Friday Fun Food Facts - April 26, 2013

Triangle Restaurant News

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

Featured Restaurant News

• The big news this week is that The Little Dipper “Fondue on Main” has opened on Main Street in Durham at Brightleaf Square. Founded in Wilmington, this second location made its debut on April 18th. They are open for dinner daily except for Mondays. Get more details here.

Wake County Restaurant News 

• Got a tip from my friend Julie Liddle (who, by the way, can print up really cool Koozies for all your summer events) that Big Apple Bagels is coming to Falls River Towne Center. We don’t have an open date yet, but the site says, “Coming Soon.” We’ll ask Julie to keep an eye on it for us. Check out Big Apple Bagels here.

• According to the Triangle Business Journal, the owner of Serena, a Sicilian inspired gastropub in RTP, has taken over the former Cozumel and Al Dente restaurant spaces that closed last August on Creedmoor Road in north Raleigh at Stonehenge Market shopping center. The new restaurant is expected to open within the next month. We’ll keep an eye on it. In the meantime, check out Serena here.

• Perhaps I’m the last to learn of this, but a reader turned us onto the fact that Jimmy V’s Italian Restaurant is opening in the Sheraton Hotel downtown Raleigh at some point in the near future. All we know at this point is that they are hiring. More details to follow.

• Got word this week from reader Paul Hetzel that there is a new bakery that just opened in the Bently Ridge shopping complex on Edwards Mill Rd. (diagonally across from Char-Grill and Olde Raleigh) called the Groovy Duck. Feeling groovy? Check it out here. 

• Morrisville is getting sweeter and sweeter with the news that another cupcake shop is about to open called Goodybox Cupcakes. It will be in the Food Lion plaza near the intersection of Chapel Hill Rd. and Cary Parkway. Check them out here. 

• Thanks to a tip from David McCreary, author of Lunchboy Says blog, Corbett's Burgers & Soda Bar will open soon in Cary at 126 Kilmayne Drive near Big Lots. The restaurant will serve fresh burgers ground daily plus all-beef hotdogs, milkshakes, seasoned fries and more than 200 varieties of glass-bottled sodas. For more details, visit them here. 

• The News & Observer reported this morning that Charleys Philly Steaks is opening in the food court at Triangle Town Center toward the middle of next month. The steak and chicken restaurant will replace Steak Escape.

• The News & Observer is also reporting that Village Deli & Grill is opening its fourth location this summer over on Lake Boone Trail in Raleigh and will replace the Barking Cow Pub at Lake Boone Shopping Center. Look for a late June / early July opening. Get more information on Village Deli & Grill here.  

Durham, Orange & Chatham County Restaurant News 

• The Daily Tar Heel reported this week that the huge Hampton Inn & Suites complex slated to open in July on Main Street in downtown Carrboro (300 East Main) will boast three restaurant concepts when it opens. The Charlotte-based Hickory Tavern Restaurant Group is planning to open Hickory Tavern, a restaurant and sports bar that already has 14 locations across the Carolinas. This will be the Triangle’s first location. Get a sneek peak here.

• Also at 300 East Main, Raleigh restaurant operator Ken Yowell is planning to open two more restaurant concepts. Yowell is co-owner of the Calavera Empanadas & Tequila Bar. East Main Meatball Company will be one of the concepts he opens and the second will be focused on a menu of hand-made empanadas and an extensive tequila bar, much like Calavera. We’ll keep an eye on this as we get closer to an opening date.

• The Herald Sun reported this week that the ownership at the Rudino’s location in RTP has changed. It will remain a Rudino’s until June 1 and then it will become a sports bar called Rookie's Sports Park.

• The Daily Tar Heel reported this week that renovations have begun in the space that originally housed The Rathskeller in Franklin Street’s Amber Alley. Unfortunately, limitations of the space will prevent the installation of a full-service kitchen, and it remains unclear at this point what will occupy the space once renovations are complete. We’ll keep an eye on it.

• And a huge shout out to the good folks at Sutton’s in Chapel Hill which celebrated their 90th birthday this week!

Closings   

• We got the sad news this week from Chef Chris Harris, that the Fork & Barrel on Falls of the Neuse Road in Raleigh is closing its doors on April 30th. Folks, I’ll say it again, please shop local! I'll be watching carefully to see where Chef Harris lands.

• Got word from The Herald Sun that the location of Rudino’s in Durham near the intersection of Hwy. 54 and Fayetteville Street (Southpoint Crossing Shopping Center) has closed after a 13 year run. 

Food Trucks 

• The crazy folks putting on the Downtown Raleigh Food Truck Rodeo are doing one more Flash Mob Food Truck Rodeo TONIGHT (April 26th)! It is from 6 to 9 p.m. at Histroric Boylan Heights / Rebusworks (301 Kinsey Street). This is in anticipation of the big event coming up on May 12th (see below). Check it out tonight!   

