Glee Club in Raleigh

The Glee Club has got together for many years Beginning in Nashville, TN, Lexington, TN. Owensboro, KY, Memphis, TN, Mobile AL, Austin, TX and then again in Memphis, TN.
 
This year we are meeting in Raleigh, NC.  So far attendees confirmed are Poverty Pete, Wandering Jew, Ayersian?, Buffet Buster and his friends, The Traveling Man, Iwannago and of course Sundancer and perhaps a few more?
 
Several restaurants have been suggested by Ayersian and others.  I know Raleigh, NC pretty well myself and I am looking forward to meeting our friends there on Presidents Day weekend, February 18, 19 and 20.  Several of us are staying at the Hyatt for $70.00.
 
I am sorry to say that The Mayor and Bushy will not be able to attend.  I promise that we will eat their share.
 
Paul E. Smith
Knoxville, TN

Sorry to report that Gail and. I will be unable to attend. We are unable to leave St Pete before the 23rd as we have to help out a friend who is having surgery here on the 21st.

We know you guys will have a great time in Raleigh and I wish I could join you because I've never been to that town.

Cheers, John

Sorry Seafarer, we surely wish you could be there.  It would be great to see you and Gail again.
 
Paul E. Smith
Knoxville, TN

Interesting choice.  The only reviewed place on this site is a hot dog joint.  I can't wait to see the starting line-up.

This is a list that Chris Ayers (Ayersian?) sent to me.  We will see what flies:
 
I am in -- without Amy (she'll be on the West Coast at a conference), though my folks from South Carolina are driving up to join us for a few meals!  I'm arriving at RDU on Friday for lunch and will stick around for an early dinner on Sunday before departing.  Below is my list of places to hit, so please feel free to add your top picks:

1.   Roast Grill -- don't know if they're open on the weekend, so Friday lunch may be best for their famous chili dogs.  Have not been here yet.

2.   Allen & Son -- visited for the first time over Thanksgiving, and it was fabulous. Great BBQ sandwich, great Brunswick stew, GREAT pie.  It was my 25th stop on the 26-stop Historic NC BBQ Trail, and certainly one of the best.

3.   Char-Grill -- won Best Burger in NC, and it is indeed one of my favorite burgers anywhere.  An absolute must!

4.   Sunrise Biscuit Kitchen -- wonderful biscuits, can't wait to visit again.

5.   Dip's Country Kitchen -- haven't been yet, but I have a friend who used to work here. She said the biscuits at Dip's are MUCH better than Sunrise, fyi.

6.   Time Out -- home of the famous Chicken & Cheese Biscuit, cathead-sized.  The same friend (from #5) says it's the ultimate drunk food.  Also featured on DD&D.

Other considerations:

The Pit, Raleigh -- went here over T-giving and thought Allen & Son was much better.  I'm not sure it's even Roadfood.  Does a place where you can go for drinks without eating count as RF?  It's a upscale BBQ joint, nonetheless, and I'm up for revisiting it if it suits the group.

Here's a list of 50+ local picks of mostly undiscovered RF (there's a German place here that Steve P. may've referred to in an earlier email):
http://blogs.newsobserver.com/food/triangles-diners-drive-ins-dives

This should keep us busy!  And who said Raleigh wasn't rich in RF?  :-)

Chris

I talked with "The Mayor" a few minutes ago and he was sorta sad that he could not attend due to his wife "Janet" taking a very expensive overseas trip.  Al indicated that she was spending more money on this trip than two or three vacations
 
Good women always cost a bunch of money
 
We will definately miss him and Bushie but certainly look forward to meeting our old friends again and some great food.
 
Paul E. Smith
Knoxville, TN

If you guys get tired of the burger/dog/meat and three thing, I'd like to throw in a mention for Neomonde.  I love the hell out of their food.

Big Eds diner is close to the Hyatt, and serves wonderful breakfasts.Their sausage is excellent, grits are great, country ham with red eye gravy a must. I eat there every time I am in Raleigh.Staff is very friendly.

annpeeples


Big Eds diner is close to the Hyatt, and serves wonderful breakfasts.Their sausage is excellent, grits are great, country ham with red eye gravy a must. I eat there every time I am in Raleigh.Staff is very friendly.

