Worth a drive

Talk about your hidden gem. Panciuto, one of the most exciting and ambitious new restaurants in the Triangle, has been open for six months now at 110 S. Churton Street in Hillsborough. But unless you happen to live or work nearby, you've probably never heard of the place.

That's partly because of the restaurant's location on the outskirts of the Triangle. And partly it's because owner/chef Aaron Vandemark has, in his own words, been "flying under the radar." Panciuto is his first restaurant, and he wanted to get it up and running smoothly before spreading the word.

I think it's safe to say that things are running smoothly. Vandemark, whose credentials include a culinary degree from Johnson & Wales University and work in numerous restaurants in the Southeast (including some of the Triangle's best), offers a dining experience that's worth a drive, wherever you live in the Triangle. Working primarily with locally grown produce and naturally raised meats, he skillfully showcases the flavors of Italy and the American South, sometimes even combining them in inspired ways.

On a recent Saturday, the ever-evolving menu included house-made salsiccia fresca with polenta, olive oil-braised duck legs with buttered grits, kale and red eye gravy, and grilled pork tenderloin with gnocchi and collards in "pot likker."

Panciuto is open for dinner Tuesday through Saturday. The setting is quietly elegant but not stuffy. Entree prices are in the $20 to $25 range -- reasonable, given that Vandemark makes virtually everything, from pasta to pastry, from scratch. Personally, I'd drive to Hillsborough from Cary just for his toasted Christmas panettone with cinnamon rum ice cream.

Another destination worth putting a few miles on the odometer is The Old Granary Restaurant & Bar in Fearrington Village, about eight miles south of Chapel Hill on Highway 15-501. Operated by the folks who gave us Fearrington House, The Old Granary has taken the spot formerly occupied by the Market Cafe. Like its predecessor, the new restaurant offers a casual alternative to the deluxe Fearrington House.

The Old Granary is open Monday through Friday for lunch and dinner, and serves brunch from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. on Saturday and Sunday. Chef Steve Amos serves up a Southern-accented bill of contemporary fare, with entree options including the likes of pecan-crusted chicken breast with pimento cheese grits, sage-seared shrimp with pumpkin risotto cake, and pork tenderloin with hoppin' john, red cabbage, apple cider reduction and grilled peaches.

Greg's Hot List: Sports Pubs

For some of us, New Year's Day means hoppin' john and collard greens, traditional Southern good luck fare. For others, it's hoppin' tailbacks and green gridirons, traditional American college football bowl game fare. Here's a list of prime spots for enjoying the latter.

Blinco's, 6711 Glenwood Ave., Raleigh.

Carolina Ale House, Six area locations including 512 Creekside Drive, Raleigh; 2240 Walnut St., Cary; and 3911 Durham-Chapel Hill Blvd., Durham.

Devine's, 904 West Main Street, Durham.

Hi5, 510 Glenwood Ave., Raleigh.

Playmakers, 3801 Hillsborough St., Raleigh.

MacGregor Ale House, MacGregor Village Shopping Center, Cary.

Sparks, 5490 Apex Peakway, Apex.

Stool Pigeons, 410 Glenwood Ave., Raleigh.

Sunset Grille, Sutton Station, 5850 Fayetteville Road, Durham; 231 Grande Heights Drive, Cary.

Village Draft House, 428 Daniels St., in Cameron Village, Raleigh.