Foodie News: Another new tenant announced for Transfer Co. food hall

RALEIGH, N.C. — It was announced this week that Morehead City's Dank Burrito (which also has a location in Beaufort, as well as a food truck) will be coming to the Raleigh market as a tenant at the Transfer Co. Food Hall. Clarke Merrell and his wife Liza have ties to the Triangle and have been bringing their truck here for years. Get a look at who will be in the Transfer Co. Food Hall.

The folks over at Local Icon Hospitality shared this week that they have brought on a new executive chef, Adrian Black, to oversee Virgil's Original Taqueria, Linus & Pepper's Gourmet Sandwiches, Local Icon Catering and, their newest project, The Merchant NC. The Merchant will be a speakeasy cocktail bar with a sophisticated bar food program occupying 3,000 square feet in downtown Raleigh. Entry will occur through a 'secret' vintage walk-in cooler door. Prior to this Black was with chef Steven Greene at Herons at the Umstead Hotel and prior to that with renowned chef/restaurateur Rick Bayless at Frontera Grill and XOCO in Chicago.

The ITB Insider shared this week that Heirloom Brewshop secured their permits recently and should be opening in the next few weeks. Located in The Dillon at 219 S. West Street, they are a specialty coffee shop, premium tea house, and sake bar with Asian-inspired aesthetics and menu.

Just a programming note with regard to a new offering over at Postmaster in Cary. They are now serving Sunday Brunch (beginning this Sunday - Sept. 9). Service runs from 10 am to 2 pm, with outdoor seating available. The menu focuses on classic Carolina dishes, such as biscuits and gravy, shrimp and grits, fried fish sandwich and eggs Benedict. And of course served alongside creative brunch cocktails.

Downtown Hillsborough has Korean food! Well, sort of, according to reader Jennifer Soloman who shared with us that chef Aaron Vandermark at Pancuito has created a wonderful outdoor space/restaurant called Kimchi Yay (inside remains Aaron's regular/great offerings). Get by and check it out!

Over in Durham, last month we told you about the "pop-up" restaurants that are now popping up at 359 Blackwell Street - last month it was Caballo Rojo Coffee. Well, Amber Watson over at Bites of Bull City informed us that this month that space will house Boricua Soul, a local food truck favorite. They will be there through the end of September.

And speaking of the American Tobacco Warehouse area, The BullPen, located next to the ballpark, shared this week that they are transitioning to an event space and will no longer operate as a restaurant/tap house.

Namu Restaurant and Coffee Bar and the RDU Mobile Food Association are holding a Food Truck Rodeo on Sunday, Sept. 23 from 12 to 4 p.m. at at the Zen and beautiful gardens of Namu Durham (5420 Durham Chapel Hill Blvd.). At this point there are eight trucks, live music and more planned.

Only a few dates remain for the Durham Central Park Food Truck Rodeo and Downtown Raleigh Food Truck Rodeos.

Ok, here it is again. And I tell you EVERY year, but I will repeat it again. DO. NOT. MISS. THIS. EVENT. You can just thank me later. The dates have been set for the 9th annual TerraVita Festival over in Chapel Hill. Those dates are October 17-20. Things will kick off Wednesday, Oct. 17, with the East Meets West dinner (first year at The Carolina Inn) and ends on Oct. 20 with the Fall Fête on The Green in Southern Village.

And one of my daughter's favorite events has set the date for their 2018 edition - the Mac and Cheese Throwdown is scheduled for Sunday, Sept. 16 from 5pm until 8pm at 214 Martin. They've had a great response from some "mac makers" and have some new contestants this year. So far, it looks like the lineup is Relish, Oak and Dagger, Wandering Moose, Dram and Draught, US Foods, The Mac House, Southern Charred, NOFO and the chef from 214 Martin. My daughter and I will be judges again this year!

On Saturday, Sept.8 from 12-5 p.m. Cary’s Koka Booth Amphitheatre will be host to Tacos ‘N Taps featuring all you care to taste beer and tequila along with the area’s best tacos and Mexican food.

The Root Cellar Cafe & Catering announced that they will host their annual Porkapalooza Festival at their new Pittsboro restaurant on Saturday, Oct. 6 at 5 p.m. To celebrate their seventh year, the celebration will offer small plate creations, featuring locally raised pork from Hickory Nut Gap and Sharp Family Farms, served casually indoors and outdoors, rather than a traditional seated dinner. Their Pittsboro location is at 35 Suttles Road in Penguin Place in Pittsboro. Tickets for Porkapalooza are $50, which includes all food, entertainment and a souvenir pint cup.

