Friday Fun Food Facts – October 18, 2019

Triangle Restaurant News
Triangle restaurant news…that not everyone knows. Impress your co-workers at the water cooler.

Featured Restaurant News

• The folks over at NC Triangle Dining shared the news that Rosewater Kitchen & Bar has announced their opening date of Tuesday, October 29. Rosewater is the newest concept from the Giorgios Group, and will be located in the Park District at North Hills, in the old Bruegger’s space. It will be a full-service restaurant that offers grab-and-go options during breakfast and lunch hours, a weekend brunch, and a seated dinner service that transforms the space into “the piazza where people gather to exchange laughter, bites, and great cocktails and wine…a true gathering center.” Keep up with any announcements/changes on their Facebook page here.

Wake County Restaurant News

• The State Fair is here through Oct 27 in Raleigh so go ahead and load up on Pepto-Bismol and coat your stomach before you go. Yes they will have all the food classics, but new this year includes delights like: JoCo HoHo (basically a jalapeno popper on a stick with brisket); Neomonde’s Loaded Lamb Nachos (complete with shawarma spiced ground lamb simmered with onions on a bed of pita chips and topped with fresh pico, feta cheese and harissa yogurt sauce); Cookie Dough on a Cone; Reese’s Donuts; Pumpkin Spice Hushpuppies; and The Chickenator (a fried chicken sandwich served inside a cinnamon bun). And don’t forget the Weekday Lunch Pass Program – on weekdays only, enter Gate 9 off Trinity Road, or Gate 1 off Hillsborough Street after 11:30 a.m., pay $10 cash, stuff yourself silly, return before 1:30 pm and get your $10 back. Remember, weekdays only and only at those gates. Get ALL the details at their website here.

• Reader Ellen Norris let us know that the brother/sister team of Ben and Holly Schultz are holding a grand opening celebration all weekend (October 18-20) of their new restaurant SmokeStacks Cafe at 701 E Lane St. in Raleigh. SmokeStacks offers specialty dishes made from fresh ingredients and smoked meats. The food promotes an eclectic twist on popular North Carolina dishes as well as some international cuisine. The menu changes with the seasons and offers daily specials. Keep up with them on Instagram here.

• The folks over at ITB Insider brought it to our attention that The Cookie People (Darrin and April Morey), who have been baking cookies for people throughout the Triangle area since 2008, have signed a lease for a brick and mortar location in York Properties’ Mission Valley. Perhaps you have visited their food truck or tasted their goodies at the NC Farmers’ Market or the Raleigh Downtown Market. No word yet on a timeline, but keep up with them here.

• In Cary, reader Chris Creighton notified us that a new restaurant is coming to the old Sweet Tomatoes location at 2310 Walnut Street called Seol Grille, an all-you-can-eat Korean steak house. Not much on their Facebook page at this point, but it does indicate they are looking to open this fall.

• Down in Knightdale, Rebecca Lassiter notified me that Lassiter Distilling Company, a rum distillery that has been open for 3 years, just opened the doors to their tiki bar called The Cove on First. They are hosting a Grand Opening Bash this Saturday, October 19 from 1 p.m. until 10 p.m. Get all the details on their Facebook event page here.

• If you are flying in and out of RDU’s Terminal 2, expect some changes in your dining options according to the Triangle Business Journal. They noted upcoming changes courtesy of a new-to-RDU concessionaire, Vendor Areas USA. The changes are as follows: Carolina Ale House becomes Cantina Grill; Bruegger’s Bagels stays Bruegger’s Bagels (just under the Areas umbrella); A&W All American Food becomes Asian restaurant Wow Bao (which offers steamed dumplings); California Pizza Kitchen stays California Pizza Kitchen (just under the Areas umbrella – and with the addition of a “full breakfast”); Brookwood Farms becomes Deli & Co.; Gordon Biersch becomes Bond Brothers Brewery (with beer from the Cary brewery); Carolina Vintages becomes Raleigh Taproom (“This is a spinoff of Raleigh Brewing Tavern… that is being planned for Terminal 1″); and Flavours becomes healthy concept Rush Bowls (frozen yogurt with options for fresh fruit, vegetables and granola). The new concepts will open by Jan. 12 of 2020, and have 16-month terms. Keep up with the changes as they go live here.