 
I hope Chris and BB and the TTM gets this.  Sounds great to me!!!
 
Paul E. Smith
Knoxville, TN

GLEE CONTROL Here.  Coordinating communications again!!
I have heard that Paul and Roz will be on the road shortly.
 Poverty Pete passed thru Knoxville last night with a car full of Tennessee Cheer-leaders hitching a ride to a Basketball game !
Steve was posting from some airport FF place (again) as his flight from Florida to North Carolina has been diverted to San Diego to pick-up the rest of the club's illegal alien members.
The locals in N C are have a bit of a problem finding a Whole Hog BBQ that meets the rules of diet for some of our Eastern Brothers and Sisters.
 
Rick F has pronounce a BLESSING on all the BBQ to be served from his Parish in Louisiana, so it is safe to chow down.
Jan and I will celebrate our 16th Wedding Aniversary tomorrow (Annie Peeples 18th Birthday as well). So , even us stay at homes are partying !!
EVERYONE ELSE NEEDS TO CHECK IN WITH LOCATIONS AND EVENTS SCHEDULES WHEN YOU CAN.

Al, thanks a lot of the good wishes and your celebration with Janet and Ann's BD.  I am also celebrating my 69th BD as I have been celebrating my BD every year with the Glee Club as it falls on Presidents Day.
 
Roz should be off from work in a hour or so and we will depart for Raleigh and prepare to have a super day with the Glee club gang tomorrow.
 
Paul E. Smith
Knoxville, TN

Pov. Pete just checked in. He's at the No-Tell Motel and after scrubbing off the bugs then he's going to meet the rest of whoever is in town.

I am getting moment to moment updates from ChiTownDiner, who has seemingly hit every restaurant in North Carolina in the past 24 hours.  With the pace he is on, there will be no food left in the entire state by the time I get to town. 

Cliff,
Stay in touch, you can get to one of the evening stops before Gregg does and get your order in before he cleans the menu totally.  I did one evening with him in Milwaukee and could NOT keep pace with him. He is a giant among Roadfooders !

Well, Mariton and I land around 8:00pm, where CTD is going to pick us up and take us to Bavarian Brathaus in Cary.  This was a pick from Poverty Pete, so chances are it will be really good! 

I am soooo jealous!

Pete got a hell of a deal using Dale's recommendation for reservation service. He said he got a penthouse for pennies on the dollar. All of you guys need to help him 'use' the ammenities of that place!!!

I'll be cheering from the sidelines this year.
 
Please keep sending those photos on facebook!
 
 

wanderingjew


I'll be cheering from the sidelines this year.

Please keep sending those photos on facebook!

Dale, you are a true Roadfooder so I am wondering why you are asking someone to post their  pictures on  Facebook,  rather than here?

Greymo

wanderingjew


I'll be cheering from the sidelines this year.

Please keep sending those photos on facebook!

Dale, you are a true Roadfooder so I am wondering why you are asking someone to post their  pictures on  Facebook,  rather than here?

 
Chi Town Diner has been posting his photos of the beginning of his journey on facebook via his cell phone- kind of like "Instant Gratification"- I'm technically challenged but I don't think there's a way you can do that here on Roadfood.

Well, at least you guys won't face a snowstorm like what happened when I joined you guys last year in Charleston.

Lots of FB comments and photos as the weekend progresses. Little Steve (TTM) watches B-Ball while BiG Steve (Pov Pete) guzzles Weasel Crap Beer !  Give us the Pig-Knuckle photos and a comprehensive report guys !!!

I am taking some of the photos off my camera right now, but I still have one more day (of moderate indulging).  I'm sure the others will be faster on the upload than I will be.
 
If you do want the phone-camera uploads, some of those are up on Facebook.  I did not get a shot of the pig knuckle with the cell phone, though.

We'll hold for the high def pig knuckles...

