Friday Fun Food Facts - October 1, 2010

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

• If you are in North Raleigh, today is the grand opening of the Triangle's newest location of Chubby Taco's. Doors open at 11 am at the 10511 Shadowlawn Drive location in the Falls River Town Center.
  
  
• Capital Creations Pizza in Raleigh has closed their Medlin Drive location. But if you're a huge fan, don't fret because you'll still be able to get your pies from the Wake Forest Road location (the last remaining of what was once four area stores). And if you love it a lot, you might even be able to buy-in to the franchise in the very near future!
  
  
• The Triangle is getting its second location of Orange Leaf Frozen Yogurt, the self-serve yogurt phenomenon. The second location will open in early 2011 in Cary's Crossroad Plaza, next to Jason's Deli. The other Triangle location is in Timberlyne Shopping Center in Chapel Hill.
  
  
• You no longer have to get out of your car to enjoy a treat from Snoopy's Hot Dogs. Well, at least if you go to their newest location in Garner (82 Glen Road). And not only does it have a drive-up window, but it has inside seating! Now that is moving on up! Snoopy's began in 1978 and now has five Triangle area locations.
  

• K&W Cafeterias will open their third Triangle location next Monday, October 4th in Tower Marketplace on Bastion Lane off of US 64. The other two locations in the Triangle are in Cameron Village and adjacent to Chapel Hill's University Mall.
  
  
• And we have a re-opening to announce! The Wine N Things at 7436 Creedmoor Road in Raleigh is open again! For more information, contact them at 919.847.4986. Plans for a grand re-opening celebration haven't been announced.
  
  
• Here is something I bet you didn't know. October is National Cookie Month. So get the month off to a great start by heading over to the Great American Cookie Company today for a FREE cookie from 10 - 2. There are two Triangle area locations at North Hills and Triangle Town Center.
  
  
• Speaking of sugar-goodies, Dunkin' Donuts has opened its latest Triangle area location at 13240 Stickland Avenue. To celebrate, you can get a 16-ounce iced coffee for just 99 cents between now and Sunday. Better hurry before it gets too cold outside to enjoy this offer!
  
  
• Bruegger's Bagels is renovating all 20 Triangle-area locations (part of a national roll-out) that just so happens to mark the bagel chain's 25th anniversary here in the Triangle. As part of that celebration, Bruegger's will be offering free coffee on October 13th until 2 p.m. as well as offering triangle-shaped bagels!
  
  
• This was kind of neat to see. In the October issue of Cooking Light, our very own hometown food critic from the N&O, Greg Cox, had a very neat article featured - The Best Restaurants in Raleigh, Durham & Chapel Hill. Read the article here, it is worth the read with lots of good information. Congratulations Greg!
  
  
• If you are heading to the Carolina vs. ECU or NC State vs. Virginia Tech football games this weekend, you just might get a coupon for a free sausage biscuit at Hardee's. Pay attention at half-time as a fan (could be you) will have to hit a 30-yard field goal before the coupons will be distributed by the ushers as you leave. Now that's a lot of pressure on one person!
  

• Things are heating up this weekend in Chatham County for the 3rd Annual Pittsboro Pepper Festival. Activities will be held on Sunday from 4-7 p.m. at The Plant in Pittsboro. This is your chance to try more than 40 different peppers as well as pepper-inspired dishes prepared by chefs from 12 Triangle-area restaurants. Triangle Brewery also will be serving up a habanero beer. For more information, directions and to purchase tickets, visit here.
  
  
• If you are a fan of lobsters from Maine listen up. This Saturday you'll be able to get your hands (and mouth) on lobsters that are literally swimming in the ocean as we speak. Here's how it works. This Saturday morning a truckload of large Maine lobsters will arrive at the St. Paul's Lobster Fest. They are offered both live and cooked, plus full meals including their special "Quarta Pounda Lobsta Roll!" Get more details at their website. Cary's Lobster Fest takes place at St. Paul's Episcopal Church on Union Street in Cary. Visit their site.
  
