{"id":1037,"date":"2019-12-06T06:05:51","date_gmt":"2019-12-06T11:05:51","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/trianglefoodblog.com\/?p=1037"},"modified":"2019-12-06T06:49:27","modified_gmt":"2019-12-06T11:49:27","slug":"friday-fun-food-facts-december-6-2019","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/trianglefoodblog.com\/?p=1037","title":{"rendered":"Friday Fun Food Facts &#8211; December 6, 2019"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<p><strong>Triangle Restaurant News<\/strong><br>\nTriangle restaurant news&#8230;that not everyone knows. Impress your co-workers at the water cooler.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-text-color has-vivid-red-color\"><strong>Featured Restaurant News<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\"><li>He\u2019s back! Got the great news over the Thanksgiving break that BBQ pit master <strong>Ed Mitchell<\/strong>, along with his son, <strong>Ryan Mitchell<\/strong>, have joined <strong>Lou<\/strong>, <strong>Joy<\/strong>, and <strong>Amber Moshakos<\/strong> of <strong>LM Restaurants<\/strong> (think <strong>Carolina Ale House<\/strong>, <strong>Vidrio<\/strong> and <strong>Taverna Agora<\/strong> to name a few) to open a BBQ restaurant called <strong>The Preserve<\/strong> at the site of the original <strong>Carolina Ale House<\/strong> at 512 Creekside Drive in <strong>Midtown Raleigh<\/strong>. The restaurant is slated to open in the Spring of 2020. <a target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/ThePreserveBBQ\/\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">You can follow their progress on Facebook here<\/a>. <\/li><\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-text-color has-vivid-red-color\"><strong>Wake County Restaurant News<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\"><li>The <strong>News &amp; Observer<\/strong> shared this week that <strong>A Place at the Table<\/strong>, the pay-what-you-can cafe concept in downtown Raleigh, will celebrate its second anniversary in January and is currently in the midst of a major expansion. The restaurant is adding 2,000 square feet, 50 more seats and a commercial kitchen, with a stovetop, oven and hood. Currently, the menu is limited to only what can be made with toasters and waffle irons, or served cold. The expansion, taking over the space that was Alli boutique, should be finished by the spring, in March or April. In its first year, they gave away more than 8,000 meals. By October of their second year, they had already provided 11,000 meals. <a rel=\"noreferrer noopener\" target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/tableraleigh.org\/\">Get familiar with them here<\/a>.<\/li><\/ul>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\"><li>A bit of a change-up over in Cary. Got final confirmation this week from <strong>Paul Scott<\/strong> with <strong>V Pizza<\/strong> out of Jacksonville, Florida that they are bringing their concept to this market after it was announced that they just bought out <strong>LaStella Pizza<\/strong> on Kildaire Farm Road in Cary. This will be their first location outside of Florida and they will be looking to open the middle of January. Self-described as authentic Italian pizza, they also feature award-winning wings and this location will feature 40-50 NC craft beers on tap. And this won\u2019t be their only location, as they begin to explore other options in the Raleigh and Charlotte markets. <a rel=\"noreferrer noopener\" target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/www.vpizza.com\/\">Get to know them here<\/a>.<\/li><\/ul>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\"><li>And speaking of good pizza, the <strong>News &amp; Observer<\/strong> shared the news this week that <strong>Ashley Christensen\u2019s Poole\u2019side Pies<\/strong> is now open a few more hours in the day with the addition of\u00a0 lunch service from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. Wednesday through Saturday.  <a rel=\"noreferrer noopener\" target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/ac-restaurants.com\/pooleside\/\">Check them out here<\/a>.<\/li><\/ul>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\"><li>Also in downtown Raleigh, the folks over at <strong>Brew Coffee Bar<\/strong> posted that they are indeed closing their location at <strong>Seaboard Station<\/strong> and moving it a few miles down the road to the redeveloped <strong>Gateway Plaza<\/strong>. Look for that to happen these first few weeks of December. <a rel=\"noreferrer noopener\" target=\"_blank\" href=\"http:\/\/www.brewcoffeebar.co\/\">Visit them here<\/a>.<\/li><\/ul>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\"><li>And if that is not enough downtown Raleigh news for you, the folks over at<strong> ITB Insider<\/strong> shared some updates on happenings going on over on West Street. First up, progress is being made at the <strong>Rainbow Building<\/strong> at 911 N. West Street where permits were recently issued for the <strong>Rainbow Luncheonette<\/strong>, a small, old-school diner that will offer breakfast and lunch all week, and dinner on the weekends. J<strong>ason Howard<\/strong>, of <strong>The Cardinal<\/strong> and <strong>The Atlantic Lounge<\/strong>, is behind the \u201c25-seater\u201d that will offer standard breakfast and lunch fare. Think of it as a reincarnation of sorts of the old <strong>Finch&#8217;s Restaurant<\/strong>. There is no exact timeframe, but expect it to be at least 90 to 120 days out.