Friday Fun Food Facts – August 23, 2019

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

Featured Restaurant News

•  The opening of Scott Crawford’s newest restaurant, Jolie, a French bistro located in historic Oakwood, is happening TODAY (August 23). The concept was inspired by his daughter, a recent trip to Paris, and nostalgia for the classic French cuisine of his early career. With the opening of Jolie, we see the return of Raleigh native Madison Tessener as chef de cuisine who has spent the past few years working in the South’s most award-winning kitchens. Jolie is located at 620 North Person Street, next to Crawford & Son. Jolie is open Tuesday through Saturday from 5 until 10pm. Check out their website here or keep up with their Instagram page.

Wake County Restaurant News

• Also opening this week was Shake Shack in Cary’s Waverly Place at 310 Colonades Way. Shake Shack is a modern day “roadside” burger stand known for its 100% all-natural Angus beef burgers, chicken sandwiches and griddled flat-top dogs (no hormones or antibiotics – ever), fresh-made frozen custard, crispy crinkle cut fries and more. Since the original Shack opened in 2004 in NYC’s Madison Square Park, the company has expanded to more than 230 locations in 26 U.S. States and the District of Columbia, including more than 70 international locations across London, Hong Kong, Istanbul, Dubai, Philippines, Singapore, Mexico, Tokyo, Moscow, Seoul and more. Visit them here.

• The folks over at Taste Carolina noticed (whilst doing one of their amazing food tours – sign up for one of those here) that there are signs of new life in the former Acorn at Oak City/Kaiju space at 170 E. Davie Street. A huge Reuben’s NY Deli sign is up across the entire front of that space. No word on a timeline, but you can visit them on Facebook here.

• A few quick updates from our friends over at Morgan Street Food Hall. First up, the folks at Carroll’s Kitchen have closed up at Morgan Street, returning solely to their flagship location in downtown Raleigh on Martin Street. Visit the wonderful people there.

• That’s the “bad” news. Here’s the great news. Several announcements were made this week regarding some news concepts coming to Morgan Street Food Hall. First up, Primal Cuts will bring the meats with their newest sandwich concept featuring a prime rib sandwich. Diners can also build their own sandwich from a menu of meat and cheese options, all paired with house-fried chips. Next up, Pazza Pasta, an Italian street concept menu that will include fresh pastas, Italian meat and cheese plates and salads. And finally, and Raleigh Mini Donut’s – minis topped with a variety of sweet flavors. Look for all of these to open next month. Keep up with it all at their website here.

• Looks like September 4th is the date for the opening of the downtown Raleigh location of Weaver Street Market at 404 W. Hargett Street. Lots of good, locally sourced foods both to enjoy there and take home. Keep up with various events surrounding their opening on their Facebook page.

• Friend Hugh Autry tipped me off to the fact that a Tropical Smoothie Cafe is coming to Garner in the Lowes Home Improvement shopping center at 1553 US-70. Check them out on Facebook here.

• In Cary, reader Jenny Albert informed us that she saw signs for a new Indian street food place called Nukkad going into the former Wendy’s building near the intersection of High House Road and Davis Drive (adjacent to the Publix). No word yet on an open date. Keep up with them on Facebook here.

• And in Wake Forest, the Triangle Business Journal reported that Chick-fil-A has submitted plans for a new location at 1010 Forestville Road  in the Shoppes at Heritage Village by the Publix Super Market. An opening date for the restaurant is unclear. Visit them here.

Durham, Orange & Chatham Restaurant News

• It happened! Chef Teddy Diggs’ Coronato Pizza is now open (opened yesterday) in the South Green shopping center just down the hill from downtown Carrboro off S. Greensboro Street. It features the only Roman-style pizza in North Carolina; a crispy, thin, almost cracker-like crust pizza that Diggs embellishes with good quality extra virgin olive oil and a diverse range of ingredients inspired by both local farmers and Roman traditions. Pies are served with a selection of local craft beers and ciders, prosecco and spritz on tap, and noteworthy Italian wines. Get over to Carrboro soon and get to know them here.

• Out in RTP, the Research Triangle Foundation (RTF) will break ground on Boxyard RTP next Tuesday, August 27 at 700 Park Offices Drive, just off Hwy. 54, not far from the intersection with Davis Drive. This is a very cool concept that features a cargotecture design (think shipping containers) to showcase food, beverage and experiences. Get all the details on their website here.

• And in downtown Durham, the folks over at Best of the Bull alerted us to the fact that Cloche Coffee is now open at 721 Broad Street right by Duke’s East Campus. They are now open 7 days a week, 7am-7pm with a full coffee menu featuring Larry’s Coffee and food coming soon. Get to know them here.

Closings

• Lawrence Tibbetts at NC Good Eats was the first to inform us that Tony’s Oyster Bar in Cary’s MacGregor Village had closed. Sorry to see them go.

Food Trucks 

• Got word from the folks over at EatRaleigh that a seafood and ceviche truck from Boston is relocating to Raleigh next month. Look for Roadies Fine Seafood & Ceviche to hit the roads around the Triangle sometime in September (their last day in Boston is 8/24). They served the Boston area for 4 years. Give them a proper Southern welcome by getting to know them here. 

