Sorry for not recognizing dry sarcasm; seemed the whole reply you posted did not have added value to this thread. Not full of anything here. This was just a simple thread. Just don't talk about my elusive past exploits as much as you do.
Actually, the last paragraph did.
It's an expensive restaurant that people go well out of their way to visit, as a result of the show. They'll walk out $150 lighter, unsatisfied, and looking forward to a long night on a porcelain cruise. If someone has seen the show, and is within 50 miles, they'll usually pop in.
I noted it's horrible. That's helpful.
You want me to come up with the obvious, here it goes:
1: B's Barbecue. It's nearby, and it's as good as people say it is, provided you appreciate Eastern NC barbecue at all. Some don't, but many have never tried the real deal.
It's actually got
flavor. The smoke all night (or longer, depending on what they're doing), open up in the morning, and shut the window then they're out. If that window is shut, you're not getting anything for any amount of money.
Visitors seem to think Parker's barbecue is worth a shit. It's not. It's a joke. That's where threads like this usually direct them.
B's is one of the last hold-outs of the old ways. You can spot the fakes quickly by the sanitation rating. If it's 100, they ain't doing it right. You can't get an A rating if you're running a proper smoke-house; and certainly not a 100.
Last I checked, Parker's was holding steady at 102, with more polished stainless in that kitchen than one of Gordon Ramsey's restaurants.
2: Another relatively nearby place is Bill's Hot Dogs. I personally hate them because they use those red rocket doggy-dick hot dogs, but I am indeed aware that others really dig the things. It's the chili that really drives it home for most people, and I've never heard a complaint, but it's just not my thing.
3: There used to be a place called The Warehouse nearby that was one of the best restaurants I've ever visited. They were another that held to the old ways of Southern cooking. Wimpies cleaned them out, which is another staple around here for some reason. Never been, personally.
4: I'd say the longest standing proper institutions around here are Harvey's Diner and K&W cafeteria, though; aside from B's. Harvey's is a good place to get yourself shot now, but it's still decent enough if you don't mind that sort of neighborhood. K&W, though... That place is a bit on the elderly side, but every single thing they have on that line is perfect, and it's fresh. If you ask for seafood and smell even the
slightest hint of fish, someone hasn't taken a shower...
As for my obsession with Boston Market, it's pretty simple. I happen to really like the food, but there aren't any nearby. So, whenever I get to a place that's got one, it's a treat.
...and it's not exactly a mystery why I'm so damned "mysterious" all the time. I can contribute at certain times, given my experience in (admittedly) rather specific areas, but I'm careful to keep the net and the real world separate. I'm not the best mechanic here, I don't drive as many trails as you guys, and plenty here have owned more Rovers than I have.
I do things differently, and that occasionally allows me to clear things up if people will can it long enough to listen.
I don't like the sharing and invasiveness most seem to enjoy; and some of my activities, while interesting or relevant from an off-pavement/overland perspective, and while they allow me uncommon insight, tend to straddle a few gray areas.
Sometimes I need to attempt to qualify my statements or advice, but I'm only willing to go so far. All this connectivity is going to bite people in the ass eventually, and I won't be one of those bitten; or at least not hard enough to draw blood.
You enjoy it all you want. I choose to participate within my own comfort level, and there ain't no damned law against
that. I'm generally more than happy to share additional details via telephone or in person. I just refuse to type them in a public (to a degree), searchable forum.
Just try weighing my points against your own observations and established practices, and do a bit of your own research as well, rather than worrying so much about how I came by the information.
Cheers,
Kennith