This is always a fun event for the family to attend - the 37th Annual Raleigh Greek Festival being held Sept. 7-9 at the NC State Fairgrounds. Get all the details including the food, entertainment and ticket information on their website.

The 5th annual Beericana Craft Beer and Music Festival, featuring over 70 breweries, 15 food trucks, 3 great bands, and a few thousand of your closest friends, will take place on Saturday, Sept. 8 in Holly Springs at the Sugg Farm Park. VIP time starts at noon and general admission begins at 2 pm.

The 2nd annual Sip + Savor, featuring 30 restaurants, 30 wineries and live music, will take place at the DPAC on Sunday, October 14 from 4 - 7 p.m. The event is an exclusive opportunity to sample the Triangle's top restaurants paired with famed wineries from across the world. There will also be live music, desert and bubbly on the DPAC stage. A percentage of the proceeds will benefit Inter-Faith Food Shuttle. Get tickets and all the details here.

St. Ann Church in Clayton will host their 10th International Food Festival on Sept. 22, featuring foods from 20 countries prepared by parishioners. The family friendly event also includes live international entertainment on stage, children's games and a silent auction. Admission and parking are free. Hours are from 11 till 6.

MIX 101.5's Savor the Triangle is coming up on Wednesday, Sept. 19 in the Kerr Scott Building at the NC State Fairgrounds. It will be a night of food, fun, and shopping with the Triangle's best restaurants - all in one place! Tickets are $45 and proceeds benefit the Inter-Faith Food Shuttle.

Chef Satoshi Katakura travels from Tokyo, Japan to Durham to join the Dashi team for a four-night Omakase Dinner Series September 17-20. The Japanese chef and owner of Hiro, an izakaya in the Nakameguro neighborhood in Tokyo, will team up with co-owner and head chef, Billy Cotter, for the third year in a row, to create a unique omakase meal of five courses that highlight Japanese culinary skills while showcasing local, North Carolina ingredients.

Saw in the Beltline Buzz that the East Meets West Festival in Morrisville will return again on Sept. 29 from 11 a.m. until 4 p.m. It is a day of food, culture, and music from around the world. Enjoy small plates from local restaurants, performances by cultural groups from around the community and fun activities for kids, including face painting and a bounce house. Festival admission is free.

The Root Cellar and the House of Hops will host a Low Country Boil and Brew on Sunday, September 9th from 4-8 p.m. at their adjoining Pittsboro locations in Chatham Park. Your $25 ticket gets you an overflowing plate of fresh shrimp, sausage, corn on the cob, and potatoes. Thirsty? They'll have 24 craft beers on tap and hundreds of bottled and canned beers, available for purchase.

The folks out at Brier Chapel in Chatham County will hold the 11th Annual Pepper Festival on September 23, 3-6 p.m. The annual Pepper Festival challenges approximately 50 of the state's top chefs and brewers to craft one-of-a-kind recipes using the locally grown and bred North Carolina pepper while celebrating North Carolina chefs, cuisines, music and culture to benefit Abundance NC, a nonprofit that supports sustainable food and fuels.

The folks over at Melina's Fresh Pasta reached out to let me know that a group of Italian Americans in the Triangle have gotten together to plan the Inaugural Festa Italiana on Oct. 7 from 11 to 6 in the 600 block of Tucker Street in front of Lucky B's. They will have a great list of food vendors and food trucks, an entertainment stage and more.

Oct.19 and 20 are the dates for the 5th Annual Triangle Oktoberfest held again this year at the beautiful Koka Booth Amphitheatre in Cary. Presented by the Apex Sunrise and Cary MacGregor Rotary Clubs in collaboration with the Town of Cary, it is an authentic German festival focused on family fun, traditional Bavarian food and fare, and plenty of local and authentic German beers from Munich, all to support The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society and other local and international charities. In addition to brats grilled up by volunteers, the event has confirmed the following food vendors so far: The Butcher's Market, Annelore's German Bakery, Capital Club 16, Uncle Dave's Kettle Corn and The Nutty Bavarian. More to come.

September is Hunger Action Month! Everyone has a role to play in ending hunger. 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 a donation, having a short conversation with friends, or volunteering, you can find the way that's right for you to make a difference during Hunger Action Month. Together, we can solve hunger. Each voice counts. Every action matters. Find out how you can make a difference.

Sean Lennard covers the Triangle food scene on his site Triangle Food Blog.