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Salute

Salute Wine and Tapas
280 Meeting Street (formerly the Chocolate Bean)
Cary, NC

We were sad to see the The Chocolate Bean go, but at least it's being reborn as a wine and tapas bar. The new Salute has the same owners, so expect the same laid-back atmosphere, friendly service and modern decor of the Chocolate Bean. Only now it's for evening hangouts, not morning.

The boy and I tried several different wines from Salute's by-the-glass wine list... in the interests of reviewing, of course, and really liked what we tried. There's also a nice list of beers for next time!

Salute offers a selection of spicy, salty and mild tapas to eat with your wine. I've mentioned before that the boy and I like appetizers better than meals, and this mixed of flavours and textures in the Mediterrean tapas is why. We received a selection of marinaded mushrooms, thin-sliced spicy Italian meat, olives, and mozzarella balls, enough a large snack or a small meal for two.

The food is great, but don't over order, since Salute still offers the chocolatey desserts we loved at the Chocolate Bean. Overall, the unpretentious but wine-loving atmosphere makes it a great place to stop in for a glass of wine, and let that turn into a second glass... and a bite... and maybe more. I'm a bit sad that I can't stop into the Chocolate Bean for morning coffee anymore, but I can't complain about adding a great wine list to a place we already liked!

Mouthful

Mouthful, the N&O's food blog, mentioned us the other day:

And I wanted to point out this local blog, boyandgirleatout.
This couple, rendered on the blog in stick figure drawings, gives
reviews of restaurants, mainly in Cary. Their stick figure faces
change based on whether their reviews are positive or negative. If you
live in or near Cary, the blog is a good starting point.

Also, the boy wants you all to know that those aren't stick figures, that's what we really look like. Say hi when you see us eating out, ok?

Via Mouthful - The Blogosphere: Varmint Bites, Chef Shirle and more | newsobserver.com blogs

Boudreaux's Louisiana Kitchen

501 E 36th St
Charlotte, NC 28205
http://www.boudreauxs.com/

The boy and I are back in Charlotte. (According to this blog, we were in Raleigh just long enough to eat fair food!) We wanted to try Boudreax's Louisiana Kitchen, which led us to NoDa, a sweet little arts district. NoDa is a couple blocks of coffeeshops, galleries, bars and small eateries just off the major artery of North Tryon Road.

The dining area was simple polished wood tables, with a well-stocked bar on one side, and on the other, a rolling garage-style door to connect the indoor and outdoor seating on warm nights. We visited on a chilly night, so it was closed, but still offered prime people-watching windows.

The day's special was fried fish with a shallot and tasso ham sauce, over grits. Tasso is cajun ham, in case you were going to state blankly at the waitress (like I did), and it comes as tiny, spicy bites of ham in the sauce. I had to try the special, while the boy ordered jambalaya.

Both dinners were spicy, without overpowering all the other layers of flavor, and both portions were way too big to finish.

They also offered a collection of cocktails, including a Hurricane Katrina (a hurricane with extra alcohol from places Katrina stopped on the way to New Orleans, with $2 going to disaster relief), mojitos, beer and a wine list.




Overall, a great night. Boudreaux had good food, and our waiter had time to recommend a string of other NoDa attractions.

State Fair Foods

Deep Fried Cheesecake

Boy and I went to the NC State Fair last night.

Last year was our first visit to the North Carolina State Fair, but I remember fair food from when I was little girl as endless stalls selling amazing, exotic goodies that I'd have to beg my mom to buy for me.

I don't know if I'm older now, or if Cary has such great restaurants that we've been spoiled, but we weren't interested in any of the gyros or kebabs, much as we love them. We wanted to try things we could only get at the fair, which pretty much meant something batter-dipped and deep fried.

I know it's not healthy, but I'm a big fan of deep-fried anything. A chippie near me in the UK offered a fried Mars bars, which is an amazing concoction of melted chocolatey goo and crispy beer batter, but I could only manage a few bites. I figured a deep-fried Ho-Ho or Oreo would have the same effect.

