Story and photos by Hal Goodtree.

Cary, NC – You know the Cary restaurant scene is coming of age with the introduction of fusion cuisine. Say hello citizens of Cary to KoMo KoMo, a new French-Korean restaurant in Maynard Crossing.

Korean Mosaic

KoMo is shorthand for Korean Mosaic Kitchen, a blending of French and Korean cooking.

Chef Jae has cooked at Veritas, Danube and Palladin in New York and at the Washington Duke Inn here in North Carolina.

Food: Soup For You

Forget Seinfeld: Chef Jae has soup for you.

How about Asparagus Soup w/ Tahitian Vanilla Lobster Cream? Or perhaps Sweet Potato Leek Soup w/Caramelized Apple? Maybe Parsnip Soup w/Black Truffle Cream and Crispy Parsnip Chips?

Chef Jae’s soups are one-of-a-kind and leave guests and other chefs gasping with delight. You certainly won’t find anything like it in the Triangle.

Chef Jae is a soup artist.

Food: Main Courses

Ssam is a traditional Korean dish. It literally means “wrapped.” Diners will find several Ssam dishes on the menu including Smoked Pork Ssam.

If you’re in the mood for something French, try the Bouillabaisse or Crab Lobster Raviloi w/Citrus Beuree Blanc.

Plenty to choose from for meat lovers at KoMo KoMo. Lift a fork for the Pan Seared Rib-Eye w/Sauce Medoc, Rosemary Potato and Watercress.

Food: Desserts

I like a good dessert and KoMo KoMo doesn’t disappoint. The Belgian Chocolate Brownie with Bourbon Caramel Sauce looks almost sinful and the Ginger Lemongrass Crème Brule is a refreshing fusion take on a French classic.

The Room: Cozy and Cosmopolitan

KoMo KoMo has a small footprint, sandwiched between Corner Tavern and Time Warner cable in the Kroger shopping center at the corner of Maynard and High House.

The room has a quiet elegance with Korean and French influences blending harmoniously.

The intimate setting reminds me of visiting Po, Mario Batali’s first restaurant, many years ago with Lindsey Chester. Mario has super-sized his restaurant empire, but the chef-inspired, personal dining experience is still alive at KoMo KoMo in Cary, NC.

KoMo KoMo

KoMo KoMo is open six days a week (closed on Sundays). They serve a delightful tea every afternoon at 2:30 (reservations only).

• Lunch –  Monday – Friday  11 am – 2:30 pm
• Dinner - Monday – Saturday 5:30 pm – 9 pm
• Tea Service (reservation only) - 2:30 pm – 3:30 pm everyday

KoMo KoMo Korean French Kitchen
Maynard Crossing (Kroger shopping center)
1305 NW Maynard Rd
Cary, NC 27513
919-462-3555

More Great Cary Restaurants

See more of our favorite restaurants in and around Cary in the Restaurants category.

Story and photos by Jeff Strowe. Above, Second Chance Books.

Cary, NC - These days, reading tends to happen online, and hey, CaryCitizen is only available that way, so this is not a complaint.  However, contrary to popular belief, printing presses have not gone silent and books are still being bound, published, and sold, right here in Cary.

Herewith, a tour of four used bookstores in the Greater Cary Metroplex.

A Changing Market for Books

You wouldn’t know this by paying attention to the big box stores; they’ve either shut their doors or turned their focus to the Kindles and iPads.  But there’s still something to be said about having the paper between your fingers as you turn the pages of a good mystery, biography, or rediscovered classic.

Independent bookstores carry the torch, serving as anchors of many metropolitan downtown developments and college towns across America.  Outside of these areas though, the brick and mortar stores are few and far between.

Right here in the Cary area, though, we are fortunate to have four illuminating used bookstores, staffed by passionate and intelligent employees dedicated to serving both the intensely literary-minded and casual readers alike.

Mr. Mike’s Used Books

Our tour begins at The Shoppes of Kildaire shopping center, where you will find Mr. Mike’s Used Books, conveniently located a few storefronts down from Trader Joe’s.

Co-Owner Mike Cullen comes to the job with experience and authority: his first job was in a used bookstore and in 2003 and he realized his lifelong dream by opening Mr. Mike’s.

Today, business is strong as the store specializes in stocking tough to find titles that readers just can’t find as an eBook.  Readers can also stop in at any time to take advantage of the buy-back policy, where titles can be sold for cash or exchanged for store credit.

So, the next time you really want to read a best-seller, but balk at the expensive new cover price, consider Mr. Mike’s and save some money.

Mr. Mike’s Used Books
1341 Kildaire Farm Rd.
Cary, NC  27511

Booksmart Used Books

Next, head down to the intersection of Maynard and High House and visit Roy Long’s Booksmart Used Books.

Celebrating its 6-year store anniversary this month, Booksmart’s pristinely clean atmosphere contrasts with the common perceptions of a used bookstore.  That’s the goal, says Long:  “We work hard to clean all the books and keep the store as customer-friendly as possible”.

The maintenance extends to organization as well, as the store is neatly categorized by genre, allowing for easy browsing and perusal.

Of particular interest to readers is the store’s “Chick Lit” section, which features many popular mysteries and beach reads.

Even non-readers can find something of interest at Booksmart as the store also carries hundreds of used CD’s (remember those) and DVD’s, making it the perfect place to affordably fill out your iTunes library.

