Triangle Foodie News: Ponysaurus holds grand opening for tap room

RALEIGH, N.C. —

Featured News

The latest trend of movies and dinner has arrived in Chapel Hill with the opening today (Oct. 23) of the much anticipated Silverspot Cinema in University Place (formerly University Mall). The 13-screen theater has a full-service restaurant and bar, plush leather seats and the screenings of independent and foreign films along with Hollywood blockbusters

Got word this week from the News & Observer that Cary is now home to Argana American Mediterranean Subs, opened recently in a strip center across the street from Maynard Crossing. Apparently their menu is a lot more diverse than just subs and is worth a visit.

Got word from reader Deborah Copeland that Don Julio Mexican Cantina is opening in the Wake Forest Crossing Shopping Center, 12516 Capital Blvd, in the former Kyoto Steakhouse space. No word yet on an open date.

Blaze Pizza has announced plans to open their second Raleigh-Durham area location in Garner at 140 Cabela Drive near Cabela’s and Five Guys. Blaze opened their first North Carolina location last year over in Morrisville.

Looks like Standard Foods is prepping to slide into the lunch business. No word yet on when that will start, but postings on social media indicate they are staffing up for that move. We will keep an eye on it.

The Triangle Business Journal reported this week that North Ridge Pub and Café Tiramisu are moving to the other side of North Ridge Shopping Center off Falls of Neuse Road in northeast Raleigh. The move was prompted by Simon Property Group’s desire to move a new Burger 21 location into the shopping center. North Ridge Pub is taking over what was previously a Weight Watchers location. Café Tiramisu is moving into a space that was once Carolina Sushi. The North Ridge Pub space is larger and will open in early November, while the new location of Cafe Tiramisu will open in late December, early January.

And saw on a Yelp message board that Raleigh has a new Firehouse Subs location, this one near the intersection of Edwards Mill Road and Duraleigh at 4111 Ed Drive.

Bull City Ciderworks announced Friday via Facebook that it has secured a location for its cider bar. The bar will be located at 305 S. Roxboro St. in Durham. The business isn't expected to move there until early next year. Thanks, Art Sheppard aka The Wandering Sheppard for this tip!

The newest location of Carolina Ale House will open Saturday (Oct. 24) This will be their 9th location here in the Triangle. The location is on West Franklin Street in the former Chrysler building. Ten percent of the proceeds from the first seven days of business will go to the Ronald McDonald House of Chapel Hill. And as it is with all openings, particularly in Chapel Hill, please check in before heading out.

We told you about this last week, but Crepe Traditions, serving savory and sweet crepes at 140 W. Franklin Street in Chapel Hill, will celebrate its grand opening today (Oct. 23) from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. There will be an official ribbon cutting, free samples and five percent of proceeds from the day’s sales will benefit the NC Children’s Hospital.

After over a year of brewing in the unique nanobrewery housed above The Cookery’s Front Room entrance, the Ponysaurus Brewing Co. brewery and taproom is opening its garage doors at 219 Hood Street. A Grand Opening celebration, featuring food trucks, live music, and local breweries will take place Saturday, Oct. 24 from 4 to 8 p.m. The event is free and open to the public.

Got word from reader Sammi Hilliard who saw a sign in Beaver Creek Commons that Rita’s will be closing when their lease ends on November 1st.

Thanks to our friends over at Bites of Bull City, I learned of a new food truck hitting the streets this weekend. Boricua Soul, fusing soul food and Puerto Rican cuisines, will debut this weekend at the Pittsboro Street Fair on Saturday, Oct. 24. The truck is nicknamed the Soul Patrol!

Got word from the Chapel Hill Downtown Partnership that starting tonight, Oct. 23, Hanu Truck (Korean and Asian-inspired street food) is partnering up with Ms. Mong (Mongolian BBQ, Banhmi & burritos) over on Chapel Hill’s Franklin Street to bring you Kumiho, a late night pop up izakaya!

John Huisman (aka Triangle Explorer) informed me about the fact that every Thursday from September through November, the Town of Knightdale is hosting "Food Truck Thursdays" with a new food truck scheduled each week. The weekly truck will be parked at Knightdale Station Park near the amphitheater each Thursday from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m.

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

My friend John Huisman (aka Triangle Explorer) reminded me with his post this week that Compass Rose Brewery, which opened this past May in North Raleigh, will hold their Grand Opening party this Saturday, Oct. 24. To mark the occasion they'll have live music, food trucks, and of course plenty of their own beers and guest brews on tap. Compass Rose Brewery is located at 3201 Northside Dr. in Raleigh.

