{"id":1329,"date":"2021-01-29T07:41:43","date_gmt":"2021-01-29T12:41:43","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/trianglefoodblog.com\/?p=1329"},"modified":"2021-01-29T07:41:43","modified_gmt":"2021-01-29T12:41:43","slug":"friday-fun-food-facts-january-29-2021","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/trianglefoodblog.com\/?p=1329","title":{"rendered":"Friday Fun Food Facts &#8211; January 29, 2021"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<p><strong>Featured Restaurant News<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\"><li>This spring, <strong>Giorgios Hospitality Group<\/strong> and chef\/partner <strong>Daniel Jackson<\/strong> will open <strong>Osteria Georgi<\/strong> at 201 South Elliot Road in Chapel Hill, in the former <strong>Living Kitchen<\/strong> space. The <strong>Osteria<\/strong> is named in honor of <strong>Giorgios Bakatsias\u2019<\/strong> friend, the late, great <strong>George Tarantini<\/strong>, who was born in Italy and was beloved as NC State\u2019s soccer coach. <strong>Osteria Georgi<\/strong> plans to open for lunch, dinner and brunch, serving house made pastas, braised meat dishes, and antipasto. Look for them to open this spring. <strong><a rel=\"noreferrer noopener\" href=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/osteriageorgi\/\" target=\"_blank\">Follow along for announcements on their Facebook page here<\/a><\/strong>. <\/li><\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Wake County Restaurant News<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\"><li>Blogger <strong>EatRaleigh<\/strong> shared the news this week that <strong>Sam Jones BBQ<\/strong> at 502 W. Lenoir Street in downtown Raleigh is now open for takeout, lunch and dinner, seven days a week. Their original location is in Winterville, NC. <strong><a rel=\"noreferrer noopener\" href=\"https:\/\/www.samjonesbbq.com\/raleigh\" target=\"_blank\">Visit their Raleigh location online here<\/a><\/strong>. <\/li><\/ul>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\"><li>Need more BBQ news? Reader <strong>Bill Velto<\/strong> pointed out the recent story in <strong>Cary Magazine<\/strong> that <strong>Big Mike&#8217;s BBQ<\/strong>, with locations already in Cary and Apex (which expanded in December), will move into a 5,000-square foot building at 150 E. Cedar St. in the middle of downtown Cary. When that move is complete, sometime next summer, the current Cary location will be converted to a new taco concept that incorporates smoked meats into the menu according to the magazine. <strong><a rel=\"noreferrer noopener\" href=\"https:\/\/bigmikesbbqnc.com\/\" target=\"_blank\">Keep up with Big Mike&#8217;s here<\/a><\/strong>.<\/li><\/ul>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\"><li>Also in downtown Raleigh, <strong>EatRaleigh<\/strong> also pointed out that <strong>Cheeni<\/strong>, the Indian-American grab-and-go coffee shop and cafe at 227 Fayetteville Street (front of the Y location), has shared via their Instagram feed that they will be opening a second location off Hillsborough Street. You will have to follow their Instagram to get the announcement when they make it. <strong><a rel=\"noreferrer noopener\" href=\"https:\/\/www.instagram.com\/cheeniraleigh\/\" target=\"_blank\">Do so here<\/a><\/strong>.  <\/li><\/ul>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\"><li>Also in Cary, <strong>RalToday<\/strong> shared the news that appeared in the <strong>Cary Citizen<\/strong> that the Brooklyn-based pizza joint <strong>Di Fara Pizza Tavern<\/strong> will be opening, hopefully, by the end of this month (just a few days left in January!). The shop is located at 111 E. Chatham St. We first reported on this back in October, 2019 (yes, 2019 &#8211; covid and a few other issues have had a way with delaying things). This will be the restaurant\u2019s first East Coast location outside of New York City, confirmed <strong>Greg Norton<\/strong>, nephew of <strong>Di Fara<\/strong> founder <strong>Dom DeMarco<\/strong>. <strong>Norton<\/strong> and his wife moved to Cary six years ago. The new <strong>Di Fara Pizza<\/strong> will be both a tavern and a pizzeria (with tons of outdoor picnic tables) and will be a separate brand from the original restaurant, though serving pizza in the same family style. As for an official opening? <strong><a rel=\"noreferrer noopener\" href=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/difarapizzatavern\" target=\"_blank\">Best