• If you like food trucks and beer (stupid question, right?), head out this weekend (April 27 from 3 - 9 p.m.) to downtown Raleigh’s city plaza for Brewgaloo - an event featuring 24 local craft beers, 12 food trucks (including Klausie’s Pizza, Cafe’ Prost, Baguettaboutit, Big Al’s & Chirba Chirba, Lumpy’s Ice Cream, Hibachi Xpress, Only Burger, American Meltdown, Sweet Stacey Cakes and more) and eight bands . Get all the details here.

• If you are a faithful follower of the area’s food trucks, you’ll definitely want to put May 5th on your calendar and head on over to St. Andrews Presbyterian Church on Falls of the Neuse Road at 5 p.m. The mini-food truck rally will feature American Meltdown, Captain Poncho’s Tacos, Chick-N-Que, Klausie’s Pizzza and Sweet Traaditions as well as live music for their Sing-o-de Mayo event. Get all the details on their Facebook page here. https://www.facebook.com/groups/25673705565/

• The final food truck rodeo at Fairview Garden Center in Raleigh is on May 11. It will feature 4-5 food trucks. Fairview is located at 8224 Holly Springs Road in Raleigh. Get all the details here.

• Can you say Downtown Raleigh Food Truck Rodeo? Can you say four dates? Can you envision food trucks lined up the length of 3 football fields down Fayetteville Street? Mark your calendars for May 12th, June 9th, August 11th and October 13th. On those dates, they’ll start lining them up at the State Capital on Fayetteville Street (single file) and stretch out...forever! And, with electricity provided, no generators! Get all the details here.  

Events 

• Thanks to a tip from David McCreary, author of Lunchboy Says blog, I learned about a culinary event called Savor being put on by the Fuquay-Varina Chamber of Commerce on April 27th from 4 to 7 p.m. that will feature at least 18 food vendors, two local breweries, and at least one winery. Get all tickets and all the details here on their Facebook event page.

• Spring is in the air, and one of my favorite events is here - the 18th Annual Piedmont Farm Tour. Load up the car this weekend with your family and/or all your friends and spend the weekend touring our local farms. The tour is both Saturday and Sunday. Get all the details here.

• The annual Wake Tech Culinary Arts Showcase is next Tuesday, April 30th from 4-7 p.m. at the Raleigh Convention Center. Get all the details here. 

• My good friend Lisa Englert turned me onto an upcoming event some of you may be interested in - the kick-off of the 4th Annual Herbfest weekend on Friday, May 3 at 7 p.m. by welcoming food and garden writers, Debbie Moose and Carol Stein. They will lead a discussion about how to cook what you grow and grow what you like to eat.  Get all the details here.

• Cinco de Mayo is a trumped up American holiday, but if it means eating more food, we're all on board. But it also marks the 5th anniversary of Chubby's Tacos which is definitely worth celebrating. Stop by any of their 5 Triangle stores May 3-5 for fun, food and festivities. Get all the details here. 

• The Morrisville Chamber of Commerce recently announced a food and arts festival that will be held along Town Hall Drive on May 18th from 11 a.m. until 4 p.m. Called East Meets West, the event will feature Morrisville-area restaurants, music, performances and a variety of visual arts. Get it on your calendar and get all the details here.

• The 2013 version of Farm to Fork will take place on Sunday, June 9th. The annual picnic celebrates local food and local farms. Get all the details here. 

Final Thoughts

• Our friends over at The Food Bank of Central & Eastern North Carolina need your help to secure a $45,000 grant from Walmart to provide funding for five of their Kids Cafe locations. If you're so inclined, please give them a much-needed vote here. You can vote once a day from now until April 30th. Thanks!

Friday Fun Food Facts - April 19, 2013

Triangle Restaurant News

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

Featured Restaurant News

•  Just in time for my birthday this past Wednesday (yes, I'm still accepting belated birthday wishes), the much anticipated OC Bar & Grill in Raleigh swung open their doors. The OC is co-owned by Ryan Reid and Ryan Faircloth. Get all the details here on this very cool new concept over in the Cameron Village area.  

Wake County Restaurant News 

• According to New Raleigh, Quality Grocery in historic Oakwood (which recently received major renovations) has been sold and will reopen later this Spring with a concept that will feature a restaurant, grocery and front patio dining. Quality Grocery is located at the corner of Lane Street and Linden Avenue and is the oldest running grocery store in Wake County. We'll continue to keep an eye on it and unveil details as we get them. 

