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.

LA Farm - Cary, NC

A bakery inside a Whole Foods, sold out of half their stuff by 11 AM on a weekday. Even if I didn't think they were good, plenty of others do. 

I do think they're good, though, lots of good baked goods. Chocolate croissants are a staple, the cinnamon roll is big and fluffy, with icing on the side so it doesn't get soggy. Strawberry bread is summery-sweet, and I love that densely-moist texture. And then there's Le Crookie, this crazy croissant draped with a layer of cookie dough. The crusty, doughy cookie contrasts the fluffy, chewy croissant, and say what you want, but it's undeniably delicious and fun. It's so good someone cut into one before I could even take a photo. 

Still a lovely bakery, great place to grab some baked goods before heading to a friend's house or to sit for a cuppa and a treat. 

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. 

Kings BBQ - Kinston, NC

The battle of the bbq remains fiery. Carolina vs Texas, whole hog vs smoke. 

Well, if Kings BBQ is representative, my home state is getting smoked by Snow's. The Ribs are a bigger disappointment than Duke going down to UNC in the final four this year. Super tough, stuck to the bone, barely and flavor. 

It's a little better if you douse it in sauce - theirs is an iteration of NC vinegar, a liquid full of acid with a dash of barbecue sweet. Makes the pork pop and makes the fat easier to eat.  

BBQ Pork was a winner, what they're known for, and clearly so. Moist, tender juicy, good savory flavor, perfect on a sandwich stacked with slaw or as-is with a dash of vinegar. 

Hubby loved the Slaw. Finely chopped cabbage so it's more like a firm puree, a creamy salad dressing with a dash of vinegar sits better than most mayo. 

Potato Salad is nice, evenly coated, cold, and sweet.

Hush Puppies were a cheap and easy add-on, and they're pretty alright. Lighter-fried cornmeal cooks with a little crunch, a pleasant, textured side-starch.

Brunswick Stew is a special item, meaty and hearty, with veggies in the mix. Loving the lima bean, hating the overpowering pea, at peace with the sweet corn. 

Well-priced, easy shipping, but overall, my home state shames us with those very regrettable ribs.