TRIANGLE FOOD BLOG

Triangle Restaurant News

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

Featured Restaurant News

It was announced this week that Blue Cross Blue Shield of North Carolina is providing 20 fresh, healthy meals per day for 365 days to those in need via A Place at the Table in Raleigh. So cool! A Place at the Table, located at 300 West Hargett Street, invites customers to pay what they can for a fresh, healthy meal while experiencing community and conversation in the café. On May 10^th & 11^th Blue Cross NC will present Thrive NC, a two-day event featuring an immersive culinary experience with contributions from top chefs and restaurants. Tickets for that event go on sale at the end of February. Get more information on A Place at the Table here and on Thrive NC here.

Wake County Restaurant News

In downtown Raleigh, the folks over at St. Roch Fine Oysters + Bar announced recently that they have begun brunch service on Saturday and Sunday, open 10 a.m. until 2:00 p.m. on those days. This is in addition to their evening dining hours. They also noted that their oyster bar stays open all day on the weekend! Check out their full menu and get all their details here.

The ITB Insider reported this week that Poke Bar, a California-based franchise offering its own spin on the traditional Hawaiian dish poke, opened its first North Carolina location last week at 2604 Hillsborough Street. Get familiar with them here.

Congratulations to chef Dean Thompson at 41 Hundred at Raleigh Renaissance Hotel for coming out on top of this year’s Cooking for a Classic chef competition. Visit Dean’s restaurant 41 Hundred here.

Speaking of North Hills, a quick update thanks to the folks over at the ITB Insider – work has begun on the Bartaco that will open next to Mura. The initial information from North Hills listed a summer 2018 opening. Stay tuned. Check out Bartaco here.

In Cary, reader Christine Johnson notified us that she spotted a coming soon sign for the next location of Zoes Kitchen. It will be in Cary’s Crossroads shopping center in the former Tasu outparcel at 2007 Walnut Street. No word yet on an open date. Visit Zoes here.

And speaking of Cary, if you are over that way, Postmaster is holding their Grand Opening today (February 9) with specials on cocktails, wine and beer along with some special items the chefs will be preparing. Visit them here.

Down in Apex, got word from readers B.J. Meier and Brian Kachel that a new Italian restaurant called Osteria G is opening very soon (like hopefully next week) at 5160 Sunset Lake Road in Apex in the former Little Hen spot. Check out the menu and other details on their website here.

Also in Apex, I’m not really sure what happened here, but what I do know is that the Blistered Pig is now Cantina 2 Twenty Five (of course, located at 225 Salem Street). They serve up Mexican cuisine, featuring unique tacos, tequila and mezcal. Get to know them here. Thanks to David Amann for letting us know about the change.

Durham, Orange & Chatham Restaurant News

The folks over at Taste Carolina notified me that there is a new North Indian restaurant called Naan Stop over on Erwin Road next to Black Twig, and their website (get this) is Naan Stop Duke. Love all these clever names.

Also in Durham, a huge shoutout and congratulations to the folks over at Toast on celebrating their 10-year anniversary! Check them out here.

Congratulations also to the folks over at Carrboro’s ACME Food & Beverage Company as they celebrate their 20-year anniversary. And they are holding a party (like it’s 1998 – sorry Prince) on Saturday, February 17^th from 8:30 p.m. until 12:30 a.m. They will have a heated tent behind the restaurant and will have dancing, snacks, drinks and (of course) a damn good time. Admission is a $20 donation to Be Loud! Sophie, which supports adolescent and young adult cancer patients at UNC Hospitals. Get all the details on their Facebook event page here.

Over in Chapel Hill, we have now confirmed that the Korean restaurant MinGa is moving from its current location into the former Captain Poncho space on Franklin Street, near the intersection with Estes Drive. Look for them to open the new space in March. Check them out here. Thanks to Matthew, the Burgeoning Baker, for the tip.
In downtown Durham, the owners of the popular restaurant Old Havana are in the process of transitioning into a new concept, Copa (a farm to table tapas and cocktails of old Cuba), in the old Revolution. They are looking to open the new venture in March. However, to complete that dream, they are asking for community support to make renovations/furnishings possible. If you are inclined to help, click here.