• The News and Observer reported this week that veteran restaurateur and Vietnamese chef Quan Tran has opened Pho Super 9 near Triangle Town Center mall in the old Hibachi Xpress space in Plantation Point Shopping Center. The six-page menu is extensive to say the least. Get a look inside the restaurant and more details on their Facebook page here.

• We got the official word this week from a very reliable source that the second Triangle location of Firewurst will be opening next week in Brier Creek across from Rocky Mountain Chocolate Factory in the former San Gennaro's location. Their original store is over in Cary in the Shoppes of Kildaire. Get all the details here.

• The News and Observer also reported this week that things got a little sweeter over in Morrisville with the opening of Batterz Up over on Chapel Hill Road in the old Morrisville Café building. Owner/baker Abby Broadway has given the space a complete makeover with a cheery coat of pink paint and display cases full of sweet temptations. She specializes in cupcakes, but will also offer morning pastries and coffees from Red Rooster Coffee Roaster in Wake Forest. Get all the details here.

• Got word from my buddy David  Sadeghi of My Farina Hospitality Group that Bolt Bistro in downtown Raleigh is now serving up a delicious Sunday morning brunch. Stop by after church between 11 and 2. David also tipped me off to the fact that his newest concept over near Streets at Southpoint (Westpoint at 751) will be called Town Hall Burger and Beer and they are shooting for a June opening. We'll provide more details as we get closer.

Durham, Orange & Chatham County Restaurant News 

• The Brightleaf Square District in Durham is getting closer to the anticipated opening of Rose's Meat Market and Sweet Shop. And you can help to see it come to fruition by supporting their Kickstarter campaign or by attending their Kickstarter party on April 28th. Get all the details here.

• WRAL announced this week that Steel String Craft Brewery will officially open its doors in Carrboro on May 10th and 11th with grand opening celebrations, but you can check them out starting next week. They are having a soft opening from the middle of next week through May 1. They will be operating with limited hours 5-10 p.m. Purchase tickets to the grand opening celebrations that will feature free food, live music and, of course, lots of beer. Get all the details here.

• But with that opening, comes news from Chapel Hill Magazine that Carrboro is losing one of their own to Durham. Miel Bon Bons, a bakery that sells specialty cakes and chocolates, will relocate to a space next to Nana's in June. But chef-owner Bonnie Lau says despite the move, she is working out arrangements with local coffee shops to carry her goods in Carrboro and surrounding areas. Get all the details here. 

• The Herald-Sun is reporting that an eatery called Sharky Eat & 8 has opened up in place of the Durham Pizza Restaurant at 4707 Hillsborough Road in Durham. Owned by Zack Chahine, the establishment serves pizza, Italian food, cheeseburgers, and Philly cheese steaks.

• Perhaps inspired by the fabulous outdoor dining space at downtown Chapel Hill's Mellow Mushroom, next door neighbor Cholanad is close to opening their new outdoor patio. We'll keep an eye on it for the official "opening" of their new space. Check them out here. 

Closings   

• Saw a note on a Yelp message board that Java Jive of Cary on Harrison Avenue is closing its doors on April 30th. Bummed to learn of this, but the one on Kildaire Farm Road will remain open.  

• Over in Chapel Hill, it appears as if another pizza joint has closed their doors. Locked doors, lights out and a disconnected phone lead us to believe that Tedesco's Italian Restaurant Pizzeria has closed their East Franklin Street location. Thanks to Jason Klaitman for that heads up.   

Food Trucks 

• The second food truck rodeo at Fairview Garden Center in Raleigh is just around the corner. It will be held on April 20 and followed by a third on May 11. Each event will feature 4-5 food trucks. Fairview is located at 8224 Holly Springs Road in Raleigh. Get all the details here.

• If you like food trucks and beer (stupid question, right?), mark your calendar for April 27 (3 - 9 p.m.) and plan on being in downtown Raleigh's city plaza for Brewgaloo - an event featuring 24 local craft beers, 12 food trucks (including Klausie's Pizza, Cafe' Prost, Baguettaboutit, Big Al's & Chirba Chirba, Lumpy's Ice Cream, Hibachi Xpress, Only Burger, American Meltdown, Sweet Stacey Cakes and more) and eight bands . Get all the details here.

• If you are a faithful follower of the area's food trucks, you'll definitely want to put May 5th on your calendar and head on over to St. Andrews Presbyterian Church on Falls of the Neuse Road at 5 p.m. The mini-food truck rally will feature American Meltdown, Captain Poncho's Tacos, Chick-N-Que, Klausie's Pizzza and Sweet Traaditions as well as live music for their Sing-o-de Mayo event. Get all the details on their Facebook page here.

