Cranky Diners

Food Truck Review: Boxcarr Farms

As indicated before, we are fans of mixing up the food truck routine. After one Slippin’ Sliders time too many without sweet potato fries, we had had it. When our favorite Durham hangout, Fullsteam, announced that Boxcarr Farms was coming on Thursdays, well, we were excited to say the least. We’ve been fans since the Boxcarr Beer Dinner [...]

Is the Best Thing You Ever Ate in Durham?

As foodies and general food nerds, we are big fans of the Food Network and specifically the show The Best Thing I Ever Ate. If you haven’t seen the show, the basic premise is there is a theme for each episode and famous chefs and other food types talk about “The Best Thing” they ever ate in [...]

Restaurant Review: Nanataco in Durham

Always eager to try a new place, Greg and I tried Nanataco in Durham recently. If you are unfamiliar with Nanataco, it is brought to you by the same people as the more schmantzy (upscale) Nana’s. Now if you are looking for an authentic taqueria experience, you probably want to venture further north to N [...]

Restaurant Review: Fullsteam Beer Dinner at Piedmont

Sometimes I just don’t know where the time goes. It was over a month ago we went to the Fullsteam Beer Dinner at Piedmont in Durham. I meant to write this blog post soon after, but some how I didn’t get around to it. So you know as they say, better late than never. This [...]

I Think We Should See Other Food Trucks

You might have noticed that things have been quiet here in Crankyville (population 2) for the past two weeks. We had a lovely vacation in the Caribbean (details of which we’ll dish up later), where we had plenty of time to get away from the Same Old Same Old. Which brings me to a quick [...]

Judgement Day at Burt’s Bees

Thanks to Amanda Steinhardt (@demandy), I had the pleasure to judge Burt’s Bee’s Employee Smoothie Competition at their headquarters in Durham. If there is anything us at Cranky Diners like to do, is to be judgmental. Apparently every few months or so, Burt’s Bees has a cooking competition where employees get a chance to show-off [...]

Restaurant Review: Buku Downtown Raleigh Restaurant Week

I wasn’t planning to blog about my Downtown Raleigh Restaurant Week experience (even food bloggers sometimes want a break and just enjoy a meal), but our experience at Buku was so disappointing, I felt the need to. Because this entry wasn’t planned, there are no photographs. After mulling over the 28 menus of Downtown Raleigh [...]

Gimme 15 Food Trucks, Skip the Rodeo

Sunday was our third foray to a Food Truck Rodeo in Durham. The first one last summer was too hot, the second one was… well, it was hot, too. This one was just wrong. We swung by Durham Central Park at 5:40, 10 minutes after opening, and it was already slam-packed. Lines curved everywhere to [...]

Like that, Love this: Salads

If you like Panera You’ll love Nordstrom’s Café Bistro Although technically not local, the Nordstrom Café Bistro is an under- appreciated secret at Southpoint Mall in Durham. Hidden deep on the second floor of Nordstrom’s at South Point behind the Juniors department; the entrance is easily missed if you aren’t looking for it. The Café [...]

Trip Review: Portland, Maine

As temperatures remain stubbornly and uncomfortably high, I thought it would be a good time to reminisce about our trip to Portland, Maine we took earlier this summer where the high today is a pleasant 75. As I wrote previously about Portland, it is a foodie city. They have been living the local movement for [...]