Looks like a new place comin'.........

If a Mexican food or steak place cannot make it there, what in the world makes one think sushi and Italian will do well? I am not sure that the area is prepared for it nor do I believe the demographics support it.

I am sure I will check it out for the curiosity factor alone, but I fear this is doomed at the start. I want it to succeed, I really do, because I am tired of that building being unoccupied. Good luck to them!

 

While I partially agree with you, I will add this thought. Why would you go in there and pay$8-$12 for a steak and salad and side when you can go to Golden Corral pay $8-$10 and have a buffett of steak and everything else?

As for the Mexican food place...there's one of those on every streat corner so the market is over loaded with them, and they all serve the same crap anyway.

That is part of the reason CDH has done so well, they offer the steak type meals, but also offer quick simple bar/pub type dishes that is really lacking in that area.

The one downfall I see happening to anything going into that spot is the location and lack of parking. There just isn't that much parking for that location, not to mention that ingress and egress from said location can be a nightmare at times given the traffic that moves through that intersection.


Craig

 

guess we are going different ways since you live in Clayton and i live off CSR, but in 10 years, have never had a problem getting in or out of the parking lot there and have always found room to park. Don't know if the restaurant will survive but if they keep the bar separate, folks in this neck of the woods are crying out for another place to hang and get together.

 

I personally hope that the people who are investing quite a bit of $$ into renovations in this building do well there. I have never eaten there and only went into the building for the 1st time last week. The building is NOT as bad as some people make it out to be, yes it needs fresh paint and some upgrades wouldn't hurt, but it could be a very nice neighborhood tavern/restaurant and it deserves a chance. so please everyone at least check it out when it reopens. Local business will always get my support over large chains if the prices and quality are good.

 

:iagree:

 

I would much rather take the chance of a handful of kitchen employees touching my food than the entire clientele at the corral. Buffets don't usually bother me, but the cro-mags, snot-nosed kids, and the grungy workmen all hovering over my food does not appeal to me.

 

Have been incommunicado for the last few days.... glad there is interest in what is going on.

My original contact, one of the partners, moved here from Thailand 24 years ago. He worked for years at the St. Regis Hotel in NYC before moving to NC and opening his own restaurant.

He currently owns and operates 2 restaurants in the Pinehurst area, both on golf courses, which , of course, Pinehurst is famous for. Before committing to a lease I wanted to check out his operations, and I came away impressed with both facilities. One is a smaller, more informal place which does a pizza buffet (hence the Italian) on Wednesday nights, with lines backed up out the door. The other is a clubbier, more upscale location with a great bar area and banquet facilities for probably 150-200 or so. The dining/banquet area was a storage area when he acquired and and renovated it, including the original parquet dance floor from the St. Regis. According to him, this room is used for many birthdays/anniversarys/weddings by local residents. The cuisine is American, but, as he told me he will do at the ODS, Thai will be available anytime!

The other partner, a Sushi chef, is associated with a Sushi/Thai restaurant in the Cary area. (he may be the owner, I'm not sure). He will be in charge of the Sushi bar, (where the oyster bar was, I told him he ought to do oysters one night a week!).

I met with these guys, along with Tai, who will be the manager, a couple of weeks ago at a Thai restaurant in Cary to talk about the project, as well as to eat lunch. I've never been a real big fan of Sushi, but we had a lobster roll and a raw tuna roll, and WOW!!!, I am now a convert! Also had a spicy (4 on a scale of 5, as requested) ginger and pork Thai dish that was excellent. I never cared for the coconut milk and lime in some Thai dishes, but found out they can leave that out.

Being a HUGE FAN of Oriental cuisine, and a Sushi convert, I am enthusiastically awaiting the opening of this place. We have not talked that much about the Italian direction in which they want to go, but I'm keeping an open mind, and have confidence in what these guys can do.

I appreciate everyone who has kept an open mind. I know the location is horrible (Walgreens and CVS always build at second rate sites) and I realize access can be difficult (Come on guys, you've got road frontage on 3 SIDES!), and parking may be less than adequate (only if they have a full house and you get there late ) but please give these folks a chance. They are working hard to breath new life into a local landmark, and I, for one, look forward to something new and different for the community.

 

ICAM. And I don't recall ever going to GC and saying to myself "Wow. That was a great steak."

 

Good Luck to the new owners, I cant wait to try it out!

 

the last steak i had there was so dry i couldn't eat it.

 

And the last one I had was nothing but fat. Ick.

 

I never order steak out at a restaurant of any kind. You can do much better at home, IMHO. They are ususally either cooked incorrectly, bland, dry or full of gristle. Blech! And yes, I've eaten plenty of the above at all different priced of restaurants. That's why I just gave up. DH got a steak at Outback at Christmas and it was inedible.

 

While I personally agree with you, obviously there are far too many people who differ due to the fact that GC stays in business and usually busy compared to some placees such as Chops (I know location plays a part in that), which has changed hands too many times to count.

And honestly for what you would normally pay for a dinner for 2 at any of these places could be cut in half by buying the stuff and fixing it at your home. For me personally it's usually because neither the wife nor I want to cook, and we feel like just going out, and seldom go to an actual buffett.


Craig

 

thanks for the info dgsat, any time frame yet for opening?

 

Yes, thanks, G, for the info. I did not want to get into too much detail on here until I knew more about it. I talked with the guy at Table On The Green (one of the new owners) in Pinehurst on Friday and he said it was leaning to the Sushi/Italian direction but was open to other ideas. These guys are top notch and want to do a nice job on the place.

I know Tai was planning on painting in the next few days and they just finished laying and grouting the new tile floor in the kitchen. The place is cleaned out of all of the "storage" that dgsatman had in there (GEESH!!! Where did you get all of that crap!!!) and they are working on getting the tables, booths, chairs and such in order. The carpet needs to either be replaced or removed so they are working on that as well.

As for an opeing date, they would LIKE to have it ready by the end of May. I feel that is a bit lofty with the work they need to do but the way these guys work (seriously), they just might do it. My son worked with them for two days (Saturday and Sunday) moving stuff out and cleaning and they had been there for a couple of days prior.

 

Yes, they definatly are putting this into high gear as far as preparing the building for reopening. I really hope that they do well there. That corner will be a welcome sight all lit up nice and pretty at night!!! and as I have stated before, local businesses deserve all the same chances as the big chains. The chain restaurants along that strip are so many that it will be interesting to see how much market share they can bring in. Thats why good signage and lighting would go a long way to improving their chances over there.

 

you don't go to the right steak joints.. I'm all about my own Porterhouse,ribeye,ny strip on a grill and can't be beat but there are some good steaks great steaks out there. you can only count them on one hand though.

 

The best steak I have ever had was at Don Shula's hotel/resteraunt in Miami Lakes, FL. Absolutely perfect...expensive, but perfect.

 

Charlies, on Westshore in Tampa OR Bern's in Tampa.
2nd only to the steaks I grill. Not bragging, just relaying the compliments I've received, especially from She Who Must Be Obeyed.

 

Barfly's... Biloxi, on a bayou, cooked outside on open grill. Don't know if still open, been a long time.

Peddlers Steak house... locally.