Friday Fun Food Facts - April 8, 2011

Triangle Restaurant News

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

Openings

• Hillsborough appears to be the hot spot this week with two big announcements. The first is that the Hillsborough BBQ Company opened this week in downtown. It is located at 236 Nash Street. Visit their website here.   

• Also in Hillsborough, the space that used to be Tupelo's restaurant is now open as Antonia's Restaurant, serving up authentic Italian cuisine. Antonia's will use fresh, local ingredients in its menu and is located at 101 N. Churton St. in downtown. Open for dinner, visit their site here.

• Downtown Raleigh is getting ready to get another coffee option. David Fowle (who owned and operated Café Udine until 2002) is about to open The Wilmoore Café at 223 S. Wilmington St., next to Busy Bee. In addition to the coffee, the café will boast a full kitchen featuring Chef Jackson Harris (18 Seaboard & Herons). They will have a soft opening on April 12th, with an opening party set one week later on April 19th and wide-open the following day.

• Over in Durham, we just got word that the much-anticipated Geer Street Garden restaurant will open on Thursday, April 21st. It is located at 644 Foster Street in the old gas station on the corner of Foster and Geer streets in Durham. The restaurant and bar will serve simple American food made with as many locally sourced ingredients as possible. Visit their page on Facebook here.

• Also in Durham, on Fayetteville Road we saw an "Opening Soon" sign on Dulce Café in the popular Sutton Square. In addition to the café, it appears as if it will feature pastries and gelato. No word yet on an open date, but we'll keep an eye on it.

• If you are a big fan of Aladdin's Eatery on Falls of the Neuse Road in Raleigh, you'll be glad to know they opened a second location in Brier Creek, nestled between Bruegger's and Caribou Coffee. Thanks to Sue Stock at the N&O for this news.

• Golden Corral will open its new "pavilion" style restaurant at 3424 Capital Blvd. next Thursday. The store is larger and features a buffet divided by types of food. As a result of this opening, the New Bern Avenue store has already closed and the Millbrook Road location will close next Tuesday.

• Thanks to John, aka Triangle Explorer (check him out here on Facebook), there was an "Opening Soon" sign spotted for NY Pizza in the shopping center directly across from Northridge Country Club on Fall of the Neuse Road in Raleigh. We'll keep an eye on it (or ask John to) for an open date. 

Closings

•  According to the N&O's Sue Stock, Crepes Veronique, located in the Courtyard on West Franklin Street in Chapel Hill, closed last week. However, don't be surprised to see them "pop up" somewhere else.

• Stock also reported this morning that Courtney's Bistro on Falls of Neuse Road closed. But don't fret, the one at 407 E. Six Forks Road is still open.

• We are sad to report that Treehouse Café, which was located in the middle of RTP near the intersection of Highways 54 and 55, has closed its doors. 

Food Truck News

• I guess one could argue that "ice cream trucks" were the first "food trucks" before food trucks were cool. But look for a new "ice cream truck" (it is really a converted mini-school bus turned into a mobile ice cream parlour) coming to the Triangle this May called The Parlour. Follow them on Twitter @parlourdurham or visit their Facebook page.  

• We mentioned them last week, but the newest food truck in the Triangle, Pie Pushers, a gourmet pizza truck, will have their debut dinner on Monday, April 18th at 6 pm at Watts Grocery in Durham. More information on their dinner here.  

• There will be a Food Truck Rodeo this Saturday (April 9) from 4 - 7 pm in the lot at Al's Garage in Carrboro. Food Trucks will include Captain Poncho's Tacos , Blue Sky Dining , Klausie's Pizza, and Indian Food on Wheels. The event will also feature Capoeira Performers demonstrating their Brazilian martial arts & Carga Mundial De Awesome performing.

• There will be a food truck gathering in conjunction with Durham's Full Frame Documentary Film Festival at Durham Central Park on Saturday, April 16th. The food trucks will begin serving food at 6:30 p.m. under the park pavilion. Food trucks in attendance include: Farmhand Foods Sausage Wagon, Daisy Cakes, Joey D' NY Dogs, Only Burger, Parlez-Vous Crepe, Klausie's Pizza, Slippin' Sliders, and The Grilled Cheese Bus.

• Rebus Works, a small art gallery in Raleigh's Boylan Heights neighborhood is hosting a Food Truck Rodeo from 5:30 to 9 pm on Thursday, April 14. The trucks include OnlyBurger, Bulkogi Korean BBQ, Klausie's Pizza, The Grilled Cheese Bus, Blue Sky Dining and Kona Ice. In addition, beer from Aviator Brewing Company will be available. It's free (the event, not the food) and open to the public. For more information, go here.  

