TRIANGLE FOOD BLOG

• Happy Halloween everyone! There are lots of “Halloween” festivities planned for today (too many to mention), but free ones catch our eye. If you are in the North Hills area today, swing by Saxby’s Coffee between noon and 7 and receive a free Pumpkin Spice Latte! Tell them Triangle Food Guy sent you. Get all the details here.

Wake County Restaurant News

• Triangle Business Journal reported this week that Italian restaurant Schiano’s has opened in Wake Forest in the Gateway Commons shopping center. They have one location already on Strickland Road in Raleigh. Get all the details here.

• Just a courtesy note to let you know that Jubala Village Coffee in North Raleigh will be closed on Monday, November 3rd to complete some major renovations to their kitchen. Don’t panic. Breathe. Look for more offerings out of their expanded kitchen space. Check back in with them on Tuesday.

• What time is it? It is turkey time! And the Q Shack is firing up their annual tradition of providing you with turkeys, sides and desserts for your Thanksgiving Day feast. Folks, I don’t endorse many things, but I can speak from personal experience that this is a fantastic (and delicious) way to feed your guests. Seriously, who (besides Tom and his team) want to be in the kitchen cooking up a turkey? Get your orders in before November 22nd and get all the details here.

• Yawn. A Chili’s Grill & Bar is planed for Holly Springs in the new Holly Springs Towne Center on NC 55 according to the Triangle Business Journal. This will be the 10th Chili’sin the Triangle.

Durham, Orange & Chatham County Restaurant News 

• Got word from Craig Benner that the third area Penn Station East Coast Subs opened last Sunday next to Rise at Southpoint in Renaissance Village. It is locally owned and operated by Craig, Ellen and Ashley Benner. Check them out here.

• Downtown Durham’s popular baker Daisy Cakes announced this week the opening of theirDessert Room which will be open Thursday, Friday and Saturday nights from 5 until 9 p.m. The room will allow guests to enjoy a special dessert menu and the option to pair their dessert with a dessert wine, champagne, hot tea or coffee. Get all the details here.

• The Triangle Business Journal reported this week that Saltbox Seafood Joint, located at 608 N. Mangum Street in Durham, is adding a food truck. Keep up with them on Facebook and Twitter for locations. Get all the details here.

• WRAL reported last week that Garner’s Locked & Loaded Bar & Grill is moving to a new location just down the street in the old Texas Steakhouse building. Their last day in the current location is tomorrow (Nov. 1) and plan to be open at some point next week in the new spot. Keep up with them here.

• And down in Johnston County, the News & Observer reported that Clayton’s newest restaurant is billing itself as offering “the only rooftop dining in Johnston County,” Manning’s, owned by chef Howard Manning, is located at 406 E. Main Street in downtown. Get all the details and check out their menu here.

Closings 

• None to report. Keep eating local, folks!

Food Trucks 

Food Bank Corner   

• Did you know that almost 50% of students in our 34 county service area qualify for free or reduced-price lunch? It is difficult for any student to excel academically when they come to school hungry. So we invite all students, staff, parents and teachers to join our Students Against Hunger food and funds drive to help feed hungry children and their families in our community. Get all the details here.

•   The Got to Be NC Competition Dining Series statewide championship will be at the Renaissance Raleigh North Hills Hotel on November 19-22 where the 5 regional winners will match up head-to-head. Fire in the Triangle champion Dean Thompson of Flights will first compete on November 21st and hopefully in the Championship Dinner on November 22nd. Tickets for the “first round” events (3 dinners) are $129 each and tickets for the final championship battle are $139. Folks, tickets to all the events sold out last year in a matter of minutes. Don’t miss out this year. The tickets go on sale NEXT Wednesday, October 29 at 7 p.m. Get all the details and your tickets here.

Wake County Restaurant News

•  The first b.good location in North Carolina opened yesterday in North Hills (the Midtown Park side). They tout themselves as fast-food made by people, not factories. Check out their local Facebook page here.

• The Full Moon Oyster Bar and Seafood Kitchen has opened in Morrisville’s Park West Village serving lunch and dinner. This marks their third North Carolina location with stores in Southern Pines and Clemmons and a fourth on the way in Jamestown. Check them out here.

• Not sure how I missed this, but a huge congratulations to Tammy Calaway-Harper and the successful opening of Belle, Cary’s newest restaurant at the corner of Academy Street and Dry Avenue. Pay them a visit soon. Visit them online here.

• Back in early October we told you about the latest edition of Smashburger coming to North Raleigh in the Falls Village shopping center. We now have a projected open date of November 26th. This will be the Triangle’s second location, but the first in Raleigh (the other one is in Durham). Check them out here.

• What time is it? It is turkey time! And the Q Shack is firing up their annual tradition of providing you with turkeys, sides and desserts for your Thanksgiving Day feast. Folks, I don’t endorse many things, but I can speak from personal experience that this is a fantastic (and delicious) way to feed your guests. Seriously, who (besides Tom and his team) want to be in the kitchen cooking up a turkey? Get your orders in before November 22nd and get all the details here.

• Got word from WRAL that Italian restaurant Schiano’s is opening a Wake Forest location in the Gateway Commons shopping center. No word on an opening date. They have one location already on Strickland Road in Raleigh. Get more details here.

Durham, Orange & Chatham County Restaurant News 

•  Saw in the Herald Sun that Durham has a new food truck called SoomSoom Pita Pockets. They focus on a fusion of Middle Eastern and American cuisine serving pita pockets that include fillings such as smoked fish salad, schnitzel, steak and egg and beef and lamb kebabs. Check them out here.

Closings 

• Got word this week that Doolin’s Irish Pub and Café on Shannon Road in South Durham has closed their doors.

Food Trucks 

Food Bank Corner   

• Did you know that almost 50% of students in our 34 county service area qualify for free or reduced-price lunch? It is difficult for any student to excel academically when they come to school hungry. So we invite all students, staff, parents and teachers to join our Students Against Hunger food and funds drive to help feed hungry children and their families in our community. Get all the details here.