• Can you say Downtown Raleigh Food Truck Rodeo? Can you say four dates? Can you envision food trucks lined up the length of 3 football fields down Fayetteville Street? Mark your calendars for May 12th, June 9th, August 11th and October 13th. On those dates, they'll start lining them up at the State Capital on Fayetteville Street (single file) and stretch out...forever! And, with electricity provided, no generators! Get all the details here.

• And if you need any more reasons to make the first Downtown Raleigh Food Truck Rodeo on May 12th, here are 5 more reasons - the event will be the debut for 5 new food trucks - Baton Rouge Cuisine, RedEye Barbeque, Barone Meatball Food Truck, D' Burritos, and Red Hot and Blue Food Truck. Get a full list of trucks here.

Events

• The Pit's 5th Annual 'Cuegrass Festival returns to the warehouse district of downtown Raleigh this Saturday, April 20 from noon to 6 p.m., with a jam-packed day full of great 'cue, local brews and toe-tappin' bluegrass music! Get all the details here. 

• If you know me, you know that two of my passions are food and soccer. Those two worlds collide this weekend with the Railhawk's newest pre-game festival called Latin Fest this Saturday (April 20th) at 5 p.m. The event will feature live music, beer and margarita sampling and of course great food. Tickets start at $10. Get all the details here.  

• The Wolfpack Club is having their Third Annual BBQ Bowl at Carter-Finley
  Stadium on Saturday, April 20. The Wolfpack Club will host a weekend of activities that will culminate with a North Carolina Pork Council sanctioned cook-off and celebrity judging prior to the NC State Kay Yow Spring Football Game. Register your team, pre-order plates and get all the details here. 

• Thanks to a tip in the Herald-Sun, we learned that Durham will have its first Louisiana seafood festival when the Bayou Festival Tour comes to town this Saturday, April 20. It will be held at from noon to 8 p.m. at the CCB Plaza downtown. The festival is slated to include seafood, beer and beer samples. And it will return again, to Raleigh, on October 5th. Get all the details here.

• The Raleigh Downtown Farmers Market will kick off its 4th season in downtown Raleigh's City Plaza on Wednesday, April 24 (10 a.m. - 2 p.m.) with a pig pickin' featuring authentic North Carolina barbecue from The Pit. Get all the details here. 

• Sunrise Wines will be hosting a Spanish-inspired outdoor wine dinner at The Matthews House in Cary on Thursday, April 25 at 6:30 p.m. The dinner will feature four courses with traditional Spanish foods, including paella and flan, paired with a variety of imported wines. There are currently 16 seats available for the dinner at $75 each. Reservations may be made by calling (919) 447-1944.

• Thanks to a tip from David McCreary, author of Lunchboy Says blog, I learned about a culinary event called Savor being put on by the Fuquay-Varina Chamber of Commerce on April 27th from 4 to 7 p.m. that will feature at least 18 food vendors, two local breweries, and at least one winery. Get all tickets and all the details here. 

• Or, if South America is more your style, Johanna Kramer tweeted about an Argentinian Dinner being held at Apex's Little Hen Restaurant also on April 25th. The dinner features guest chef Pablo Ranea and costs $125 per person. Get all the details here.

• Spring is in the air, which means it is getting closer to one of my favorite events of the year - the 18th Annual Piedmont Farm Tour. Get ready to load up the car with your family and/or all your friends and spend the weekend touring our local farms. Mark your calendar now for April 27th and 28th. Get all the details here.

• Hold the date for the annual Wake Tech Culinary Arts Showcase which will be held this year on April 30th from 4-7 p.m. at the Raleigh Convention Center. Get all the initial details here.

• My good friend Lisa Englert turned me onto an upcoming event some of you may be interested in - the kick-off of the 4th Annual Herbfest weekend on Friday, May 3 at 7 p.m. by welcoming food and garden writers, Debbie Moose and Carol Stein. They will lead a discussion about how to cook what you grow and grow what you like to eat.  Get all the details here.

• Cinco de Mayo is a trumped up American holiday, but if it means eating more food, we're all on board. But it also marks the 5th anniversary of Chubby's Tacos which is definitely worth celebrating. Stop by any of their 5 Triangle stores May 3-5 for fun, food and festivities. Get all the details here. 

• The Morrisville Chamber of Commerce recently announced a food and arts festival that will be held along Town Hall Drive on May 18th from 11 a.m. until 4 p.m. Called East Meets West, the event will feature Morrisville-area restaurants, music, performances and a variety of visual arts. Get it on your calendar and get all the details here.

• The 2013 version of Farm to Fork will take place on Sunday, June 9th. The annual picnic celebrates local food and local farms. Get all the details here. 