• Thanks to a note from Mark Ginsberg, I learned that the Knightdale Food Truck Thursdays is back up for the season. The event is held the third Thursday of the month from April through October at Knightdale Station Park for lunch AND dinner. Get all the details, truck schedule and more here.

• The remaining two dates for the 2019 Durham Food Truck rodeos are September 1 and November 3! Get all the details here.

• And the remaining two dates for the 2019 edition of the Raleigh Food Truck Rodeo are: Sunday Oct 6th – 12-6pm; and the make-up date on November 10th. All are held along Fayetteville Street. Get all the details here.

Events

•  Mandolin Restaurant will host their next Mandolin Wine Mixer on Saturday, September 7 from 11 a.m. until 2 p.m. at 2519 Fairview Rd. in Raleigh. There you will be able to taste over 60 fine wines, savor a variety of hors d’oeuvres, support the through raffled wine and gift certificates and purchase select wines at exclusive discounts. Tickets are $25. Get tickets and all the details here.

• Heard on NPR about the 6th Annual Dinner in the Meadow coming up on Sunday, September 8th from 5:30 to 8:30 p.m. The event benefits the Leonard-Mobley Small Farm Fund, which provides grants to encourage and support small farms. The Dinner setting sits atop a grassy knoll in the meadow of Meadow Lane Farm at 571 Leonard Farm Road in Louisburg. Get tickets and all the details on their website here.

• The third annual Savor the Triangle Food Festival produced by Mix 101.5 will again be held at the Kerr Scott building at the NC State Fairgrounds this year on Wednesday, September 18th from 6-9 p.m. Savor the Triangle Food Festival is a culinary event with the opportunity to sample many of the Triangle’s most delicious foods and drinks all in one place. Get all the details and early bird discounted tickets here.

• It was recently announced that one of Chatham County’s largest food festivals, the 12th Annual Pittsboro Pepperfest, is returning to main street in downtown Pittsboro. The date for this year’s event is Sunday, September 22 from 3 – 6 p.m. So go ahead and mark your calendar to spend your afternoon in historic, downtown Pittsboro. Get all the details here.

• The 2019 NCRLA Chef Showdown final event is coming to Durham on Monday, September 30! The culinary participants, all based in North Carolina, advanced after cooking up the highest-rated dishes across five statewide preliminary rounds and partaking in regional rounds in Raleigh and Charlotte. Chefs and pastry chefs will prepare savory and sweet portion-sized dishes for attendees, while a team of mixologist and distillery pairs whip up can’t-miss cocktails for guests to sip on. At the end of the night, the top titles of Chef of the Year, Pastry Chef of the Year and Mixologist & Distillery of the Year will be announced. Tickets are now on sale for the event on Monday, Sept. 30 from 6-8:30 p.m. at Angus Barn’s Bay 7 in Durham.

• The Root Cellar Cafe & Catering will host the 8th annual Porkapalooza Festival at its Chapel Hill restaurant on Saturday, Oct. 5, at 6:30 p.m. The eagerly anticipated porktastic farm dinner will offer eight small plate courses, featuring locally raised pork from Burnette Ranch in Pittsboro and handcrafted beers from Fuquay-Varina’s Mason Jar Lager Co. This is the 8th anniversary of what has become one of the signature food events in North Carolina. Tickets for Porkapalooza include all food and drink and are $69. Get tickets and all the details here.

• This is it. Your last chance. I’ve been touting this amazing event that Colleen Minton dreamed up 10 years ago and now we are at the 10th and FINAL Terra Vita Food & Drink Festival in Chapel Hill October 16-19, 2019. Yep, you read that right. This is the grand finale. There will be no more. And heed my last (and final) warning – tickets will not last. If you’ve never been – GO! If you’ve been, don’t miss the last one. If you don’t know, it is a multi-day celebration that brings together top chefs, food artisans, sommeliers, baristas, brewers, educators, distillers, cookbook authors and industry luminaries from across the Southeast to celebrate culinary excellence and sustainability in food and drink. Get tickets and details here on all the events that week.

• On Sunday, November 3rd, more than 30 of the Triangle’s finest restaurants will be paired with world-class wines at the third annual Sip + Savor – A Wine, Food and Music Experience.  Sip + Savor will showcase 30+ culinary all-stars, sommeliers, on-stage experience with live music, VIP lounge, and more. Get all the details and tickets here.

Food Bank Corner

• Looking for a way your office can make a direct difference in people’s lives? But time is limited? We’ve got the perfect answer for you – coordinate an office-wide Virtual Food Drive! Forget the hassle of a trip to the grocery store for your next food drive… “Shop” with the Food Bank through our Virtual Food Drive and maximize your donation times ten! For every dollar donated, the Food Bank can provide $10.00 worth of food or five meals. Over half a million people in the 34 counties we serve struggle with food insecurity. You can make a difference in your community by hosting a Virtual Food Drive for your friends, family members or coworkers. It is simple! Get all the details here.