Friday Fun Food Facts – May 27, 2016

Triangle Restaurant News

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

The big news of the week, and great news for the Triangle dining scene, is that Scott Crawford will be staying here after his recent departure from Standard Foods. A four-time James Beard Foundation semifinalist for Best Chef: Southeast, Crawford will opening Crawford & Son in the former Piebird location on Person Street in downtown Raleigh sometime this fall. Prior to Standard Foods, Crawford was the executive chef at Herons at The Umstead Hotel. Not much on the website yet, but you can check it out here.

The News & Observer reported this week some sweet news! Nicole Evans Groth, former head confectioner at Videri Chocolate Factory, is opening a bake shop, Anisette, in Raleigh’s Five Points neighborhood hopefully by late August. She is taking over the space of children’s boutique, Progeny, at 209 Bickett Blvd. In the 800-square-foot space, Groth plans to serve coffee, cold brew, cookies, tea cakes, candies and more. What will not be on the menu are any of the chocolate confections she was known to make at Videri. Keep up with her on Instagram here.

Over in Cary, Chris Creighton tipped us off to the fact that Back in the Day Cafe is taking a break. According to their Facebook page, “We’ve been on a break, will be opening again in June with new hours & new menu.” Stay tuned and keep up with them on their Facebook page here.

After a three-week transition from the old location to the new location, it is official that the Beyu Cafe has opened in their new (and improved) location at 341 W. Main Street in downtown Durham. Check out all the shows booked this weekend and the weeks to come via their Facebook page here.

The Triangle Business Journal reported this week that Tasu Asian Bistro’s Cary location has closed.

With the warm weather returning, it also means the return of the Food Truck Thursdays in Knightdale. Every Thursday from April through June, the town will host a new truck at Knightdale Station Park for lunch and dinner. Just look for it from 11am to 2pm and 5pm to 8pm near the amphitheater (rain or shine – shelters are covered). For all the details and the truck schedule, check them out here. Thanks to Mark Ginsberg for the heads up!

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 2016 WRAL Out and About Voters’ Choice Awards are back! The nomination period is open now and continues through Sunday, May 29.This year they are putting the focus on local businesses and encouraging people to avoid the larger chains! Here’s a rundown of the categories, including some great new ones and the voting link.

The Museum of Life and Science in Durham will again host their ‘Science of Eats‘ event this year on June 2nd from 6:30 ’til 10 p.m. They are bringing sweet, sour, and science together for one grand night of eating and exploration. All of your favorite local food vendors will be on hand with samples while our friends from Duke, UNC, and NC State share the latest in food science research. Chat with local chefs and explore demonstrations and experiments on everything from what happens to your brain on sugar to how your genes affect your perception of flavor. And if interested, there is a special reception from 5-6:30 p.m. with Vivian Howard. Get tickets and all the details here.

Andrea Weigl at the News & Observer noted on her Twitter account recently that tickets to one of my favorite annual events, Farm to Fork have gone on sale. The event this year will be held on the weekend of June 3rd through June 5th. Get all the details and tickets here.

The Chef’s Palette on Ten Ten Road in Cary will hold a huge celebration on Saturday, June 4th from 6 p.m. until closing to celebrate their 6th anniversary. Look for food, fun, live music and tasty beverages. Get all the details on their website here.

The 5th Annual Bull City BBQ Classic is scheduled for Saturday, June 4th from 11 a.m. until 2 p.m. at at the Scrap Exchange located at 2050 Chapel Hill Road in Durham. The bbq competition welcomes cooks/ Pitmasters (beginners and experts alike – they even have a kids rib competition) from across North Carolina. The $10 entry fee lets you sample BBQ from every cook station. Get all the details here.

The annual Triangle Restaurant Week is set to run the week of June 6-12th. During the event, participating restaurants within Raleigh, Cary,Chapel Hill, Durham and surrounding areas will offer a special, 3-course prix fixe lunch menu ($15) and/or 3-course prix fixe dinner menu ($20, $25, $30) each day they are open. For all the details and a full list of participating restaurants, check out their website here.

The Carolina Inn will host a Bar-B-Que Throwdown on Saturday, June 11th from 12 – 3 p.m. featuring local chefs preparing their twist on barbecue. Participating chefs include the Carolina Inn’s James Clark; Kim Hunter (Kimbap Cafe); James Johnson (Tribeca Tavern); Isae Allen (The Eddy Pub & Restaurant); Regan Stachler (Little Hen); Serge Falcoz-Vigne (Saint-Jacques); Bob Compton (Mebane Downtown Table); and Adam Rose (H Street Kitchen). Get tickets ($55) and all the details here.

Arguably the area’s biggest “foodie” event, TerraVita, recently announced the dates for this year’s festival – September 28th through October 1st. The Chapel Hill-based festival, now in its seventh year, offers exceptional dinners, tasting events, after parties, chef demos as well as the “Sustainable Classroom” – educational experiences featuring renowned chefs, authors & national media. TerraVita concludes with a Grand Tasting on the Green featuring over 65 chefs, artisans and beverage producers for tastings, live chef demonstrations and cookbook signings. TerraVita’s ticket launch and full schedule will be released in mid-June. More details here.

For many of us, summertime means family vacations and cookouts with friends and neighbors. But instead of trying to decide where to go on your next trip, imagine having to decide between putting gas in your car to go to work or buying groceries for dinner. Instead of getting supplies for the barbecue, imagine standing in line at the food pantry because your paycheck didn’t last through the end of the month. For the families of nearly 300,000 children in our service area, this is the difficult situation they will face this summer when school is closed. The Food Bank’s Stop Summer Hunger Campaign aims to provide meals and groceries to children and their families over the summer months. Through July 31, we are committed to providing 3.3 million meals. Visit their website to learn more about how you can get involved.