TRIANGLE FOOD BLOG

•  Dashi, a new ramen shop and Japanese pub, has opened in downtown Durham at 415 E. Chapel Hill St, just down from Rue Cler. The concept is the creation of Billy and Kelli Cotter of Toast and Nick Hawthorne-Johnson and Rochelle Johnson of The Cookery. Check them out here.

Wake County Restaurant News

•  Just a week after Rise Biscuits and Donuts, which opened in 2012 near the Streets of Southpoint in Durham, announced their first franchise location in Morrisville’s Park West Village, we saw on their Facebook page that they have just inked a deal for mid-town Raleigh (could it be North Hills???). We’ll keep an eye on this one. In the meantime, check out Rise here.

• It is time for you to get twisted! The Twisted Mango has opened in the same space (and owners) that was La Volta in downtown Raleigh on Fayetteville Street. The new bar and grill carries a Caribbean theme. Check them out here on Facebook.

• My buddy Mend Iler tipped me off to the fact that Guacamaya (the restaurant formerly known as Chubby’s Tacos…and still is) at 101 Ledgestone Way (corner of High House and Davis) has a “Now Hiring” sign up. Getting close! We will keep you posted. Thanks Mendy! Check them out here.

• The Triangle Business Journal reported this week that Rolesville is about to get its first tavern – Main Street Tavern. It is a sports bar with a light food menu, and geared toward creating a family friendly gathering spot in Rolesville. It is scheduled to open later this month on Main St. in the Food Lion shopping center. Check out their Facebook page here.

• Got word from several folks on Yelp confirming that Ashee Ethiopian in Cary will be replaced by Awaz’e Ethiopian/Eritrean Cuisine. The store is located at 904 Northeast Maynard Road in Cary.

Durham, Orange & Chatham County Restaurant News 

• This past week, Gonza Tacos y Tequilla opened their third Triangle location in downtown Durham at 604 Fernway Avenue, in the West Village Complex. Check them out here.

• We told you about this back in December, but got word this week that Ninth Street Coffee House will be opening in mid-February at 714 Ninth Street. It will be serving up all fresh fruit and veggie juices and smoothies, food and coffee. It is going in where Market Street Coffee recently closed.

• Also on Ninth Street, we got word this week from our friends over at Ninth Street Watch that a new burger joint and gastropub called Burger Bach is looking at a March opening at 737 Ninth Street in Durham. Check out their Facebook page here.

Closings 

• Just after we released our issue last week, social media “blew up” with the news that Crowley’s, a Raleigh institution for decades, had closed. They were located over off Dixie Trail on Medlin Drive. As a Raleigh native, I’m sorry to see them go.

• Also, got word from my buddy Tim Moore that the Golden Corral over on Walnut Street in Cary has closed.

Food Trucks 

Food Bank Corner   

• Our friends over at the Food Bank of Central and Eastern North Carolina are encouraging folks to show their heart for hunger relief by making a gift in honor of a loved one as part of their Hearts for Hunger Valentine’s Day Honor Drive. Get all the details here.

•  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.

Wake County Restaurant News

•  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.

Durham, Orange & Chatham County Restaurant News 

• 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.

Closings 

• 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.

Food Trucks 

Food Bank Corner   

• 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.