My postings on Favorite Restaurants and Jimmy V's got such high readership I am doing another posting similar to those. I hope you enjoy it.
Smith Farm-Fresh Local Goodness....This is my newest find. Just this Saturday was my first visit and will not be my last. I must admit I got onto this place from my Campbell University student Facebook friends. When I kept seeing the words "awesome" and "you got to try this place" I figured I should give it a try as well. So on the way back from a trip to near Charlotte we stopped by and tried what everyone was raving about, their homemade ice cream. Well I can say this without a doubt their ice cream is the best I have ever tasted. Trust me on this one, you are not prepared for homemade ice cream, make that any ice cream, quite like this ice cream. Smooth, creamy but not too much, sweet but not too much also, and you can tell it is homemade as it is chunky. They make it right there in the store and you can see the machine they use. Lots of flavors too, cherry, vanilla, chocolate, strawberry, banana, peach, a couple others I forgot. My first run was chocolate and vanilla on a waffle cone. They got regular cones and cups too. Other items there are blueberries, fresh roasted peanuts, and fresh squeezed lemonade. But the ice cream is what I tried and will keep me coming back as I am hooked. It is not cheap as a double waffle cone is something like $3.95, but the double is a lot of ice cream. Regular cones and cups are cheaper. On highway 55 east of the highway 27 and highway 55 intersection in Coats NC. Just on the edge of town.
Beefmastor Inn...Wilson NC..**** I have been told this place closed last weekend, but have not got confirmation**** This little steakhouse most people would just drive right on by and never see. I got wind of it from my banker back a decade or so ago and do not visit it as much as I desire. Beefmastor Inn has changed hands since I was there, but I understand the steaks are still top notch and the service as good as ever. The small building on highway 301 will seat maybe 50 when full, so people just stay outside in the parking lot and visit. You can buy drinks from the restaurant while you wait. One of the real treats here is the fresh goodies on the salad bar, one of the best I have ever tried. This area of Wilson was one the bastion of the huge tobacco market in Wilson, which is now gone. So the places left along highway 301 are remnants of a time gone by when the wealth of the town was here. Good advice is to come early to beat the wait.
White Lake NC.. This crystal clear lake is a great place to take the family for a day or a weekend. There is a boat house, a pier to lay on, rides for the kids, some restaurants, and lots of small motels. White Lake has a long history and many people return with their children in tow every year. There are several beaches, but the main one now is Goldston's, which has the pier and such. The water is extremely clear being spring fed and the slope is very gradual which makes it "the safest beach in the USA". Goldston's has a game house and a grocery store too. Just off highway 701 south of Garland NC.
Clamdigger Inn..Pine Knoll Shores NC...First off this is not a resort and it certainly is not the place to go if your idea of beach fun is to party, drink, and make merry. Oh, they have a nightclub and serve alcohol, but that is not the emphasis of this smallish hotel. This place is perfect for families and safety. I began coming here when the Eastern Press Association began having meetings there. Immediately I took a liking to it as it is not crowded, the beach is nice, it is close to the aquarium, the onsite restaurant is pretty good too. Add in that it is still owned by a family and the rates are reasonable, even for a beach. Parking lot is right in front of the hotel, but note there are no bellmen here. As I said this is not your upscale resort, it is a place to go spend the night, enjoy the beach, and relax. On the main road on Emerald Isle.
Joe Sugars... St. Pauls NC...Back in 1982 when I was working in Fayetteville NC one of the accounts I was assigned was Joe Sugars in St. Pauls. It was my lucky day. Not only did I find a good place to buy men's clothes, but I got to meet the owner who at the time was Stanley Sugar. Stanley inherited the store from his father who started it back in the early 1900's. Stanley knew more about marketing small business than anyone I ever met, I learned a lot at his knee for many years. The current owner Joe Sugar Jr. who is family too and has maybe has the largest selection of men's clothes in North Carolina, maybe in several states. Their motto is " If you got a figure we can fit it" , is no joke they can do just that. Frankly there is no piece of men's clothing that can not be bought there. Almost any size you can imagine. It is worth the trip just to see some of the big pants they have in stock. Great selection, good prices, lot of sizes, and family ownership, check it out. Right off I-95 in St. Pauls NC easy to find.
Elizabeth's Pecans...Turkey NC..If you like pecan brittle, then this is your place. I challenge you to find better brittle anywhere. They got lots of other goodies too, but people come back for the delicious pecan selections. The chocolate pecans are down right addicitive. Hard to find place right off I-40 near Turkey NC. I suggest you google it. Mail order available
The Peanut Roaster...Henderson NC..For my money the Golden Gourmet peanuts from this place are the best you can eat. The peanuts are golden fried and crunchy when eaten. The Peanut Roaster has all kinds of nuts, but I keep coming back for the peanuts. A visit to the place in Henderson offers you the chance to sample everything they got in stock too. Off I-85 north Henderson. Mail order available.
Nunnery Freeman BBQ..Henderson NC...I came upon this BBQ restaurant back when first visiting Henderson NC when Roses Stores was a big operation. Their restaurant is in the northern portion of town and has a small sign which is hard to find and a building with windows all around. Nunnery Freeman used to have two locations, but now is down to one. But do not be fooled by that these people know how to do one thing really well. Their Bruinswick Stew is the best you will find anywhere. Lots of fresh ingredients and available in several sizes. My wife craves this stuff and we will drive to Henderson for the expressed purpose of eating this stew and nothing else. Nunnery Freeman also does pork barbecue pretty well too. They use a proprietary cooker that literally pressure cooks the barbecue and makes it tender and pushes the flavors into the meat.
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