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>> IN RECENT YEARS, DOWNTOWN RALEIGH HAS SEEN AN EXPLOSION OF
NEW RESTAURANTS, REFLECTING THE GAMUT OF TRENDS IN MODERN
GASTRONOMY.
SOME HAVE SUCCEEDED.
OTHERS HAVE FAILED.
BUT ONE DOWNTOWN RESTAURANT HAS STOOD THE TEST OF TIME FOR OVER
EIGHT DECADES AND CONTINUES TO THRIVE AS IT ALWAYS HAS.
IT'S AN IMPORTANT SOCIAL GATHERING PLACE, A CLASSIC
AMERICAN SUCCESS STORY, AND A RALEIGH INSTITUTION.
JOIN US AS PRODUCER SCOTT MARSH TAKES US ON A JOURNEY TO THE
MECCA.
IT'S LUNCHTIME AT THE MECCA.
AND TODAY'S SPECIAL IS THE LEMON HERB CHICKEN.
RESTAURATEUR PAUL DOMBALIS EXPERTLY FILLS ORDERS AT THE
BACK OF THE HOUSE WHILE HIS MOTHER, FLOYE, GREETS CUSTOMERS
AT HER USUAL PERCH BEHIND THE CASH REGISTER.
>> THANK YOU.
>> BYE-BYE.
>> THEY'RE CONTINUING A FAMILY BUSINESS BEGUN OVER 80 YEARS AGO
BY PAUL'S GRANDFATHER, NICK.
NICK DOMBALIS EMIGRATED FROM HIS NATIVE GREECE IN 1913 AND OPENED
THE MECCA IN 1930.
BACK THEN YOU COULD GET A LARGE T-BONE FOR 55 CENTS OR A GRILLED
CHEESE SANDWICH FOR A DIME.
PRICES ARE SLIGHTLY HIGHER THESE DAYS, BUT THE FOOD ITSELF HAS
CHANGED VERY LITTLE OVER THE YEARS.
>> IF YOU LIKED YOUR GRANDMOTHER'S COOKING AND YOUR
MOTHER'S COOKING, COME TO THE MECCA.
IT'S HOME COOKING, AND IT'S VERY, VERY TASTY.
THEY GET A LOT OF THEIR VEGETABLES FROM THE FARMERS
MARKET, WHICH I LIKE.
TROUT IS WONDERFUL.
THEY REALLY DO A GOOD JOB, BECAUSE THEY COOK IT
INDIVIDUALLY.
>> INDEED.
THE MECCA SERVES A FULL MENU OFFERING EVERYTHING FROM OMELETS
TO BURGERS TO BARBECUE.
BUT IT'S THE DAILY SPECIALS THAT INSPIRE A LOYAL CLIENTELE.
>> FRIED CHICKEN.
>> THE FRIED CHICKEN OR LASAGNA.
>> MEAT LOAF.
>> FRIED CHICKEN.
>> THE LEMON HERB CHICKEN.
>> THE GRILLED CHEESE.
>> I LOVE THE FRIED CHICKEN.
>> IF THERE'S ONE FAVORITE, IT'S DEFINITELY THE FRIED CHICKEN.
PERFECTLY COOKED TO ORDER WITH A LIGHT GOLDEN CRUST.
IT JUST DON'T GET NO BETTER.
THAT RECIPE WAS INTRODUCED BY PAUL'S FATHER, JOHN DOMBALIS,
WHO TOOK OVER DAILY OPERATIONS FROM HIS FATHER, NICK, IN THE
EARLY 1950s.
JOHN'S WIFE, FLOYE, WAS HAPPILY RAISING THE COUPLE'S CHILDREN AT
HOME -- >> AND THEN ONE DAY, SOMEBODY
DIDN'T SHOW UP AT THE MECCA, AND THEY CALLED ME IN TO HELP OUT.
AND, APPARENTLY, I DID A GOOD JOB, BECAUSE THEY NEVER LET ME
LEAVE.
>> AFFECTIONATELY KNOWN AS MRS. D, FLOYE DOMBALIS IS AS
MUCH A PART OF THE MECCA AS ARE THE PICTURES OF FAMOUS CUSTOMERS
LINING THE RESTAURANT'S WALLS.
