TRIANGLE FOOD BLOG

Wake County Restaurant News

• Saw on WRAL that Vincent Barresi and Christopher Bender opened Italian restaurant Bigboom last weekend in the former Red Room tapas space at 510 Glenwood Avenue in Raleigh. Check their Facebook page out here.

• Raleigh’s iconic A-frame IHOP restaurant on Hillsborough Street is moving a bit further down the street. It was announced this week in Triangle Business Journal that the current location would close (making way for new development) but that it would simply move to one of the retail spaces opening up in the new Stanhope Student Housing Complex at 3001 Hillsborough St. The relocated IHOP is expected to open in the spring 2016.

• New Raleigh reported this week that La Carreta Mexican Restaurant is moving into the former OC Bar and Grill spot in Oberlin Court, which is near the intersection of Wade Avenue and Oberlin Road. Check them out here.

• Got word from reader Scott Erickson that Chanticleer Cafe and Bakery, a new quick service restaurant serving up breakfast, lunch and specialty coffees, is coming to Wellington Park Shopping Center off Tryon and Cary Pkwy in Cary. No word yet on an open date, but you can check them out of Facebook here.

• Thomas Vincent informed me that his Compass Rose Brewery opens this Saturday at 3201 Northside Drive in Raleigh. Congrats to Thomas and Jeff. Check them out here and plan a visit soon (if not tomorrow).

• Saw in the News & Observer that Cantina 18, a Mexican restaurant that’s part of chef Jason Smith’s 18 Restaurant Group, is remodeling its existing space and adding a second floor this summer. We’ll keep an eye on it and let you know when it is complete. Check out all of Jason’s restaurants here.

• We first reported this back in January of this year, but the News & Observer provided an update this week on Whiskey Kitchen. Jeff Mickel and Michael Thor are currently renovating the building that was the former White Horse Limo warehouse at the corner of McDowell and Martin Streets and are looking at a late September, early October opening. Their website is here and you can keep up with their progress on Facebook here.

• Got word from reader Diane Pisano that Penn Station East Coast Subs will be opening a new location in Cary in the new “mini” strip center on Cary Towne Blvd (next to the new Harris Teeter in that same area). Thanks to Diane for the information. Check out Penn Station here.

• The News & Observer noted this week that Panera Bread has requested from the Town of Garner a conditional permit for site approval at White Oak Crossing. The restaurant will be next to Red Robin at the corner of Jones Sausage Road and U.S. 70.

• New neighborhood communities don’t normally make my blog. But when the community includes a new coffee shop I do! And that is the case with Wendell Falls in Wendell that will have its very own coffee shop as of May 16th. As part of the café (and neighborhood) grand opening, they’ll also have a “barn raising” celebration feature southern dishes by Farmers Table, Big Boss craft beer and new gourmet coffees from Grounds Café. Stop by on May 16th from 12 – 6 p.m. Get all the details here.

Durham, Orange & Chatham County Restaurant News 

• The News & Observer reported this week that the Piedmont’s chef Ben Adams is leaving Piedmont to partner with Pig Whistle whole hog barbecue caterer Wyatt Dickson to open Picnic, a modern barbecue restaurant, this fall in North Durham. They have not signed a lease yet and so could not reveal specific location. We’ll keep an eye on it.

• In related news, the News & Observer also reported that due to Adams’ latest announcement, Piedmont restaurant has a new chef, Greg Gettles, who previously worked at Herons at The Umstead Hotel & Spa in Cary and the now-closed Magnolia Grill in Durham. That is certainly great news for fans of Piedmont.

• And if that is not enough BIG NEWS for one week, the Independent Weekly reported this week that chef Ben Barker is talking with Carrboro officials about something diners have been hoping to hear since he and wife Karen closed Magnolia Grill in Durham two years ago this month: They plan to open a pizzeria. Barker told the Indy in January 2013 that such a venture was possible, so long as their son Gabe was in charge. Gabe has been honing his culinary and business management skills at restaurants on the West Coast. The project is still in the early stages, and they haven’t even signed a lease yet, but we’ll keep an eye on it.

• And if you love a good cup of coffee, like the ones they pour over at Cocoa Cinnamon in Durham, you’ll want to know they are planning to open a 2nd Durham location. They are currently in the middle of raising funds (you can pitch in and help) to make that second shop a reality. Visit their Community Sourced Capital page to find out more about the project and how you can be a “square holder.” Thanks to John Huisman, aka Triangle Explorer, for highlighting this.

• The much-anticipated Tom+Chee restaurant in Carrboro will swing open their doors today (May 15) with a ribbon cutting ceremony at 10:15 a.m. They are located at 370 E. Main Street in the Hampton Inn complex. Visit their website here or their Facebook page here.

Closings 

• We got word last week that Barberitos in Cary’s Waverly Place has closed due to unforeseen circumstances.

• And sadly, the “Hot Now” light is forever off at the Krispy Kreme location on Franklin Street in Chapel Hill, according to the Daily Tar Heel. Sad.

