Wednesday, October 29, 2008

Anna's Pizzeria

An exciting new restaurant has moved into the spot at 100 North Salem Street in Historic Downtown Apex. The busy, friendly establishment offers a broad selection of fresh made Italian cuisine to downtown shoppers and is a huge hit with residents and visitors alike! Get there early to beat the crowds or find yourself standing in line (the line is usually both out front near sidewalk benches and inside where you can easily see a sampling of just-served menu items). Dine in or pick up your take out orders (telephone 919-267-6237) for a great dining experience anytime Monday-Thursday 11 a.m. to 10 p.m., Friday-Saturday 11 a.m. to 11 p.m., and Sunday 11 a.m. to 9 p.m.

The Anna's Pizzeria menu is divided into sections named for relatives of the owner, Yury Rojas. Selections include salads, wraps, hero sandwiches, brick oven pizzas, dinners and desserts served with style by the friendly staff. Pasta choices include eggplant Parmesan, veal Marsala , Penne ala Anna's and many other selections. New York style pizza is available by the slice or a whole pie in many varieties from thin-crusted pizza to a hefty stuffed meat pie and most anything in between.

The restaurant serves as a family-friendly meeting and dining place and includes a small bar. The owners recently moved to the area from Long Island, New York, and still owns two Anna's Pizzeria restaurants in that area.

Saturday, September 6, 2008

The General Store Cafe'



Sadly the General Store went out of business recently but the store is now open by a new owner and similar format. The new site will be reviewed here when we have time to visit it.


The General Store Cafe' - a local dining experience to remember!

In our travels around the triangle area we recently ventured over to Pittsboro, NC, to try the expanded General Store cafe'. The short trip was rewarded with great food, excellent service and a chance to look around at local art in a restaurant located in one of the town's preserved historical structures - an old Chevrolet auto dealership building.

The General Store Cafe' is located at 39 West Street, adjacent to the downtown round-a-bout in the center of town. Serving breakfast, lunch and dinner, the store is open six days a week and can be reached by telephone at 919 542-2432.

Our first dining experience at The General Store allowed us to try the shrimp and grits (a local favorite) and grilled chicken over rice, both served with fresh grilled seasonal vegetables. Both were excellent and portions were more than adequate for hungry customers! Dining for two with these choices and cold beer and wine totaled to $47.00 - not bad for great food and the experience of looking around at the art and craft displays.

The restaurant began operation in 1979 as a natural foods grocery a few blocks from its present location. As it evolved into a natural foods grocery and consignment shop it was relocated in 1981 to a space in the Blair Hotel Building at the downtown traffic circle. The store evolved again to include a kitchen and dining room and in 1994 was moved to its present location in the old Chevrolet dealership building. In 1999 the original owner retired and the store evolved again under new management and the natural foods and consignment shop offerings were phased out, allowing the store to focus on becoming a fine dining establishment. In 2002 the establishment was purchased by a small group that currently owns and operates it. The restaurant continues to grow and now serves as a community center featuring local artists, musicians and non-profit organizations. A variety of community activities are held in the restaurant.

The restaurants large space is divided into two main areas - the "front" (the original auto showroom), and the "back" (the large rear space that previously served as an auto repair and service area). While the front offers mostly small tables for breakfast and lunch, the rear (a recent expansion of the restaurant) has a large number of two and four person tables, a few 5-6 person round tables for medium sized groups and space to pull tables together for large groups and parties. The rear section also includes a stage for performances by local bands and musical groups. Thursday through Saturday after 8:00 PM you can dine and enjoy local folk and other styles of music.

The entire restaurant displays regional art, crafts and various items that make the experience visually exciting and the items are available for purchase.

As we were leaving on Thursday night, the musical entertainment was about to begin and the crowd was growing. As the small local trio prepared to play, we thought it would top off a great evening to stay and enjoy the music but decided to save that for another night. We will definitely return soon for that and more great dining.

