Friday Fun Food Facts – January 16, 2015

Triangle Restaurant News

Got word from a couple of sources this past week that Cary is now home to a wonderful new Indian restaurant called Peacock. Located at 2250 Gathering Park Circle in the former Café Capistrano space, they feature simple Indian comfort food. Check them out here.

In September of last year we told you about the changes coming to the 501 Building on Glenwood South. The Triangle Business Journal provided us with an update this week – Raleigh restaurateurs Vincent Barresi and Christopher Bender will open Big Boom later next month, or early March in the space formerly occupied by Red Room.

We got word this week that the former Pasta Tuscan Grille has completed its transition into a Southern eatery and gastropub called Rye Bar and Southern Kitchen in the Raleigh Marriott City Center, and is now open. Check them out here.

The Triangle Business Journal reported that Red Hot & Blue is opening soon in Cary’s Waverly Place, in the same site it was previously located at 325 New Waverly Place. At this point, all we know is that their opening is “just around the corner” according to their Facebook page. You can check out their Facebook page here to see the latest.

The folks at Tupelo Honey, which just opened adjacent to Raleigh’s Cameron Village, are changing things up a bit. This past week they tweaked their menu, and changed the color of their plates! While long-standing, tried-and-true Southern favorites will still be on the menu, the restaurant will introduce several smaller sharable plates and a few new entrees. Check out Tupelo here.

An opening and a grand opening celebration to remind you about over in Durham. Next week (January 20) Eschelon Experiences opens their newest concept – Basan (Japanese/sushi restaurant) in downtown Durham’s Diamond View III building. Details here. And on Saturday, January 24th, Smallckakes will hold their grand opening celebration in the Hope Valley shopping center. Details here.

And Triangle Business Journal provided a bit of an update on the opening of the Carolina Ale House on West Franklin Street in Chapel Hill. Originally scheduled to open in the next few months, that opening has been pushed back to the middle or end of 2015. It will be located in the old Yates Motor Company building. Just this past week, Carolina Ale House opened their long-awaited downtown Raleigh location. Check them out here.

If you are missing your food truck rodeos as much as I am, you will be glad to know that the good folks over at Durham Central Park are hosting their Winter Food Truck Rodeo in just over a week! The trucks (45+) will circle up on Sunday, January 25th from noon until 4 p.m. in downtown Durham. Get all the details here.

The folks over at Chickenwire have put together another fabulous dining experience coming up on Sunday, February 8th. Running with the theme of “Where the Wild Things Are” this dinner will feature chefs James Clark (Carolina Inn), Serge Falcon-Vigne (518 West), Sean Fowler (Mandolin), and Regan Stachler (Little Hen). Tickets are $85 and include hors d’oeuvres and cocktail hour, followed by a seated 4-course dinner (includes tax and gratuity). Get tickets and all the details here.

Tickets are now on sale for the “Got To Be NC” Competition Dining Series which features 16 chefs that will be competing in the Fire in the Triangle competition that runs from January 19th through the grand finale on March 2nd. See who the chefs this year are, see match-ups and get your tickets here.

A little over a week until Triangle Restaurant Week! Running January 26th through February 1st, the week-long event features participating restaurants offering fixed-price, three-course menu options. A 3-course lunch is $15 and a 3-course dinner is $20 or $30 person, not including beverages, tax or gratuity. See a list of participating restaurants and get all the details here.

If you are tired of football bowls, or if you can’t get enough of them, here is another “bowl” to check out – The Q Shack’s 2015 Chili Bowl. Each week they will feature a new chili for you to check out (perfect for all this cold weather). And the best part…10% of all chili sales in January will go to support Loaves and Fishes Ministry. Get all the details here.

I need a favor. First, I promise to get back to the wonderful folks over at The Food Bank next week (they still need your help, so check them out here.) But, I have some dear friends that have a sister that is battling stage 4 incurable lung cancer. She is a mother of four. They are trying to win a viral video contest (need to get 500,000 views) that would award her with $500,000 to help take care of her children when she is gone. If you can spare 2 minutes to watch this video (and share it with your social networks), I would be most appreciative. I am confident we can reach this goal. Here is the video…and thanks in advance. Cancer sucks!