For the party, we had about 12 people show up. We had called ahead to be sure we had tables and appetizers available, and the appetizers showed up just as the first members of the party were seated. I ordered their Penne D’Oro with meat sauce, small dessert and an iced tea, and my total bill was less than $15 including tax and tip. I wasn’t a huge fan of the meat sauce, but I can write that off to seasonings that I don’t care for much.

For dessert, we all had a small chocolate brownie doused in caramel and chocolate sauce with a scoop of ice cream on the side. And before our dinners arrived we were treated to fantastic rolls.

The party planner arranged to have a few appetizers available, including their nachos, antipasto, and calamari.

If you’re in the mood for a micro-brewery’s offerings, Top of the Hill has several they make themselves, and some brought in from outside.

All in all, TotH is definitely worth the trip to Chapel Hill for a pleasant, but affordable night out.

The guy that runs Strong’s is very friendly, and personable – lending a strong, small-town feel to the shop. As might be expected of a local coffee shop, the setting is very informal, with plenty of tables and chairs and a couple couches to just sit and relax over a cup of joe.

If you find yourself in the Mebane area, and are looking for a nice break, check out Strong’s.

When I first went to Sal’s for lunch, my roommate ordered their spaghetti and meatballs, while I went with the buffet. It’s a very welcome change from other buffets, like Golden Corral, or Cici’s. While I like both of those establishments, Sal’s offers a simlper arrangement, and it’s easier to get people to agree to go there.

Their main entrees, available at lunch or dinner, run from about $7 to $18. I’ve been quite impressed both times I’ve been recently, and lok forward to introducing more of my friends to Sal’s as time goes on.

I don’t recommend their sister location on 9th St in Durham because it has a fast-food feel to it, and though there are tables, it’s not a condusive location to sit and enjoy your meal.

Their salsa is generally good, but they change the consistency on some irregular basis, so some nights it isn’t as good as others. I’ve tried several items off their menu, and have found them to be a pretty good value for the cost. However, having been more recently introduced to El Rodeo across the block from Torero’s, I must say that I like them better, and would only recommend Torero’s if El Rodeo is packed.

Located at 1821 Hillandale Rd in Durham, it’s only about 35 minutes from Elon, and is near Northgate Mall. I ordered their Ziti a la Vodka, which has a really creamy ham, vodka, and tomato sauce, while my roommate ordered their lasagna. His food came out still bubbling, and took a while to cool off – a sign that the cooks care about what they’re making. My meal came in a large, flat bowl and was very hot, also.

Along with our main dishes, they brought out fresh, hot rolls and side salads. We also ordered some garlic bread (with cheese!) for an appetizer.

Sal’s menu ranges from about $7 for the least expensive meal to just under $20 for their most expensive offering. I think they’re worth the ride from Elon – especially if you want to escape the humdrumness of Burlington for an evening.

I went with my roommate, and we enjoyed two fo their dinner combos. I got their Enchilada and Chile Relleno (#14) combo with rice and beans, and thoroughly enjoyed the whole meal. Their chips were served warm, and had a very smooth texture. I also liked their salsa a lot: it’s very smooth – almost the consistency of cocktail sauce – but has a good kick to it. I don’t personally like chunk salsas very much, and was pleased to see theirs to be quite easy to scoop with my chips.

All of their dinner combos are the same price, $6.75, so with a drink and tip, an individual meal is likely to cost less than $10. El Rodeo also offers student discounts, so if you come to downtown Durham, be sure to bring your Student ID.

El Rodeo is probably not worth the drive just for itself from Elon, but if you’er in the neighborhood, definitely check them out.

First, the staff is incredibly friendly. Due a misunderstanding, I got to the restaurant with two friends almost an hour before the other 3 people coming got there. However, our waitress did a fantastic job of keeping our drinks full, and checking to see if we needed more peanuts; but otherwise letting us just sit till the rest of our party arrived.

When they did show up, she was back seemingly instantly to get their drink orders (and again to make sure our glasses were full). A few minutes later we ordered our meals, all of which came out quicker than we expected. I ordered the Filet Tips with Portabella meal which includes a decent helping of filet mignon chunks along with some sauteed portabella mushroom slices and peppers.

Including my drink, a potato skin appetizer, and my main dish, my total bill was just over $20. While their prices may be a bit higher than a typical college student would want to spend on a regular basis, it’s in the same range as an Outback, O’Charley’s, or Ruby Tuesday’s – and is, in my opinion, a nice change from those establishments.

They have chess boards set up throughout the store, and other games are available to help pass the time while you’re drinking that piping-hot quadruple espresso with a friend, or you can choose to relax on one of their comfy couches, or pick a slightly more private booth to chat with a buddy.

With all sorts of different activities hosted through the week, Beverage Gallery is sure to become one of your favorite hangouts as it has for me.

Hickory Ham’s is a deli and sandwich shop run by a friendly, former NYC deli owner. They open for breakfast and lunch daily, and (with only a couple exceptions) offer their full line of sandwiches and soups every day. My most recent visit netted me a custom sandwich (corned beef, turkey, swiss, and thousand island dressing on rye bread), very filling cream of potato soup, a drink, and a small bag of chips. The sandwich and drink were under $8, and the soup (large size) was $4.

It’s a great place to go with classmates, coworkers, or family. Next time you’re in the mood for a good, deli-style sandwich, consider Hickory Ham’s.

When you walk into the door you will be greeted by the wonderfully friendly family staff. The setting of the restaurant is very elegant with beautiful Indian music playing in the background and pretty art on the walls.

Ordering is easy enough, even if you’ve never had Indian cuisine before. The menu is laid out in an easy to understand way with full descriptions and ingredient lists of each item. It is also broken down into sections such as poultry items, beef items, and vegetarian items.

The food is definitely worth it and you can eat there for about $15.00 including some bread to have with your meal. This price is generally unheard of at most Indian restaurants you will encounter, but that does mean that the food is of any lower quality. I would definitely rate Namaste as my favorite restaurant in Alamance County.