{"id":972,"date":"2019-07-19T08:27:52","date_gmt":"2019-07-19T12:27:52","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/trianglefoodblog.com\/?p=972"},"modified":"2019-07-19T08:31:05","modified_gmt":"2019-07-19T12:31:05","slug":"friday-fun-food-facts-july-19-2019","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/trianglefoodblog.com\/?p=972","title":{"rendered":"Friday Fun Food Facts &#8211; July 19, 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>&nbsp;Big news out of Durham this week with the announcement that <strong>Ashley Christensen<\/strong> would be teaming up with <strong>Michael Olander<\/strong> and the folks over at <strong>MDO Holdings<\/strong> to open three concepts (first looks like it will be in Durham\u2019s <strong>University Hill<\/strong> in the spring of 2020) centered around a fast-casual chicken sandwich, offering five different versions. The concept is yet to be named. In Cary, the eatery will be in <strong>Parkside Town Commons<\/strong>, which plans a mid-2020 opening. The group is currently finalizing a third location, in Raleigh. <strong>Olander<\/strong> and his family have been involved in <strong>Applebee\u2019s<\/strong>, <strong>Happy + Hale<\/strong>, <strong>Rise<\/strong>, <strong>Lonerider Brewery<\/strong> and <strong>St. Roch<\/strong> to name a few. His family has a long history with <strong>Christensen<\/strong>, <strong>Olander\u2019s<\/strong> mom is a good friend and was the first investor in <strong>Poole\u2019s<\/strong>. Thanks to reader <strong>Beth Peloquin<\/strong>, the <strong>Triangle Business Journal<\/strong> and the <strong>News &amp; Observer<\/strong> for providing information. In the meantime, you can <a href=\"https:\/\/projectxtracrispy.com\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">visit what looks to be a temporary site here<\/a> or <a href=\"https:\/\/ac-restaurants.com\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">visit all of Christensen&#8217;s concepts 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>Speaking of <strong>Ashley Christensen<\/strong> and as if she doesn\u2019t have enough going on, we are getting very close to the opening of her next concept &#8211; <strong>Poole\u2019side Pies<\/strong> and you can start to taste some of the menu items as <strong>Christensen\u2019s<\/strong> other concepts around town. Here is the schedule: <strong>July 25<\/strong>, Meatball Sub at <strong>Beasley\u2019s<\/strong>; <strong>August 1<\/strong>, Chicken Parm Sandwich at <strong>Chuck\u2019s<\/strong>; <strong>August 8<\/strong>, Bruschetta at <strong>Death &amp; Taxes<\/strong>; and <strong>August 15<\/strong>, Fried Macaroni au Gratin Balls at <strong>Poole\u2019s<\/strong>. Post a pic of one of these dishes on Instagram and you\u2019ll win a chance to attend the soft opening of <strong>Poole\u2019side<\/strong>! Use hashtag <a href=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/hashtag\/pumpuptopooleside?source=feed_text&amp;epa=HASHTAG&amp;__xts__%5B0%5D=68.ARBJtVlfmhD3ZmeP5oCdegg-FWl9h-PoXgZE0madUh1S80UyH5aKo5lJ6n1juRZuQlQXQoR9UphMnbcdZdf9V3VZd9um55cawi_WDW4JzPAtjmx_6JghEwfFavvEoX0xMKWlC-z2nrGuRfX5lJGfBrNFD5j8VxqjAsF5trOKx3rOKPtFsHT4F4Ida29SUJnkI_8IPEhniI49gjHFQM7i81c4ZEDHtpY7oDb9Q5OA_aDA1cHnlZBqTX1tn5b3kAPlP1Noni_vuLZ4gCiGLAw_vNC12VbPcF12zZKr2q4wGurrxOOnJIeEqI2ByJ-6uBgblBIH544BvedGp1aZ99IXNes_aTdzHahq1LXovq7t9DvcS6qtfzvkxojT&amp;__tn__=%2ANK-R\">#pumpuptopooleside<\/a> and tag @poolesidepies on Instagram. They\u2019ll be picking five lucky winners over the next 5 weeks to attend the opening later this summer. <a rel=\"noreferrer noopener\" target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/ac-restaurants.com\/\">Get details on all these concepts here<\/a>.<\/li><\/ul>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\"><li>And so it is opening week at <strong>Mama Crow&#8217;s<\/strong>, <strong>Transfer Co. Food Hall\u2019s<\/strong> newest addition. The new joint features executive chef <strong>David Mitchell<\/strong> highlighting items found in southern gardens, you can expect to find quality ingredients in the burgers and salads crafted. You can get all the details, including their menu, <a rel=\"noreferrer noopener\" href=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/mamacrows\/\" target=\"_blank\">on their Facebook page here<\/a>.