Friday Fun Food Facts – October 9, 2020

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

Featured Restaurant News

  • Accepting that there will be no NC State Fair this year just got a lot easier to stomach (see what I did there?). That’s right, from October 15 through October 25 (10 a.m. through 8:30 p.m.) 22 food vendors will be on hand to satisfy your Fair cravings! Enter the Fairgrounds at Gate 9 off Trinity Road and park in the midway area. Walk up the hill towards Dorton Arena and you won’t be able to miss the collection of fair food vendors. Grab your favorites and head back home to enjoy your tasty treats! This event is take-out only. There will be no gathering allowed. Get all the details and a full list of vendors here. In addition, many local restaurants have added State Fair-inspired dishes. WRAL has an ongoing list here.

Wake County Restaurant News

  • Downtown Raleigh Restaurant Week had a HUGE first week and the fun continues through this weekend ending on Sunday, October 11! That also means this Saturday the Downtown Raleigh Alliance will again host Dine Out Downtown where two blocks of Fayetteville Street will be closed with socially distanced tables for you to safely enjoy your takeout while still dining out in downtown. Check out a list of participating restaurants and get all the details here!
  • Blogger EatRaleigh tweeted out a picture of a banner for Lime and Lemon Indian Grill on Hillsborough Street in Raleigh, which will be taking over the former Sushi Mon spot. They also have their original location in Durham. No word on an open date. Get familiar with them here Raleigh!
  • Phase 3 continues to see more and more re-openings, and Raleigh Convergence highlighted a few this week: Longtime Raleigh favorite Foundation re-opened this week with outdoor seating; Johnson Street Yacht Club re-opened for patio seating; and speakeasy-style bar Watts & Ward re-opened its outdoor space along with a new cocktail menu. See the full list of Phase 3 re-openings on the Convergence site here. (Pro-tip, sign-up for their newsletter while you are there).
  • Reader Jessica Rutti shared the news that OPA, featuring authentic Greek-style gyros, opened this week at Morgan Street Food Hall. We couldn’t find an online presence for them, but check out Morgan Street Food Hall here.
  • Not new news here, but a quick update (and a confirmation that it is still happening) – Sam Jones BBQ is still coming to Raleigh and they are now targeting a November opening at 502 W. Lenoir St., in the former Dusty’s Garage near Boylan Heights. Sam Jones BBQ has a location in Winterville, NC and their Skylight Inn BBQ in Ayden, NC. If you are not already, get familiar with them here.
  • Looking for all the outdoor dining options in Downtown Raleigh? The Downtown Raleigh Alliance has put together a great list of those options, and they even divided it up by district. Check out that list here.

Durham, Orange & Chatham Restaurant News

  • Durham Distillery’s Melissa and Lee Katrincic announced that Corpse Reviver Bar and Lounge will open on Thursday, October 15th (which also happens to be Durham Distillery’s 5 year anniversary!) at 715 Washington St. in Durham. The space features both indoor and outdoor patio seating and will be open (by reservation only beginning October 12) Thursdays from 4pm-9pm, Fridays and Saturdays 4pm-10pm and Sundays 12noon – 6pm. Get to know them here.
  • Over in Carrboro, reader Jeremy Simon brought it to our attention that there is a sign (a really cool, welded sign) up for Dingo Dog Ciderhouse and Taproom in Carrboro, on North Greensboro. It’s in the new-ish development called Shelton Station, next to Southern States. Their mission is simple – save the lives of companion animals, one beer at a time. They use their sales to fund grants to local animal rescue groups, and ‘no-kill’ shelters. No word yet on an open date. Follow them on Facebook to get to know them and learn of a pending announcement about their opening dates.
  • Congratulations to brothers Angelo Marrone and Vincenzo Marrone at Chapel Hill’s Italian Pizzeria III (IP3) as they celebrate this West Franklin institutions 40th anniversary (20 years with the brothers at the helm). They sling a fantastic pie and always make you feel like family! Thanks to the Chapel Hill Magazine for bringing this to our attention. Here’s the article that featured them.

Closings / Cancellations

  • High school friend Dana McCall recently shared a list of restaurants in North Hills that are closed. They include Zoe’s, Piola, World of Beer, Moe’s (temporarily closed), Viva Chicken, and B. Good (appears that all Triangle locations have closed).

Food Trucks 

  • Triangle on the Cheap shared the news that Food Truck Flix is a recurring event that combines drive-in movies with food trucks, for a safer entertainment experience just announced their schedule for the upcoming weekends (Friday and Saturday nights). The events will be taking place at Frontier RTP, 800 Park Offices, Durham, and at Focus Church, 7000 Destiny Drive, Raleigh. You can purchase tickets in advance for any of the drive-in movies. The price is $25 per car. Of course, you’ll also want to bring money for the food trucks. Get the movie schedule, purchase your pass and get all the details here.
  • Here are a  couple of sites to find and stalk your favorite food trucks here and here.

