TRIANGLE FOOD BLOG

•  Just before Valentine’s Day 2014, the Triangle’s diverse dining scene will add a new culinary option called Café LOVE, from the folks behind Triangle Raw Foods. It will feature a raw foods menu and will be located at 3219 Old Chapel Hill Blvd. next to Piper’s Deli and between University Drive and MLK Boulevard in Durham. The eatery, whose name signifies Live Organic Vegan Eats, will be operated by chef Matthew Daniels and business partner Jane Howard Crutchfield. Learn more about them here.

Wake County Restaurant News 

•  Listen up Chuy’s fans, you are going to have to be a little bit more patient. Got the following note this week: Due to unforeseeable delays Chuy’s Raleigh will now be opening on Tuesday, November 26. Check out their Facebook page here.

• Looks like Hillsborough Street just got another coffee option. Located at the new student-housing complex at 2604 Hillsborough Street, Saxby’s (not to be confused with Zaxby’s) has opened. Following that, they will open a second Raleigh location this winter over at North Hills near Harris Teeter where Henry’s Gelato used to be. Check them out here.

• And over in Cary, the Triangle’s third location of Firewurst is now open. The newest in the lineup is on Harrison Avenue in the same shopping center where Bass Pro Shop is going in (right across from The Umstead Hotel). Check them out here. Thanks to Kristen Baughman for the heads up on that.

• And there is a new dog in town called The Double. Serving up gourmet all-beef hot dogs and fresh-cut fries, they are located at 962-A Airport Blvd in RTP and they are open 10:30-3:30 on weekdays. Check them out here.

Durham, Orange & Chatham County Restaurant News 

• While all the buzz in Chapel Hill this week was about a new swanky movie theater going in at University Mall (and that is great news), I was more excited to hear that Plaza Azteca, a full-service restaurant serving contemporary Mexican cuisine, will open in the mall in 2014.

• Insomnia Cookies opened a new bakery in Chapel Hill on Tuesday, November 11. The store is at 145 East Franklin Street, across from the University of North Carolina. They are open until 3 a.m. and they will deliver! Check them out here.

• Also over in Chapel Hill we got word from a Chowhound post that a “Indi-Chinese” place (interesting, right?) called Rasa has opened in the old Ming Garden space in Chapel Hill North. I couldn’t find a web page for it, but here is the Yelp listing for it.

• I got an invitation this week to an opening reception for The Pit in downtown Durham. Based on the date of the opening reception, it looks like they will swing open their doors prior to the end of this month. Get ready Durham! Nothing much on their website yet.

Closings (None!) 

• Keep eating local, folks!

Food Trucks 

• On Sunday, November 17th (from 1-4 pm) the good folks over at Sola Coffee Café in North Raleigh are throwing a “Thank You Raleigh Party” where they will be giving a free drink of choice to all their customers. (Proceeds for those who choose to donate will go to Friends of Wake County Guardian ad Litem, a program for abused and neglected children in Wake County. Check out Sola here.

• Here is another great foodie event to get on your calendar – the March of Dimes Triangle Signature Chefs Auction on November 17 at the Washington Duke Inn & Golf Club. Attendees will be able to sample signature dishes from top chefs from around the Triangle while bidding on great auction items/packages during our silent and live auctions.  Get all the details here.

• On Wednesday, November 20 at 7 p.m., “Bacon Mania” hits Watts Grocery. Executive Chef, Amy Tornquist has partnered with Hope Valley Bottle Shop for a dinner highlighting every Southerners favorite food – bacon.  For $55 (excluding tax and gratuity), guests will enjoy five-courses including pairings specifically chosen to complement each dish. Get more details and register here.

• Urban Ministries of Wake County is hosting its ninth annual Stone Soup Supper from 5-7 p.m. on November 20th. The soup is being prepared by Scott Crawford of Herons at the Umstead Hotel and Spa in Cary; Eddie Wilson and Andrea Pettifer of Margaux’s Restaurant in North Raleigh; Scott Rowe of Prestonwood Country Club in Cary; and Ben Holt of Raleigh’s Capital City Club. Dinner costs $8 for adults and $4 for children. The handcrafted pottery bowls can be taken home for a suggested donation of $25. Tickets can be ordered ahead of time here.

• On November 23rd from 5-8 p.m. the folks behind Chirba Chirba Food Truck and the folks over at Aviator Brewing Company are teaming up for a one-night pop-up dining experience at the Belt Line Station in Durham. The cost is $28. Reserve your tickets and get all the details here.

