W H AT WE’RE EATING NEWS FROM OUR RESTAURANT COMMUNITY, PLUS A DISH WE LOVE
AY POR DIOS 431 W. Franklin St., Chapel Hill aypordiosnc.com
NEWS BITES • Eno River Brewing opened its doors on Aug. 10 at 329 Eno Mountain Rd. The brewery, run by Jason Crowe, Stephanie Crowe, Natalie Rice, Blair Welborn, Judson Welborn and Spencer Welborn, has twelve taps with a rotating selection of ten beers brewed in-house and two taps dedicated to gluten-free options. • The RAD Food truck can be found in the Radius Pizzeria & Pub parking lot in Hillsborough on Sundays from 3-8 p.m. and Mondays from noon to 8 p.m. Inspired by their love of food from all over the world, Kate Carroll and Mick Carroll created RAD Food to spread the joy of small plates you can eat with your hands, such as flatbread foldups, including Vietnamese chicken salad and brisket with sauteed veggies and fried onions. • Beau Catering moved from the Piedmont Food Processing Center to 630 Weaver Dairy Rd., the former location of Deli Edison, in September. The business will continue to offer full-service catering, drop-off and pickup catering and daily prepared meals for delivery and grab and go.
F
or months, folks like Marla Sullivan have been walking by the former Kipos space on West Franklin Street, anticipating the day Ay Por Dios would open. On Sept. 28, Marla beat out everyone in town to try the Oaxacan restaurant on opening day when she sat down for an early lunch, ordering the arroz con pollo served with teriyaki-pineapple sauce. “It was really an honor to be the first customer,” says Marla, who works in information technology at UNC across the street. “I had a delicious meal and got to enjoy the beautiful fall weather out on the patio.” Marla was back for round two after work, this time for one of the creative cocktails, when I struck up a conversation with her at the bar. “I had the Black Margarita, and it was excellent,” she advised me as I perused the drinks menu featuring an extensive tequila selection. Though I didn’t order her recommendation (with charcoal-infused tequila, orange liqueur and black lava salt), I mentally bookmarked it for a later visit. The food menu covers a lot of ground – from hand-rolled sushi and ceviche to pasta dishes – but I stuck with tried-and-true guacamole. Topped with a dusting of queso fresco and pomegranate seeds, the guac easily feeds a few. Owner Edy Barahona put a lot of work into the decor, decking out the eatery with neon signs and eye-catching details that I predict will be all over local Instagram feeds. A mariachi band makes its way through the restaurant as I close out; the party is finally getting started at Ay Por Dios. Guacamole, $20 – by Jessica Stringer 48
chapelhillmagazine.com
November/December 2023
• Sera Cuni, owner of The Root Cellar Café & Catering in Chapel Hill and Café Root Cellar in Pittsboro, was presented the 2023 Undeniably Dairy Award for Savory Dish at the North Carolina Restaurant and Lodging Association’s Chef Showdown Grand Finale on Aug. 14. Sera’s winning dish featured dairy products from Chapel Hill Creamery, Ran-Lew Dairy and Homeland Dairy. • The Dogwood in East 54, originally NoDa Brewing Tapas, and coffee shop The Poplar Cafe, closed their doors on Sept. 30. • Pelican’s SnoBalls opened in Carrboro at 505 W. Main St. The business offers more than 100 flavors of New Orleans shaved ice. • Jujube is now open for lunch Wednesday through Friday. The Asian-fusion restaurant features spicy oyster mushroom curry soup, beef bulgogi and a variety of banh mi sandwiches. • Co-founder and longtime owner Claudia Kemmet-Cooper sold Guglhupf Bakery, Cafe & Restaurant in Durham along with Guglhupf Bake Shop in Eastgate Crossing in Chapel Hill to Sean Scott, a North Carolina transplant. – compiled by Avery Householder CHM