Ron Wen, Author at NC Triangle Dining Food Blog

February 23, 2021 by Ron Wen Leave a Comment

LuLu Bang Bang, Durham – A Culinary Trip Across Asia for the RTP Crowd

LuLu Bang Bang in RTP, Durham - nctriangledining.com — LuLu Bang Bang in RTP, Durham – nctriangledining.com

The food scene around the Research Triangle Park is usually focused on quick casual lunch spots to feed the office crowd. I worked in RTP for five years and trying to find a decent restaurant for dinner events was usually a challenge but it’s good to see some things changing and the area evolving. The new Lulu Bang Bang Pan-Asian restaurant is one great example of a better restaurant for denizens of RTP (along with the upcoming Boxyard complex). Currently open for take-out and now, lunch dine-in!

Dining room at LuLu Bang Bang in RTP - nctriangledining.com — Dining room at LuLu Bang Bang in RTP – nctriangledining.com

Sushi bar at LuLu Bang Bang in RTP - nctriangledining.com — Sushi bar at LuLu Bang Bang in RTP – nctriangledining.com

I was recently invited to a preview of their menu and it was pretty impressive. Chef William D’Auvray (previously at LuLa’s in Chapel Hill and Fins in Raleigh) is bringing his culinary skills to LuLu Bang Bang and delivering a diverse menu of Thai, Japanese, and Asian eats. The restaurant is large and light, with plenty of windows for warm sunshine. Polished concrete floors, Asian-style wood furniture along with some pops of color with the chartreuse padded seating placed strategically around the dining area make for a modern scene. There’s a sushi bar, cocktail bar and open kitchen to complete the space and show off the employees and their activity.

Bar at LuLu Bang Bang in RTP - nctriangledining.com — Bar at LuLu Bang Bang in RTP – nctriangledining.com

Private room at LuLu Bang Bang in RTP - nctriangledining.com — Private room at LuLu Bang Bang in RTP – nctriangledining.com

We sampled a variety of small plates on the current take-out menu and what will be on the upcoming dine-in menu. Thumbs up for the chicken satay with cucumber salad, the Thai shrimp toast and chicken yakitori skewers. Chef William stays true to Asian flavors but uses upper end ingredients for a cleaner finish. He doesn’t shy away from the signature spice and heat often found in SE Asian cuisine. Coconut charcoal for their grills and a new tandoori oven will allow them to turn up the heat and explore further across the Asian food palate, they will be expanding the menu over time. A great assortment of Tiki cocktails complement the food and cocktails are available to go in single-serving pouches. Their talented bar manager knows how to pair cocktail flavor profiles with the broad menu. And two private dining rooms will cover the needs for future office events.

Menu at LuLu Bang Bang in RTP, February 2021 - nctriangledining.com — Menu at LuLu Bang Bang in RTP, February 2021 – nctriangledining.com

Thai shrimp toast at LuLu Bang Bang in RTP - nctriangledining.com — Thai shrimp toast at LuLu Bang Bang in RTP – nctriangledining.com

Chicken satay and cucumber salad at LuLu Bang Bang in RTP - nctriangledining.com — Chicken satay and cucumber salad at LuLu Bang Bang in RTP – nctriangledining.com

Overall I can tell you that Lulu Bang Bang (lulu: an outstanding or remarkable thing, bang bang: an ancient Sichuan dish that harmonizes spicy, sweet, sour, salty, & bitter – from business website) offers a very updated take on Pan-Asian cuisine that will be well received by the RTP crowd. Located next to the popular Page Road Grill and MEZ as part of the Chapel Hill Restaurant Group, I’m sure it will be a busy spot once we recover from the current COVID pandemic. LuLu Bang Bang opens their dining room for lunch service on 2/23 and will be expanding to a dinner service a couple of weeks later. Enjoy their Asian-style eats and modern dining space as a break and interlude in your day during these interesting times!

