Triangle Foodie News: M Sushi owner plans chicken restaurant

RALEIGH, N.C. —

Featured Restaurant News

M Sushi’s chef and owner Michael Lee plans to open a new chicken restaurant in downtown Durham by mid-September, according to the News and Observer. M Kokko (the second word being Korean slang to refer to chickens) will share the same kitchen as Lee’s highly-rated sushi restaurant at 311 Holland St. but have a separate entrance. And Lee isn’t done with his restaurant plans in downtown Durham. By next spring, he hopes to open a Korean barbecue restaurant serving pork and beef. That restaurant will have a similar set up to M Sushi-M Kokko with a small taqueria also operating out of the same kitchen.

Jon Seelbinder is doing it again. This time with the opening of Little City, a neighborhood bar, bodega, and brewery, at 400 West North Street on the ground floor of the seventeen-story West at North complex. Seelbinder is behind Level Up, Linus & Pepper’s and Virgil’s. The Raleigh Agenda reported that he will open Little City on Sept.15.

Also in downtown Raleigh, Seaboard Station’s Oak & Dagger Public House will be opening in mid-September just in time for Raleigh Beer Week, according to the venue's Facebook page.

And we got word this week from Daniel Whittaker that his Person Street Cafe, in the Person Street District in downtown Raleigh, is expanding hours to include Sundays from 7 a.m. to 4 p.m. starting Sept.11.

One of the sleepiest corners of the Triangle when it comes to dining options is getting ready to blow up with dining options! Located at the 15-501 entrance to Briar Chapel, just south of Chapel Hill, the Veranda is welcoming four (count them, four!) amazing dining options. Thanks to Neha Shah at the Pittsboro-Siler City Convention and Visitors Bureau for the tip on all of these.

First up is Alberello, a new Italian restaurant by Brendan and Leslie Cox, owners of Oakleaf in Pittsboro. Alberello brings the commitment to quality and service that you know and expect at Oakleaf to a casual, family friendly setting.

Next up is Breakaway Cafe, a bicycle-themed restaurant serving breakfast, lunch, and dinner, as well as baked goods and small plates. Additionally, Breakaway will feature coffee and espresso from Durham roaster Counter Culture, and seasonal beers, wine, and liquor.

Already with sister properties that are huge hits just down the street in Chapel Hill’s Southern Village (Town Hall Grill), and over in Durham near the Streets at Southpoint (Town Hall Burger & Beer), Veranda will also welcome Town Hall Burger & Beer at Briar Chapel. They are looking to open next month.

And finally, we will see the opening of a great pizzeria in Capp’s Pizzeria. They will feature artisan, handcrafted wood-fired pizzas, fresh seasonal salads, sandwiches, Italian desserts, craft beers, wine and all natural sodas.

Heard first from reader Ayeshia Beavers that Bailey’s in Chapel Hill has closed. They were part of the group that owns Champps and Fox & Hound.

Also got word from WRAL that Tijuana Flats on Ninth Street in Durham has closed. They still have a location in Cary.

Crema will close its location at 121 Fayetteville Street in downtown Raleigh, according to Raleigh Agenda. It's second location at the opposite end of Fayetteville Street will remain open.

And over in Durham, reader Jeff Harris notified us that Pale & Porter at Sutton Station has closed.

This Sunday is the annual Labor Day weekend Food Truck Rodeo at Durham Central Park featuring more than 50 of your favorite food trucks as well as local craft beer and live music. The fun runs from noon to 4 p.m. at Durham Central Park.

For a listing of ALL food truck events, head over to Art’s page, The Wandering Sheppard on all things food truck related here.

Feed the Force is an event started by Yaniv Sharir, owner of O’Malley’s Pub and Restaurant in Raleigh, to provide free meals and thank the men and women police officers that protect our communities. The event will take place on Sept. 4-5.

Black Twig Cider House in Durham will host their inaugural TxotxFest (pronounced “choach”) on Saturday, Sept. 10 from noon to 4 p.m. This event will bring regional and national cider producers and chefs together. It will feature tastings from the top cider houses on the east coast as well as food from chefs at Bona Fide, Durham Catering, Mateo, Oval Park Grille, PICNIC and Rise. They will also serve a whole de-boned, sausage – stuffed local pig from Firsthand Foods.

Dinner in the Meadow, a benefit for small farms, will take place on Sunday, Sept.11th from 5:30 to 8:30 p.m. on a farm in Louisburg. Join them for farm-fresh local food and refreshments, prepared by the Triangle’s most talented chefs, served in the bucolic meadow of one of North Carolina’s oldest continually operating farms. WUNC’s Frank Stasio is your host for this special evening.

Not to be outdone by Durham, Raleigh is going to have their very own vegan cook-off between Sept.12 and Oct. 1. The Oak City Vegan Challenge will feature six restaurants offering special vegan dishes that diners can cast votes for their favorites. The event is modeled after the Bull City Vegan Challenge, which has been extremely successful over in Durham.

Hibernian Hospitality Group and Ed Mitchell are proud to announce Ed Mitchell’s Brews & ‘Cue event featuring Ed’s food truck “Q On Wheels” to be held at the Raleigh Beer Garden in downtown Raleigh on Saturday, September 17 from 5 p.m. until the food runs out. The renown pitmaster’s truck will feature his highly sought after signature barbecue offering a wide array of platters and sides.

The Third Annual Triangle Oktoberfest will take place at Cary’s Koka Booth Amphitheatre on September 23 and 24. Enjoy family-friendly activities such as music from the Little German Band, dancing, traditional Bavarian food and fare, wiener dog races, “Rock-toberfest” concerts by Four Founders and West Street Band, children’s play area and prizes for German attire. Children 16 and younger are free. Friday tickets: $15 in advance, or $20 at the door. Saturday tickets: $20 in advance, or $25 at the door.

Tickets to TerraVita are now on sale. And you better jump fast, as many of these events will sell out soon. Trust me. If you aren’t familiar with TerraVita, it is arguably the premier “foodie event” in the southeast, and it will take place September 28 through October 1 right here in Chapel Hill. In a nutshell, it is a multi-day celebration that brings together top chefs, food artisans, sommeliers, baristas, brewers, educators, distillers, cookbook authors and industry luminaries from across the Southeast to celebrate culinary excellence and sustainability in food and drink.

The 9th Annual Pepperfest taking place Sunday, Oct. 2 from 2-7 p.m. at Brier Chapel in Chatham County. The event features super delicious pepper-themed dishes and beverages, live music and children’s activities. It's a great outdoor event for this time of the year.

The Root Cellar Cafe & Catering in Chapel Hill is holding its fifth annual Porkapalooza on Friday, October 14 at 6:30 p.m. The event will feature 12 small plate courses celebrating local pork, including roasted suckling pigs; beer cheese fondue with local sausages; fried green tomatoes topped with pimento cheese, beer-braised crispy pork belly and tomato jam; poutine with sweet potato fries, Seven Springs country gravy and Ashe County cheese; and bacon marshmallow s’mores. The dinner also includes Fullsteam beer pairings. Save $10 by ordering tickets by August 31.

Jennifer Noble Kelly sent me information this week about PICNIC, North Carolina’s newest whole hog barbecue joint, and its farm partner, Green Button Farm, hosting their inaugural NC Barbecue Revival at the farm this fall, October 28-30. The three-day weekend will be chock full of classes, discussions, feasts and pig pickins’.

Hunger Action Month is your opportunity to join a movement that has a real and lasting impact on our effort to feed more North Carolinians than ever before. Whether it’s by advocating and raising awareness, making donations, or volunteering, you can find the way that’s right for you to make a difference during Hunger Action Month.