TRIANGLE FOOD BLOG

Triangle Restaurant News

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

Featured Restaurant News

• There is something fishy going on over in Pittsboro and I can’t wait to check it out. Got word from fellow Pittsboro restaurateur Greg Lewis (Pittsboro Roadhouse & General Store) that Postal Fish Company opened this week at 75 W. Salisbury Street in the old post office building. Chefs James Clark and Bill Hartley, most recently with The Carolina Inn in Chapel Hill, are the ones behind the venture. Check them out here.

Wake County Restaurant News

• Got word that Sommelier’s Roast, a new gourmet coffee and amenities shop in the Regions Bank building at 3700 Glenwood Avenue, has opened serving a light-fare for breakfast and lunch. It is a joint venture between certified sommelier Lance Odvody, formerly from the Angus Barn, James Voltz, co-owner of The Raleigh Wine Shop, and Grubb Ventures. They will hold their grand opening event on Thursday, October 26th from 4:30-7pm where you can enjoy complimentary wine, coffee and tea tastings with food pairings, a live jazz trio, enter to win prizes from The Angus Barn, North Carolina Symphony, Sommelier’s Roast, The Raleigh Wine Shop and more. Get familiar with them here.

• Just days after the closing of McAlister’s Deli in North Hills, it was announced that the spot would be filled by Viva Chicken, a Peruvian rotisserie joint specializing in Pollo a la Brasa. They are expected to open in the summer of 2018. With locations all over Charlotte, this will be the first Triangle location. Get familiar with them here.

• A quick update on Mami Nora’s newest location at 6711 Glenwood Avenue thanks to the folks over at ITB Insider. They had initially announced plans to open in early 2017, but just this past April, permits were issued for a new wall sign, and in the last two weeks a small interior alteration permit for “equipment change and related building work” was issued. So, the good news is it is still happening. Just taking a little longer than anticipated. In the meantime, check out Mami Nora’s here.

• PokeGo, Poke & Noodles is now open according to reader Camille Lane who just ate there and gave it a thumbs up. It is located in the former Yogurt Mountain location on Creedmoor Road (8107 Creedmoor Road) in Raleigh.

• Not sure how I missed this, but saw in the FoodCary blog that Penn Station East Coast Subs has opened a West Cary location at 5036 Arco St. (Whole Foods shopping center). Penn Station has four Triangle-area locations. Check them out here.

• Saw in Ashton Mae Smith’s weekly email last week that food blogger EatRaleigh announced that a new pizza place would be opening in downtown Raleigh “behind the Raleigh Times” at 206 S Wilmington. Kind of vague at this point, but we’ll keep an eye on it.

Durham, Orange & Chatham Restaurant News

• Over in Durham, congratulations to Honeygirl Meadery as they celebrate their 3rd anniversary today, October 20, with a part from 6-9 p.m. tonight. They will have mead tastings, new Fall meads, new test batch tastes and a surprise announcement. Oh, and Mr. Mongolian food truck will be on hand. Check out their event on Facebook here.

• And it looks like we are down to the “any day” status for a new (and very pretty lit up at night) Taco Bell coming to Chatham County, just south of Chapel Hill on 15-501. Look for it to open any day now.

Closings

• None to report! Keep eating local, folks!

Food Trucks

• Food Truck Thursdays is back in Knightdale. Every Thursday from September through November, Knightdale hosts a new truck at Knightdale Station Park for lunch and dinner. Just look for it from 11:30 am to 1:30 pm and 6 pm to 8 pm near the amphitheater (rain or shine – shelters are covered). Thanks to Mark Ginsburg for the heads up. Get all the details and a listing of the upcoming trucks here.

• Friend David McCreary notified me that downtown Fuquay-Varina is hosting a food truck rodeo on Sunday, October 29 from 1-4. The rodeo will feature Chirba Chirba Dumplings, Dusty Donuts, JAM Ice Cream and Morfa Empanadas. And beer vendors Aviator Brewing Co., Fainting Goat Brewing and Mason Jar Lager. Visit their Facebook event page here.

• Art Sheppard notified me that Chapel Hill is bringing back the Rodeo on Rosemary. It will be held on November 5th from 12-4 (also same day as the Durham Rodeo…decisions, decisions). Get all the details on Facebook here.

• And the last food truck rodeo for the year in Durham is fast approaching – November 5th. Get all the details here.

