We spent Thanksgiving week in North Carolina enjoying relaxing times with family, but also dining out with my sisters and brothers-in-law. Chapel Hill and Greensboro offer a range of choices; here are several we tried. I also admired the last of the fall colors, here and there spectacular red and blazing yellow foliage.
IN GREATER CHAPEL HILL
Tarantini
An inviting casual Italian restaurant in the Governors Club development. The menu offers pasta, pizzas, and both veal and chicken dishes. The house and Greek salads were good, and, our table had several orders of lasagna and one of the beef short ribs. I had their chicken piccata with capers in a nicely thick lemony sauce. Service was very friendly, but our waitress was too eager to clear the plates.
Flair
Flair is a sister restaurant to Tarantini in the same complex and somewhat more elegant in its décor. It is open for breakfast, lunch, and dinner with a menu that has some Asian touches. We had dinner and the food was delicious.
The entrée menu runs the gamut from sophisticated salmon and chicken dishes to shrimp and grits, lobster ravioli, and lamb osso bucco with risotto. There are also burgers, Asian noodle and rice dishes, and a wide range of starters including a tasty duck confit egg roll which I ordered. For my main course, I opted for rice vermicelli with veggies and shrimp in a scallion ginger sauce. A pleasant vibe and professional service make this appealing for a return visit.
PITTSBORO
The Modern Life Deli & Drinks
We always look forward to lunch and shopping in historic Pittsboro, just down the road from Chapel Hill. Our usual place is the S & T’s Soda Shoppe, but they are often closed around Thanksgiving. They were this time too, so we returned to The MOD for their good sandwiches, salads and pizzas. Noteworthy were the grilled cheese and bacon sandwich and the soft pretzels accompanied by mustard and an addictive queso which we all dipped into.
CARY
Academy Street Bistro
Located in old downtown Cary in Ashworth Village, Academy Street Bistro is an attractive casual place serving both lunch and dinner. For summer days, there’s lovely patio seating. We had lunch here and appreciated the warm welcome and the delicious salads. My Caesar salad with grilled chicken was just perfect; the thin strips of chicken did not overwhelm the greens. Others in our group had their salads with a tasty crab cake on top.
Ashworth Village is a charming set of shops including an olive oil and vinegar store and a gallery featuring works by local artists. This part of Cary is very walkable. We checked out the impressive new regional library and a grand red brick elementary school that is now a performing arts center.
GREENSBORO
Green Valley Grill
Located in the same area as the Proximity Hotel and its Printworks restaurant which we have enjoyed, the Green Valley Grill is adjacent to the O. Henry Hotel, Proximity’s sister property. The dining room is spacious and attractive with dark wood and high ceilings. The menu is creative, and the chef has upped the ante on some standards with intriguing twists. We began with za’atar spiced crispy cauliflower for the table.
The Chief Penguin and I each ordered chicken salads; he the peasant variation with a tomato vinaigrette and I, the grilled chicken Cobb with Gorgonzola dressing. A and P sampled the farro salmon salad and the white flatbread topped with several cheeses, mushrooms, and broccolini. Everything was very good. I’d be happy to explore the menu further!
BACK HOME IN SARASOTA
Bijou Garden Café
Under new ownership for a about a year now, the formerly named Bijou Café revamped and redecorated and became the Bijou Garden Café. Recently, we came to celebrate our anniversary. The new décor is lovely, even elegant. One of the dining areas, which we liked, has been given over to the bar and bar seating and seems to be very popular.
The menu has been streamlined, shortened actually, and a couple of my favorites like the chicken paillard and the trout are among the missing. The entrees emphasize meat—beef, lamb, and duck, with prices ranging from $38 to $43. I ordered the grilled swordfish on orzo with spinach which was delicious and less expensive at $30. The Chief Penguin’s chicken Provencal with roast potatoes was a bit under seasoned. This was our second dinner here, and we still miss the old Bijou. I don’t think we’ll hurry back.
Note: Photos of fall color in Cary and swordfish photo ©JWFarrington (some rights reserved.)
