Triangle Foodie News: Dalat re-opening in Mission Valley

Lots of foodie news this week, including many new openings in Wake County and across the Triangle.

Posted 1:57 p.m. Aug 19, 2016 — Updated 1:57 p.m. Aug 19, 2016

Sean Lennard / Triangle Food Guy

Featured Restaurant News

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 who protect our communities. The event will take place on September 4th & 5th.

Another great effort by local restaurant owners is being led by RallyPoint Sport Grill in Cary and Dram & Draught in Raleigh. They are teaming up to bring much-needed supplies to those affected by the flooding in Louisiana. RallyPoint Sport Grill will be collecting items up until Friday, Aug. 19. Dram and Draught will be collecting items up until 11 a.m. on Saturday prior to the 1 p.m. truck departure. Kudos to Chad Michael McIntyre.

Wake County Restaurant News

The Mac House will “open soon” in the former Baba Ghannouj Mediterranean Bistro space at 14460 New Falls of Neuse Road in north Raleigh. They are described as a family owned and operated "casual gourmet" mac and cheese restaurant. They are looking to open sometime in October - perfect timing/menu for the fall weather!

And over at North Hills, got word this week that Crêpe Traditions is now serving its full menu of artisan crêpes, coffee, smoothies and bubble tea in its new cafe in the Park District of North Hills near Harris Teeter. Founded in Chapel Hill, Crêpe Traditions has made its third location in North Hills.

Saw a tweet from Raleigh Agenda that longtime Raleigh favorite Dalat will re-open in the Mission Valley Shopping Center on September 14, according to the new ownership.

And out at RDU International Airport, Triangle Business Journal reported this week that they announced five new dining concepts that will soon occupy Terminal 2. Two are temporary concepts (Starbucks and Tap Room) slated to open this fall; and three signed 10-year leases, including Dale Earnhardt Jr.’s Whisky River concept, Popeye's Louisiana Kitchen and a permanent Starbucks to replace the temporary one going in this fall.

Durham, Orange & Chatham Restaurant News

Thanks to my wife, the beautiful and talented Lori Bowers-Lennard, I learned that East 54 in Chapel Hill will soon become home to CocoBean Coffee & Tea slated to open “Summer 2016” next door to Tobacco Road Sports Cafe.

And across the street in Meadowmont, I heard from Sean O’Neill this week that they have set the date for the grand opening celebration of Chronic Tacos as Sunday, September 18th. Special guests will be on hand, including Jason Acuna, aka Wee Man, as well as music and lots of giveaways.

Saw on a Yelp message board that downtown Durham is getting a new wine bar called Bar Brunello looking to open late August at 117 East Main Street. Look for the wine to be complemented by charcuterie and cheeses. Keep up with their progress on their Facebook page.

Also in downtown Durham, The Bagel Bar announced this week that next Monday, August 22, they will open their second location at 104 City Hall Plaza, across from City Hall.

I heard from the Durham Convention & Visitors Bureau that Jamba Juice is coming to Durham’s Ninth Street area. Liz and Eric Hales expect to open their Jamba Juice by early October. While the chain has 800+ locations, this will be the first in the Triangle.

There is a new coffee shop in Durham’s Northgate Mall. Esmeralda’s Cafe opened near the Centre Court featuring Carrboro Coffee Roasters and offering coffee, espresso, cappuccino, tea selections, bagels, pastries and juices.

Closings

None to report. Keep eating local, folks!

Food Trucks

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

Events

Piedmont’s new executive chef John May will welcome chef Jay Pierce of The Marshall Free House in Greensboro for a 7-course celebration of sustainably raised NC shrimp on Wednesday, August 24th at 6:30 p.m. The $65/ person, seven-course menu is also available for $85, with beer pairings. Contact 919-683-1213 for reservations.

Got word from Felicia Perry-Trujillo that the 2016 North Carolina Chef Showdown, featuring some of the most creative chefs from around North Carolina, will take place on Aug. 29. It will be held in conjunction with the North Carolina Restaurant & Lodging Expo taking place in Raleigh. The event will feature 12 savory chefs and four pastry chefs from across the state who will compete for the titles NCRLA Chef and Pastry Chef of the Year. Tickets are on sale now through August 15 for $125.

Black Twig Cider House in Durham will host their inaugural TxotxFest (pronounced “choach”) on Saturday, September 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.

Not to be outdone by Durham, Raleigh is going to have their very own vegan cook-off between September 12th and October 1st. The Oak City Vegan Challenge will feature six restaurants offering special vegan dishes where 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 17th 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 23rd and 24th. 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.

Felicia Perry-Trujillo reminded me this week about the upcoming 9th Annual Pepperfest taking place Sunday, October 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. A great outdoor event for this time of the year.

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’.

Food Bank Corner

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. Together, we can solve hunger. Each voice counts. Every action matters. And with nearly 650,000 food insecure individuals in our 34 county service area alone, it matters more than ever before.

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