• Triangle Family Services’ will hold their annual Gingerbread Benefit on Thursday, December 5 at the Umstead Hotel & Spa in Cary. Attendees will have a chance to view beautiful gingerbread houses designed by nearly 30 local chefs and support Triangle Family Services’ mission to help families in crisis. Get more details here.

• Mark your calendar for 6 p.m. on December 11th when Chapel Hill’s Il Palio restaurant at The Siena Hotel offers up a five-course dinner with beer pairings from Durham’s Fullsteam brewery. The cost is $55 per person. For a reservation, call 919-918-2545. Get more information here.

Holiday Menus, Turkeys & Holiday Gifts!  

• Ordering a “Holiday Lunch” for your office? We’ve made it simple for you. Check out these great holiday menus from A Catered Affair, The Picnic Basket, Catering By Design, We Cook For You Catering, Neomonde Cafe and Green Planet Catering. As an added bonus, all orders off any of these Holiday menus (now through the end of the year) will earn you double points!! Order away and happy holidays!

• Don’t want to cook on Thanksgiving? Here are some options for you. Both The Q Shack in North Hills and Neomonde in North Raleigh will have your turkey and all the fixings ready for you to pick up. For The Q Shack click here and for Neomonde just email Noelle here.

• Also, if you are so lazy that you don’t want to even do that (I get it), Andrea Weigl over at the News & Observer has put together a list of restaurants that will be open on turkey day. However, we recommend you get your reservation in early. Here’s the list.

• If you are looking for holiday gift ideas, the Downtown Raleigh Alliance has created the perfect option – a Shop Downtown gift card that, among other retail options, gives you access to over 37 downtown restaurants. Get your gift card(s) here.

•  If you are looking for holiday gift ideas, the Downtown Raleigh Alliance has created the perfect option – a Shop Downtown gift card that, among other retail options, gives you access to over 37 downtown restaurants. Get your gift card(s) here.

Wake County Restaurant News 

• Downtown Raleigh’s newest watering hole opened this week – Paddy O’Beers is located at 121 Fayetteville Street, directly across from Isaac Hunter’s Oak City Tavern. Check them out here.

• And in other alcohol related news in downtown Raleigh, the Triangle Business Journal reported this week the bizarre scenario of Napper Tandy’s closing on West Street, but opening the next day in the former Murphy’s Law restaurant location at 410 Glenwood Avenue (Murphy’s Law was owned by the same folks that own Napper Tandy’s).

• North Carolina’s newest Dave & Buster’s location opened in Cary two days ago. Dave & Buster’s is located in Cary Towne Center. Get familiar with this newest fun and interactive dining experience by visiting them here.

• Also in Cary, we got word from a comment on the Chowhound blog that Cary is now home to a Cantonese restaurant called Banana Leaf. It is located off of Cary Towne Boulevard and Walnut Street at 1026 Ryan Road in the former Bombay Beijing space. I couldn’t find a web page for it, but here are a few Yelp reviews of it.

• And in the Cary rumor file, I have received word from David McCreary (aka Lunchboy Says…) that he has a very reliable source that informed him that Chubby Taco’s will open their 6th Triangle area location in Cary next spring. We are going to hold David to this! We’ll keep you posted.

• Up in Wake Forest, WRAL turned us onto the fact that Tlaquepaque Mexican has opened in the location that used to be O’Charley’s at 11206 Capital Boulevard. Check them out here.

• Keeping things in Wake Forest, WRAL also reported last week that another restaurant is in the early stages. Next to Tlaquepaque, in the old Steak ‘n Shake location, will be a place called Britino’s. No other information is available at this time.

• And out in Fuquay Varina (aka the Quay) Hosana Brewery and Pub opened last month with 12 beers on tap. Need we say more? Check them out here.

Durham, Orange & Chatham County Restaurant News 

• Got word from John Huisman (aka Triangle Explorer) that later this month Durham will become home to a mobile, solar powered coffee bar called Caffe Bellezza. The “truck” is the brainchild of Tim Morris and his wife Julie. We’ll keep an eye on it and let you know when it hits the streets. In the meantime, check them out here.

• The Herald-Sun is reporting that Durham is getting ready to get a new burger joint when Smashburger opens in the Pavilion East complex on Erwin Road near Duke University Hospital. They are expected to be open next spring. Get a peek at them here.

