{"id":3599,"date":"2025-01-24T06:56:42","date_gmt":"2025-01-24T11:56:42","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/trianglefoodblog.com\/?p=3599"},"modified":"2025-01-24T06:56:42","modified_gmt":"2025-01-24T11:56:42","slug":"friday-fun-food-facts-january-24-2025","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/trianglefoodblog.com\/?p=3599","title":{"rendered":"Friday Fun Food Facts &#8211; January 24, 2025"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<p><strong><mark style=\"background-color:rgba(0, 0, 0, 0)\" class=\"has-inline-color has-vivid-red-color\">Featured Restaurant News<\/mark><\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>A second <strong>State of Beer<\/strong> opened yesterday in downtown Raleigh. The bottle shop and restaurant occupies a second transformed bungalow in the curve of West Morgan Street (851 W. Morgan St.) next door to <strong>The Bend Bar<\/strong>, a cozy neighborhood spot serving local craft beers, wine and craft cocktails, which opened last month. The original <strong>State of Beer<\/strong> at 401 Hillsborough St. will continue to operate through at least late 2026. The new location features a full kitchen allowing them to  introduce new items like harissa dry rubbed wings, homemade mozzarella sticks and chicken cutlet sandwiches. The dining space features a seven-seat bar, two dozen indoor seats, a deck connecting the bungalows and a spacious backyard with fire pits and seating areas nestled among the trees. Plans for the third bungalow are still to be determined. <strong><a href=\"https:\/\/www.instagram.com\/stateofbeernc\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\"><mark style=\"background-color:rgba(0, 0, 0, 0)\" class=\"has-inline-color has-vivid-cyan-blue-color\">Might be best to check them out on Instagram<\/mark><\/a><\/strong>. <\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p><strong><mark style=\"background-color:rgba(0, 0, 0, 0)\" class=\"has-inline-color has-vivid-red-color\">Wake County Restaurant News<\/mark><\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>The folks over at <strong>North Hills <\/strong>shared the news that <strong>Foxcroft Wine Co.<\/strong> opened their sixth location (and first in the Triangle) in the former <strong>Midtown Grille<\/strong> spot in the <strong>Lassiter District<\/strong>. Their concept offers a full-service restaurant offering sharable plates and entrees designed to be paired with an extensive selection of wines (40+ wines by the glass). <strong><a href=\"https:\/\/foxcroftwine.com\/pages\/raleigh\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\"><mark style=\"background-color:rgba(0, 0, 0, 0)\" class=\"has-inline-color has-vivid-cyan-blue-color\">Get familiar with them here<\/mark><\/a><\/strong>. Thanks to reader <strong>Jack Tookey<\/strong> for the heads up! <\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p><\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><strong>Toastique<\/strong>, a gourmet toast, juice, and coffee bar franchise, will debut its first Raleigh location in a 1,415-square-foot retail space on the ground floor of 1000 Social in <strong>The Exchange Raleigh<\/strong>. The franchise is owned by <strong>Jessalyn Abril<\/strong> and <strong>Kristi Kaltenbach<\/strong> and will open in the third quarter of 2025. They will offer a unique menu featuring gourmet toast, smoothies, cold-pressed juices, smoothie bowls, coffee, espresso, and more. The only other North Carolina location is in Charlotte. <strong><a href=\"https:\/\/toastique.com\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\"><mark style=\"background-color:rgba(0, 0, 0, 0)\" class=\"has-inline-color has-vivid-cyan-blue-color\">Get to know them here<\/mark><\/a><\/strong>. <\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p><\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><strong>WRAL<\/strong> reported this week that <strong>Corbett\u2019s Burger and Soda Bar<\/strong>, a family-run burger and soda bar, will bring gourmet burgers and unique sodas to the Holly Springs area, their fifth location (four in the Triangle and one at the coast). It looks like the location will open today or tomorrow (check their social media posts before heading out) at 7224 GB Alford Highway. <strong><a href=\"https:\/\/corbettsburgers.com\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\"><mark style=\"background-color:rgba(0, 0, 0, 0)\" class=\"has-inline-color has-vivid-cyan-blue-color\">Check out Corbett&#8217;s here<\/mark><\/a><\/strong>. <\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p><\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Two new concepts are on the way over at 1601 New Bern Avenue in Raleigh. First up, <strong>Ruth Guerra<\/strong>, co-owner of <strong>Que Pashoo Mariscos Bar and Grill<\/strong>, along with her sister-in-law, <strong>Vanesa Paz<\/strong>, will open <strong>Que Pashoo Tacos &amp; Bar<\/strong>\u00a0where guests can expect a variety of tacos made with high-quality, fresh ingredients, alongside craft cocktails. Next up, <strong>Wes Woody<\/strong>, a Raleigh native, will introduce his first solo venture, <strong>Squeeze<\/strong>, a juice bar and caf\u00e9 focused on health and wellness. Look to enjoy fresh juices, acai bowls, customizable smoothies, and clean, nutritious meals such as salads, sandwiches, and flatbreads. Both will open as early as March. Visit <strong><a href=\"https:\/\/www.instagram.com\/quepashoonc\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\"><mark