At the Crossroads: Mushrooms and Tangerine Dreams

Looking to enjoy a romantic night out? Did you just get your paycheck from some joke work-study job? Then travel a couple miles down the road to Chapel Hill's Carolina Crossroads, an unpolished gem nestled within the Carolina Inn.

Some quick facts before the meal: First, Executive Chef Brian Stapleton, Triangle Chef of 1999 brought the restaurant its Mobil Travel Guide's Four-Star Award for 2001 and 2002. Second, the decor--composed of warm yellow tones, floral fabric and refined chinaware--accentuate the sense of Southern hospitality that is the restaurant's hallmark.

Once the food starts coming, though, leave your inhibitions next to your thriftiness--at home. For the adventurous, Southern fried frog legs on crayfish and tasso stew is an exciting way to whet the appetite. Deep-frying gives it a crunch without forgoing the succulent and tender meat, which is in perfect partnership with the spicy Cajun stew embedded beneath.

The main course offers a generous slice of braised halibut on a bed of morel mushrooms, caramelized pearl onions and orzo pasta. The merlot sauce gives the seared fish skin a forthright intensity that compliments the tender white flesh. Morel mushrooms, a small, sponge-like fungus that is only seasonal for one month in the spring, have a distinct nutty flavor that is worth the 11-month wait.

For vegetarians, rosemary-scented spring vegetables in rice paper, served on a bed of lentil organic brown rice and braised beets drizzled with lemon vinaigrette, is a worthwhile choice. A mere spoonful of rice, herbs, garlic and lentil glossed with the lemon vinaigrette creates a summer sensation as soon as it hits the palate. Steam and aroma gently permeate through the vegetable wrap, but the abundance of oil leaves unpleasant associations with Chinese egg rolls.

Dessert is a large bowl of chilled tangerine soup with an island of chocolate sorbet drifting at the center. More tartness in the citrus soup will allow the sugar-like sweetness to be less imposing on the sorbet, yet the combination still stands as a strong substitute to a heavy cream-based dessert.

For those who are ready to splurge, the Carolina Inn undoubtedly stands as one of the best options in the Triangle.