Friday Fun Food Facts – July 27, 2018

Triangle Restaurant News

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

Featured Restaurant News

•  Big news out of North Hills this week that Rosewater, a restaurant by Giorgios Group and described as a European bistro café inspired by North Carolina ingredients and Mediterranean flavors, will be opening in the Park District at North Hills in the old Bruegger’s space. In addition to being a full-service restaurant, they will offer grab-and-go options during breakfast and lunch hours. The restaurant is projected to open in 2019. Learn more about the Giorgios Group here.

Wake County Restaurant News

• Additional North Hills news included the announcement that Stir restaurant will be taking up a 5,832-square-foot spot in the Bank of America tower and is described as offering fresh food, oyster bar and craft cocktails.

• Over in downtown Raleigh the ITB Insider shared the update that renowned Raleigh restaurateur Ashley Christensen has filed site plans for PooleSide Pie which will offer Neapolitan-style wood-fired pizzas at 428 S. McDowell Street right next to Christensen’s Poole’s Diner. Best way to keep up with their progress is through their Instagram account here.

• Also in downtown, the ITB Insider also reported that permits had been issued at The Dillon for the transformation of a 5,125 square-foot space on the ground floor into Raleigh’s first location of the high-end Oak Steakhouse chain. They currently have locations in Atlanta, Charleston, Nashville and Charlotte. This will be the first location in the Triangle. Get familiar with them here.

• In North Raleigh, Carole Walker updated us that Taziki’s Mediterranean Grill is now open in the old Pickled Onion space in Bent Tree plaza at 7901 Falls of Neuse Road (near NY Bagel & Deli). This is their third Triangle location (two in Cary) and first in Raleigh. Check them out here.

• Up in Wake Forest, Saturday, August 4^th is the opening date for Showmars at the corner of Capital and Stadium Drive. They have lots of locations in and around Charlotte and are described as a fast, casual concept featuring a blend of Greek and Southern, serving up sandwiches and salads. Get familiar with them here.

• Just over in Rolesville, got word from one of our readers that The Cobalt Café, a coffee shop and breakfast and lunch spot, has opened at 6150 Rogers Road. In addition to great coffee, they bake their muffins fresh daily from scratch. Get to know them here.

• And down in Clayton, one of our readers pointed out that there is a “Coming Soon” sign up at 9096 Cleveland Road for Mezza Luna, a pizzeria, pasta, grill and bar. Doesn’t look like the upfit has begun, so it could be a while. We will keep an eye on it.

Durham, Orange & Chatham Restaurant News

• After 9 months since they first announced they were coming, The Pizza Press in Chapel Hill opened this past Thursday at 123 W. Franklin Street. They are serving up fresh pizzas and cold North Carolina craft beer. Get familiar with them here.

• Over in Durham, Amber Watson at Bites of Bull City let us know that the folks behind Cucciolo Osteria, a new Italian restaurant tucked away off of 601 W. Main Street (down from The West End Wine Bar), are opening this weekend for a limited number of walk-ins and will begin taking reservations on Monday, July 30. They will be open nightly for dinner (closed Tuesdays), and plan to introduce lunch service once they have settled into the dinner service routine. Get familiar with them here.

• Also in Durham, WRAL announced this week that the former Joe Van Gogh on Duke’s campus will become Beyu Blue Coffee – from the folks at Beyu Caffé. Beyu’s owner, Dorian Bolden, is a Duke alumnus. Check out Beyu here.

• Two additional updates from Durham thanks to Glenn Gillen. The Little Caesars over on South Roxboro Street has closed. And the China Palace at the intersection of Old Chapel Hill Road and Garrett Road is in the middle of renovations and hope to open up again Aug. 1.

• The boys are at it again. Charlie Farris and Clint Winslow are opening another Jersey Mike’s in our area! This one will be in Chatham County, just down 15-501 from Chapel Hill in the Lowe’s Foods shopping center. Construction is underway and they are looking at a late September, early October opening. Farris and Winslow also own locations in Chapel Hill (2 locations), Durham and Hillsborough. Check out Jersey Mike’s here. Thanks to reader Keith Dangel for the heads up on this.

Closings

•  None to report, aside from the Little Caesars noted above.

Food Trucks

• This Saturday, July 28 from 4-9 p.m. is the Downtown Raleigh Food Truck Caravan benefiting JDRF Triangle / Eastern NC Chapter. Come and enjoy some of the best food trucks (22 at last count) in the area while drinking local beer (several different breweries will be on hand) and listening to great music! It will be set up along Eden Street, between the NC State Capitol and the museums. Get all the details on their Facebook page here.

• The dates have been set for the Durham Central Park Food Truck Rodeo and Downtown Raleigh Food Truck Rodeos. Check out Durham here and Raleigh here.

