Friday Fun Food Facts – May 29, 2020

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

Featured Restaurant News

• Today we begin week 2 of Phase 2. As this is a moving target, with so many variables in play, my best recommendation to know the details surrounding your favorite restaurant, like – are they open for in-house dining?; what are their modified hours?; what is their, possibly modified, menu?; are they continuing to offer curbside pickup and/or delivery?…etc. – is to simply go to their website and/or better yet, their social media posts on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram. That is likely where you will find the latest and greatest. Keep supporting our local restaurants!

• To that end, kudos to the NC Restaurant and Lodging Association for their “Count on Me NC” restaurant promise initiative. When customers see this endorsement, they can be certain that the restaurant is taking all necessary steps to protect their employees and customers and is committed to playing a leadership role in protecting our communities. See a list of participating restaurants here.

Wake County Restaurant News

• The folks over at RalToday shared the news that Five Star Chinese Restaurant will relocate at the end of June. That means they will close their doors at 511 W. Hargett Street as of Monday, June 1 so that they can complete the move to 301 N. West Street and reopen at the end of June. Visit their website here to keep up with the move details and reopening announcements.

• Thanks to Neal DePersia over at National Restaurant Properties, we learned of an update to a story we started covering in November, 2019. DePersia shared that The Flying Mayan (which had originally planned to open in December) at 319 Fayetteville Street in the former Wahlburger’s space, is now looking to open in June. Billing itself as a place where “the Southwest meets the Southeast,” The Flying Mayan specializes in “fresh, made from scratch sauces, salsas, and menu items that have their roots in both regions.” It is being developed by the same team behind the Flying Burrito, located on Grove Barton Road. Get familiar with them here.

• Blogger Eat Raleigh shared the news that Hightop Burger in Raleigh’s McNeil Pointe opened this past Saturday. Look for burgers, hot dogs, wings, salads and fries, as well as kids meals. Get familiar with them here.

• Also in Raleigh, John Huisman, aka Triangle Explorer, shared the news this week that a concept called Cutie Pies will take over the space formerly occupied by Raleigh French Bakery at 1213 Hillsborough Street. No word on an opening date. Get to know Cutie Pies on their Facebook page here.

• Good news, the folks over at 321 Coffee (a nonprofit coffee shop staffed by individuals with intellectual and development disabilities) is back open at the State Farmers Market! Donned with masks and gloves, they are ready to serve you! They also will be rolling out a “Cold Brew Concentrate Growler” beginning on June 5. Get familiar with 321 Coffee and their amazing mission here.

• We first told you about this last week, but yesterday (Thursday) Raleigh Brewing Co. opened their newest taproom located at the Arboretum at Weston in Cary (2036 Park Place) and features 50+ taps. The original location is on Neil Street, just off Hillsborough Street in Raleigh. Check them out here.

• And I love seeing some of the creativity coming out of our current environment. One example is V Pizza at 1389 Kildaire Farm Road in Cary. They have become a pizza joint/drive-in-movie spot showing movies in their parking lot very Wednesday through Saturday evenings at sunset. These are family-friendly movies…not necessarily “kid” movies, but nothing rated R. Kudos to Anthony Rapillo! Visit their Facebook page to see what they are showing…and their amazing menu!

• A quick update for all the Cafe Carolina fans around the Triangle – the Cameron Village location will re-open in the next couple of weeks (early June) and the Cary and Chapel Hill locations at a later date in June. Stay tuned for those announcements. Visit Cafe Carolina here.

Durham, Orange & Chatham Restaurant News

• The Durham Food Hall will be running full steam (well, amidst Covid 19) beginning today with the last two vendors opening today. Right now, Auctioneer Bar, Liturgy Beverage Co., Everything Bagels, Old North Meats & Provisions, Afters Dessert Bar, Napoli Pizza & Gelato are open. Lula & Sadie’s, Locals Oyster Bar and Ex Voto’s Burrito Bodega open today (Friday). Order online and get all the details here.

• Also in Durham, Two Roosters Ice Cream shared today that the concrete floor of the Durham Golden Belt shop was poured Friday, and walls are going up Monday. They’re looking to open (in some form or fashion) in early July. They currently have two locations in Raleigh – Greystone Village and Person Street Plaza. Follow them for updates.

Closings / Cancellations

• WRAL shared the news this week that Cameron Bar and Grill, in Raleigh’s Cameron Village and part of the Eschelon Experiences Hospitality Group, has closed permanently.

• Raleigh Convergence shared the sad news that Trophy Tap & Table on Wilmington St. has made the “hard and heartbreaking decision” and will close that concept, but they’ll make major changes to the building and the concept…so…stay tuned.

Food Trucks 

• Got word this week that a new lobster food truck is on the way to the Triangle – Lobster Dogs Food Truck! With trucks already in Charlotte, Winston Salem, Greensboro and Asheville (as well as South Carolina and Tennessee), the Triangle is the next obvious location. No word on an exact timeline. Keep up with them on Facebook here.