style=\"background-color:rgba(0, 0, 0, 0)\" class=\"has-inline-color has-vivid-cyan-blue-color\">Que Pashoo here<\/mark><\/a><\/strong> and <strong><a href=\"https:\/\/www.instagram.com\/squeeze.raleigh\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\"><mark style=\"background-color:rgba(0, 0, 0, 0)\" class=\"has-inline-color has-vivid-cyan-blue-color\">Squeeze here<\/mark><\/a><\/strong>. <\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p><\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><strong>Michael DePersia<\/strong> of <strong>DePersia &amp; Associates<\/strong> shared that he sold <strong>Thaiphoon Bistro<\/strong> at 301 Glenwood Avenue in Downtown Raleigh (next to <strong>Sushi Blues<\/strong> and <strong>The Hibernian<\/strong>). After a brief remodel the new owners will open up as an Indian restaurant and bar serving lunch and dinner. The last remaining <strong>Thaiphoon Bistro<\/strong> is still open on Creedmoor Road in the <strong>Stonehenge Shopping Center<\/strong>.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p><\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>My buddy <strong>David McCreary<\/strong> shared that <strong>Farmside Kitchen<\/strong> is coming soon to 316 Colonades Way, Suite 212 in Cary&#8217;s <strong>Waverly Place<\/strong>. They will serve up hearty, wholesome and nutritious grain bowls, salads and grilled protein. This will be the second <strong>Farmside<\/strong> spot in the Triangle, which already has a location in Durham. <strong><a href=\"https:\/\/www.farmsidekitchen.com\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\"><mark style=\"background-color:rgba(0, 0, 0, 0)\" class=\"has-inline-color has-vivid-cyan-blue-color\">Get familiar with them here<\/mark><\/a><\/strong>. <\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p><\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>And <strong>David McCreary<\/strong> (clearly my eastern Wake County correspondent) shared that <strong>Tiny House Treats<\/strong>, a family owned and operated drive-thru-only frozen custard and dessert shop, has opened at 1013 E. Broad Street Fuquay-Varina in the Walmart parking lot. <strong><a href=\"https:\/\/www.instagram.com\/tinyhousetreatsfv\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\"><mark style=\"background-color:rgba(0, 0, 0, 0)\" class=\"has-inline-color has-vivid-cyan-blue-color\">Discover more on Instagram here<\/mark><\/a><\/strong>. <\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p><\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>And finally, kudos to the latest round of Triangle area chefs and restaurants securing spots as semi-finalists in the prestigious <strong>James Beard Awards<\/strong>, often dubbed the &#8220;Oscars of Food.&#8221;<strong> Chef Scott\u00a0Crawford<\/strong> and his company <strong>Crawford Hospitality<\/strong>\u00a0are semifinalists for\u00a0outstanding\u00a0restaurateur, a national honor.\u00a0In the outstanding chef category, <strong>Ricky Moore<\/strong> of <strong>Saltbox Seafood<\/strong> in Durham was given the nod as a semi-finalist. <strong>Moore\u00a0<\/strong>won the <strong>James Beard Award<\/strong> for Best Chef: Southeast\u00a0in 2022. In the emerging chef category,\u00a0<strong>Bhavin Chhatwani<\/strong> of <strong>Tamasha Modern Indian<\/strong> in\u00a0Raleigh was announced as a semifinalist. <strong>Figulina<\/strong> in\u00a0Raleigh is a semifinalist in the best new restaurant category. Durham&#8217;s\u00a0<strong>The Bar Beej <\/strong>is competing in the best new bar category.\u00a0<strong>Christopher Prieto<\/strong> of <strong>Prime Barbecue<\/strong> in Knightdale is a semi-finalist for the Best Chef in the Southeast award. Finalists for the 2025\u00a0<strong>James Beard Awards<\/strong>\u00a0will be announced on <strong>Wednesday, April 2<\/strong>, and winners will be announced at the <strong>James Beard Restaurant and Chef Awards <\/strong>ceremony on <strong>Monday, June 16<\/strong> at the Lyric Opera of Chicago.<br><br>\u00a0<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p><strong><mark style=\"background-color:rgba(0, 0, 0, 0)\" class=\"has-inline-color has-vivid-red-color\">Durham, Orange &amp; Chatham Restaurant News<\/mark><\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><strong>Zweli&#8217;s Ekhaya<\/strong> in Durham at 406 Blackwell Street will begin offering Sunday brunch on <strong>February 2nd<\/strong> (and every Sunday) from 10 a.m until 3 p.m. Look for creations like Caramel Rum Bread Pudding and Banana Foster\u2019s French Toast with Caramelized Pistachios and Honey Ricotta Cream. <strong><a href=\"https:\/\/zwelisekhaya.com\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\"><mark style=\"background-color:rgba(0, 0, 0, 0)\" class=\"has-inline-color has-vivid-cyan-blue-color\">Make your reservation now<\/mark><\/a><\/strong>! <\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p><strong><mark style=\"background-color:rgba(0, 0, 0, 0)\" class=\"has-inline-color has-vivid-red-color\">Closings<\/mark><\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>None to report. Keep eating local, folks! <\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p><strong><mark style=\"background-color:rgba(0, 0, 0, 0)\" class=\"has-inline-color has-vivid-red-color\">Food Trucks<\/mark><\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<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&nbsp;<strong><a href=\"https:\/\/streetfoodfinder.com\/\"><mark style=\"background-color:rgba(0, 0, 0, 0)\" class=\"has-inline-color has-vivid-cyan-blue-color\">Street Food Finder here<\/mark><\/a><\/strong>.