Events

  • The 6th annual WRAL.com Voters’ Choice Awards are open for nominations. Each year, your nominations and votes help WRAL recognize local businesses. Now more than ever, local businesses need community support, so we encourage you to make your nominations. Help your favorite people, places and businesses get the recognition they deserve. The nomination period for the awards runs through October 11. Do so here.
  • Harvest Dinner, Raleigh City Farm’s annual fundraising event to celebrate a successful growing season, has a new format this year! Harvest Dinner “At-Home Edition” is a four-week series of take-home Sunday dinners featuring amazing local chefs: Cheetie Kumar of Garland on October 11; Coleen Speaks of Hummingbird on October 18; Caroline Morrison of Fiction Kitchen on October 25; and Andrew Gravens of A Place at the Table on November 1. The event series helps support the farm and local agriculture as well as the local restaurant community. For more information, visit here.
  • On Saturday, October 17th Catering Works in Raleigh is blending two events (The State Fair and Halloween) into a covid-friendly, drive-thru experience called Carn-o-ween. Dress up (highly encouraged), drive-thru and pick up your deep-fried goodness cravings – all done with a Halloween flare. They have al la carte, family packs, and fun for two (including gluten-free options!). So, sign-up for a drive-thru time, get dressed up…and enjoy! Sign up for a pick-up time and get all the details here. A portion of proceeds will benefit The Judy Zelnak Center for Hope.
  • TABLE, an organization that provides emergency hunger relief to children in Orange County, announces its 8th Empty Bowls annual fundraising dinner will take place on Sunday, October 25, with a “carry out” format from 4:00 – 7:30pm. Tickets will go on sale Friday, October 2nd (TODAY), at 12:00pm EDT and will be available for purchase here.
  • Like most things in 2020, this year’s Sip+Savor wine and food event is coming at us with a cool little twist – you’ll get to select an at-home food and wine experience for contactless pickup on Nov. 7 at Johnson Lexus of Durham! Each of the four adventure options (Latin, Roots, European and World) includes dishes prepared by some of the best chefs in the Triangle and a handpicked wine flight. Your adventure includes: 5 dishes for two, 4 split bottles of wine, coffee and a swag bag. In addition, chef-tells-all video and virtual wine class by Ryan Vet, Sommelier at the Oak House. Cost is $145. See the offerings and get all the details here.
  • Ashley Christensen Restaurants are now doing Picnic Pop-up at the Park at the North Carolina Museum of Art. You order your picnic (take-out breakfast, picnic boxes, snacks, and beverages) ahead of time and pick it up on Thursday and Friday 8 am til 2 pm and/or Saturday and Sunday from 9 am til 6 pm. Order ahead here and get contactless pick-up located along the walking path on the south side of the brick East Building at NCMA, behind the amphitheater, facing the sculpture park.
  • Alley Twenty Six, one of Downtown Durham’s staple businesses, announced a weekly outdoor pop-up event titled “Alley Freezes Over” happening every Saturday and Sunday (weather permitting) from 12 pm to 8 pm. It continues throughout the summer and early fall. The pop-up includes new frozen cocktails and the choice of “boozy” or alcohol-free snow cones using their local, all-natural Alley Twenty Six syrups, plus a revamped food menu from chef Carrie Schleiffer. Seating will be available outside, in the namesake alley (26 Alley) located directly adjacent to the cocktail bar and will be following safety guidelines, including mask wearing, practicing social distancing, and sanitizing surfaces between guests. Visit them here.
  • Not really an event, but maybe a lot of little events in your own kitchen with the pending release of Vivian Howard’s new cookbook, “This Will Make It Taste Good,” which is being released on Oct. 20. It’s very different from her first cookbook, the award-winning, best-selling “Deep Run Roots.” Each chapter of TWMITG is built around a “hero recipe” — a condiment, a dressing, a spice mix or nut that Vivian turns to again and again in her kitchen. You’ll be able to get it here.