>> MIKE WALLACE WAS HERE.
THE GOVERNORS, THE MAYORS.
WE HAVE LOTS OF JUDGES AND LAWYERS.
>> THERE'S EVEN A PICTURE OF NICK DOMBALIS SHAKING HANDS WITH
COLONEL SANDERS.
>> COLONEL SANDERS CAME TO RALEIGH TO GET OUR CHICKEN
RECIPE.
NAH.
[LAUGHTER] >> PAUL'S JOKING, OF COURSE.
BUT THE MECCA IS A GREAT PLACE TO SEE ALL SORTS OF INTERESTING
PEOPLE.
>> IT'S THE HISTORY OF RALEIGH IN A CAPSULE.
THIS IS A PLACE TO COME.
WHEN I HAVE SOMEONE VISIT FROM OUT OF TOWN, I LIKE TO BRING
THEM HERE, BECAUSE THEY SEE YOU WAVE AT SOMEBODY.
WHO'S THAT?
WELL, THAT'S THE SPEAKER OF THE HOUSE.
WHO'S THAT?
WELL, THAT'S THE FORMER GOVERNOR.
>> IT'S A DOWN HOME FRIENDLY PLACE.
YOU KNOW THE PEOPLE, THE OWNERS AS WELL AS THE PATRONS, AND IT'S
A PLACE WHERE FAMILIARITY REIGNS, I THINK, AND THE FOOD IS
VERY GOOD.
>> THE BEST TWO RESTAURANTS IN DOWNTOWN RALEIGH ARE UPSTAIRS AT
THE MECCA AND DOWNSTAIRS AT THE MECCA.
>> AND HOW DOES THE FOOD GET UPSTAIRS AT THE MECCA?
IT TRAVELS BY A HAND-CRANKED DUMBWAITER THAT'S BEEN IN USE
FOR OVER 60 YEARS.
THAT'S PART OF THE MECCA'S CHARM.
THE BEAUTIFUL HISTORIC DETAILS WHICH MIRROR THE WAY DOWNTOWN
RALEIGH USED TO BE.
>> WE USED TO CALL AT 7:00 AT NIGHT.
AND THERE WAS -- WHEN YOU LEFT, THERE WAS NOTHING DOWN THERE.
>> BUT RALEIGH'S URBAN RENAISSANCE CHANGED ALL THAT,
AND SEVERAL YEARS AGO, PAUL DECIDED TO OPEN THE MECCA LATE
NIGHT AS WELL.
THAT MOVE ATTRACTED A WHOLE NEW CUSTOMER BASE.
>> IT'S AMAZING, REALLY.
IT'S A GOOD THING.
>> A GOOD THING INDEED.
PAUL'S SON, JOHN DOMBALIS, WORKS THE SATURDAY'S BREAKFAST SHIFT
AND RUNS THE RESTAURANT'S WEBSITE.
FOR HIM, THE MECCA'S CONTINUED SUCCESS IS ROOTED DEEPLY IN ITS
PAST.
>> I THINK THE MECCA IS THE EPITOME OF THE AMERICAN DREAM.
YOU HAVE AN IMMIGRANT WHO CAME FROM NOTHING, BASICALLY, WHO'S A
REFUGEE.
THEN YOU LOOK AT HIS CHILDREN, HIS GRANDCHILDREN, ALL THE
SUCCESSFUL PEOPLE THAT HAVE COME BEHIND HIM, ALL BECAUSE HE HAD
THE COURAGE TO GET ON A BOAT AND CROSS THE ATLANTIC OCEAN AND
START ANEW.
>> WELL, THIS IS MY LIFE.
WHEN I COME IN IN THE MORNINGS AND GET SETTLED DOWN AND SIT
DOWN ON MY STOOL, I FEEL LIKE I'M AT HOME.
>> GENERATIONS OF THE MECCA'S CUSTOMERS HAVE FELT THE SAME
WAY.
SO, WHETHER YOU'RE LOOKING FOR A SLICE OF HOUSE-BAKED COBBLER OR
A SLICE OF RALEIGH HISTORY, YOU, TOO, MAY WANT TO EMBARK ON A
JOURNEY TO THE MECCA.