Monday Fun Food Facts – May 11, 2014

• A couple of housekeeping items to kick off this rare “Monday” edition. First, I hope your weekend was fantastic and I appreciate your patience for “this week’s” edition. I had a nice (quick) trip to Florida with the fam. Second, a huge thank you to YOU – my readers. For the second year in a row, we were voted The Best Local Blog in the Independent’s annual contest. What makes me most proud is that I did zero promotion this year (unlike last year) and you folks still voted for me. All I can say is….YOU ROCK! Thanks to Gloria Mock and everyone over at the Independent! And finally, do you have any interest in advertising and/or sponsoring our little blog? It won’t garner you any favors (I assure you) but it will get you in front of thousands of people crazy about the food scene here in the Triangle. If you are interested, just drop me an email to: [email protected]. Now, after a long weekend wait…this week’s restaurant news!

Wake County Restaurant News

• Bittersweet, a new dessert, coffee and cocktail lounge, opened this past Friday in downtown Raleigh at 16 E. Martin Street. All of their desserts are made in house by bittycakes and seasonal produce for desserts and drinks comes from Lil’ Farm. Their coffee is from Counter Culture and they’ll have a full espresso menu as well as organic tea from Bellocq (out of Brooklyn). As they say, think of it as “a place where you can get bourbon with your pie, champagne with your cake and Irish whiskey in your coffee.” Congratulations to Kim Hammer. Check them out here.

• The Saleh brothers celebrated Mother’s Day by renaming Neomonde’s Strickland Road location to Sassool Cafe, Market & Bakery in honor of their mother, Cecilia. The fast-casual Mediterranean restaurant will continue to serve the same menu that customers have come to love since Mounir Saleh opened Neomonde’s Strickland Road location in North Raleigh over two years ago. The Raleigh and Morrisville locations will retain the Neomonde name. Check out the new logo and site here.

• The Triangle Business Journal reported this week that the owners of San Jose Mexican Restaurante Group will open a new location in the Wakefield Park Shopping Center in North Raleigh. It is located at the intersection of Capital Boulevard and New Falls of Neuse Road. Construction is expected to start this summer with an opening in the late fall. Like any new restaurant, they will need to invest in the very best restaurant supplies, from grills to Nella Cutlery, for example, so that they can impress diners. It will be a second location in Raleigh for San Jose, which has 12 locations across eastern North Carolina. Check them out on Yelp here.

• Got word from reader Lori Cammie Rice that Mami Nora’s in Morrisville is now open. They are located in the old Bear Rock Cafe spot at the corner of Cary Parkway and Chapel Hill Road. Check them out here.

• Not to be outdone by their friends over in Chapel Hill, it looks like NC State students will also be able to indulge in a little late night goodness when Insomnia Cookies opens on Hillsborough Street in the old Planet Smoothie location. They will deliver warm cookies to your doorstep until 3am. They also sell different types of brownies and of course, cold milk. Check them out here.

• Thanks to tweet from Joseph Wells we learned that over in Cary the El Dorado that was at 990 High House Road is now Fiesta Mexicana.

• And, back over in Raleigh there is a new kid in town when it comes to restaurant supplies and equipment. General Store Supply has opened at 1501 Garner Station Boulevard next to Big Lots at the 70 & 401 split. Their grand opening is this Saturday May 17th with a ribbon cutting starting at 9:45 am. All are welcome! Visit them online here.

Durham, Orange & Chatham County Restaurant News

• The News & Observer reported this week that Only Burger is expanding with a second brick-and-mortar restaurant in downtown Durham at the new Diamond View III building at American Tobacco. The restaurant is targeted to open in August. Check out Only Burger here.

• According to the News & Observer, Andy Magowan, chef and owner of Geer Street Garden, is opening a second Durham restaurant, an Italian-American place called The Boot. The 90-seat restaurant will take over the former location of Local Yogurt at 2501 University Drive. Look for a late August or early September. In the meantime, check out Geer Street here.

• The Triangle Business Journal reported this week that Spicy 9 Sushi & Asian Restaurant has opened for business at 140 West Franklin Street. Check them out here.

• We haven’t been able to confirm this, but Art over at The Wandering Sheppard dropped a hint this week that the folks at Olio and Aceto Food Truck (Suzie & Megan) would be taking over the space in Chapel Hill formerly occupied by Tracy’s New York Deli. Look for a late July opening. We will keep an eye on it.

• The Triangle Business Journal reported that Honeysuckle Tea House, part of a small farm and greenhouse operation, opened yesterday at 8871 Pickards Meadow Road in Chapel Hill. The business includes an herb garden, tea room and natural children’s play area. Check it out here.

• Also in Chapel Hill, upon a recent visit, I learned that the Torero’s in Cole Park Plaza on 15-501 South in Chapel Hill has changed its name to Guanajuato Mexican Restaurant. Apparently it is under the same ownership, just a new name and the menu has changed slightly. Check them out here.

• And in Hillsborough, we got word from our friends over at Taste Carolina that Yum, a gelato, sorbet and crepe shop, has opened at 118 N. Churton St. in the downtown area. Mick and Kate Carroll, the operators of Radius Pizzeria & Pub, own Yum.

Closings

• We learned from WRAL this week that Grounds coffee shop in Cary is closing their doors. They will hold a closing celebration on Saturday, May 17, from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. According to the report, the owners are going to focus full-time on their catering company.

• Thanks to a tweet from one of our followers, we learned that the Dunkin’ Donuts / Baskin Robbins on Hillsborough Street has closed.

• Got word that Ox and Rabbit Soda and Sundries on Durham’s Ninth Street will be closing their doors. They will be having a thank you/farewell party on Saturday, May 24. Get more details on their Facebook page here.

Food Trucks

Food Bank Corner

• Help the Food Bank kick off their Stop Summer Hunger Campaign by joining them at The Streets at Southpoint Kickoff Event on May 31. There will be activities for the whole family! Check out a can structure made by Cisco and learn how to make your own with the “Bailey’s Kids Can Build” activity. And remember to bring your cans! They’ll be hosting a Drive Drop & Go Food Drive on Main Street next to Champps from 10 am – 2 pm. This is a great opportunity for you and your family to have fun and support a great cause! See you there! Get more details on this and all Food Bank events here.