Duke University Archives - There Goes Connie

Elmo’s exterior

Ellmo’s menu

Elmo’s Diner is located in the 9th Street Shopping District in Durham, N.C. and is open from 6:30 a.m. until 10:00 p.m. EVERY DAY. When you walk into a “diner,” you know upfront that the atmosphere will be chatty, casual and cozy. The staff serves breakfast anytime, and the food is homemade — nothing instant or with a mix. Perhaps that (and its proximity to the Duke campus) explains its popularity with Duke students. The food must remind them of what their Mommas would make if they were sitting at her table rather than slaving away in a lab or library. The pancakes are made from scratch and are very special.

Our group of 4 made some great choices on the morning we went for breakfast. One had a ham/bacon/Swiss quiche with home fries and blueberry crumbcake. Another had “the biscuit and gravy deal,” which included 2 eggs, bacon and a side. But the two pancake plates ordered were sweet potato pancakes with whipped cream, and Betty’s cranberry apple granola pancakes. Both were outstanding.

sweet potato pancakes at Elmo’s

Elmo’s cranberry apple granola pancakes

There is no one associated with the restaurant actually named Elmo. The owners just found the name to be friendly and unpretentious, and apparently their instincts were right. Elmo’s doesn’t take reservations, but if there’s a crowd, it’s worth waiting for a while. Even Rachel Ray has been to Elmo’s!!

When you first reach Saltbox Seafood Joint, you will be amazed that it is so highly successful. It is a small, walk-up place with very few parking places. Yet, there were 10 people ahead of us in line when we arrived at 2:15 in the afternoon. You may get your order to-go, or there are 5 picnic tables in the front and 1 in the back. Saltbox was established in 2012 by Ricky Moore who does all of the cooking personally. His able assistant James takes orders and the money.

Owner Ricky Moore and his assistant James at Saltbox Seafood Joint

chalkboard menu

It is definitely not a fast food joint, although it is a plastic forks and paper plates establishment. The sign says they are open from 11:00 a.m. till 7:00 p.m. Tuesday through Saturday “or until the fish runs out.” Their slogan is: Seasonal seafood, freshly cooked. Good fish, that’s the hook. When we first got in line, the menu listed catfish, shrimp and oysters. Five minutes later James came out and erased shrimp and added salmon and scallops. We were very interested in a Saltbox specialty known as “Hush-honeys.” Very different twist on the usual hushpuppies that accompany fish.

Hush-honeys at Saltbox

One of the drinks they serve is simply called Good Tea. It has a citrusy flavor.

It’s not exactly cheap. The oyster plate with a side order of Hush-honeys and Good Tea came to $24.00.

Oyster plate with slaw and potatoes at Saltbox

A Duke student who was in line with us called it “the best lunch in Durham,” and said this was his 6th trip since the semester started. For this meal, he had brought several friends with him.

Owner Ricky Moore is hoping to place some of his products in grocery stores in the near future, specifically Hush-honeys and slaw for the freezer section and a blend of spices for seafood. Keep an eye out for those items. Garden and Gun Magazine thinks highly of Moore’s cooking. Read the review here under fried oysters.

I admit I’m pretty spoiled to comfortable seating, air conditioning, and an available ladies’ room (noticeably lacking at Saltbox), but I can see why the younger set is drawn to Saltbox.

As a self-respecting, degree-waving Auburn graduate (’71), I had never met an “RTR” that I could appreciate. My husband and I stepped off the plane in Raleigh/Durham on our first visit and were met with a banner proclaiming: Welcome to RTR – Research Triangle Region. There it was in big letters. No denying it. But, over the next four days, we came to truly admire and enjoy this part of the country with all of its natural beauty, its cultural diversity, its academic excellence, and its culinary offerings.

We were there mainly to visit my cousin Ginger and her husband Reitzel, life-time Athens, AL residents until a couple of years ago when they moved to be near all of their children and grandchildren. Well, “near” as in “outside of a 5-mile radius” as requested by their loving son-in-law. Ha! Thanks to their gracious and thoughtful hospitality and planning we covered a lot of the area and were treated to insightful and enlightening commentary.

The first noticeable difference between Alabama and North Carolina? So Many Trees. The location, too, is great. Two hours to the coast (think Nicholas Sparks’ novels and the Outer Banks) and two hours to the Smoky Mountains. In Raleigh/Durham, there are many rolling hills.

Straight from the airport, we went to the Brightleaf District (referring to the tobacco industry that was the main economic source for many years) and a small, retro-looking cafe called Fishmonger’s Restaurant and Oyster Bar (www.fishmongers.net). Since both of our morning flights were so short they “didn’t have time to get out the beverage cart,” I was dying of thirst. Hallelujah for some cold, sweet tea! The oyster baskets weren’t bad either. 🙂 Conveniently across the street were some tempting shops, of which my favorite was Parker and Otis — a broad selection of specialty foods and unique gifts (www.parkerandotis.com).

Then we went on to the campus of Duke University. We became Duke fans when our son Matt attended a basketball camp when he was in Junior High School. A very influential Duke player on the team at that time came as a guest that week –yes, Christian Laettner — and Matt was hooked. He came back and requested all kinds of Duke paraphenalia for his already orange and blue bedroom. We started following March Madness. Matt’s dream vehicle became a “Duke-blue Dodge pick-up truck.” You get the idea. Thank goodness, he never actually asked us if he could ATTEND Duke University. We learned last week that tuition is now $60,000 PER YEAR, and I’m sure it would have been almost as prohibitive in the mid-to-late ’90’s. All that to say that Steve and I felt a little bit as if we were walking on hallowed ground when we toured Cameron Indoor Stadium, the Duke University Chapel, the campus bookstore, etc.

The next day we drove through the University of North Carolina campus, and the day after that we saw North Carolina State. It’s a good thing the rivalries between these three schools are respectful and friendly. With such close proximity, things could get downright dangerous! On another plus side, my cousin and her family are in a great spot if they encounter health issues. The medical facilities at these universities are world-class.

Very popular restaurants that we tried and would highly recommend are:

Foster’s Market — The website alone will have you drooling. https://www.fostersmarket.com/
Bleu Olive Bistro — We went for Sunday Brunch, but anytime would be delicious. https://www.bleuolivebistro.com/
The Q Shack — If a person can gain weight by smelling, then this is where it would happen. OH. MY. https://www.theqshackoriginal.com/ Not fancy, but so, so good.
Dame’s Chicken and Waffles — https://www.dameschickenwaffles.com/ Choose your preferred type of waffles from Classic, Sweet Potato, Gingerbread, Fresh Blueberry or Vegan. Then choose your favorite “Shmear.” Some of the options are Strawberry-Creme, Chocolate Hazelnut, Orange-Honeycomb, etc. Go and taste a shmear, and you’ll understand why they matter.

Elmo’s Diner and Saltbox Seafood Joint, Durham Eateries Endorsed by Duke Students

Raleigh/Durham, N.C., Visit 1 — An “RTR” Even a Good Auburn Girl Can Appreciate

Tags