Peak City Grill & Bar, Apex, NC

The Peak City Grill and Bar is located at 126 N. Salem Street, Apex, NC, in Historic Downtown Apex. Just next door to Fire Station One. Parking is provided by the owner between the restaurant and fire station. Don't park in this lot to go to other restaurants and shops or risk a glare and comment from the owner. Contact the restaurant for reservations or availability at 919-303-8001.

If you are looking for a high-end steak style restaurant in the immediate area this is it. Offers a variety of sandwiches and full course meals and a full service bar. The site was a local downtown hardware store in the early 1900s and was renovated by the current owner to open the restaurant.

The menu covers a broad choice of food and varies somewhat to reflect the current season. Expect a selection of steaks, fish, seafood full course dinners and sandwiches of all types. Enjoy the bar with friends or go for the full dining experience. Prices reflect the diverse foods offered and dining for two will generally run in the $50-60 range or higher with drinks.

The food is very good and service generally what you would expect in a similar restaurant. Be prepared for occasional blasting of train horns since the site is only a hundred feet from the tracks. Surrounded by shops and businesses in the historic downtown district dating back to the 1870s era when Apex was a train centric rural community.

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

The Hungry Farmer - Clinton, North Carolina

For some of the best seafood and country cooking around take a short drive to Clinton, NC, and check out The Hungry Farmer. Fresh shrimp, oysters, scallops and additional seafood selections are always available along with steaks and chicken.

This has long been a favorite meeting spot in the Clinton area. Don't be surprised if a local farmer walks over and strikes up a conversation while you are dining. Newly renovated due to a fire in 2006, the small secluded country restaurant is located between the corn and tobacco fields at 2474 Isaac Weeks Road. Look for a red brick building that looks like a country house by the side of the road. Be sure to take along your NC map!

Some of the favorites are:

Baby shrimp, hush puppies, 2 sides - $7.50, 9.00
Sea scallops, hush puppies, 2 sides - $9.00, 11.00
Pan broiled flounder, hush puppies, 2 sides - $9.00, 11.00
Hamburger steak with peppers and onions, 2 sides - $6.50
Home made chicken pastry, 2 sides (Sunday only)

Location:

2474 Isaac Weeks Road, Clinton, NC

Hours:

Thursday - Saturday 5:00 PM - 9:00 PM
Sunday Lunch - 11:20 AM - 2:30 PM

Telephone:

910 533-3220

Head on over and satisfy your appetite!

Five Guys - Burgers and Fries

Five Guys is easily the best burger establishment in the area. Since the menu is limited, focus is on quality and service and being the best. If burgers, hot dogs and fries is what you crave you'll find these to be the best around.

Burgers are cooked only one way - well done - but always juicy, hot and tasty. Served fresh from the grill with most any toppings you want added. Add fries and there will always be an overflowing cup in your bag with more dumped into the bag.

Our first encounter with Five guys was in Virginia (the business originated in the DC and VA area) and when we moved to NC we hoped they would open stores here because the burgers were so good. The chain has opened restaurants in several areas around the central NC area with more coming.

The company's goal as posted on the Five Guys website is simply "Five Guys goal is to sell the best quality burgers possible. To sell the best burger possible we focus on Quality, Service and Cleanliness."

Check out the menu on the Five Guys website and drop by and check them out! Also read the "corkboard" comments from customers.

• Favorites: Little Cheeseburger with toppings, fries.
• Hours: Generally from early lunch time until late night. Posted at stores.
• Locations: See website locator

Bella Monica - Raleigh, NC

One of the best local dining sites we discovered is tucked away in the Old Raleigh Village Shopping Center at 3121-103 Edwards Mill Road. If you are searching for the best in fine Italian dining and enjoy outstanding service this is the place for you to try!

After discovering how good the food is and noting that it's frequented by regular customers we now try to go every other Friday or Saturday when there are added specials not available on other nights. Be sure to make a reservation for these nights or you will find yourself standing by the door for an hour or so watching everyone enjoy the great food. Of course you can usually drop by and be seated at one of the sidewalk tables and avoid the line if you forgot to call ahead!