Food Trucks 

Food Bank Corner   

• Did you know that the Food Bank of Central and Eastern North Carolina plans to distribute between 50 and 52 million pounds of food this year? That’s more than 140,000 meals a day! They expect their fleet of 19 trucks to travel over 500,000 miles to serve their 800 partner agencies and maximize their food donor partnerships. To do that, they are aiming to raise over $8 million in revenue and work with over 15,000 volunteers to keep the Food Bank running and expand service where possible. Want to see a list of upcoming “foodie” events that you can attend AND help the Food Bank? Check it out here.

Wake County Restaurant News

•  Triangle Business Journal reported the latest details of Raleigh restaurateur Lou Moshakos’ plans for a new restaurant in downtown Raleigh expected to open this fall. Vidrio will be a Mediterranean small plate concept that will be located on the ground floor of his recently opened Glenwood South location of Carolina Ale House (it is a 3 story building at 500 Glenwood Avenue). Also of note, Moshakos is bringing in George Bakatsias to help in the development of Vidrio’s menu design and brand. This is gonna be good!

• I was tipped off to this tidbit from my good friend Jo Smith. The Triangle is just a few months away from getting its first gluten free / non-gmo restaurant. Called Fresh Levant Bistro, they are planning to open this summer in Lafayette Village in North Raleigh. For now, check them out on Facebook here.

•  We got word this week that June 13th is the day for the opening of the Triangle’s second location of City Barbeque. There will be lots of activities all day that day. The new restaurant is in Garner in the Cabela’s shopping center (White Oak Crossing) sitting alongside Highway 70 at 110 Cabela Drive. Get all the details here.

• New neighborhood communities don’t normally make my blog. But when the community includes a new coffee shop they do! And that is the case with Wendell Falls in Wendell that will have its very own coffee shop as of May 16th. As part of the café (and neighborhood) grand opening, they’ll also have a “barn raising” celebration feature southern dishes by Farmers Table, Big Boss craft beer and new gourmet coffees from Grounds Café. Stop by on May 16th from 12 – 6 p.m. Get all the details here.

• This is sweet. The Triangle Business Journal reported this week that Nothing Bundt Cakes is now open in Morrisville’s Park West Village near the street roundabout at Gander Mountain. The dessert specialty franchise is the first in the Triangle. A ribbon-cutting ceremony is scheduled for May 20 at 10 a.m., and grand opening festivities will take place on May 23 – with free samples and kid-friendly activities from noon to 2 p.m. Get a peek at them here.

• Congratulations to the good folks over at Sassool Mediterranean Café in North Raleigh as they celebrate the 1 year anniversary of the rebranding of Neomonde North Raleigh in honor of Mounir’s mother. And on Sunday, May 10 (Mother’s Day) they will have a special Mother’s Day menu and a carnation for moms. Also 10% of sales that day will go to the Susan G. Komen NC Triangle to the Coast!  Get all the details here.

Durham, Orange & Chatham County Restaurant News 

• I got a tip from John Huisman (aka Triangle Explorer) that the folks over at Big Bundts Bakery are planning to open BrewMoo Café in the former Straw Valley Café location in Durham. They will specialize in cold- and hot-brew coffee drinks made with fresh dairy and homemade mix-ins. No date yet, but we’ll keep an eye on it. Check out Big Bundts Bakery here.

• Also, happened to notice on the Facebook page for Rise Biscuits & Donuts that they are looking for restaurant space in downtown Durham for their first corporate store. They also hinted that it would be a “two restaurant thing” paired with their latest concept (stay tuned). Wow, talking about whetting ones appetite. Stay tuned! In the meantime, check out Rise’s web site here.

• The official opening date for the much-anticipated Tom+Chee restaurant in Carrboro was announced this week. They will hold their ribbon cutting ceremony at 10:15 a.m. on May 15th. They are located at 370 E. Main Street in the Hampton Inn complex. Visit their website here or their Facebook page here.

• One of our readers fed us the information that Charros Mexican Restaurant has opened in the old Los Comales at 3511 Witherspoon Boulevard in southwest Durham. We were unable to locate a website.

• The Herald-Sun reported this week that Luna, a restaurant focused on South American cuisine, will open at 112 W. Main St. this summer. Chef Shawn Stokes, who has worked in restaurants across the country, owns the restaurant. We will keep an eye on it.

• If you like good beer and good food and are in the Durham area on Saturdays this summer, you might want to know that the folks over at G2B Restaurant and Brewery will open up their patio from 12-3 p.m. every Saturday this summer to offer their house-made and favorite beers along with small bites from executive chef Travis Robinson. Get all the details here.

Closings 

• It is with much sadness that I report that my good friends Lisa & Jimmy Schmid have decided to close The Food Factory at Devil’s Bistro over on Duke’s campus. My very best to both of them in wherever life takes them next!

• And reader Michelle Fleer informed me that Slice of NY Pizza in Beaver Creek Crossings has closed.

Food Trucks 

Food Bank Corner   

• Probably the easiest way to help families in need is happening tomorrow – and you need to participate! All you need to do is fill a bag with food, place it by your mail box…and you are done. It is that simple. It is taking place TOMORROW – May 9. Want to know more? Want to know what kind of foods are most needed? Get all the details here.