Friday Fun Food Facts - February 25, 2011

Triangle Restaurant News

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

• Downtown Raleigh continues to get great news from some of its best chefs. In an article by the N&O's Andrea Weigl, it was revealed that Ashely Christensen of Poole's Diner will open three new restaurants on Wilmington Street this spring. Each concept will focus on a specialty: hamburgers, fried chicken and honey and a basement cocktail bar. Read the entire article here.
  
  Spring is in the air, which means there are a number of new ventures on the verge of opening. Here's a quick peek at a few:

• One of downtown Raleigh's newest additions is one step closer to opening. A tweet this week revealed that PieBird, which will make and sell all natural pies, just got their permits. It is/will be located at 618 N. Person Street just down from Krispy Kreme. Visit their site here.

• Apparently we are getting pretty close to an opening of The Raleigh Wine Shop, which will be located at 126 Glenwood Avenue. To keep up, you can visit their website and/or follow them on Twitter and Facebook.

• And in Durham, we're getting very close to the opening of Bull City Burger and Brewery. To hype the anticipation, Bull City is hiding "golden" bulls in and around Durham. Apparently there are two that still haven't been found. The "finders" win a free meal each week for a year! Visit their site to get daily clues on where to find the last two bulls.

• Spring also means the "hibernating" season is over. Specifically, that means that all of the area's Rita's Italian Ice stores will resume normal hours as of noon today. Find a location near you.

• And thanks to a tip from John over at Triangle Explorer (@TriangleExplorer on Twitter) a new Papa Murphy's pizza joint has opened in Wake Forest off of US 1 next to Krispy Kreme.

• The Ragazzi's in Wake Forest off of US 401 has closed. With that closing, that leaves the chain with locations locally in Raleigh, Garner, Cary and Southern Pines.

• A high-school buddy of mine informed me this week that the Texas Steakhouse & Saloon restaurant up in Wake Forest closed. That leaves just one in the Triangle, out in Morrisville (two, if you count the one in Smithfield).

• If you are a fan of Andrea Reusing (and who isn't?), chef at Chapel Hill's Lantern restaurant, get ready to enjoy some of her recipes. She has a cookbook being released in April entitled Cooking in the Moment; A Year of Seasonal Recipes. Reusing's restaurant often lands in the top five restaurants in the Triangle, and she was recently nominated for Best Chef in the South East 2011 James Beard Award.

• Downtown Raleigh's The Flying Saucer is turning 11 years old and will be holding an anniversary party - 11 Beers for 11 Years this Saturday from noon 'til 11 pm. The restaurant is located at 328 W. Morgan St.
  
  Here are a couple of "foodie" events you can participate in this weekend.

• If you are looking for a good deal on "entertainment equipment" you are in luck. Sister's Catering in Raleigh is having a "yard sale" starting today through the weekend to clear out the company's excess supply of things like: themed props, tables, chairs, glassware, china, chafing dishes, furniture, linens and electronics. Sisters' is located at 2400 E. Millbrook Road. More information here.

• Want free chicken and help a good cause? The North Carolina School of Science and Math is trying to break the world record for the largest food drive, and you can help. Bring at least three cans of food to the Chick-fil-A restaurant at 11730 Retail Drive in Wake Forest and you'll get a free Chick-fil-A chicken biscuit or spicy chicken biscuit between 6 and 10:30 am, or a free Chick-fil-A chicken sandwich or spicy chicken sandwich between 10:30 am and 10 pm. But hurry, this is only good this Friday and Saturday. Click here to view the event info.

• Speaking of Chick-fil-A, they are introducing a new milkshake flavor starting next Monday - Banana Pudding! And from what I've been told, it is like drinking your grandma's recipe thru a straw. I know where I'll be on Monday!

• And if that is not enough news from Chick-fil-A, go ahead and mark your calendar for Friday, March 4th as it will be "Free Fry Day" (get it?) at all Chick-fil-A locations. Here is more information on how you can get your free fries.

• Durham's Alivia's bistro will have a Triangle Beer Dinner next Monday. Space is limited to 60 people and the cost is $45 per person. Call 919-491-7381 to reserve your spot. Alivia's is located on the corner of Gregson and West Main.

• Acme in Carrboro will hold a wine dinner with Nick Stacy of Vinaceous Wines on Sunday, March 6th at 6:30 pm. The meal will include four courses and six wines and will set you back $58. Reservations required by calling 919-929-2263.

• T.G.I. Friday's is at it again with coupons. Now you can get a $5 coupon for your purchase of $15 or more. Get it here.

• Jake's Wayback Burgers is living up to its name by "rolling back" prices on its signature Jake Burger to $2.49 for its 20th anniversary celebration. This promotion runs through Sunday. The Triangle's only location is in Durham at 4104 Surles Court, next to the new Walmart and Sam's Club just inside 540. More information here.

• And a tip of the hat to Michael Hardwood, a barista at Chapel Hill's Café Driade and Open Eye Café in Carrboro. Hardwood recently won the 2011 Southeast Regional Barista Championship in Atlanta. Harwood will head to the U.S. Barista Competition in Houston at the end of April with hopes of making it to the World Barista Competition in Columbia in June. Good Luck Michael!