The Root Cellar Cafe & Catering announced that their fourth annual Porkapalooza will be held this year on Oct. 23 at 6:30 p.m. The dinner will feature nine courses celebrating local pork: wood-fired suckling pigs; five-spice, beer-braised pork belly slider with pickled ginger; fried ravioli stuffed with Southern-style BBQ pork and macaroni and cheese, country-fried pork tenderloin pumpkin biscuit slider with bacon mayo and apple slaw, and more. The cost is $55 per person, including beer or wine pairing.

Chickenwire is holding their next “pop-up” dinner on Sunday, Oct. 25 in Raleigh (exact location is a secret until just before the event). This dinner has an Oktoberfest theme where you’ll grab your complimentary beer stein at the door, and enjoy German-inspired foods - passed hors d'oeuvres, a carving station and a smorgasbord featuring sausages and other culinary surprises. $90 gets you unlimited food and 2 drinks. Get your tickets and see a complete list of all the chefs and collaborators involved here. Thanks to Felicia Perry-Trujillo for the tip on this event.

The town of Garner will hold their second Downtown Garner Trick or Eat Food Truck Rodeo on Oct. 25 from 12-5 on Main Street. They’ll have 14 food trucks, 3 craft brewers, and some activities for children.

The Got to Be NC Competition Dining Series, a single-elimination tournament highlighting the best of the Carolina's food, agriculture and culinary talent, is gearing up for its Battle of Champions series in which five top regional chefs will battle it out to take home the coveted annual championship title. Foodies from the Carolinas and beyond are invited to attend the four live dinner events Oct. 28 to 31 in Raleigh, savoring the full-service, six-course meals and serving as judges.

Barbecue expert and personality, Roland Dickey, Sr., will be in Raleigh Thursday, Oct. 29 hosting a guest appreciation event at Dickey’s Barbecue Pit, located at 6552 Glenwood Ave. from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. The store will offer $1 pulled pork sandwiches during the event, and Mr. Dickey will autograph and give away cookbooks to the first 100 guests. One guest will win free barbecue for a year! Dickey’s has 6 Triangle-area locations.

The folks over at Triangle Foodie Adventures have announced their next two dinners. The first is on Tuesday, Nov. 3 at The Rockford on Glenwood Avenue in Raleigh. The Rockford has put together a 6 course menu (including a glass of wine) that will delight your tastebuds. They will do it again on Nov.14 , this time at The Refectory Cafe in Durham.

And finally, this event isn’t until November, but I’m here to tell you if you wait much longer you won’t be able to get a ticket. Acme Restaurant in downtown Carrboro will host its 3rd Annual Salt and Smoke event on Sunday, Nov. 8. They describe it as “oysters and barbecue, music and friends."

Also on Nov. 8, another pop-up dinner is being held by the folks over at The Familiar Supper Club over in Durham. The dinner is at 6:30 p.m. The theme is Pumpk(hen) and will feature all that is bountiful in North Carolina in the fall. Join chefs John Childers, Evan Sheridan and Greg Gettles. Cost is $80. Thanks to Felicia Perry-Trujillo for the tip on this event.

And thanks to a tip from Felicia Perry-Trujillo, we learned that The Wine Feed is partnering with Stop Hunger Now and Green Button Farm to bring you Pork & Vine - a pork and wine festival. On Nov. 8, from 12-4 p.m. our 5 restaurant partners will be preparing their pork-inspired dishes in small plates for you to enjoy - all of the pork is provided by Green Button Farm, a humane, certified organic, non-GMO farm. Each small plate will have a sample of wine to match that will be specifically chosen by The Wine Feed. The cost ranges from $40-$50.

Expressions V. A Celebration of Food and Art will bring together philanthropists, food and wine enthusiasts and lovers of the arts. The annual event will be held on Friday, November 20 at The Umstead Hotel and Spa in Cary, N.C., and will celebrate the 25th anniversary of the Lucy Daniels Center. The featured artist for this year’s event is Beverly McIver.

The Durham Bulls Fall Fan Fest is this Saturday, Oct. 24 at Durham Bulls Athletic Park and the weather will be absolutely perfect. Fans will be able to take batting practice and play catch on the field. Entry to Fall Fan Fest is free, but with a donation of at least three canned food items fans will be placed into a raffle to win a Trick-or-Treat outing with Wool E. Bull!