The NC Food blog from the NC Folklife Institute is a great resource for hidden gems in the state. I especially like the writings of their former writer, David Cecelski.
http://www.ncfolk.org/category/food/
I wish they would put their spots on a map, so it would be useful as I travel around the state. I found an ethnic shopping center in the Triad I wasn’t aware of. Has anyone else’s travelled to spots from this site?
This spot fell off my radar once Cecelski stopped contributing. I love his writing and have visited several places based on his reports. I recreated his Aunts 7 day pickles after his recollection sparked a yearlong craving for me!
Totally agree that a map would make this resource even better!
A (very) quick scan tells me I’ve only been to a few of the places mentioned. Big Oak Drive-In in Atlantic Beach/Salter Path is a reasonably well-known place, one of the 2 best for shrimp burgers. Don’t get anything else, just the shrimp burger. Eat there or take it back to your rental, either way is good.
I’ve also been to the Old Havana Sandwich Shop in Durham but somehow it doesn’t have the same resonance for me as does Big Oak.
I started a Google map and even gave them all the materials I’d collected, but I don’t know what ever came of it.