RED ROBIN (2) - RALIEGH, NC

We have a hard and fast policy about not dismissing any restaurant without visiting it at least twice. A bad experience the first time won't necessarily mean a bad experience the second time. And, it's not often that a great first experience is followed by a bad one.

 

We were excited about returning to Red Robin. This time we went on a Friday night during their peak dinner hour. The place was packed to capacity and seemed to be quite popular with families with children. Once again, we had a very pleasant server who was attentive and eager to please. This time Big Daddy ordered the Colossus Burger. Available for only a limited time, it's a fire-grilled patty piled high with finely chopped smoked brisket, provolone cheese, red and yellow onions plus their Campfire and Triple S BBQ sauces.

 

I selected the DGB Burger, that same fire-grilled patty topped with oven-roasted tomatoes, savory roasted garlic aioli and fresh arugula tossed in citrus olive oil dressing on a toasted ciabatta bun.

My burger was much better than his. It had a very organic quality to it to be a burger. The arugula felt fresh and with the dressing, almost salad-like. The bun was perfect and the aioli was a nice complement. 

 

The Colossus was a bomb and Big Daddy was disappointed. The brisket was nothing but large chunks of unchewable fat that we had to keep pulling out of our mouths. It took away from the experience. Those bottomless French fries came in quite handy this time around.

This time we ordered dessert and our excitement was quickly dashed. We started with the Gooey Chocolate Brownie Cake. Their menu describes it as an indulgent chocolate brownie cake and hot fudge topped with vanilla ice cream and served with sweet strawberries and berry sauce. Our waitress swore it was her favorite. When it arrived the berries and sauce were frozen chunks and the cake was cold and dry. There was nothing gooey or brownie-like about it and it tasted very cardboard-like. A manager was quick to rectify the situation and replaced that disaster with their Mountain High Mudd Pie, an avalanche of chocolate and vanilla ice cream layered with Oreo cookies, fudge and caramel and topped with whipped cream. The portion was substantial, almost too large for both of us to share. And it was chocolate ice cream and Oreos. You can't get that but so wrong.

 

Neither of us was as impressed the second time around, but Red Robin remains on our list of places we'd eat at again. There are still things on the menu we'd like to try and great customer service continues to make them a win for us.

 

RED ROBIN - RALEIGH, NC

It wasn’t chicken, but as a meal goes, there’s not much that can beat a really good burger. Tonight was date night and we visited Red Robin for the very first time. He’s more of a burger fan than I am. I’ve sworn off beef and pork more times than I care to count and something always brings me back. Tonight it was their infamous gourmet burgers.

We went late. Like we do. But no one had a problem at all with our late night adventure. Without a doubt the service was on point. Absolutely adored our waitress, a young woman named Lauren who had the brightest personality and a bubbly demeanor. She was well-versed on their menu and enticed us to go bold with our burger selections. As Lauren pointed out there was no point in settling for a regular old cheese burger when they offered so many selections. And honestly, they really offered too many selections and then those selections had selections because customizing your burger is encouraged. I could have spent a whole afternoon studying the menu!

Big Daddy opted for the Whiskey River BBQ Burger, billed as their smoky, tangy tribute to the Wild West. They roped together their signature bourbon-infused Whiskey River® BBQ Sauce, crispy onion straws, Cheddar, lettuce, tomatoes and mayo. 

I wasn’t as adventurous, choosing the Red’s Pig Out -style Tavern Double burger; two classic-sized patties, melted American cheese, tomato, and lettuce with an abundance of bacon and bacon aioli sauce. See, beef and pork, I can’t win!!! 

We both liked Red Robin. I only had one complaint with our meal and that was they forgot to put the bacon on my burger. Lauren remedied that with a substantial plate of bacon which I needed like I need a hole in my head! And his meal looked prettier than mine was. Otherwise, the burgers were cooked to perfection. Only had one serving of the bottomless steak fries but there’s no way either of us could have eaten our burgers and more than one serving of fries and not have needed a wheelbarrow to roll us out of our seats. 

Before leaving Lauren encouraged us to try their beer shakes the next time and I have to admit my interest was piqued. Big Daddy’s not a drinker but if you can mix beer and ice cream and make it taste good then I’m all in! 

We will definitely do Red Robin again. 

