Nancy and I came close to dining out this week – we went to Bojangles and ordered a take-out bucket of fried chicken, For us, this was a real treat. We rarely indulge in fried chicken. I have searched high and low and found fried chicken missing in action from any and all of Weight Watcher’s Suggested Diets. But every now and then, right? Before we ordered chicken, I considered my … [Read more...]

I would give anything to be able to go to a restaurant and write an “Eatin’ Out” review -  even it was a bad experience. I am so ready to go out to eat again, and as soon as the doors open at Bonefish or any other of my favorite eateries, I’ll be there, virus or not. In the meantime, at least we can go to some restaurants and pick up an order to go. Last Sunday, we decided on a pizza and called … [Read more...]

  The last several times I’ve been in the grocery section at Wal-Mart, they have had fresh, picnic hams.  They are hard if not impossible to find at other grocery stores. Kroger’s, Harris Teeter and Food Lion will have plenty of pork loins and Boston butts, but rarely fresh picnics. -  my favorite cut of pork. And they were just $1.55 a pound. Sure, there is some waste in a picnic, but … [Read more...]

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...]