Final Thoughts

• Our friends over at The Food Bank of Central & Eastern North Carolina need your help to secure a $45,000 grant from Walmart to provide funding for five of their Kids Cafe locations. If you're so inclined, please give them a much-needed vote here. You can vote once a day from now until April 30th. Thanks!

Friday Fun Food Facts - April 12, 2013

Triangle Restaurant News

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

Featured Restaurant News

• Alright folks. This is your last chance - voting closes out next Monday. But don't just do it because we are asking you to, do it for all of your favorites - everything - in the Triangle. This is a tremendous resource for everyone in the Triangle and is a true reflection of the community's perspective - but only if you take the time to vote. And if you are so inclined, we'd be grateful for your vote as the Best Local Blog. If you have a moment, please take an opportunity to give us a nod in that category - it is very much appreciated. Voting ends Monday, April 15, so vote now!
    
   

Wake County Restaurant News 

• April 15th is a day we are all looking forward to, right? Well it is if you are like me and have been patiently waiting on the opening of Cowfish! We reported it last week, but it was "officially" confirmed early this morning that Cowfish will open in North Hills (Captrust Building) next Monday. Get all the details here.

• As of this writing (early on Friday morning) we are expecting The OC Bar & Grill in Raleigh's Oberlin Court to open their doors today. They haven't officially confirmed that through Facebook, so you'll want to check it here before you go. The OC is located on Oberlin Road and will be much more than just a bar. Get all the details here on their website.

• So a couple of interesting tweets this week from Raleigh's Ashley Christensen. The first noteworthy tweet allows us to announce that the Wilmoore Café which she recently purchased (and is currently renovating) will re-open as Joule Coffee. It will be located at 233 S. Wilmington Street. No official open date, but they are hiring, so we are getting close. Keep up with all of Christensen's concepts here.

• The second confirmed what we told you weeks ago, and that is they have stopped serving their Sunday brunch at Poole's Diner, but they will now be open 7 nights a week serving dinner. They other news is that the word on the street is you'll be able to enjoy some of those Sunday brunch goodies at Joule Coffee when they open. Get all the details on Poole's here.

• And finally, back in early February we told you that we had heard rumors of a new French bistro and event space being created by Christensen. Well a tweet this week pretty much confirmed that that is indeed in the works referring to the space on Salisbury Street as "our next project." As always, we'll continue to monitor it.

• Out in RTP, we got a press release from our friends at Chatham Hill Winery that they are moving to a new location after 14 years at the Gateway Center near RDU. After May 4th their entire operation will be at 8245 Chapel Hill Road in Cary. To help celebrate, they are holding a Moving unWine-d party tonight (April 12th) from 5:30 - 9 pm with music and food from Captain Ponchos. There is a $5 cover charge. The winery will be closed from April 22 to May 3. They are planning to reopen at the new location on May 4. Get all the details here. 

• Also out in RTP, we got word from Mike DePersia of National Restaurant Properties that Rudino's RTP location was sold last week to Morley Muralidhar who intends to carry on the Rudino's concept.

• And over in Holly Springs, DePersia also notified us that All Aboard Pizzeria in the Southpark Village shopping center in Holly Springs was sold to JP LaRussa. LaRussa hails from the San Francisco Bay area and will bring his Chicago deep dish recipe along with plans to change the name to Acme Pizza Company.  

Durham, Orange & Chatham County Restaurant News 

• I love this story. What happens when you combine love with what you love to do? Well, if you ask Katie & Justin Meddis the obvious answer is that you open a butcher and pastry shop in one location! And that is exactly what these two lovebirds are doing over in the Brightleaf Square District in Durham with the anticipated opening of Rose's Meat Market and Sweet Shop. And you can help to see it come to fruition by supporting their Kickstarter campaign or by attending their Kickstarter party on April 28th. Get all the details here.

• And staying in Durham, we got a little snippet of a detail from the N&O's Andrea Weigl this week. She apparently ran into Empire Eats' Greg Hatem and got word that The Pit location in Durham (Fullsteam Brewery building) will open this July. Getting closer!

• Lime Fresh Mexican Grill did open their doors this past Wednesday (April 10th) on Chapel Hill's West Franklin Street in the new 140 West development. This marks their third Triangle area location. Learn more about Lime here.  

Closings  

• Got a bit of bad news coming out of Cary this week when good friend Keri McCauley tipped me off to the fact that the Caribou Coffee at 4214 NW Cary Parkway (Preston Corners) would be closing their doors next Monday. Apparently this is part of a larger company move that is shuttering 80 locations total. According to the Triangle Business Journal, the location at Triangle Town Center will also close. 

