Lawrence Barbecue - Durham, NC

I forgot how nice it is to have a lot of space. Everything is so spread out down south, even in settled cities like Raleigh and Durham. I absolutely LOVE the location of Lawrence Barbecue, the seemingly middle-of-nowhere Boxyard. Someone stacked a bunch of shipping-container shops selling everything from barbecue to pizza and beer to ice cream and clothes and created a courtyard with shaded picnic tables where you can enjoy your haul. 

Lawrence Barbecue is the main mission, and with two kids and a dad in the car, it was a regular grab and go. 

My tray is a sampler of everything but the wings, which I now wish I hadn't missed. First, the special, the Hoodoo Brown Crispy Skin Pork Belly with a skin so loud you swear you bit right down into a bone. You feel that crack deep in your skull, and the river of fat-juice that flows from the belly layers beneath is just so savory. The contrasting textures and the technique required to get them should not be overlooked. Stack on potato bread and eat with all the pickles.

It's been so long since I've had ribs fall off the bone, I had started to think they were going out of style. But quality is always in fashion, and they know how to make pork ribs properly. Lovely smoke, sosoSO tender. I always pick brisket over ribs, but these might be my favorite thing here. 

That's no reason to skip the Brisket, though. The smoke is solid on these fall-apart slices, and that pile of pulled pork in the corner is also sure to please. 

You're here for the meat, but the sides are strong, and you'll need at least some Slaw to balance out the meaty-meat. Theirs makes a crunchy contrast, and the vinegar dressing keeps it light. Baked Beans are beefy and smoky, a thick and meaty mix with bits of brisket in between. Too heavy to stand aside but too delicious not to try. They also get creative with the Brussels, which are darkly charred, burnt and bitter but finish cheesy and sweet with a pickled hit at the end. 

It's been a long time since I've had BBQ this good, and I think the secret is in small-batch. A peek around the corner reveals only three smokers so they have to make every bite count. Best BBQ I've had this year, top 5 for life.

Dim Sum Asian Asian Bistro - Durham, NC

Eater Carolinas called this one of the essential Chinese restaurants in the Triangle, and I can see the potential here.

Little plates, small portions, the way dim sum should be, and most of it looks housemade which is grounds for mad props. Unfortunately, much of that potential remains untapped on this day. 

To start, the service is scant. It's a small space, but a single server struggles when they're fully seated so be sure to submit your entire order sheet soon.

To start, my always-favorite Shrimp Hargow are so pretty, and the filling is a nice dice. But there's no shrimp flavor left - it's all crowded out by the unbearable amount of salt.

similar issue with the Shrimp and Chive Dumpling - the salt is all you taste.

The Pork Dumplings are shumai, and the thin, chewy wrapper encases a super-savory filling, and this one is seasoned just right. 

Creamy Salt Egg Buns have that lovely fine-grain filling with a sweet finish and none of the unpleasant sulfur that often comes with egg yolk. Ironically, this is one of the least salty things they make. 

Stuffed Bean Curd Skin contains mostly veggies and maybe a little pork. It's not for everyone, but I like their version well.

Beef Tripe is alright, definitely on the chewy side. 

Not much meat on those Pork Ribs but the flavor is alright.

Chinese Broccoli is perfectly steamed, but oy, do they drown it in oyster sauce.

They translate the Pan Fried Pork Buns to "sheng jian bao", but that's not what these are. They have no soup, and although the frying is nice, the filling is downright brackish. 

Com’on guys, the Stuffed Tofu with Shrimp is a joke. The tofu is stuffed with more tofu (because it's a solid cube of tofu!) and topped with a few pieces of diced shrimp, barely enough to be a garnish. Both components are quite good, but together, I don't know what they tried to do. 

Skip right over that Egg Pancake. It's an indecisive dish, just scallion pancake dipped in egg on what appears to be only one side, then pan-fried again. They also cover it with an extremely salty, slightly spicy sauce that should probably only be used in stir-fry. With it, the pancake tastes like nothing, without it, the pancake also tastes like nothing. 

Red Bean Sesame Balls are great, freshly fried, and I love the whole red beans that add texture to the filling. 

Love the Coconut Pudding. Cold, refreshing, gelatinous. Terrible plating - just stuck to a bowl, but I could eat at least three orders. 

I really wanted to love this place, but everything is just so salty. The fillings are inedible, the sauces smother, and it really sucks that a place that's only open 3 days a week doesn't make 25% of their menu on one of those days, especially since that includes rice noodles and egg tarts, which are dim sum classics. I can only hope we came on an off day because I would absolutely give this place a second chance. 

Backyard BBQ Pit - Durham, NC

Backyard BBQ Pit really does look like a pit, bless its heart. A random, freestanding building channels a traditional south-of-the-border pit-stop like Waffle House, but sit down to some styrofoam-container barbecue and you won't be getting up anytime soon.

A straightforward-sounding Barbecue Plate is the way to go. Their pulled pork shoulder has enough flavor to stand alone, but NC vinegar makes it pop. You can taste the coal-pit cooking, and not a single shred is dry. Add Stewed White Potato as a side for a soupy alternative to mashed, and I have to say I'm impressed. They season it well, and it's pretty rare to be blown away by a pile of potatoes.