I sampled some buffalo chicken rangoons, which were truly amazing. Crab rangoons are a staple of the food court Chinese food menu, or the combo-plate Chinese delivery, a light dough shell wrapped around (usually mediocre) cream cheese and imitation crabmeat. The egg roll-ish shell is really the best part -- I've used them at home to repackage leftover chicken and veggies as Asian treats. Filled with spicy chicken, they were fantastic. The only improvement would have been ranch or bleu cheese dipping sauce, which would probably also have required napkins and silverware.

We also passed a stand selling chicken gizards and livers, but that was a bit too unique for me.

Boy stopped to eat some chocolate covered bacon, and found it underwhelming. He offered me a bite, as well.

"That was a half-hearted taste," Boy said. "I've seen you eat duck feet with more enthusiasm."

"I just don't know if I'm sadder about the yummy bacon being contaminated with chocolate, or the yummy chocolate being contaminated with bacon." I said. "Also, I was eating the duck feet for international dialogue and cooperation!"

I also remember my childhood caramel apples as being huge, unwieldy messes, guaranteed to leave a sticky residue on, oh, everything. I guess enough parents realized this too because one stand offered apple slices with caramel, a perfect size for splitting, with no caramel mess.

Cooling caramel poured over tart green apple slices was perfect end to an autumn night.

New N.C. State Fair Foods

The Boy and I are heading over to the @triangletweetup at the NC State Fair tonight, and we're excited about sampling all kind of strange fair foods. Here are some of the brand-new foods we've heard about (from the NC State Fair's Deep Fried Blog):

• Funnel cake fries from N & T Concessions. Just like the perennial Fair favorite, but with a portable twist. Who can resist a cross between powdered sugar goodness and the convenience of a french fry?

• Chicken-fried bacon from Chef Thomas’ Chef’s D’Lites. Just like it sounds, these strips of bacon are covered in batter and deep-fried like chicken-fried steak.

• Buffalo chicken rangoons from Raleigh’s own Woody’s City Market. These bite-sized, deep-fried dumplings (similar to the crab rangoons available in many Chinese restaurants) will be filled with some of Woody’s famous buffalo chicken.

• Chocolate-covered bacon from The Murphy House. Bacon lovers will have to contain themselves, since we’ll have not one, but two twists on the ever-popular bacon. A mix  of savory, sweet and salty, chocolate-covered bacon got some rave reviews at our pre-Fair media lunch, but you’ll have to come decide for yourself. (Steph’s Strawberries will also have chocolate-covered bacon for sale on the fairgrounds near the Hobbies and Handicrafts Building.)

I'm not too excited about the bacon ones, both of which seem to push the rule that bacon makes everything better, but I can't wait to try buffalo chicken rangoons and french-fry funnel cakes.

Via Deep Fried @ the N.C. State Fair | Details behind the tweetup: Deep-fried food sample edition.

Taqueria Guadalajara

4517 N Tryon St.
Charlotte, NC 28213
(704) 596-2239

We checked out Taqueria Guadalajara while we were in Charlotte last week.

As soon as we sat down, our waitress brought tortilla chips, lime wedges and a variety of salsas. One of them was a green tomatilla salsa, which pretty much guaranteed that I'd like this place. I discovered tomatilla salsa at the salsa bar at La Veracruzana in Amherst, MA, and have loved it since then. (This is where I lose all credibility as a food blogger. Seriously, who uses New England as the criteria for good Mexican food?)


The bilingual picture menu offered familiar Mexican-American favorites like tacos, burritos, and quesadillas, as well as more unusual tripe soup and seafood dishes. I couldn't find margaritas, though, instead I noticed a collection of unusual juices and fruit sodas.

Our food arrived quickly... we barely had a chance to apply our half-remembered high-school Spanish to the telenovela playing in the background.

Our meals were great. We had really flavorful enchiladas, with moist chicken and lots of sauce. I also got a chile relleno that was a perfect mixture of spicy pepper, mild melty cheese and that light, omelette-y batter.

The rice was odd, it included the chopped mixed vegetables from the frozen food aisle, so a forkfull of generic Spanish rice might also have a lima bean or carrot cube in it. Not that great, but I didn't really want to fill up on rice with all the other delicious foods.

