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!

Super Saturday!

The whole thing started with a hat. I had been looking at hats online, but I really wanted to try them on in person. I wanted to make a trip to Bass Pro ! But to get my husband to go along with it, I was going to have to make a trip out of it! I was trying to talk him into the possibility of heading off to Charlotte. When he mentioned that he had been reading an article in Our State magazine about the best hamburger places in the state, the trip was on!

The very next day was a beautiful Saturday and perfect for the trip! Turning up the music, enjoying the weather, and settling in for the ride, we were officially on another food adventure! Headed south on I-85, we were off!

Before we hit Concord Mills, there was a side trip to the Harley store for Mike. And guess what's beside the Harley store? The Beef Jerky Outlet!! Oh yeah! That's all North Cakalakie for you! I had to check it! Hot sauces, barrels full of jerky, and a tasting bar! It was even better than I had even hoped!

An island in the center of the store served as the tasting station. Numbered and labeled, the samples were waiting for perusal. The form available for marking your selections reminded me of the one at the sushi bar. Complete with tiny pencils! Cherry Maple Turkey Jerky was my immediate fave! It tasted just like bacon! Mmmmm! Bacon as a snack food!

I tried several others, and, just so you know, blazin' really does mean super hot!! I made my final selection, purchased a coke in the bottle for washing down the dried meat treats, and made my way on to our next stop.

Concord Mills was our next stop and Part I of our mission was accomplished. Lots of people were watched, shoes were tried on, and pretzels were eaten. And finally, at Bass Pro, the perfect hat was found! I might add that there was an awesome fishing demonstration, and we even climbed on board a pontoon "party" boat in the middle of the store.

Hungry, we headed off to our next destination! We were off to check out South 21 Drive-In ! An old-school drive-in restaurant, this place is a throwback in all the best possible ways! Serving Charlotte since 1955, this place is the real thing! The menu, the location, and the curb service all combine to take you way back!

Pulling up to a spot under the cover of some shade, the first surprise was the variety on the menu. Golden fried chicken, chopped barbecue, and fish-o-burgers were options that we hadn't even considered. Cherry flavor to add to your soda and milkshakes were sweet treats to add indeed.

The specialty, the Super Boy hamburger, two beef patties, mustard, onions, lettuce and tomatoes, is described as a "meal in itself" and they're not kidding. Mike and I both opted for the Jumbo Cheeseburger, a Super Boy with two slices of cheese. Mike got the plate with fries and I went for the onion rings. We were ready to dig in!

His

Hers

Deeeeelicious! This burger delivered on every promise! Tender, juicy patties cooked to perfection... I was sold! And there wasn't a single misstep, my onion rings were perfectly crisp and Mike's cherry milkshake was especially tasty!

Fresh strawberry pie finished me off! Whipped cream, strawberry filling, whole strawberries, and a great crust, this pie seemed bottomless after the Jumbo Cheeseburger! Super sweet but very fresh, this was a treat to share with my sweetie!

With our bellies full, but not quite ready to head home, we decided to add another stop. Plaza Midwood was not too far to drive, so we headed out. We decided to go by Ace Custom Tattoo to see a friend, but were disappointed to find that he was out having dinner too! Since we were already there, we took a stroll through the neighborhood. There were several funky stores and restaurants nearby and soon we found ourselves at Rodney Raines' latest endeavor, Twenty-Two. "An art gallery with a retail wine shop and bar serving a wide selection of beverages," does not adequately describe this fabulous place! We got the chance to enjoy an outstanding exhibit of the photography of Chris Radok and we were thrilled to find ourselves there on a beautiful Saturday evening.

We still didn't get to see our friend, but we did get to see even more of what Charlotte had to offer.

A Super Saturday and definitely worth the trip!