Tyler's Taproom

Tyler's Restaurant & Taproom (102 Main St, Carrboro), the Carrboro branch, is a very popular destination. Between Tyler's Bottle Shop, Tyler's Restaurant and Taproom, and the Speakeasy, Tyler's has a near monopoly on the south-east corner of Main and Greensboro. The interior looks very much like you would expect from a higher end casual dining taproom and restaurant, but definitely outshines any preconceived notions of 'bar food' you may have. We had been reluctant to venture in, our palattes don't normally swing towards towards anything with more than one location, but we're both glad we got the urge one Sunday morning! Actually, a co-worker of mine had also mentioned they do a pretty banging brunch on Sundays, complete with soccer on the TVs, so we had another reason to investigate.

Your intrepid gastronomists must have seemed a little desperate when we walked in two minutes after opening (due to church scheduling). But it was nice to get the full attention of the waitstaff. The brunch menu (see below) is pretty pork heavy, which limited our choices somewhat but the other available options were more than satisfying.

We ended up with the Decadent French Toast (truly decadent) and the smile of contentment creating Corned Beef Hash. The fresh whipped cream on the french toast was too good for even N. (who is usually adverse to anything with whipped cream on it) to resist. The pecans were also a delightful touch. The corned beef hash was probably one of the best I've had in all my gastronomic adventures. We can definitely see why this place is always bustling when we pass!

We'll definitely be back for brunch again soon. Who am I kidding? We'll be back this coming Sunday!

Neal's Deli

Neal's Deli (100 E Main St. Carrboro) is a New York style deli in the heart of Carrboro. Clean, modern decoration inside, though not a whole lot of extra seating. I especially like their small collection of herbs growing in spaces around the picnic table. It seems to be a pretty popular spot, judging by the crowds of people that are usually out front. It's also on my walk to work every day and is a big temptation in the morning- especially since they put the sign to the right out front....

We've been stopping by to sample their lunchtime offerings for a while, but the breakfast biscuits are, well, addictive. Made from scratch, with an egg, and delightfully melty Cabot cheddar- the best way to start a Saturday (though the Pastrami Biscuit and simple biscuit with jam also deserve more than honorable mentions). The biscuits are nice and lightly crispy on the outside, rich and moist in the middle, sorry, I think I'm drooling as I write this....

If you're there for a lunchtime meal, the sandwiches are great, well, at least the non-pork ones (since we don't eat pork, I'll have to let you be the judge on those). The sides are always great, and the pickles are almost as saliva inducing as the thought of a warm biscuit.... Though my only qualm was with the mustard on my sandwich, which was a little strong for my tastes, but definitely not a disqualifier.

Basically- go to Neal's Deli in the morning, relax outside with a biscuit and coffee while you watch traffic amble by, you won't regret it! As evidence of their deliciousness, see below.

Sushi Love

Sushi Love (2812 Erwin Rd. Durham), another pan-Asian place in Durham, has been tantalizing me from the bus window on my way between work and home for a while now and N. and I finally got to give it a try. Classy decor, dark ambiance, and very friendly waitstaff. It's definitely a little pricier than our Chapel Hill favorite (Kurama Sushi and Noodle Express), but still nice. It's probably a little better if you're trying to impress with some fancy sushi (their sushi boats look pretty appetizing....). We decided to sample our way across (part of) the continent and in addition to the sushi tried the chicken satay, pho (pho-king fantastic!), and fried green tea ice cream.


I'd say definitely give it a shot, but be careful, it's easy to run up a big tab.....