<\/li><\/ul>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\"><li>Got some sad news this week from the <strong>News &amp; Observer<\/strong> &#8211; that <strong>Pho Pho Pho Noodle Kitchen + Bar<\/strong> closed this week after four years on Glenwood South. That\u2019s the bad news. The good news that <strong>Michael DePersia<\/strong> of <strong>National Restaurant Properties<\/strong> shared exclusively with us is that <strong>Ashlie Cade<\/strong> who owns <strong>The Bison Bar<\/strong> on Whitaker Mill Rd. and<strong> St. Jacques French Restaurant<\/strong> on Falls of Neuse Rd. purchased the restaurant and plans on some light renovations and remodeling, extending the bar, etc. She will open a neighborhood bar called<strong> Blowfish<\/strong> this fall, tentatively planning on serving breakfast tacos a few mornings and an expanded taco menu thru the lunch, dinner and late night hours throughout the week with an emphasis on the bar having reasonably priced beer, wine and mixed drinks.<\/li><\/ul>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\"><li>Also in downtown Raleigh, <strong>Offline Raleigh<\/strong> shared that the popular deli-style sandwich and salad shop <strong>Manhattan Cafe<\/strong> has had an epic, under-the-radar brunch for a while, but it just got even better. They recently added beer and champagne to their Saturday brunch lineup! All you can eat pancakes and other breakfast classics? Check. Shaded patio? Check. And now, mimosas and beer? Sounds like a brunch win to us. Give them a visit Saturdays from 9a-2p(ish). <a rel=\"noreferrer noopener\" href=\"https:\/\/manhattancafenc.com\/\" target=\"_blank\">Visit them here<\/a>.<\/li><\/ul>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\"><li>We learned this week that the Mexican concept<strong> Uncle Julio\u2019s<\/strong> will have their grand opening in Raleigh on <strong>Tuesday, July 30<\/strong>, at its new location on Upper Level of <strong>Crabtree Valley Mall<\/strong> at 4325 Glenwood Avenue in Raleigh. <strong>Uncle Julio\u2019s<\/strong> also has a location in Durham\u2019s <strong>Streets at Southpoint<\/strong>. <a rel=\"noreferrer noopener\" target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/unclejulios.com\/\">Get familiar with them here<\/a>.<\/li><\/ul>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\"><li>Also in Raleigh, reader <strong>Foster Lander<\/strong> provided an update that <strong>Chido Taco<\/strong> in <strong>McNeil Pointe<\/strong> is now open. It is a Mercado style fast-casual taqueria and bar and if your Spanish is a little weak, <strong>Chido <\/strong>is slang for cool. <a rel=\"noreferrer noopener\" href=\"https:\/\/chidotaco.com\/\" target=\"_blank\">Get familiar with them here<\/a>.<\/li><\/ul>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\"><li>Over on Hillsborough Street, fellow Tweeter <strong>Social(og)ist<\/strong> shared the news that <strong>Kabab and Curry<\/strong> has moved a couple doors down into the old <strong>Bocci Trattoria &amp; Pizzeria<\/strong> \/ <strong>Porter&#8217;s Tavern<\/strong> \/ <strong>McDaid&#8217;s Irish Restaurant &amp; Pub<\/strong> place. No idea what&#8217;s happening to their old space. <a rel=\"noreferrer noopener\" target=\"_blank\" href=\"http:\/\/www.kababandcurrync.com\/\">Check them out here<\/a>.<\/li><\/ul>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\"><li>Reader <strong>Steve Howell<\/strong> shared the news that<strong> Remington Grill Burgers and BBQ<\/strong> has closed at 4511 New Bern Ave, Suite 100. That is the bad news. The good news is that there is already a sign in the window for <strong>Secrets Cajun Kitchen<\/strong>. <a rel=\"noreferrer noopener\" href=\"http:\/\/www.secretscajunkitchen.com\/\" target=\"_blank\">Check out their website for updates<\/a> on when they might be opening.