My boyfriend and I found Elaine's by accident when stopping in Chapel Hill for dinner on a recent cross-country road trip (check out our trip blog, ""A Mini & A Map""), and what a happy accident it was! We ate there on a Thursday night during the summer around 5:30, and it was nearly empty when we arrived. Our waiter was very attentive and knowledgeable about the menu. Our appetizer -- an heirloom tomato plate with 3 different salts on the side -- was beautiful on the plate as well as delicious. My boyfriend's buffalo steak was wonderful, and the truffled creamed corn underneath the fish I ordered was mouth-watering. A perfect, romantic meal, topped off by good espresso that powered us through an all-night drive. We both loved Elaine's and, after 6 weeks of eating out on the road, it remains in our top 3 meals for the entire trip (which included some pretty nice restaurants in some major U.S. cities).
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