My girlfriend and I had a fantastic time in Raleigh/Chapel Hill over the weekend.  The food wasn't always great, but the company was.  I believe Ralph Melton is planning on a trip report, but here are a few photos in the meantime.
 
The most talked about item over the weekend was Poverty Pete and his schweinshaxen.

The rest of the food at Bavarian Brathaus was dreadful, but this pig knuckle was actually tender and quite good.  And how can you not appreciate any place with a live oompah band?

 
Some of us got up early on Saturday to start the day at Sunrise Biscuit Kitchen in Chapel Hill, although Chris seems to be struggling with the concept of a drive-thru.

The chicken biscuit gets the official Sundancer seal of approval!

 
The next stop was Once in a Blue Moon Bakery, where we wondered if Jane and Michael were in town, since there seemed to be a cake set aside for them.

 
Our planned breakfast for Saturday was Big Ed's at City Market.  This was the only meal in which the entire group of 12 of us were in attendance.  Even more memorably, we were able to get a photo of Travelin Man next to an open sign!

The food got a mixed review, but I really enjoyed my country ham with red eye gravy.

Outside, Chris, Poverty Pete, Mariton, Chris' mother Sylvia and Sundancer pose for a photo.

 
Just a short walk away was Clyde Cooper's BBQ, which was the next stop.  Another place I liked more than the rest of the group, what seemed to be the biggest hit was the fried pig skin.  As a matter of fact, they sell several different kinds!

Here is Sundancer and Roz relaxing in the booth at Cooper's.

 
Allen & Son, a longtime Roadfood favorite bbq parlor, gets my vote for best meal on the trip.  Here is my pork plate,

which includes the chopped pork, cole slaw and hushpuppies.  Even better was the brunswick stew, which might have been the best I have ever had.  Since there were six of us eating here, we sampled six different desserts.

Clockwise from top left, that is coconut chess pie (which Mariton absolutely loved), pecan pie, chocolate pecan pie, blueberry pie, cherry cobbler and key lime cake.
 
One final stop on Saturday night and it was at the mobbed 42nd Street Oyster Bar.

When we first went in and told them nine, we were told a two hour wait!  But, Roz went and spoke to the manager and we ended up getting seated after only about 45 minutes.  Way to go Roz!  My oyster stew and shrimp norfolk were not good, but most everyone else enjoyed their seafood.  Here is Mariton and Chris throwing down some raw oysters.

 
Needing sleep more than food, our first meal of the day wasn't after around 10:30 Sunday morning at Mama Dip's.  Here is Ralph Melton leaning in to get the perfect shot of some fried green tomatoes.

Most of the group seemed very happy with their food here, with the banana pudding being my personal favorite.
  
 
ChiTownDiner and I dropped Mariton off at the airport, before heading to the North Carolina State University ice cream store for a couple of scoops.  We met back up with the group at Char Grill in downtown Raleigh for one last stop.
One of the great things about this place is the ordering system, where you fill out a slip of paper

and slide it through a hole in the glass.  They will then call your name and you pick it up there.  Here is a shot of ChiTownDiner waiting patiently for his food. 

Moments after this photo was taken, he managed to crawl through the small window to get at all the food.  It took three employees hitting him with a broom to beat him back, but not before he got away with plenty of burgers and hot dogs!
 
That was it for us as we had to head for the airport.  Thanks again to everyone who joined us!

I am kinda bummed that Big Eds got mixed reviews, as I suggested it. But than again, you had 12 people ordering, so many different items were tried that I had never tasted. But, its a fun place to go, and I am glad you got the country ham, BB. That is one of my favorites. Pics are excellent, as usual!

Don't be bummed Ann.  It was a fine suggestion.  Although a couple of dishes were misses, there were definitely more hits.  And the atmosphere and service were both excellent.  I can tell you that I would absolutely go back.

Awww, I'm sorry I missed you guys!  And that's quite a piece of pork at the top!

Hello all ,
Looks like a great trip , glad everyone enjoyed themselves
Benzee