TRIANGLE FOOD BLOG

Wake County Restaurant News

•  Saw on WRAL that a new ice cream shop is opening this spring (shooting for May) in City Market. Treat will be serving up hormone-free and antibiotic-free Maple View Farm ice cream and sorbet made in Hillsborough. Get a peek at them here.

• Reader Pat Price tipped me off to the fact that a new fresh-Mex concept restaurant, Wicked Taco, is set to open on Western Boulevard in May. The restaurant, the first in the Triangle, will occupy the former KFC location across from Amedeo’s and next to Cook-Out. Check them out here.

• We also learned on WRAL that Six Forks Cheese Shop in Lafayette Village has been purchased by Orrman’s Cheese Shop. Orrman’s is a family-owned business based in Charlotte. Get the details here.

• Over in Cary, things continue to heat up in the Parkside Town Commons retail center. The Triangle Business Journal reported this week that a new Noodles & Company restaurant will be opening March 30. That will bring the total number of restaurants in that development to five, with Toby Keith’s I Love This Bar, Brixx Wood Fired Pizza, Chick-Fil-A, Five Guys Burgers and Fries, Menchie’s Yogurt, Chuy’s, Panera Bread and Smallcakes all “opening soon.”

• And got word from Twitter follower Cindy Brewbaker that Fuquay-Varina is on its way to getting a new Subway (I know, she admitted “the quay” is desperate for new options) at the corner of Hilltop and Hwy. 401. Thanks Cindy!

Durham, Orange & Chatham County Restaurant News 

•  Reader Bart Cobert informed me that Chopsticks & More on W. Franklin St. In downtown Chapel Hill has closed. And the Daily Tar Heel is reporting that it will be replaced (this month, hopefully) by Ms. Mong, a Mongolian restaurant which will offer an innovative take on the traditional way of doing Mongolian BBQ.

• Over in Durham it was announced that the new burger joint, Burger Bach is opening next Monday (March 23) on Ninth Street in Durham. Check them out here.

• Also in Durham, Town Hall Burger & Beer is celebrating the expansion of their restaurant, with a new bar, from 12 to 8 on both Saturday and Sunday this weekend (March 21 & 22). Get all the details here.

Closings 

•  Some sad news from Fuquay-Varina. First up, Joyce & Family Restaurant, a home-style cooking institution in downtown for 18 years, has closed its doors but hopes to reopen if it can raise enough crowd-sourced funds. Go here to help.

• On a related note, drive-thru coffee kiosk Racin’ Java at 1013 East Broad Street reached its final finish line on March 14. Thanks to David McCreary for both bits of information.

Food Trucks 

Food Bank Corner   

•  Did you know that the Food Bank of Central and Eastern North Carolina plans to distribute between 50 and 52 million pounds of food this year? That’s more than 140,000 meals a day! They expect their fleet of 19 trucks to travel over 500,000 miles to serve their 800 partner agencies and maximize their food donor partnerships. To do that, they are aiming to raise over $8 million in revenue and work with over 15,000 volunteers to keep the Food Bank running and expand service where possible. Can you help? Check out their web page for how you as an individual, or your company, can be part of the success.

Wake County Restaurant News

•   Jason Smith recently announced that his18 Seaboard will join their sister restaurants, Cantina 18 and Harvest 18, by offering weekend brunch service. 18 Seaboard will start brunch services this Saturday and Sunday 11:30 a.m. through 2:30 p.m. Get all the details here.

• According to the News & Observer, Hummus Cafe, a Middle Eastern eatery which opened just over a year ago on Chapel Hill’s Franklin Street, opened a second location in Morrisville this past Monday. Check them out here.

• The Triangle Business Journal reported this week that Freshii, a “health-casual restaurant” chain, has opened its first Triangle area location on Hillsborough Street in Raleigh in the same building with Chipotle Mexican Grill and Jimmy John’s. Check them out here.

Durham, Orange & Chatham County Restaurant News 

•   In Durham, the News & Observer reported that Urban Food Group, owners of Vivace, Coquette and Chow, has signed a lease for the former Pop’s location in Durham’s West Village. Vivace, also has a location in Charlotte and just announced another location (will be their 4th) in Denver, Colorado. Keep up with them here.

• Something has changed at Merritt’s Store & Grill in Chapel Hill, but it is not exactly clear just yet. According to a Facebook post, the management at the store has changed and it appears as if Charles Britt is no longer managing things. We will keep an eye on it and hope they don’t mess with the BLT or burgers! Check them out on Facebook here.

• Over in Carrboro, Krave, a new kava bar and lounge, has opened at 105 W. Main Street according to Rebecca Troyer over at the Triangle Business Journal. They feature exotic teas and root beverages like kava, a drink popular in the South Pacific. It is owned by Elizabeth Gardner a UNC grad and attorney. A grand opening party will be held on March 28. You can get a lot of information on her Facebook page here.

Closings 

• Got word from reader Sammi Hilliard that the TerraFin Station up on Falls of the Neuse Road has closed. Word on the street is that a barbecue joint will move into that space. We will keep an eye on it. Thanks Sammi!

• And not really a closing, but the folks behind Firewurst have closed their original “test” kitchen (that was the plan from the beginning) and have focused their attention on their other two Triangle area locations and future growth. Check out their two locations and future plans here.

Food Trucks 

Food Bank Corner   

• Time to eat a little crow…or better yet, the BB1K BBQ Sandwich at The Q Shack in North Hills. As you’ll recall, Tom Meyer and I had a friendly wager over the last Duke vs. UNC basketball game. Well, my Heels didn’t show me much love. So I had to don a Duke Jersey and have my picture taken with a “I Like Mike” poster. I did. But now you can help the Food Bank of Central and Eastern North Carolina by stopping by The Q Shack in North Hills and ordering the BB1K sandwich (in honor of Coach K’s 1000+ wins) and 10% of all sales will go to the Food Bank. Congrats to Tom and his Blue Devils. Get all the details on the inaugural Battle of the Blues & BBQ right here.