• The Herald-Sun is also reporting that the Durham version of The Pit, part of the Empire Eats family, is slated to open in the next two to three weeks. The restaurant is planned to open in a former soda bottling plant at the corner of West Geer Street and Rigsbee Avenue, across from Motorco Music Hall. It’s in the same building as Fullsteam Brewery. Here is a peek at their Raleigh location, if you haven’t been.

• The owners of Triangle Raw Foods, who will soon be opening Café LOVE over in Durham, announced this week that they have secured a location. While they haven’t told us exactly where it will be, we do know it is in the South Square area near Piper’s Deli. We will keep you posted.

• The Herald-Sun reports that Don Martelo’s has opened in the Erwin Terrace shopping center off Erwin Road. It’s in the second-floor space that fronts on Erwin Road that previously housed Sandella’s Flatbread Café. The development is also home to Nosh and Six Plates Wine Bar.

• And over in Carrboro, if you find yourself in the market to purchase a successful restaurant, you’ll want to take a look at The Spotted Dog, located between Main Street and Weaver Street right in the heart of downtown Carrboro. Drop me a line if you are interested. Check them out here.

Closings (but just temporary) 

• Two closings to report this week, but thankfully they are only temporary. This week the building that houses Pizzeria Toro and The Cupcake Bar in downtown Durham caught fire leading to the temporary closing of these two establishments. We’ll keep an eye on them as they work towards reopening soon.

Food Trucks 

• Whole Foods in Raleigh is turning 21! And you are invited to free food from The Humble Pig Food Truck as well as beer (you have to purchase) from Big Boss Brewing tonight (November 8th) from 5-7 p.m. (or until the food runs out). Check them out on Facebook here.

• Ray Price Harley-Davidson will host its popular BBQ Cook-Off (featuring 12 chefs) and Veterans Day Celebration this Saturday, November 9. The public is invited to the Ray Price dealership for all-you-can-eat barbecue (beginning at 12 noon). The cost is $5 with all proceeds benefiting the U.S. Veterans Corps. Get all the details on their Facebook page here.  

• If you are over in Orange County on Tuesday, November 12th, the Inter-Faith Council for Social Service (IFC) encourages you to eat out for the 25th annual RSVVP (Restaurants Sharing 10 Percent) Day. This all-day fundraiser supports the IFC’s hunger-relief efforts in Orange County. For a complete listing of participating restaurants, click here.

• On Sunday, November 17th (from 1-4 pm) the good folks over at Sola Coffee Café in North Raleigh are throwing a “Thank You Raleigh Party” where they will be giving a free drink of choice to all their customers. (Proceeds for those who choose to donate will go to Friends of Wake County Guardian ad Litem, a program for abused and neglected children in Wake County. Check out Sola here.

• Here is another great foodie event to get on your calendar – the March of Dimes Triangle Signature Chefs Auction on November 17 at the Washington Duke Inn & Golf Club. Attendees will be able to sample signature dishes from top chefs from around the Triangle while bidding on great auction items/packages during our silent and live auctions.  Get all the details here.

• On Wednesday, November 20 at 7 p.m., “Bacon Mania” hits Watts Grocery. Executive Chef, Amy Tornquist has partnered with Hope Valley Bottle Shop for a dinner highlighting every Southerners favorite food – bacon.  For $55 (excluding tax and gratuity), guests will enjoy five-courses including pairings specifically chosen to complement each dish. Get more details and register here.

• Urban Ministries of Wake County is hosting its ninth annual Stone Soup Supper from 5-7 p.m. on November 20th. The soup is being prepared by Scott Crawford of Herons at the Umstead Hotel and Spa in Cary; Eddie Wilson and Andrea Pettifer of Margaux’s Restaurant in North Raleigh; Scott Rowe of Prestonwood Country Club in Cary; and Ben Holt of Raleigh’s Capital City Club. Dinner costs $8 for adults and $4 for children. The handcrafted pottery bowls can be taken home for a suggested donation of $25. Tickets can be ordered ahead of time here.

• Mark your calendar for 6 p.m. on December 11th when Chapel Hill’s Il Palio restaurant at The Siena Hotel offers up a five-course dinner with beer pairings from Durham’s Fullsteam brewery. The cost is $55 per person. For a reservation, call 919-918-2545. Get more information here.

Holiday Menus Through Triangle Food Guy! 

• Ordering a “Holiday Lunch” for your office? We’ve made it simple for you. Check out these great holiday menus from A Catered Affair, The Picnic Basket, Catering By Design, We Cook For You Catering and Green Planet Catering. As an added bonus, all orders off any of these Holiday menus (now through the end of the year) will earn you double points!! Order away and happy holidays!