• North Carolina chef and PBS star Vivian Howard is raising money to help an Ocracoke restaurant recover from Hurricane Dorian. Howard, host of the award-winning PBS show, “A Chef’s Life,” is selling super soft gray short sleeve shirts emblazoned with the saying “One Island Under Tacos” on her website to benefit Eduardo Chavez’s beloved Ocracoke establishment Eduardo’s taco stand. As the eye of Hurricane Dorian moved past Ocracoke, water rushed into the village rising seven feet in two hours and three feet of storm surge hit Eduardo’s taco, knocking it off its foundation. Refrigeration and walk-in coolers were ruined and infrastructure around the truck was damaged beyond repair. These fridge and freezers, similar to those found at https://coolsys.com/commercial-refrigeration-services-restaurants/ would be one of the first things to be invested in so that food can be stored properly – as the food truck is a total loss. Chavez’s home also received 20 inches of flooding. Each t-shirt costs $25 plus shipping. The shirts are on sale until midnight Oct. 25 and will ship starting on Nov. 15. All proceeds will be donated directly to Eduardo Chavez for the purpose of rebuilding his business. Get your shirts here.

• Triangle Business Journal reported this week that after more than four decades (since 1977) serving Mediterranean fare to customers in the Triangle, Neomonde’s co-founder and longtime leader Samir “Sam” Saleh is stepping down. Blannie Cheng Miller, who had previously worked with the company as general counsel and corporate strategy adviser, will take on the role of president in September, while Samir continues as chair of the board. You won’t find a kinder person than Samir Saleh, and we wish him all the best in his new role and look forward to the direction Miller takes this beloved Triangle institution. Visit Neomonde here.

Durham, Orange & Chatham Restaurant News

• In Chatham County, I’m a little late to report this, but popular food truck Tacos Michoacan has opened a brick-and-mortar location at 440 East Street in Pittsboro, in the former Bella Donna/Pizza Hut location. Visit them on Facebook here.

Closings

• Reader Chris Creighton noticed an “Available” sign out in front of the Eastern Gate Cafe that had moved into the former Applebee’s location at the corner of Hillsborough and Gorman streets.

• Creighton also notified us that the Cary Crossroads location of Ruby Tuesday has closed.

• And over in Chapel Hill, buddy Clint Winslow notified me that the short ‘experiment’ to reopen the Living Kitchen location has ended. They have closed permanently this time.

Food Trucks

• The folks over at EatRaleigh notified us that a new barbecue truck, And Also With Cue, is rolling into the Triangle. It is a social enterprise in partnership with the First Baptist Church, where every purchased meal equals a barbecue sandwich for a person in need. Their grand opening will be on October 27th. Get to know them here.

• The next Wake Forest Food Truck Rodeo happens Sunday, October 27th from 12-4pm at 405 S. Brooks St. downtown Wake Forest! Just about everything and anything that is served from the back of a truck will be featured from savory food and dessert vendors. In addition, a beer tent will be provided by Brooks Street Bowl, live music, a variety of craft vendors, and a Kid’s Zone. Get all the details on their Facebook page here.

• The last 2019 Durham Food Truck Rodeo is November 3! Get all the details here. And the final date for the 2019 edition of the Raleigh Food Truck Rodeo is the make-up date on November 10th. Get all the details here.

Events

• Thanks to Triangle Explorer John Huisman, we know that tonight (Friday, October 18) from 5:30 – 8:30pm, Triangle residents can enjoy a rare opportunity to taste wines with a Master Sommelier while they enjoy delicious Korean food from the popular NC Bulkogi Food Truck. This fun, free wine tasting is a casual event hosted by The Raleigh Wine Shop on Glenwood Avenue in downtown Raleigh. Master Sommelier Desmond Echavarrie will be on hand pouring a lineup of select premium California producers while the Bulkogi food truck will be posted up in the parking lot selling delicious Korean dishes. Visit their Facebook event page here.