LuLu Bang Bang

5418 Page Road

Durham, NC 27703

919.908.1851

Location on Google maps

Wedge Salad Teppanyaki-style Pineapple Express Mocktail Naan at LuLu Bang Bang in RTP

Tom Kha Goong Pineapple Express Mocktail Naan at LuLu Bang Bang in RTP

Thai Shrimp Toast Pineapple Express Mocktail Naan at LuLu Bang Bang in RTP

Japanese Eggplant Pineapple Express Mocktail Naan at LuLu Bang Bang in RTP

Seared Shishito Pepper at LuLu Bang Bang in RTP

Chicken Yakitori Skewers at LuLu Bang Bang in RTP

Grilled Strip Loin at LuLu Bang Bang in RTP

Pineapple Express Mocktail at LuLu Bang Bang in RTP

Food and Cocktail Menu at LuLu Bang Bang in RTP

February 13, 2021 by Ron Wen 2 Comments

Di Fara Pizza Tavern, Cary – An Exceptional Example of Classic NYC Pizza for NC

Front of Di Fara Pizza Tavern in Cary - nctriangledining.com — Front of Di Fara Pizza Tavern in Cary – nctriangledining.com

As a self-proclaimed pizza-holic, I can honestly say I will wait for hours for a good pizza! Whenever I’m visiting a new area, I do a cursory search for the best pizza available and usually make an effort to visit. Based on the Daily Meal’s 101 Best Pizzas in the country list, I’ve managed to visit 10 of the top 30 in the USA, alright! And growing up in the Northeast has honed my appreciation for the wondrous experience of diving into a pie with a divine crust, luscious tomatoes and soft cheese, truly a magical experience. One OG pizza stand-out over the years has been Di Fara Pizza in Brooklyn whose owner, Dom, has been known to pull pies straight out of the oven with his bare hands. I was able to visit once and watched him meticulously finish off his pies with careful snips of basil and a thorough drizzle of olive oil. It was a sublime pizza experience in my early days and worth the 2 hour wait.

Kitchen at Di Fara Pizza Tavern in Cary - nctriangledining.com — Kitchen at Di Fara Pizza Tavern in Cary – nctriangledining.com

Bar area at Di Fara Pizza Tavern in Cary - nctriangledining.com — Bar area at Di Fara Pizza Tavern in Cary – nctriangledining.com

Flash forward to 2019 and it’s announced that there will be a new Di Fara Pizza Tavern opening up in Cary by his nephew. Given the pandemic, development was slowed down and finally the new Di Fara Pizza Tavern soft-opened up in early February of 2021. I was able to stop in for an early dinner to try out their pizza and it met all my pizza-holic expectations! Inside, the space is still pretty sparse given how recently they opened up and to allow for social distancing. Kitchen in front with a large Di Fara logo, a dining room with maybe 10 or 12 tables along with a long bar to the side. There’s also a patio outside for when the weather warms (and dries) up. Thankfully they do have their ABC license and are already serving beer and wine, it looks like they are set up to do cocktails too, but I didn’t try any.

Food menu at Di Fara Pizza Tavern in Cary - nctriangledining.com — Food menu at Di Fara Pizza Tavern in Cary – nctriangledining.com

Beer menu (1 of 3) at Di Fara Pizza Tavern in Cary - nctriangledining.com — Beer menu (1 of 3) at Di Fara Pizza Tavern in Cary – nctriangledining.com

The menu is really basic like most pizzerias: Cheese pizza for $25, house specialty pizza for $29 to $35 and each topping is $2 for custom pies. Pizza is also available by the slice along with a calzone option. But of course for me on my first visit, I do the standard 18″ cheese and expect to bring leftovers home. And it’s an excellent pie with a great crust that snaps a bit. Unlike Neapolitan pies, they bake them pretty crisp here at Di Fara Pizza Tavern which I know some people prefer. The cheese is thick but leaves room for the mellow tomatoes to shine, I’m guessing they use a cheese blend here. And there’s plenty of basil on top for that pungent kick of green, gardeny flavor. Overall I am really pleased with my first visit and this pie. While it may be a bit different than the Brooklyn classic, it’s pretty close and really darn good. A well balanced pizza all around for texture and flavors, cooked perfectly. Service was friendly and prompt at the bar which was a nice surprise. They’ve even got a great craft beer list to wash your za down!

