Friday Fun Food Facts – October 17, 2014

•  It is an annual event that everyone (kids and adults) looks forward to – the North Carolina State Fair (coming up October 16-26). And one of the highlights each year is not just the rows and rows of food stands, but what will be deep fried this year! Well, the News & Observer’s Andrea Weigl has all the details here for you, including deep fried barbecue, bananas Foster and mini cupcakes.

Wake County Restaurant News

• Last week we told you about Eschelon Experiences opening their newest restaurant, Faire, in Raleigh’s Cameron Village. This week I got an update from G. Patel himself on the opening of their next venture, this time over in Durham as part of the American Tobacco Campus. Basan, a sushi bar and restaurant, will open next month in the Diamond View III building overlooking the Durham Bulls stadium. Not much going on with the website yet, but you can check it out here.

• And if that is not enough goodness out of Eschelon Experiences, G. also shared that they have inked the deal on the restaurant space in downtown’s newest high-rise building, Charter Square, which is at 555 Fayetteville Street. No information yet on what the concept will be or the timeline on opening, but be assured it will be another top-notch establishment. We will keep you posted. Keep up with Eschelon here.

• Who’s ready for restaurant musical chairs? So, last week we told you that Crosstown Pub & Grill is coming to downtown Cary. That is still the case and they are looking at an early December opening in the space of Greg Hamm’s Café 121, which closed yesterday. Hamm closed Café 121 (the Sandord location is still open) to focus on opening P.G. Werth’s in downtown Raleigh. And with the opening of Crosstown by Sheila Ryan, she will close Mahoney’s (also in Cary) on November 2nd. Look for Crosstown to open in early December as well. Got it?

• I forgot to mention it last week, but up in North Raleigh in the Bedford community, our friends at DeMarco’s are no longer there. The restaurant sold and will become Bedford Bistro and Bar, under new ownership. For those missing Clay and Anthony, just head on down to their new establishment, DeMo’s in downtown Raleigh on Glenwood South. Looks like Bedford will open next Tuesday or Wednesday.

• Got word this week from David Prestrud over at Plan A. Architecture, PA that a new fast food vegetarian restaurant called Freshii is coming into the former Dunkin Donuts space on Hillsborough Street in Raleigh. No word yet on an open date, but you can check them out here. This will be the third North Carolina location for the franchise.

• According to their latest post on their Facebook page, it looks like the middle of next week is the opening of the first b.good location in North Carolina. It will be in North Hills (the Midtown Park side). They tout themselves as fast-food made by people, not factories. Check out their local Facebook page here.

• Also in North Hills, got word this week that Kings Bowl of North Hills will hold its grand opening this coming Monday (October 20) beginning at 5 p.m. The first 250 guests get a free year of bowling! Kings is the new dining and entertainment spot that just happens to have an 18-lane bowling alley (and a ton of other fun stuff) in it. Get all the details here.

• And for the folks down in Holly Springs, I got word this week from David McCreary (aka Lunch Boy Says) that a local establishment called The Mason Jar is coming soon. No word yet on an open date, but you can check them out here.

Durham, Orange & Chatham County Restaurant News 

• Our friends over at CrankyDiners tipped us off to Small Cakes, a new cupcakery (is that a word?), that is coming into the Woodcroft Shopping Center in South Durham. We don’t have an open date, but you can check them out here.

• You will get a rise out of this. John Huisman updated me this week that the good folks over at Rise in South Durham are in the process of franchising their store and will open a location in both Cary and Raleigh soon! We will keep an eye on this exciting news. In the meantime, check them out here.

• And the Triangle Business Journal reported this morning that the concept, Burger Bach restaurants, are coming to North Carolina for the first time and will open a new location in the new Shops at Erwin Mill on Ninth Street in Durham. Look for them to open in the first quarter of 2015. In the meantime, visit them here.

Closings 

•  Got word from my good friend Keri McCauley that the Roly Poly in Preston Village has closed.

Food Trucks 

Food Bank Corner   

•  The next big event for the Food Bank of Central & Eastern North Carolina is the Food Lion Hunger Relief Day at the State Fair on Thursday, October 23! Food Lion Hunger Relief Day is one of the largest one-day canned-food drives in the state. Here’s how it works: Bring five cans of Food Lion brand food to the State Fair on Thursday, October 23, and you get in for free (and a good feeling that you helped some folks in need)!

  Get all the details here.