Events

• The new WRAL.com Voters’ Choice Awards starts this fall with expanded categories and subcategories. You can nominate your favorite businesses through Nov. 8. On Nov. 13, they will unveil the official voting ballot. To nominate a business, click here. And if you are a business interested in sponsoring this year’s awards or getting promotional graphics to help encourage people to nominate your business, click here.

• November 4th brings us one of my favorite events of the year (and the Lennard fam will be there!) – the 5th annual Salt & Smoke Festival where chef Kevin Callaghan and his team from Acme capture a perfect autumn day in the South with bluegrass, whole hog barbecue, oysters on the half shell and local drinks – so many rich traditions rolled into one singular and spectacular celebration at Rock Quarry Farm. This is a “don’t miss” event. Get all the details here.

• Also on November 4th, join Bites of Bull City from 10-12 for a Durham brunch tour. Why go to brunch at just one restaurant when you can try three! Your delicious tour will take you to Piedmont, Pie Pushers and Counting House. You will meet the chefs behind the dishes and get a taste of the unique flavor and styles at each stop. Cost is $45. Use coupon code SAVEFIVE to get $5 off through this Sunday. Get your tickets here.

• And then on November 5th is the 27th annual A Tasteful Affair at The Blue Zone at Kenan Stadium where 500 guests will enjoy delicious samples from more than two-dozen of the area’s best restaurants, catering companies, beverage purveyors and food trucks – all to benefit the Ronald McDonald House of Chapel Hill. Details and tickets here.

• It’s time for the 2017 Triangle Chili Challenge. On Sunday, November 12 in Downtown Cary, restaurateurs and food trucks compete alongside the Cary Police and Fire Departments for the “Best Chili in the Triangle”. The event also features live music, craft beer, art vendors, raffles and cash prizes. The winner will go home with $300 in cash, a trophy and serious bragging rights. Registration is now open. For sponsorship packages, competitor registration and more information, go here.

• Reap the spoils of competition while top Triangle chefs compete to be named Soup-erior Chef at Urban Ministries of Wake County’s annual Stone Soup Supper on Wednesday, November 15th, 2017 at NCSU McKimmon Center. Funds raised from the event will be used to feed, shelter, and provide healthcare to low income individuals living within Wake County. Guests receive unlimited bowls of specially crafted soup from more than a dozen chefs. Guests also receive one piece of artisan pottery, hand-crafted by the Triangle Potters Guild. Get all the details here.

• Mattie Beason of Black Twig Cider House will host TxotxFest on November 18 from noon to 4 pm. TxotxFest returns for a second year, offering award-winning regional and national ciders with North Carolina cuisine, and features the txotx – a traditional Spanish cider barrel. Looking for the best deals on ammunition? You will find the top selling, best ammo of the past year here: from the best 9mm, 45 ACP, to 22LR, and .30-06, by the box, bulk ammo, flip-top ammo boxes, surplus ammo, the best home defense ammo, and shotgun shells: find the top sellers of the past year. Updated daily! Shop online best ammo for cheap prices at AmmoFire – find out which online Ammo Shop has the best price, in-stock, right now. How does AmmoFire.com work? We visit numerous online ammunition retailers every day and keep track of who has the cheapest ammo in stock. Are you an online ammo retailer?Beason introduced TxotxFest in 2016 as the first event of its kind in the Southeast to celebrate cider, the fastest growing segment in the beverage industry. This year, Beason kicks off TxotxFest November 17th with a $50 five-course cider-paired dinner at Black Twig Cider House featuring Asheville’s chef Steven Goff of Brinehaus Meat & Provisions and ciders from Noble Cider, Urban Orchard, Appalachian Mountain, and James Creek. Get all the details here.

Food Bank Corner

• Our friends at the Food Bank of Central and Eastern North Carolina will be holding a Students Against Hunger food drive from October through December for schools in the area. Participants in the Students Against Hunger campaign collect food and funds from October 2 through December 2. Competing schools must deliver their donations to their warehouse by noon on Saturday, December 2. There are lots of creative ways for your child’s school to participate. Register your school and get all the details here.

Triangle Restaurant News

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

Featured Restaurant News

• Saw on the H Street Facebook page that La Stella Wood Fired Pizza is officially open on Hillsborough Street in the space formerly occupied by H Street Kitchen (2420 Hillsborough Street to be exact). Check them out here.

