After an awesome time in Savannah and Charleston, we arrived in Raleigh, NC. I had already researched a great BBQ restaurant(as featured on Diners, Drive-ins, and Dives) and was more than ready to dig my teeth in some ribs!
Raleigh Dinner: The Pit Authentic Barbecue
We walked in to the very crowded restaurant at 9:30 after making reservations earlier that day. Its a good thing we made reservations as the wait was around 30-40 minutes. After being seated our waiter greeted us immediately. He brought waters and gave us the run down on the restaurant. He also let us know that a team of three will be servicing us for the night. After giving us some time, he took our drink orders. We ordered a pitcher of the local brew, Lonerider Shotgun Betty Hefeweizen. It was a German-style wheat beer that complimented the BBQ really well. We ordered the pumpkin cornbread as a starter. Right after we ordered the cornbread another waiter bought out a basket of biscuits and hushpuppies. Bread heaven! I tasted a bite of each and all were so good! The pumpkin cornbread came out in a skillet so the bottom was nice and crispy and the inside was nice and moist. The accompanying maple butter was a nice compliment.
We decided to share the Big Boy combo after speaking to the couple sitting next to us. The boyfriend(from Lancaster, Pa) mentioned it was more than enough to share. The combo includes a nice portion of pork chopped BBQ, beef brisket, BBQ chicken and two pieces of each kind of rib(baby back and Carolina style). For sides, we ordered fried okra, mac and cheese, and baked beans. It was more than enough! We ate until we were about to pop and still took about half of it back to the hotel with us. Our waitress started casual conversation with us and asked if we were from the area. We told her we were from Philadelphia and she demanded we take some banana pudding home with us, on the house. Southern hospitality at its best. Thanks Kristy!
Buttermilk biscuits and hushpuppies
Pumpkin cornbread with maple butter
Big Boy Combo: pork chopped BBQ, beef brisket, BBQ chicken and two pieces of each kind of rib(baby back and Carolina style). Fried okra, mac and cheese, and baked beans
Banana pudding with a meringue topping (picture courtesy of Yelp)
If I am ever in the Raleigh area, I will be making it my business to visit this place again.
DC dinner: Pizzeria Paradiso
I knew I wanted food that had nothing to do with Southern cuisine after having a weekend full of it. I decided to have my favorite food of all, pizza. We walked in and got seated right away. We ordered a local brew, Atlas Brew Works Saison Des Fetes, a fruity, refreshing beer. We ordered the Insalata Paradiso(Baby Arugula, Goat Cheese, Sweet Red Pepper, Mushroom, Pine Nut, Citrus Vinaigrette) to start and small Di Mare(Paradiso Tomato, Minced Garlic, Parsley, Mussels, Parmesan) and Genovese(potato, pesto, parmesan) pizzas. This brick oven pizza delight was everything a top notch pizza should be: a thin crispy foundation with a chewy crust and yummy toppings. The mussels on the Di Mare could’ve been seasoned better, but the broth on the crust was a nice compliment to the tomatoes. The potatoes and the pesto on the Genovese were just divine!
Insalata Paradiso
Di Mare: Paradiso Tomato, Minced Garlic, Parsley, Mussels, Parmesan
Genovese: Potato, Pesto, Parmesan
This road trip was everything I hoped it to be. I stepped out of my box and engaged in dialogue with people who are passionate about quality food. I met people who were proud of their cities and its food offerings. I explored 5 cities and ate some of the best food. I learned a great deal from this experience and am so thankful for it.
One Month Is All It Takes 