If you are down near Rock Quarry, hit up the NC Seafood Restaurant at the state farmers market on Lake Wheeler Road. It is a quick run. Get the calabash shrimp.

It is fried, yes, but if you keep the cardboard box cracked open on your passenger seat so the steam escapes, it stays remarkably crispy. Moisture control is everything, even in a takeout box.

Do not eat fried food in your truck. Go to Clyde Cooper's BBQ downtown or hit up A&C Supermarket on South Wilmington Street for the roast duck.

It is cheap. It holds up. Do not touch that wire again until you trace where it goes.

coopers is solid but my go to when im beat is the pupusas from the truck off old garner rd. heavy grease but they stay hot forever. like insulated ductwork. slept like a rock after three of them.

If you want something that actually travels without turning into mush, get a tray of lasagna from Amedeo's on Western Boulevard. It is a bit of a drive from Southeast Raleigh but pasta is better after sitting in a warm car anyway.

When I did my first flip on Bragg Street, Amedeo's saved my life. You can eat the leftovers cold for breakfast while waiting for your joint compound to dry.

Let's look at the actual numbers here. Amedeo's is great but the gas and time from Rock Quarry during rush hour adds up.

If you want high density calories for low cost, the taco trucks along South Saunders are your best bet. Under fifteen dollars and you get enough food for two meals. That keeps the renovation contingency fund intact.