BENNETT POINTE GRILL and BAR - DURHAM, NC

Bennett Pointe Grill and Bar is a local neighborhood staple found in west Durham, North Carolina. Not too many years ago it was our go-to spot for casual dining. The food was good and the service exceptional. Our favorite was their Fried Chicken salad, a meal that easily fed both of us with a third portion left to take home. But since it was salad with our beloved fried chicken we always ordered two servings with plenty to nosh on for two more meals later. It being salad is how we justified not sharing.   

Returning after our long hiatus felt like returning home. The staff was still friendly and there were one or two familiar faces who actually remembered who we were. They’ve undergone some interior renovations since our last visit but the atmosphere was still comfortable and inviting.

This particular day the televisions were all tuned into the FIFA World Cup as the USA played Belgium. The bar area was packed with sports enthusiasts and the energy was invigorating.

I’m always big on the little details and have always been a fan of their newspaper-style menu. It has character.  Big Daddy thinks the newspaper-style inserts just look used and occasionally you might get a paper insert that bears a greasy fingerprint or two which incites his germ phobia. But I digress.

The menu is multi-regional American laced with Southern influences. A favorite is the low country shrimp and grits and their dishes include fresh seafood, chicken, steaks and pastas along with burgers, wraps and entree salads. The key lime pie and Italian cream cake are also fan favorites.

The fried chicken salad is no longer a menu entrée. Now it’s called the Plaza Salad which you can add chicken (grilled or fried), oysters, shrimp, or salmon to. The portion is no longer as large as we remember but you still get a nice bang for your buck and neither of us was disappointed. The salad itself is a healthy serving of mixed greens, diced tomatoes, bacon, boiled egg wedges and shredded cheese. Gone also are the oversized strips of chicken breast that use to lay atop the salad. They now do nuggets, good size chunks of chicken breast. (The photo doesn't do it justice. I'd eaten half of it before I remembered to take the picture!)

We had to ask about the change and a very pleasant server said the original chicken, which took longer to cook, was still available by request. That was nice to know for next time and there will definitely be a next time.

We highly recommend their fried oyster appetizer which is easily a meal-sized portion of nicely breaded and fried oysters. Our Old People speak highly of the fried shrimp dinner and the senior member of our party who fancies himself to be somewhat of a coleslaw connoisseur loves their coleslaw. As neighborhood restaurants go, this one is a winner for both of us.

 

THE PIT - RALEIGH, NC

My late grandmother was renowned for her chopped barbecue. She was the head cook at a popular barbecue joint for many years. I was twelve when she first showed me how it's made and sixteen when I attempted to make it by myself the first time. Big Daddy and I both come from families that know their barbecue and he can manhandle a grill with the best of them. However, unlike Big Daddy, I am not a fan of chopped pork and vinegar dressing. But I do like pig!

After hearing mixed reviews from family friends Big Daddy wanted to try out THE PIT, a legendary barbecue joint in downtown Raleigh, NC. They serve authentic whole-hog, pit-cooked barbecue. They also have fried chicken.

Now Big Daddy and I are notorious for showing up at a restaurant's unpopular hour, when the waitstaff is ready to go on break, or minutes before closing and the cook would like to head home. It's those moments when you discover the stuff a restaurant is really made of.

THE PIT has three dining sections that open at 11:00 AM for lunch. As the lunch hour winds down they close off two of them, only keeping the center section open. Big Daddy and I arrived just as they'd closed down the section we wanted to sit in. The hostess was a pleasant young lady who advised us that she would first check if one of the servers designated for the center section wouldn't mind waiting on us in the other area. We watched as the young woman asked and a young man nodded his head eagerly. She then came back to say that she just needed to call a manager and have it approved. The call was brief and we were escorted to our table of choice. That's when the whispering started, two waitresses closing down section two clearly annoyed that we'd been seated. The young hostess was questioned about her actions, not once, but twice, to which she responded, "I don't make the rules." We were both feeling just a touch uncomfortable but neither waitress seemed concerned.

Big Daddy was just about to call for a manager when our server stepped to the table. A young man named Eric introduced himself, a bright smile and pleasant expression greeting us. He instantly made us feel welcomed. As we navigated the menu Eric made some suggestions then eagerly rushed off to fill our orders.