Wake County Restaurant News

• So the whole Amazon thing held up the opening of the new Whole Foods in west Cary. But what matters most (i.e. to me…)  is that it put a hold on the opening of a full-scale LaFarm Bakery inside that Whole Foods! But the wait is over. November 7th is the opening date when La Farm Bakery and Cafe will open. Check out LaFarm here.

• Reader Jeanette Hauser pointed out that PhoSure has opened in the Celebration at Six Forks shopping center in Raleigh. Founded in Saigon, they are focused on serving Vietnamese healthy choice foods. Check them out here.

• Saw on a tweet from Leo Suarez that Saigon Vietnamese Grille and Bar is coming to the former Indio space at 222 Glenwood Avenue. No word yet on a timeline nor could we find an web presence just yet. Stay tuned.

• Saw in NCSU’s student newspaper The Technician that a new Mexican restaurant, Coco Bongo, has opened in the former La Rancherita spot at 2400 Hillsborough Street. You can check them out on Facebook here.

• Thanks to the keen eyes of reader Chris Creighton, he noticed that a Popeyes Louisiana Chicken sign has gone up in the former location of Greek Fiesta on Raleigh’s Western Boulevard. Check out Popeyes here.

• Leo Suarez also came across a sign at 610 Glenwood Avenue for The Dogwood Bar & Eatery, from Bunch of Fives Hospitality Group, hanging in the spot where ViewBar formerly was. Expect shareable bites, cocktails and local drafts (of course), outdoor deck areas, and more. Again, no timeline but you can keep up with them on Facebook here.

• Also in Cary, we got word via @DianeNC on Twitter that the new Outback Steakhouse on Walnut Street has opened. Check out Outback here.

• And down in Holly Springs we have an opening after a series of back-to-back changes. A quick recap – Ricci’s closed and became Springs Pizza & Wings, which closed to become Sunset Lake Bistro, which never opened. And now we can happily report that Cristo’s Bistro & Pizza, with a sister location in Raleigh’s Quail Corners (Cristo’s NY Style Pizza), has now opened!  Get familiar with them here.

Durham, Orange & Chatham Restaurant News

• A chef change over in Durham with the announcement this week that Guglhupf hired Alex Ricci as its new executive chef. Originally from Florida, Ricci has cooked in kitchens in Asheville and Durham and was most recently at the Durham Hotel with chef Andrea Reusing. Ricci will add his own unique spin to Guglhupf’s contemporary, German-inspired cuisine. Check out Guglhupf here.

• Over in Chatham County near Pittsboro, reader Debra DuBose pointed out that Compadres Tequila Lounge Mexican restaurant is now open behind Lowes Home improvement store near Carolina Brewery & Grill. Check them out on Facebook here.

• And on a recent drive down 15-501 in Chapel Hill, noticed that a new Firehouse Subs is going into one of the new outparcel buildings at Rams Plaza (just across from Eastgate). Folks in Chapel Hill can once again get their Hook & Ladder! No word on an open date. Check out Firehouse here.

Closings

• Lifelong friend Kenan Barnes brought it to my attention that the North Hills location of McAlister’s Deli will be closing October 15th. That leaves only a few days to get by and enjoy some of their sweet tea. They still have a location in Raleigh, Apex and two in Durham.

• Jeanette Hauser notified us that Sol Azteca at 120 Morrisville Square Way in Morrisville has closed.

Food Trucks

•  Food Truck Friday returns TODAY, Friday, October 13, from 4-8 p.m. at Prestonwood Country Club as part of the SAS Championship golf tournament (but free and open to the public). Participating food trucks include: Cousin’s Maine Lobster; Red Hot & Blue; Hanu Truck; Taco Grande’ Barone Meatball Company; and Ice Queen Ice Cream. Get all the details here.

• Art Sheppard informed me that on Sunday, October 15th the RDU Mobile Food Assoc. is hosting the Food and Funk in the Town of Carrboro’s Town Commons.  In addition to food trucks and craft beer, the event will have live performances with Strange Lady and a bouncy house. The event takes place from noon to 4pm. Check out their Facebook event page here.

