Fee Fi Pho: Lime and Basil in Chapel Hill

When you work at home every day, you sometimes forget that the outside world exists. Especially in the winter, it's easier to stay snug in your warm cocoon rather than venture out. It's easy to lose track of time as well. So at least once a week, I like to go out to lunch. And in a new area, there are lots of spots to explore.

My neighbor celebrated a birthday recently so I invited her to lunch. After mulling over our choices, we decided to try somewhere new to both of us, Lime and Basil, on West Franklin in downtown Chapel Hill. In California, my officemates and I used to go to Pho Nam every week to satisfy our craving for that fortifying bowl of Vietnamese soupy goodness. Lime and Basil serves pho (pronounced "fuh") as well as plate lunches.

It was cold that day, so I went with the pho. Whatever ails you, pho will help. Basically, it's a bowl of rich, flavorful broth to which you can add your choice of a variety of meats including eye of round, brisket, flank steak and Vietnamese meatballs. I chose the eye of round and the meatballs. The steaming bowl of broth, meat and rice noodles arrives at your table accompanied by a plate of crunchy beans sprouts, basil and jalapenos for garnish. There are also a variety of sauces, one similar to hoisin, Sriracha and chile garlic to season the pho to your liking. Everything tasted very fresh and the meat was high-quality.

In my experience, there is no elegant way to consume pho. Just let yourself go and slurp your way to sheer delight. Just watch your clothes. I have been known to go with the old-man look of the napkin tucked into my shirt to avoid the inevitable splashes.

If you're not feeling like pho, Lime and Basil also offers grilled lemongrass pork, chicken and shrimp lunch plates served with rice or noodles. My neighbor tried the pork and pronounced it very good. For an economical, tasty lunch, I recommend Lime and Basil.

The Details

Lime and Basil

200 West Franklin St.

Chapel Hill, NC 27516

919.967.5055

Note: It's a fairly small spot so you might want to get a table before noon.

Neal's Deli: The Fine Art of Sandwich Making

A couple of years ago, the Chapel Hill-Durham area was named America's Foodiest Small Town. One of the establishments highlighted was Neal's Deli in Carrboro, NC. I am sometimes suspicious of "Best Of" lists because they often are based on many criteria other than food quality or feature establishments resting on old reputations. But, ever the optimist, we ventured into downtown Carrboro to give it a try.

Neal's Deli a small storefront with a narrow wooden porch that has a slim counter for dining. Inside there are a few high tables with stools. I usually go early so it's not too crowded and have always found a seat. I think many people do take-out here. The menu is small and focused which I take as a good sign, especially since they make almost everything in-house. There are usually a couple of sandwich specials and a soup of the day featured. For the computer-addicted, you can subscribe to the deli's RSS feed and be notified daily. While I know some people find menu references to a food's provenance tiresome, I like knowing that the zucchini on my sandwich came from Brinkley Farms, even if I don't know where that is.

On my first visit, I chose the grilled zucchini sandwich featuring squash from the aforementioned Brinkley Farms and creamy goat cheese. It came on a Guglhupf Bretzel roll which is just what it sounds like, a roll with a crisp, pretzelly (yes I coined that word) outside and a soft, tender interior. Guglhupf, a bakery in Durham, is worthy of a discussion of its own for their out-of-this-world baked goods, but suffice it to say that the Bretzel is the perfect platform for this sandwich. Every ingredient maintained its individual character and yet melded magically with the others. The tomato was red and juicy, the lettuce crisp and the pickle on the side homemade. I rounded out the meal with a bag of Zapp's Creole Tomato potato chips which were crunchy, spicy bursts of joy in my mouth. I could not stop eating them way after I was full. On that visit, Georges had the Italian sub special which included a bag of chips and a drink for $7. The meat was fresh and authentic and the roll the perfect texture for the sandwich. We were happy customers.

On another bright fall day, we decided to go back and sample something new. I had been singing the praises of Neal's to my few acquaintances in town (we had only lived here about two months) and I wanted to see if lightning could strike twice. This time I tried the Veggie ($7), a pressed sandwich layered with pureed cannelini beans, roasted carrots, wilted spinach and pickled red onions. Personally, I would never have put those ingredients together except in a soup, but the depth of flavor and texture was fantastic. The smooth beans, the bite of the carrots, the acid of the onions, just worked well together. And it was pressed in a panini grill and served warm and toasty.

