Exploring North Carolina with KathieyV

I was in Raleigh at the State Farmers Market for Watermelon Day, and it was lunchtime.  Not knowing where to eat I asked some of the nice people I encountered what they would suggest.  I was told there were a couple of good lunch choices on the property.  They mentioned the  NC Seafood Restaurant  and  The State Farmers Market Restaurant .  All agreed they were both fantastic. I decided to try the State Farmers Market Restaurant. Click here to see their menu.      Here is the kids menu. "The  State Farmer’s Market Restaurant   was originally opened by Jackie Watkins at the original location in Raleigh, then moved to its current location in 1991. In 2002, Gypsy Gilliam and her son Tony (known for their other restaurant in Cary NC..Gypsy’s Shiny Diner) purchased the State Farmers Market Restaurant from the family of the late Jackie Watkins. The “Market,” as it is affectionately called by the many hungry custo...

ZenFish Poke Bar 9924 Chapel Hill Road Morrisville, NC  27560 Their Moto is "Guilt-Free, Healthy, Fast-Casual Dining" ZenFish "And when we say  good , we mean our ingredients are sourced from local farmers  as much as possible and everything we use is compostable -  so you can feel great about what you're eating."  ZenFish First off what is a poke bowl?  It would be a good thing to get the pronunciation right.  It looked like poke, so that is what I said: "Poke."  The correct way to say the word is "POH-keh." I looked up the  definition and here is what Wikipedia had to say... Poke  (Hawaiian for "to section" or "to slice or cut") is a raw fish salad served as an appetizer in Hawaiian cuisine, and sometimes as a main course. ... Increasingly popular ahi  poke  is generally made with yellowfin tuna." At ZenFish they do have raw protein options and they have many cooked options as well....

On this particular day, I have walked up and down the lovely streets of historic New Bern.  I have photographed churches, Victorian-style homes, and the occasional New Bern Bear.  After all that walking in the hot sun the big question is where I should go to enjoy a nice lunch and cold glass of wine?  I wanted to be on the water, and I had heard the food was good at Persimmons Waterfront Restaurant, so I decided to give it a try. Here is a quote from their website, "Opened in August of 2010, Persimmons is a locally-owned waterfront restaurant located on the shores of the Neuse River in New Bern, NC. We feature an elegant yet casual atmosphere and three distinct dining venues: our downstairs great room, our private upstairs dining room, and our picturesque outdoor waterfront dining area. Persimmons focuses on modern cuisine made from locally-sourced ingredients by our award-winning chef and hosting a variety of special events with waterfront dining, fresh food...

It was Pi (3.14) day March 14, 2018.  Erica called and said, "Mom it is Pi day," and of course I thought she meant pie day, "let's go get some pie."  I said, "sure let's go!"  Of course, she made fun of me when I told her I thought it was pie, not pi.  In my defense, there is a National Pie Day which was Jan. 23rd I just had the wrong date:-) Where should we go to get a slice of pie?  We decided to check out The Pie Hole in Durham.   The Pie Hole  in Durham NC. The Pie Hole was established in 2011 in California and came to Durham 2017. Here is a quote from their website.... "We bake from scratch, by hand, using only the highest quality ingredients. Our pie is served by the slice, individual sized savory pies, whole pies to order, and a signature, specialty coffee program." "Our menu changes seasonally and is subject to change daily." The Pie Hole We decided to go all out and try a savory and a sweet pie. ...

One place that has become a regular stop for me on my Blowing Rock Adventures is Woodlands Bar-B-Que.  Rustic atmosphere, great barbecue and, every time I have been there, live music. Here is a quote from their site. "Our  Restaurant’s Menu  features barbecue beef, pork,  chicken and ribs plus home style Mexican food.  Family oriented with a rustic atmosphere." Woodlands " Serving North Carolina Barbeque in Blowing Rock NC since 1977." Woodlands It was my first experience tasting their chicken BBQ.  It was great. One of my daughter's favorite desserts at Woodlands is the Blackberry Cobbler. It is such a popular dessert that they ran out the night we were there.  No worries because we will be back:-) If you find yourself in Blowing Rock NC I suggest you check out Woodlands BBQ.   Happy Travels! KathieyV