this was kind of a tough one.

we wanted to find a nice restaurant.  nothing too pretentious or expensive, and backyard barbecue was definitely not our style.  there are some great places in downtown raleigh, but the rehearsal at the church was in north raleigh.  there are some really great spots in downtown durham, but we stood the chance of starving to death after our 6 o’clock rehearsal time and then the trek to durham.  plus, i wasn’t staying at the hotel in durham that night, and didn’t want to be out late the night before the wedding.  you know, beauty rest and whatnot.

soooooo where can you go for a good meal in a casually elegant atmosphere in north raleigh?winston’s.  duh.  why didn’t we think of this right away?

probably because of all the other wedding clutter polluting our brains.

we have been going to this place for years (me much longer, having grown up nearby) for birthdays, business lunches, out to meet friends, any occassion, and even just for dinner, because it’s just good.  everything i’ve ever had there has certainly been good.  soups, salads, pastas, pork, chicken, southwest scallops, sandwiches….you can’t go wrong.

and dessert?to.  die.  for.  this bananas foster with layers of flaky phyllo, rum caramel sauce, bananas, and homemade vanilla ice cream, is probably the best dessert i have ever had.  yeah, i mean that.

and best of all?  we had individual ones at the rehearsal dinner, so i didn’t even have to share.

(we were having too much of a good time to take any pictures, so i don’t have any, save the dvd of embarrassing childhood photos of tom, me and our wedding party, so i hope you enjoy theirs.)