Durham Restaurants

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This was a restauranat a group of colleagues and I visited during a recent visit to the area. It was an enjoyable place to eat. The food was good and the atmosphere was excellent - we dined at the start of the week so it was a little quiet.

Favorite Dish: Excellent Ice Cream - eat in or take away.

So it's a chain. I can forgive them of that. I can forgive the cookie cutter approach to a "clubby feel" steakhouse if it has something unique. And Ted's Montana Grill does. Call it Bison or call it Buffalo, Ted's has a unique meat niche market because its menu features the Other Red Meat. I kinda dig bison, so it's not a stretch for or weird to me. Taste's like beef but a bit leaner. In fact it is supposed to be healthy for you. Prices are reasonable here, too. This isn't Morton's or Ruth Chris's... so just about anyone can afford dining here and not have to leave your first born. Sides come with most dishes in fact, as opposed to the High End fancy/schmancy steak house where you pay for your side dishes of veggies and potatoes.

Comfortable ambiance, not too much dinner din (din is the term used for the noise / chat level you hear while dining at a restaurant) and great staff at this Durham locale.

Favorite Dish: I had the pot roast. REAL tasty. Came with green beans and mashed potatoes. Nothing fancy. Just great tasting and you can't ask for more than that, particularly at $14.99 for the full meal. Friends had the beef (one had Prime Rib and the other a Kansas Rib Eye.) One other at the party was daring and had the bison: he had short ribs that fell off the bone. Looked good.

Ted's has a nice selection of bottled domestic beers, by the way.

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The front of the place looks like a college dump, I must admit. Having never gone there - but planned a lunch there from comments on Chowhound, I got a bit concerned. But once I spied their menu, I knew where the talent lied: in the kitchen. Interesting eclectic menu at great prices. Ambience is a bit sketchy, but hang in there. Okay - service might even be MORE so-so, but the food is worth it. So are the prices.

Favorite Dish: I had steamed mussles with peruvian potatoes in a red curry sauce served with a side of crostini. VERY good and filling. Only $9.00!

This was a very cool find, shown to me by a friend who has been living in Durham. Fresh baked pastries and bread, espresso drinks, German potato salad, and outside seating. The inside is kind of industrial chic and there is an outside patio with fountains. It's hard to tell this is there if you're not looking for it. I was very pleasantly surprised, and the food was very good.

Favorite Dish: I had a seared tuna sandwich with black olive tapenade, which was very good and which comes with German potato salad. We were also given a basket of bakery bread, with different types of bread. Very lovely all around.

This is a great place to go eat. Friendly atmosphere, a bar, and great Italian food. It is family owned and has a few other locations in the triangle. The owners are from Italy originally but they started their business in NY. The food is great and there's a good selection of wines as well.

Favorite Dish: Try Grandma's PIzza or the Brick Oven Pizza.

Many a night when I taught at the Duke TIP program during the summer of 2003, this was the mainstay for me and my fellow teaching assistants. Mexican beer, cheap, great, huge enormous burritos, cheap, outdoor seating, and natives cooking the food so you know it's good when you walk in. And though it appears to be a hole in the wall when you first walk in you quickly realize it's a great laid back atmosphere with mostly students from Duke hanging out and imbibing and enjoying a good inexpensive break from the cafeteria. The burritos are between 2 and 5 dollars depending on whether or not they're vegetarian and whether or not you get them with the works. And you get a lot of burrito for your money. But then, it's not just burritos. All manner of mexican fare, plus great nachos and great great hot sauce. And the best part is that everything here is organic and low fat.

Favorite Dish: Deluxe Chicken burrito and a dos equis and a sunny day out on the back porch.

Southern american cuisine. Gourmet with a southern twist. Decor is not much to look at but the food is outstanding. James Beard award winning pastry chef and wife of chef, past Best new chef in America (Food & Wine Magazine).

The atomsphere is not upscale, it could be very crowded and noisy - from people's talking in their rather large dining hall. Their focus is on artistically prepared food and quality and display, i.e., the art of gourmet food, instea of deco.

Favorite Dish: Every item is excellent. Contemporary fusion cooking, FINE gourmet food. Just look at the awards the chefs received through years.

They serve the BEST food in Durham.

Go to their website:
http://www.magnoliagrillcookbook.com/
for sample menu and their cookbook