Friday Fun Food Facts – June 13, 2014

Triangle Restaurant News

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

If you know me, you know of my love for the game of Futbol. So for the next 32 days I will be in heaven with the World Cup occupying a lot of my thoughts and time! With that in mind, here is a good list of Raleigh establishments that will be airing many of the games. On a somewhat related matter, my schedule next week will prevent me from publishing my weekly Friday Fun Food Facts. So we will miss you next Friday. In the meantime, happy father’s day to all the dads out there. Be sure to take your dad out to eat somewhere local this Sunday! See you in two weeks!

Got word this week from Triangle Business Journal that Six Forks Cheese, a new gourmet cheese shop, is coming to Lafayette Village in north Raleigh. The company has launched Kickstarter campaign, and according to that website, has targeted a July 18 opening. Get more details here.

Also in Lafayette Village, Taqueria Americana will hold their grand opening this Saturday, June 14th from noon to 2 p.m. Lots of fun activities for the kids, including free ice cream and a new kids menu. Check them out here.

Read in the Triangle Business Journal this week that the five-star Umstead Hotel & Spa in Cary has brought back a familiar face, Steven Devereaux Greene, as its new executive chef at the hotel and Herons restaurant. Greene had previously served as chef de cuisine, or head chef, at The Umstead from 2009 through 2012 until he was named executive chef at the nearby An New World Cuisine restaurant on Weston Parkway.

We told you about this back in April, but we now have an “open date” for Luciano’s Pizzeria, a pizza-by-the-slice joint that is coming to Raleigh’s Crabtree Valley Mall. According to various reports, it is slated to open on June 19th. It is in the space formerly occupied by Sbarro. Check them out here.

Tribute Pizza Place in MacGregor Village Shopping Center will hold their “official” ribbon cutting on June 17th at 10:30 a.m. But you don’t have to wait for that, as they are already open for business. 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 this weekend, June 13-15. Get all the details on their website here.

The Triangle Business Journal reported this week that the owners of Rise Biscuits and Donuts in Durham and Pazzo in Chapel Hill are teaming up on a new Italian eatery called The Rollout. It will be a quick-service pasta restaurant in the Durham-Chapel Hill area. While plans are being finalized, pop-up pasta dinners will be held from 5 to 8 p.m. on Wednesdays at Rise.

Got word this week from my friends over at NinthStreetWatch that Oval Park Grille on Broad St. in Durham opened earlier this week. The restaurant is in the former site of the Broad Street Cafe and is owned by Greg de Marchi, the former bar manager at the French bistro Vin Rouge, and Todd Whitney, the former chef de cuisine at Vin Rouge Check them out here.

Looking for a good movie and food trucks? Head over to downtown Raleigh tonight (June 13th) as they continue their Friday night movie series with the showing of Hunger Games, along with music, food trucks and a beer and wine tent. 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 have forgotten, Father’s Day is this Sunday – 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 from 6-9 p.m. 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. And there will be an after-party at the Pittsboro Roadhouse with fantastic live entertainment. 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.

My buddy John Huisman (aka Triangle Explorer) just tipped me off to an event tomorrow that looks like a ton of fun. Part of the Second Saturday series, the folks over at Stanbury and Escazu will host a pop-up market this Saturday (June 14) from 10 a.m. – 2 p.m. at 938 N. Blount Street. Stop by for breakfast pastries and bread by Boulted Bread, fresh veggies from Old Milburnie Farm, local meats from Green Button Farm, the day’s catch from Locals Seafood, wood-fired pizzas at lunchtime and top it off with sweet treats by lucettegrace. Keep it going all day with the Bloody Mary Bar and juice from Happy and Hale. Get all the details on their Facebook page 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 have been announced. 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.

If you missed last weekend’s NC Fresh Catch event in Raleigh, 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.

If you like chicken, here is a really fun event to put on your calendar. A Whole Bird Dinner to be held at Latern Table in Chapel Hill on June 23rd at 6:30 p.m. Along with Justin and Katie Meddis of Rose’s Meat Market & Sweet Shop in Durham, they will hold a butchery demo (over cocktails and snacks) and a family-style Japanese dinner. Rose’s and the Lantern team will collaborate on a whole bird menu, featuring heritage Delaware chickens from Perry-winkle Farm in Chatham County and prime summer produce. Dinner is $90 a person, including cocktails and wine, but excluding tax and tip, and 100% of proceeds will benefit Kitchen Patrol, Lantern’s project to improve children’s access to local food through cooking and eating together. Call 919.969.8846 to make a reservation.

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.