Events

•  Guess who is turning 81 today – July 27? Yep, Krispy Kreme. And to celebrate, the company is offering a special discount today only (July 27) – buy a dozen doughnuts, get a second dozen (original glazed) for $1. Check out Krispy Kreme here.

• The Beer, Bourbon and BBQ Festival is this weekend, July 27 & 28, at Cary’s Koka Booth Amphitheatre. The fun begins tonight at 6 p.m. and continues on Saturday from noon (VIP admission) until 6 p.m. If you enjoy beer sippin’, bourbon tastin’, music listenin’, and barbeque eatin’ this event is for you. Your admission buys you a sampling glass so you can enjoy an all-you-care-to-taste sampling of beer and bourbon. Get all the details and information on pricing here.

• Raleigh Restaurant Week, produced by the Downtown Raleigh Alliance, is celebrating its 10th Anniversary from August 13 – August 19. This week long dining extravaganza showcases the culinary talent in the heart of downtown Raleigh. Over 40 restaurants will be offering specials. Participating restaurants will offer delectable, three-course prix fixe dinners for either $20 or $30 per person, depending on the venue (tax and tip not included). As a special amenity to downtown employees and other daytime downtown visitors, some restaurants will be offering $5 and $10 lunch specials. Get all the details here.

• The 2nd annual Chapel Hill Farmers’ Market Brewfest is happening on Saturday, August 25, with a 12 pack of local brewers and fermenters bringing product to sample and sell. Look for: Botanist & Barrel, Bull City Burger and Brewery, Bull City Ciderworks, Dingo Dog Brewing, Fullsteam Brewery, Haw River Farmhouse Ales, Mystery Brewing, Oak & Dagger Public House, Raleigh Brewing, Starpoint Brewing, 3rd Degree Brewhouse, and Vecino Brewing. The address is 201 S. Estes Drive Chapel Hill. (University Place next to Silverspot) and hours are regular market hours, 8am-12. Get details here.

• WRAL shared that this Sunday, July 22^nd is the Taste of Soul NC event at Durham Central Park from 1 to 6 p.m. Enjoy ribs, burgers, Jamaican food, jambalaya, vegan food, Italian ice, cakes, shaved ice and much more, including lots of entertainment options for adults and kids. The event is free. Get all the details here.

• Sunday, August 26^th is the date for Families Moving Forward’s Kids for Change End of Summer Celebration at Durham Central Park from 3-5 p.m. featuring budget-friendly food trucks and lots of fun entertainment. Admission is free. Check it out here.

• The NCRLA Chef Showdown is an annual statewide culinary competition sponsored by the NC Department of Ag. that will result in a final competition on Monday, Aug 27 in Charlotte. The final event is in conjunction with the first night of the industry’s Restaurant & Hotel Expo. Get all the information you need here.

• And one of my daughter’s favorite events has set the date for their 2018 edition – the Mac and Cheese Throwdown is scheduled for Sunday, September 16th from 5pm until 8pm at 214 Martin.  They’ve had a great response from some “mac makers” and have some new contestants this year.  So far, it looks like the lineup is Relish, Oak and Dagger, Wandering Moose, Dram and Draught, US Foods, The Mac House, Southern Charred, NOFO and the chef from 214 Martin. My daughter and I will be judges again this year! Check it out.

• The Root Cellar Cafe & Catering announced that they will host their annual Porkapalooza Festival at their new Pittsboro restaurant on Saturday, Oct. 6 at 5 p.m. To celebrate their seventh year, the celebration will offer small plate creations, featuring locally raised pork from Hickory Nut Gap and Sharp Family Farms, served casually indoors and outdoors, rather than a traditional seated dinner. Their Pittsboro location is at 35 Suttles Road in Penguin Place in Pittsboro. Tickets for Porkapalooza are $50, which includes all food, entertainment and a souvenir pint cup. Get all the details here.

• Ok, here it is again. And I tell you EVERY year, but I will repeat it again. DO. NOT. MISS. THIS. EVENT. You can just thank me later. The dates have been set for the 9^th annual TerraVita Festival over in Chapel Hill. Those dates are October 17-20. Things will kick off Wednesday, October 17, with the East Meets West dinner (first year at The Carolina Inn) and end on October 20 with the Fall Fête on The Green in Southern Village. Check out this video that give you a great look at all the events that make up TerraVita. Or visit their website here.

Food Bank Corner

• As a part of the Stop Summer Hunger initiative, generous friends of the Food Bank of Central & Eastern North Carolina will match every gift – dollar for dollar. Please help them reach their matching goal of $135,000. For every $20 you give, the Food Bank can provide 200 meals! Make your donation here!