Closings

None to report. Keep eating local, folks!

Food Trucks

Art Sheppard, the Wandering Sheppard, tipped me off to the fact that there is another new truck roaming the streets of the Triangle – and you are going to love the name, and the food. It is Pork in the Road, and you guessed it, serving up everything pork (with a few options for our vegetarian friends). Check them out here.

Art Sheppard, the Wandering Sheppard, noted that the date has been set for the next edition of Rodeo on Rosemary over in Chapel Hill. This year it will take place on April 22 at 12 noon featuring 15 of the best trucks in the Triangle. Get all the details on their Facebook event page here.

Two great sites to keep up with your favorite food trucks. Street Food Finder is one – find it here. And another, aptly named, is Roaming Hunger – find it here.

Events

Tyler’s Restaurant & Taproom and Sam’s Quik Shop will host the 6th Annual Bull City Food and Beer Experience on Sunday, February 25. The event features 30 restaurants paired with 30 breweries spread throughout all three DPAC floors featuring unlimited samplings and the Harris On Stage Experience showcasing local food trucks with the help of County Fare, a daily food truck rodeo opening soon. Get all the details and tickets here.

March 17^th is the date for the second annual Food Shuttle Garden Gallop 5K to benefit the Inter-Faith Food Shuttle’s Growing School Gardens program (better known as the Sean is Faster Than Gordon race). Put it this way, if I can do it, you can do it! Come on out and support a great cause. Register and get all the details here.

Durham Magazine, Chapel Hill Magazine and Chatham Magazine return with their popular culinary event, Taste to take place April 18-22 highlighting the culinary talents along the Durham/Chapel Hill corridor. The event will feature over 30 of the area’s top chefs at four unique events throughout the week. Keep up with the latest and get tickets here.

And looking ahead a bit, it was announced this week that Blue Cross and Blue Shield of North Carolina will host a culinary event called Thrive NC set to take place at downtown Raleigh’s City Market on May 10-11. The two-day event will highlight the fact that 1.5 million people in the state struggle to buy affordable and fresh foods. A highlight of the event will be a two-day food festival featuring top chefs from 50 North Carolina restaurants serving food and drink samples against a backdrop of live music each night. Tickets will go on sale in February. Keep up with the details as they unfold here.

Food Bank Corner

Go ahead and mark your calendars and get your tickets for the Food Bank’s Chef’s Feast at Fearrington Village coming up on March 22. Four renowned chefs will prepare, and serve favorite recipes through four courses in an intimate environment. Guests will enjoy beverage pairings, an opportunity to bid on unique auction items, and learn more about what the Food Bank and its partner agencies are doing in the community for those facing food insecurity. Get more information and tickets here.

Triangle Restaurant News

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

Featured Restaurant News

The News & Observer reported last week that chef Mike Lee, who operates M Sushi and M Kokko, has plans for 5 more restaurants. Next up, M Kogi and M Taco which he hopes to open in the 4^th quarter of this year. Lee likes the model of his restaurants opening adjacent to each other and sharing a kitchen. Once Kogi and Taco are up and running, Lee will shift to his next projects: one built around Buddhist cuisine and offering a vegan menu and another that’s essentially a permanent pop-up spot, with the menu and chef changing often, but the space staying the same. And finally, Lee ultimately plans to launch a non-profit fast-casual concept. This is going to be fun to watch (and enjoy!). Check our M Sushi here and M Kokko here.

Wake County Restaurant News

In downtown Raleigh it was announced this week that O-Ku Sushi, an Asian restaurant with locations in Charleston, Atlanta and Charlotte, will open at The Dillon this summer. They were named “Top 20 Best New Restaurant” by Esquire in 2010 and “Best Sushi Restaurant in the U.S.” by Travel + Leisure in 2013. Go ahead and get familiar with them here.