Food Trucks 

• This is interesting. A couple of posts down you'll see info on the upcoming Raleigh Food Truck Rodeos coming our way. Well, in "preparation" for those, they are holding a Flash Mob Food Truck Rodeo tonight (April 12) from 6-9 p.m. in the Mordecai Historic Park in downtown Raleigh. Look for Captain Poncho's Taco, Hibachi Xpress, Philly's Cheesesteaks, LocoPops and Big Island Shaved Ice to be there. Stop by and get a "taste" of what is to come. Get all the details here.

• For those that like shopping and food trucks (or those of us that just like food trucks), Mebane is where you want to be this weekend as they will have food trucks, cooking demonstrations and activities for the kids. Check out all that is going on at Tanger Outlets this weekend here.

• The second food truck rodeo at Fairview Garden Center in Raleigh is just around the corner. It will be held on April 20 and followed by a third on May 11. Each event will feature 4-5 food trucks. Fairview is located at 8224 Holly Springs Road in Raleigh. Get all the details here.

• If you like food trucks and beer (stupid question, right?), mark your calendar for April 27 (3 - 9 p.m.) and plan on being in downtown Raleigh's city plaza for Brewgaloo - an event featuring 24 local craft beers, 12 food trucks (including Klausie's Pizza, Cafe' Prost, Baguettaboutit, Big Al's & Chirba Chirba, Lumpy's Ice Cream, Hibachi Xpress, Only Burger, American Meltdown, Sweet Stacey Cakes and more) and eight bands . Get all the details here.

• Can you say Downtown Raleigh Food Truck Rodeo? Can you say four dates? Can you envision food trucks lined up the length of 3 football fields down Fayetteville Street? Mark your calendars for May 12th, June 9th, August 11th and October 13th. On those dates, they'll start lining them up at the State Capital on Fayetteville Street (single file) and stretch out...forever! And, with electricity provided, no generators! Get all the details here. 

Events

• The Wolfpack Club is having their Third Annual BBQ Bowl at Carter-Finley Stadium on Saturday, April 20. The Wolfpack Club will host a weekend of activities that will culminate with a North Carolina Pork Council sanctioned cook-off and celebrity judging prior to the NC State Kay Yow Spring Football Game. Register your team, pre-order plates and get all the details here. 

• The Raleigh Downtown Farmers Market will kick off its 4th season in downtown Raleigh's City Plaza on Wednesday, April 24 (10 a.m. - 2 p.m.) with a pig pickin' featuring authentic North Carolina barbecue from The Pit. Get all the details here.

• Thanks to a tip from my buddy John Huisman (aka Triangle Explorer) I learned that Larry's Beans is holding another free public tour of their facility on Saturday April 27th at 11 a.m. If you haven't been on one of these tours, it is well worth your time. While there you'll get to try some of their coffee, enjoy live music, sample beer from Big Boss and much more. Sign up before it fills up (it will)!

• Spring is in the air, which means it is getting closer to one of my favorite events of the year - the 18th Annual Piedmont Farm Tour. Get ready to load up the car with your family and/or all your friends and spend the weekend touring our local farms. Mark your calendar now for April 27th and 28th. Get all the details here. 

• Hold the date for the annual Wake Tech Culinary Arts Showcase which will be held this year on April 30th from 4-7 p.m. at the Raleigh Convention Center. Get all the initial details here. 

• Thanks to a tip in the Herald-Sun, we learned that Durham will have its first Louisiana seafood festival when the Bayou Festival Tour comes to town on April 20. It will be held at from noon to 8 p.m. at the CCB Plaza downtown. The festival is slated to include seafood, beer and beer samples. And it will return again, to Raleigh, on October 5th. Get all the details here.

• My good friend Lisa Englert turned me onto an upcoming event some of you may be interested in - the kick-off of the 4th Annual Herbfest weekend on Friday, May 3 at 7 p.m. by welcoming food and garden writers, Debbie Moose and Carol Stein. They will lead a discussion about how to cook what you grow and grow what you like to eat. Get all the details here.   

• The Morrisville Chamber of Commerce recently announced a food and arts festival that will be held along Town Hall Drive on May 18th from 11 a.m. until 4 p.m. Called East Meets West, the event will feature Morrisville-area restaurants, music, performances and a variety of visual arts. Get it on your calendar and get all the details here.

• The 2013 version of Farm to Fork will take place on Sunday, June 9th. The annual picnic celebrates local food and local farms. Get all the details here. 

Final Thoughts

• Our friends over at The Food Bank of Central & Eastern North Carolina need your help to secure a $45,000 grant from Walmart to provide funding for five of their Kids Cafe locations. If you're so inclined, please give them a much-needed vote here. You can vote once a day from now until April 30th. Thanks!

• And finally, I came across a fascinating article in Metro Magazine that highlights how "inter-connected" so many of our great chefs here in the Triangle are. If you consider yourself a true Triangle Foodie, you'll want to definitely give this a read. You'll be glad you did. 

