Friday Fun Food Facts – December 12, 2014

Triangle Restaurant News

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

Alright Triangle, let’s do this. Today is the last day to vote! Our very own dessert truck Not Just Icing is in a national competition to crown America’s best dessert food truck. As of this writing, we are just a few hundred votes out of first place. Let’s make this happen! Stop what you are doing for just one minute, click here and vote for them. How cool would that be? Do it! Click here now!

It is out…the News & Observer’s listing of restaurants that are open on Christmas Day. As you might expect, reservations are highly recommended. Here is the list.

And if you don’t feel like going out to eat, but don’t really want to spend all day in the kitchen, Raleigh’s Q-Shack is offering locally raised, all natural fresh turkeys, hams and brisket and meals packed for reheating. Pick-up is available in Raleigh and Durham. Get all the details here.

Got a note this week from Kelly Trimyer that the Outer Bank’s much-anticipated Triangle edition of Duck Donuts is slated to open in Cary (100 Wrenn Drive) towards the middle of next week. At this point they are just waiting on some final inspections. Follow them on their Facebook page where they will announce their official opening day once it is known.

The News & Observer reported this week that Steve Adams, owner of Peak City Grill in Apex, has teamed up with Franz Propst, longtime chef at the restaurant, to open The Blistered Pig Smokehouse just down the street in the historic Tobacco & Mule Exchange Building (225 N. Salem Street). Love their slogan, “We Only Smoke The Good Stuff” – and they note that all their meat products are direct from the farmer and all are North Carolina grown and processed. Check them out here.

Got word hat Smashburger is gearing up to open its second Triangle location, this one in Raleigh, on Wednesday, Dec. 17 in the Shops at Falls Village (6679 Falls of Neuse Rd.) in North Raleigh. Get all the details here.

Monuts Donuts is officially open in their new location in Durham on Ninth Street in the old Magnola Grill spot (1002 Ninth Street to be exact). They are serving up hot donuts, Counter Culture espresso, bagels, biscuits and more! Get all the details here.

According to the Herald-Sun, G2B Gastro Pub has reopened after adding a small-batch brewery and bringing on a new executive chef, Travis Robinson. Previously Robinson trained and gained experience at The Ritz-Carlton up and down the Eastern seaboard. Get a peek at some of the changes at their website here.

Durham’s newest addition, The Boot (an Italian off-shoot of Geer Street Garden), has now opened their doors for lunch (they opened right around Thanksgiving for dinner). Anyway, check them out for lunch or dinner. The initial reviews are quite strong! They are located at 2501 University Drive. Check them out here.

We were sad to learn this week in the News & Observer that Pop’s, a 20-year-old institution in Durham, has closed their doors. But note that Pop’s Backdoor South, the pizzeria in Hope Valley Square, remains open.

The food truck website Mobile Cuisine is holding a national contest to identify America’s best dessert food truck. In the running is our very own Not Just Icing. Let’s show them our support! Currently, they are just a few hundred votes out of first place. Let’s help them win! Vote here. And as they say, vote early and often!

This Saturday, December 13th, Guglhupf over in Durham will host their 6th Annual German Christmas Market from 10 am to 4 pm and it should be a spectacular day! Get a bite to eat and enjoy a glass of glühwein or mulled cider as you stroll through this festive gathering with artists, food and live music. Get all the details here. And don’t forget to get your Christmas Stollen while you are there!

Saw in the News & Observer that Mandolin restaurant in Raleigh is hosting a Santa brunch from 11 a.m.-1:30 p.m. Dec. 20. Children can listen to Santa Claus and Mrs. Claus read “‘Twas the Night Before Christmas,” enjoy gingerbread cookies and share their last-minute lists. Meanwhile, parents can enjoy a brunch with country ham eggs Benedict, figgy pudding and a bloody mary. Reservations are recommended. A portion of the proceeds will go to The Methodist Home for Children. Get all the details here.

And our friends over at Taste Carolina Gourmet Food Tours have lined up some great holiday-inspired tastings over the coming weeks. Get all the details, the schedule and gift certificates here.

Warm up this New Year’s weekend with 2nd Annual NC Fresh Catch winter oyster, seafood and music event on January 2nd. The event, titled The Blues & The Blues, will take place indoors from 6-11 p.m. at the downtown Durham Armory. Enjoy live blues, R&B, jazz and soul plus smoked, steamed and fried oysters, smoked bluefish, chef plates, smoked BBQ and more plus craft beer, wine and local ciders. Partial event proceeds benefit Ellerbe Creek Watershed Association. Get all the details here.

The Food Bank of Central and Eastern North Carolina is in the middle of their Holiday Meals Drive and they need your help to reach their goal of raising $435,000 online before December 31, which would be enough to provide 2.17 million meals! Folks can donate, make a gift in honor of a friend or family member or host a holiday fundraiser. Perhaps your company can join in on this extremely worthy cause. Get all the details here.