And rejoice…WRAL reported this week that Smashed Waffles (all waffles, all the time) opened this week at 2304 Hillsborough Street, directly across from NC State. Check out the Greenville-based concept here.

Last week the folks over at Zen Fish on Durham’s Ninth Street announced that they had officially started construction on their second location – this one in the Weston Corners Plaza on Chapel Hill Road in Cary/Morrisville (next to Guasaca and Famous Toastery. Check them out here. Thanks to Jenny Bengen Albert for the tip.

Up in North Raleigh John Huisman, aka Triangle Explorer, brought it to our attention that Kwench Juice Bar is opening soon in the Falls Point shopping center. They will be serving up Acai bowls, salads, juices and smoothies. Check them out here.

And I’m happy to report that North Hill’s Vivace Italian restaurant has reopened after taking on extensive damage due to a burst water pipe in early January. Get by and welcome them back! Check them out here.

Durham, Orange & Chatham Restaurant News

This is going to be big! Monday, February 19^th will be the grand opening of a new fast-casual restaurant called Sushiōki (“Oki” means big in Japanese) at 4900 Highway 55 (near the intersection with Highway 54, next to Brigs restaurant). The concept features large, burrito-sized sushi rolls, both traditional (raw tuna, raw salmon, tempura shrimp) and non-traditional (double fried chicken, southern pork BBQ, Korean bulgogi, and veggie). Can’t wait to check this place out. Find them here.

And this is exciting. A viewer on WRAL shared the news that a ‘coming soon’ sign appeared for Duck Donuts over at Patterson Place in Durham. No word on a timeline, but we will definitely keep an eye on this. Check out Duck Donuts here.

Considering my daughter’s name and the fact I love cheesecake, I was excited to learn from Bites of Bull City’s Amber Watson that Lily’s Cheesecake Bakery & Cafe held their grand opening this past week. They are located at 5504 Durham-Chapel Hill Blvd. Check them out here.

In downtown Durham, the owners of the popular restaurant Old Havana are in the process of transitioning into a new concept, Copa (a farm to table tapas and cocktails of old Cuba), in the old Revolution. They are looking to open the new venture in March. However, to complete that dream, they are asking for community support to make renovations/furnishings possible. If you are inclined to help, click here.

Amber Watson at Bites of Bull City tweeted this week that it looks like Khaja’s Curry on 9th Street is open, where Chubby’s used to be at 748 Ninth Street. We could not find an online presence for them. Will have to just go by and check it out!

Glen Gillen notified me that the Amante Pizza in the Hope Valley Shopping Center in Durham (3825 S. Roxboro Road) has closed and has been replaced by a Subway. He also pointed out that there is a new outparcel across the street with signage that says “New Tokyo” but it appears to still be under construction.

Over in Chapel Hill, things are starting to become a little clearer as to what is happening with the former One space in Meadowmont. It will become Fusion Fish, a global Asian fusion restaurant featuring sushi and spirits and cocktails. They won’t commit to anything more definite than “opening soon” so we will just have to keep peeking in the windows for now. Keep up with them on Facebook here.

Also in Chapel Hill, we are not certain if this is a move or a second location, but we do know for sure that the Korean restaurant MinGa is moving into the former Captain Poncho (and before that, Mixed) space on Franklin Street, near the intersection with Estes Drive. Look for them to open the new space in March. Check them out here. Thanks to Matthew, the Burgeoning Baker, for the tip.

Chapel Hill’s Franklin Street will get another pizza joint soon. The Pizza Press, a create your own pizza concept, will be located just down from Target in Carolina Square (formerly University Square) at 123 W. Franklin Street. And snooping around their site, it looks like they will also open a location in Raleigh, just don’t know where just yet (guessing Hillsborough Street??). Check them out here.

And while on the subject of Carolina Square on Franklin Street, signage went up recently for the next location of B.Good. They already have locations in Morrisville, downtown Raleigh and Raleigh’s North Hills. No word on a timeline for the Chapel Hill location. Check out B.Good here.

