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November 16, 2006
durham restaurant scuttlebut
Word on my neighborhood listserv yesterday is that Jo and Joe's is closing this week so Jo can move to Belize and take care of her father.
The owner of Fowlers swears up and down in a Herald-Sun article that they will re-open December 1st. I think no one believes him, however.
And at the bottom of that article, it says that Piedmont starts seating people TODAY. For reals!
Oh, and xta mentioned a new place to me named "Nosh". This place i have not ever heard of, but she said it was great.
What restaurant scuttlebut do YOU know?
Posted by lisa at November 16, 2006 08:48 AM
Comments
no scuttlebut, alas. but i can report that blue corn has expanded into the next-door space (which used to be the used book store). and the enchiladas i had there the other night were relentlessly mediocre. altho in their defense, sarah said her meal was quite good.
Posted by: georg on November 16, 2006 11:41 AM
"Relentlessly mediocre" is a good description for Blue Corn IMAO, but I have so many friends who like to eat there that I'm not going to bitch.
I went by Joe & Jo's today on the way back from the attorney's office, and (according to a friend who is on staff) they definitely are closing. Their last day may be as soon as this Saturday.
Posted by: Joseph H. Vilas on November 16, 2006 06:37 PM
I'm catching on that Georg is the master of the modified modifiers. (Last year at one of your parties he described a wine as "intensely middle-of-the-road" or something like htat.
I don't have any scuttlebutt, either. Except I guess I'm glad to mention that while I'm sad about the Joe & Jo's situation (and also Foster's), it's nice to notice that I'm not panicking. Durham food is now beyond critical mass for goodness, and one (or two) losses won't break us.
As for JoAnne's dad -- that is real tragedy. I hope I'll remember to drop by today.
Oh, and scuttlebutt -- I do have some! Piazza Italia (the new place at Brightleaf owned by the Chamas/Amelia folks) is still scheduled for an opening "soon", but not soon enough. They had hoped for mid-November. I'm giving even-odds for mid-December. Maybe they'll happily surprise me.
Posted by: Phil on November 17, 2006 12:42 AM
Scuttlebutt: Xiloa, on 9th Street next to Bahn's is somewhat similar to Blue Corn in terms of cuisine, yet with vastly superior food.
Also: Rue Cler is also now open and quite good.
Posted by: D on November 19, 2006 11:12 AM
Hmmm... now that you mention it, there are some strong connections between Xiloa and Blue Corn. But generally, I'd think of them as different. Xiloa's axis is horizontal: Central American (particularly Nicaraguan, I'm told) and Caribbean. Blue Corn's is veritcal: South America with some Central America.
I think that the quality of food at Blue Corn is a notch up from most of what I've tried at Xiloa. But it's also more expensive.
In any case, they're different enough that I won't choose one over the other (in the long haul) when it comes to guessing where I'll eat plantains.
Posted by: Phil on November 20, 2006 01:21 AM
ok, so a) your comment won't post right away because i have to approve it first and b) you might get a server error but your comment probably posted anyway and c) previewing doesn't work so i've removed the preview button.