Occoneechee Mountain State Natural Area HILLSBOROUGH The highest point in the Triangle, Occoneechee Mountain offers a 350-foot-high expansive view. Four hiking trails flow through the park alongside the Eno River, Eno Rock Quarry, Mountain Laurel and lush oak forests, ranging from .10 miles to 2.2 miles long. Fishing is allowed on the Eno River’s banks and shallows or in the surrounding ponds. Popular catches include bass and panfish. Pack a picnic for lunching on the grassy lawns underneath large, shady oak trees. ncparks.gov/occoneechee-mountain-state-natural-area/home
Photo courtesy of @betterwithju on Instagram
Love Bao Taiwanese Kitchen CARY Tucked inside the H-Mart food court in Cary, Love Bao has a cult following for its soft, steamy bao buns stuffed with a variety of traditional and unique fillings. There’s the original pork belly gua bao with braised pork belly, pickled mustard greens, powdered peanuts, brown sugar and cilantro, a popular street food in Taiwan. Then there’s an Americanized chicken filet bao and crispy fish bao along with a vegetarian soy steak bao. Soups, Taiwanese cold noodles, rice plates and small bites like basil popcorn chicken round out the menu. lovebaokitchen.com
Summer Patchwork Market DURHAM | August 23 The Patchwork Market was founded in 2014 in order to create a space where local vendors and creatives could sell their goods directly to the community. “Desiring to put a face, name and story with what we buy, the Patchwork Market wants to promote mindfulness and intentional relationships with each other and consumer goods,” the market’s website states. The summer market offers a unique shopping experience where guests will discover one-of-a-kind pieces of art and original goods. Past vendors include Veronica Blue, Feather and Mountain (pictured), Free Sparrow Co. and Heart + Hustle. The Summer Patchwork Market is free to enter and takes place from noon to 5 p.m. in the Durham Armory. thepatchworkmarket.com
Cloche Coffee DURHAM This Durham coffee shop aspires to be just like a cloche—a bell-shaped glass covering that encourages plant growth—by facilitating good energy and inspiring community within its airy, plant-filled space. Cloche serves Larry’s Coffee in lattes, macchiatos, cortados and other coffee and espresso creations, along with matcha lattes, chai and other teas. Cloche offers freshly baked pastries, such as cookies and croissants, that pair perfectly with a hot or cold brew. Currently, food and drinks are available for takeout only, though Cloche’s patio is open with social distancing. (919)748-3333; clochecoffee.com
Apex Eats APEX On the last Saturday of each month, chef Ana Tapioca of Global Comfy, a food blog focused on international comfort foods, creates delicious community meals using fresh ingredients from the Apex Farmers Market. One of Tapioca’s most popular dishes is shrimp and grits made with North Carolina-caught shrimp, tomatoes from Hilltop Farm in Willow Springs and okra from Sweet Flowers and Fruits, a small farm just outside of Pittsboro. Place meal orders on the Thursday prior to the Saturday pickup day. feedapex.org
Venture outside of Raleigh (while practicing social distancing!) this month.
Carolina Moonlight Virtual Party CHAPEL HILL June 6, 7 – 8:30 p.m.
The North Carolina Botanical Garden will bring its beautiful flora and fauna to you, in the comfort of your own home, with a virtual moonlight party complete with guided garden tours, a video exploring North Carolina botanicals with Tom Earnhardt of Exploring North Carolina, live music from Bland Simpson, a cooking demo from Jacob Boehm of Snap Pea and more. Through the tour, you’ll get a close-up look at the garden’s many unique plant and flower species, including the trout lily, Georgia indigo bush and a variety of wildflowers. The event is free and open to all. Donations are encouraged. Register at ncbg.unc.edu/moonlight.
