My Eatin' Out column is getting a little stale. That’s because – other than a drive-thru window – there is no place to eat out. They’ve closed them all. I, for one, will be super excited when the ban is lifted and it makes me wonder – just where will I choose to eat out the first time they reopen? Maybe Carmello’s. Now, with Travinia’s closed, Carmello’s is our new favorite go-to Italian … [Read more...]

  It is no accident that Bodo’s is a leader in their field. They have not only survived any and all competition, they have prospered. And here is one clear example why. Last Sunday, Nancy and I were meeting our daughter Laura in Farmville to pick up a new laptop for Nancy that Laura was helping program. Since we knew that Laura loves Bodo’s we stopped by the Emmet Street store before we … [Read more...]

  Where shall we eat out tonight? Well, nowhere.  Nothing is open except for a handful of drive-throughs. Even Bo Do’s has resurrected their drive through windows after years of inside service only. When anyone - student or otherwise – returns to Charlottesville after an extended absence, their first stop is often Bodo’s. I know that my daughter, Laura, looks forward to a Bodo’s bagel … [Read more...]

  We went to a recent function catered by Moe’s Bar B Que. I put some Que on my plate and was pleasantly surprised. It wasn’t N.C. barbeque, not close, but it was very good.  They use some sort of tangy sop sauce, not overpowering and not sweet. It was  just right. And they didn’t chop the meat into smithereens. They served large chucks of succulent pork. Moe’s was founded by three … [Read more...]

  They call us franken-steins, weener-meisters, dawg-men. We are lovers of all things hotdogs. We would rather eat a chili dog loaded with mustard, slaw and onions than a Cowboy Ribeye at a Chicago steak house. And our hotdog Mecca is at milepost 4.5 in Kitty Hawk, just north of Nags Head. It’s Capt’n Franks. Capt’n Franks has been on the beach road since Nags Head was a baby. They have … [Read more...]

  Hardee’s stormed into the fast food market in the 1960’s. A N.C.-based restaurant, Hardee’s opened the first location in Greenville, NC in September 1960. Hawking 15c hamburgers and 20c cheeseburgers, Hardee’s gave McDonald’s a run for their money in the southeast and began offering homemade biscuits to their breakfast menu. In the early days, local housewives baked at home and delivered … [Read more...]

  When it comes to chicken sandwiches, there is Chick-fil-A and then there is everybody else. No one else is close. Their sandwiches are simply incredible. They are leaders in a most competitive industry. Not long ago, Nancy and I were asked to baby sit for the young boys next door. As it turns out, both have a problem with gluten. We had offered to buy dinner for the children and their … [Read more...]

  A busy afternoon schedule sent Nancy and me out to eat on Monday evening. She suggested “The Loud Place” (Texas Roadhouse) and I agreed. I was thinking about one of their burgers. I had one on my first visit there and it was very good. But when I scanned the menu, I saw Fried Catfish. Somehow that sounded right, so I ordered it. Fried Catfish is either really good or really bad. It … [Read more...]

  About a year ago,  Buffalo Wild Wings opened a restaurant on Rt. 29 just around the corner from our house. I have eaten at their stores before but considered them more of a Sports Bar than a serious restaurant. But sometimes Nancy and I get a craving for wings – most  often on a Sunday night after a hectic weekend. Our last couple experiences with take-out wings weren’t the … [Read more...]

  Went to a movie last weekend – “Little Women”. My wife owes me big time, maybe two war movies. Normally when we go to the movies, we make an evening of it, often stopping in at Travinia’s, the restaurant right beside the theater. Except there is no more Travinia’s. They closed this past fall. So I had suggested Carmello’s Ristorante Italiano in the Steinmart (Twentyninth Place) … [Read more...]