Friday Fun Food Facts - May 17, 2013

Triangle Restaurant News

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

Featured Restaurant News 

•  The Bull City is about to become The Q City. It was announced this week by multiple media outlets that former partners Greg Hatem and Ed Mitchell would be opening two new, but separate, barbecue restaurants in downtown Durham within weeks and within a mile of each other. Mitchell is opening ‘Que at Durham’s American Tobacco Campus in the new Diamond View III complex that is under construction past the left outfield of the Durham Bulls baseball park. Meanwhile Empire Eats owner Greg Hatem is going to open a second location of The Pit on Geer Street and Rigsbee Avenue. Both restaurants are looking to open in the August/September time frame.

Wake County Restaurant News 

•  This could very well be the longest “opening soon” restaurant story in recent memory...but it appears as if the wait is over...sort of. Back in October 2011 I wrote that it “looks like things are starting to move forward with The Garland at 14 W. Martin Street in downtown Raleigh. While it is too early to talk about an opening date for Raleigh's next Indian cuisine, we can tell you that the initial phase will feature a walk-up window, with the final phase adding a dining room and outdoor seating. The Garland will be in the former location of Martin Street Pizza.” It looks like that walk-up window is now open...at least temporarily. But we’ll continue to keep an eye on it.

• And speaking of downtown, the blog The Raleigh Connoisseur is reporting that this fall a doughnut shop called Donut Theory is planning to open in a space near the intersection of Saunders and South Street. Now that is a theory we can get behind! We’ll keep an eye on it. 

• The news blog New Raleigh is reporting that a new concept called Stanbury is moving into the former location of The Market Restaurant (938 N Blount St). Word is that the chef is from Admiral in Asheville and is looking to open June 15th. We’ll keep an eye on it.

• And with the warm weather, craft brewery Trophy has already expanded and opened their outdoor patio area. Trophy is located at 827 W. Morgan Street in the former Hamburger Hut location. It is owned by Chris Powers and David Lockwood (think Busy Bee Bar & Restaurant). Get all the details here.  

• WRAL reported last week that a new Planet Smoothie has opened up in the Mission Valley shopping center off of Avent Ferry Road in Raleigh.  Check them out here.

• And over in Cary, reader Diane Pisano turned us on to the fact that downtown Cary’s Academy Street Bistro has noted on their Facebook page that they are opening today. We haven’t 100% confirmed that (so call before you go), but it looks like everything is in place for this concept that is in the old Klara’s location at 200 S. Academy Street. Here is their Facebook page. 

Durham, Orange & Chatham County Restaurant News 

•  Saw on a Yelp message board this week that Al's Burger Shack is opening in what was formerly the Chocolate Door on the very western end of Franklin Street in Chapel HIll. No word yet on an opening date, but we’ll keep an eye on it.

• My Twitter buddy @burgeoningbaker tipped me off to the fact that the Denny’s over in Durham (corner of Hwy. 54 and 751) has opened. That is all.  

Closings 

• Got word from reader Joe Roney that Bulkogi over in Wake Forest has been locked and darkened for the past couple of weeks and the food truck is parked in front with a "For Sale" sign.

• We also got word from follower Carole Walker that she saw a Facebook posting that the Amante Pizza on Falls of Neuse in Raleigh was closing.

• The News & Observer reported this week that the Berkeley Cafe at 217 W. Martin St. is staying open, but that it is losing the big 200-capacity music room on June 30 and that it will be converted into a retail store called Island Tobacco.

Food Trucks 

•  One down and three to go. The first of four Downtown Raleigh Food Truck Rodeos is in the books and the feedback was generally very strong. In fact, they’ve already announced that the truck count will climb from 42 to somewhere in the mid 50s for the next one on June 9th. That is when they will again start lining them up at the State Capital on Fayetteville Street (single file) and stretch out...forever! And, with electricity provided, no generators! Get all the details here. 

• If you run so you can eat, here is the event for you. The Bull City Race Fest & Food Truck Rodeo. Set for October 20th, over 700 runners have already signed up. They'll have a half-marathon, a five-mile run and a 1-miler. But the best part, they are all followed by a Food Truck Rodeo, Beer Garden, Kids Zone Experience and tons of fun. Register today. 

Events 

•  The Morrisville Chamber of Commerce food and arts festival called East Meets West is this Saturday along Town Hall Drive in Morrisville from 11 a.m. until 4 p.m. It will feature Morrisville-area restaurants, music, performances and a variety of visual arts. Get all the details here

• If you find yourself up near Hillsborough don’t forget that this weekend is the 31st Annual Hogg Day event. It takes place today and tomorrow. Get all the details here 

• Just a little heads up that Triangle Restaurant Week is scheduled for June 3-9, 2013. Get more details here and plan to eat out (a lot) that week.  

• The 2013 version of Farm to Fork will take place on Sunday, June 9th. The annual picnic celebrates local food and local farms. Get all the details here.