<\/li><\/ul>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\"><li>Up in North Raleigh, reader <strong>Burke Williams<\/strong> let us know that Raleigh\u2019s second location of <strong>The Lost Cajun<\/strong> is now open in<strong> Bent Tree Plaza<\/strong> on Falls of the Neuse near Stickland. The other Raleigh location is on Forest Pines Drive. <a rel=\"noreferrer noopener\" target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/thelostcajun.com\/\">Visit them here<\/a>.<\/li><\/ul>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\"><li>Over in Cary, the <strong>News &amp; Observer<\/strong> shared the news that fast casual chain <strong>BurgerFi<\/strong> announced that it will open its newest location at 2001 Walnut St. in the <strong>Cary Crossroads Plaza<\/strong> shopping center on<strong> July 29<\/strong>. This will mark the company\u2019s third Triangle location, all in Wake County, with spots in Raleigh off Wake Forest Road and in the <strong>Cary Arboretum<\/strong> along Interstate 40. <a rel=\"noreferrer noopener\" href=\"https:\/\/burgerfi.com\/\" target=\"_blank\">Check them out here<\/a>.<\/li><\/ul>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\"><li>The summer pop-up fun continues through the summer where you can get a sneak preview of <strong>k\u014d\u2022\u00e4n<\/strong> at their sister restaurant <strong>so\u2022ca<\/strong> in <strong>Cameron Village<\/strong>! <a rel=\"noreferrer noopener\" target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/www.instagram.com\/koan_cary\/\">Follow them on Instagram 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>The folks at <strong>Offline Durham<\/strong> shared that <strong>Nolia Coffee<\/strong> recently opened on Morning Glory Avenue near <strong>The Carrack<\/strong> where they are on a mission to create the quintessential family-centric space &#8211; outfitted with healthy menu items and places to play for the little humans, and with life-changing coffee for the big humans. The goal of the shop is to create a space where work, play, community engagement, and family are beautifully interwoven. <a rel=\"noreferrer noopener\" href=\"https:\/\/noliacoffee.com\/\" target=\"_blank\">Check it out here<\/a>.<\/li><\/ul>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\"><li>And down in Siler City, there was a ribbon cutting this week for <strong>A&amp;I Chicken Shack<\/strong>, which is apparently a reopening of the former <strong>Kickin Chicken<\/strong>. According to the Chamber press release, <strong>A&amp;I<\/strong> is a full-service restaurant that specializes in southern cooking. You can get to know them <a rel=\"noreferrer noopener\" target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/thechickenshacknc\/\">on their Facebook 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>In Chapel Hill, reader <strong>Michael Pocinki<\/strong> shared the news that <strong>Eastgate Crossing\u2019s Babalu<\/strong> has closed.<\/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>\u00a0Thanks to a note from <strong>Mark Ginsberg<\/strong>, I learned that the<strong> Knightdale Food Truck Thursdays<\/strong> is back up for the season. The event is held the third Thursday of the month from April through October at <strong>Knightdale Station Park<\/strong> for lunch AND dinner. <a rel=\"noreferrer noopener\" href=\"https:\/\/www.knightdalenc.gov\/departments\/parks-recreation-and-cultural-programs\/festivals-and-events\/food-truck-thursdays\" target=\"_blank\">Get all the details, truck schedule and more here<\/a>.<\/li><\/ul>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\"><li>The remaining two dates for the 2019 <strong>Durham Food Truck rodeos <\/strong>are September 1 and November 3! <a rel=\"noreferrer noopener\" href=\"https:\/\/durhamcentralpark.org\/events\/food-truck-rodeo-info\/\" target=\"_blank\">Get all the details here<\/a>.