Friday Fun Food Facts - April 5, 2013

Triangle Restaurant News

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

Featured Restaurant News

•  We are getting down to the last two weeks of voting so it is time to cast your vote. And as you can see, we're not bashful about asking for your vote for Best Local Blog. If you have a moment, please take an opportunity to give us a nod in that category - it is very much appreciated. Voting ends April 15, so vote early...and often.
    
   

Wake County Restaurant News 

• Tax Day won't be so bad in Raleigh this year as the coolest new concept swings open their doors after months of anticipation. In fact, their three soft opening events (on 4/12 & 4/13) are already sold out. But plan on attending the grand opening of Cowfish on April 15th! Cowfish is located at North Hills in the Captrust Building. Get all the details here.

• As if their chocolaty goodness wasn't enough, the folks at Videri Chocolate Factory open their coffee counter tonight where they will be serving up Stumptown Coffee. The grand opening celebration is tonight (April 5th) from 7 - 10 p.m. at their location in the Raleigh Depot (327 W. Davie Street). Get all the details here.

• North Raleigh's Lafayette Village has seen two restaurants open recently. The first is SushiOne, a sushi and Asian fusion restaurant and bar that serves Chinese, Japanese, Thai and Vietnamese cuisine. Visit them on Facebook here.

• The second restaurant to recently open is Pampas Raleigh at the Village, which is the sister restaurant of Oakwood Café (which we told you two weeks ago is for sale). Pampas is an authentic Cuban and Argentinean restaurant. Check them out here.

•  Thanks to a posting on their Facebook page, look for the opening of Randy's Pizza's newest location in Raleigh's Lake Boone Shopping Center (former Bear Rock Cafe location) sometime next week. Last Wednesday they posted on Facebook that they were a "week away" from opening. Look for grand opening specials. We'll keep an eye on it.  

Durham, Orange & Chatham County Restaurant News 

• If you have a sweet tooth and live / work / visit downtown Durham, there is a new shop you need to visit. The folks at The Parlour opened their brick and mortar location this past week at 117 Market Street. Get the full scoop here.

• Also in Durham, the Herald-Sun is reporting that La Cacerola Café & Restaurant, a Honduran restaurant, opened Friday in a small strip shopping center at 2016 Guess Road. This location previously housed Kabob & Curry House. 

• The News & Observer's Greg Cox noted this week that Hillsborough's Radius Pizzeria & Pub has opened at 112 N. Churton Street. The restaurant features an oven that burns local hickory, maple and oak to turn out a varied assortment of pies and the pub side features 8 local beers on tap. Look for an expanded menu as Kate & Mick Carroll ramp things up. Get all the details here.

• We learned from The Daily Tar Heel this week that the spirit of Ireland is alive and well in Chapel Hill. Or at least it will be again in May. According to the student newspaper, Fitzgerald's Irish Pub, a family-owned restaurant based in Charlotte, is set to open at 206 W. Franklin St. in the space previously occupied by Kildare's Irish Pub. Look for it to open in early May. Take a peek at what they are about in Charlotte.

• And just a few doors down, we got word that the newest Triangle location of Lime Fresh Mexican Grill will open their doors next Wednesday (April 10th) on Chapel Hill's West Franklin Street in the new 140 West development. This will mark the third Triangle area location.

• And out in RTP, the Herald-Sun noted this week that
  the southern cooking and soul food restaurant V's Kitchen has moved to a shopping center near the intersection of Miami Boulevard and T.W. Alexander Drive (2945 S. Miami Blvd.) Get more information here. 

Closings  

• We caught wind of this on a Yelp message board, and confirmed on their Facebook page and website, that the contemporary vegetarian restaurant Butternut Squash in Chapel Hill's University Square has closed. That entire complex just got approval to be demolished and rebuilt.

Food Trucks 

• Here is a fun combination - food trucks and Harleys! That's right, this Saturday (April 6th) from 11 a.m. - 3 p.m., you and test drive a machine of your dreams while dining from a whole slew of food trucks including - Philly Cheesesteaks, Hibachi Express, Only Burger (likely confirmation), Klausie's Pizza, Captain Poncho's Tacos, Sweet Stacey Cakes, Groovy Dogs and Italian Ice. Get all the details here. 

• Motorcycles not your thing? How about movies and some food trucks? Head on over to Durham's Central Park on Saturday, April 6th for the Full Frame Documentary Film Screening and Food Truck Rodeo featuring the documentary "Trash Dance" and six food trucks. The trucks begin at 6 p.m. and the film begins at 8:30 p.m. Get all the details here. 