Closings

And this is a hard one to report, but Indy Week was the first to report that Scratch will be closing their 8-year-old location in downtown Durham to focus on their newest ventures – “Baby Scratch” and the Lakewood on Chapel Hill Street. They will close at the end of this month, so there is still time to get by!

Got word from reader Scott Eaton that SiP Bistro in Holly Springs (once featured on Restaurant Impossible)has closed.

Food Trucks

Art Sheppard, the Wandering Sheppard, noted that the date has been set for the next edition of Rodeo on Rosemary over in Chapel Hill. This year it will take place on April 22 at 12 noon featuring 15 of the best trucks in the Triangle. Get all the details on their Facebook event page here.

For those that live in and/or frequent North Raleigh, you will be happy to know that Mr. Sticky’s Sticky Buns food truck has opened and can be found at 9229 Capital Blvd. next to Pro Tire. Check them out on Facebook here. Congrats to Ed Hall!

Two great sites to keep up with your favorite food trucks. Street Food Finder is one – find it here. And another, aptly named, is Roaming Hunger – find it here.

Events

The 2018 version of the Lucy Daniels Center Cooking for a Classic is coming to a conclusion as chef Matt Hannon of Ironwood Cafe goes up against chef Dean Thompson of Raleigh Renaissance Hotel on February 7^th. Tickets are still available. Get a peek at the truck and tickets here.

The Cary Rotary Club is hosting its 15^th annual Chili Dinner fund-raiser to Stop Hunger on Friday, January 26 at Kirk of Kildare Presbyterian Church (200 High Meadow Drive in Cary) between the hours of 12 and 2 p.m. and 5 and 7 p.m. This year they are working toward providing 94,000+ meals internationally and generating $11,000+ to support local hunger relief efforts. Each $8 ticket purchased will send ~19 meals internationally and $2.40 to relieve hunger in our own neighborhoods. International meals are typically served in schools. Doing so encourages attendance and supports education/literacy. Delicious meals prepared by Whole Foods Market will be served at lunch and dinner. Get details on their Facebook event page here.

Tyler’s Restaurant & Taproom and Sam’s Quik Shop will host the 6th Annual Bull City Food and Beer Experience on Sunday, February 25. The event features 30 restaurants paired with 30 breweries spread throughout all three DPAC floors featuring unlimited samplings and the Harris On Stage Experience showcasing local food trucks with the help of County Fare, a daily food truck rodeo opening soon. Get all the details and tickets here.

March 17^th is the date for the second annual Food Shuttle Garden Gallop 5K to benefit the Inter-Faith Food Shuttle’s Growing School Gardens program (better known as the Sean is Faster Than Gordon race). Put it this way, if I can do it, you can do it! Come on out and support a great cause. Register and get all the details here.

Durham Magazine, Chapel Hill Magazine and Chatham Magazine return with their popular culinary event, Taste to take place April 18-22 highlighting the culinary talents along the Durham/Chapel Hill corridor. The event will feature over 30 of the area’s top chefs at four unique events throughout the week. Keep up with the latest and get tickets here.

And looking ahead a bit, it was announced this week that Blue Cross and Blue Shield of North Carolina will host a culinary event called Thrive NC set to take place at downtown Raleigh’s City Market on May 10-11. The two-day event will highlight the fact that 1.5 million people in the state struggle to buy affordable and fresh foods. A highlight of the event will be a two-day food festival featuring top chefs from 50 North Carolina restaurants serving food and drink samples against a backdrop of live music each night. Tickets will go on sale in February. Keep up with the details as they unfold here.

Food Bank Corner

Go ahead and mark your calendars and get your tickets for the Food Bank’s Chef’s Feast at Fearrington Village coming up on March 22. Four renowned chefs will prepare, and serve favorite recipes through four courses in an intimate environment. Guests will enjoy beverage pairings, an opportunity to bid on unique auction items, and learn more about what the Food Bank and its partner agencies are doing in the community for those facing food insecurity. Get more information and tickets here.