• Rebus Works will also begin hosting The Saturday Market which will bring together farmers, crafters, food trucks, brewers and more every Saturday from 9am-2pm beginning April 23rd through November 19th. The website is coming soon, so in the meantime, you can visit their Facebook page.  

• If you are a food truck junkie (like me), my buddy John (aka Triangle Explorer) has put together a great list of upcoming food truck "events." Check it out here.  

• If you're on Twitter and like to follow all the food trucks in the Triangle, the N&O's Andrea Weigl has created a super handy Food Truck List on Twitter. Find it here.  

• And for a list of al the food trucks, head over to Ben Smith's blog, The Food Life, where he has compiled a comprehensive list of all the area's food trucks. Find it here. 

Events

• If there is one food event you attend a year, make it this one. And get your tickets EARLY! Trust me, do not wait to get tickets, it will sell out. The annual Farm to Fork Picnic is from 4-7 pm on Sunday, June 26th. The event pairs local chefs with local farmers as they prepare food for the picnic under food tents that circle the picnic area. Bring blankets and chairs and prepare to feast! Tickets cost $60. More info here. 

• Wake Tech's annual Culinary Arts Showcase is next Tuesday, April 12th from 4 -7 pm at the Raleigh Convention Center. At this much-anticipated Triangle event you'll be able to watch chefs compete, view culinary artistry, and taste local specialties. Featured restaurants include Angus Barn, 42nd Street Oyster Bar, The Pit and Second Empire, just to name a few. Tickets are $10. Get tickets and more info here. 

• While most farmers' markets in the area opened this past Saturday, the Chatham Mills Farmers Market will host their first day of the season this Saturday at Pittsboro's historic mill (480 Hillsboro Street in Pittsboro). The market will run from 8am to noon.

• Larry's Beans has announced their next public tour for May. It will be on Saturday, May 7th. This is your chance to get a "behind the scenes look" at how it all happens. Hurry, because it is limited to the first 150 people! Of course there is lots of coffee to consume, and goodies from Neomonde. Visit their Facebook page now - or visit their website here. Did I mention it is free?

• The third annual SEEDS Pie Social is Sunday April 10, from 2-6 pm. For $10 (or more) you get to try four slices of pie from some of the best restaurants/chefs in Durham. Lots of pie, hanging out in an awesome garden and helping a cool organization in Durham - it's a win all the way around. Participating restaurants include Toast, Watts Grocery, Scratch Bakery, Foster's, Durham Catering, The Farmer's Daughter, Daisy Cakes and more. More information here.  

• There are lots of reasons to go to the Southern Women's Show in Raleigh this weekend, but here is one more reason in case you need it - bring in a jar or two of your favorite peanut butter to the show and pick up a special Gift from The Virginia Carolinas Peanut Promotions located in Expo Hall. The Food Bank of Central & Eastern North Carolina will be collecting donations inside both entrances all three days of the show.

• Fullsteam Brewery has concocted another fun event - TMWNCSP. Get it? It stands for - Things Made With North Carolina Sweet Potatoes. Kind of rolls off the tongue, doesn't it? (I get the idea these guys just sit around trying to come up with creative reasons to drink beer!) The "event" will be this Sunday, April 10th from 2-4. Get more details on their Facebook page.  

• You won't want to miss the 'Cuegrass Festival on Saturday, April 16h at The Pit in the warehouse district in downtown Raleigh. The event runs from 11 am until 4 pm and will feature a day full of great 'cue, local brews and toe-tappin' bluegrass music. And the $5 charge goes to the North Carolina Farmers. More information here.

• Here' s a great dinner you won't want to miss. On Thursday April 21st at 6 pm, Herons Restaurant (Umstead Hotel and Spa in Cary) will be offering a winemaker dinner featuring Tommy and Amie Baudoin of Morgan Ridge Vineyards in Gold Hill, N.C. The four-course meal will cost $85. Call 447-4200 for reservations.

• And finally, the Eno River Farmers' Market will have their Harvest Dinner on Saturday, April 30! If you've never been, this is a real treat as the meal is sourced from the local farms, prepared by the vendors, and presented elegantly in the market house along with live music. Tickets go on sale at the market house on April 2nd and are $60. More information on their website. 

Freebies

• Ben & Jerry's will have their annual Free Cone Day on Tuesday, April 12th! They will open the doors of their Scoop Shops from noon-8pm. Get in line as many times as you like! Use their store locator to find the location closest to you!

• Subway will have their annual customer appreciation day on Saturday, April 16th where they will have a "buy one get one" free special on their subs. More information here.  

Tip of the Hat! 

• Our "Tip of the Hat" this week goes to Chef Jason Smith of 18 Seaboard was awarded the Iron Carrot at Lunch In, an Iron Chef-style competition held at Underwood Elementary School. He received the award for his winning healthy lunch creation barely beating out Chef Todd Whitney of J. Betski's.