We'll begin with Holly Butman, who cooks just as well as she eats:
Authentic more upscale/restaurant-style Mexican food - Besa
Mi Burro (esp.
the gorditas & Oaxican cheese in mole sauce)
Cal-Mex - the deluxe or giant steak burrito at Cosmic Cantina - ask
for
black beans & hot sauce and, if you're like me & hate guacamole,
sub extra
sour cream for the guac. This is sublime. Don't bother
ordering anything
else (except shots & beer - Negro Modelo at $2.00 - whoo!) -
if they're out
of steak whine & eat elsewhere. Tell Leo (genial
Mexican counter/barman)
Holly sent you. Leo rocks. Also don't go on a Friday
or Saturday night
unless you like drunken Duke frat boys, which I can't imagine anyone
does.
North Carolina meets Mexico - the sweet potato/black bean burrito
at Flying
Burrito (and ask for Flounder Juice for the table - the _best_
habanero-based sauce ever!) and the BBQ burrito at Liz & Snake.
I know James Hepler hates Flying Burrito but James -you just
didn't order
the right thing!
Best surprise at an otherwise totally mediocre restaurant - the lamb
shank
at El Torrero. Yum.
Someone tell me where to go in Raleigh.
Holly :-)