Don’t Tell Mother DURHAM
We’re all screaming for ice cream during North Carolina’s hot and humid summer days. The perfect fix? Don’t Tell Mother’s small batch pints. The underground ice cream shop specializes in unique flavors based on produce available from local farmers. Past offerings include chocolate mint stracciatella, watermelon buttermilk and dark chocolate tahini. To get your hands on a pint, sign up for Don’t Tell Mother’s email list. Every few weeks, they’ll send out an email with available flavor offerings. Reply with your order for pickup or delivery. Pints are first come, first serve, so act quickly! undergroundicecream.com
Photo by Taylor McLean, @taytaystryintoeat
Miso Ramen Bar CARY
Long, velvety noodles. Warm, rich broth. A glistening, jammy egg. These are just some of the delicious components that comprise Miso Ramen Bar’s signature ramen. Brothers Peck and Noi Chay, refugees who escaped from Laos, and siblings Long, Kea and Feng Wang, who were born in China and grew up in the restaurant business watching their parents, opened the restaurant in January. Miso Ramen Bar’s menu is rooted in their families’ cultures and influenced by the countries they have lived in. Signature ramen bowls include tonkotsu ramen, chicken curry ramen and spicy tan tan. Carryout is available Tuesday through Sunday. (984) 333-0110; misoramenbar.com
Apex Community Park APEX
A stroll through Apex Community Park offers more than just gorgeous views of Apex Lake. Along the two-mile paved Lake Pine Trail, you might also stumble upon swans, turtles, unique birds and other interesting wildlife. Or take advantage of the open water and pull out your kayak, paddle board or canoe for a pleasant float. Fishing is allowed on the dock with a permit and popular catches include bluegill, largemouth bass and shad. The park is also home to soccer fields, tennis, volleyball and basketball courts. apexnc.org/795/Apex-Community-Park
Heavenly Buffaloes CHAPEL HILL/DURHAM
Vegan chicken wings? You heard that right. Durham and Chapel Hill’s Heavenly Buffaloes offers North Carolina sourced soy protein wings, along with your standard bone-in and boneless wings. Smother the wings in your choice of one of 24 sauces, ranging from sweet Thai coconut chili to ginger and garlic to spicy barbecue. The Idaho waffle fries and sweet potato fries are also a hit. Order from the signature neon orange and green shacks for takeout or delivery. heavenlybuffaloes.com
WEB EXCLUSIVEThis Friday (5/22) at 4 p.m., chef Drew Smith of kō.än will take over our Instagram (@raleighmagazine) to show us, and our readers and followers, how to make the restaurant’s Ume Spritz and Summer Salad with Asian pears and ginger vinaigrette. Scroll for the ingredients lists and recipes to get yourself prepared for the live cooking demo.
Ume Spritz (yields 1 drink)
Ingredients: 1 oz. Aperol 1 oz. Umeshu (we use Choya) ¼ oz. St. Germain ¼ oz. fresh lemon juice 2 dashes Crude Sycophant Bitters Sparkling wine Orange peel garnish
Equipment: 12 oz. glass, stir stick, peeler, ice
Instructions: Build all ingredients in tall 12 oz. glass, add ice and stir for 7 seconds. Top with wine.
Summer Salad with Asian Pears and Ginger Vinaigrette (yields two large salads)
Ingredients: 1¼ cup ginger ½ cup apple (any kind), peeled and roughly chopped ¾ cup carrots, peeled and roughly chopped ½ cup white miso paste 8 cloves garlic 1½ cup rice wine vinegar ½ cup Mirin 1 Tbsp. kosher salt Pepper 1 Asian pear (or Bartlett) 8 oz. mixed greens Radishes (optional) Slivered almonds
Equipment: Blender, peeler, measuring cups
Instructions: Wash the mixed greens if necessary. Shred carrots and slice the Asian pear. Add greens to a mixing bowl, season with kosher salt and freshly cracked pepper. Add carrots and almonds. Toss well and plate. Garnish with sliced Asian pears and radishes.
Venture outside of Raleigh (while practicing social distancing!) this month.
Brandwein’s Bagels CHAPEL HILL Saturdays, 8 a.m. – 11 a.m. Get your bagel fix every Saturday morning at Brandwein’s Bagels, opening soon in Chapel Hill at 505 West Rosemary Street. Alex Brandwein, a New York native who came to UNC Chapel Hill in 2018 to get his MBA, launched the concept after he began making bagels from scratch to supplement the lack of local bagel shops located near campus. Brandwein sold his bagels at pop-up shops around town until he decided to open up a brick-and-mortar shop. As part of Brandwein’s “Saturdays Are For Bagels” campaign, Brandwein’s Bagels will offer plain, everything, sesame or cinnamon-raisin New York-style bagels and containers of cream cheese for contactless pickup or delivery. Place all orders by the Thursday evening before the Saturday you would like to pick them up or have them delivered. brandweinsbagels.com
