June 6, 2016

A Walk on the Wild Side, Triangle Restaurant Week - June 6-12

A Celebration of Culinary Excellence

Restaurant Week is a great time to step out of your comfort zone and try something new.

Ready to get adventurous? We've got the top picks for the most interesting, creative, and exotic offerings for Triangle Restaurant Week. (June 6th through 12th)

Triangle Restaurant Week is a week-long celebration of culinary excellence designed to incorporate the premier Raleigh, Durham, Chapel Hill and surrounding area restaurants.

During TRW, participating restaurants offer special three-course menu options and fixed pricing, a great opportunity for residents and visitors alike to indulge in the area's finest cuisine! No reservations, tickets or passes required.

Pricing for the event is $15 for a 3-course lunch, and $20,$25, or $30 for a 3-course dinner. Price is for each person and does not include beverages, tax or gratuity.

Here's our Bucket List for this week's TRW. It's all about the adventure!
Click Here for all 94 participating restaurants.

Lucia opened nine months ago in Durham's West Village. It's owned by the restaurant group that owns Vivace, Coquette and Chow in Raleigh. But Lucia is a more casual restaurant with a greater emphasis on small plates in keeping with the current trend for sharing.

Chef Matt Greiner creates an extensive selection of antipasti that includes tuna crudo with jalape�o agrodolce, a burrata with pistachio genovese and a drizzle of 12-year-old balsamic vinegar. Homemade pastas like risotto with scallops, sweet peas and summer squash; pappardelle with wild boar ragu; potato gnocchi with wild mushrooms, marsala-rosemary sugo, and fried Tuscan kale, entrees such as pork belly-wrapped pork roast; osso buco milanese; a daily changing whole fish preparation and Neapolitan style pizzas baked in a wood-fired oven will satisfy any pallet.

Lucia is located in the former Pop's space with an inviting casual cosmopolitan look. The newly built bar offers craft cocktails, barrel-aged Negroni, draft beers including rotating selections on nitro, and an exclusively Italian list of over 350 wines stored in temperature-controlled wine cabinets.

Lucia - 605-A W. Main St., Durham, Ph: 984-219-1965
Hours: Mon - Thurs 11am - 10pm, Fri - Sat 11am - 11pm, Sun 11am - 9pm.
Website.

Talulla's prepares authentic recipes, cooking in a healthy Mediterranean way.

Established in 2004, Talulla's has become a favorite dining and late night destination

among locals and visiting foodies alike for this unique Turkish cuisine.

Served in an authentic setting, the extensive menu is a culinary journey of centuries-old Ottoman recipes dating to the 15th century. From varied selections of hot and cold mezzes to delectable presentations of grilled lamb and other meats, the flavors and atmosphere whisk you away to Turkey.

Talulla's - 456 W. Franklin Street Chapel Hill, 27516, Ph: 919-933-1177

Hours: Dinner Tues. - Sun. 4:30pm -10pm, Lunch Sat. & Sun 11:30am -3pm. Website.

Mez serving Contemporary Mexican cuisine is the latest venture of the locally owned

and operated Chapel Hill Restaurant Group. The Award-winning group includes 411 West Italian Caf�, Squid's Seafood Restaurant and Spanky's. Mez is located in the heart of the Triangle, just minutes from Chapel Hill, Raleigh, Durham and Cary off I-40 (Exit 282). The menu features traditional Mexican recipes with a modern, healthy twist, and uses locally grown organic products whenever possible. Daily food and drink specials reflect the changing seasons and the skills of their talented staff.

Mez - 5410 Page Road, Durham, 27703, Ph: 919-941-1630
Hours: Lunch Mon-Fri 11am - 4pm
Taco Bar Mon-Fri 4pm - 6pm
Dinner Mon-Fri 4pm - 9:30pm, Sat & Sun 5pm - 9:30pm Website.

Oval Park Grille - Creative comfort food and health-conscious options with a Southern

flair. A place area residents can call their own. OPG provides a casual, come-as-you-are setting to enjoy delicious takes on classic comfort food and health conscious choices. OPG is a culmination of their collective thoughts and desires, framed by the city they live in and the local farmers they partner with.

Oval Park Grille - 1116 Broad St. Durham, 27705, Ph: 919-401-6566.
Hours: Wed - Fri 11:30am - 2:30pm Lunch
Mon - Fri 5pm - 11pm Dinner
Sat & Sun: Brunch 11am - 3pm, Dinner 5pm-11pm, Website.

Tuscan Blu - Maurizio Privilegi opened an authentic Italian restaurant at The Depot building in downtown Raleigh. The chef prepares dishes from all country sides of

Tuscany with new feelings of creation. Tuscan Blu use fresh organic products from local farms right here in Raleigh. They also import authentic Mediterranean products directly from Italy and even grow their own fresh rosemary.

Enjoy great food for affordable prices with a casual dining experience. The broad variety of items keeps customers coming back time and time again to sample more great food.

Tuscan Blu - 327 West Davie St, Raleigh 27601, Ph: 919-834-5707
Hours: Tues. - Fri. 11:30am - 2:30pm & 4:30pm -10pm, Sat. 2:00pm -10:30pm,
Sun. 2:00pm - 9:00pm. Website.

Guglhupf Bakery, Cafe & Restaurant - Exploring German cuisine with an inventive approach using local, seasonal ingredients, Guglhupf at night surprises and delights.

The architecturally striking building and patio creates the perfect backdrop for a casual yet unique dining experience.

Guglhupf Bakery, Cafe & Restaurant - 2706 Durham-Chapel Hill Blvd. Durham, 27707 Ph: 919-401-2600
Hours: Bakery: Tues - Fri 7:30am - 6pm, Sat 7:30am - 5pm, Sun 8:30am - 2pm
Cafe: Tues - Fri 8am - 4:30pm, Sat 8am - 3pm, Sun 9am - 3pm
Restaurant: Tues -Thur 5:30pm - 9:30pm, Fri - Sat 5:30pm -10pm. Website