Nana’s 2514 University Drive, Durham www.nanasdurham.com Entrees $15-30 Tasting Menu available On our second trip to Nana’s, we decided to sit in the bar area as reservations had not been made. It was a great decision as the bar feels much less stuffy and more inviting than the isolated white-clothed tables of the main dining
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Toast Five Points 345 West Main Street Durham, NC http://www.toast-fivepoints.com Sandwiches ranged from $1.50 for Crostini to $6 for Panini Walking through downtown Durham on the way to Toast is a testament to the fine remodeling job that has been done since we moved to Durham three years ago. It is slowly revitalizing itself as
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Rockwood Filling Station *CLOSED* 2512 University Drive Durham, NC Pizzas ranged from $9–12 if my memory serves me well. There can never be enough places selling gourmet pizza, right? I’m not a purist; you won’t find me expounding on the glories of a New York slice or the goopiness that is Chicago Deep Dish. No,
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Parizade Erwin Square 2200 West Main Street Durham, NC http://www.ghgrestaurants.com/parizade/parizademaster.html Entrees $15–32 Parizade, one of the Giorgios Hospitality Group of restaurants, is warm and whimsical in design. The walls are a mixture of green, red, and blue, and accented with an occasional swirl of copper plating. There is a ceiling mural o,f perhaps, angels in
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Four Square Restaurant 2701 Chapel Hill Road Durham, NC www.foursquarerestaurant.com Entrees $20–35 We went to Four Square to try out their Thanksgiving Prix Fixe menu. It is housed in a historic Victorian in Durham, with an inviting porch and warm lighting glinting from the windows. We started out in the bar, where I had an
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George’s Garage *CLOSED* 9th Street 737 9th Street Durham, NC www.ghgrestaurants.com/garage/garage.html Entrees $15–$28 George’s Garage is one of the many Giorgio’s Hospitality Group restaurants. This one is similar to Spice Street in that it’s a mix of sushi bar, lounge area, and main dining room. The lounge looked cozy, with warm, dim lighting, and I
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Bakehouse Bistro *CLOSED* Southpoint 6905-104 Fayetteville Road Durham, NC www.bakehousebistro.com Entrees $12–$20 Bakehouse Bistro is a new concept in dining, offering a walk-up counter, baked goods, coffee drinks, and a dining room. Like me, they are still working out the kinks of gourmet stardom, which probably endears me to the place more than I should
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Bocci Trattoria 5850 Fayetteville Road Sutton Station Durham, NC www.bocciitalian.com Entrees $10–$21 Bocci is a popular restaurant in the Woodcroft area of Durham and I must admit, I’ve already been back twice since this meal. I think that’s a good sign. Inside, you are greeted by a deli case of Italian meats, put there solely
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Jibarra 7420 Six Forks Road Raleigh, NC www.jibarra.net Entrees $17–$40 *Restaurant relocated to 327 West Davie Street, Downtown Raleigh, since this post* We went to Jibarra with a large group on my birthday. I had been fixated on trying the restaurant ever since I read a review from The News & Observer, a whole year
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Alivia’s Durham Bistro Brightleaf District 900 West Main Street Durham, NC www.aliviasdurhambistro.com Entrees $16–19 I’ve wanted to check out the Brightleaf Square dining scene for a long time. It’s one of many revamped tobacco warehouse districts in Durham and seems to contain a good variety of restaurants. Alivia’s is the first I’ve made it to
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