Ramblings of a Guy Who Likes Food

10+ years of experience making German baked goods shows when you take a visit to Annelore’s German Bakery! When my group first entered into the building, I immediately was hit with the wafting aroma of various sweet and salty pastries being formed in the back of the establishment. I also noted their wide variety of authentic German baked goods along with their flat 100.0 cleanliness rating, which I believe deserves acclaim. When I went to look at the offerings available, I was treated to their full lineup with prices and all, within glass display cases, which greatly aided my ability to view them and make my meal choice. After weighing my options and comparing the prices on offer, which were admittedly verified from very affordable to double digit costs for individual slices of cake, I settled on the $8.45 “Potato, Cheese, and Bacon Turnover”, which the staff member warmed up for exactly 2 mins 30 seconds, which not only allowed for the cheese within to become a gooey and melty delight, but also elevated the flavors and textures already present within the meal tenfold. This was impressive attentiveness and service by itself, but it gets even better than that! The skilled woman behind the counter managed to wait 14 people within 3 minutes, an astounding feat considering no two people in the group ordered the same meal. Moving away from the ordering process itself, the atmosphere granted the establishment a homey feeling, coupled with the inclusion of calming music to boost the already present cozy environment.

As our group settled into our seats a this pizza joint in the heart of downtown Cary, my hopes were high, citing my previous visit to the establishment months earlier, but I would never have been prepared for what I was in for. Our group was quickly attended to by the waiter present, where we ordered drinks and patiently awaited the garlic knots and 3 pies we ordered. Specifically the the white, chaos(sausage, peppers, sun dried tomatoes, and wild onions) and your classic cheese. I noted their impressive 100.0 cleanliness rating along with their wood fire oven on proud display. After 7 minutes or so, the garlic knots and drinks arrived and just...wow. These little balls of dough defied every single expectation set for them;  they were a delicate balance of both crispy yet chewy and soft, an unmatched buttery and garlicy goodness that sent your tounge to a flavor Nirvana. Soon after, the main course arrived, a shimmering mix of sauces, meats and cheeses. Firstly, the white pie: a melty, cheesy blend of ricotta, parmesan, basil, and oil. This pizza was both crunchy and gooey in all the right ways. This pie came out to $33.99 and had 8 slices, but that number can be altered to your group's needs(as seen when they cut it into 16ths to accommodate our larger group).

After visiting Di Fara's, I was predicting that Geluna Gelato wouldn't stack up to the insane bar set by its predecessor, but shockingly, this quaint little gelato place was anything but quaint! This place gathers local ingredients and creates their own gelato base along with their own flavors to ensure that every bite packs a punch. They offered sizes ranging from small to large($3-8 respectively) which accommodated all sorts of preference. Their rotating menu ensures a unique experience every visit, and each flavor combination compliments itself, even if the flavor choices seem a bit unorthodox. For example, I got a medium cup($5.50) with salted caramel and strawberries & cream. Despite being polar opposite flavors, they still melded together to create a wonderfully creative experience, and based on the reactions of people who also got questionable flavor combinations, this fact holds true in various instances. So in summary, this gelato spot can easily throw down with the bigger contenders in DTC to secure its rightful place as one of the top tier dessert places available in the town.

Okay so, admittedly this place is incredible in some regards and a little questionable in others. This spot has been open for 41 years and when looking at it this place is half chocolate store and half truck stop. While being a candy store, it also has some local memorabilia and a wide array of packaged sweet treats, so it’s a little bit packed in there. When we entered the building, I was hit by an indescribable wave of smell, which made me somewhat nauseou. Despite this, the owner was out there and gave all of us an elaborate lesson as to the history and production of chocolate, which is tempered on sight and made into a large array of treats, so when it came time to order, we