  
• Like you need a good reason to hit the beach one more time this season. But if you do, this is the reason - the 24th Annual North Carolina Seafood Festival is being held in Morehead City today, Saturday and Sunday. Get more details here.
  
  
• It is October, which means the Bull City Vegan Challenge has begun. Ten restaurants in Durham will compete in the month-long competition where the public will vote online to determine who has the best vegan dish. Participating restaurants are: Alivia's, Beyu Caffe, Dos Perros, The Federal, Nosh, Parker & Otis, Piedmont, Rue Cler, Toast and Vin Rouge.
  
  
• And if it is October, it also means the North Carolina State Fair is just around the corner! So, coat your stomach with Pepto-Bismol and head on over to see what is being deep fried this year! And to help out a great cause at the same time, make plans to attend on Thursday, October 21 for the annual Food Lion Hunger Relief Day. Just bring four cans of Food Lion brand food to the Fair and your admission is covered and you've helped the Food Bank of Eastern North Carolina.
  
  
• With the change of seasons also comes the return of a made-from-scratch treat from Bojangles: the smoked sausage biscuit for only 99 cents. Get 'em now!
  

• If you're even thinking about attending the World Beer Festival in Durham on Oct. 9, you better get your tickets ASAP. Spots are filling up for the afternoon session-12 to 4 p.m.-as well as the evening session-6 p.m. until 10 p.m. For more information, click here.
  
  Beer and wine dinners seem to be the "hottest" things at restaurants these days. Works for me! Here are some you might want to check out.
  
  
• Carrboro's Glasshalffull will offer a four-course meal this Sunday. The dinner will feature seafood from Core Sound Seafood and is $85 with wine, $65 without wine. For a reservation, call 967-9784.
  
  
• Downtown Raleigh's Gravy will host an Italian Food Tour wine dinner this Monday (October 4) where Chef Tony will prepare a five-course dinner from the Basilicata region in Italy. The cost of the dinner is $30 per person, $45 paired with wine. More information here.
  
  
• Next Wednesday, October 6, Durham's Four Square Restaurant is offering a five-course dinner featuring the wines of the Stolpman Estate. The dinner costs $85. Call 401-9877 for a reservation. Four Square is located on Chapel Hill Road in Durham.
  

• We told you about this one last week - Zely & Ritz will hold a beer dinner on Wednesday, October 13 featuring brews from Durham's very own Fullsteam Brewery and desserts from Raleigh's Crumb. For reservations, call Zely & Ritz at (919) 828-0018. Zely & Ritz is located Glenwood Avenue in the Glenwood South District.
  
  
• And in Chapel Hill, the infamous Spanky's on Franklin Street has teamed up with Durham's Fullsteam Brewery and will be holding a beer dinner on Sunday, October 26th with five courses, each paired with one of Fullsteam's beers. The cost is $40 per person. Call 919.967.2678 or e-mail spankys@spankysrestaurant.com to attend.
  
  
• Mark your calendars for Saturday, October 16th from 1-5 pm as Chapel Hill hosts the TerraVita Food & Wine event on The Green in Southern Village. The event features organically-grown wines, microbrews and edibles prepared by some of the area's top chefs. Get more information here.
  
  
• The World Cask Ale Festival will be held Saturday, October 23rd right here in our own backyard in Durham. It will be held in the Trotter Building on Geer Street in Durham and will feature cask ales from around the state and from breweries around the country as well as some great food options from vendors around Durham. Get more information and tickets here.
  
  
• Listen up T.G.I. Friday's fans. Here is a coupon for $5 off your purchase of $15 or more good through Thursday, October 9, 2010.
  
  
• Ruby Tuesday is offering up their popular BOGO coupon (buy one, get one). Max of $10. Get it here.
  

• This is the last weekend to hit-up CiCi's Pizza for their popular $3.99 all-you-can-eat buffet deal. More information here.