<\/li><\/ul>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\"><li>And the remaining two dates for the 2019 edition of the <strong>Raleigh Food Truck Rodeo<\/strong> are: Sunday August 4th &#8211; 3pm-9pm ( Evening Rodeo); Sunday Oct 6th &#8211; 12-6pm; and the make-up date on November 10th. All are held along Fayetteville Street. <a rel=\"noreferrer noopener\" href=\"http:\/\/www.downtownraleighfoodtruckrodeo.com\/\" target=\"_blank\">Get all the details 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>What do you get when you combine <strong>Sweet Charlie\u2019s<\/strong> ice cream shop and <strong>Pour Taproom<\/strong>? I don\u2019t know what you call it, but don\u2019t forget to call me! Actually, it is <strong>Belgian National Day<\/strong> on <strong>Sunday, July 21 from 2-5 pm<\/strong> where there will be Belgian-style waffles that any dessert lover would crave, and at least four of their specialty flavors for sale. They\u2019ll also be bringing some top-secret Belgian beers back on tap! Oh, and the kicker, Sunday is kids-eat-free day! What!?!?! <a rel=\"noreferrer noopener\" href=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/events\/1893557104078774\/\" target=\"_blank\">Here is the Facebook event page with all the details<\/a>. Thanks to the folks over at <strong>Bites of Bull City<\/strong> for the heads up on this glorious event.<\/li><\/ul>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\"><li>The folks over at <strong>The Root Cellar Cafe<\/strong> (Pittsboro location) and <strong>Vino Wine Shop<\/strong> are teaming up for a <strong>Summer Wine Dinner<\/strong> on <strong>Sunday, July 28th<\/strong> featuring four (4) plated courses with five (5) wine pairings. Tickets are $69, which includes all fees, sales tax, and gratuity. <a rel=\"noreferrer noopener\" href=\"https:\/\/www.eventbrite.com\/e\/summer-wine-dinner-with-the-root-cellar-vino-wine-shop-tickets-63821480767\" target=\"_blank\">Get all the details and tickets here<\/a>.<\/li><\/ul>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\"><li>On <strong>Saturday, August 3rd<\/strong>, the Raleigh and Cary locations of<strong> Sassool<\/strong> will host a birthday celebration for <strong>Cecilia \u201cSassool\u201d Saleh<\/strong>, the restaurant\u2019s namesake. In her honor, they will celebrate with their customers by having lots of special meal options, sampling of new retail products and plenty of dining fun! Sales for the day will be donated to <strong>Fill Your Bucket List Foundation<\/strong> that grants financial support to adults with cancer in order for them to create lasting memories with those they love. <a rel=\"noreferrer noopener\" href=\"https:\/\/www.sassool.com\/events\" target=\"_blank\">Get details on their event page here<\/a>.<\/li><\/ul>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\"><li>The <strong>Downtown Raleigh Alliance<\/strong> shared this week that the dates have been set for the <strong>Downtown Raleigh Restaurant Week<\/strong> which will be held <strong>August 12-18<\/strong>. Go ahead and mark your calendars. <a rel=\"noreferrer noopener\" target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/www.downtownraleigh.org\/restaurant-week\/about\">Here is their website<\/a> which will be updated with additional details and participating restaurants as we get closer to the date.<\/li><\/ul>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\"><li>The date was released this week for the third annual <strong>Savor the Triangle Food Festival<\/strong> produced by <strong>Mix 101.5<\/strong>. This year&#8217;s event will again be held at the <strong>Kerr Scott building<\/strong> at the <strong>NC State Fairgrounds<\/strong> on <strong>Wednesday, September 18th<\/strong> from 6-9 p.m. <strong>Savor the Triangle Food Festival<\/strong> is a culinary event with the opportunity to sample many of the Triangle&#8217;s most delicious foods and drinks all in one place. <a rel=\"noreferrer noopener\" href=\"https:\/\/www.wralfm.com\/savor-the-triangle\/\" target=\"_blank\">Get all the details and early bird discounted tickets here<\/a>.