by Anna Beth Adcock | Nov 2, 2023 | Eat, November 2023
Gobble up delish turkey and all the fixins’ via these spots around town.
Gearing up for Thanksgiving takes tons of prep work—from hosting out-of-town family members to planning out the mealtime spread—NTM all the time it takes to cook up a turkey and all the fixins’. Prefer to swap hours in the kitchen in favor of QT with the fam or simply watching football on the couch? We got you. Here, we rounded up a ream of restaurants offering takeout Turkey Day meals for preorder around town. And if a dine-out resto experience is more your jam, there’s also a slew of spots open for a sit-down meal that’ll appease even the toughest of turkey critics. Ready, set, gobble!
Fare for the Road
Mandolin
Gobble for good on a festive feast feat. all the fixins’, such as sweet potato punch, aligot potatoes, green bean casserole, bread pudding stuffing, yeast rolls and pie. The best part? A portion of proceeds benefit Give Raleigh. Just place those orders by Nov. 10!
Boulted Bread
Now open for Thanksgiving preordering, Boulted Bread is offering all the carbs your heart desires—from pies and quiches to your classic breads and pastries. Pick up your glutenous goodies ahead of the holiday and watch as they slowly (or quickly) disappear. Let’s roll.
Lawrence Barbecue
Lawrence Barbecue has the meats! … And the sides, desserts and oysters too. Go hog wild on pork butt, brisket or turkey breast, and don’t miss the three-cheese mac and smoked bacon green beans. Yum!
Midwood Smokehouse
Grab your holiday grub from this Smoky Hollow BBQ restaurant touting smoked meats, oodles of scrumptious sides—think mashed potatoes, coleslaw and broccoli casserole—and dessert. We love to see (and taste) it!
PoshNosh
Partnering with Hummingbird and Union Special (talk about sweetening the deal!), PoshNosh Catering Company is offering two dinner spreads serving parties of two to four or eight to 10. Gotta love options! Find brined + herb butter-rubbed turkey, cornbread sausage stuffing, sweet potato casserole, and more on the menu—along with rolls and pie selects from Union Special.
Sam Jones
Feed eight to 10 hungry family members with a whole smoked turkey breast, a bottle of Sam Jones Sweet BBQ sauce, mac and cheese, baked beans, sweet potato muffins, and more. And be sure to save room for dessert, as that pecan pie is def gonna be irresistible.
Union Special
Sate those sweet teeth via this beloved bakeshop and cafe’s pies and cookies (looking at you, pumpkin molasses cookies!), then throw in an order of savory goodies like cabbage casserole, mashed potatoes and creamed collards. Plus, stock up on bread for days—you know, just in case.
Cafe Root Cellar
Take those hunger pangs to Pittsboro for a scratchmade Thanksgiving meal, made with a few fun twists. Think cranberry red wine-braised brisket, butternut squash lasagna, and lemon- and thyme-roasted Brussels sprouts, to name a few.
Table & Twine
A feast fit for the table (natch), Table & Twine’s Thanksgiving feast includes the likes of brioche stuffing, bacon-bourbon collards, buttermilk mashed potatoes and more. An appetizer and brunch package are also on offer to make holiday hosting a breeze.
Take or Stay? Your Pick
Irregardless Cafe
Irregardlessly good, grab a seat at this Morgan Street cafe for roast turkey with cornbread stuffing, vegan mushroom Wellington, marinated grilled salmon with tomato and bean stew, and linguine Arrabbiata and more menu items to boot. And takeout diners can enjoy many of the same menu ops at home.
Perry’s Steakhouse
Let them eat steak! Select your eats from the restaurant’s full menu or opt for a special Thanksgiving meal. And if you’d rather take your fare on the road, a four-person takeout menu is also available.
Plates Neighborhood Kitchen
Forks up! Dine on a three-course meal at Plates and send those dollars toward the Food Bank of Central and Eastern NC, or opt for a takeout order serving six to eight people.
The Pit
Offering both takeout and sit-down dining options, this DTR BBQ spot is cooking up all the classics for your feast—from appetizers to kick off the meal to desserts to finish on a sweet note.
