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News & Observer restaurant critic Greg Cox dishes out the latest on the local dining scene. Pull up a chair and chew the fat with Greg about everything from the hottest new spot on Glenwood South to that great little out of the way taqueria you discovered in Durham. Email Greg at ggcox@bellsouth.net.
Independence Day party today at The Pit
Submitted by gregcox on 07/04/2008 - 06:37
Looking to celebrate Independence Day with a little freedom of your own? Then free yourself from the cooking chores and let nationally acclaimed barbecue pit master Ed Mitchell do the work for you. Mitchell recently scored a PR double, following up a feature spread in the July issue of Bon Appétit magazine with an appearance on the MSNBC Today Show, where his North Carolina style pork barbecue was unanimously preferred by tasters over the South Carolina style competition.
The Pit (www.thepit-raleigh.com), Mitchell's restaurant in downtown Raleigh's Warehouse district, is celebrating the Fourth of July by hosting a Blues, Brews & 'Cue bash today. The restaurant will remain open between lunch and dinner, and the fun will spill out onto the street, where barbecue stations will be set up to handle the crowd.Â
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Greg Cox
Greg Cox is the restaurant critic for The News & Observer. He was born in El Paso, Texas, and grew up in North Carolina on a diet of Southern fried chicken (the real thing, cooked up in a big, black cast iron skillet), fried okra, sweet sliced summer tomatoes and the best biscuits on the planet. He has cooked, catered, waited tables and dined in Europe, Canada, Mexico and much of the U.S. (especially the South, Southwest and Midwest).
Though not a graduate of a professional culinary institute, he has been a passionate student of the world’s cuisines for more than three decades. He learned to make a soufflé from Michel Pasquet, erstwhile owner of a Michelin two-star restaurant in Paris. He explored Moroccan cuisine with Paula Wolfert, long before couscous was cool. Jean Yueh, author of "The Great Tastes of Chinese Cooking," taught him a few chop sticks tricks. Biscuits, of course, he learned from his mom.
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Comments
The ribs were fabulous, overall it was just ok
Sat, 07/19/2008 - 10:31 — Beth (not verified)i took an out of town client to The Pit last month and the ribs were fabulous. we all agreed at the table. however, the amoutn you get, ribs, bbq and sides, were such small portions, we had to flag down the waiter repeatedly to get more. i know they're just trying to avoid wasted food, but we paid for family style and we expected them to keep it coming. the sides portions were so small for the four of us it was laughable. i ordered jello, a novelty that you can't get anywhere anymore, and it came warm and runny. the waiter said he would bring more and never did. i couldn't believe anyone would spoon that stuff out and serve it. hence, the 88 rating i guess. at $27 per person for family style, surely they can still make a little money with bigger portions. it felt like that they just didn't want to share.
The Pit sanitation grade
Sun, 07/13/2008 - 11:15 — Anonymous (not verified)Within the past month (or two), the Pit received a B sanitation grade of 88. Shouldn't an "upscale" restaurant get at least a low A?
Lunch Places on Saturday in North Raleigh
Fri, 07/04/2008 - 07:16 — Douglas Pearce (not verified)Their is a great hidden gem of a New York Deli located in Downtown Wake Forest at 238 South White Street. Over The Falls Deli has been opened for eight years and has the best salads and sandwich's in the entire area. Everything is from fresh daily and they make thier own potato chips each day. It has a great atmosphere and the food is simply put outstanding. Take a small trip and enjoy the best deli in Raleigh area and they make a great pizza also.