Jason Austin's Blog Life and times of a PHP Developer in Raleigh, NC

Raleigh Restaurant Challenge 2010

One of my goals for the year was to get out and about in Raleigh a little more.  One of the best ways to do this is to eat at new restaurants, so I went looking for the top restaurants in Raleigh.  OpenTable.com puts together a great list, so here are the "Best Overall" restaurants in Raleigh according to them:

• Saint Jacques French Cuisine
• Bella Monica
• Red Room
• Second Empire Restaurant and Tavern
• 18 Seaboard
• 42nd Street Oyster Bar
• Vivace
• the Pit
• Glenwood Grill
• Ruth's Chris Steak House

Of those, I have been to the Pit and 42nd Street Oyster Bar.  Erin's hasn't been to 42nd St. but they have had some sanitary issues lately, so it is coming off the list.  We both LOVE the Pit, but this challenge is about exploring new places, so it has to come off the official list (doesn't mean we won't go get some of Ed's famous ribs though).  In the place of both of those, I am adding Poole's Downtown Diner and the Angus Barn, both recommended to me by lots of people.

So our challenge is this.  By 2011, we will eat at all 10 of these restaurants, and of course report back here.  I kinda wish some of them were a little cheaper, but it will be nice for Erin and I to have a nice night out every once-in-a-while.

What Raleigh staple am I missing?  Anybody care to join us on our quest?  Anywhere I can get coupons so I don't spend a fortune on dinner?