Seasons 52
“Thanksgiving traditions never tasted so good.” Fill that belly with all your fave dishes (turkey and gravy, mashed potatoes, stuffing, green beans) or take ’em home.
Sit and Stay Awhile
Il Faló
Prefer your Thanksgiving buffet-style? Chow down on Italian-inspired eats—from gnocchi al forno to pumpkin bisque to a selection of carved meats. And did we mention there’s a mac and cheese station…? Um, yes, please!
Peck & Plume
Peck or gobble (dealer’s choice!) on a three-course meal feat. butternut squash soup, seared duck breast, hush puppies, boneless braised beef short ribs and more at Downtown Cary’s stylish Southern oasis.
Sullivan’s Steakhouse
Grab a seat at this Glenwood South steakhouse for a three-course prix fixe menu feat. soup, salad, handcarved turkey, sides and dessert. And mentally prepare for that post-grub food coma.
by Anna Beth Adcock | Nov 1, 2023 | Buzz, November 2023
Four insider facts about RDU’s recently launched airport partnership
On Monday evening, RDU said “bonjour” to its inaugural Air France flight direct from Paris. The flight was welcomed by a lineup of Raleigh-Durham Airport Authority and Air France executives, marking yet another significant milestone for the airport.
Having taken over the direct route Delta debuted back in 2016, Air France offers the same simplicity and ease of nonstop service to Paris while adding a bit of European flair and elegance to the trip.
To coincide with the budding excitement for the partnership, the flight landed to much fanfare—read: a water-cannon welcome from the airport’s fire trucks (!). And no doubt Raleighites are feeling the fervor too. Before you pack your bags for Paris, we unpack four insider facts passengers can expect via the new airline. … See you on board! 🇫🇷🛬
Champagne
Two words: complimentary Champagne. Adding to your roster of free alcohol on international flights, Air France will offer the op to say cheers to your overseas travel with a glass of luxe French bubbly throughout all cabins. Talk about a sparkling flight!
High-Class Wine
The sip-sational news continues. Sample the very best French vineyards have to offer aboard your flight and in an Air France lounge via the airline’s curated wine and Champagne list prepared by 2013’s “best sommelier in the world,” Paolo Basso.
Michelin Chef-Prepared Food
Say au revoir to the days of turning your nose up at questionable in-flight dining options. As Raleigh awaits its own Michelin restaurant, Air France touts Michelin-starred dishes on select flights for its La Première and Business long-haul cabin passengers to elevate the airplane dining experience. Bon appétit!
Flight Schedule
Initially, Air France will make its commute from Raleigh to Paris three times per week on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays, with plans to resume a daily service akin to Delta’s beginning March 31. Consider our summer travel plans booked.
by Anna Beth Adcock | Oct 30, 2023 | Buzz, November 2023
Are you bready for it? Rise to the occasion and flaunt your familiarity with the NC baking scene—from our state’s oldest bakery to local bread so good it’s earning national attention. Stop loafing around and get to it!
Let’s get baked. Established in 1807, Winston-Salem’s Winkler Bakery is likely the oldest bakery in the state—and maybe the country (!). Which OG cookie recipe is the beloved bakery still whipping up since its start ~200 years ago?
a. Chocolate chip
b. Oatmeal
c. Gingerbread
d. Snickerdoodle
Baking is a fine art. Which Raleigh higher education institution boasts a Baking & Pastry Arts program?
a. Wake Tech
b. NC State
c. Meredith
d. Shaw
Nice buns! Find Emily Martin’s Cinnamon Rolls on offer year-round at Cantina 18 for your sweet treat fix. What is the secret starter ingredient used in these decadent desserts?
a. Wild yeast
b. Sourdough yeast
c. Levain
d. Poolish
“Grown and ground in the South,” Western NC’s Carolina Ground Flour sources the majority of its grain from large-scale organic growers around the state and other regional locales such as Virginia and Georgia. But what country is the organization’s mill from?
a. Germany
b. Italy
c. Norway
d. Austria
Step into Hayes Barton Cafe & Dessertery for fine food and feel-good simplicity—NTM delish desserts! Which cake is the most popular (read: most sold) at the Five Points eatery?