to follow them on Facebook here<\/a><\/strong>. <\/li><\/ul>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\"><li>The next phase of <strong>Kane Realty&#8217;s<\/strong> expansion in and around <strong>North Hills<\/strong> will involve a 33-acre plot located between St. Albans Drive and Interstate 440. The &#8220;innovation district&#8221; will not only include lots of office space, apartments and open space, but what is most exciting to us (and perhaps you too!) is the announcement that it will also include a 20,000-square-foot <strong>Big Branch Food Hall<\/strong>. <strong><a rel=\"noreferrer noopener\" href=\"https:\/\/raleighconvergence.com\/\" target=\"_blank\">Raleigh Convergence<\/a><\/strong> shared additional details about the food hall including that they are shooting for a summer 2024 opening with 11 stalls, an indoor\/outdoor bar and outdoor rooms along the creek. <strong><a rel=\"noreferrer noopener\" href=\"https:\/\/visitnorthhills.com\/directory\/food-hall\/\" target=\"_blank\">See renderings of the food hall here<\/a><\/strong>. <\/li><\/ul>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\"><li>We first told you about <strong>Meat &amp; Bite Food Exchange<\/strong> a few weeks back, and I noticed the sign up this week that they are now open on Hillsborough Street in Raleigh! Located at 2908 Hillsborough Street, they are now offering up burgers, grilled and fried chicken, burritos and tacos \u2013 everything a college kid might want\/crave! <strong><a rel=\"noreferrer noopener\" href=\"https:\/\/meatnbite.com\/\" target=\"_blank\">Get to know them here<\/a><\/strong>.<\/li><\/ul>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\"><li><strong>Crawford and Son<\/strong> has brought back <strong>Crawford Curbside<\/strong> Tuesday through Thursday evenings where you can call in pre-orders from 2pm-4pm for same day pick up from 5pm-8pm. Orders may be picked up from the bar or can be brought out curbside to your car. To go cocktails, beer, and wine are also available. Get all the details, including menu, <strong><a href=\"http:\/\/www.crawfordandsonrestaurant.com\/\">on their website here<\/a><\/strong>. Additionally, their sister restaurant next-door,\u00a0<strong>Jolie<\/strong>, is offering a $35 three course pre-fixe menu from 5pm-6pm Tuesday through Saturday. <strong><a href=\"https:\/\/restaurantjolie.com\/\">Check those out here<\/a><\/strong>.<\/li><\/ul>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\"><li>And speaking of pick-up, <strong>Cantina 18<\/strong> at <strong>Cameron Village<\/strong> is offering <strong>Ready For Reheat<\/strong>, dinners for two, featuring items from some of J<strong>ason Smith\u2019s<\/strong> favorite cookbooks. Next up are special dishes from <strong>Richard Olney\u2019s<\/strong> cookbook, <strong>Lulu\u2019s Provencal Table<\/strong>. Place orders by Wednesday, February 3, for pick up on Friday, February 5th. <strong><a href=\"https:\/\/www.18restaurantgroup.com\/readyforreheatdinners\">Get all the details here<\/a><\/strong>.<\/li><\/ul>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\"><li>Looking for all the outdoor dining options in Downtown Raleigh? The <strong>Downtown Raleigh Alliance<\/strong> has put together a great list of those options, and they even divided it up by district. <a href=\"https:\/\/www.downtownraleigh.org\/post\/where-to-drink-and-dine-outdoors-in-downtown-raleigh\"><strong>Check out that list here<\/strong><\/a>.<\/li><\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Durham, Orange &amp; Chatham Restaurant News<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\"><li>Great news for those living in Chapel Hill&#8217;s <strong>Southern Village<\/strong>, and everyone in the Triangle, as <strong>Town Hall Grill<\/strong>, which closed last June, announced on their Facebook page that they will reopen in April of this year! It is also looking like they will have a similar concept and menu as before, with a few updates and changes. More on that as they get closer to opening. <a rel=\"noreferrer noopener\" href=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/TownHallGrill\" target=\"_blank\"><strong>Keep up with any announcements on their Facebook page here<\/strong><\/a>. <\/li><\/ul>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\"><li>Across town in Chapel Hill&#8217;s <strong>Meadwomont<\/strong> development, <strong>Chapel Hill Carrboro