Friday Fun Food Facts – January 22, 2016

Triangle Restaurant News

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

Featured Restaurant News

  •  Rocky Top Hospitality owner Dean Ogan announced that Twisted Fork restaurant and bakery will reopen with updated décor and an enhanced menu on Sunday, January 24 at 11 a.m. Twisted Fork, located at 3751 Sumner Boulevard, in the Triangle Towne Center Commons, has been closed since August 2015 due to a fire. Check them out here.

Wake County Restaurant News

  • New Raleigh reported this week that after a successful soft opening of Cafe Helios on Glenwood South in downtown Raleigh, the popular coffee house will (re)open to the public next Monday (unless the weather throws a kink in the works). Get the latest on their Facebook page here.
  • Crisp Bar & Restaurant opened this past Tuesday at 222 Glenwood Avenue in downtown Raleigh. Crisp features salads and wraps and soups, all featuring the very freshest ingredients. They also have a location in Crabtree Valley Mall. Check them out here.
  • We are getting closer to the opening of the second Raleigh location of b.good. The first opened in North Hills, and the second will open in the new Charter Square building on Fayetteville Street in downtown Raleigh. Art Sheppard noticed they had posted a “now hiring” message on their Facebook page. Check them out here.
  • This is going to be a fun one to look forward to. It will be the fall before we get to enjoy the goodness of a gluten free bakery and coffeehouse called Connected Bakery. On their Facebook page they list their address as 2305 Wake Forest Road (but I’m not convinced that will be their actual location). Check them out here.  Thanks to WRAL for the tip on this venture.
  • Also, got word from Ashton Mae Smith that downtown Raleigh’s Five Star, located at 511 W. Hargett Street, is discontinuing their lunch hours effective…last week. But starting next Monday, they will begin opening at 3 p.m. Late lunch? Check them out here.
  • Thanks to a tip on Twitter from @stubbleriffic, we learned that another location of Bada Wings is going into the former Vincent’s location on 6300 Creedmoor Road in the Lynnwood Collection shopping center. Haven’t seen an open date, and couldn’t find any website or Facebook page. We’ll keep an eye on it.
  • Over in Cary, the Triangle Business Journal reported that the popular, Austin, Texas-based Tex Mex restaurant chain Chuy’s has confirmed plans to open its second stand-alone restaurant – this one at the Parkside Town Commons retail center in west Cary. According to James Fisher, they are shooting to be open by March of this year. Check out Chuys here.

Durham, Orange & Chatham County Restaurant News 

  • Got word from my friends over at Bites of Bull City that a new coffee shop called George’s Java is expected to open very soon at 764 9th Street in Durham. It is owned by Terry and Debbie Metts. Check them out here.
  • Thanks to reader Diana Harker we learned that things are getting closer to the opening of Treforni (early February) in the Hope Valley Commons shopping center at the intersection of Hwy. 54 and 751 in Durham. Terforni touts that they are known for producing authentic pizza Napoletana and the finest beers.

Closings 

  • What we do know is that Latitudes Fine Food & Spirits in Knightdale is currently closed. What is not 100% confirmed is whether it is permanent or temporary. We will keep an eye on it.

Food Trucks

  • The first Durham Central Park food truck rodeo, appropriately named Winter Rodeo, has been postponed due to the snow from this Sunday to Sunday, January 31. Same time, from 12-4 at Durham Central Park and will feature 50+ trucks. Get all the details here.
  • The Downtown Raleigh Food Truck Rodeo has announced its dates for this year: May 1, June 12, Aug. 7 and Oct. 9. VIP early admission wristbands, which let you get in to buy food before the general public, are on sale now. Get all the details here.
  • Holly Springs is hosting a small Food Truck Rodeo on Saturday, February 6th from 11 a.m. – 3 p.m. at the Holly Springs Cultural Center (300 W. Ballentine Street) as part of the 4th Annual Community Arts Festival. The rodeo will feature Stuft, Big C Waffle, and Olio & Aceto. Get more information on the entire festival here.
  • For a listing of ALL food truck events, head over to Art’s page, The Wandering Sheppard on all things food truck related here.