<\/li><\/ul>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\"><li><strong>Howard<\/strong> also shared with the<strong> ITB Insider<\/strong> that a little further down West Street, at 303 North West, he plans on opening <strong>Friendship BBQ<\/strong> in the <strong>Topps Building<\/strong> right beside the train tracks. Stay tuned on both of these developments.<\/li><\/ul>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\"><li>And before we \u201cleave\u201d downtown Raleigh, I share in <strong>ITB Insider\u2019s<\/strong> excitement that $100k in renovation work was recently approved for the <strong>Krispy Kreme<\/strong> location at the corner of Person and Peace streets. Don\u2019t know exactly what the work entails, but solidifies the belief that they will be around to fulfill their 20-year lease. It also looks like it will include a new 4\u2019 LED exterior wall sign as well that no doubt says, \u201cHot Now!\u201d <a rel=\"noreferrer noopener\" target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/www.krispykreme.com\/\">Visit Krispy Kreme here<\/a>.<\/li><\/ul>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\"><li><strong>Carrie Brogren<\/strong> with <strong>Chapel Hill Carrboro Foodies<\/strong> shared via Facebook that <strong>Cinnaholic<\/strong> is opening soon in Cary at 1209 Parkside Main St. where you can create-your-own cinnamon rolls and other sweet treats (like made from scratch brownies, cookies, and cookie dough). Customers can choose from over 20 frosting flavors and a variety of toppings. All of their products are fresh-baked and 100% vegan, dairy and lactose-free, egg-free and cholesterol-free. <a rel=\"noreferrer noopener\" target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/www.cinnaholic.com\/\">Get familiar with the yumminess here<\/a>.<\/li><\/ul>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\"><li>Over in Wake Forest we got word that chefs <strong>Serge Falcoz-Vigne<\/strong> and <strong>Horacio Rodriguez<\/strong>, both formally of the award-winning <strong>Saint Jacques French Cuisine<\/strong> restaurant in Raleigh, have taken on ownership of <strong>Bodega, Tapas, Wine, and Rum<\/strong>. Former owner and chef <strong>Nunzio Scordo<\/strong> says that <strong>Falcoz-Vigne<\/strong> and <strong>Rodriguez<\/strong> are the perfect candidates to take on his vision of <strong>Bodega<\/strong> and make it their own. They are located in downtown Wake Forest at 110 South White Street. <a rel=\"noreferrer noopener\" target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/www.bodegawakeforest.com\/\">Check them out here<\/a>.<\/li><\/ul>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\"><li>And down in Johnston County, looks like they will be getting into the \u201cfood hall\u201d game when they open <strong>Old North State Food Hall<\/strong> next spring according to the <strong>News &amp; Observer<\/strong>. The project will turn a corner of the old JR\u2019s outlet into a dining destination for interstate drivers (as well as local residents), becoming the first interstate food hall. It will have 10 vendors, plus a craft beer taproom called the North Carolina Craft House specializing in small breweries from around the state.<strong> Larry Lane<\/strong> says to expect a nationally known chef among the vendors, as well as some North Carolina barbecue and a breakfast all-day concept (and notably will not have any national chains). <a rel=\"noreferrer noopener\" target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/www.oldnorthstatefoodhall.com\/\">Get familiar with them here<\/a>.<\/li><\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-text-color has-vivid-red-color\"><strong>Durham, Orange &amp; Chatham Restaurant News<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\"><li>In Chapel Hill, <strong>Deli Edison<\/strong>, the Chapel Hill deli concept from partners <strong>Dan Obusan<\/strong>, <strong>Sam Suchoff<\/strong> and<strong> Pete Wagner<\/strong> will open next <strong>Monday, December 9th<\/strong>. <strong>Deli Edison<\/strong> will feature handmade bagels baked fresh every morning, a deli counter stocked with house-made salads and <strong>Lady Edison<\/strong> charcuterie, soft-serve ice cream, select gourmet provisions and more. <strong>Deli Edison<\/strong> is the third project from <strong>Suchoff<\/strong> in the <strong>North Chapel Hill Cedar Falls Courtyard<\/strong>. The others include <strong>The Pig<\/strong>, a whole-hog barbecue joint, and <strong>Your Neighborhood Bar<\/strong>, soon to be rebranded as <strong>PiggyBack<\/strong>. <a rel=\"noreferrer noopener\" target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/deliedison.com\/\">Get to know them here<\/a>.<\/li><\/ul>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\"><li>In Carrboro, last we were together we shared that a Thai concept was coming into the spot formerly occupied by <strong>Southern Rail\/Crossties<\/strong>. Reader <strong>Bart Smith<\/strong> was able to share a little bit more information on the new concept which will be called <strong>Thai Station Restaurant<\/strong> and is looking to open in January, 2020. <a rel=\"noreferrer noopener\" target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/thaistationrestaurantcarrboronc\/\">Keep up with their progress on their Facebook page here<\/a>.