With the Spanish-language local papers and business cards, Taqueria Guadalajara is definitely catering to Mexican residents, but the informal, friendly atmosphere made us feel welcome. The green-tiled tables, bright paint and framed prints of Mexican scenes created a bright, pretty background, but the main focus was clearly on the delicious, fresh food, not the decor.

The only possible improvement would be offering a margarita, but I was very happy with our visit and we'll definitely be back the next time we're in Charlotte!

Coffee & Crepes

315 Crossroad Blvd.
Cary, NC
www.coffeeandcrepes.com

Coffee and Crepes is in a not-so-attractive strip mall in the Crossroads Mall sprawl. (Wow, one of these days I'm going to start a review without asking you to please overlook how freaking ugly the outside is!) Inside, you order at the counter and take your tray to either indoor or outdoor seating.

Our crepes were ready quickly, even though it was lunchtime, and we had a nice choice of several savory crepes. They offer a mushroom and swiss crepe, a passable but underwhelming vegetarian options. The couscous side dish, which comes with the savory crepes, was dry and bland. Next time I'm getting a salad, the other side dish option. (And hey, even through the couscous wasn't great, I should mention how pleased I was that it didn't automatically come with fries!)

The chicken cordon bleu crepe was perfect, and did I mention the Nutella crepes? No? I can't fully describe the deliciousness of melty Nutella and chewy crepe and soft banana all together. One of my favorite foods, and if you haven't had it, Coffee & Crepes makes a great one to try!

Several years ago, when I lived in the UK, there was a crepe cart that often parked in the market by my college. It's main competitor was a chip van across the square, and since I was not too crazy about the roasts and puddings served in school, a large part of my diet was made up of fish and chips and Nutella-banana crepes. Although eating a Nutella crepe at a sidewalk table overlooking the parking lot isn't quite the same, they'll always remind me of Cambridge.

I would definitely go back for dessert crepes and coffee, or to try one of their $5 lunch crepes. And you know by "dessert crepes" I actually meant "Nutella banana crepes"!

(Their webpage, um, well, between the unreadable grey text on black background, the AOL.com contact email, and the section 404s, it's awkward. Fortunately Urbanspoon has Coffee & Crepes' hours and menus available online.)

The Duck and Dumpling

222 South Blount St.
Raleigh, NC 27601
www.theduckanddumpling.com


(This is another Boyless post, since he is not a big fan of Asian food.)

Duck and dumplings are possibly my favorite Chinese food. While I'm in constant search of steam baskets of real xiao long bao, I really prefer the foreigner-friendly special lean duck, made famous by Da Dong in Beijing.

The Duck and Dumpling offers the American-Asian staples of kung pao, pad thai and udon noodles, and a collection of truly inspired Asian fusion dishes. Duck dumplings with a cherry zinfandel sauce, or Thai basil pork wontons.

Americanized Chinese food can often involve taking ingredients, adding soy sauce, sugar, peanut oil and MSG, and serving with rice. This is why the Boy tends to dislike it. Authentic Chinese foods have great flavors, but always taste overcooked to me, sodden vegetables thoroughly infused with marinade into a one-taste, one-texture bowl.

Dishes at The Duck and Dumpling incorporated exotic Asian flavors, like star anise and cumin, without cooking it into a too-authentic mush. Even the basic pad thai was a great mix of flavors and textures (and colors, for people like me who eat with their eyes)

Definitely worth returning, and maybe even talking the Boy into coming along!

Havana Grill

404 W Chatham St
Cary, NC 27511
www.thehavanagrill.com

Sometimes it can be hard to stay objective. I tried to find something good about my recent awful time at Bluestone Cafe, and now I'm trying to find something bad about Havana Grill.

It's hard, though. The food is amazing, including pork tamales, chicken croquettes, fried plantains, yucca and garlic and several kinds of rice and beans. The Boy and I cannot decide on our favorite sides, and spend more of dinner eating from each others' plates. (Little ones can also get chicken fingers and fries). Customers can browse the complete menu or just look at the buffet-style counter and pick what looks good. Don't miss the empanadas and croquettes hidden in the back!