Cheese pie at Di Fara Pizza Tavern in Cary - nctriangledining.com — Cheese pie at Di Fara Pizza Tavern in Cary – nctriangledining.com

Close-up of cheese pie at Di Fara Pizza Tavern in Cary - nctriangledining.com — Close-up of cheese pie at Di Fara Pizza Tavern in Cary – nctriangledining.com

Crust peek of cheese pie at Di Fara Pizza Tavern in Cary - nctriangledining.com — Crust peek of cheese pie at Di Fara Pizza Tavern in Cary – nctriangledining.com

While the prices may give you pause, it’s an excellent example of a great pizza for the NC Triangle and has vaulted quickly into my Top 10 list for the area. Di Fara Pizza Tavern uses official “NYC water” for their dough and I’ll look into that claim sometime soon. And I’ll be back to try some of those specialty pies and toppings but will need some friends for that endeavor. But yeah, if you’re a pizza aficionado, make an effort to get down to Cary to try out the new Di Fara Pizza Tavern. Who knows, maybe we’ll see it on that Daily Meal 101 best pizza list sometime soon…

NYC water maker at Di Fara Pizza Tavern in Cary - nctriangledining.com — NYC water maker at Di Fara Pizza Tavern in Cary – nctriangledining.com

Di Fara Pizza Tavern

111 E Chatham Street

Cary, NC 27511

919.678.5300

Location on Google maps

February 2, 2021 by Ron Wen Leave a Comment

Photos: Sam Jones BBQ Arrives in Raleigh

Front of Sam Jones BBQ in Raleigh - nctriangledining.com — Front of Sam Jones BBQ in Raleigh – nctriangledining.com

If you’ve spent any time in North Carolina, you quickly learn about the area’s passion for barbeque! And whether you’re a fan of Eastern NC barbeque or Western NC barbeque, you’ll have legendary que shacks that you just have to try and check out. Skylight Inn is one of those barbeque classics and third generation pitmaster Sam Jones is part of that barbeque legacy. With his original restaurant in Winterville and now his newest location in Raleigh, you don’t have to travel very far to try out his top-notch whole-hog barbeque that’s smoked over oak. Located a couple of blocks away from the Red Hat Amphitheater, you’ll find his delicious smoked meats and Southern sides just a stone’s throw away from the downtown action. My first take-out meal was great and I’m looking forward to trying more off their menu. While it’s still early, I suspect they will get even better once they get settled in and that dining room will be packed with diners later this year. Here’s a quick photo preview of what to expect order online or give them a ring for a take-out order!

January 2021 menu of Sam Jones BBQ in Raleigh - nctriangledining.com — January 2021 menu of Sam Jones BBQ in Raleigh – nctriangledining.com

Dining counter at Sam Jones BBQ in Raleigh - nctriangledining.com — Dining counter at Sam Jones BBQ in Raleigh – nctriangledining.com

2nd floor private room at Sam Jones BBQ in Raleigh - nctriangledining.com — 2nd floor private room at Sam Jones BBQ in Raleigh – nctriangledining.com

Barbeque, smoked chicken and sides at Sam Jones BBQ in Raleigh - nctriangledining.com — Barbeque, smoked chicken and sides at Sam Jones BBQ in Raleigh – nctriangledining.com

Pork ribs at Sam Jones BBQ in Raleigh - nctriangledining.com — Pork ribs at Sam Jones BBQ in Raleigh – nctriangledining.com

