The Angus Barn   

Birthdays, anniversaries and graduations just scream for the Angus Barn. Ever since the place opened (in what looks like a big red barn) back in 1960, the Angus Barn has far and away surpassed other Triangle restaurants as the most-requested destination for special occasions. The wine menu (a virtual catalog) contains 1,100 selections representative of their 30,000-bottle cellar, ranking it as one of the top 100 wine lists in the world. Because this is daunting to most, lean on the highly trained and attentive wait staff to guide you in the right direction. The dinner menu is much more manageable. You may want to begin with an order of oysters on the half shell North Carolina crab cakes. Then it's onto the entrees, all served with either your choice of salad, soup and side. The beef here is what most guests opt for, and choices range from a bacon-wrapped filet to a 24-ounce T-bone to chateaubriand. Seafood lovers will drool over the sweet Australian lobster tail or the fresh North Atlantic salmon. And it doesn't stop there. Freshly baked cheesecakes, cobblers and pies compete with the likes of Southern pecan pie, frozen key lime pie and Grand Marnier parfait for the perfect way to end the perfect meal.