One up, one down in Brightleaf Square

As has been widely reported, Taverna Nikos at Brightleaf has been closed for several weeks due to the illness of its longtime owner-operator. The Morrisville location remains open, but the well-known operation on W. Main St. is closed for the time being.

On the plus side, a new deli has recently opened in the place where Joe & Jo's Express was, near Taverna Nikos and Mt. Fuji on the W. Main St. wing. Palermo Deli is serving a wide range of sandwiches and salads featuring Boar's Head Meat, all at decently reasonable prices for downtown. They don't have a web site and there's no precise opening date listed, but they recently received their first health inspection, so it looks like it's just opened in the past month or so.

As great as Durham's "name" restaurants are, it's vitally important that Durham draw in the everyday-priced delis and food options for downtown workers and residents, too. Particularly with the closure of the old W. Main St. Deli, it's good to have options available that don't require you to fork over the Gold Card when the check arrives.

I'm curious, what other 'cheap eats' do folks know of downtown? (Personally, I'm still meaning to get over to the NC Mutual Life building to try the cafeteria there, which cow-orker Matt says is well worth the inexpensive price of admission.)

Comments

[Andrew]

Torero's. Cheap ($5 lunch), fast (5-10 minutes from ordering to food on your table), and tasty (chicken taquitos, yummm).

--ASE.

[Toastie]

There's a Subway in the basement of the county courthouse building. I have no idea the best way to walk there from ATC, but it's probably a lot easier and closer than I'm thinking it is. I don't like Subway much personally, but it's an option. I think the sub-of-the-month for $2.99 is the BMT, so there's lunch for around $5.

[blazer Manpurse, BFA]

According to a reliable Durham blogger, there's a hot dog cart on the way for the "See, Say, Be Plaza" (kudos to Jim Kellough for the moniker):
http://littleradioshow.blogspot.com

[Phil]

Rainbow Chinese is my favorite cheap eats in the Brightleaf Area (~$6.50 plus tip for buffet and a soda).

El Rodeo is also cheap.

Palermo has been open for a couple of months, now. I've had a few sandwiches from them, and they are fine, but I wonder about their longterm viability. My friend Dave has an efficiency index that goes something like this: "how long does it take for them to sell you $10 worth of food?" At Palermo, that time sometimes feels too long. Another index: what's the ratio of the number of people working to the number of people buying? At Palermo, that number sometimes feels too big.

Palermo's predecessor, Jojo's (not to be confused with Joe & Joe's) had a large and loyal following, but even with prices that seemed a bit high (you knew you were paying for convenience), Jojo's never made any meaningful profit, which is why the owner quit the food biz and went back to her early trade: accounting.

[Bull City Rising]

Really? They weren't related? It's been a long time since I'd been by there and I had thought I had read the sign as so, but clearly it must have been "Jojo's" all along. Sheesh, shows what I know...

[Matt]

Well, the NC Mutual caf is cheap and convenient - not fine fare. Very cheap, though - you can pay under $4 for a complete meal.

I haven't been to the Blue Coffee Cafe in a while - it's across from the SunTrust tower, next to We Want Oprah. Last I was there it was reasonably priced.

There were a couple of others on Parrish Street, but I'm not sure they're still around. I've seen several low-budget restaurants fizzle downtown over the last couple of years.

Oh yeah. McDonalds.

Phil: any recommendations at Rainbow? I think I've had fried rice from there, and it was good greasy Chinese fast food.

[Phil]

First, please pardon my earlier typo about "Joe & Joe's" instead of "Joe & Jo's". Jojo's was named after the owner's son. Joe & Jo's, of course, was named after the two owners.

Matt -- as a "freegan" (someone who reduces meat consumption by only eating meat when it's given to him), I only eat the vegetably and seafood parts of the buffet -- but what I recall is that everything is pretty much OK. Let your eyes be your guide. And your tastebuds, if you just have a tiny serving of each thing before refilling your plate. Oh, and use a napkin before reaching up and grabbing the hot sauce bottles. They're very very sticky :-)

[Phil]

Kevin -- extra bonus naming confusion points: Nosh and Piper's in the Park are both owned by someone named Piper. Piper's in Hope Valley USED to be owned by said Piper, but is now owned by someone else.

[CG]

Guajillos on Main St. has great burritos ($6.96 including tax) for a large burrito and soda. Unlimited chips and salsa for free. Simple atmosphere, no frills, good Mexican grub. They do take credit cards.

[Portokalh]

I love Taqueria Miranda. Big and tasty burritos. Fajitas. And others. Mainly for take out but they have added some tables and chairs in front of the store. Their prices are good too.