• Krispy Kreme is giving away one free doughnut of any type per customer on June 7 in recognition of National Doughnut Day. No purchase is necessary, but you have to get 'em while supplies last. Krispy Kreme has 5 locations here in the Triangle. Find the one closest to you here.

• The Western Wake Farmers' Market will host a Farm-to-Fork dinner on Thursday, June 13th at the Umstead Hotel & Spa. The evening will feature a multi-course dinner prepared by Chef Scott Crawford using all locally-grown ingredients from the farmers at Western Wake. Even the farmers themselves will be at the dinner. That's cool! Tickets are $100 and include beer (Full Steam) and wine (Sip). Get your tickets today.

• Ashley Christensen is holding a couple of fundraising dinners and you could be the beneficiary along with Southern Foodways Alliance. According to the News & Observer's Andrea Weigl, the next Stir the Pot events are going to be held on May 19 and May 20. On Sunday, May 19, guest chef Steven Satterfield of Atlanta's Miller Union and Christensen will be cooking up a five-course meal with wine pairings at her flagship restaurant, Poole's Diner. The meal starts at 7 p.m. and costs $150 per person. On Monday, May 20, Christensen is hosting a potluck and film screening at CAM Raleigh, the contemporary art and design museum at 409 W. Martin St. Tickets cost $35. Guests are asked to bring a side dish or a dessert to share. Special guest and filmmaker Joe York will be on hand to show his work.  Further information is available here.

Food Bank Corner 

• Yelp NC Triangle and Eschelon Hospitality are hosting a party on May 19 to benefit the Food Bank of Central & Eastern North Carolina. From 8-10 p.m. at Zinda restaurant in downtown Raleigh, the party will feature food samples from all five of Eschelon Hospitality restaurants, free cider, beer and wine as well as entertainment. The event is called Yelp Billionaires Club and is free and open to the public with a donation of two or more canned goods per person.

Final Thoughts

• Triangle chefs can now apply to compete in this year’s Fire in the Triangle cooking competition. The single-elimination, Iron-Chef style competition will be held at 1705 Prime in North Raleigh from July 8-Aug. 19. Chefs have to apply by June 1 to be among the competitors. The chefs who will be competing will be announced June 24. For the application, go here. For more information and to eventually book a reservation, go here. 

Friday Fun Food Facts - May 10, 2013

Triangle Restaurant News

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

Featured Restaurant News

•  You did it, and I can’t thank you enough. I got word last week that we received not one, but two, Best of the Triangle Awards from the Independent Weekly for both Best Local Blog and Best Local Person to Follow on Twitter. A huge thanks to everyone that took the time to vote. It is very much appreciated! Check out the June 5 issue for all the winners!    

Wake County Restaurant News 

•   According to the News & Observer, Mohamad Kahlout, owner of Petra Grill in North Raleigh, has opened Euro Café at 2101 S. Main St. in Wake Forest. Think of it as a locally owned Panera where they bake their own pastries and use organic produce where they can. They are open for breakfast, lunch and dinner. Check them out on Facebook here.

• To show you how slow I am at times, I didn’t even know until last week that Joel Lane’s, located in the Glenwood South district in Raleigh, had closed, thanks to a tip on a Yelp message board. That is the bad news. The good news is that it only took the former owners of DiveBar one week to reopen the space as Cognito Bar & Grill. Check them out on Facebook here. 

• According to the News & Observer, a second location of Chocolate Boutique has opened over in Morrisville near the new cinema in Park West Village. The original shop is in North Raleigh’s Lafayette Village. In proximity to Chocolate Boutique are WhichWich and Lime Fresh. They will be joined in the coming months by Bad Daddy’s Burger Bar, Firebirds Wood-Fired Grill and WG Kitchen and Bar. Get more details on Chocolate Boutique here.  

• A big shout-out and congratulations to my friends Mario Huante and Darcy Brennan, the dynamic couple behind Chef Mario’s Catering who just celebrated their 15th year in business. If you haven’t booked them to cater a breakfast, lunch, dinner or event, you are simply missing out. Check them out here. Congrats again to Mario and Darcy!   

• Our thoughts and prayers go out to the owners and employees of Cameron Village’s Sushi Gami restaurant that caught fire this past Wednesday causing damage to about half of the restaurant. Thankfully no injuries were reported. No word yet on when they might be able to reopen. We’ll keep an eye on it.  

Durham, Orange & Chatham County Restaurant News 

•  Thanks to a little snooping around by the News & Observer, we learned that Zinburger Wine and Burger Bar, a gourmet burger restaurant coming to the Streets at Southpoint in Durham will open in August. Check them out here. 

Closings 

• The Herald-Sun reported this week that the independent restaurant Fresno Café on University Drive in Durham has closed. It was in the space that previously housed Bear Rock Café and before that Rick’s Diner & Catering (which moved further down Shannon Road).

• I learned from my Twitter buddy @burgeoningbaker that Alfredo’s Pizza Villa on Highway 54 in Durham closed last month. Thankfully the location in Chapel Hill’s University Mall is still doing a brisk business. Check them out here.