Food Bank Corner

  • 2020 marks the Food Bank’s 40th anniversary of serving communities with food for daily nourishment, supplies during disasters, programs that serve families, and education. As our founders did in 1980, with just a card table and a telephone, we continue to work every day to ensure no one goes hungry. Today, we provide these resources and services in more than a third of our state. We are honored and humbled to be trusted stewards of the resources and relationships that allow us to operate, serving people facing hunger when they need it most. It is truly thanks to all of you- our partners in ending hunger– and the dedicated work of our staff that we’ve made progress in meeting people where they are to get the services they need. Together, we will continue the work of nourishing people, building solutions to hunger, and empowering communities to ensure that we won’t have to be doing this work 40 years from now. Visit this page to learn a little more about their 40 year history. #noonegoeshungry

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Friday Fun Food Facts – October 2, 2020

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

Featured Restaurant News

  • Downtown Raleigh Restaurant Week begins today, October 2 and runs through October 11 – and we could not ask for better weather for the kick-off weekend! That also means there will be TWO Saturdays during DTR Restaurant Week where the Downtown Raleigh Alliance will host Dine Out Downtown – two blocks of Fayetteville Street will be closed with socially distanced tables for you to safely enjoy your takeout while still dining out in downtown. Check out a list of participating restaurants and get all the details here!

Wake County Restaurant News

  • Lonerider Brewing Company announced the newest location of their Hideout franchise at The Point in Five Points in Raleigh. This will be their first full restaurant and will feature pizza, wings, salads, and more under head chef Ron West, who had previous stints at Flemings, Mandolin, and MOFU. This is the second Hideout that Lonerider has opened in the last two years. Look for them to open in October. Read up on Lonerider and their Hideouts here.
  • The folks over at Taste Carolina notified us that City Market Grill, the outdoor patio restaurant located in the downtown Raleigh’s City Market (former High Horse location), opened this past week. You can keep up with their menu and offerings on their Instagram page here.
  • WRAL shared the news that on October 6, Noodles & Company will open their 14th North Carolina location in Cameron Village. Opening day happens to fall on National Noodle Day, and to celebrate, all Noodles Rewards members will receive 25% off of their order. Visit them here.
  • Chris Thorpe with DePersia & Associates let us know that Bloomsbury Bistro in Raleigh is under new ownership after owner and chef of 25 years, John Toler, officially retired.  The new owners, Stephen and Ann Koster, invite you to visit their New American Bistro on Tuesday, October 6th for their grand opening. 
  • Raleigh has gone to the cats. Well, sorta. RalToday shared that Purr Cup Cafe, a cat cafe and lounge opened yesterday at 210 Prospect Avenue, just off McDowell Street as you drive into downtown Raleigh. The menu is 100% vegan (pre-packaged and locally made) and they offer coffee, tea, hot chocolate, and kombucha (and beer and wine soon). While there you can spend time with free-roaming felines available for adoption from SAFE Haven for Cats. You can also book the care for private parties. Get all the details here.
  • Looking for all the outdoor dining options in Downtown Raleigh? The Downtown Raleigh Alliance has put together a great list of those options, and they even divided it up by district. Check out that list here.

Durham, Orange & Chatham Restaurant News

  • Bites of Bull City shared with us that Goorsha will soon be opening an expanded outdoor, covered space directly behind their current location. By day, GOJO will serve Ethiopian coffee and tea/lunch offerings; and evenings will be a lounge and bar: beer, cocktails, food and eventually hookah. Visit Goorsha here.
  • Dashi in Durham – traditional ramen shop & izakaya (Japanese gastropub) – shared the news via Twitter this week that they re-opened this past week with take out and outdoor dining menus, plus new ramen provisions for your home and new frozen At Home Kits including ramen bowls, gyoza, edamame, and spicy miso chicken wings! They are open for dinner service every day except Tuesdays. You can order take out, frozen kits, and ramen provisions online for quick pick up, or dine at Dashi with frozen chuhais and cocktails in their new outdoor dining space. Check them out here.
  • Cheers to Town Hall Burger and Beer in Durham as they celebrate 8 years this weekend with beer, $8 burgers, live music, Goose Island Bourbon County Raffle, a pumpkin patch, and good times. Check out their Facebook event page here for all the details. Congrats to David Sadeghi and his team! Visit the Town Hall Burger & Beer site here.
  • Over in Chapel Hill, Deli Edison, the neighborhood deli known for handmade bagels, breakfast and lunch sandwiches, and gourmet provisions, is now open for dinner. All food and drink are served to-go, to be enjoyed at home or in the socially-distanced outdoor dining area dubbed The Porkyard. Check out their dinner menu here.

Closings / Cancellations

  • The Triangle Business Journal reported this week that there are seven restaurants located at Raleigh Durham International Airport that have closed and will not reopen. See those here.

