Friday Fun Food Facts – January 30, 2015

Triangle Restaurant News

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

He has done it again. The much-anticipated annual “ranking” of area restaurants by the News & Observer’s Greg Cox – including the restaurant of the year. No spoiler alert here, you’ll have to click through to see this year’s list, and winner. I’ll have to say, it is hard to argue with this list.

And here is one more great read for you. Looks like the New York Times is following Andrea Weigl’s lead and has a great article on the “sisterhood” of great female chefs, and farmers, in North Carolina and specifically here in the Triangle. Take a moment to read this piece.

The News & Observer reported this week that Glenwood South’s The Rockford closed temporarily this past Tuesday to revamp their menu. They will reopen next week (February 3rd). Check them out here.

Our friends over at New Raleigh reported this week that downtown Raleigh is getting a new gastropub called Whiskey Kitchen. It will be located adjacent to Nash Square in the “White Horse” building. Nothing much on their website or Facebook page yet.

Rise Biscuits and Donuts, which opened in 2012 near the Streets of Southpoint in Durham, announced this week that their first franchise location would open this summer in Morrisville’s Park West Village shopping center. We will keep an eye on an exact opening date once it is known. Look for additional franchise location announcements in the next month. In the meantime, check out Rise here.

The News & Observer reported this week that Diana and Oliver Yu are targeting February15 for the opening of Goji Bistro in Cary’s Maynard Crossing Shopping Center in the former Neo-Asia space, which the Yus also operated (the original Neo-Asia on Raleigh’s Glenwood Avenue remains unchanged). Get a peek at Goji on Facebook here.

Got word from David McCreary (aka Lunchboy Says) that a new restaurant has opened in Fuquay-Varina called Kumo Sushi Hibachi. It is located at 2915 N. Main Street. Check out their Facebook page here.

The Durham, a boutique 53-room hotel in downtown Durham (315 E. Chapel Hill Street) will open this spring according to the News & Observer. That alone is pretty cool. But what makes it suave cool, is that Chapel Hill’s Andrea Reusing (i.e. Lantern) has teamed up with the developers to open a ground level restaurant and roof-top bar. Now that makes that hotel! We’ll keep an eye out for the exact open date.

The Triangle Business Journal is reporting that beginning next week, February 3rd to be exact, Durham will have a “Hot Now” light flashing at 3536 Hillsborough Road as Krispy Kreme opens up its newest location. Remember, the first 100 people through the doors get “donuts for a year.” If interested, you might want to make plans to camp out. This location is the former site of George’s Diner and before that, Miami Subs Grill.

Reader Sammi Hilliard tipped us off to the fact that One Whirled Café in Wake Forest has closed their doors.

The News & Observer is reporting that March 27th or 29th will be the last day for Ninth Street’s Charlie’s Pub & Grill over in Durham.

Reader Chris Hansen dialed me into the fact that Charlie Hamaty, the owner of the two Charlie’s Kabob Grill locations in Wake Forest, now has a food truck – Charlie’s Kabob Grill…On Wheels! Check him out here.

The Chinese New Year is upon us and apparently it is the year of the Goat! And on Saturday January 31, at the Dorton Arena in Raleigh, the Triangle Chinese American Society of North Carolina will hold the 2015 Chinese New Year Festival. Tickets are $5 in advance, $8 at the door. Kids 6 years and under are free! Over 40 performances, tons of kids activities, a dozen food vendors, and cultural exhibits. Get tickets and details here.

This is pretty cool. The Carolina Inn over in Chapel Hill is celebrating their 90th anniversary on Saturday, February 28th. They will host a Commemorative Chefs’ Event beginning at 6:30 with a four-course wine-pairing dinner celebrating the cuisine of their executive chefs through the years including Brian Stapleton, Jimmy Reale and current executive chef James Clark. Cost is $90 per person. Get tickets and all the details here.

Tickets are now on sale for the “Got To Be NC” Competition Dining Series which features 16 chefs that will be competing in the Fire in the Triangle competition that runs from January 19th through the grand finale on March 2nd. See who the chefs this year are, see match-ups and get your tickets here.

Our friends over at the Food Bank of Central and Eastern North Carolina are coming off a very big year in 2014 (read about it here). But the need is even bigger and their work is even more meaningful. So how can you help? Have you ever considered hosting a food drive at your office? They make it as easy as pie. Click here for a step-by-step “guide” to hosting a food drive in your office.