You can check out their complete menu at the Bella monica website. Our favorites include:

Antipasta

Chopped salad - Chopped greens with tomato, mushrooms, onions, carrots, cannellini beans, and parmesan cheese with balsamic herb vinaigrette dressing.

Entrees

Cannelloni - Long pasta tubes filled with ricotta cheese and topped with meat sauce and melted mozzarella cheeses.

Pork Picatta - Pork loin medallions with a lemon caper sauce served with asparagus and red onion.

Flatbread:

Genoa - Pepperoni, sausage, tomato sauce and mozzarella cheese.

From the Bellamonica website...

Bella monica - Pizza, Pasta & Vino

Sundays at our Nana’s house were special days. It began when we entered Nana’s house and the smell of the ‘gravy’ simmering on the stove would greet us at the door. Nana would fly out of the kitchen to pinch our cheeks, give us hugs, and lead us to the table full of food saying “mangia, mangia”. Sundays with Nana were days where everything seemed to stop for family and friends; everything except for pasta.

Since 2000, when chef/owner Corbett Monica and his wife Julie opened the doors to this neighborhood trattoria, Bella Monica has become an extension of Nana’s table. It is a place where guests become family at our tables and enjoy Nana’s recipes. Keeping true to tradition, we use only imported San Marzano tomatoes and the freshest ingredients just like Nana would. So please, enjoy our food and the company you share.

Website: Bella Monica

Location:

Old Raleigh Village Shopping Center
3121-103 Edwards Mill Road
Raleigh, NC

Hours:

Lunch - Monday-Friday, 11:00 AM - 2:30 PM
Lunch - Saturday - 12:00 AM - 5:00 PM

Dinner - Monday-Thursday - 5:00 PM - 10:00 PM
Dinner - Friday - Saturday - 5:00 PM - 11:00 PM

On the Border - Cary, NC

Posting soon, check back.

Daniel's Pizza pasta - Apex, NC

Posting soon - check back

Squids - Chapel Hill, NC

Posting soon - check back

Macaroni Grill - Cary, NC

Posting soon - check back

Ruth's Chris - Cary NC

What a treat! We bought ourselves a Ruth's Chris gift certificate some time back and kept it for a special occasion. On our recent anniversary we decided to check the restaurant out.

We highly recommend this restaurant for any occasion. The food is outstanding and service is right on target for a fine dining establishment!

Here's how their website describes their fare...

Welcome to Ruth's Chris Steak House. When you visit Ruth's Chris, you soon understand that this is no ordinary restaurant. From the U.S. Prime steaks, broiled to perfection at 1800 degrees, to the expertly executed seafood, New Orleans-inspired appetizers, unforgettable desserts and award winning wine list, this is a steakhouse to which others aspire. We invite you to explore our website. Take your time to get to know us. Visit the site often to make online reservations and order Ruth's Chris Gift Cards for family and friends, clients and colleagues. Follow the sizzle.

We were greeted at the door and our coats were immediately taken to the coat room. Next, we were escorted by the hostess to a small dining area with a half dozen tables and seated. Since this was our first visit we didn't notice one of the napkins rolled around the silverware was black. We later discovered this was a signal to the waiter.

For dinner my wife chose a fillet and I selected a ribeye steak. As you can imagine, the steaks were cooked to perfection and lived up to the reputation of the restaurant. Ruth's Chris food is truly a step above similar offerings at other fine establishments.

After dinner we ordered coffee and asked for the dessert menu and waited patiently for the waiter to return. The coffee arrived quickly and we were looking forward to seeing the list of desserts we had seen occasionally passing our table on a sample tray. Minutes later we realized he had not returned and started looking around for him. Suddenly he arrived with a healthy slice-for-two of dark chocolate cake covered with dark chocolate icing and sprinkled with little chocolate drop morsels. Wow! To our surprise this treat was provided by the restaurant for our anniversary dessert!

Needless to say, dining at Ruth's Chris was a grand experience and we now look forward to planning another visit on a special occasion to have dinner prepared to perfection and enjoy royal treatment!