Wednesday, Mar. 17, 2010

Cheddar-chicken biscuits fly to Raleigh

Carolina fans may soon be seeing red.

A long-beloved Chapel Hill institution is expanding into enemy turf.

Time-Out Restaurant -- the 24-hour, 365-day-a-year joint that has been serving up chicken and cheddar biscuits for 32 years -- will open near N.C. State University this spring.

The restaurant has had its share of fame over the years, featured on the Travel Channel's "Man v. Food" and in an AT&T Wireless commercial starring UNC basketball star Tyler Hansbrough last year.

Owner Eddie Williams said he has been working on the space at 3001 Hillsborough St. in Raleigh, which was formerly the Big Kahuna, since the beginning of the year.

The second store comes after repeated requests from customers and people in the restaurant industry, Williams said.

"I've gotten so many people asking about my concept that I said, 'If you think it will work in other places, let's try.'"

The new restaurant will be decked in NCSU red instead of Carolina blue. But Williams said he's hoping his loyal Chapel Hill fans will understand.

"My wife and I went to Carolina and we'll always be Carolina fans," he said. "But we want to see if this works. We certainly hope so. ... I'm praying everything will be fine."

Staff writer Sue Stock