Pie Pushers DURHAM Take pizza night to a creative new level with Pie Pushers’ “push your own pie” (PYOP) program where they provide the dough, sauce and cheese to make your own personalized pizza at home. If you’re not feeling creative (or don’t want to do all the work yourself), you can also order specialty pies, appetizers, salads and wings for takeout or delivery. Unique slices include the Skillet with basil pesto, broccoli, artichokes, roasted potato and feta, and the 1243 with salami, caramelized red onions, bell peppers, pistachios and smoked gouda. (919) 294-8408; piepushers.com
Hemlock Bluffs Nature Preserve CARY Surround yourself with hemlock trees and the birds and wildlife of Swift Creek at Hemlock Bluffs Nature Preserve. One of the only nature preserves left in the state, Hemlock Bluffs is a protected environment due to its unique flora and fauna that’s more often found in the mountains, including the hemlock trees and galax, or beetleweed. The preserve contains four different walking trails that range from 0.7 miles to 1.2 miles and all include breathtaking overlooks. Come spring, the trails are flooded with wildflowers. townofcary.org/recreation-enjoyment/parks-greenways-environment/parks/stevens-nature-center-at-hemlock-bluffs-nature-preserve/trails-at-hemlock-bluffs
Craftboro CARRBORO The more COVID-19-related emails that flood your inbox, the more stressed out you get and, therefore, the more beer you need to relax! Luckily, Craftboro has you covered with curbside pickup from its bottle shop. Choose from more than 50 local, national and international bottles and cans, or opt for a bottle of wine. You’ll recognize Raleigh’s Brewery Bhavana Grove DIPA, Gizmo Peppermint Stiletto Stout and Burial Beer Ulfberht Baltic Porter. Grab a few brews before virtual happy hour with the gang! (919) 240-4400; craftborobrewing.com
Carolina Yoga Company CARRBORO, HILLSBOROUGH AND DURHAM Bend, stretch and release all the stress you have building up through live yoga classes with Carolina Yoga Company’s knowledgeable instructors. Flow yoga, gentle yoga, yoga and pilates combination classes and more are offered at various times throughout the week with different instructors to ensure you can relax and take your mind off things while you’re stuck at home during the day. You can also stream online yoga classes through Yoga Vibes with a membership or small fee for each class. Say “om”! carolinayogacompany.com/online-classes
Celebrity chef Kenny Gilbert, whose Raleigh restaurant Cut and Gather opens in Wakefield early next year, shares the recipe for his popular Chocolate Bourbon Pecan Pie. Yes, he’s made it for Oprah!
Chocolate Bourbon Pecan Pie
• 9-inch raw pie shell • 1 cup bittersweet or semi-sweet chocolate chips • 1 cup chopped pecans • 1/3 cup melted butter • 1 ¼ cup brown sugar • ½ cup Alaga cane syrup • ½ cup molasses • 2 Tbsp. bourbon • ½ Tbsp. cinnamon • ½ tsp. Chinese Five Spice • 4 eggs, beaten • 3 Tbsp. all-purpose flour
1. Preheat oven to 350°
2. Place pecan halves and chocolate chips in the raw pie shell.
3. Place butter and sugar in a pan and bring to a simmer. Cook until the mixture forms a caramel. Add molasses, cane syrup and spices. Mix well. Add bourbon and pull off the heat. Add the remaining ingredients using a whisk and mix well. Scoop the filling into the pie shell.
4. Bake for 50-60 minutes.
High Horse now open
Photo by Nancy Granados
High Horse, the much anticipated restaurant from Top Chef alum Katsuji Tanabe, opened in City Market at 208 Wolfe St. last month. The name references the old horse stables in City Market and the restaurant serves dishes influenced by Mexican, Japanese and American cuisines cooked on two wood-fired grills that are visible to diners. Menu items include okra with bottarga, spare ribs with tamarind vinegar sauce, roasted bone marrow with sweet and sour crab, charred flat iron steak, Skuna Bay salmon, roasted oysters with country ham aioli and lime, North Carolina shrimp marinated in Togarashi (a blend of Japanese spices), churros and a famous cornbread made from a recipe from Tanabe’s grandmother (a portion of the cornbread sales will benefit the pay-what-you-can café A Place at the Table). High Horse’s drinks menu features rosé, green tea and whiskey lemon ice shots, a Cheerwine Old Fashioned and other creative cocktails. High Horse is open for dinner Tuesday through Sunday; expect a brunch service and outdoor dining next year.
Fenton Development
Phase one of Cary’s $850 million Fenton development—a 92-acre project located next to the Wake Med soccer park (the largest in Cary’s history) and future home to Atlanta-based chef Ford Fry’s Tex-Mex restaurant Superica—is underway. The first phase includes 350,000 square feet of retail, much of it already leased, as well as 170,000 square feet of office space. Announced tenants also include Scott Crawford’s upcoming steakhouse Crawford Brothers, Indigo Road Hospitality Group’s Colette (an Italian restaurant), Honeysuckle Gelato and Cru Wine Bar. Shops include Sephora, Bailey’s Fine Jewelry and Free People. A 125,000 square-foot Wegmans and a boutique movie theatre will anchor the project and 400 multifamily housing units will open in the first phase of the project as well.