Food Trucks 

• Downtonwn Raleigh has seen nothing like this. And I can't think of a better way to say, "I love you mom" than taking her to the Downtown Raleigh Food Truck Rodeo this Sunday. What a spectacle 42 (and growing) food trucks lined up the length of 3 football fields down Fayetteville Street will be. Get downtown this Sunday, May 12th  at 12 noon for this ginormous event! They'll start lining them up at the State Capital on Fayetteville Street (single file) and stretch out...forever! And, with electricity provided, no generators!  Get all the details here. If you miss this Sunday, look for three more rodeos to occur on June 9th, August 11th and October 13th. 

• The final food truck rodeo at Fairview Garden Center in Raleigh is this Saturday, May 11. It will feature 4-5 food trucks. Fairview is located at 8224 Holly Springs Road in Raleigh. Get all the details here.

• If you run so you can eat, here is the event for you. The Bull City Race Fest & Food Truck Rodeo. Set for October 20th, over 700 runners have already signed up. They'll have a half-marathon, a five-mile run and a 1-miler. But the best part, they are all followed by a Food Truck Rodeo, Beer Garden, Kids Zone Experience and tons of fun. Register today. 

Events 

• Häagen-Dazs will hold a Free Cone Day on May 14 from 4 to 8 pm where customers can go to the shops at Northgate Mall or at The Streets at Southpoint in Durham to get a complimentary ice cream scoop. Get more details here.

• The Morrisville Chamber of Commerce will hold a food and arts festival along Town Hall Drive on May 18th from 11 a.m. until 4 p.m. Called East Meets West, the event will feature Morrisville-area restaurants, music, performances and a variety of visual arts. Get it on your calendar and get all the details here.

• The 2013 version of Farm to Fork will take place on Sunday, June 9th. The annual picnic celebrates local food and local farms. Get all the details here.

• Krispy Kreme is giving away one free doughnut of any type per customer on June 7 in recognition of National Doughnut Day. No purchase is necessary, but you have to get ’em while supplies last. Krispy Kreme has 5 locations here in the Triangle. Find the one closest to you here.

• The Western Wake Farmers’ Market will host a Farm-to-Fork dinner on Thursday, June 13th at the Umstead Hotel & Spa. The evening will feature a multi-course dinner prepared by Chef Scott Crawford using all locally-grown ingredients from the farmers at Western Wake. Even the farmers themselves will be at the dinner. That’s cool! Tickets are $100 and include beer (Full Steam) and wine (Sip). Get your tickets today.

• Ashley Christensen is holding a couple of fundraising dinners and you could be the beneficiary along with Southern Foodways Alliance. According to the News & Observer’s Andrea Weigl, the next Stir the Pot events are going to be held on May 19 and May 20. On Sunday, May 19, guest chef Steven Satterfield of Atlanta's Miller Union and Christensen will be cooking up a five-course meal with wine pairings at her flagship restaurant, Poole's Diner. The meal starts at 7 p.m. and costs $150 per person. On Monday, May 20, Christensen is hosting a potluck and film screening at CAM Raleigh, the contemporary art and design museum at 409 W. Martin St. Tickets cost $35. Guests are asked to bring a side dish or a dessert to share. Special guest and filmmaker Joe York will be on hand to show his work.  Further information is available here.

Food Bank Corner 

• This Saturday, May 11th, take a moment to participate in the National Association of Letter Carriers 21st Annual Stamp Out Hunger Food Drive. Simply place your non-perishable food items by your mailbox or deliver them to your local post office. This is the largest one-day food drive in the nation. Last year, over 70 million pounds of food was donated for food banks, food parties and food shelters across the nation; 300,000 pounds within the  Foodbank's 34 county service territory. For more information go here.

• Yelp NC Triangle and Eschelon Hospitality are hosting a party on May 19 to benefit the Food Bank of Central & Eastern North Carolina. From 8-10 p.m. at Zinda restaurant in downtown Raleigh, the party will feature food samples from all five of Eschelon Hospitality restaurants, free cider, beer and wine as well as entertainment. The event is called Yelp Billionaires Club and is free and open to the public with a donation of two or more canned goods per person.

Friday Fun Food Facts - May 3, 2013

Triangle Restaurant News

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

Featured Restaurant News

•   Shiki Sushi in Durham has moved into their new space, right next door to their old space. My buddy Tim Coyne-Smith (aka The Mayor of Awesomeville) and I met there yesterday for lunch (we went at 11:50 to beat the crowd) and it was super nice. The new space is about twice the size of the old space and the menu has expanded as well. And according to the News & Observer, in the vacated space they are working on an Asian hot pot and lounge concept they expect to open in a few months. Visit them online here. 

Wake County Restaurant News 

•  The latest version of Dickey’s Barbecue Pit opened yesterday in Raleigh’s Brier Creek. Owned by Brad and Christy Evers, this marks the 13th North Carolina location and the 6th in the Triangle. Visit them online here.  