Events

  • The folks over at Plates Neighborhood Kitchen will host a five course beer dinner with Brueprint Brewery on Sunday, January 24th. Each of chef Stephen Day’s courses will be paired with a selection from the Apex brewery. Dinner will include a presentation from the brewmasters themselves, shedding insight into the science, and magic, behind the brewing process. Get all the details here.
  • Thanks to a tip from Felicia Perry-Trujillo, I was reminded that the Triangle Wine Experience, which benefits the Frankie Lemmon Foundation, is Feb 4-6, 2016. Get more information here.
  • Felicia Perry-Trujillo also shared with me that over in Cary at The Umstead, you can learn a little with the one you love at this season’s Artisan Confections pastry event on February 7th featuring the Durham Distillery. Join executive pastry chef Evan Sheridan as he bakes his way through gin and chocolate, and hear how this organic distillery combined art and science to create world-class gins and liqueurs. It begins at 3 pm and tickets are $65 inclusive of tax and gratuity and can be purchased by calling 919-447-4050. Get all the details here.
  • February 20th is the date for the 6th Annual Care to Share Gala to benefit the Guiding Lights Caregiver Support Center. It will be held at the Kerr Scott building in Raleigh. The event features a chef challenge in addition to the auction. Get all the details and tickets here.
  • The 4th Annual Bull City Food & Beer Experience will be held next year on April 10th, but tickets have already gone on sale. Looks like tickets will be available through DPAC again this year and you can visit the DPAC ticket center to avoid service charges. Check them out on Facebook here.
  • Durham Magazine and Chapel Hill Magazine will sponsor the third annual TASTE: A Celebration of Food & Drink, happening from April 21 to 23, 2016. The event will feature more than 30 top local chefs and establishments in Durham, Chapel Hill, Carrboro and Raleigh. A portion of ticket proceeds will be donated to the Durham Branch of the Food Bank of Central & Eastern North Carolina. Get all the details and updates as well as purchase tickets (they have an early bird price of $85 now!) here.

Food Bank Corner   

  • A huge thank you to all that helped support the Food Bank of Central and Eastern North Carolina’s Holidays Meal Drive. They reached their goal of providing 2.4 million holiday meals this season by raising over $485,000 in online donations prior to December 31! We are so very thankful and deeply humbled by the outpouring of support. Thank you for your partnership to help provide hunger relief in our region!

    Unfortunately the need continues. If you are looking to fulfill a New Year’s resolution to get involved in your community, I encourage you to take a look at the Food Bank. Find out how you can volunteer here.

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Friday Fun Food Facts – January 15, 2016

Triangle Restaurant News

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

Featured Restaurant News

  •  The News & Observer reported this week that Leon Grodski de Barrera and Areli Barrera de Grodski, owners of the Cocoa Cinnamon coffee shop, expect to open their second Durham location within the next couple weeks at 2627 Hillsborough Road in Durham, next door to Mesa Latin Kitchen. Their original location is on West Greer Street in downtown Durham. Check them out here.

Wake County Restaurant News

  • Indy Week reported this week that the former Tyler’s location at Seaboard Station in downtown Raleigh will have new life, as early as May of this year. Apparently before opting out of his lease, Tyler Huntington had recruited some brewers out of Wisconsin. Word is that those brewers will carry out Huntington’s vision for that space, a full-on brewery surrounding diners on all sides. While the individuals behind it, nor the name, have been revealed, they plan on opening a 10-barrel brewpub by May. Stay tuned!
  • We are waiting…and waiting. They say good things come to those that wait. And this is going to be good! Teddy Klopf’s Provenance restaurant on the first floor of the new Skyhouse luxury apartment building on East Martin Street in downtown Raleigh is opening…any day now. Klopf describes the restaurant as “refined new Southern cuisine in a contemporary, casual setting.” He previously worked at McCrady’s in Charleston, S.C., and The Umstead Hotel and Spa in Cary. Check them out here.
  • Got word straight from Brad Barbour that his much-anticipated Shuckin’ Shack Oyster Bar in Cary’s Preston Corners has officially opened! It is located in the old Caribou Coffee location. Check them out here.
  • The Triangle Business Journal reported yesterday that BJ’s Restaurant & Brewhouse, a California-based concept, has acquired the former Golden Corral building in the Centrum at Crossroads shopping center. They plan to tear it down, and build from scratch. No word yet on their timeline, but they have plans for an additional 4-5 locations throughout the Triangle. Check them out here.
  • And also in Cary, saw on a Yelp message board that a new Nepali restaurant, called Himalayan Range Nepali Restaurant, is opening in the Reedy Creek Plaza at 910 NE Maynard Road. Check them out here.

