Where Should I Eat in Your Hometown?

I gave my list way back on the first page, but after the meal I just had, I have an addition:

Durham, NC

Chubby's. It's a takeout Mexican place in a shopping center in my neighborhood, but it is fantastic. Today I had their weekly special, which was a quesadilla with their spicy carne asada, chorizo, jalapenos, onions, and sour cream. It was roughly amazing. I usually get their carne asada in a quesadilla, and it actually has some bite. Really good. And they have a top notch salsa bar. The chile de arbol is my favorite, and I'm pretty sure their habenero one is just there to prove that when they say something is hot, they mean it.

Also, if you're in Boston, go to Addis Red Sea in Back Bay. I'm no connoisseur of Ethiopian food, but this place made me want to become one. I've now been to three Ethiopian places, and this is far and away the class of them. My favorite thing they have is yebeg wot. And if you haven't tried injera, you're missing out.

Also, also, The Pit in Raleigh is worth a visit. I don't trust Eastern-NC barbeque or fancy barbeque places. But this is both (it has valet parking) and is still really good. Although I might just like them because they have fancy beer and will give me a tomato-based sauce instead of only a vinegar option.

 

I can make you eat those words about good fish being hard to find.

 

Finding fish isn't as hard as finding someone that knows how to properly prepare it. Most places way overcook trying to get rid of that fishy taste. Why in the hell do you order fish if you don't like the taste?

 

I rarely order a steak. In fact, I don't eat out much, and if I do I'm going for something specific.

As for seafood, the right seasoning and a broiler goes a long way. If at a restaurant, I go with something I can't find often or something I'm not familiar with cooking.

 

I would ask the same question. I never order fish for this reason.

 

I like a mild-flavored fish, but I follow you.

 

One of the best things about living on the gulf coast is the excellent seafood. Some fine yellowfin tuna and snapper around here.

 

Had great yellowfin in Cora Gables at a restaurant near the Jaguar dealer.

 

Do you ever spend any time on Anna Maria Island?

 

Well yeah, but I'm talking about seafood that has to be flown in or trucked from the ocean. Really I'm talking about good oysters, scallops, squid and the like. That's what is hard to get at inland grocery stores and restaurants sometimes have better luck than grocery stores.

 

The cooking of scallops is even more egregious.

 

The restaurants that care enough to fly it in daily are the only ones I'll eat seafood at more than 100 miles in.

 

Don't get me started on this. I'll admit scallops are easy to screw up, and lord knows it took me a few times before I got it down, but overcooking a scallop is throwing 16 dollars down the drain. They're inedible.

 

It's the only way oysters can be eaten. I've just given up otherwise.

 

Haven't been too recently but it's a beautiful spot, and a couple of my favorite casual places are there - Beachhouse and Sandbar.

 

I generally am a guy who never *****es at restaurants. However, last time I was in Las Vegas, I went full on Bob Knight/John Chaney on a kitchen because the fifty dollar scallop app was essentially the texture of the bottom of a tennis shoe.

 

You aren't talking about the place in Mandalay Bay are you?

 

A family friend of my wife retired and bought a house down there. We spent a week there this summer and hit up Beachhouse and Sandbar. Both were top notch. Sitting on the deck at Sandbar at sunset was awesome. I missed the free bottle of wine by a minute.

 

Nailed it. Sad part is, everything else they do is good.

 

This is truth. I thought I hated scallops and avoided them for years until I tried some properly prepared (Rathbun's in Atlanta). The Tommy Bahama restaurant down here has scallop sliders which are fantastic.