• In a piece in the News & Observer, we learned that a Raleigh institution since 1973, Sadlack’s Heroes, is looking for a new home. Located on Hillsborough Street across from the belltower, Sadlack’s and a handful of other businesses (including Jay Long's Buddha's Belly) have to relocate to make room for a new hotel/retail development. If you know of a suitable location, please let me know or reach out to Rose Schwetz, the current owner of Sadlack's .   

Durham, Orange & Chatham County Restaurant News 

• According to the News &Observer, Chapel Hill’s newest Irish bar, Fitzgerald’s Irish Pub, will have a grand opening on May 10th at 5 p.m. Fitzgerald’s is a family-owned restaurant based out of Charlotte. This, their second location, is at 206 W. Franklin St. in the space previously occupied by Kildare’s Irish Pub. Get a quick peek at what they are about in Charlotte.

• According to the Herald-Sun, it looks like downtown Durham is about to get another coffee shop, this one operated by Matt Victoriano. Called Intrepid Life Coffee & Spirits, he is planning to open his coffee shop and bar at 106 W. Parrish St. sometime in August. Our best to Matt.

• Thanks to my friends over at Cranky Diners, who provide great reviews of foodie things here in the Triangle, we were reminded that the new development on W. Franklin Street (140 West Franklin) in Chapel Hill will soon have their second “dining option” with the addition of Gigi’s Cupcakes. Check them out here.   

• And speaking of the 140 West Franklin Street, the TBJ announced this week that Old Chicago Pizza & Taproom has signed a deal to open an eatery on the plaza. Old Chicago used to have a location in Wake Forest, so this will be their first re-entry into the Triangle market. Check them out here. 

Closings   

•  Back in November, we told you that Louie & Charlie’s Grille & Tavern had opened in the former Kemp Seafood space on Highway 70 between Durham & Raleigh. Thanks to a tip from Abby Clobridge on Twitter, and confirmed with a little snooping around, it appears as if they have closed. 

Food Trucks 

• If you are a faithful follower of the area's food trucks, you'll definitely want to head out this Sunday, May 5th to St. Andrews Presbyterian Church on Falls of the Neuse Road at 5 p.m. The mini-food truck rally will feature American Meltdown, Captain Poncho's Tacos, Chick-N-Que, Klausie's Pizzza and Sweet Traaditions as well as live music for their Sing-o-de Mayo event. Get all the details on their Facebook page here. 

• The final food truck rodeo at Fairview Garden Center in Raleigh is on May 11. It will feature 4-5 food trucks. Fairview is located at 8224 Holly Springs Road in Raleigh. Get all the details here.

• Can you say Downtown Raleigh Food Truck Rodeo? Can you say four dates? Can you envision food trucks lined up the length of 3 football fields down Fayetteville Street? Mark your calendars for May 12th, June 9th, August 11th and October 13th. On those dates, they'll start lining them up at the State Capital on Fayetteville Street (single file) and stretch out...forever! And, with electricity provided, no generators! Get all the details here.

• If you run so you can eat, here is the event for you. The Bull City Race Fest & Food Truck Rodeo. Set for October 20th, over 700 runners have already signed up. They’ll have a half-marathon, a five-mile run and a 1-miler. But the best part, they are all followed by a Food Truck Rodeo, Beer Garden, Kids Zone Experience and tons of fun. Register today. 

Events 

• This Saturday is the 139th running of the Kentucky Derby. And if you find yourself stuck in the Triangle, and not in Kentucky, don’t fret. There are lots of parties to attend to celebrate the annual event and WRAL has you covered. Check out their listing of Kentucky Derby festivities.

• The annual Brew Durham Homebrew Festival will be this Saturday, May 4 with more than 50 beers to taste from local home brewers plus a special one-time-only beer from Durham's Bull City Burger and Brewery. Food will be provided by Mateo, Monuts Donuts, Toast, Geer Street Garden, Dos Perros, Loaf and Daisy Cakes. There are two tasting sessions: 1-4 p.m. and 5-8 p.m. Tickets cost $35 and can be purchased online here. Get all event details here.

• The North Raleigh location of Neomonde Café & Market is holding their annual Spring Festival this Saturday, May 4th on Strickland Road. They will have events and festivities all day and geared toward the entire family - music, dancing, food samples, wine tasting, face paining and so much more. Get all the details here.

• Karyn Rivera reminded me this week of a couple of local festivals coming up that feature a ton of food options (as well as crafts and entertainment). Apex Peakfest on May 4th and Artsplosure May 18th & 19th in Moore Square in downtown Raleigh.

• Looking for a way to thank the teachers in your life for a job well done!?! Send them over to the nearest Chipotle location for a Teacher Appreciation event on Tuesday, May 7th where they will enjoy a BOGO deal on all entrees. Thanks teachers for all you do!

• The Morrisville Chamber of Commerce recently announced a food and arts festival that will be held along Town Hall Drive on May 18th from 11 a.m. until 4 p.m. Called East Meets West, the event will feature Morrisville-area restaurants, music, performances and a variety of visual arts. Get it on your calendar and get all the details here.

