I tried this vegetarian Indian franchise today at lunch. It is across the street from the mall on Sand Lake on the I4 side. The menu had bad values. Vegetarian. Bare bones staff. Plus it took forever and the dish tasted bad. I had vegetarian Manchow Soup for $6. It has the mouth feel of sweet and sour soup. Bland. Dank looking. The only real flavor is a bit of hot pepper with the aftertaste of old coins. The place is five years old. Only Indians there. Gray tones with some yellow. Booths. Owner, one cook and a janitor were the only staff. So bad for a pity fuck on top of it. You can avoid. Let me state that this strip mall and OBT is a nightmare traffic wise. I'd avoid all the places I am about to list. Also there, on different corners of the intersection are: Picanha's ($20 AYCE Brazilian - not in the mood), La Verguenza (shabby looking PR place that took too long and cost too much), Sky Blossom Pho (pm only), Mammazitta (pm only), Viet Thai (I think I've been there) and Gozamba (pm). Turell's is closed on M and Tu. I was going to bundle a few of these, but, it just became too annoying. Especially after the Honest delay. Didn't find anything new on OBT towards I4.
*Travel Notes - North Carolina and South Carolina: I drove my own car because the imbeciles at Hertz ran out of cars. Thankfully, they called me ahead of time to let me know. HELL NO. NO WARNING. NO APOLOGY. I slept the first night in Wilson NC at a Microtel (Expedia 7.8) for $96. Tried the chopped pork (equal to any bbq joint) and onion rings at Cook Out. It is unbelievable that 95 through NC is in perpetual construction (my entire lifetime). South Carolina is no joy either. Assholes (mostly trucks) pull into the fast lane (and don't pass) on these pathetic two lane affair far too often. I should say here that the trip was meant to be a minor league baseball focused time waster either through the Gulf or the mountains of NC. The prospect of heat (in those areas) and high hotel prices scuttled that. Then unexpected, intense heat scuttled a central NC plan too.
The next day I drove a half hour to Zebulon NC to see the Carolina Mudcats. $15 top Sunday price plus $7 for parking. Did that. Learned it was pointless because they are moving to Wilson next year. Had a flight and chicken biscuit at Norse Brewing Longhouse. Drove to Durham NC. You can basically take 64 on and follow the signs for Durham. Stayed at the Springhill Suites (Expedia 9.2) for $126 plus $15 for parking. One block walk to Athletic Park (not the one in the movie) to see the Durham Bulls for $26 for behind home plate. Both stadiums gave a printed ticket. Had bbq nachos and free hot dog at the stadium. Durham has changed ALOT in the twelve years since I had been there.
The next day I drove to Raleigh. Had a forgettable chopped pork sandwich with potato salad and slaw and hush puppies and biscuit for $13 at The Pit Authentic Barbecue (MvF). The founder sold it to Harris Teeter. I was going to try a chicken place nearby as well, but, every square inch of road is metered. Drove around Capitol and back down 401 to 64 to 264 through Wilson and Greenville to 33N to 64 to Nags Head NC. I decided to come here because hotels were cheap and it was the only area in NC below 100+ degrees. I stayed at the Seahorse Inn (Booking 7.3) for two nights at $115 a night. It was right off where 64 enters the area at Jennette's Pier. Across the street from the beach. Went for a swim. Clear water. Many jellyfish. But, they seemed to have no sting. Drove north a bit. Got some beer and snacks. Watched DC Open.
The next day I went for a swim and then lunch in Manteo at Ortega'z (3D). Bad tuna tacos. Saw Roanoke Marshes Lighthouse. Drove 64S to the Bodie Island Light Station at Cape Hatteras National Seashore (free). Got some wine and great Heron Shoal and Cape Hatteras oysters (and steamed green tail shrimp) at Whalebone Seafood. I'll state here that the state of fresh seafood at every resort town is a joke. Most places have next to nothing that is LOCAL. One place here tried to sell me shrimp that they said was frozen from December. Aside from Whalebone, every local market I went to was a joke. You might as well buy from the supermarket. They were cheaper. In the next town I will write about, they told me it is too hot this time of year for anything local. Their shrimpers had to go to NC. Oyster farmers won't supply them. Took pics at the pier. Watched Billy Joel HBO documentary.
The next day I drove 64 to 94 to 264 to 17 to avoid 95. Still takes too long to get through Wilmington and Myrtle Beach. Tried the BLT, Chicken Q and Chicken Wrap at Cook Out in Surfside SC. Got into Charleston early enough to get fried oysters to go at The Wreck (MvF). Surprise, they use gulf oysters not local ones. Cute, ramshackle location near the creek though. Slept at the Comfort Inn at Patriot's Point (Expedia 8.8) in Mt Pleasant for $114 a night for two nights. Great location. Walked to the Golf Links and College of Charleston soccer and baseball fields. Found a trail that hugged the river. Watched the sunset at the river below the Ravenal Bridge. Hotels were way cheaper than I expected for this time of year. Watched Toronto Open.
The next day I drove to downtown Charleston and had an overpriced ($60) swordfish (from NC) and broccoli rabe lunch at Chez Nous. It was on a list of favorite's by Callie on that show How She Rolls. Drove up King St to Graft and bought a bottle of overpriced wine. Also on that show. Her brother owns it. Over a bit to Taco Boy for uninspired chicken taquitos. Chilled a bit and did some late day swimming at a beach on the river with free parking on Sullivan's Island. Parking is a problem on most of the other areas there. Stopped at Poe's Tavern for a poor shrimp salad sandwich with fries to go. Stopped near the creek at Kickin' Chicken for ok nuggets and tots to go. Watched the rest of the Billy Joel doc.
The next day I drove home. Traffic jams just south of Jacksonville and in Daytona Beach. At noon! Spent $153 on gas. $679 on hotels. $375 on the rest. $1207 total. Two new stadiums. Two new oysters. Ten new restaurants. Five new breweries/beers. One new cider. Three new wineries/wine. Wish I had known the Greensboro Open was that week. Minors are a pain because they don't play on Monday. I couldn't justify wasting a day in Winston Salem during a heat wave for instance. Distance to Hatteras from 95 is a real pain. It's kind of low class on top of it. Only went to justify all those miles I had already put on my car. I left on Saturday and returned on Friday. I think Friday had less traffic!
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