Friday Fun Food Facts - September 27, 2013

Triangle Restaurant News

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

Featured Restaurant News

•  Giorgio Bakatsias never stops working his magic and reinventing himself. And he will definitely be working his magic this weekend as the lights darken on downtown Durham’s Vita after tonight’s service. But you won’t have to wait long for the next venture from Bakatsias - that is if you don’t think Monday is too long! Look for a fully renovated gastropub called Local 22 to host a soft opening on Monday, with full service beginning on Tuesday. Chef Yianni Dontas (Vita) will be joined by Parizade’s Josh Coburn as they introduce a southern gastropub menu that will feature local farms but bring a global feel. It is located at 2200 W. Main Street in Durham. Get more information on it here.       

Wake County Restaurant News 

•  The News & Observer filled in the details this week on a new taqueria coming to downtown Raleigh that we first told you about back on August 6th. Ben Shelton, the chef who started Lilly’s Pizza in Raleigh, is opening a taqueria called Gringo A Go-Go in the former Ruben’s Downtown Diner spot at 100 N. Person Street. Look for it to open in the next few weeks.  

• This is not Wake County, but Smithfield is about to get a new brewery - Double Barley Brewery. They are holding their grand opening on October 12th with plenty of beer, giveaways, food and music. The VIP Hour ($50) is from 3-4 p.m. (only 50 tickets) with everyone else joining the fun at 4. Get more details here.

• The News & Observer also reported this week that Wake County is getting two more options when it comes to coffee. Saxbys Coffee, a Philadelphia-based gourmet coffee franchise, is opening two Raleigh shops: one near N.C. State University (in the new apartment/condo complex at 2604 Hillsborough Street) and the other at North Hills (near Harris Teeter). The Hillsborough Street location will open toward the end of next month with the North Hills location opening toward the middle of November. Get more information here.

Durham, Orange & Chatham County Restaurant News 

• Good news for barbecue lovers in Durham. The News & Observer confirmed this week that barbecue pitmaster Ed Mitchell’s new Durham restaurant ‘Que is on track to open in mid-October. It will be located on the American Tobacco Campus in the Diamond View III building.

• The Herald Sun confirmed this week the food tenants that will reside in the new Gateway Terrace development near the intersection of 15-501 and I40 in Durham. They include a new Freddy’s Frozen Custard & Steakburgers, a PDQ, a Chipotle and a Jimmy John’s. Chipotle will be the first to open (before year’s end) with the others to open in mid to late spring of 2014. 

Closings 

• Stephanie Beck over at WRAL notified us that Blinco's on Glenwood had closed. Sorry to see them go.

• And in what we truly hope is not a permanent closing, but the Bali Hai Chinese Mongolian restaurant over on Wake Forest Road in Raleigh suffered a pretty a significant structural fire this week. We’ll keep an eye on it and let you know if and when they plan on reopening. Our best to them. In the meantime, you can still visit their location in Durham. Get more information here.   

Food Trucks 

• Head on out tonight (September 27th) for a Food Truck Rodeo at the Carrboro Farmers’ Market from 4-8 p.m. to benefit Chapel Hill-Carrboro Meals on Wheels. Look for Baguettaboutit, Captain Poncho’s Tacos, Mama Dukes, Olde North State BBQ, Only Burger, Parlez-Vous Crepe, Pie Pushers, Sympathy for the Deli and Tar Heel Creamery. Steel String Brewery will also be selling their locally crafted beer. 10% of all sales will be donated. In addition to the trucks, they’ll have live music, kid activities, a raffle and a silent auction. Get more information here.  

• A mini food truck rodeo called “Trucks from the Market” will be held as a fundraiser for Durham Central Park on Sunday, Sept. 29 from 6-8 p.m. Fifteen trucks will be participating and only 125 tickets ($50 each - unlimited dining) are available. Fullsteam Brewery will be on hand offering two beers per ticket and a cash bar. It will be held at the Durham Central Park Pavilion at 501 Foster St.

• Who would have thought you’d have food trucks at a major golfing event. But that is exactly what we have (and open to the public) at the SAS Championship on Friday Oct. 11 at Prestonwood Country Club. Food trucks in attendance will include: American Meltdown, Pie Pushers, Chirba Chirba, Sweet Traditions and Chick-N-Que. The trucks will start serving food at 4 p.m. Parking for the SAS Championship and Food Truck Friday is free of charge and located at Bond Park. Complimentary shuttle busses will bring spectators and families to and from the parking area. Get information on parking 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 great “cause” to get behind. The good folks at KoKyu are about to launch a Kickstarter Campaign for a brick and mortar location! Sign up here through Halloween to be on their mailing list for their campaign.