• The Herald-Sun had some great news to share for those that are huge fans of Foster's in Durham. It was announced that they are close to launching a food truck they are calling "Fosters on the Fly." While they project is in the early stages, they have secured the truck and they're waiting on inspections and licenses. Stay tuned!

• The second food truck rodeo at Fairview Garden Center in Raleigh is just around the corner. It will be held on April 20 and followed by a third on May 11. Each event will feature 4-5 food trucks. Fairview is located at 8224 Holly Springs Road in Raleigh. Get all the details here. 

• If you like food trucks and beer (stupid question, right?), mark your calendar for April 27 (3 - 9 p.m.) and plan on being in downtown Raleigh's city plaza for Brewgaloo - an event featuring 24 local craft beers, 12 food trucks (including Klausie's Pizza, Cafe' Prost, Baguettaboutit, Big Al's & Chirba Chirba, Lumpy's Ice Cream, Hibachi Xpress, Only Burger, American Meltdown, Sweet Stacey Cakes and more) and eight bands . Get all the details here.  

• Can you say Downtown Raleigh Food Truck Rodeo? Can you say four dates? Can you envision food trucks lined up the length of 3 football fields down Fayetteville Street? Mark your calendars for May 12th, June 9th, August 11th and October 13th. On those dates, they'll start lining them up at the State Capital on Fayetteville Street (single file) and stretch out...forever! And, with electricity provided, no generators! Get all the details here.  

Events

• In celebration of their four-year anniversary, our friends over at Taste Carolina have put together a series you don't want to miss. They are offering six Durham/ Chapel Hill/ Carrboro/ Hillsborough events featuring food artisans and chefs showcasing how artisans and chefs partner with local farmers to use seasonal ingredients in their products and dishes. The events are intended to be experienced as a series, and tickets are on sale in packages of six events ($249), five ($215), four ($180), or three ($138). Remaining tickets for each event will go on sale one week prior. Register and get all the details here.  

• A big shout-out and congratulations to our friends over at Sola Coffee Café who are celebrating their one-year anniversary this weekend (4/5 & 4/6) by
  donating $1 from every sale of a dozen Hot Mini donuts and giving away a dozen free Hot Mini Donuts a day for a year to two lucky winners. Get all the details here.  

• The second annual Pepper's Chilibrewfest is this Saturday at Cary's Koka Booth Amphitheatre. Taste over 75 craft beers, try 10 different types of chili, sample 10 different cheeses from all over the world, witness a chili cook-off, and enjoy live music. Tickets range from $25 to $49. Get all the details here.  

• You scream, I scream, we all scream for ice cream...and even better, free ice cream! That's right, April 9th is Free Cone Day at Ben & Jerry's. Mark your calendar now and plan a visit to your nearest location in Raleigh, Durham & Chapel Hill.  

• The Cary Downtown Farmers Market opens their 22nd season this Saturday, April 6th (8 a.m. - 12:30 p.m.). The market is located at 301 S. Academy Street, Cary, across from the downtown Cary library. Get all the details here. 

• The Raleigh Downtown Farmers Market will kick off its 4th season in downtown Raleigh's City Plaza on Wednesday, April 24 (10 a.m. - 2 p.m.) with a pig pickin' featuring authentic North Carolina barbecue from The Pit. Get all the details here.

• Spring is in the air, which means it is getting closer to one of my favorite events of the year - the 18th Annual Piedmont Farm Tour. Get ready to load up the car with your family and/or all your friends and spend the weekend touring our local farms. Mark your calendar now for April 27th and 28th. Get all the details here. 

• Hold the date for the annual Wake Tech Culinary Arts Showcase which will be held this year on April 30th from 4-7 p.m. at the Raleigh Convention Center. Get all the initial details here. 

• Thanks to a tip in the Herald-Sun, we learned that Durham will have its first Louisiana seafood festival when the Bayou Festival Tour comes to town on April 20. It will be held at from noon to 8 p.m. at the CCB Plaza downtown. The festival is slated to include seafood, beer and beer samples. And it will return again, to Raleigh, on October 5th. Get all the details here. 

• The Morrisville Chamber of Commerce recently announced a food and arts festival that will be held along Town Hall Drive on May 18th from 11 a.m. until 4 p.m. Called East Meets West, the event will feature Morrisville-area restaurants, music, performances and a variety of visual arts. Get it on your calendar and get all the details here.

• The 2013 version of Farm to Fork will take place on Sunday, June 9th. The annual picnic celebrates local food and local farms. Get all the details here. 

Final Thought

• Our friends over at The Food Bank of Central & Eastern North Carolina need your help to secure a $45,000 grant from Walmart to provide funding for five of their Kids Cafe locations. If you're so inclined, please give them a much-needed vote here. You can vote once a day from now until April 30th. Thanks!