Must-do dining for the soon-to-be graduated

In just over two months much of the class of 2008 will bid Durham and the rest of the Triangle farewell as Duke's newest alumni head off to new jobs and graduate schools across the country and beyond. Thankfully, however, there's still time to enjoy much of the area's most distinctive dining. The list recess presents here is by no means comprehensive nor is it entirely based on culinary excellence. Rather, these are 11 gastronomic experiences not easily found elsewhere. Each of these selections speak to the terroir, or place, of Durham and its surrounding environs, offering diners a meal that will most likely be memorable.

1) Charcuterie at Piedmont

If Chef Andy Magowan left Piedmont and set up shop selling his hearty yet refined cured meats and patés for retail sale he would have much of the area's dining cognoscenti banging down his doors. For now, however, he features two to three selections on Piedmont's daily-changing menu. Paired with a glass of wine or craft beer, there's hardly a better way to start a meal.

2) Sandwiches at Sandwhich

This Chapel Hill lunchtime mainstay is not cheap. With some sandwiches eclipsing the $10 mark, this seemingly humble shop is more an indulgence than an everyday stop. Thankfully, with the relatively high prices comes an unmatched, nearly maniacal devotion to quality that features local produce and fresh meats, fish and cheeses.

3) Barbeque at Allen & Sons

The best barbeque in the Triangle, bar none. Allen & Sons is one of the few barbeque restaurants that still cooks over wood, and the results show. Here, diners can expect chopped pork that is unapologetically rich and smoky. Ignore the restaurant's bunker-like appearance and settle in for some quality 'cue.

4) Barbacoa taco at La Vaquita

Thanks to Durham's burgeoning Mexican food scene barbacoa is threatening to become the "new" North Carolina barbeque. Many of the city's taquerias do tacos, tortas and tamales exceptionally well, but there's special kitschy appeal in eating barbacoa at a taco stand with a large cow perched atop the roof.

5) Twice-baked grits souffle at

Magnolia Grill

Magnolia Grill is the restaurant that put Durham on the culinary map and this grits souffle is one of the menus few constants. Order this dish along with one of the restaurant's more seasonal offerings to get a sense of the kitchen's full range.

6) Sliders at Watts Grocery

Available only after 10:30 p.m., these mini-burgers are the perfect late-night snack. Take a seat at the bar, order the deliciously hoppy Foothills IPA and within a few minutes you'll have a plate of these haute burgers with a small heap of fries just waiting to be devoured. The only problem? They're served in orders of three, making sharing near impossible. Not that you'd want to anyway.

7) Cookout Tray at Cookout

When a late-night burger craving strikes after Watts Grocery's 1 a.m. closing time Cookout is the only answer. Where else can you get a burger, fries, corn dog, chicken nuggets and a milkshake for about $6? While Cookout's culinary acumen may be debated, especially when less-than-inebriated, it's a quintessential spot to end the night. While located just a few minutes from campus by car, finding a friend sober enough is often the most challenging part of a Cookout endeavor.

8) Specials menu at the Federal

The Federal is a gastropub that any city would be proud to have. Though the servers sometimes convey cool disinterestedness to the point of pretension-it's the hipster credo-the food more than makes up for this. The normal menu has its own appeal, but the real action is on the page of daily specials. Expect a bit more creativity applied to a host of eclectic favorites that pair well with the bar's diverse beer list.

9) Popsicles at Locopops

For those of you living under a rock, LocoPops is on a path toward world domination. Nearly three years ago recess broke LocoPops' opening to the Duke community, and now the popsicle empire has spread onto campus, across the Triangle and soon will be expanding even further. The gourmet popsicles feature alluring flavors like white chocolate-kalamata olive and rose petal that are anything but ordinary.

10) Chef's table at Jujube

Jujube is one of the Triangle's most innovative restaurants for its smart amalgamation of Eastern and Western flavors. This is not contrived "fusion" cooking but the work of a smart kitchen staff well-versed in the classics of both Asian and European cuisines. Nowhere is this clearer than in the calculated excess of Chef Charlie Deal's Tuesday night chef's table dinners. Clocking in at around 20 courses, this is a meal that is sure to be remembered.

11) Half-price sushi at Mt. Fuji

Let's get one thing straight, Mt. Fuji's sushi is not particularly good. In fact, recess panned the restaurant shortly after its opening in 2005. Nevertheless, every Thursday night the restaurant transforms into a madhouse more evocative of a fraternity section party than a trendy eatery. Half-price sushi is the draw, but the hordes of Duke students that fill the restaurant are the real entertainment. Young women in tight-fitting cocktail dresses down rounds of "sake bombs" with boisterous ceremony. Dozens crowd at the bar and the hostess stand, greeting friends and struggling to be heard above the din. Even worse, some large groups are forced to eat outside, in the dead of winter, beneath a few heat lamps. It has to be seen to be believed.

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