Big Daddy ordered the Classic Carolina, a combination of chopped pork barbecue and fried chicken. I ordered the Double Combo, a plate of turkey barbecue and beef brisket. Our sides were french fries and slaw for him, heirloom cabbage collard greens and red beans and rice for me. 

Presentation wise, Big Daddy's plate looked much more substantial than mine did. Food was sprawled all over his! But it was lunch so I let the portion sizes slide. 

Both the pork barbecue and the turkey barbecue were on the dry side but beautiful bottles of sauce that sat on the tables were the perfect fix for that. One was a vinegar based sauce and the other a sweeter honey/molasses sauce that was perfect on that turkey barbecue. Nothing special about the fries or the slaw, but I did enjoy the greens. They weren't overcooked and had a nice bite to them although the vinegar they were seasoned with was a bit much. 

The pleasant surprise for me was the hush puppies and with the hush puppies and greens my only complaint was there wasn't enough to the serving. I'd love to comment on the beans and rice but all I really got was a bowl of rice with a few beans in the bottom. But from what I did taste, they weren't bad at all. 

The fried chicken was average. They won't get any awards from us but as fried chicken goes we'd definitely order it again.

The clear winner for both of us was the beef brisket. Theirs was probably some of the best beef brisket we've had in a very long time. The meat was melt-in-your-mouth tender and seasoned to perfection. We both wish there had been a few more slices and appreciated being able to tell Ken, the executive chef just how much we enjoyed it when he stopped by the table to inquire about our experience.

Our server Eric was on point and I hope our tip reflected just how much we appreciated the service he rendered. An engaging personality, sweet disposition, knowledgeable about the menu and the food and being easy on my eyes made him a definite winner!

All thumbs up for The Pit! We were not at all unhappy with our meals. The ambiance was pleasant and we walked away satisfied. As their marketing slogan says, they gave us Everything but the squeal!

THE BEGINNING - TIME OUT RESTAURANT - CHAPEL HILL, NC

Big Daddy and I hate BAD food! We especially hate bad food that we have to pay for. This past weekend we ventured into Chapel Hill, North Carolina to try out the food at Time Out Restaurant. It's billed as a no-frills, counter-service eatery, open 24-hours for comfort food like fried chicken and biscuits.

Did they say fried chicken? They did. Of course, you already know Big Daddy and I are obsessed with good fried chicken. If you didn't, you do now. As well, Time Out was featured on the Travel Channel's Man v. Food show. Their infamous chicken and cheddar biscuit was deemed the best in the world!

We could not have been more disappointed.

Time Out hasn't seen any soap and water on the floors and tables since Adam Richman and his camera crew left. But we've had some of our best meals in some really divey locations so I wasn't but so turned off. As well, knowing that it's a late night haunt for UNC students, I wasn't expecting but so much in the way of ambiance. Big Daddy ordered that infamous chicken and cheddar biscuit. I'm not a fan of cheese on my chicken so I ordered a two-piece chicken platter with collards, cornbread, and a slice of sweet potato pie. With two iced teas the meal cost us $17.84.

Big Daddy gave his chicken cheddar biscuit a thumbs up. The biscuit was a tad doughier that he likes but the combination was a winner for him.

The chicken was just okay for me. It had clearly been sitting under a heat lamp a day longer than it should have. The collards were bland and don't even get me started on the pie. Big Daddy says the flavor was okay but I couldn't get past the texture. It was like stringy, lumpy paste in my mouth. The only thing I could eat was the cornbread. The cornbread was really quite good but it wasn't worth the $17.84 that we paid. Big Daddy says I should give the biscuit a try but I don't think so.

As we drove home, analyzing every aspect of our meal like we often do, the idea for EAT! EAT! GOOD! was born. Bad chicken was the beginning!

WELCOME TO EAT EAT GOOD!

I call him Big Daddy and I'm his Baby Girl and we're obsessed with good food. Both of us are great cooks, his specialty being anything on the grill and mine being everything else. Together, we're overweight but working on it. We're invested in eating better, leaning toward healthier, organic options but neither of us is ready yet to completely give up our obsession with fried chicken. Since I rarely fry any of our food anymore, we sometimes seek it out and Big Daddy is determined to find the best fried chicken that can be found. I'm determined to see us both eat healthy while we do.

Tag along as we chronicle our newest adventure and do battle with our bulges. This is our journey with food. You'll be enlightened. You'll be entertained and we promise you'll discover where to eat and eat good!