<\/li><\/ul>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\"><li>Over in Durham, the <strong>News &amp; Observer<\/strong> reported that <strong>Debbie Lou\u2019s <\/strong>opened this past week next door to <strong>True Flavors\u2019 Lakewood<\/strong> location at 2022 Chapel Hill Road, which chef <strong>Sidney Coves<\/strong> opened earlier this year. His original <strong>True Flavors Diner<\/strong> opened four years ago in South Durham, becoming something of a brunch sensation. It has also been named the best breakfast spot in the Triangle by dining critic <strong>Greg Cox<\/strong>. As his third restaurant, <strong>Debbie Lou\u2019s<\/strong> is built around biscuits, serving an extensive menu of sandwiches based on the South\u2019s favorite carb. <a rel=\"noreferrer noopener\" target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/www.trueflavorsdiner.com\/debbie-lou\">Visit them here<\/a>.<\/li><\/ul>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\"><li>Also in Durham, the folks at <strong>Bites of Bull City<\/strong> noted on Twitter that a sign for <strong>Hook &amp; Reel Cajun Seafood &amp; Bar<\/strong> is hanging at the old <strong>Friday\u2019s<\/strong> location on Erwin Road (2608 Erwin Road to be exact). No word on a timeline \/ expected open date. They are listed as \u201ccoming soon\u201d on their website. <a rel=\"noreferrer noopener\" target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/hookreel.com\/\">Get familiar with them here<\/a>. <\/li><\/ul>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\"><li>Down in Hillsborough, <strong>Michael DePersia<\/strong> with <strong>National Restaurant Properties<\/strong> shared the news that <strong>Antonia\u2019s<\/strong> in downtown was sold to <strong>Brian<\/strong> and <strong>Dana Pearson<\/strong>. But don\u2019t worry, they don\u2019t plan on changing the name or menu, but they are interested in keeping the operation running as is &#8211; maybe open for lunch down the road! <a rel=\"noreferrer noopener\" target=\"_blank\" href=\"http:\/\/www.antoniashillsborough.com\/\">Visit them here<\/a>.<\/li><\/ul>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\"><li>And finally in Chatham County, <strong>Neha Shah<\/strong>, director of the county visitors bureau, shared with me that a concept called <strong>The Hill Nutrition<\/strong> is coming to 50221 Governors Drive in <strong>Governor&#8217;s Square<\/strong> in the spot that I believe used to house a yogurt shop. They\u2019ll be serving up healthy shakes, teas and coffees. According to their Instagram page, they\u2019ll open late February \/ early March. Probably best to <a rel=\"noreferrer noopener\" target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/www.instagram.com\/thehillnutrition\/\">keep up with them on their Instagram page here<\/a>.<\/li><\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-text-color has-vivid-red-color\"><strong>Closings<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\"><li>&nbsp;<strong>John Huisman<\/strong>, aka <a href=\"https:\/\/triangleexplorer.com\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Triangle Explorer<\/a>, shared the sad news that after a 30+ year run, <strong>Sunflower\u2019s Cafe<\/strong> located over in front of <strong>Seaboard Station<\/strong> on Peace Street, will close their doors for the final time on Saturday, December 21. There is still plenty of time to get by for one or two more visits!<\/li><\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-text-color has-vivid-red-color\"><strong>Food Trucks&nbsp;<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\"><li>If you are missing the food truck rodeos, my friend the <strong>BurgeoningBaker<\/strong> shared with me that we are are not far from the next one. The <strong>Durham Central Park Food Truck Rodeo<\/strong> is an all-ages Sunday afternoon gathering of dozens of the Triangle\u2019s most popular food trucks, five times each year. And the first one in 2020 is on <strong>January 25<\/strong>! <a rel=\"noreferrer noopener\" target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/durhamcentralpark.org\/events\/food-truck-rodeo-info\/\">Get more details and updates here<\/a>.<\/li><\/ul>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\"><li>As things get cold, here are a \u00a0couple of sites to find and stalk your favorite food trucks <a rel=\"noreferrer noopener\" target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/roaminghunger.com\/food-trucks\/nc\/raleigh-durham\/\">here<\/a> and <a rel=\"noreferrer noopener\" target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/streetfoodfinder.com\/c\/NC\/Raleigh\">here<\/a>.  <\/li><\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-text-color has-vivid-red-color\"><strong>Events<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\"><li>On <strong>Thursday, December 12th<\/strong>, <strong>Leli\u2019s Diner<\/strong> in Wake Forest will hold their <strong>\u201cRetro\u201d Holiday Wine Dinner<\/strong> beginning at 7 p.m. The cost is $75 per person and reservations are required. The menu and <a rel=\"noreferrer noopener\" href=\"https:\/\/lelisdiner.com\/lelis-events\" target=\"_blank\">all the details can be found on their website here<\/a>. You can also call 919-263-1377 to make reservations.