Dinner at Ray's Diner, and no pie!

After leaving Monica & Bob's, we headed to the local Safeway to stock up on lunch provisions (and Mexican coke, a road trip tradition) and to the local Target to get a new ear-pods converter for Clare's iPhone. Then, we drove more than 500 miles to our first stop, Columbia, South Carolina, passing through the states of Maryland, Virginia, and North Carolina. We skipped South of the Border, a tourist trap if ever there was one. Before heading to the Sleep Inn, we stopped for a great southern-style dinner at Ray's Diner, a mainstay from the Road Food book, the bible of local, good eats for the intrepid road tripper. Believe it or not, the diner is nestled in a nondescript strip mall next to an AutoZone store, and its decor and ambience is in keeping with its location. But if you ever find yourself in Columbia, I highly recommend Ray's Diner. You won't be disappointed. I had the fried chicken with three sides - fresh collard greens, mashed potatoes, and sweet corn, with cornbread on the side. Conor also had the fried chicken and Clare had the country fried steak. The fried chicken was juicy and tender, and to die for, and the collard greens were very tasty, all washed down with some southern sweet tea. Alas, there was no pie to be had, so I settled for a rich slice of pound cake, and Clare and Conor enjoyed a slice of blue velvet layer cake.
 



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