Friday Fun Food Facts - July 19, 2013

Triangle Restaurant News

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

Featured Restaurant News

•  They are back! In August 2012 we reported the sad news that the popular food truck Will & Pop’s was ceasing operations...but only temporarily. Well, look for their much-anticipated return on July 28th at Full Steam Brewery from 11 am until 6 pm. On their Facebook page they noted that, “"We're back with all new menu and new staff. Same great Will and Pop's, ready to fill your bellies!” See for yourself here.  

Wake County Restaurant News 

• Downtown Raleigh is going to get another brewery on July 29th when Crank Arm Brewery starts slinging their first craft brews. The brewery is located on Davie Street in the heart of the warehouse district. Get all the details here.  

• And if that is not enough beer for downtown Raleigh, the folks over at New Raleigh turned us onto another micro-brewery headed our way - Union Square Brewery. No word yet on an open date, but they are having a “tasting” of sorts on August 24th. Keep up with them on their Facebook page here.

• Karyn Rivera (a Triangle Food Guy client) provided me with a quick update on new openings over at Park West Village in Morrisville. She noted that Firebirds Wood Fired Grill is now hiring (which means the opening is very close). She also noted signs up for Wine Guys Bistro & Bar as well as Big Daddy’s Burgers. Lots going on over there.

Durham, Orange & Chatham County Restaurant News 

•  The former J&J’s Deli in Chapel Hill’s Timberlyne Shopping Center will have a new tenant in about a month according to the Herald Sun. The Pita Grill will take over that space and will offer a menu with a more Mediterranean flair with gyros, salads and wraps. We’ll keep an eye on it.  

• A Yelp reader noted that The Roxy over in Durham was closing. According to their Facebook page, it is now going through a 4-6 week transformation and will re-open as Triangle Pint & Plate as they have partnered up with the folks over at Triangle Brewing Company. We’ll keep an eye on it.  

• My good friend Lisa Reichle informed me of something that could probably only happen in Chapel Hill. The former Hot Dogs & Brew location on Franklin Street has closed and will reopen as Hummus Café. Could these two concepts be any more opposite? Hummus Café touts itself as the “Home of the Falafel and Shawarma” and will also serve up gyros and paninis. We’ll keep an eye on it.

• We have an update on Skewers Bar & Grill thanks to the folks over at the Herald Sun. Skewers will be a new variation of The Bread & Kabob and will remain at 1013 W. Main Street in Durham. The concept is shooting for an August opening.

• According to the Herald Sun, the Phoenix Bakery has opened in downtown Pittsboro and is serving pastries throughout the day (closed on Tuesdays and Wednesdays), according to owner Jodi Hackney. She is also working on getting a high-end cake service up and running, and expects that to happen in the next few weeks. The bakery is located at 84 Hillsboro St. Check them out on Facebook here. 

Closings      

• Thanks to a tip from reader Jillian Warren (and I confirmed by stopping by), the Bavarian Brathaus on Chapel Hill Boulevard in Durham has closed their doors. Warren spoke with someone there on her last visit and they indicated they were hoping to find a space in North Raleigh. We’ll keep an eye on it.

Food Trucks 

• One of the largest food truck events in the area is hosting its third (in a series of four) event on August 11th. The Downtown Raleigh Food Truck Rodeo will change things up a little bit for this one. Unlike the previous two (which were held from 12-5), this one will be held from 4 until 9 pm. Love it! Check out all the details 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.

Events 

• Looking for a good “foodie” event this weekend? Check out the Taste of Moore Square and City Market event this Saturday, July 20th from noon until 8 pm in downtown Raleigh. The event will pack in family fun, food, beer, wine and music - a little something for everyone. Participating restaurants include Tir Na nOg Irish Pub, Bida Monda Laotian Restaurant, Battistella’s New Orleans Restaurant, Woody’s American Sports Bar, Vic’s Italian Restaurant and Zydeco. Get all the details here.

• Tickets are on sale now for TerraVITA Food & Wine Event scheduled for October 10-12, 2013 over in Chapel Hill. This is one of the Triangle’s “can’t miss” food events. Get your tickets today here. And get more information on the event here.

• Not to be shown up by Durham, the Raleigh version of Dishcrawl, which puts on restaurant crawls, is hosting a Moore Square eating tour on July 24. RiAnica Allen-Jones says they will partner with four independent restaurants. Tickets are $45. Get more details here.

• Also on July 24th, Guglhuph over in Durham is hosting another one of their Specialty Dinners beginning at 7 pm. This one will feature pasture-raised pork from Green Button Farm in Bahama and beer from Highland Brewing Company in Asheville. The cost is $55 and reservations can be made here.

• Here is a fun event that my buddy John Huisman told me about. Put on by Larry's Beans and Foundations, it is called "The Hard Coffee Throwdown" and on July 26th it will pit bartenders and barista's against each other coming up with the best concoctions. And here's the best part - you decide who the winners are...that is, if you attend! Get all the details here. Register for the event here.  

• Curt Johnson and his team over at the Carolina Railhawks are bringing back the popular Taste of the Triangle event on Saturday, August 3rd. The event begins at 5 p.m. prior to the 7 p.m. match against FC Edmonton. Food and “futbol” - does life get any better? The cost for unlimited samples from local restaurants and breweries is just $15. Get more information on the event here and purchase tickets here. 

• The fifth annual Downtown Raleigh Restaurant Week will happen this year from August 19-25th. Mark your calendars now. You know the drill by now, but in case you forgot or are new to this event, restaurants feature 3 course prix-fixe dinners for $20 or $30 all week. It is a great chance to check out some new restaurants, or visit your old favorite! Check out their new site here for all the details.

• Here is an event you probably want to get on your calendar - the Wide Open Bluegrass festival September 27 & 28 at Raleigh’s Red Hat Amphitheater. In addition to the amazing music line-up (with Steve Martin & the Steep Canyon Rangers featuring Edie Brickel) there is a massive two-day street festival which will be highlighted by the North Carolina Whole Hog Barbecue State Championship. Get all the details here.

• Thanks to a tip from the News & Observer, we learned that the World Beer Festival returns to Durham on Oct. 5 in a new location: the old Durham Athletic Park. Tickets went on sale this past Thursday for All About Beer magazine subscribers who get the coveted first chance to get VIP passes that typically sell out in the pre-sale days. Tickets go on sale to the general public July 24 at 10 a.m. The event will feature two sessions: an afternoon tasting from noon to 4 p.m. and an evening tasting 6-10 p.m. General admission is $45 and VIP tickets -- with a food buffet, special beers and a private hospitality area -- are $75. Get all the details here.

Food Bank Corner   

• The West 94th St. Pub in the Woodcroft Shopping Center in Durham is holding a "Grill Master Cook-Off Competition" on July 27 to raise money for the Food Bank of Central & Eastern North Carolina. It will run from noon to 5 p.m. Contestants will be required to cook chicken and corn on-site with their own seasonings and spices. There is an optional bonus category in which contestants grill their own specialty items. For information or to get involved, call 919-403-0025 or send an email to kbpaw_21@msn.com.