North Raleigh Food
Hungry? Find great food to eat tonight in North Raleigh!

I really like to eat at locally-owned restaurants more than the larger chain restaurants, but sometimes you want something in particular from a chain, or it just happens to be the closest spot and you’re hungry *now*. Such was the case last weekend – we were out at Triangle Town Center shopping when we realized how hungry we were. We didn’t feel like food-court fare so we walked over to Champs. We were greeted and seated quickly and began searching the menu for the perfect lunch.

The atmosphere at Champs is always energetic, and this day was no exception. The FIFA World Cup was playing on several tvs, and the ceiling hosted flags from the nations represented at the games. Our server was fast and friendly but not overbearing. We ordered chips and salsa for our appetizer as seems to be our trend. I tried out their berry-lemonade (pricier than a soda with one free refill) which was very good and not too tart or acidic at all.

My super-cute date ordered a bacon cheeseburger and I settled on the Cuban grill. It wasn’t a traditional Cuban – which I’ve been craving lately – a pressed Cuban bread sandwich with ham and (usually) pork but sometimes turkey. Slap on some mustard, cheese and a sliced pickle and voila. 

Champ’s Cuban grille takes a little different approach – their ham is paired with a sort of pork-bbq with chopped pickles mixed into the sauce. It certainly didn’t sound like what I wanted, but I was so hungry I figured it would do.

The sandwich didn’t just “do” – it was amazing and delicious. The pickle-bbq-whatever-else-is-in-it sauce was the perfect addition to the ham and the bread. It wasn’t your traditional Cuban obviously, but it sated my longing for one and I’ve been craving another ever since. The chips and salsa were equally delicious, and my date’s burger was also tasty.

The biggest complaint about Champs would probably be that it’s a little on the pricey side for lunch. We paid about $35-40 (after tip) for the burger, sandwich, chips and drinks, what I would have expected to pay for dinner of the same value.

It’s June and love is in the air. Well, at Rudino’s last Monday night there was! A friend of ours got engaged and the groom-to-be surprised his new fiancee by throwing a surprise engagement party following the proposal. A bunch of friends met up at Rudino’s Rooftop Bar to congratulate the happy couple. What seemed like an unlikely meet-up location for such an event turned into a convenient – and fun – spot to celebrate. 

The bar staff was quick to keep drinks coming to all the patrons of the evening – including mixed drinks and cocktails as well as pitchers of beer (don’t forget the congratulatory shots!) and the full menu was available for those of us who were hungry for more than the cake provided at the party.

The bartender was great and served up specialty drinks quickly. One round of drinks was one some of us never heard of (an Aunt Jemima – it smelled like blueberry syrup) and he took the time to explain the ingredients and made several drinks for the curious who wanted a taste.

The food was served up fast and hot and delicious as usual. We tried out one of their grinders and wow was it delicious, not to mention HUGE.

Rudino’s Rooftop Bar is a great place to hang out with friends or a date. You can dine/drink inside or out. Watch a game on one of the televisions or catch some live music depending on their schedule of events. Oh, and if you had your first date at Rudino’s and find yourself proposing two years later, an impromptu surprise with all your friends and family at the same spot is the perfect way to end your special and unforgettable day!