Friday Fun Food Facts – December 11, 2015

Triangle Restaurant News

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

Santa’s elves will be busy on Christmas this year no doubt, but it won’t just be making toys for little kids. They’ll also be serving up meals at some of your favorite restaurants. To find out where they’ll be, check out the News & Observer’s list of restaurants open on Christmas.

Lisa and Mounir Saleh, and their two oldest daughters, Noelle and Simone, just yesterday opened a second location of Sassool Mediterranean Cafe in Cary’s Shoppes of Kildaire, just a few doors down from Trader Joe’s. So excited for them and their success! Visit them here.

Well this is sad and exciting all at the same time! The original owners of Maximillian’s Grill over in Cary have sold their restaurant to two of their employees – Will and Margie Hennessey. The restaurant originally opened in 1991 and moved to its current location on Chapel Hill Road in 2002. The Schiffer’s last day will be December 31st and then the Hennessey’s plan to close the restaurant for updates for about a month, before reopening on February 1st. Check them out here. Our best to Michael and Gayle Schiffer as they ride off into the sunset of retirement…at the beach! Thanks to the News & Observer and my friend Amy Leonard for keeping me posted on this development.

We told you about this back in September, but reader Michelle Hillison informed me this week that Brad Barbour’s Shuckin’ Shack Oyster Bar, originally hoping to open in December, will open the first week in January in Cary’s Preston Corners in the old Caribou Coffee location. Check them out here.

Also in Cary, we are getting closer and closer to the opening of The Mayton Inn, a new boutique hotel coming to Academy Street in Cary by the same folks (Colin and Deanna Crossman) behind the King’s Daughters Inn in Durham. But more exciting to me will be chef Jeff Gomper’s menu from The Verandah. I’m getting a sneak peek at it in January, so the opening can’t be far off! Check it out here.

Reader Rebecca Calhoun tipped me off to the fact that there is a new comfort food restaurant in Litchford Village Plaza in Raleigh called Milow’s. Check them out here.

James Borden’s Raleigh Public Record blog uncovered a fun update near the intersection of Six Forks and Wake Forest Road. A takeout only restaurant called Gorilla Grille Carry Out is moving into the Shell gas station at 210 E. Six Forks Road. No word on a timeline nor whether it will impact the Dunkin’ Donuts currently operating there.

A quick update from the folks over at The Twisted Fork in north Raleigh, thanks to a posting on Yelp. They noted that things are moving along nicely with the reconstruction as well as a few new features to the restaurant. They also noted they are still shooting for a January re-opening. Stay tuned here.

Also on Yelp, it looks like the Carolina Wings Company in Stonehenge Shopping Center has closed, but will re-open in January under new ownership as Stonehenge Tavern. We were able to confirm a corporate registration with that name in October with the Secretary of State’s office. Stay tuned!

Down in Garner, got a press release that Blaze Pizza will open its newest location next Thursday, December 17 at 11 am. Blaze is located at 140 Cabela Drive. This marks the second Blaze Pizza location in the Triangle and statewide. Get more details here.

The taste of Argentina is coming to the Triangle, more specifically southwest Durham, in a matter of days. Makus Empanadas, located in Durham’s Hope Valley Commons shopping center, is shooting for a December 21st opening of their brick and mortar operation. Congratulations to brothers Hernan and Santiago Moyano and Ricky Yofre! Check them out here. Thanks to the update from our friends over at the blog Bites of Bull City.

The Triangle Business Journal reported this week (following the announcement over in Garner) that Blaze Pizza will open its next location over in Durham at Patterson Place, near the intersection of 15-501 and Interstate 40. At this point, we don’t have a timeline. Check them out here.

None to report! (which is a relief after last week’s announcements) Keep eating local, folks!

Who else is missing food truck rodeos? Well, Knightdale hit the jackpot with the weather (temps to reach 70 on Sunday!), and it is all for a good cause. Rudolph’s Holiday Rodeo will be held THIS Sunday, December 13th from 12 – 4 p.m. at the Knightdale Station Park Amphitheater and will feature 15 food trucks! 20% of sales will go to Meals on Wheels just in time for the holidays! There will also be a truck decorating contest and rumor has it a big ol’ bellied fella in a red suit might show up! Get all the details here.

For a listing of ALL food truck events, head over to Art’s page, The Wandering Sheppard on all things food truck related here.

The Guglhupf Bakery & Cafe’s 7th Annual Weihnachts Christmas Market is this Saturday (December 12) from 10 am – 4 pm and will feature a patio filled with local vendors selling unique handcrafted gifts, live music, tasty German street food and plenty of spiced Glühwein! Get all the details here.

There are tons of events going on this time of year and the folks over at the News & Observer were kind enough to assemble a great list. So check it out here so as to not miss out on anything!

Things are gearing up for the 2016 version of Triangle Restaurant Week – it will be here before we know it. The next rendition will take place January 25 through the 31st. Start planning your week now.

The 4th Annual Bull City Food & Beer Experience will be held next year on April 10th, but tickets have already gone on sale. Looks like tickets will be available through DPAC again this year and you can visit the DPAC ticket center to avoid service charges. Check them out on Facebook here.

Durham Magazine and Chapel Hill Magazine will sponsor the third annual TASTE: A Celebration of Food & Drink, happening from April 21 to 23, 2016. The event will feature more than 30 top local chefs and establishments in Durham, Chapel Hill, Carrboro and Raleigh. A portion of ticket proceeds will be donated to the Durham Branch of the Food Bank of Central & Eastern North Carolina. Get all the details and updates as well as purchase tickets (they have an early bird price of $85 now!) here.

No child nor family should go hungry during the holidays… and with your help, they won’t! That’s the power of your giving when you contribute to the Food Bank’s Online Holiday Meals Drive. $35 will feed a child for two months. $120 will provide enough food to sustain a family through the winter months. $210 will provide more than 1,000 piping hot holiday meals to local families. Every dollar donated provides five meals! Help them reach the goal of providing 2.4 million meals before December 31 and ensure that no one goes hungry this holiday season…Donate Now!