a. Lemon blueberry
b. Coconut
c. Chocolate Heath bar
d. Red velvet
Local baker Andrew Ullom is now at the helm of his own uberpopular operation, Union Special, which first bowed in 2019. Under which celebrity chef did he previously amass experience as executive pastry chef?
a. Ashley Christensen
b. Scott Crawford
c. Cheetie Kumar
d. Vivian Howard
What’s up, dog? Yellow Dog Bread Company creates delish culinary creations and, ahem, golden community. What farm animals did owners/husband-and-wife duo Tanya and Matthew Andrews once acquire to provide a certain dairy product for their recipes?
a. Goats
b. Cows
c. Chickens
d. Pigs
Bolt to Boulted Bread for a lineup of delish loaves and premier pastries at its recently relocated Boylan Heights locale. Earning national attention, the DTR bake shop once received a shoutout from which renowned publication?
a. Food & Wine
b. Bon Appétit
c. The New York Times
d. All of the above
Orange County-based farm Red Tail Grains specializes in growing heritage and modern grains for local bakeries, breweries and consumers. Two of its crops this year, NuEast Hard Red Winter Wheat and Appalachian White Wheat, are bred by which NC university?
a. NC State
b. Duke
c. UNC Chapel Hill
d. Wake Forest
Answers: 1. C; 2. A; 3. B; 4. D; 5. B; 6. A; 7. C; 8. D; 9. A
by Anna Beth Adcock | Oct 30, 2023 | Do, November 2023
Dating on the fast track
There’s a chill in the air, which can only mean one thing… cuffing season is upon us once again. With dating apps losing their luster, many singles crave the meet-cutes of yore (read: BC, aka before cellphones) in tandem with fave classic rom-com setups—think The Wedding Planner or 5o First Dates. While many of us (regrettably) will not have Matthew McConaughey sweep us off our feet, there is an old dating ritual on the comeup and making a new name for itself—and it’s ideal for all ages. That’s right, speed dating is back (!).
Before deeming the trend tacky, keep in mind speed dating events are growing in popularity and cool factor, ditching the name tags, timers and over-the-top frills in lieu of a more relaxed approach. These events are social, sophisticated, laid-back—and above all an avenue to meet others open to dating, sans the pressure of sitting through a painful two-hour dinner wishing for the check. Here, a ream of places around town flaunting dating events, speed style.
Flying Saucer
“Take me to your leader.” … Or a new love interest when you spin your way to a singles event at DTR’s tavern-style taproom. Geared toward those ages 32 to 44, the soirees are simply an op to meet a plus-one for your next concert, bar crawl or adventure—and see where the universe takes you after that.
Haymaker
Oh, hay! Keep it lowkey and high-class with a night out on Fayetteville Street mixing and meeting local bachelors/bachelorettes ages 25 to 39 amid a private club atmosphere. Consider it a date.
Fortnight Brewing
Break the ice and mingle with myriad singles at this Cary-based bar’s host of events meant for fun socializing—whether you’re seeking love or a casual connection. And mark your cals for its HoliDATE event Dec. 10 to hopefully meet someone worthy enough to bring home to your fam come the holidays.
Tap Yard
Find a connection before Christmas via Tap Yard’s Nov. 11 speed dating event geared toward bringing singles together before the holiday season. … Would you tap that?
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by Anna Beth Adcock | Oct 30, 2023 | Eat, November 2023
Incendiary Brewing now open—with cocktails
New DTR brewery with cocktail bevs? Bet. Highly anticipated Winston-Salem-based brewing biz Incendiary Brewing Company recently opened its doors to the public at its new Bloc[83] locale—and beyond the lineup of 24 rotating draft beers and an array of wine selects, the sip spot also touts a mixed-beverage permit (!). Translation: Cocktails will also be on offer for your non-beer-drinking buds.
“We have a specific brand and have translated that from our original location to Raleigh,” says co-founder/operator Brandon Branscome. “We’re extremely excited about being here and the Bloc[83] area in particular. We’ve been exploring the Raleigh area for years and feel like we have definitely found a home where we fit.” Belly up to the Bloc for a sip-sational time and a slew of boozy bevs and spirits—complete with a private patio. …We’ll drink to that!