The prices are really good, especially for the portion size and the quality of the food. The reason for the low prices are the plastic silverware and bus-your-own-table service. Somehow it makes Havana Grill seem like a friend's cookout and not like a fast-food joint.



Don't miss the outdoor seating. Cuban music plays gently in the background, covering the sounds of traffic but not so loudly that it inhibits conversation. I don't know that we felt like we were in Cuba, but we didn't feel like we were sitting in a Cary parking lot! (I think the beach mural and real palm trees may have had something to do with that.)

We loved the food, music, and outdoor atmosphere. Overlook the styrofoam plates for an unpretentious, jeans-friendly date!

The Chocolate Bean

The Chocolate Bean
280 Meeting St
Cary, NC 27513
www.thechocolatebean.com

After my recent bad coffeeshop visit, I was relieved to return to The Chocolate Bean in Cary, NC. (There is also a Chocolate Bean in Fuquay-Varina.) The Chocolate Bean inspired me to make this icon with an extra-big smile.

Do not let their amateurish webpage fool you. What they don't know about competing fonts, color choices and scrolling text, they do know about chocolate, gelato and coffee.

The free wifi attracts caffeine-loving laptop workers. Stylish modern furniture, a flatscreen TV, and scattered magazines make a living room atmosphere, conducting to chatting, reading or just taking a break.



Don't miss the summery smoothies and iced coffees, especially all sorts of flavored frappes. The Chocolate Bean offers fruit smoothies, with just fruit, juice and ice, and or cream smoothies, with milk.

Bluestone Cafe

Bluestone Cafe
123 Watchung Ave
Montclair, NJ 07043

This is a Girl-only review, since the Boy is back home in North Carolina! While the Boy was hard at work, I visited Bluestone Cafe in Montclair, NJ with some friends.

When we arrived, the cafe was crowded with other late-morning brunchers, every table was full but we were told the wait would only be about ten minutes. We tried to get out of the doorway to wait, but the hostess informed us that she had no intention of holding a table for us if we weren't waiting right there. One friend stayed to hover and make other diners uncomfortable, while the rest of us slipped outside.

In a few minutes, there was a table for us, and we went back inside. As we entered, the same hostess told us that she didn't have anything for our party and we'd have to wait. I guess she'd forgotten that she'd already been short with us, and wanted to make sure she didn't miss anyone.

Menus were coffee-stained and battered trifold paper, listing sandwiches and omelettes, with a lovely assortment of fillings like brie and eggplant. But our waitress made it clear that there could be no substitutions. For example, a cheese omelette and brie on a sandwich were both on the menu, but a brie omelette was not possible, and our waitress was annoyed we'd wasted her precious time by asking such an idiotic question.

My request for no whipped cream on my waffle visibly annoyed our waitress. My companion's request for one egg instead of two in a breakfast combination received another eyeroll and the information that there would be no reduction in the price for less food.

The cafe smelled of coffee, in a lovely way, which made it odd that the waitress did not ask for a drink order, either when we were first seated or when she took our food order. We caught her attention as she turned to go, and wasted still more of her time ordering coffees.

The pleasure of dining out comes from a combination of food and ambiance, but the rude staff colored my enjoyment of both the food and the indie coffeeshop setting. The fresh fruit was actually fresh, breakfast food did not have diner grease, everything was tasty, which was good because no one came by to ask how things were. I guess I've become spoiled by North Carolina prices and forgotten about the Montclair markup, I found $8 for a sandwich a bit steep.

Although it was no longer crowded when we finished eating, the waitstaff's brusque manner made sure we didn't linger over coffee. Perhaps they have a clever plan to reduce crowds by making customers so uncomfortable they hurry home and never return?

PS: When I visited Urbanspoon for the spoonback code, I noticed that the majority of the other reviewers found the servers rude. In a way I'm glad, because I sometimes wonder if maybe my feelings about a restaurant are biased by one person having a bit of a rough day, but it seems clear that the Bluestone waitstaff have a lot of rough days.