Monday, April 28, 2008

Yana's - Swansboro, NC

Yana's - Ye Olde Drugstore Restaurant - is one of the best small community restaurants found in our travels along the North Carolina coast. The food is outstanding and the character of the restaurant is exactly what you might expect in a small coastal town that depends on visitors for much of its business. Plan to arrive early and sit on the benches outside because the wait time can be as much as two hours during the busy season along the NC coast. Our wait was only twenty minutes at around 11:30 on a Sunday morning in April. As the weather gets warmer the crowds get bigger and the wait get's longer (up to two hours). And - yes - the food is that good and worth the wait.

The small town restaurant occupies an old drugstore building in the heart of Front Street in Swansboro, NC. Furnishings include old cafe' style tables and booths, juke boxes, Christmas trees, lots of Elvis memorabilia, buttons and signs from long ago. Next to the restaurant is Yanamama's 50's Memorabilia Shoppe featuring souvenirs and gifts focused on Elvis Presley, Marilyn Monroe, James Dean, The Lone Ranger, I Love Lucy, Betty Boop and so much more from an earlier time in our history.

On our visit we had two of the breakfast standards - two eggs, bacon, grits and toast for $5.25, and a cheese omelet with hash browns and toast for $5.25. Add two endlesss cups of coffee and our tab was $15.00 with the tip. The experience was exciting and the service was superb. Head on over to the coast and check out one of the best restaurants in the area!

After dining at Yana's check out the other shops and old homes along the waterfront and Front Street!

The waterfront in downtown Swansboro, NC

Monday, March 31, 2008

Elmo's Diner - Carrboro, NC


Elmo's Diner (near the University of North Carolina) in the restored old Carr Mill Mall in Carrboro, NC, (and a second location in Durham near Duke University) offers breakfast, lunch and dinner in a casual setting. Sit at the bar or at a table, casual dress. Prices are reasonable - dinner for two around $18 plus drinks.

Selections range from salads to burgers and sandwiches and complete meals. The food is great and many items are prepared with a slight twist from standard fare to give diners a break from plain old diner food. Among the choices...
  • Grilled marinated chicken breast
  • Salmon cakes topped with creamy dill sauce
  • Chicken dumplings with chunks of chicken, dropped biscuit dough
  • Home style roast beef meal served on open faced toast
  • Elmo's Trifecta - triple decker sandwich with turkey, roast beef, three cheeses
  • Spicy smothered burritos
and of course, breakfast anytime!

Elmo's is open from 6:30 AM until 10:00 PM Sunday-Thursday, 6:30 AM until
11:00 PM Friday and Saturday.

Telephone 919 416-3823 in Carrboro at 200 N. Greensboro Street in Carrboro at the old Carr Mill Mall, 919 929-2909 in Durham at 776 9th Street near Duke.

Elmo's Diner

Wednesday, February 6, 2008

The Melting Pot

The Melting Pot is a truly unique dining experience. Upon arrival you will be greeted by the hostess and taken to your private table for two or a larger table if you are having a party. Your waiter/waitress arrives quickly with a cheerful greeting and describes the various choices for dining. Selections range from a simple cheese fondue and dessert to full four course dinners with a variety of meats and seafood along with fruits and breads, followed by a special fondue dessert. Vegetarian selections are also offered.

In their own words "Fondue is a fun and interactive dining experience - and for more than three decades, The Melting Pot has defined the niche across the American dining scene."


A typical four course "fondue feast" meal would include your choice of fondue cooking mixes, beverages including wine, mixed drinks and/or other beverages, a selection of fruits and breads followed by a tray of meats or veggies followed by fondue dessert. A typical loaded selection would include all of the following:
Filet Mignon Medallion
Balsamic-Marinated Sirloin
Garlic and Herb Chicken
Citrus Pork Tenderloin
White Shrimp
Wild Mushroom Ravioli
Roasted Red Pepper Rigatoni
Fresh Vegetables
At The Melting Pot, fondue truly becomes a memorable four-course dining experience where patrons can dip into something different - and discover all the ingredients for a unique dining experience including a relaxed atmosphere, private tables, attentive service, fine wines and signature fondue dinners.


Plan on spending from $30 to $100 for two depending on how hungry you are. Make reservations in advance time since the restaurant is always crowded!