Foodies<\/strong> leader <strong>Carrie Brogren<\/strong> shared that <strong>Kahlovera Tacos<\/strong>, which also operates a popular food truck in the area, has opened their first brick and mortar location in the former <strong>Chronic Tacos<\/strong> spot. <strong><a rel=\"noreferrer noopener\" href=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/kahloveratacos\/\" target=\"_blank\">Follow them on Facebook here<\/a><\/strong>. <\/li><\/ul>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\"><li>Last January we shared with you that after 11 years in business, <strong>Caf\u00e9 Meridian<\/strong>, on Meridian Parkway in Durham, had to find a new home. Well, reader <strong>Joshua Brigante<\/strong> just shared with us that they have done that and have a soft opening this week, and will officially open on February 1, at their new location near the intersection of Highways 54 &amp; 55, between Big Lots and AutoZone. <strong><a rel=\"noreferrer noopener\" href=\"http:\/\/www.cafemeridian.com\/\" target=\"_blank\">Visit them here<\/a><\/strong>. Congratulations to owner <strong>Rich Kazazian<\/strong>!<\/li><\/ul>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\"><li>And over at the much-anticipated <strong><a rel=\"noreferrer noopener\" href=\"https:\/\/boxyard.rtp.org\/\" target=\"_blank\">Boxyard RTP<\/a><\/strong>, <strong>Raleigh Convergence<\/strong> shared a spotlight featured in <strong>Eater<\/strong> that informed us that <strong>Jake Wood&#8217;s<\/strong> anticipated <strong>Lawrence Barbecue<\/strong> location would collaborate with beverage director <strong>Zack Thomas<\/strong> to open a &#8220;leisure bar&#8221; called <strong>Lagoon<\/strong> just above <strong>Lawrence Barbecue<\/strong>. Think mid-century tiki drinks plus &#8217;80s resort-style beverages. Look for <strong>Lawrence <\/strong>to open in February, quickly followed by <strong>Lagoon<\/strong> in March. <strong><a rel=\"noreferrer noopener\" href=\"https:\/\/www.lawrencebarbecue.com\/\" target=\"_blank\">Visit Lawrence here<\/a><\/strong> and <strong><a rel=\"noreferrer noopener\" href=\"https:\/\/www.instagram.com\/lagoon.bar\/\" target=\"_blank\">Lagoon&#8217;s Instagram page here<\/a><\/strong>. <\/li><\/ul>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\"><li>And here are a couple of wonderful resources for those looking to dine in downtown Durham or downtown Chapel Hill \u2013 <strong>Downtown Durham Inc. <\/strong>has an up-to-date listing of the status of each restaurant in downtown Durham. <strong><a href=\"https:\/\/downtowndurham.com\/curbside\/\">Check out the list here<\/a><\/strong>. And the <strong>Downtown Chapel Hill Partnership<\/strong> has put together <strong><a href=\"https:\/\/downtownchapelhill.com\/whats-open\/?active-tab=bars-restaurants\">a similar list for Chapel Hill here<\/a><\/strong>.<\/li><\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Closings \/ Cancellations<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\"><li>The <strong>News &amp; Observer <\/strong>reported this week that the plans to open <strong>Luang Prabang<\/strong> on the upper level of the <strong>Dillon<\/strong> in downtown Raleigh have been cancelled. It was a highly anticipated Laotian restaurant from the team behind <strong>Bida Manda<\/strong> and <strong>Brewery Bhavana<\/strong>. <\/li><\/ul>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\"><li>The folks over at <strong>Taste Carolina<\/strong> shared the sad news that <strong>Soul Fresh Spring Rolls<\/strong> closed. <\/li><\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Food Trucks&nbsp;<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\"><li>Looking to find your favorite food truck (or stalking them and simply don\u2019t want to have to admit it)? We understand. Find them on <strong>Street Food Finder<\/strong> <a href=\"https:\/\/streetfoodfinder.com\/c\/NC\/Raleigh\"><strong>here<\/strong><\/a>.