Friday, June 14, 2013

Friday Fun Food Facts - June 14, 2013

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

Featured Restaurant News
  • Tickets for this year’s Fire in the Triangle (an “Iron Chef” style cooking competition between local chefs) went on sale this past Tuesday. That is the good news. The bad news is the Finale has already sold out. But there are lots of good pairings to attend leading up to the finale (July 8 through August 19). While the chefs haven’t been announced yet (they do that in two weeks), all these events are sure to sell out. Get all the details here. 
Wake County Restaurant News 
  •  We caught wind this week from New Raleigh that Oak City Meatball is coming to the Red Hat building in the space formerly occupied by Wild Ginger. This is another concept from Ken Yowell, who is also behind Moonlight Pizza, Calavera Empanadas and Tequila as well as 3 more restaurants that are on the way. Two of those will be in Carrboro - East Main Meatball Company and another empanadas concept. Stay tuned for more details.
  •  The spirit of Jim Valvano lives on. And this time it is in a new restaurant concept called Jimmy V’s Osteria + Bar which will be opening this summer adjacent to the Sheraton Hotel Downtown Raleigh. The unique partnership with the V Foundation will result in a donation of 2.5% of all sales to the foundation. We’ll let you know when they set an open date. Get a sneak peak at their website here.   
  • We told you about it last week, but thanks to the Downtown Raleigh Alliance, we have confirmed the opening date of Donatos Pizza Subs & Salads in downtown Raleigh’s Seaboard Station. They will swing open their doors on June 25th. Get more information on Donatos here.
  • Thanks to our friends over at WRAL, we learned that the Sip Wine & Bistro Bar over in in Holly Springs has had to delay their opening due to permitting issues. They had originally been shooting for late May, early June. There is no word yet on the official opening, but check them out on Facebook here.  
  • We also got word this week from WRAL that Corbett’s Burger and Soda Bar over in Cary on Kilmayne Drive is getting very close to opening. And according to their Facebook page, it is looking like it will be one day next week. Keep up with them here.  
  • In the vague category, we got word this week from New Raleigh that a new ice cream place is coming to Wilmington Street in downtown Raleigh. How is that for vague? We’ll keep an eye on it. 
  • Thanks to a note from Coleen Baker, we got word that the Academy Street Bistro in Cary is now open for lunch and dinner. Check them out here. 
Durham, Orange & Chatham County Restaurant News 
  • I received a tip that Durham's own salad concept Hungry Leaf will be coming to life soon. The recent graduates of UNC promise "good cravings" which come in the form of quick, delicious, healthy food. Chef and health guru Todd Schiller is developing imaginative salads and a line of scratch-made dressings. No menu yet but follow their progress on Twitter here. 
  • We got word yesterday from a Yelp posting that the El Rodeo in Durham’s Brightleaf Square has re-opened after a kitchen fire closed it down back on March 15th of this year.
Closings   
  • The News & Observer reported earlier this week that Norberto Meccia, owner of the Argentinean restaurant Pampas in North Raleigh’s Lafayette Village, has closed the restaurant after just six months. Citing differences with the landlord, Meccia says he will explore options for a new location. The N&O also reported that Meccia will keep Oakwood Café in downtown Raleigh, contrary to a posting on Craig’s List that it was for sale.
  • Thanks to a tip from one of my followers, Suzanne, we learned that the Barley & Vine on Duraleigh Road in the Duraleigh Corners Shopping Center has closed up and a sign on the door indicates that Wine 101 is “coming soon.” We’ll continue to keep an eye on it. Thanks Suzanne!
Food Trucks 
  • Looks like Durham, which has long been the “birth place” of food trucks in the Triangle, isn’t going to let Raleigh beat it with the largest food truck event. This Sunday’s Father’s Day food truck rodeo will feature a record-breaking 62 trucks! The event is at Central Park on Sunday from 12:30 - 4:30 p.m. All the details are here.
  • If you run so you can eat, here is the event for you. The Bull City Race Fest & Food Truck Rodeo. Set for October 20th, over 700 runners have already signed up. They’ll have a half-marathon, a five-mile run and a 1-miler. But the best part, they are all followed by a Food Truck Rodeo, Beer Garden, Kids Zone Experience and tons of fun. Register today. 
  • Here is a cool feature story WRAL did on a very special food truck. If you are interested in helping to put an end to hunger right here in the Triangle, this is a story you’ll enjoy and an organization that is making a difference in our community. Check out this special story here.
Events 
  • Chef Steven Devereaux Greene of Ãn in Cary is offering a five-course meal at the King's Daughters Inn, as part of its pop-up restaurant series. It will be held on June 20th at 6 p.m. and will set you back one hundred bucks (tax and gratuity included) - wine pairing is an additional $25. To reserve your seats, go here.
  • The Fire Pit BBQ & Smokehouse in Wake Forest is hosting a Farm-To-Table fundraising dinner on Monday, June 24th at 6:30 p.m. to benefit the Wake Forest Farmers’ Market. The cost for the 5-course dinner is $65 per person. Get all the details here.
  • Can you say free cheese? If so, mark your calendar for June 29th (1-4 pm) and head on over to The Cookery in Durham for the Artisan Cheese Fest hosted by The Cookery and American Meltdown. At the free event you’ll enjoy a sampling of cheeses, charcuterie, bread, wine and even cheesecakes. Get all the details here.
  • On Wednesday July 10th at 7pm, Hayley Teater be hosting national food start-up, Dishcrawl’s first ever event in downtown Durham. Attendees will visit four restaurants in one night, sampling each restaurant’s specialties and meeting the chefs or owners. Get all the details here.
Final Thoughts  
  • And kudos to the Triangle area Jersey Mike’s “Month of Giving” campaign that resulted in a total of $79,292 raised for The V Foundation for Cancer Research.
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