Alley 26 320 East Chapel Hill St. Downtown Durham Website $9 to $12 per drink 4 pm to 2 am (May I take this moment to say I love a bar that posts a closing time?) To my disappointment, Alley 26, Durham’s newest upscale bar, is not located in an alley. It takes up actual
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Pizzeria Toro 105 E. Chapel Hill St. Five Points, Durham Website $12 to 1$16 11 am to 11 pm daily Pizzeria Toro is an alluring and exciting gourmet pizza restaurant. I am jealous of downtown Durham residents who have this gem down the block.  At first look, the main dining room appears to be an
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East Coast Chinese Food Express 202 NC Hwy 54 Inside the Kroger, South Durham Website Open Mondays-Saturdays 11 am to 3 pm, 4 pm to 10 pm $7 — $12 I’ve heard many good things about East Coast Chinese Food Express. They’ve been located inside the Kroger by the Highway 54 and Fayetteville intersection for
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Hummingbird Bakery 771 Broad Street Old West Durham, Durham Website Lunch: $6.50 — $9.00 Hummingbird Bakery is Amy Tornquist’s, chef of Watt’s Grocery, newest venture. Watt’s is one of my go-to recommendations for dining in Durham. As a lover of all things dessert, coffee, and Watt’s Grocery, I was looking forward to trying out Hummingbird.
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Fresno Café 4015 University Drive South Square Website M-W: 10 am – 6 pm Th-Sat: 10 am – 2:30 pm, 4:30 pm – 8 pm Fresno Café opened late summer in the strip mall spot that last housed Bear Rock Café. The last time I was there, it was Rick’s Diner and the look has
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Frosty’s Chocolate Orange Martini at the Washington Duke Inn For the month of December, you can order a cocktail of my very own creation at the Washington Duke Inn’s Fairview Dining Room and Bull Durham Bar. I won first place in their Blog Nog cocktail competition for my riff on a Terry’s chocolate orange. It’s
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Gregoria’s Kitchen 2818 Chapel Hill Road Rockwood/Lakewood, Durham $11—$21 Dinner only Gregoria’s Kitchen is a Cuban restaurant in a historic home/restaurant just south of where Chapel Hill Road crosses 15-501. There is not much parking in back so park at the Yates Baptist Church across the street or use their complimentary valet. First and foremost,
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I’m always excited to see what our creative chefs come up with when challenged, and the folks behind the 2010 Bull City Vegan Challenge are running a new one for the month of October. Much like the first, several Durham restaurants have agreed to come up with one vegan dish to compete for the votes
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Fall Menu at the Fairview Dining Room (and a glimpse into the presidential suite!) Fairview Dining Room Washington Duke Inn 3001 Cameron Blvd. Duke Campus, Durham Entrees: $19—$30 Website As you may recall, I was invited to try the spring menu at the Fairview Dining Room last March. Last Thursday, I previewed the fall menu
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Last Saturday, I had the pleasure of attending the media preview event before the grand opening of the Cookery’s new Front Room. The Cookery, as you may recall from when I attended their open house last year, is an incubator for small food producers, providing kitchen use for folks selling all sorts of food products,
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