<\/li><\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Events<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\"><li>Today (<strong>January 29<\/strong>) is the day! After a one-week delay, legendary North Carolina pitmaster <strong>Ed Mitchell <\/strong>has partnered with<strong> LM Restaurants <\/strong>to launch <strong>The Preserve <\/strong>as a popup running out of the <strong>Carolina Ale House <\/strong>off Falls of the Neuse Road &#8211; where they will be offering slow smoked, heritage breed pork BBQ, ribs, chicken, and wings along with traditional Southern sides for delivery! <strong><a rel=\"noreferrer noopener\" href=\"https:\/\/www.instagram.com\/thepreserve_ncbbq\/\" target=\"_blank\">Probably best to follow their latest on Instagram here<\/a><\/strong>. <\/li><\/ul>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\"><li><strong>Triangle Restaurant Week<\/strong> runs through Sunday and features special deals and fixed price menus at local restaurants. There are also take out options this year. <strong><a href=\"https:\/\/trirestaurantweek.com\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">See a list of participating restaurants and get all the details here<\/a><\/strong>. <\/li><\/ul>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\"><li>Valentine\u2019s Day is traditionally a time for couples to enjoy an elegant dinner out or a romantic meal at home. This year, <strong>Rocky Top Catering<\/strong> offers the best of both worlds with <strong>Couples, Cooking &amp; Cocktails<\/strong> \u2013 live cooking classes on Zoom hosted by owner and chef <strong>Dean Ogan<\/strong>. Couples can choose from one of two sessions: <strong>Saturday, Feb. 13<\/strong> or <strong>Sunday, Feb. 14 <\/strong>from 6 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. <strong>WRAL\u2019s Ken Smith<\/strong> will be the celebrity chef for the class on Feb. 13 and <strong>G-105\u2019s Erica Delong <\/strong>(from the morning <strong>Showgram<\/strong>) will be the celebrity chef on Feb. 14. <strong><a rel=\"noreferrer noopener\" href=\"https:\/\/rockytopcatering.com\/valentines-day-cooking\/\" target=\"_blank\">Sign up and get all the details here<\/a><\/strong>. <\/li><\/ul>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\"><li>This Valentines Day let <strong>Donovan\u2019s Dish<\/strong> bring the restaurant to you with a delicious <strong>Three Course Dinner for Two<\/strong>! Stay safe in the comfort of your own home while starting with a beautifully built <strong>Meat &amp; Cheese Box<\/strong> for the ultimate date-night in! Simply heat &amp; eat! All meals will be delivered or available for pickup on Fri., Feb 12 or Sat., Feb. 13th. Order by Wednesday, Feb. 10th. Dining-in has never been so romantic! <strong><a rel=\"noreferrer noopener\" href=\"https:\/\/dishtodoor.com\/product\/three-course-valentines-dinner-for-two\/\" target=\"_blank\">Get all the details here<\/a><\/strong>.<\/li><\/ul>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\"><li>Valentine&#8217;s Day not your thing? But football is? Check out the <strong>Super Bowl package<\/strong> the <strong>Angus Barn<\/strong> has put together. Just heat and eat their big game feast for five! The package includes: 2 full racks\u00a0AB pork ribs; 8 giant roasted turkey wings; 18 filet mignon meatballs in marinara; 12 oversized stuffed potato tots; 1 bag of AB homemade crackers; 1 tub of AB cheddar cheese. All for $120. Add a whole chocolate chess pie for $20. Call in to reserve yours today at 919-781-2444. <strong><a rel=\"noreferrer noopener\" href=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/AngusBarn\/\" target=\"_blank\">Get all the details on their Facebook page here<\/a><\/strong>. <\/li><\/ul>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\"><li>Looking to spice up your Tuesday nights? Well <strong>Bites of Bull City<\/strong> has launched their new\u00a0weekly dining out\/take out\u00a0event called <strong>Tuesday Night Bites<\/strong>. These are special deals offered by some of the best local restaurants in Durham.\u00a0Not only will these offers\u00a0give you a sweet, delicious deal and\u00a0help you fulfill the <strong>#durhamtakeoutpledge<\/strong>\u00a0(to dine\/take out at least twice a week to support our local restaurants), but it will also help these establishments thrive on a slower night and survive the winter during a pandemic. <strong><a href=\"https:\/\/bitesofbullcity.com\/tuesday-night-bites\/\">Get all the details here<\/a><\/strong>. What are you doing next Tuesday night?