I left the Zapp's on the counter this trip and tried the delicata squash soup ($3.50 per cup). I love squash soups, but am often too lazy to roast and puree the squash myself. It's true. So, when I see it on a menu, I gravitate towards it. I was not disappointed by Neal's version. It managed to be rich with flavor, but light at the same time. Delicious.

Georges went out on a limb and ordered the tuna sandwich, something he rarely eats. Neal's version combines albacore tuna with capers, anchovies, onions, roasted peppers, lettuce, tomato, oil and vinegar on a sub roll for a decidedly Mediterranean slant. Nary a drop of mayo or pickle relish in sight. He pronounced it "Excellent" and I'll take his word for it since I didn't act fast enough to score a bite.

As you can tell, I love this place. I'll close with one final note: homemade pastrami and corned beef. If you've never had these tasty treats, get yourself over to Neal's. The Manhattan features the pastrami, with house-made slaw and Russian dressing on that Guglhupf rye. The Reuben has the corned beef, with sauerkraut, Swiss and Russian dressing on the same rye. Seriously good eating.

Neal's also serves breakfast, but I never seem to be in Carrboro in the morning. Take a look at the menu to learn more. I'm sure that they take the same care with their biscuits and breakfast fare as they do with the midday meal.

The Details

Neal's Deli

100 E. Main St.

Carrboro, NC

Raise Your Glass to Toast

I had been hearing good things about Toast from various sources including my favorite, Chowhound. Originally, I planned on Watts Grocery for lunch. However, they're not open on Mondays. So, lucky us, we decided to try Toast in Five Points, downtown Durham. Having driven by a few times, we were impressed by the crowds assembled outside, and I thought this self-described paninoteca must be doing something right.

The glass storefront displayed happy diners digging into their lunches. The spot is spare, but warm, with bright walls and silver cafe tables. You order at the small counter, receive a number and find a table.

It was a rainy, dreary day, so I immediately looked to the soup of the day to warm my bones. I was excited to see a creamy cauliflower soup on the menu. After perusing the list of panini (hot grilled sandwich on rustic Italian bread), tramezzini (crustless cold sandwiches on white pullman bread) and bruschettas (hearty grilled bread served with a selection of toppings), I selected the Tuscan kale, ricotta salata and hot pepper combo. Georges ordered the prosciutto, mozzarella and tomato with the soup as well. Since it was a holiday, we also tried the verdicchio, a dry white Italian wine. In addition to wine and beer, Toast offers a variety of specialty sodas.

While paying, I spotted a tasty looking salad concoction with beets and oranges that turned out to be a bruschetta. The delightful counterperson (whom I suspect was an owner) offered to change my order, but I was craving greens and stuck with my selections.

A few sips of wine later, our order was delivered to our table. We both dipped into the soup first. It was creamy and flavorful, rich without thickeners and tons of cream, just the essence of the cauliflower, a drizzle of good olive oil and a smattering of hazelnuts and capers for texture and salt.

I loved my panino—the earthy goodness of the kale, the salty ricotta salata and the spicy bite of hot peppers were the perfect combination for me. Georges enjoyed his as well. Hard to go wrong with a classic combo like prosciutto and mozzarella.

I loved Toast and can't wait to go back to try that beet and orange bruschetta, and other panini like the Italian sausage, broccoli rabe and roasted garlic, and spicy tuna, olivada, fennel and lemon. Or maybe, a tramezzini of cured salmon, watercress, pickled red onion and lemon aioli. The possibilities are seemingly endless.

Details:

Toast

345 W. Main Street

Durham, NC 27701

919.683.2183

Coastal Shifts

First, I must apologize for the nearly year-long lapse in writing. In August, we relocated from Palo Alto, CA to Chapel Hill, NC. The change brings a whole new food culture to explore. And beyond the southern staples of fried chicken and BBQ (with vinegar sauce!), you'll find a community as dedicated to the locavore movement as any in California. Many young chefs have returned to their hometowns with the skills and techniques they learned in the kitchens around the world. So while we still search for Mexican food on par with California, we are enjoying the discovery of new favorites, including fresh North Carolina flounder as tender, flaky and delicious; a German-style bakery with melt-in-your-mouth pastries; a local deli that makes its own corned beef and pastrami; and a dairy farm with fresh-churned ice cream that takes you back to another time.

And, I'm still traveling often to California so there will be updates from there as well. Stay tuned. Dawnville is back.