Friday Fun Food Facts – June 6, 2014

Triangle Restaurant News

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

It is time to celebrate one of the nation’s largest foodie holidays – National Donut Day! Lots to choose from, but may we suggest the good folks over at Rise in Durham where they will be selling all donuts today for 95 cents. They aren’t giving them away like Krispy Kreme and Dunkin Donuts, but the ones at Rise are made by hand and sometimes you get what you pay for! Check them out here.

Just got word this morning that Giorgios Hospitality Group has announced that they are bringing the farm-to-table concept to Wake Forest with a new restaurant called Farm Table. Farm Table is taking the place of Girasole Trattoria at 960 Gateway Commons Circle in Wake Forest, NC, and will start taking reservations now for its June opening. See all of their restaurant concepts here.

In this week’s rumor bin, we are getting indications that the guys from Isaac Hunter’s Oak City Tavern, which closed it’s doors at 112 Fayetteville Street back at the end of March, are coming back. Movement has been made on a concept called Common 414 that will be in the recently renovated building at 414 Fayetteville Street (next to the Sheraton) and will feature roaring 20s cocktails. Sign up here to be the first to know.

The News & Observer is reporting today that veteran restaurateur Dharmender “Raj” Rai has opened Delhi Darbar in Morrisville, in a building hidden behind a Mobil gas station on Airport Road. Rai is not new to the Triangle restaurant scene, he was a co-owner of Saffron in Morrisville, before he sold his interest a few years ago. Check them out here.

Got word from the folks over at Tribute Pizza Place in MacGregor Village Shopping Center that they are now open and will hold their “official” ribbon cutting on June 17th at 10:30 a.m. But you don’t have to wait for that, stop by now! Check them out here.

D’Andrea’s Gourmet Sandwich Shop & Grill, located at 114 Grand Hill Place in Holly Springs, is holding a grand opening/re-launch the weekend of June 13-15. Get all the details on their website here.

Sup Dogs makes their debut in Chapel Hill this coming Monday (June 9) on Franklin Street in the former Pepper’s Pizza location. Wildly popular in their original location near ECU, owner Bret Oliverio says to expect the same here in his newest location adjacent to UNC. Look for every imaginable variation on a hot dog, reasonably priced and served into the early hours. Get all the details here.

Triangle Business Journal reported this week that the first North Carolina location of Freddy’s Frozen Custard & Steakburgers restaurant will open this fall in Durham at the intersection of 15-501 and Interstate 40. But their plans in North Carolina don’t end there. Plans are now underway to begin construction on a second location in Cary in the Searstone Retail Village at the corner of Davis Drive and High House Road. Get a sneak peek at them here.

Last week WRAL reported that Blue Fins Bistro off of Rogers Road next to Harris Teeter in Wake Forest has closed.

It was noted on both Chowhound and Yelp that both Los Comales locations have closed.

The Downtown Raleigh Food Truck Rodeo series returns this Sunday, June 8th from 1-6 p.m. with part two of their 2014 series. Be sure to get this on your calendar to check out a ½ mile of food trucks and great restaurants spread out over 11 city blocks in downtown Raleigh. Get all the details here.

If you are looking for something to do for your father on Father’s Day, take him to Durham’s Central Park for the next Food Truck Rodeo. For those that haven’t marked this on their calendar, Father’s Day is June 15th. Get all the details here.

On June 28th, Pittsboro is going to have a food truck rodeo in the parking lot across from Pittsboro Roadhouse & General Store featuring the following trucks: Tailgater Toby BBQ; The Greek Devil; Sol Tacos; Belgium Waffology; Pittsboro Food Guy Pete Da Heat; and Little Dippers Italian Ice. Mark your calendars.

Want to mix great theater with great food trucks? Well the food trucks will be present at the Raleigh Little Theatre Amphitheatre later this month, as Bare Theatre, Cirque du Vol and Raleigh Little Theatre present their outdoor production of “Two Noble Kinsmen: Fire & Shadows”. Click here for a complete listing of which trucks will be present on which nights.

Triangle Restaurant Week comes to an end this Sunday, so don’t miss out on your opportunity to sample the culinary fares of restaurants in Raleigh, Durham, Chapel Hill and surrounding areas. Participating restaurants are offering three-course menu options and fixed pricing.The cost is $15 for a three-course lunch and $20 or $30 for a three-course dinner, per person and not including beverages, tax or gratuity. Check out a complete list of participating restaurants here.

There are three things you need to know about the upcoming (June 23-August 4) Fire in the Triangle chef competition to be held in Raleigh. One, the first round pairings were announced yesterday. Second, the lineup of chefs is crazy good. And three, all the events WILL sell out (the final round has already sold out – told you!). Guaranteed. Mark my words. Trust me. Get all the details and tickets here.

Kick off the summer right with a clambake, cold craft beer, live music, local art, and a Caribbean-style seafood feast. NC Fresh Catch Raleigh returns to Moore Square Saturday, June 7th from 1-7pm, packing the park with day-long entertainment and authentic island flair. Get all the details here.

But if you miss it there, don’t fret as they will do it again, this time in Pittsboro (NC Fresh Catch Pittsboro) on June 21st from 3 to 7 p.m. in the parking lot across from the Pittsboro Roadhouse & General Store. Again, get all the details here.

Go ahead and mark your calendar for the Food Bank’s Annual 24 Hour Telethon (#FoodBank24). This year it will be held on September 26-27, 2014. It will start at 12 noon on Friday and will air through Saturday at noon. The Food Bank and Gregory Ng of Freezer Burns are coming together once again to raise food, funds, and awareness as part of the national Hunger Action Month movement. Learn more here.