• The 2013 version of Farm to Fork will take place on Sunday, June 9th. The annual picnic celebrates local food and local farms. Get all the details here.

• The Western Wake Farmers’ Market (WWFM) will host a Farm-to-Fork dinner on Thursday, June 13th at the Umstead Hotel & Spa. The evening will feature a multi-course dinner prepared by Chef Scott Crawford using all locally-grown ingredients from the farmers at WWFM. Even the farmers themselves will be at the dinner. That’s cool! Tickets are $100 and include beer (Full Steam) and wine (Sip). Get your tickets today.

Final Thoughts

• A huge congratulations to our friends over at The Food Bank of Central & Eastern North Carolina for securing a $45,000 grant from Walmart to provide funding for five of their Kids Cafe locations. And a HUGE thank you to each of you that took the time to give them a vote. Pat yourself on the back, you've made a huge difference in people's lives!

• And congratulations to Durham’s Five Points area for being included in Food & Wine magazine’s 10 Best Foodie Streets in America. Durham was one of 10 cities featured. The magazine highlighted Pizzeria Toro, Mateo Bar de Tapas, Cave Taureau, Toast and Whiskey. Congrats to Durham! Check out the article here. 

Friday Fun Food Facts - April 26, 2013

Triangle Restaurant News

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

Featured Restaurant News

• The big news this week is that The Little Dipper “Fondue on Main” has opened on Main Street in Durham at Brightleaf Square. Founded in Wilmington, this second location made its debut on April 18th. They are open for dinner daily except for Mondays. Get more details here.

Wake County Restaurant News 

• Got a tip from my friend Julie Liddle (who, by the way, can print up really cool Koozies for all your summer events) that Big Apple Bagels is coming to Falls River Towne Center. We don’t have an open date yet, but the site says, “Coming Soon.” We’ll ask Julie to keep an eye on it for us. Check out Big Apple Bagels here.

• According to the Triangle Business Journal, the owner of Serena, a Sicilian inspired gastropub in RTP, has taken over the former Cozumel and Al Dente restaurant spaces that closed last August on Creedmoor Road in north Raleigh at Stonehenge Market shopping center. The new restaurant is expected to open within the next month. We’ll keep an eye on it. In the meantime, check out Serena here.

• Perhaps I’m the last to learn of this, but a reader turned us onto the fact that Jimmy V’s Italian Restaurant is opening in the Sheraton Hotel downtown Raleigh at some point in the near future. All we know at this point is that they are hiring. More details to follow.

• Got word this week from reader Paul Hetzel that there is a new bakery that just opened in the Bently Ridge shopping complex on Edwards Mill Rd. (diagonally across from Char-Grill and Olde Raleigh) called the Groovy Duck. Feeling groovy? Check it out here. 

• Morrisville is getting sweeter and sweeter with the news that another cupcake shop is about to open called Goodybox Cupcakes. It will be in the Food Lion plaza near the intersection of Chapel Hill Rd. and Cary Parkway. Check them out here. 

• Thanks to a tip from David McCreary, author of Lunchboy Says blog, Corbett's Burgers & Soda Bar will open soon in Cary at 126 Kilmayne Drive near Big Lots. The restaurant will serve fresh burgers ground daily plus all-beef hotdogs, milkshakes, seasoned fries and more than 200 varieties of glass-bottled sodas. For more details, visit them here. 

• The News & Observer reported this morning that Charleys Philly Steaks is opening in the food court at Triangle Town Center toward the middle of next month. The steak and chicken restaurant will replace Steak Escape.

• The News & Observer is also reporting that Village Deli & Grill is opening its fourth location this summer over on Lake Boone Trail in Raleigh and will replace the Barking Cow Pub at Lake Boone Shopping Center. Look for a late June / early July opening. Get more information on Village Deli & Grill here.  

Durham, Orange & Chatham County Restaurant News 

• The Daily Tar Heel reported this week that the huge Hampton Inn & Suites complex slated to open in July on Main Street in downtown Carrboro (300 East Main) will boast three restaurant concepts when it opens. The Charlotte-based Hickory Tavern Restaurant Group is planning to open Hickory Tavern, a restaurant and sports bar that already has 14 locations across the Carolinas. This will be the Triangle’s first location. Get a sneek peak here.

• Also at 300 East Main, Raleigh restaurant operator Ken Yowell is planning to open two more restaurant concepts. Yowell is co-owner of the Calavera Empanadas & Tequila Bar. East Main Meatball Company will be one of the concepts he opens and the second will be focused on a menu of hand-made empanadas and an extensive tequila bar, much like Calavera. We’ll keep an eye on this as we get closer to an opening date.

• The Herald Sun reported this week that the ownership at the Rudino’s location in RTP has changed. It will remain a Rudino’s until June 1 and then it will become a sports bar called Rookie's Sports Park.

• The Daily Tar Heel reported this week that renovations have begun in the space that originally housed The Rathskeller in Franklin Street’s Amber Alley. Unfortunately, limitations of the space will prevent the installation of a full-service kitchen, and it remains unclear at this point what will occupy the space once renovations are complete. We’ll keep an eye on it.