<\/li><\/ul>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\"><li>On <strong>December 14th<\/strong>, the folks over at <strong>Bull City Ciderworks<\/strong> will host their <strong>2nd Annual Bull City Oyster Roast<\/strong> at 305 S. Roxboro Street. They are handling the entire event in-house this year so all oysters will be shucked for you, and they\u2019re adding smoked ribs. The cost is $2.50 per oyster \/ rib. <a rel=\"noreferrer noopener\" target=\"_blank\" href=\"http:\/\/www.bullcityciderworks.com\/store\/durhamoysterroast\">Get tickets and all the details here<\/a>.<\/li><\/ul>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\"><li>On <strong>December 19th<\/strong> enjoy an <strong>Afro Vegan Community Dinner<\/strong> at <strong>Zwelli\u2019s<\/strong> in Durham from 6-8 p.m. Experience African vegan flavors with an all-you-can-eat buffet created by <strong>chef Zwe<\/strong>! Your \u201cjourney\u201d will take you from Morocco to Zimbabwe through an intimate evening of dining and music. Tickets are $39.99 per person, $7 for kids 6 and under. <a rel=\"noreferrer noopener\" target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/www.eventbrite.com\/e\/vegan-community-dinner-tickets-82233345149\">Get tickets and all the details here<\/a>. <\/li><\/ul>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\"><li>And the good folks over at Chatham County&#8217;s <strong>Root Cellar<\/strong> will host their <strong>New Year&#8217;s Eve Wine Dinner<\/strong> &#8211; on December 31. The dinner features an all-inclusive 3-course meal, featuring the creative talents of chef <strong>Sera Cuni<\/strong> and wine pairings from <strong>Vino Wine Shop<\/strong>. Tickets are $75. <a rel=\"noreferrer noopener\" target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/www.eventbrite.com\/e\/new-years-eve-wine-dinner-tickets-81070111887\">Get tickets and all the details here<\/a>.<\/li><\/ul>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\"><li>The <strong>8th Annual Bull City Food and Beer Experience<\/strong> will take place on <strong>Sunday, February 23, 2020<\/strong> at the <strong>DPAC<\/strong>. The event pairs delicious local restaurants, with breweries from across the nation. Unlimited food and beer samplings will be spread throughout all three floors at <strong>DPAC<\/strong>, plus the On Stage Experience will bring guests up onto the performing arts stage to showcase even more food, beverages and live music. <a rel=\"noreferrer noopener\" target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/www.bullcityexperience.com\/\">Get all the details here<\/a>.<\/li><\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-text-color has-vivid-red-color\"><strong>Food Bank Corner<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\"><li>Listen up restaurants and caterers! The <strong>Food Bank of Central &amp; Eastern North Carolina<\/strong> is&nbsp; looking to connect with restaurants and caterers to help produce reimbursable meals for federal nutrition programs in Moore, Nash, Edgecombe, Wake, Wayne, and Johnston counties.&nbsp; If you or anyone you know are interested, we\u2019re having an informational vendor meeting on <strong>Thursday, December 10<\/strong> from 2:00-3:00 PM, held at their Raleigh Branch. <a href=\"https:\/\/foodbankcenc.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/11\/NewsRelease_FedProgramVendors_112219.pdf\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Here is a link to all the details<\/a>. <\/li><\/ul>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Triangle Restaurant News Triangle restaurant news&#8230;that not everyone knows. Impress your co-workers at the water cooler. Featured Restaurant News He\u2019s back! Got the great news over the Thanksgiving break that BBQ pit master Ed Mitchell, along with his son, Ryan &hellip; <a href=\"https:\/\/trianglefoodblog.com\/?p=1037\">Continue reading <span class=\"meta-nav\">&rarr;<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-1037","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-uncategorized"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/trianglefoodblog.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1037","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/trianglefoodblog.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/trianglefoodblog.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/trianglefoodblog.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/trianglefoodblog.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=1037"}],"version-history":[{"count":2,"href":"https:\/\/trianglefoodblog.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1037\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":1039,"href":"https:\/\/trianglefoodblog.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1037\/revisions\/1039"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/trianglefoodblog.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=1037"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/trianglefoodblog.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=1037"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/trianglefoodblog.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=1037"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}