Alamance County and the best sandwich I’ve ever eaten – The Saxapahaw General Store

Once, when I was newspaper reporter, a colleague once explained that the name Alamance was derived from an old Indian word. It means "minimum wage".

That pretty much sums my feelings about my home; there is not much good that could possibly come out it.

As soon as I could, I left. Most of the people I know left. For that matter, most of the industry that had supported the county during my childhood left. The textile mills that used to employ half of town in my youth are long gone, decamping to places where the minimum wage is measured in cents, not dollars.

Most of the ancient old mills were either abandoned or bulldozed. A choice few, the ones with a river view, were condo-ed.

That happened in Saxapahaw.

Chef Jeff Barney

Amongst the rolling verdant hills is an old mill. Around the corner is the Saxapahaw General Store. There, you can by 93 octane and baby diapers. There's also a kitchen and in Jeff Barney's capable hands, it turns out some of the best food in The Triangle.

Yes, the best food in The Triangle. And they sell gasoline.

Her Imperial Majesty and I recently visited on an overcast Saturday and we're completely blown away. We split two sandwiches: the first was duck breast, with arugula, red onion and goat cheese with balsamic vinaigrette, the second was a sliced steak with provolone, onion and mushrooms. Served with duck fat fries, they were nothing less than spectacular. The duck was just slightly pink and perfectly balanced with the goat cheese, arugula and red onion. The steak and cheese with provolone had the right touches of everything. Almost everything appears to be locally sourced. The colors and smells of the place was a real 360 degree experience. The duck fat fries were a revelation. We sat in awed silence as we plowed through lunch. It was that good.

Is it worth the drive? Absolutely. Would I do it again? Absolutely. Would I recommend it to friends? If you live in The Triangle and have want of a great meal, wander around the rolling hills of southern Alamance County and finding your way to The Saxapahaw General Store is a no brainer.

And I can hold my head high because I can honestly say that the best sandwich I've ever eaten in my life is made in Alamance County.

The Saxapahaw General Store

1735 Sax-Beth Church Rd.

Saxapahaw, NC 27340

Phone: (336) 376-5332

http://www.saxgenstore.com/

Café Closed Mondays

Cuisine: Eclectic American

Rating: *****

Prices: $

Atmosphere: Crowded with local foodies who know

Noise level: Quick service crowded

Open: Hours: M-F 6:30-9:00; Sat 7-10 & Sun 10-8

Reservations: Nah.

Other: No table service. Order at the counter and wait. Quite a show actually. Outdoor seating is available.

We rank restaurants in five categories: Extraordinary***** Excellent**** Above average*** Average** Fair*