• And a huge shout out to the good folks at Sutton’s in Chapel Hill which celebrated their 90th birthday this week!

Closings   

• We got the sad news this week from Chef Chris Harris, that the Fork & Barrel on Falls of the Neuse Road in Raleigh is closing its doors on April 30th. Folks, I’ll say it again, please shop local! I'll be watching carefully to see where Chef Harris lands.

• Got word from The Herald Sun that the location of Rudino’s in Durham near the intersection of Hwy. 54 and Fayetteville Street (Southpoint Crossing Shopping Center) has closed after a 13 year run. 

Food Trucks 

• The crazy folks putting on the Downtown Raleigh Food Truck Rodeo are doing one more Flash Mob Food Truck Rodeo TONIGHT (April 26th)! It is from 6 to 9 p.m. at Histroric Boylan Heights / Rebusworks (301 Kinsey Street). This is in anticipation of the big event coming up on May 12th (see below). Check it out tonight!   

• If you like food trucks and beer (stupid question, right?), head out this weekend (April 27 from 3 - 9 p.m.) to downtown Raleigh’s city plaza for Brewgaloo - an event featuring 24 local craft beers, 12 food trucks (including Klausie’s Pizza, Cafe’ Prost, Baguettaboutit, Big Al’s & Chirba Chirba, Lumpy’s Ice Cream, Hibachi Xpress, Only Burger, American Meltdown, Sweet Stacey Cakes and more) and eight bands . Get all the details here.

• If you are a faithful follower of the area’s food trucks, you’ll definitely want to put May 5th on your calendar and head on over to St. Andrews Presbyterian Church on Falls of the Neuse Road at 5 p.m. The mini-food truck rally will feature American Meltdown, Captain Poncho’s Tacos, Chick-N-Que, Klausie’s Pizzza and Sweet Traaditions as well as live music for their Sing-o-de Mayo event. Get all the details on their Facebook page here. https://www.facebook.com/groups/25673705565/

• The final food truck rodeo at Fairview Garden Center in Raleigh is on May 11. It will feature 4-5 food trucks. Fairview is located at 8224 Holly Springs Road in Raleigh. Get all the details here.

• Can you say Downtown Raleigh Food Truck Rodeo? Can you say four dates? Can you envision food trucks lined up the length of 3 football fields down Fayetteville Street? Mark your calendars for May 12th, June 9th, August 11th and October 13th. On those dates, they’ll start lining them up at the State Capital on Fayetteville Street (single file) and stretch out...forever! And, with electricity provided, no generators! Get all the details here.  

Events 

• Thanks to a tip from David McCreary, author of Lunchboy Says blog, I learned about a culinary event called Savor being put on by the Fuquay-Varina Chamber of Commerce on April 27th from 4 to 7 p.m. that will feature at least 18 food vendors, two local breweries, and at least one winery. Get all tickets and all the details here on their Facebook event page.

• Spring is in the air, and one of my favorite events is here - the 18th Annual Piedmont Farm Tour. Load up the car this weekend with your family and/or all your friends and spend the weekend touring our local farms. The tour is both Saturday and Sunday. Get all the details here.

• The annual Wake Tech Culinary Arts Showcase is next Tuesday, April 30th from 4-7 p.m. at the Raleigh Convention Center. Get all the details here. 

• My good friend Lisa Englert turned me onto an upcoming event some of you may be interested in - the kick-off of the 4th Annual Herbfest weekend on Friday, May 3 at 7 p.m. by welcoming food and garden writers, Debbie Moose and Carol Stein. They will lead a discussion about how to cook what you grow and grow what you like to eat.  Get all the details here.

• Cinco de Mayo is a trumped up American holiday, but if it means eating more food, we're all on board. But it also marks the 5th anniversary of Chubby's Tacos which is definitely worth celebrating. Stop by any of their 5 Triangle stores May 3-5 for fun, food and festivities. Get all the details here. 

• The Morrisville Chamber of Commerce recently announced a food and arts festival that will be held along Town Hall Drive on May 18th from 11 a.m. until 4 p.m. Called East Meets West, the event will feature Morrisville-area restaurants, music, performances and a variety of visual arts. Get it on your calendar and get all the details here.

• The 2013 version of Farm to Fork will take place on Sunday, June 9th. The annual picnic celebrates local food and local farms. Get all the details here. 

Final Thoughts

• Our friends over at The Food Bank of Central & Eastern North Carolina need your help to secure a $45,000 grant from Walmart to provide funding for five of their Kids Cafe locations. If you're so inclined, please give them a much-needed vote here. You can vote once a day from now until April 30th. Thanks!

Friday Fun Food Facts - April 19, 2013

Triangle Restaurant News

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

Featured Restaurant News

•  Just in time for my birthday this past Wednesday (yes, I'm still accepting belated birthday wishes), the much anticipated OC Bar & Grill in Raleigh swung open their doors. The OC is co-owned by Ryan Reid and Ryan Faircloth. Get all the details here on this very cool new concept over in the Cameron Village area.  