Food Trucks 

  • Triangle on the Cheap shared the news that Food Truck Flix is a recurring event that combines drive-in movies with food trucks, for a safer entertainment experience just announced their schedule for the upcoming weekends (Friday and Saturday nights). The events will be taking place at Frontier RTP, 800 Park Offices, Durham, and at Focus Church, 7000 Destiny Drive, Raleigh. You can purchase tickets in advance for any of the drive-in movies. The price is $25 per car. Of course, you’ll also want to bring money for the food trucks. Get the movie schedule, purchase your pass and get all the details here.
  • Here are a  couple of sites to find and stalk your favorite food trucks here and here.

Events

  • Got word from the Lantern in Chapel Hill that they are doing their KFC Pop-Up again this weekend (Oct. 2 & 3, 5-8 p.m.), which simply means that if you missed out on Korean-style fried chicken and crispy wild catfish last weekend, you’re in luck. They will also be offering up more farmers market sides and salads, cold beer, pink wine and fig leaf sangria. You simply order online and pick up out front. You are welcome to grab a seat at their distanced outdoor patio or take it home along with wine and dessert. Order and get all the details here.
  • Harvest Dinner, Raleigh City Farm’s annual fundraising event to celebrate a successful growing season, has a new format this year! Harvest Dinner “At-Home Edition” is a four-week series of take-home Sunday dinners featuring amazing local chefs: Cheetie Kumar of Garland on October 11; Coleen Speaks of Hummingbird on October 18; Caroline Morrison of Fiction Kitchen on October 25; and Andrew Gravens of A Place at the Table on November 1. The event series helps support the farm and local agriculture as well as the local restaurant community. For more information, visit here.
  • On Saturday, October 17th Catering Works in Raleigh is blending two events (The State Fair and Halloween) into a covid-friendly, drive-thru experience called Carn-o-ween. Dress up (highly encouraged), drive-thru and pick up your deep-fried goodness cravings – all done with a Halloween flare. They have al la carte, family packs, and fun for two (including gluten-free options!). So, sign-up for a drive-thru time, get dressed up…and enjoy! Sign up for a pick-up time and get all the details here. A portion of proceeds will benefit The Judy Zelnak Center for Hope.
  • TABLE, an organization that provides emergency hunger relief to children in Orange County, announces its 8th Empty Bowls annual fundraising dinner will take place on Sunday, October 25, with a “carry out” format from 4:00 – 7:30pm. Tickets will go on sale Friday, October 2nd (TODAY), at 12:00pm EDT and will be available for purchase here.
  • Ashley Christensen Restaurants are now doing Picnic Pop-up at the Park at the North Carolina Museum of Art. You order your picnic (take-out breakfast, picnic boxes, snacks, and beverages) ahead of time and pick it up on Thursday and Friday 8 am til 2 pm and/or Saturday and Sunday from 9 am til 6 pm. Order ahead here and get contactless pick-up located along the walking path on the south side of the brick East Building at NCMA, behind the amphitheater, facing the sculpture park.
  • Alley Twenty Six, one of Downtown Durham’s staple businesses, announced a weekly outdoor pop-up event titled “Alley Freezes Over” happening every Saturday and Sunday (weather permitting) from 12 pm to 8 pm. It continues throughout the summer and early fall. The pop-up includes new frozen cocktails and the choice of “boozy” or alcohol-free snow cones using their local, all-natural Alley Twenty Six syrups, plus a revamped food menu from chef Carrie Schleiffer. Seating will be available outside, in the namesake alley (26 Alley) located directly adjacent to the cocktail bar and will be following safety guidelines, including mask wearing, practicing social distancing, and sanitizing surfaces between guests. Visit them here.
  • If there is any good to be found in the pandemic (there really isn’t!) it might be the resurgence of drive-in and outdoor movies! Some are your traditional drive-in/car venues, while others are outdoor spaces in the grass with market off “spaces” maintaining safe physical distancing and some even involve watching a movie with babygoats! (I’m serious) Our friends over at Triangle On The Cheap have a great list of drive-in and outdoor movie options for you and your family. Of course, bringing food or ordering food on site makes it that much better! Check out their complete listing of options here.

Food Bank Corner

  • 2020 marks the Food Bank’s 40th anniversary of serving communities with food for daily nourishment, supplies during disasters, programs that serve families, and education. As our founders did in 1980, with just a card table and a telephone, we continue to work every day to ensure no one goes hungry. Today, we provide these resources and services in more than a third of our state. We are honored and humbled to be trusted stewards of the resources and relationships that allow us to operate, serving people facing hunger when they need it most. It is truly thanks to all of you- our partners in ending hunger– and the dedicated work of our staff that we’ve made progress in meeting people where they are to get the services they need. Together, we will continue the work of nourishing people, building solutions to hunger, and empowering communities to ensure that we won’t have to be doing this work 40 years from now. Visit this page to learn a little more about their 40 year history. #noonegoeshungry

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