Durham, Orange & Chatham County Restaurant News 

  • The News & Observer reported that Six Plates co-owner Matthew Beason announced that he will be closing the popular Durham restaurant and wine bar on March 11. But the good news is that he hopes to reopen with a new concept by April 1. Stay tuned.
  • Next Tuesday, January 19th, M Sushi will open in downtown Durham at 311 Holland Street, across from the Durham Hotel. M Sushi is the latest from chef Michael Lee who also owns Sono sushi restaurant in downtown Raleigh. The folks over at Bites of Bull City did a really nice interview with Lee. Check out the full interview here.
  • The Burgeoning Baker pointed out that Bruster’s ice cream is moving into the former Moonberrie’s location next to Rise near the Streets at Southpoint. No word yet on an open date. Check them out here.
  • Reader Richard Brown tipped us off to the fact that the latest location of Cookout has opened near the intersection of Hwy. 54 & 55 in RTP at 2103 Allendown Drive. Check them out on Facebook here.

Closings 

  • We are sad to announce that after an 8-year run The Oxford will be officially closing its doors on January 24th. But they will go out in class “G” style, with a big bash. Join them from 5 p.m. until midnight for a “Last Day Party” featuring drink specials, and whatever food they have left! Get all the details on their Facebook page here.
  • We can now confirm that downtown Raleigh’s Twisted Mango has closed, but stay tuned. New Raleigh is reporting that it will reopen as a Mediterranean/Italian concept. Needless to say, we will keep an eye on it.
  • And over in Durham, Six Plates on Erwin Road will close on March 11. Look for a new concept in that space by April 1.

Food Trucks

  • The Downtown Raleigh Food Truck Rodeo has announced its dates for this year: May 1, June 12, Aug. 7 and Oct. 9. VIP early admission wristbands, which let you get in to buy food before the general public, are on sale now. Get all the details here.
  • And over in Durham, the first Durham Central Park food truck rodeo, appropriately named Winter Rodeo, takes place on Sunday, Jan. 24. from 12-4 at Durham Central Park and will feature 50+ trucks. Get all the details here.
  • Holly Springs is hosting a small Food Truck Rodeo on Saturday, February 6th from 11 a.m. – 3 p.m. at the Holly Springs Cultural Center (300 W. Ballentine Street) as part of the 4th Annual Community Arts Festival. The rodeo will feature Stuft, Big C Waffle, and Olio & Aceto. Get more information on the entire festival here. 
  • For a listing of ALL food truck events, head over to Art’s page, The Wandering Sheppard on all things food truck related here.

Events

  • The folks over at Plates Neighborhood Kitchen will host a five course beer dinner with Brueprint Brewery on Sunday, January 24th. Each of chef Stephen Day’s courses will be paired with a selection from the Apex brewery. Dinner will include a presentation from the brewmasters themselves, shedding insight into the science, and magic, behind the brewing process. Get all the details here.
  • Things are gearing up for the 2016 version of Triangle Restaurant Week – it will be here before we know it. The next rendition will take place January 25 through the 31st. Start planning your week now.
  • Thanks to a tip from Felicia Perry-Trujillo, I was reminded that the Triangle Wine Experience, which benefits the Frankie Lemmon Foundation, is Feb 4-6, 2016. Get more information here.
  • February 20th is the date for the 6th Annual Care to Share Gala to benefit the Guiding Lights Caregiver Support Center. It will be held at the Kerr Scott building in Raleigh. The event features a chef challenge in addition to the auction. Get all the details and tickets here.
  • The 4th Annual Bull City Food & Beer Experience will be held next year on April 10th, but tickets have already gone on sale. Looks like tickets will be available through DPAC again this year and you can visit the DPAC ticket center to avoid service charges. Check them out on Facebook here.
  • Durham Magazine and Chapel Hill Magazine will sponsor the third annual TASTE: A Celebration of Food & Drink, happening from April 21 to 23, 2016. The event will feature more than 30 top local chefs and establishments in Durham, Chapel Hill, Carrboro and Raleigh. A portion of ticket proceeds will be donated to the Durham Branch of the Food Bank of Central & Eastern North Carolina. Get all the details and updates as well as purchase tickets (they have an early bird price of $85 now!) here.

Food Bank Corner   

  • A huge thank you to all that helped support the Food Bank of Central and Eastern North Carolina’s Holidays Meal Drive. They reached their goal of providing 2.4 million holiday meals this season by raising over $485,000 in online donations prior to December 31! We are so very thankful and deeply humbled by the outpouring of support. Thank you for your partnership to help provide hunger relief in our region!

    Unfortunately the need continues. If you are looking to fulfill a New Year’s resolution to get involved in your community, I encourage you to take a look at the Food Bank. Find out how you can volunteer here.

Leave a Comment

Filed under Uncategorized