Wake County Restaurant News 

• According to New Raleigh, Quality Grocery in historic Oakwood (which recently received major renovations) has been sold and will reopen later this Spring with a concept that will feature a restaurant, grocery and front patio dining. Quality Grocery is located at the corner of Lane Street and Linden Avenue and is the oldest running grocery store in Wake County. We'll continue to keep an eye on it and unveil details as we get them. 

• The News and Observer reported this week that veteran restaurateur and Vietnamese chef Quan Tran has opened Pho Super 9 near Triangle Town Center mall in the old Hibachi Xpress space in Plantation Point Shopping Center. The six-page menu is extensive to say the least. Get a look inside the restaurant and more details on their Facebook page here.

• We got the official word this week from a very reliable source that the second Triangle location of Firewurst will be opening next week in Brier Creek across from Rocky Mountain Chocolate Factory in the former San Gennaro's location. Their original store is over in Cary in the Shoppes of Kildaire. Get all the details here.

• The News and Observer also reported this week that things got a little sweeter over in Morrisville with the opening of Batterz Up over on Chapel Hill Road in the old Morrisville Café building. Owner/baker Abby Broadway has given the space a complete makeover with a cheery coat of pink paint and display cases full of sweet temptations. She specializes in cupcakes, but will also offer morning pastries and coffees from Red Rooster Coffee Roaster in Wake Forest. Get all the details here.

• Got word from my buddy David  Sadeghi of My Farina Hospitality Group that Bolt Bistro in downtown Raleigh is now serving up a delicious Sunday morning brunch. Stop by after church between 11 and 2. David also tipped me off to the fact that his newest concept over near Streets at Southpoint (Westpoint at 751) will be called Town Hall Burger and Beer and they are shooting for a June opening. We'll provide more details as we get closer.

Durham, Orange & Chatham County Restaurant News 

• The Brightleaf Square District in Durham is getting closer to the anticipated opening of Rose's Meat Market and Sweet Shop. And you can help to see it come to fruition by supporting their Kickstarter campaign or by attending their Kickstarter party on April 28th. Get all the details here.

• WRAL announced this week that Steel String Craft Brewery will officially open its doors in Carrboro on May 10th and 11th with grand opening celebrations, but you can check them out starting next week. They are having a soft opening from the middle of next week through May 1. They will be operating with limited hours 5-10 p.m. Purchase tickets to the grand opening celebrations that will feature free food, live music and, of course, lots of beer. Get all the details here.

• But with that opening, comes news from Chapel Hill Magazine that Carrboro is losing one of their own to Durham. Miel Bon Bons, a bakery that sells specialty cakes and chocolates, will relocate to a space next to Nana's in June. But chef-owner Bonnie Lau says despite the move, she is working out arrangements with local coffee shops to carry her goods in Carrboro and surrounding areas. Get all the details here. 

• The Herald-Sun is reporting that an eatery called Sharky Eat & 8 has opened up in place of the Durham Pizza Restaurant at 4707 Hillsborough Road in Durham. Owned by Zack Chahine, the establishment serves pizza, Italian food, cheeseburgers, and Philly cheese steaks.

• Perhaps inspired by the fabulous outdoor dining space at downtown Chapel Hill's Mellow Mushroom, next door neighbor Cholanad is close to opening their new outdoor patio. We'll keep an eye on it for the official "opening" of their new space. Check them out here. 

Closings   

• Saw a note on a Yelp message board that Java Jive of Cary on Harrison Avenue is closing its doors on April 30th. Bummed to learn of this, but the one on Kildaire Farm Road will remain open.  

• Over in Chapel Hill, it appears as if another pizza joint has closed their doors. Locked doors, lights out and a disconnected phone lead us to believe that Tedesco's Italian Restaurant Pizzeria has closed their East Franklin Street location. Thanks to Jason Klaitman for that heads up.   

Food Trucks 

• The second food truck rodeo at Fairview Garden Center in Raleigh is just around the corner. It will be held on April 20 and followed by a third on May 11. Each event will feature 4-5 food trucks. Fairview is located at 8224 Holly Springs Road in Raleigh. Get all the details here.

• If you like food trucks and beer (stupid question, right?), mark your calendar for April 27 (3 - 9 p.m.) and plan on being in downtown Raleigh's city plaza for Brewgaloo - an event featuring 24 local craft beers, 12 food trucks (including Klausie's Pizza, Cafe' Prost, Baguettaboutit, Big Al's & Chirba Chirba, Lumpy's Ice Cream, Hibachi Xpress, Only Burger, American Meltdown, Sweet Stacey Cakes and more) and eight bands . Get all the details here.

• If you are a faithful follower of the area's food trucks, you'll definitely want to put May 5th on your calendar and head on over to St. Andrews Presbyterian Church on Falls of the Neuse Road at 5 p.m. The mini-food truck rally will feature American Meltdown, Captain Poncho's Tacos, Chick-N-Que, Klausie's Pizzza and Sweet Traaditions as well as live music for their Sing-o-de Mayo event. Get all the details on their Facebook page here.