• Triangle Oktoberfest, a two-day beer, food and music festival celebrating German culture and benefiting local and international charities, will hold its 6^th annual event on Friday, October 18, from 5 to 10 p.m., and Saturday, October 19, from noon to 9 p.m. at Cary’s Koka Booth Amphitheatre. The festival is organized by Apex Sunrise and Cary MacGregor Rotary Clubs in collaboration with the Town of Cary. Get all the details here.

• On Wednesday, October 23rd, Walter Magazine will host Taste of the Wild in Transfer Co’s brand new event space honoring the outdoors with a locally-sourced dinner. Locals Oyster Bar and Longleaf Swine BBQ are joined by Fullsteam Brewing and Wye Hill Brewery to discuss sustainability, wild-foraged ingredients and the importance of eating local. Enjoy hors d’oeuvres, a three-course dinner, beer and wine pairings, along with signature cocktails. Get all the details and sign-up for the event here.

• The folks over at The Beltline Buzz reminded us that the 5th Annual NC Wine Festival is Saturday, Oct 26 at the Coastal Credit Union Midtown Park at North Hills. Enjoy the best from NC award-winning wines, breweries, spirits, and ciders paired up with chef-inspired treats. Enjoy tasting more than 100 different varieties of North Carolina wines from sweet to dry. Once your glass is filled groove to the music from live bands, grab a bite from food vendors and enjoy browsing the exhibitor’s tents for treasures. General Admission ticket holders will receive a commemorative wine tasting glass, unlimited wine tastings and entertainment throughout the day with three live bands. Gates open at 12:00 noon and it goes until 6 p.m. Tickets here and website here.

• On Sunday, November 3rd, more than 30 of the Triangle’s finest restaurants will be paired with world-class wines at the third annual Sip + Savor – A Wine, Food and Music Experience. Sip + Savor will showcase 30+ culinary all-stars, sommeliers, on-stage experience with live music, VIP lounge, and more. Get all the details and tickets here.

• The folks over at Mandolin Restaurant will hold their Fall Oyster Roast on their farm on Durant Road on Sunday, November 3rd from 3:30 to 6:30 pm. At their traditional North Carolina Oyster Roast, they will be cooking wild NC oysters over an open fire and serving them with the traditional accompaniments and seasonal dishes from our farm. $65 per person includes all food, non-alcoholic beverages, and gratuity. Wine and beer will be available for a supplemental fee. Get tickets and all the details here.

• The Cystic Fibrosis Foundation will hold their Brewer’s Ball on November 8, 2019 from 6:30-10pm at The Rickhouse in Durham. The Ball is an evening celebrating the Triangle’s “finest” young professionals and features food, beer, live music, live and silent auctions, and a chance to mingle, all while being a part of a great cause: helping move us closer to a cure for cystic fibrosis. This one-of-a-kind beer tasting event has grown each year with the 2018 event hosting over a dozen different vendors including local craft breweries, and food from several Triangle area restaurants. The event will be capped at 300 people and tickets have sold out every year! Get tickets and details here.

• If you are looking for the recipe for a perfect fall day, here’s a tip: Salt & Smoke VII presented by chef Kevin Callaghan and his team at ACME on Saturday, November 9th from 1:30 to 6:30 pm. Join the nearly 300 people who’ve already bought their tickets to the seventh annual celebration of southern food and drink and music at the beautiful Rock Quarry Farm in Orange County. Visit their Facebook events page here and get tickets here. Isn’t it time you #GetYourSouthOn? Thanks to the folks over at Taste Carolina for the reminder.

• Sunday, November 10th from 12 to 2 p.m. is the annual Triangle Chili Challenge that brings out some of the best restaurants, food trucks, caterers, businesses and organizations as they compete for the title of “Best Chili in the Triangle”. Triangle Chili Challenge will donate a portion of this year’s proceeds to Special Olympics North Carolina. Get all the details on their Facebook event page here.

Food Bank Corner

• We mentioned the NC State Fair above, but don’t forget that Food Lion Hunger Relief Day at the N.C. State Fair is Thursday, October 24. Bring six (6) cans of Food Lion brand food to the N.C. State Fair on Thursday, October 24, and exchange them at any gate for one (1) free admission ticket. Since 1993, more than 5 million pounds of food have been donated by fairgoers to feed neighbors in need. Get all the details here on their Facebook events page.