An exquisite facility conveniently located in the heart of downtown at 400 East Martin Luther King, Charlotte, N.C. 28202, the Hall of Fame is an impressive sight!

 

And let me just tell you, I loooooved this place! It was so much better than any of my expectations! They have done a great job making this museum a place that appeals to long-time fans or to someone like my husband who doesn't care at all about NASCAR but can appreciate how fun this place turned out to be!

Rather than a dusty old museum where the visitors and the stuff are separated by ropes and glass, this museum is extremely interactive and anything but stuffy!

From the very cool display of the evolution of the cars in the series that greets you when you walk in to the excellent film that gets you into the mood as soon as you sit down, this place will draw you in right away!

There was so much to do and see! As we made our way around, we checked out the displays for the actual inductees that gave you an excellent representation of each man's contribution to motorsports history. We continued our tour and entered into an area where you could choose videos of dramatic crashes and famous fights!

There was memorabilia from all eras of NASCAR history that was definitely worth seeing, and whole sections of the Museum will give you a feel for how things are really done! Hands-on experiences including tire changing, waving the flag from the starter's stand, and simulating driving experiences in actual Chase cars are just a few of the activities that are offered.

For NASCAR fans, gearheads, or somebody just looking for something different to get into, the NASCAR Hall of Fame has a lot to offer and makes for a really fun afternoon!

After getting in touch with our NASCAR roots, we headed to Bar-B-Q King! Located at 2900 Wilkinson Blvd, Charlotte, NC 28208, this old-school curb service restaurant has been featured on Diners, Drive-ins, and Dives, and we were ready to check it out for ourselves!

 

Barbecue, chicken, hamburgers, perch plates or trout sandwiches... Oh, my! I finally settled on the bar-b-q chicken, and it was on! This was a feast! Oh, yeah!

This place is outstanding! And if... if... you have any room left... there is dessert!! Fresh strawberry pie!

When it was all over, we had an outstanding day... fun and fascinating tour of the NASCAR Hall of Fame first... followed by a super delicious meal at the Bar-B-Q King!

Thank you Charlotte for a weekend well done! And thank you to my sweetie who helped make this super fun field trip actually happen!

Art and Fish Tacos!

If you're anything like me, you have watched those shows like Diners, Drive-ins, and Dives and Man v. Food and said "Boy, I would love to go there." You might have even started to make your own list of places that you've read about... or heard about... and want to check out!

Then a weekend comes or holiday weekend which is even better and you think... "How 'bout now?" "How 'bout a trip to Charlotte or wherever...." You start poking around on the internet and before you know it, you've put together a whole tour!

Well, that's what we did on a Labor Day holiday not all too long ago! Charlotte's not too far away... there were places to go, things to do, and food to eat! And before we knew it, this field trip had turned into two days of outstanding food and lots of fun!

Friday, our ultimate destination was Cabo Fish Taco, 3201 North Davidson Street, Charlotte, NC 28205, but it turned out to be that and so much more!

We soon discovered that it was also the All Arts Crawl in NoDa that night! The North Davidson Arts District (aka NoDa) is a wonderful collection of galleries, shops and restaurants and a very cool historic neighborhood. After finding a place to park, we hit the street! Bookstores, art galleries, and an eclectic variety of stores... all with their doors open... beckoning us to come inside! We got busy checking out the street vendors, shops, and galleries right away!

Wandering around and checking it all out, it was still a little too early for dinner so we made our way across the street to Fu's Custom Tattoo. What a bonus! An excellent show was opening at the gallery and the artist was actually at work while we were there!!

The folks at the tattoo shop were also kind enough to give us the heads up that we needed to get our names on the list at the restaurant before we did anything else!

There was apparently going to be a wait! And they weren't kidding! We were lucky enough to get on the list early! A 30-minute wait was all we had to worry about, but by the time we got called, the wait had increased to one hour. (And just so you know, that wait continued to grow... and by the time we left around 9 it was up to two... hours, that is!)

The menu looked good... and we were ready to eat! The plates going by us to the surrounding tables looked good! There was an excellent variety of sides available to accompany most dishes. Some of them sounded pretty exciting... jalapeno and cheese mashers, mexi slaw, and nopalito salad ... or you could opt for the more traditional black beans and rice, baja rice, or refried beans. Choices! Choices!

We shared the super fresh homemade guacamole and chips. I followed that up with a couple of outstanding lemon grilled tuna tacos. This was one delicious dinner!

A casual atmosphere that was kinda noisy with the sounds of folks having a really good time and some excellent food... Cabo Fish Taco is a perfect Friday night destination!

Filled up, we headed back because there was still more to see! From there we decided to check out the arts market  that was happening at the Neighborhood Theatre, and it was definitely worth it. Upstairs and downstairs, the place was filled with loads of artists and craftspeople with quite a wonderful variety of wares available for sale!

We were also lucky enough to discover the Rat's Nest, located at 442 E. 36th St.!

A wonderful assortment of vintage clothes... cowboy boots, dresses, accessories, western shirts, ringer tees, belt buckles, and other funky stuff...   this place is definitely worth a peek!

We perused the stores, ate the food, watched the people, and thoroughly enjoyed our Friday night! It was time to head back to the hotel and prepare for a very different Day Two that was soon to unfold!

Veggie Plate, 2.0

And for another take on "Southern Style", the Iron Hen Cafe also offers a sides plate option. Make three or four selections from the sides menu and get ready to enjoy a do-it-yourself vegetable dinner. On a recent trip, I chose the small hen house salad, the collard green egg roll, red cabbage walnut and horseradish slaw, and grilled corn on the cob with parmesan. Delicious! 

But while I'm talking about the sides, I recently had a bad case of food envy when a friend got the okra and I decided at the last minute not to get it. When I saw theirs, I knew that I would have to have my very own on my next visit and I did! I got it, and it tasted like no okra I'd ever had. It's outstanding!!

Better Eat Your Vegetables!

I do love a good veggie plate! Maybe it's because I was a vegetarian for awhile or maybe it's because I have been fortunate enough to live in the South where tasty vegetables are so plentiful. I could blame my Mom who always made sure there were plenty of delicious vegetables on my plate growing up. Whatever the reason, there are times when all I want to eat is a big ol' plate of vegetables!

Located on the grounds of the Piedmont Triad Farmer's Market, the Moose Cafe has an excellent list of veggie options! With convenient access to local farmers' offerings, they do change the menu based on what's seasonally available. They have been written up in Southern Living for their "Cathead" biscuits, so you may want to give those a try while you're at it!

Another place that I have had the opportunity to enjoy the veggies recently is the Bayside Seafood and Family Restaurant, located at 3512 E Wendover Avenue, Suite C, Greensboro, NC 27405. This is a great place to get that veggie fix. The list of veggie options rotates throughout the week. If you have a favorite, like my fondness for their lima beans, you may want to keep a copy of the menu on hand before heading out! The list is extensive with about ten different sides to choose from each day of the week, so the hardest part might be making up your mind!

Now, I know that I am not a veggie purist as one might have detected by the presence of macaroni and cheese in both pictures, but I will add that anyone who loves a good mac and cheese will not be disappointed at either place!