• Can you say Downtown Raleigh Food Truck Rodeo? Can you say four dates? Can you envision food trucks lined up the length of 3 football fields down Fayetteville Street? Mark your calendars for May 12th, June 9th, August 11th and October 13th. On those dates, they'll start lining them up at the State Capital on Fayetteville Street (single file) and stretch out...forever! And, with electricity provided, no generators! Get all the details here.

• And if you need any more reasons to make the first Downtown Raleigh Food Truck Rodeo on May 12th, here are 5 more reasons - the event will be the debut for 5 new food trucks - Baton Rouge Cuisine, RedEye Barbeque, Barone Meatball Food Truck, D' Burritos, and Red Hot and Blue Food Truck. Get a full list of trucks here.

Events

• The Pit's 5th Annual 'Cuegrass Festival returns to the warehouse district of downtown Raleigh this Saturday, April 20 from noon to 6 p.m., with a jam-packed day full of great 'cue, local brews and toe-tappin' bluegrass music! Get all the details here. 

• If you know me, you know that two of my passions are food and soccer. Those two worlds collide this weekend with the Railhawk's newest pre-game festival called Latin Fest this Saturday (April 20th) at 5 p.m. The event will feature live music, beer and margarita sampling and of course great food. Tickets start at $10. Get all the details here.  

• The Wolfpack Club is having their Third Annual BBQ Bowl at Carter-Finley
  Stadium on Saturday, April 20. The Wolfpack Club will host a weekend of activities that will culminate with a North Carolina Pork Council sanctioned cook-off and celebrity judging prior to the NC State Kay Yow Spring Football Game. Register your team, pre-order plates and get all the details here. 

• Thanks to a tip in the Herald-Sun, we learned that Durham will have its first Louisiana seafood festival when the Bayou Festival Tour comes to town this Saturday, April 20. It will be held at from noon to 8 p.m. at the CCB Plaza downtown. The festival is slated to include seafood, beer and beer samples. And it will return again, to Raleigh, on October 5th. Get all the details here.

• The Raleigh Downtown Farmers Market will kick off its 4th season in downtown Raleigh's City Plaza on Wednesday, April 24 (10 a.m. - 2 p.m.) with a pig pickin' featuring authentic North Carolina barbecue from The Pit. Get all the details here. 

• Sunrise Wines will be hosting a Spanish-inspired outdoor wine dinner at The Matthews House in Cary on Thursday, April 25 at 6:30 p.m. The dinner will feature four courses with traditional Spanish foods, including paella and flan, paired with a variety of imported wines. There are currently 16 seats available for the dinner at $75 each. Reservations may be made by calling (919) 447-1944.

• Thanks to a tip from David McCreary, author of Lunchboy Says blog, I learned about a culinary event called Savor being put on by the Fuquay-Varina Chamber of Commerce on April 27th from 4 to 7 p.m. that will feature at least 18 food vendors, two local breweries, and at least one winery. Get all tickets and all the details here. 

• Or, if South America is more your style, Johanna Kramer tweeted about an Argentinian Dinner being held at Apex's Little Hen Restaurant also on April 25th. The dinner features guest chef Pablo Ranea and costs $125 per person. Get all the details here.

• Spring is in the air, which means it is getting closer to one of my favorite events of the year - the 18th Annual Piedmont Farm Tour. Get ready to load up the car with your family and/or all your friends and spend the weekend touring our local farms. Mark your calendar now for April 27th and 28th. Get all the details here.

• Hold the date for the annual Wake Tech Culinary Arts Showcase which will be held this year on April 30th from 4-7 p.m. at the Raleigh Convention Center. Get all the initial details here.

• My good friend Lisa Englert turned me onto an upcoming event some of you may be interested in - the kick-off of the 4th Annual Herbfest weekend on Friday, May 3 at 7 p.m. by welcoming food and garden writers, Debbie Moose and Carol Stein. They will lead a discussion about how to cook what you grow and grow what you like to eat.  Get all the details here.

• Cinco de Mayo is a trumped up American holiday, but if it means eating more food, we're all on board. But it also marks the 5th anniversary of Chubby's Tacos which is definitely worth celebrating. Stop by any of their 5 Triangle stores May 3-5 for fun, food and festivities. Get all the details here. 

• The Morrisville Chamber of Commerce recently announced a food and arts festival that will be held along Town Hall Drive on May 18th from 11 a.m. until 4 p.m. Called East Meets West, the event will feature Morrisville-area restaurants, music, performances and a variety of visual arts. Get it on your calendar and get all the details here.

• The 2013 version of Farm to Fork will take place on Sunday, June 9th. The annual picnic celebrates local food and local farms. Get all the details here. 

Final Thoughts

• Our friends over at The Food Bank of Central & Eastern North Carolina need your help to secure a $45,000 grant from Walmart to provide funding for five of their Kids Cafe locations. If you're so inclined, please give them a much-needed vote here. You can vote once a day from now until April 30th. Thanks!