The Mac n' Cheese is all-American comfort, but really, I could come here just to eat Hush Puppies. These little cornbread balls are more southern than a Remington rifle, and they surprise you with how light they are, with a righteous hint of sweetness.

They do one hell of a Fried Catfish. Made to order, best batter I've ever had, right out of the fryer. Catfish isn't forgiving. It drowns in too much batter, it falls apart if you blacken it too hard and if it's not just the right amount of fresh, it tastes like Mississippi mud. This catfish tastes like it came straight from the fishing hole.

I imagine that exceptional side of Cabbage and the sweet, slushy stew of Candied Sweet Potato are derived from the same white-potato genius because both are definitely standouts. The best part is they all count as vegetables because that's what we call sides in the south. I'll be eating a lot more vegetables here.

They only have one dessert, and it's hard to imagine inhaling a piece of Chess Pie after giant cups of proper sweet tea, but it's harder to imagine missing out. The crispy crust has a moist interior, the custard is solid but pudding-soft, and it gets a little chewy in the most amazing sugary way. We usually get one to share, but this one is so good we each had our own.

This is stuff that feeds every country song and every southern-lovin' person ever lived. Food like this inspires. It's the stuff we sing about while picking banjos and strumming guitars. It's the stuff we burn off while riding horses and dancing in a line. It creates, it cultivates, and it solidifies an identity, an awesome existence; southern by the grace of god.

The Mad Hatter's - Durham, NC

It hasn't changed a bit. Pretty, airy, casual cafe that cuts some spectacular cakes. Conveniently located next to the best university in the world, housing the only team worth rooting for.

Doubtless that Duke's gothic-inspired chapel is architecture for the ages, this campus never loses its undeniable charm.

Do four unforgettable years at Duke, and you can have your cake and eat it too. The Mad Hatter's sits a mild walk from my former freshman dorm on east campus, and their signature Black & White Cake is always quite a slice. Rich vanilla cream frosts a snowy layer with a chocolate ganache overlay. The cake inside alternates most black and white as well, with a crucial stripe of chocolate cream.

The Strawberry Shortcake is a lighter, more approachable level of luxury, with fluffy sponge-cake soaking up summer strawberries and cream.

Maybe I'm just here for a slice of cake and a cup of nostalgia. Either way, they make a nice cup of coffee, and their pastries are legit. I've never understood the Alice in Wonderland obsession, but I sure am mad about The Mad Hatter's. 

The Parlour - Durham, NC

I'm always freezing while other people sweat. In my messed-up mind, 75 is comfortable, 70 is borderline, and 68 is an arctic chill. You'd think that the last thing I'd want to do is walk a few freezing blocks to have ice cream at The Parlour, but on a brisk November afternoon, I just had to give it try.

If I'm going to risk turning into a giant pillar of ice a la Anna from Frozen (spoiler alert!), my ice cream better be a creamy, caloric nightmare. The Vegan Devil's Food, a dense, somewhat bittersweet bite of flourless cake in liquid form did the trick. 

The Salted Butter Caramel was pure sugar in several different strains, a buttery vanilla based laced with gooey strands of caramel. 

When it comes to ice cream, I like the caramel classics best, but I dig this crazy-creative Coconut Curry with Candied Cashew. The sweet, crunchy cashews caress a smooth coconut curry like a sweetened version of Massaman for a taste Thai on the tongue.

I was visibly shivering in The Parlour despite the central heating, and I was freezing my gluttonous gluts off for the entire walk back to my car. But nothing was going to get between me and my homemade ice cream that day, come hell or high wind chill, and I think my parlay with The Parlour was worth freezing for.

Classic Rue Cler - Durham, NC

I love southern food, but after 5 straight days of Bojangles, I might have needed a break. After last year's mind-blowing dinner at Saint-Jacques, I figured I couldn't go wrong with a brunch a la French.

I love my southern buttermilk biscuits, but I'm never above begging for Beignets. These lightly-fried, sugar-sprinkled delights didn't disappoint.

The theme here is frite, and the Moules Frites were well-frite in a fine white winewith a side of crispy pommes.

Rue Cler knows how to frite, but they don't bake nearly as well. I was in no way gratinee for ordering the Soupe a L'oignon Gratinee. The baguette had barely soaked, the beef consomme was barely there, and the gruyere hadn't been broiled. 

La soupe was la fail-beyond-repair, but redemption came in the form of the Oeufs Rue Cler. The poached egg yolks flow over the salty ham and soft asparagus to soften the toast, and add a savory note to the sweeter Bearnaise.

I de-duck-ed that I couldn't go wrong with the Duck Confit Crepe, and there was definitely no ducking the flavor-explosion of fatty duck encased in a textbook crepe.

After those oof-free oeufs and a delectable duck, I wasn't about to drown a lovely brunch experience in one unfortunate crock. Next time I want a break from my biscuits, I'll be clinking mimosas at Rue Cler.