I have been using a heat gun on my baseboards in Oakwood since 8 AM. My eyes are burning from the fumes, my hands are shaking, and I am having lead paint nightmares.
I need heavy, comforting food near downtown or Five Points that I can pick up in my sweatpants without being judged. What is open late and what actually tastes good after a grueling day of scraping?
Oh Hollis, we have all been there with those Oakwood baseboards. My grandmother used to say those old layers of lead paint are like the rings of an ancient oak tree.
For real comfort food, you must go to NoFo at the Pig right here on Fairview Road. If they are already closed, the roast beef sandwich at Players Retreat near Hillsborough Street is a classic. My late husband and I used to go there after painting our first living room back in 1974. It still tastes exactly the same.
shared wall life
Seconding the Players Retreat recommendation. The PR is a safe space for people covered in plaster dust, paint splatters, and sawdust. I often go there after a long day at my Boylan Heights project.
Get the Bernie burger and some onion rings. The rings stay surprisingly crisp if you eat them on the drive home, but honestly, just sit at the bar. Nobody cares what you look like there.
the fee is the point
If you are looking at the budget, eating out at PR can run you thirty dollars easily once you add a drink and tax.
For a cheaper, fast option that still feels like a treat, try the Cook Out on Western Boulevard. It is a local institution for a reason. A tray with a burger, quesadilla, and hushpuppies is very cheap. That is a very low monthly cost for pure comfort.
still researching
Cook Out is the only logical choice. I live in Cary where everything closes at nine PM anyway.
When we had our shared wall fire assessment meeting last year, I stopped at the Cary Cook Out on the way home. The cheerwine float is cheaper than therapy.
get it in writing
My automated smart oven failed to cook my frozen pizza tonight because of a firmware update error. Truly, the future is broken.
I ended up driving down to Mitch's Tavern on Hillsborough. It has that old Raleigh feel. Quiet, dark, and they do not have any smart screens. Just good chili.
fewer bridges, more switches
Is Mitch's actually open late these days? I heard their hours changed post-pandemic.
I am in North Hills and we usually end up at Char-Grill on Edwards Mill. Char-Grill is consistent. Does anyone have the actual current hours for Mitch's? I hate driving down there just to find a locked door.
clay is just soil with opinions
char grill on hillsborough is better. grease on the paper bag is a beautiful sight. smells like summer nights after a bad compressor swap on a ninety degree day.
Five Points since 09
I tried Char-Grill last week after I dropped a pipe wrench on my big toe and gave up on plumbing for the night. Best burger I have had in Raleigh so far. I sat in my truck in the parking lot and just breathed in the charcoal smell.
check the gauge