Friday, June 25, 2010

Triangle Restaurant News - June 25, 2010

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

  • We begin this week with a request for you to complete a quick survey about "At Home Casual Catering." We are expanding into the casual home catering area (i.e. think graduation parties, birthday parties, religious ceremonies, neighborhood gatherings, summer cook-outs, etc.). If you'll take a couple of minutes to help us gain a better understanding of this market, we'll reward you with 150 points in our SNAP rewards program! Take our survey here. Thanks in advance. P.S. If you don't participate in our Rewards Program (earn points toward gift cards just for using Snapfinger Catering), drop me an e-mail and we'll get you set-up!
  • These are becoming the biggest foodie hot spots in the Triangle - another food truck round-up from 4-7 p.m. Sunday, June 27 at the Durham Farmers' Market pavilion on Foster St, in downtown Durham. There will be shade, music and the Outsider Art Gallery will be showing off local folk art. It is looking like it will feature: Only Burger, Daisy Cakes, Bulkogi Korean BBQ To Go, Taqueria Lopez taco truck, Indian Food on Wheels, Parlez-Vous Crepe, Mom's Delicious Dishes, Kona Chameleon, plus LocoPops might be there with their pops cart and Joe's Diner in East Durham is rumored to be bringing their hot dog cart.
If you like beer and donuts, you'll love the next few postings...
  • Every Sunday from now through September, at all Triangle locations of Krispy Kreme, you can get soft serve sundaes for free when you buy one (BOGO). No coupons required.
  • But that's not the biggest Krispy Kreme news going. Maybe I'm the last to know, but Krispy Kreme will open up another Triangle location at 157 E. Franklin Street in Chapel Hill in late August.
  • And if that is not enough, plans were just announced for a Wake Forest location of Krispy Kreme. Enough already - this is bathing suit weather!
OK, let's switch to beer...
  • Looking for a reason to go to the beach? Who isn't? What if I told you cold beer was involved? This Saturday, New Bern (or Brewbern) is hosting a beer fest. The event will be at the New Bern Convention Center. There will be two rounds of beer tastings from 12-4 p.m. and 6-10 p.m. About 45 microbrewers will be pouring. Tickets cost $35 in advance and $40 the day of the event. To purchase tickets click here.
  • Carolina Brewing Company will host their 15th Anniversary Beer Dinner on Thursday July 1st at 6:30pm at 42nd Street Oyster Bar and will feature 5 beers paired with 5 courses carefully selected by Executive Chef David Greenwell. Tickets are $59 all inclusive and must be purchased in advance by Wednesday June 30th. You may purchase your seats online or by calling 919-831-2811.
OK, let's get to some other "food" news (yes, believe it or not, some would argue that donuts and beer are not "food")...
  • We shared this with you months ago, but the Capital Club 16 (touted as a traditional American bar and restaurant) has opened in the old Champa Thai space at the corner of Salisbury and Martin Streets in the Capital Club Building in downtown Raleigh. Their soft opening was last night.
  • We are excited to share with you that a Raleigh institution that closed back in April, has re-opened under new ownership. The Rockford on Glenwood South has re-opened - same hours, same menu (almost) and a new outdoor patio with covered seating.
  • In August, Italian Pizzeria III - affectionately called IP3 by regulars - will observe its 30-year anniversary. A favorite of Chapel Hill locals, this is also a great place to catch some of the World Cup - even if Italy is no longer playing. Go USA!
  • I'll be the first to get in line for a biscuit at Chapel Hill's Sunrise Biscuit Kitchen, but I was a little surprised this week to see the Food Network Magazine name SBK as the best breakfast in North Carolina. Really? The chicken biscuit is good, but the best breakfast in North Carolina? Really?
  • Don't forget, starting next Thursday, all Starbucks will begin offering FREE Wi-Fi Internet access in all their stores. A little coffee and a little surfing anyone?
  • North Hills is getting a bowling alley! Which also means bowling alley food! Come on, you know you love it. Plans are underway now for Sparians Midtown Bowling Boutique (boutique?)in a space on the first floor of the Park & Market apartment building in the North Hills complex.
  • Do you need or know of someone that requires a gluten free meal? Well, The Melting Pot is listening and has released a completely gluten free menu. Check it out here.

What's New Over at Snapfinger Catering
Looking for a little more variety from Moe's Southwest Grill? Thinking that maybe you'Moe's Southwest  Grilld like a tray full of mini-burritos for your crowd? Or maybe you'd like the convenience of a boxed meal from Moe's - like a Box O' Burritos? Well, we've got great news for you! Moe's has expanded their menu to offer both of those options and more. Check out Moe's new menu here. And don't forget our little money-saving tip from Moe's. When you order the Fajita Bar, they bring enough "product" for 3 fajitas per person. If you figure the average person eats 2 fajitas, you only have to order for 14 people (42 fajitas) to feed 20 people! But keep this our little secret - don't tell the folks at Moe's I told you this!! Order now from Moe's.

BakeHouse Bistro & Jumpin' Jonny's are joining forces and combining under one name / one concept. BakeHouse Bistro and Jumpin' Jonny's will now be known only as Jumpin' Jonny's Catering! With this change, owner Jonathan Munsell announces that his catering and restaurant concepts are being consoArtisan Sandwiches  & Saladslidated into one single concept. But don't worry, nothing will go away and he assures me that they recognize today's need for timely and convenient service and will continue to deliver nothing but the highest quality food. On Snapfinger Catering, we will keep both concepts up (so as not to confuse you), but will eventually migrate to the single concept. Visit BakeHouse Bistro or Jumpin' Jonny's menus today.

