Friday Fun Food Facts - February 24, 2012

Triangle Restaurant News

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

• We begin with big congratulations to five stars of the Triangle's food and beverage scene who were honored this week as semifinalists for 2012 James Beard Awards. They are: Magnolia Grill for Outstanding Restaurant; Sean Lily Wilson, owner of Fullsteam Brewery for Outstanding Wine & Spirits Professional; and Scott Howell, owner of Nana's in Durham, Ashley Christensen of Poole's Diner in Raleigh, and Aaron Vandemark of Panciuto in Hillsborough all for Best Chef/Southeast. Many congrats to all the local semi-finalists. Finalists will be announced March 19.

• So we've got more details this week on Tom Meyer's newest venture over in Durham at the Museum of Life & Science. We now know that it will be called Sprout Café and will feature an extremely popular South American "fresh garden sandwich" known as a Chacarero. The café will also offer barbecue, a variety of fresh deli sandwiches, hamburgers and hot dogs and vegetarian and gluten free offerings. There are also discussions to operate a "working garden" adjacent to the café that literally "exhibits" food that will be served in the cafe. Look for a mid-March opening of Sprout Café.  

• Over in Raleigh, the New Raleigh blog is reporting this week that Market Restaurant and Escazu Chocolates will be moving to E. Franklin Street (corner of Person Street), adjacent to the future home of Raleigh City Farm. In addition, Market will be adding on a 4,000-square-foot grocery store into the building. The posting also suggests that Yellow Dog Bread Company, a coffee shop, and a few more businesses will be moving to the block as well. Certainly great news for downtown Raleigh, and the Mordecai area in particular. Read the full article here. 

• And just on the heels of the recent opening of Respite Coffee & Café over in Durham, we got word this week from Carpe Durham that Durham is going to soon get another coffee shop brought to you by the folks behind Bike Coffee Durham and Cocoa Cinnamon. They will very shortly announce a location and start a kickstarter campaign to help. We'll keep an eye on it.   

• Also over in Durham, and while we are on the subject of tasty beverages, Carpe Durham posted this week that Ninth Street is getting a new juice bar and café called Full Lotus. It will be a full service juice and smoothie bar that also offers organic, local, raw, and vegan foods on and off site. Get more details here.    

• There have been a number of great additions to the Triangle that have opened their doors in recent months that would be worth adding to your list of new places to try. The first is Cholanad Restaurant & Bar which opened in November in the former Cyprus on the Hill location on West Franklin Street in Chapel Hill. It is a contemporary, Southern Indian concept. Check them out here. 

• Staying in Chapel Hill, another great addition is Tracy's New York Deli on Elliott Road. Tracy, and husband Scott, have met great success in their first few months of being open. If you are looking for an authentic New York-style deli, this is well worth a visit, or two, or three...Check them out here.

• And finally over in Raleigh, take your taste buds to South America and the fantastic wines and cuisine of Argentina at VinosFinos y Picada located in the Lafayette Village Shopping Center. Check them out here.     

• Speaking of traveling, if your travels take you out through RDU, the N&O reported this morning that there are a few more options for your palette. Starbucks and Red Star Lounge have opened in Raleigh-Durham International Airport's Terminal A. The two are next to each other near Gate A24. Red Star Lounge offers lunch and dinner fare, as well as domestic and international beers, wine and spirits.   

• If you haven't been to Joel Lane's Public House located in the Glenwood South district of Raleigh, now might be the time. We learned this week that they have a new chef - Carlos Burgos. The menu is the same, but he is doing a lot to revamp specials and the usual menu items. Get more details here.    

• After only a few months open, the Rex's Chicken in Wakefield Crossing has closed. But with that bad news comes news of a new establishment right next door. Sergio's Pizza has opened next door in the former Hot Dogs & More location. According to my buddy John, aka Triangle Explorer, it looks like your traditional pizzeria with orders placed at a counter and open booth seating.    

• Listen up food truck junkies, the first weekend in March, Chirba Chirba and Pie Pushers will join the folks at Coon Rock Farm, near Hillsborough, to serve up a locally-sourced lunch of dumplings and pizza using meat, produce and eggs from the farm. On Saturday, March 3 the trucks will be in Durham in front of Motorco and on Sunday, March 4 they will park at Cliff's Meat Market in Carrboro. Get more details here.   

• And speaking of food trucks, there is a new kid "almost" on the block. American Meltdown will become the latest food truck on the Triangle scene with an official "rolling" date of March 11 (but with a few special appearances before that). The truck will be serving gourmet melts & grilled cheese sandwiches from the truck they affectionately call 'The Big Cheese.' Get more details on their website here or their Facebook page here.      

• While the extremely popular Italian Wine Lunch happening today at Zely & Ritz is sold out, don't fear as there will be another one on Friday, March 16th (details to come). The cost is just $15. And if you can't wait that long, they've got a Big Boss Beer Dinner on Thursday, March 1st for just $49. Check out the details here.    

• The World Beer Festival returns to downtown Raleigh's Moore Square on April 14th. Tickets for the festival go on sale next Mondy, Feb. 27 for All About Beer subscribers and to the general public on March 5. Get your tickets here. The festival has two four-hour sessions (noon- 4 pm and 6-10 pm) Admission to a single session is $40 in advance and $50 on the day of the event, if available. VIP tickets are $75 per session and include a World Beer Festival commemorative glass, an upscale food buffet (hot catered meal), a private hospitality area, a separate entrance, private restrooms, a gift bag, and extra special beers not available at the brewers' tables.

• Looks like that won't be Raleigh's only "beer" event in April. This one is called Brewgaloo and will feature local craft beer, local food trucks and live music. The event takes place on April 28th in downtown Raleigh's City Plaza. No cover charge, but at the event you can either purchase a 3 oz. tasting for 1 beer buck, or a pint for 5 beer bucks. And right now through March 20th you can purchase $25 in beer bucks for just $20. Check out their Facebook page for details! Or the Shop Local Raleigh website here.   

• Here's a big-time "foodie" event that just keeps getting bigger - the Urban Ministries of Durham Empty Bowls fundraiser. This year's event will be held March 8, from 5:30 to 8 pm at the Armory. The eleven restaurants participating this year will include: Guglhupf, Revolution, L'Uva, Papa Mojo's, Thrills from the Grill, Watts Grocery, Blu Seafood, Whole Foods, Toast, Saladelia Café, and Mad Hatter Café and Bakeshop. This year's event will be complemented by a 'food truck afterparty' at Fullsteam and will feature the following trucks: Pie Pushers, Will & Pops, The Parlour, Chirba Chirba, Klausie's Pizza, Only Burger, and Farmhand Foods Sausage Wagon. Trucks will be ready to serve starting at 7:30 pm and each truck is creating a special dish for the evening that will fit in a bowl.  All of the trucks are donating 10% of their proceeds that night to the event. Tickets for the Armory event are $30 for soup with a pottery bowl to take home or $15 for just soup. The afterparty at Fullsteam is free. Get all the details here.