Porter's Tavern

2412 Hillsborough St
Raleigh, NC 27607

We choose Porter's for a Sunday-afternoon stop because we wanted to sit outside. We miss European outdoor cafes, and thought this upscale pub would be a perfect spot to eat and watch people pass.

I ordered the Strawberry Fields iced tea. I thought it tasted like room-temperature sweet tea spiked with vodka, but The Boy detected undertones of cough syrup as well.

After that, The Boy stayed away from the cocktails and ordered a beer, which he described as a beer slushie. I'm not sure how my drink managed to arrive warm and his tooth-numbingly cold, but it was a disappointing start.



We were both disappointed in the limited and unexciting brunch menu, but when our food came, we liked both of our meals. I really wanted to like it, but it wasn't anything I couldn't whip up at home (and serve with better drinks).

The atmosphere was our main reason to choose Porter's. We did get to sit outside, but we were seated on essentially deck chairs at a wobbly table, a deterrent to our plan to linger over lunch.

Rereading this, I seem to have overused the word "disappointing." That sums up our experience. Not awful, but disappointing in every way.

Casa Margarita

107 Edinburgh South Dr
Cary, NC 27511
(919) 462-1420

Casa Margarita is in MacGregor Business Park, which is, like so much in Cary, a rather faceless development off a highway. About the best thing I can say about the complex is that there's plenty of parking!

The food at Casa Margarita was tasty, basic Mexican fare, at below-average prices. It's the usual combos of tacos, tamales, quesadillas and so forth. We had no complaints about anything we ordered here, but the only food that really stood out was the fresh guacamole.

We've visited several times because the food is fast and inexpensive, making it a perfect destination on a weeknight when I'm too tired or too busy to cook dinner. Our weeknight dinners are made even better by the nightly drink specials and rotating dinner specials! Dinner specials tend to be a touch more creative than the mainstays on the combo menu.



There's a disclaimer on the menu, saying that Mexican food is best when prepared specially, and to please give their staff ample time to prepare your meal. Don't be concerned about the wait! Every time we've eaten there, our food has arrived very quickly.

The Boy and I don't have children, but this also strikes me as a very family-friendly dinner spot. Lots of kid-friendly dinner options, like cheese quesadillas, nachos, and so forth. And what child doesn't like tacos?

Overall, solid Mexican fare and drinks for an inexpensive meal out.

Etiquette Question From The Girl

It's The Girl here with an eating out etiquette question.

So I'm ordering in a restaurant, and I ask for no whipped cream on my order. The waitress says ok, but doesn't write it down or repeat it back to me, which makes me think she's going to forget.

Now, do I ask a second time for no whipped cream, to make sure my deliciousness is not contaminated with whip? The waitress has a bunch of tables to cover, and it's easy to forget a minor detail. Or should I say nothing, because it's seems kind of rude to assume that she can't remember something simple without extra reminders, and I should give the waitress the benefit of the doubt?

Piper's Tavern Easter Brunch

Piper's Tavern
8304 Falls Of Neuse Rd
Raleigh, NC 27615
(919) 676-7413

This isn't really the type of place we'd pick on our own, but our family decided to visit Piper's Tavern for the Easter Brunch Buffet.

Besides the part where the waitress served a tray of hot coffee cups from over my niece's head, service was what you'd expect for a busy place. A drink was forgotten, it was hard to find our waitress to get refills or creamers, but it was packed so I'll give them a pass.

The food was excellent for buffet food, everything was fresh. Nothing looked or tasted like it had been sitting in steamers or under heat lamps. The carving station, often a traffic flow problem in buffet lines, moved very fast.



I think buffets should be labeled. It may sound silly that I need tags for my bacon and eggs, but I mistook some kind of weird ground-beef-shredded potato mixture for hashbrowns, and my M-I-L was not pleased with the surprise coconut in her chocolate cake. I imagine pretty disastrous consequences of a diner being allergic to an ingredient instead of just not fond of it.