• Food Truck Thursdays is back in Knightdale. Every Thursday from September through November, Knightdale hosts a new truck at Knightdale Station Park for lunch and dinner. Just look for it from 11:30 am to 1:30 pm and 6 pm to 8 pm near the amphitheater (rain or shine – shelters are covered). Thanks to Mark Ginsburg for the heads up. Get all the details and a listing of the upcoming trucks here.

• Art Sheppard notified me that Chapel Hill is bringing back the Rodeo on Rosemary. It will be held on November 5th from 12-4 (also same day as the Durham Rodeo…decisions, decisions). Get all the details on Facebook here.

• And the food truck rodeos in Raleigh are over for the year and just one remaining in Durham for the year on November 5th. Get all the details for Durham here.

Events

•  Sip + Savor will take place on October 15th. At the event all three levels of the Durham Performing Arts Center will be filled with dishes by renowned chefs from across North Carolina, paired with world-famous wineries from across the globe. Sip+Savor is brought to you by the producers of Bull City Food & Beer Experience and TASTE events to benefit Keep Durham Beautiful. Get all the details and purchase tickets here.

• Also on October 15th from 3:30 p.m. to 7 p.m., TABLE, a nonprofit organization dedicated to feeding local hungry kids, will host their annual fundraising Empty Bowls dinner at Carrboro’s Weaver Street Market, featuring live music along with a hearty meal of soup, bread and dessert. Guests who purchase a $30 ticket will also take home a locally made pottery bowl. Tickets: $15-$50. Purchase tickets and get all the details here.

• On Thursday, October 19th the Garner Rotary will host their 13th annual OysterFest. It will take place from 5-8:30 p.m. in the Agri Supply parking lot on US 70 East. $30 for an all-you-can-eat ticket. The menu includes: steamed oysters, fried catfish, shrimp scampi with penne, bistro clam chowder, coleslaw, chicken fingers, BBQ pork, seafood bisque, salt potatoes, green beans, french fries, banana pudding, hush puppies and rolls. All proceeds go toward helping Garner-area seniors to help offset first year of college expenses. Get all the details here.

• Happening on November 4th is one of my favorite events of the year – the 5th annual Salt & Smoke Festival where chef Kevin Callaghan and his team from Acme capture a perfect autumn day in the South with bluegrass, whole hog barbecue, oysters on the half shell and local drinks – so many rich traditions rolled into one singular and spectacular celebration at Rock Quarry Farm. This is a “don’t miss” event. Get all the details here.

• And then on November 5th  is the 27th annual A Tasteful Affair at The Blue Zone at Kenan Stadium where 500 guests will enjoy delicious samples from more than two-dozen of the area’s best restaurants, catering companies, beverage purveyors and food trucks – all to benefit the Ronald McDonald House of Chapel Hill. Details and tickets here.

•  Reap the spoils of competition while top Triangle chefs compete to be named Soup-erior Chef at Urban Ministries of Wake County’s annual Stone Soup Supper on Wednesday, November 15th, 2017 at NCSU McKimmon Center. Funds raised from the event will be used to feed, shelter, and provide healthcare to low income individuals living within Wake County. Guests receive unlimited bowls of specially crafted soup from more than a dozen chefs. Guests also receive one piece of artisan pottery, hand-crafted by the Triangle Potters Guild. Purchase tickets and get all the details here.

• Mattie Beason of Black Twig Cider House will host TxotxFest on November 18 from noon to 4 pm. TxotxFest returns for a second year, offering award-winning regional and national ciders with North Carolina cuisine, and features the txotx – a traditional Spanish cider barrel. Beason introduced TxotxFest in 2016 as the first event of its kind in the Southeast to celebrate cider, the fastest growing segment in the beverage industry. This year, Beason kicks off TxotxFest November 17th with a $50 five-course cider-paired dinner at Black Twig Cider House featuring Asheville’s chef Steven Goff of Brinehaus Meat & Provisions and ciders from Noble Cider, Urban Orchard, Appalachian Mountain, and James Creek. Get tickets and all the details here.

Food Bank Corner

• Our friends at the Food Bank of Central and Eastern North Carolina will be holding a Students Against Hunger food drive from October through December for schools in the area. Participants in the Students Against Hunger campaign collect food and funds from October 2 through December 2. Competing schools must deliver their donations to their warehouse by noon on Saturday, December 2. There are lots of creative ways for your child’s school to participate. Register your school and get all the details here.