Sam Jones BBQ

502 W. Lenoir Street

Raleigh, NC 27601

984.206.2555

Location on Google maps

December 31, 2020 by Ron Wen Leave a Comment

A Look Back at the Triangle Food Scene in the Year of COVID

What can be said about 2020 other than, don’t let the door hit ya where the good Lord split ya! Given the unprecedented COVID pandemic we endured during this past year, it’s been a challenge to focus on positive events and milestones in the Triangle food scene. The tough reality is that we still have four to six months of difficulties to manage, even with vaccines slowly being distributed and light at the end of the tunnel. It’s usually at this time of the year, I choose the best new restaurants that opened up but in all honesty I’ve had a hard time writing and reviewing for this food blog over the past 10 months given the seriousness of the times. But I did pull together a list of new restaurants that opened up in 2020, let’s give those brave souls a round of applause! At the very bottom of the list, I’ve also pulled together the restaurants that we have sadly lost in 2020 and I imagine that list will get longer in the upcoming months. 🙁

Some of the bright spots for me in this difficult year have been:

The Durham Food Hall finally opening up at the start of the pandemic. They are going to do some interesting things.
Bowstring Pizza and Brewyard in Raleigh which has an awesome industrial space and fun patio areas
The fantastic Hawkers Asian Street Fare in Chapel Hill which is putting out some really tasty SE Asian dishes
Seol Grille in Cary which is bringing a super modern take on Korean barbeque to the Triangle

Restaurants adjusted their menus by shortening them and focusing on simpler items that were comforting and worked well as take-out. Virtually every restaurant had to beef up their online ordering and delivery options to survive. QR code online menus and not accepting cash were the keys to creating contact-less dining experiences. And the industry expanded its outdoors dining by taking over sidewalks and streets, along with domes and pods to keep guests separated. It’s pretty amazing that all these creative efforts have kept a good chunk of our restaurants afloat while we fought the COVID pandemic.

And hopefully by mid 2021, we will be getting back to our new normal, I imagine I’ll be at the tail-end of the vaccination schedule but fingers crossed for everyone else. Looking into the crystal ball, I’m excited for the upcoming Boxyard RTP, a community spot built up with shipping containers. I experienced a similar development in New Mexico (Green Jeans Farmery) when I visited in early 2019. Both Sam Jones Barbeque and Lawrence Barbecue will be making some great smoked meats in 2021, another bright spot! DiFara’s Pizza Tavern along with Hank’s Downtown Dive will be opening up soon in the same little plaza off of Chatham Street in Cary. And while I’ve still seen some opening activity in Raleigh and Chapel Hill, Durham seems to have been very quiet, so hopefully things will pick up there. Fingers crossed for Saint James Seafood which has had to endure both a gas explosion AND a pandemic, wow.

So pat yourself on the back, we survived 2020, hooray! And with all the construction cranes still up in the Triangle, I have tremendous faith that our food community and area will bounce back with some positive energy this year.

Ron at NC Triangle Dining

December 26, 2020 by Ron Wen Leave a Comment

Purr Cup Cafe in Raleigh, a Haven for Coffee and Cats

Purr Cup Cafe in Raleigh - nctriangledining.com — Purr Cup Cafe in Raleigh – nctriangledining.com

If you’re a fan of four-legged felines, you now have another option to get your scritches on: Purr Cup Cafe in Raleigh! As far as I know, they are the second cat cafe we have in the Triangle in addition to the ground-breaking Cat Tales Cat Cafe in Chapel Hill. Located in a small house off of S. Wilmington Road, just south of downtown Raleigh, you can schedule some time in their cat room along with enjoying some hot coffee beverages and vegan snacks. They’ve also got a small patio out back to sip on your bevvy and enjoy some fresh air. I got in for a visit when they first opened in October and I’m happy to say they are already up to kitteh adoption #28 in late December! They are some good people doing some great work for our furry friends. Stop on in if you need a dose of kitty love, coffee or cat-themed items…

LuLu Bang Bang, Durham – A Culinary Trip Across Asia for the RTP Crowd