In general, I prefer plated food to buffets because eating out can be a visual treat too. Biscuits and eggs that I put on my own plate aren't as aesthetically pleasing as professionally plated food. It's hardly worth going out for something I can put together on my own. The buffet worked well, though, for younger members of the family who could chose exactly what they wanted, and with the wee ones happy, the whole family could relax and enjoy an Easter meal. It seemed like all the families at the tables around us had the same idea.

Overall, The Boy and I wouldn't return on our own for a buffet, but we would like to check out Piper's Tavern on a non-buffet day.

Los Tres Magueyes

Los Tres Magueyes
110 SW Maynard Rd.
Cary, NC 27511
(919) 460-8757


I see eating out as an event. We must eat to survive, but we eat out because it is entertaining. Los Tres Magueyes seems to agree with me, because they have made dining into an entertaining experience.

The Girl and I were greeted by bright colors, Mexican music, and a warm hola from our server, Arturo. Mexican restaurants often attempt to create an authentic Mexican ambiance only to come off as campy recreations of Epcot Center's Mexico Pavilion. But, Los Tres Magueyes feels different. The restaurant is a joy to every sense, a wash of colors, soothing steel string guitar music, and the aroma of wonderful Mexican food. However, it is a friendly environment for t-shirts and jeans or for families with children.

The menu selection is standard fare Mexican: burritos, tacos, enchiladas, etc. in various combinations. Match any of the combinations with a margarita, and The Boy and The Girl are content.

Los Tres Magueyes' appeal is in presentation. Something about the colors, the music, and the friendly waiter who greeted us with an hola and referred to me as amigo made for an enjoyable experience. Their ability to entertain without seeming cheesy, while offering generous portions left me feeling well fed and happy (although the margaritas may have helped with the happiness).

I will definitely eat at Los Tres Magueyes again. I know I can eat some tamales, drink a few margaritas, and make some new amigos.

Bosphorus

Bosphorus
329-A N. Harrison Ave.
Cary, NC 27511
(919)460-1300


I love Mediterranean food! Whether it is Greek, Lebanese, or Turkish, Mediterranean food just makes my belly happy. So, I ate at the Turkish/Mediterranean restaurant Bosphorus knowing that I was going to have a great meal.

Bosphorus is unimpressive at first glance. Upon entering, we were met by a small strip mall diner with white paper tablecloths and posters of Turkey covering the walls that gave the restaurant the air of a tourist agency.

However, Bosphorus has it where it counts--their food is amazing and their staff is friendly and helpful. All of their food is described so well in the menu that it welcomes even a newcomer to Turkish cuisine. We decided upon the Bosphorus Meze Platter, a delicious mixture of cold Mediterranean appetizers; cigar bourek, feta cheese rolled in filo dough and fried; and chicken pide, a Turkish canoe-shaped pizza with chicken. The Girl and I had never eaten cigar bourek nor pide, but were soon wondering how we had lived this long without them.

After diner we shared an order of baklava and I had a cup of Turkish coffee. I left Bosphorus with only one complaint--that my stomach was too small to sample more of their menu. We will definitely eat at Bosphorus again. If you've never had Turkish cuisine and you'd like to try something new, Bosphorus is the place to go. If you love Turkish food, you will love Bosphorus.

Outback Steakhouse

Outback Steakhouse
1289 Kildare Farm Road
Cary, NC 27511
(919)460-1770

The Girl doesn't eat steak, so the trip to a steakhouse was a special treat for me. We've eaten at Outback a few times in the past, but this was our first trip to the Cary location. I feel comfortable with chain restaurants because I have an idea of what to expect from dinner; I would get a steak and The Girl would order whatever thay had that was not a slab of beef.

Our hostess met us with a smile, our waiter was friendly and upbeat, and the food tasted as I'd expected it would at Outback. However, what made an impression on me was the lack of flair I hope for when dining out. We were given no silverware when we were seated, and upon asking the waiter after our bread arrived, received two sets of silverware containing flatware still wet from the dishwasher. When our drinks arrived, the waiter brought us two wet coasters. I realize that silverware needs to go into the dishwasher and that coasters are reused, but all of the wet items that kept appearing at our table made me scrutinize the cleanliness of everything that arrived. My knife had big blotches on it, as did my beer glass. The restaurant was not dirty, but left me with an odd feeling about what the kitchen must look like.

