Friday Fun Food Facts – October 24, 2014

Triangle Restaurant News

The Got to Be NC Competition Dining Series statewide championship will be at the Renaissance Raleigh North Hills Hotel on November 19-22 where the 5 regional winners will match up head-to-head. Fire in the Triangle champion Dean Thompson of Flights will first compete on November 21st and hopefully in the Championship Dinner on November 22nd. Tickets for the “first round” events (3 dinners) are $129 each and tickets for the final championship battle are $139. Folks, tickets to all the events sold out last year in a matter of minutes. Don’t miss out this year. The tickets go on sale NEXT Wednesday, October 29 at 7 p.m. Get all the details and your tickets here.

The first b.good location in North Carolina opened yesterday 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.

The Full Moon Oyster Bar and Seafood Kitchen has opened in Morrisville’s Park West Village serving lunch and dinner. This marks their third North Carolina location with stores in Southern Pines and Clemmons and a fourth on the way in Jamestown. Check them out here.

Not sure how I missed this, but a huge congratulations to Tammy Calaway-Harper and the successful opening of Belle, Cary’s newest restaurant at the corner of Academy Street and Dry Avenue. Pay them a visit soon. Visit them online here.

Back in early October we told you about the latest edition of Smashburger coming to North Raleigh in the Falls Village shopping center. We now have a projected open date of November 26th. This will be the Triangle’s second location, but the first in Raleigh (the other one is in Durham). Check them out here.

What time is it? It is turkey time! And the Q Shack is firing up their annual tradition of providing you with turkeys, sides and desserts for your Thanksgiving Day feast. Folks, I don’t endorse many things, but I can speak from personal experience that this is a fantastic (and delicious) way to feed your guests. Seriously, who (besides Tom and his team) want to be in the kitchen cooking up a turkey? Get your orders in before November 22nd and get all the details here.

Got word from WRAL that Italian restaurant Schiano’s is opening a Wake Forest location in the Gateway Commons shopping center. No word on an opening date. They have one location already on Strickland Road in Raleigh. Get more details here.

Saw in the Herald Sun that Durham has a new food truck called SoomSoom Pita Pockets. They focus on a fusion of Middle Eastern and American cuisine serving pita pockets that include fillings such as smoked fish salad, schnitzel, steak and egg and beef and lamb kebabs. Check them out here.

Got word this week that Doolin’s Irish Pub and Café on Shannon Road in South Durham has closed their doors.

You’ve got to love Garner and their creativity. They are hosting their first food truck rodeo this Sunday, October 26th from noon until 4 p.m. They are calling it the Trick-or-Eat Food Truck Rodeo and it will feature 12 local food trucks and 2 local craft breweries along with musicians and entertainment. It will take place in downtown Garner on Main Street from Rand Mill Road to Montague Street. Get all the details here.

Thanks to a tip from John Huisman (aka Triangle Explorer) I was reminded that the Pittsboro Fall Street Fair is tomorrow (October 25th) from 10 a.m. until 5 p.m. in downtown Pittsboro. The event will feature local crafters, artists, a wide variety of food vendors & local food trucks, a local beer garden, and free activities for children. Get all the details here.

A Tasteful Affair is happening this Sunday (October 26th) over in Chapel Hill. Hosted by The Ronald McDonald House, the event features over two dozen of the triangle’s finest restaurants and will take place in The Blue Zone at UNC’s Kenan Stadium. Get all the details here.

The Raleigh Fall Brew Fest, featuring at least 20 local and regional craft beers and a Halloween costume contest, will be held from 5 to 8 p.m. Nov. 1 at Cardinal Hall at 6015 Lead Mine Road in Raleigh. The cost is $35 in advance and $40 on the day of the event, which is a fundraiser for the N.C. Therapeutic Riding Center. Get all the details here.

This year’s 12th Annual Downtown Chili Cook-off will be held on Depot Street in historic downtown Fuquay-Varina on Saturday, November 1st. Get all the details here.

The 3rd Annual Red & White Food and Beverage Festival will be held on Tuesday November 4th at The State Club from 6-9pm. And for our readers, receive $5 off admission by entering promo code “foodguy” when you purchase tickets here.

Triangle Business Journal reminded us that the “Much Ado about Cheese” festival returns again this year on November 9th from 1 to 4 p.m. at the Cotton Room in Durham. The event is free and open to the public. Free cheese samples will be provided, and Raleigh food truck American Meltdown will be selling cheesy delights. Beer and wine are also available for purchase. Check them out on Facebook here.

Did you know that almost 50% of students in our 34 county service area qualify for free or reduced-price lunch? It is difficult for any student to excel academically when they come to school hungry. So we invite all students, staff, parents and teachers to join our Students Against Hunger food and funds drive to help feed hungry children and their families in our community. Get all the details here.