<\/li><\/ul>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\"><li>It was recently announced that one of Chatham County&#8217;s largest food festivals, the <strong>12th Annual Pittsboro Pepperfest<\/strong>, is returning to main street in downtown Pittsboro. The date for this year&#8217;s event is <strong>Sunday, September 22<\/strong> from 3 &#8211; 6 p.m. So go ahead and mark your calendar to spend your afternoon in historic, downtown Pittsboro. <a rel=\"noreferrer noopener\" href=\"http:\/\/pepperfestnc.org\/\" target=\"_blank\">Get all the details here<\/a>.<\/li><\/ul>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\"><li>This is it. Your last chance. I\u2019ve been touting this amazing event that <strong>Colleen Minton<\/strong> dreamed up 10 years ago and now we are at the <strong>10th and FINAL Terra Vita Food &amp; Drink Festival<\/strong> in Chapel Hill <strong>October 16-19, 2019<\/strong>. Yep, you read that right. This is the grand finale. There will be no more. And tickets went on sale last week. And heed my last (and final) warning &#8211; tickets will not last. If you\u2019ve never been &#8211; GO! If you\u2019ve been, don\u2019t miss the last one. If you don\u2019t 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. <a rel=\"noreferrer noopener\" href=\"http:\/\/www.terravitafest.com\/\" target=\"_blank\">Get tickets and details here on all the events that week<\/a>.<\/li><\/ul>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\"><li>On <strong>Sunday, November 3rd<\/strong>, more than 30 of the Triangle&#8217;s finest restaurants will be paired with world-class wines at the third annual<strong> Sip + Savor<\/strong> &#8211; A Wine, Food and Music Experience.\u00a0 <strong>Sip + Savor<\/strong> will showcase 30+ culinary all-stars, sommeliers, on-stage experience with live music, VIP lounge, and more. <a rel=\"noreferrer noopener\" href=\"https:\/\/www.dpacnc.com\/events\/detail\/sip-savor\" target=\"_blank\">Get all the details and tickets 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>While some kids daydream about trips to the pool and neighborhood games, others are worried summer will mean months with an empty fridge. But thanks to our generous corporate sponsors, you can help <em>twice<\/em> as many kids facing hunger this summer: Every gift you <strong>give before July 31<\/strong> will be doubled &#8211; up to $102,500! That means that every $10 you give will be <em>doubled<\/em> to help provide 100 meals for children and families losing access to school-provided meals this summer. <a href=\"https:\/\/secure2.convio.net\/fbnc\/site\/Donation2?df_id=11522&amp;11522.donation=form1&amp;mfc_pref=T&amp;multiply=10?s_src=email\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Double your donation today<\/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 &nbsp;Big news out of Durham this week with the announcement that Ashley Christensen would be teaming up with Michael Olander and &hellip; <a href=\"https:\/\/trianglefoodblog.com\/?p=972\">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-972","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-uncategorized"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/trianglefoodblog.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/972","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=972"}],"version-history":[{"count":2,"href":"https:\/\/trianglefoodblog.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/972\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":974,"href":"https:\/\/trianglefoodblog.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/972\/revisions\/974"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/trianglefoodblog.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=972"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/trianglefoodblog.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=972"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/trianglefoodblog.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=972"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}