<\/li><\/ul>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\"><li>The <strong>Triangle Wine &amp; Food Experience<\/strong>, a series of wine- and food-related events benefiting the <strong>Frankie Lemmon School and Developmental Center<\/strong>, will look a little different this year due to the pandemic, but will kick off on <strong>Tuesday, Feb. 2 and run through Feb. 9<\/strong>. The <strong>Triangle Wine &amp; Food Experience<\/strong> festivities will last for a week, and will include an online auction, VIP dinner packages, wine tastings, and a live-streamed celebration. All proceeds from the <strong>Triangle Wine &amp; Food Experience<\/strong> go directly to the <strong>Frankie Lemmon School<\/strong>, a NAEYC accredited, five-star child developmental center that welcomes children ages two to six of all abilities. Get all the details on how you can participate and support them <strong><a href=\"https:\/\/www.trianglewinefood.org\/\">on their website here<\/a><\/strong>.<\/li><\/ul>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\"><li>Anyone up for a little wine and weed? Come on, North Carolina is not quite that liberal just yet. <strong>Wine &amp; Weeds<\/strong> (the \u2018s\u2019 is very important) is a weekly event where volunteers can drink a complimentary glass of wine while weeding the gardens at the <strong>Well Fed Community Garden<\/strong> at 1321 Athens Drive in Raleigh. Get all the details on how you can participate <strong><a href=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/events\/413969133382186\">here on their Facebook page<\/a><\/strong>. What\u2019s next? Beer &amp; Bongs\u2026?<\/li><\/ul>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\"><li>Simply eating out has become a bit of an event. The creativity, caution and care our restaurants have taken (and added expenses!) is nothing short of impressive. One thing they are not short on is passion! Anyway, blogger <strong>Beck Eats World<\/strong> has put together a pretty impressive list of restaurants with outdoor heaters. <strong><a href=\"https:\/\/beckeatsworld.com\/raleigh-restaurants-with-heated-outdoor-seating\/\">Check out the list here<\/a><\/strong>.<\/li><\/ul>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\"><li>Not exactly an event per se, but rather some things to celebrate. <strong>Visit Raleigh<\/strong> put together a list of the best restaurants that opened in 2020 in the greater Raleigh area. <strong><a href=\"https:\/\/www.visitraleigh.com\/plan-a-trip\/visitraleigh-insider-blog\/post\/the-best-restaurants-that-opened-in-2020-in-raleigh-nc\/\">Check that list out here<\/a><\/strong>. And <strong>WRAL\u2019s Out and About<\/strong> put out a broader list of Triangle-wide openings in 2020. <strong><a href=\"https:\/\/www.wral.com\/list-triangle-restaurants-that-opened-in-2020\/19439169\/\">Check that list out here<\/a><\/strong>.<\/li><\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Food Bank Corner<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\"><li>The best way to make a powerful difference in 2021 is to become a monthly donor of the <strong>Food Bank of Central &amp; Eastern North Carolina<\/strong>. This January, your first monthly donation can be MATCHED by a generous Food Bank friend \u2014 up to $5,000 in matching dollars available! <strong><a href=\"http:\/\/foodbankcenc.org\/monthly\">Sign up today here<\/a><\/strong>! <strong>#noonegoeshungry<\/strong><\/li><\/ul>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Featured Restaurant News This spring, Giorgios Hospitality Group and chef\/partner Daniel Jackson will open Osteria Georgi at 201 South Elliot Road in Chapel Hill, in the former Living Kitchen space. The Osteria is named in honor of Giorgios Bakatsias\u2019 friend, &hellip; <a href=\"https:\/\/trianglefoodblog.com\/?p=1329\">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-1329","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-uncategorized"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/trianglefoodblog.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1329","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=1329"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/trianglefoodblog.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1329\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":1330,"href":"https:\/\/trianglefoodblog.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1329\/revisions\/1330"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/trianglefoodblog.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=1329"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/trianglefoodblog.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=1329"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/trianglefoodblog.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=1329"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}