• This isn’t exactly a food truck, but it has wheels and can be found rolling around various events throughout the Triangle. Sarah Carr D’Amato shared with the Chapel Hill Carrboro Foodies Facebook group that a three wheeled cousin of the popular Vespa – called Vita Mielie – is adorned with a European cafe awning and 4 taps serving up your choice of wine, bubby or beer. You’ll find the cart for hire at weddings, parties and corporate events around the Triangle. Check out this beautiful “beverage cart” here.

• Here are a  couple of sites to find and stalk your favorite food trucks here and here.

Events

• This weekend is your last chance to experience Drive-Thru Fair Food Days! You heard that right, this weekend (May 29-31) from 12-8 p.m. (Cash only) you can drive thru the Fairgrounds (enter off Trinity Road) and order from your car. Think Funnel Cakes; Deep Fried Oreos; Deep Fried Snickers; Fresh Squeezed Lemonade; Candy Apple (with or without nuts); Cotton Candy; Tropical Delights Smoothies (strawberry, pina colada, peach); Pineapple Cup; Dole Whip Float or Cup. Cash only! Can anyone else imagine how far traffic is going to back up? Get all the details here on their Facebook page.

• This Saturday, May 30th from 1 p.m. until 8 p.m. all eight Triangle locations of Papa Murphy’s Take ‘N’ Bake Pizza will donate 15% of all sales to NAMI of Wake County (National Alliance on Mental Illness). Here is a link to some of the virtual events surrounding NAMI this weekend.

• The Jewish Food Festival pre-order and drive-thru pickup this Sunday is SOLD OUT! If you ordered, make sure you’re able to pick up your order on May 31, 11am-2pm. Orders that are not picked up within the pickup window will be donated to their Food Pantry. While the food is sold out, you can still purchase raffle tickets for prizes including an all-expenses-paid 3-night trip to Boston, a Brew Tour with Taste Carolina, a stay at The Durham Hotel, and so much more to look forward to when this pandemic is over! All proceeds from raffle ticket sales go to the Jewish Federation’s initiatives to address food insecurity in our local community. To find out more, visit their site here.

• Ok, you have just one week to get ready for this – National Doughnut Day is Friday, June 5th! And not to alarm you, but less than a week if Krispy Kreme is your go-to doughnut spot as they have extended it to an ENTIRE WEEK – June 1-5th. All week, customers can pick up a FREE doughnut of their choice at participating Krispy Kreme locations (including the drive-thru.) No purchase necessary. But look for most doughnut places to offer some sort of freebie/deal. Thanks to Triangle on the Cheap for reminding us of this national holiday of sorts!

• Drive Through Brewgaloo is a pop-up event to support the NC craft beer industry. Help keep NC breweries going by purchasing a 6 pack of your favorite style of beer or try a Taste of NC mix pack featuring 24 different beers for curbside pickup at Lincoln Theater in Raleigh on June 6 between 2-6pm. View their Facebook event page here.

• The 5th Annual Raleigh International Food Festival has decided to move their event to Saturday, August 8th from noon until 10 p.m. in the 100-200 block of Fayetteville Street in downtown Raleigh. While there you will be able to try authentic international food, desserts as well as  imported beer and wine! There will also be lots of music and entertainment at this child and pet friendly event. Admission is free and parking on the street is as well. Obviously, keep up with their Facebook event page for any announcements and/or rescheduling. Get all the details on their Facebook event page here.

• This event is in Asheville, but who wouldn’t be down for a road trip come August? So, the Buxton Hall Barbecue’s Smokeshow Festival has been rescheduled to August 23, 2020. The wood-fired-hog-centric event is set to overflow with the biggest names in BBQ along with some of the nation’s most notable chefs, all coming together under one roof. Alongside endless soul-warming ‘cue from your favorite joints from across the southeast & beyond, guests can also expect to get down to live music, nosh on some equally as show-stopping non-BBQ bites and taste test Asheville’s best local brews from Highland Brewery. Get all the details here and tickets can be purchased here.

• The Fest in the West is back for its fifth year on Saturday, November 7 from 11 am- 5 pm at the USA Baseball National Training Complex in Cary. The event features food & beer, music, arts & crafts, a KidZone, contests and a petting zoo. A great way to spend time with 7,000 of your closest friends. Admission is free! Get all the details here.

• Thanks to Triangle On The Cheap, here are some updates on event cancellations and rescheduling: PeakFest in Apex was rescheduled to September 19; Meet in the Street Festival in Wake Forest was rescheduled to September 5; Artsplosure in downtown Raleigh was rescheduled to October 10 and 11; and the Pimento Cheese Festival in Cary has been canceled.

Food Bank Corner

• The Food Bank of Central & Eastern North Carolina is providing free Grab-&-Go Meals for Kids & Teens Monday through Frida 11am – 1pm at the K&W Cafeteria located at 3620 Bastion Lane, Raleigh NC 27604. Children do not have to be present with you to pick up meals, and you will not be required to show ID. Food will be distributed by volunteers at curbside and social distancing will be practiced. There are also 30 other free meal sites across 15 counties! View a full list of sites here. #noonegoeshungry