The Girl and I shared a Bloomin' Onion (always delicious). Then our meals arrived. I got a steak and The Girl ordered Alice Springs Chicken (a chicken breast with bacon and cheese). The food was what I've come to expect of Outback. My steak was delicious and The Girl enjoyed her meal. However, the presentation was lackluster and short of flair. My plate had a steak and a baked potato--no garnish at all. I know this may seem picky, but I like my food dressed up a bit. The steak seemed naked without that little sprig of parsley or pile of lettuce or arugula. My meal looked like it was ready for me to put it on the coffee table and watch TV while I eat. The Girl's chicken was presented in a similar, lackluster fashion.

Ultimately, the food at the Outback tasted as I had expected. However, eating out should be an event...a good way to spend my time and money. My meal at the Kildare Farm Road Outback did not feel right, even when compared to other Outback locations where I've dined. Compared to chain restaurants, Outback is a little pricey. I feel like for the same price I could have eaten at a fancier restaurant, or I could have saved a few dollars and eaten at Chili's, Pizzeria Uno, or their ilk.

As I was leaving the Outback, I noticed that one of their waiters was wearing about 50 pins on the front of his uniform. I jokingly referred to him as "the Flairmeister General." It looks like the flair was at the Outback, it was just in the wrong place.

Connelly's Irish Pub

Connolly's Irish Pub
1979 High House Road
Cary, NC
(919) 465-4458

We were seated at a lovely booth, with dark wood and stained-glass panels on top. It was a perfect seat because we were separated enough to have our own conversation without talking over other people. Connolly's reminded me of a lot of pubs in the UK, it was definitely a local! Since we'd picked a pub because we felt like getting out of the house, but Boy didn't want to dress up, this was exactly what we wanted.

We ordered three appetizers, and drinks. The food was good, I particularly liked the "Irish Eggrolls", eggroll shells filled with everything that goes in a Reuben, wrapped, fried and served with Thousand Island dressing. We also tried a boxty, a stuffed Irish potato pancake. Everything tasted good, but these appetizers are not really sized for sharing, especially the wee boxty.

Our third appetizer was a grilled brie with mango salsa, which was good but I don't think I'd order it again. The next time we have a craving for the combination of brie and mango -- which was great -- I think I'd bake a triangle of brie myself and chop a mango myself. When I go out to eat, I prefer to eat things I couldn't or wouldn't want to prepare at home. So, I'd order the Irsh eggrolls again in a heartbeat, but warming a brie and chopping a mango is definitely in my skillset.

The service was fine, although while we were there, one of the waitresses sat down at a nearby table to roll silverware. Half of me says that's much more comfortable than standing in the kitchen, but I know that doing any prep work on the floor with customers was a big no-no back when I was a waitress.

Carrabba's Italian Grill

Carrabba's Italian Grill
1148 Kildaire Farm Rd.
Cary, NC 27511
919-467-9901

We were seated quickly on a busy Friday night at Carrabba's on Kildaire Farm Road.

We started with fried zucchini, which was -- No, wait, we actually started with bread and herbed oil, while we were waiting for our food. Delicious. We had to hold back on the bread and olive oil because our dinner was coming. We got an order of fried zucchini, which came as small sticks, like French fries, and not spears as I was expecting. The zucchini and sauce was great, and I wondered if we should have just ordered appetizers, instead of a meal. (Boy and I love getting a bunch of appetizers instead of ordering entrees.

I got a white wine sangria, and Boy had a Peroni, an Italian beer. He loves Peroni, so his rating probably doesn't count here. The food was a bit slow in arriving, probably because they were so busy, but with the bread and out drinks, it didn't matter too much.

For dessert, we were offered a selection of little layered treats in shotglasses. Some had fruit and custard, one was chocolate mousse, one was tiramisu. Even though they were delicious, we couldn't finish them.

I was a bit surprised by how high the price was, but I suppose with drinks, an appetizer and dessert, it was to be expected.