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| Local restaurants serve good
time, good food |
Leslie Rasimas
Staff Writer
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After three
years of wining and dining in the High Country, I have concluded
that there are few good places to eat here.
I do not mean every joint in town is terrible; I just cannot
afford to waste money on any more meals that must be followed
with Mylanta or Tums for dessert.
Some places are great if you do not mind rude service, greasy
food and 60-year-old smokers breathing down your neck while
you play a game of pool, but I prefer bartenders who don’t
give me dirty looks when I ask for a clean glass.
I see dirty kitchens and dirtier tables in some restaurants
that would make Martha Stuart scream. These places must be
tipped off as to when the inspection crew will be stopping
by for the annual test. I refuse to believe the 98.0 ratings
hanging on the wall are accurate.
I have sat in bars and watched roaches scurry under the feet
of paying customers. A good friend of mine once found a pubic
hair in a calzone and I won’t even mention what I have
heard about local joints from former employees.
The dinner buffets at some local ethnic restaurants are affordable
and have many goodies to choose from, but the feeling of satisfaction
after leaving is not a reason to eat out.
Some chains have funky names and the atmosphere appears welcoming,
but the service and prices can be very disappointing. The
servers do not feel the need to be polite to customers, the
cashiers take their sweet time ringing up a drink and some
cooks in Boone should really learn the definition of flavor.
Black Cat Burrito gives a lot of food for a decent price,
but some of their specialties I do not find too special or
too tasty.
At one point in time I was a fan of King Street Cafe, but
their wraps all taste the same to me now.
Some “restaurants” in Boone may not even have menus
because these places cater to the drunken frat boy or the
lightweight sorority girl. It is a shock they are still open
considering Boone’s alcohol sale laws.
I cook most of my meals when I can afford groceries. I have
an extensive cookbook collection thanks to my mother and I
actually enjoy spending time in the kitchen now.
Your best chance for a good meal in Boone is to cook it yourself,
but if you lack proper utensils and space, the following are
safe and sanitary.
Angelica’s Restaurant and Juice Bar serves up some great
dishes that will fill you up for a good four to six hours.
Try the sangria and one of their many specials.
Coyote Kitchen is my new favorite place in the area. Their
chicken sandwich puts all others to shame. I eat in or carry
out from there at least once a week.
For those that enjoy breakfast all day long, Boone Bagelry
cooks it right. They have any kind of omelet imaginable and
an extensive lunch menu.
Hokkaido Japanese Steakhouse is great if you love shrimp sauce.
They also dish out a lot of food for a reasonable price.
If you have some money to spend and love Italian, Casa Rustica
will blow your mind and not your bowels.
These are my local favorites, but if I feel like a short drive,
Blowing Rock is my destination.
Woodlands Barbeque and Pickin’ Parlor has the best chopped-chicken
sandwich in the mountains. After a large helping of hush puppies,
I indulge in one of their many fruit cobblers with a scoop
of vanilla ice cream for dessert.
Storie Street Grille, set at the corner of Main Street and
Storie Street, has amazingly large and delicious salads. The
atmosphere is cozy and the wait staff is exceptionally sweet.
Six Pence Pub is a fantastic place to hang out and have a
beer, if you can afford it.
The place is definitely pricey but has the best French fries
I have ever eaten—anywhere! |
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