We added them to the site a few months back, and one of our customers told us, "They Artisan Sandwiches  & Saladsare hands down the best sandwiches and salads around. They truly are the best kept secret in town." We'll Artisan Sandwiches and Salads has ramped up their offerings and has added some great new options including: Curry Chicken Sandwich, a Meatball Sub and Greek Wraps (with and without chicken). If you haven't tried Artisan yet, give them a try for your next meeting.
Check out their menu here.

Hungry yet? Have you placed your order for next week's meetings? What are you waiting on? Click here to be directed to one of Snapfinger Catering's 45+ restaurants and caterers!

Friday, June 11, 2010

Friday Fun Food Facts - June 11, 2010

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

  • Last week we reported the closing of Ruby Tuesday at Crabtree Valley Mall. This week we can tell you (before anyone else) that the new tenant will be Cantina Laredo. This will be the first location in North Carolina for the chain which has roughly 125 locations in 18 states. If you're not familiar with this concept, it is to Mexican what P.F. Chang's is to Chinese. No "open" date yet - in fact, it is not even showing up on the "Coming Soon" tab on their website. Let's just say, you heard it here first.
  • Listen up Cary-ites, Chef's Palette Restaurant and Bar is now open at the Stonebridge Village Shopping Center at the intersection of Kildaire Farm Road and Ten Ten Road. Check it out here.
  • If you were a big fan of Two Guys pizza on Hillsborough Street when it was owned by Chris Candes (he sold it in 2007), we've got good news. Chris has come out of retirement to open a new Italian restaurant called Ciago's at 522 St. Mary's Street in Raleigh (formerly BBQ Ribs & Co. and about a dozen other things...). The new concept, which opens June 28th, will feature some of your favorites from Two Guys.
  • In Apex, restaurateurs Niko and Victoria Angelis, owners of Ocean Stars restaurant, are retiring after 37 years. The last day will be THIS Saturday. But the space won't sit empty for long. Fugi Asian Bistro will open in its spot in a few months, offering sushi, hibachi and a buffet.
  • Yo quiero Taco Bell! Taco Bell is apparently giving away its new product, limeade drinks, through July 11, or until ½ million online coupons are redeemed (whichever comes first). So you better hurry! Click here!
  • In Cary, the Herons restaurant at the Umstead Hotel will be closed from July 5 through Sept. 10 for renovations. Didn't they just open?
  • Listen up wine lovers. Tuesdays and Thursdays are your days at Savoy in North Raleigh. Savoy sells its wines by the bottle for half price (on ALL wines!). Let's just say Savoy has an award-winning list. Oh, and did I mention the food is amazing!?!
  • If you live in Garner, you no longer have to wait for the wind to shift to get a waft of burgers being grilled up at Char-Grill. The crazy-popular burger joint has opened another Triangle location at 1155 S.W. Timber Drive East.
  • The Cary location of Courtney's ain't just for breakfast anymore. Owner Jeff Seidenstein has transformed the Cary location into Courtney's Bistro (1885 Lake Pine Drive) and is now open all day.
  • Coffee lovers can now enjoy a great (and I mean great) bite to eat at Café Helios (located on Glenwood South). They've brought on chef Rob Bland - a very talented chef who is anything but bland. He's already added a seasonally changing menu of sandwiches and small plates that are to die for. Great coffee and great food - sounds like Glenwood South just keeps getting better and better!
  • If you haven't been to the renovated and recently re-opened N.C. Museum of Art (you should, it is truly amazing) let me give you yet another reason besides the "new space" and the Rodin exhibit. It is also the new home of Iris, the museum's restaurant which is very hip, and very, very good. And the best news, chef Andy Hicks and his wife, pastry chef Jennifer Hicks, are still whipping up their amazing fare!
  • Looks like the Triangle has landed on the expansion map for yet another national chain's expansion plans. Margaritas Mexican Restaurant will open a dozen locations across North Carolina, with four of those being in the Triangle. It is too early to offer up any guesses as to where, but we'll keep an eye out.
  • Alright RTPers, tear yourself away from those computers and get out to try three new eateries in "the park." Cilantro Mediterranean Grill (5400 S. Miami Blvd.) where the specialty is Persian style kebabs. Just three miles down the road is Screaming Coyote Café (2945 S. Miami Blvd.), a counter service weekday lunch spot featuring Southwestern fare called "California style Mexican." And just two doors down in the same shopping center, Worth It Café serves up scratch-made soups, salads and an eclectic assortment of sandwiches in a café described as "the first farm to table restaurant in RTP."
  • Shirt and flip-flops required! Huh? Come on, don't act like you don't know that next Friday (June 18th) is National Flip-Flop Day. To celebrate, Tropical Smoothie Cafe stores in Raleigh (1028 Oberlin Road and 8111 Creedmoor Road) will each give away free 24-ounce Jetty Punch smoothies (strawberry and banana smoothie) to the first 500 customers who visit the store wearing flip flops. So wiggle your toes on over - there is no doubt it will be hot!
  • Wendy's is launching a new line of premium salads. The latest upscale salads are Apple Pecan Chicken, Baja, BLT Cobb, and Spicy Chicken Caesar
  • If you're looking for another reason to eat at Chipotle, the burrito restaurant recently announced that all of the beef it uses is now naturally raised - making it the largest restaurant seller of naturally raised meats. Mooooo!!
  • Looking for a deal at Quizno's? Here is a coupon for a sub, fountain drink and chips for $2.99. Hurry, it expires June 18.