Events 

• October may very well be the best month of the year for food events, and there is certainly no shortage of Oktoberfest events here in the Triangle. One in particular is tomorrow’s (Sept. 28th) Rocktoberfest at Guglhupf in Durham from 4-10 pm. The event will include live music as well as sales of German street food and specialty beer. Get all the details here. And WRAL has put together a pretty good listing of all the Oktoberfest events in the Triangle here.

• If you are looking for an announcement to make you start salivating, take a look at the list of participants for this year’s TerraVITA Food & Wine Event. 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.

• The Midtown Farmers’ Market Iron Chef Challenge takes place this Saturday (September 28th) as five chefs from restaurants in North Hills will be facing off in an Iron Chef-like challenge. The competitors are Coquette Brasserie's Beth LittleJohn, CowFish's Ryan Stewart, Flights at the Renaissance's Anthony Zinani, Mia Francesca's Zachary VanGaasbeek and The Q-Shack's Rodney Llyod. The challenge starts at 9 a.m. and runs until 11:30 a.m. in the commons area at North Hills. Chefs will find out their "secret ingredients" at 9 a.m. then have just 20 minutes to shop the market for additional supplies. Get all the details here. 

• If you are looking for something to do this weekend that is fun and only happens once a year, then head on over to Spartacus Restaurant in Durham this Sunday (Sept. 29th) for their annual My Big Fat Greek night. They will have a live band, belly dancers and a buffet beginning at 6 p.m. Check them out here.

• With the cool air rushing in, the Western Wake Farmers' Market knows just how to warm you up - with their 2nd Annual Chili Cook-Off on Saturday, September 28th. Enjoy homemade chili from vendors, customers and local chefs - using only fresh, local ingredients inspired by products found at WWFM. All are invited to sample and vote for their favorite chili recipe and watch returning cook-off champions defend their title! 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. 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.

• This event will be a little more than five loaves and two fish - it is the annual St. Paul’s Episcopal Church Lobster Fest taking place Saturday, October 5th. You can order ahead, pick-up or dine there, but it is best to order ahead. The church is located at 221 Union St. in Cary. Get all the details here.

• Here is a fun event to benefit the WakeMed Children’s Hospital on Saturday, October 5th. Called Dinner in the Village (Cameron Village that is) here is how it works. You purchase a table, you pick your theme, decorate your table and arrange your own meal (you or from one of the participating restaurants). And then enjoy an evening under the stars with great food and great drinks. Sounds like fun. Get all the details here.

• The Neomonde Café & Market location in North Raleigh will have a Day of Giving on Monday, Oct. 7 to help support the 25th annual Walk for Hope. 10% of sales on that day will be donated to the Foundation of Hope. Also,  Neomonde Café & Market will donate $1 for each new Facebook page like received by midnight on Oct. 7. Check out their Facebook page here. 

• Chatham County will again be home to the 6th Annual Amazing Abundance Pepper Fest on Sunday, October 6th from 3-7 p.m. in the Briar Chapel development. The event will feature an endless supply of pepper-themed dishes from some of the Piedmont’s best chefs, brewers and food artisans as well as live music, kids’ activities and interactive displays. Advance tickets are $30. Get all the details here.

• The annual Red & White Food and Beverage Festival is coming up on Tuesday, October 29th from 6-9 pm at The State Club in Raleigh. The event features NC State alumni who are chefs or are otherwise involved with restaurants, farms, breweries, alcoholic beverage companies and/or wineries. Ticket proceeds support Wine to Water. And as a perk, all Triangle Food Guy friends will get $5 off admission by entering “trifoodguy” at checkout. See, it pays to ready my stuff! Get all the details here.

• Here is another great foodie event to get on your calendar - the March of Dimes Triangle Signature Chefs Auction on November 17 at the Washington Duke Inn & Golf Club. Attendees will be able to sample signature dishes from top chefs from around the Triangle while bidding on great auction items/packages during our silent and live auctions.  Get all the details here. 

Food Bank Corner   

• The Chef’s Academy is hosting a Students Against Hunger dining event to raise money for the Food Bank of Central & Eastern North Carolina on October 3rd from 6:30-8:30 p.m. The students will be serving up pizza, pastas and pot stickers, as well as 14 different desserts that you can indulge in for just a $5 donation or by bringing five nonperishable food items. The Chef’s Academy is in Morrisville and you can get more information here.