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p><strong><mark style=\"background-color:rgba(0, 0, 0, 0)\" class=\"has-inline-color has-vivid-red-color\">Events<\/mark><\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><strong>Triangle Restaurant Week<\/strong>&nbsp;returns <strong>Monday, Jan. 27 through Sunday, Feb. 2<\/strong>, featuring&nbsp;over 50 restaurants&nbsp;in Raleigh, Durham, Chapel Hill, and beyond offering special two-to-three-course menus with fixed prices. This is a great chance to check out restaurants you&#8217;ve been meaning to try. <strong><a href=\"https:\/\/trirestaurantweek.com\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\"><mark style=\"background-color:rgba(0, 0, 0, 0)\" class=\"has-inline-color has-vivid-cyan-blue-color\">Get all the details and a list of participating restaurants on their site here<\/mark><\/a><\/strong>.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p><\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Downtown Raleigh&#8217;s <strong>Whiskey Kitchen <\/strong>(201 W. Martin Street), popular among whiskey and culinary enthusiasts, is hosting an exclusive <strong>Paired Whiskey Dinner<\/strong> featuring Glenmorangie Scotch on <strong>January 29th<\/strong>. Guests will indulge in a specially crafted multi-course menu, each dish expertly paired with Glenmorangie\u2019s iconic Scotch whiskies. The complete menu and pairing details are available on the <strong><a href=\"https:\/\/www.whiskey.kitchen\/store\/event\/paired-whiskey-dinner-with-glenmorangie-scotch-1\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\"><mark style=\"background-color:rgba(0, 0, 0, 0)\" class=\"has-inline-color has-vivid-cyan-blue-color\">Whiskey Kitchen event page<\/mark><\/a><\/strong>. <\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p><\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Tickets went on sale earlier this month for <strong>An Evening To Ignite<\/strong>, the annual fundraiser by the teams at\u00a0The Merrimon-Wynne House,\u00a0Band Together\u00a0and\u00a0La F\u00eate Planning &amp; Design. The nonprofit beneficiary of this year&#8217;s event will be\u00a0<strong>Ripe for Revival<\/strong>, which operates a fleet of pay-what-you-can mobile markets in central and eastern North Carolina. They will use the proceeds to expand the mobile markets&#8217; presence in Raleigh. This year&#8217;s An Evening To Ignite will be March 14, 2025 in downtown Raleigh. <strong><a href=\"https:\/\/one.bidpal.net\/ignite2025\/welcome\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\"><mark style=\"background-color:rgba(0, 0, 0, 0)\" class=\"has-inline-color has-vivid-cyan-blue-color\">Get tickets here<\/mark><\/a><\/strong> and <strong><a href=\"https:\/\/www.ripeforrevival.com\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\"><mark style=\"background-color:rgba(0, 0, 0, 0)\" class=\"has-inline-color has-vivid-cyan-blue-color\">get information on Ripe for Revival here<\/mark><\/a><\/strong>.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p><strong><mark style=\"background-color:rgba(0, 0, 0, 0)\" class=\"has-inline-color has-vivid-red-color\">Food Bank Corner<\/mark><\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>With over 560,000 community members facing food insecurity and hunger at its highest in over 15 years, the <strong>Food Bank of Central &amp; Eastern North Carolina<\/strong> is working overtime to ensure no one goes hungry. Your generous support is making a positive impact for people who are fighting to stay afloat. Monthly giving is a great way to increase your impact for our neighbors. Just $10 a month could provide 50 meals to families experiencing hunger. A monthly pledge is a steadfast commitment to providing nourishment across our community. Join a caring group of donors by&nbsp;<a href=\"http:\/\/secure.foodbankcenc.org\/site\/R?i=LKe5SAyyJXcvyykQ4RkensUY6s4HiXMcWLs_etsqmsUIUwO4BH9ESA\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\"><strong><mark style=\"background-color:rgba(0, 0, 0, 0)\" class=\"has-inline-color has-vivid-cyan-blue-color\">becoming a Sustainer today<\/mark><\/strong><\/a>!<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Featured Restaurant News Wake County Restaurant News Durham, Orange &amp; Chatham Restaurant News Closings Food Trucks Events Food Bank Corner<\/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-3599","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-uncategorized"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/trianglefoodblog.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/3599","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=3599"}],"version-history":[{"count":11,"href":"https:\/\/trianglefoodblog.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/3599\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":3610,"href":"https:\/\/trianglefoodblog.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/3599\/revisions\/3610"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/trianglefoodblog.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=3599"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/trianglefoodblog.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=3599"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/trianglefoodblog.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=3599"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}