Booksmart Used Books
1258 NW Maynard Road
Cary NC

2nd Chance Books

Head down Harrison Avenue and next to the Carolina Pottery Outlet,  you’ll find Mindy Miller’s 2nd Chance Books and her 45,000-strong collection of titles.

Customers can jump in and browse around as Ms. Miller’s voluminous inventory is expertly catalogued with shelves ranging from coffee table art books to how-to manuals to best-selling James Patterson novels.

Can’t find what you’re looking for?  Just ask for help.  During my visit, Ms. Miller quickly located three obscure titles for an appreciative inquiring reader.  It’s that extra effort of customer service that makes 2nd Chance Books unique.  That, and the fact that Bella, Ms. Miller’s Wiemeranier/Great Dane mix will be there to greet you.

If you have a dog of your own, they are more than welcome to tag along as you shop!

2nd Chance Books
Harrison Square Shopping Center
1821 North Harrison Avenue
Cary, NC

All Booked Up

The book tour ends in Downtown Apex’s Salem Street district at Janice Monaco’s All Booked Up.

A Florida native and former real estate broker, Ms. Monaco was forced to turn her home library into a nursery with the arrival of her children.  The difficulty required in parting with these books led her to start on the new career path of a bookseller.

Now, she is firmly entrenched as Apex’s only walk-in bookstore and the neighborhood feel of Salem Street has helped the shop thrive.  Working with a School Media Specialist, Ms. Monaco keeps the required school reading list titles readily available and in good shape.

The store also boasts two distinct features: a local author showcase that highlights some of the region’s most creative talents, and a “Man Cave”, a decked-out separate room that boasts comic books, vintage movie posters, and a large assortment of DVD’s.

All Booked Up
104-B N. Salem Street
Apex, NC 27502

Go Local for Books

So, Cary Citizens…resist that urge to browse Amazon or drive to Barnes & Noble.  Instead,check out the local merchants right here in our backyard and take advantage of their personal expertise and customer service.  I think you’ll find the experience much more enlightening than clicking the mouse a few times or being bombarded by the Nook salespeople.

————————————————————————

Community news on CaryCitizen is sponsored in part by Cary Visual Art.

Story and photo by Lindsey Chester.

Cary, NC- Narong Sapsuwan, owner of Thai Spices and Sushi, came to Cary and opened his restaurant four years ago, but his journey began long before that.

Journey from Thailand

Narong’s sister had left Bangkok more than twenty years ago to “make her fortune”, and settled in the Berkeley area of California, where she opened her own restaurant, Thai Delight Cuisine. About ten years after that, she asked Narong if he could come to help her. He was married and had 2 children at the time, but made the move with his family to this country and eventually took over her business. He remodeled her restaurant and after 1-1/2 years his business improved about 50%.

He still owns that restaurant with his niece, and his sister still helps out. In fact Narong told me, he will travel to California next week to check up on things.

Choice Between Boulder and Cary

Four years ago, Narong started to think about expanding.   He visited fifteen cities that were listed as top places, finally making a choice between Boulder, Colorado and Cary, NC. When he found his current location at Preston Corners, the deal was sealed.

Narong moved first, renting an apartment adjacent to the shopping center. He left his family behind in California for 2 years, while he got started. He said when he opened in 2008 the economy was very tough to open a new business. He persevered and has survived and now business is picking up.

A Few Favorites

I frequent the restaurant for lunch and often choose a bento box. A Bento Box is a complete lunch, with salad, kimchee, spring roll, rice and a main dish (like House Curry with Chicken) all for under $10. They feature a Massaman curry shipped all the way form Bangkok, as authentic as it gets.

Other favorites include their incredibly fresh sushi. You can see the chef make his creations from most any seat in the house. One of the best are Spider Rolls, (Soft shell crab, asparagus, avocado and masago with spicy mayonnaise)  for just under $10.

Many Thai food lovers will order the Pad Thai, which is another one of our favorites. Their large platter is just under $10 and includes stir-fried thin rice noodles with ground peanuts, tofu, egg, scallions and bean sprouts. You’ll have plenty left to take home to enjoy the next day for lunch!

The staff is always friendly, and the atmosphere inside is an oasis from the usual strip mall box. With private booth and trickling fountain you will think you’ve left Cary. If you are lucky enough to live within 3 miles of the restaurant, they offer free delivery.

Go Local: Thai Sushi & Spices

Thai Spices and Sushi
Preston Corners Shopping Center
986 High House Rd (at Cary Parkway)
Cary, NC

http://thaispicesandsushi.com/

By Michele McKinley, Advocates for Health in Action (AHA). Photos courtesy of Cary’s Pocket Community Garden.

Cary, NC – With spring just around the corner, it’s time to hit the dirt. In the garden, that is.

Dig In

Whether you’re a new or seasoned gardener, you may want to check out Dig In, the third annual event all about starting and maintaining community and backyard gardens in the Triangle.

Advocates for Health in Action (AHA) presents Dig In on Saturday, March 10, 8:30 am-12:00 pm at Marbles Kids Museum in downtown Raleigh. Dig In features urban farming experts, hands-on workshops and booths for anyone who wants to build and maintain a community garden or gain expertise for success in his or her home garden.

Registration ($10 per person) is open online at www.advocatesforhealthinaction, but space is limited.

What are community gardens?

Community gardens are urban, suburban and rural gardens where members grow food in a shared garden plot or in their own individual garden plots, depending on a given garden’s structure. Community gardens are found in neighborhoods, schools, churches, workplaces, hospitals, community centers and youth centers. Gardens provide access to fresh, healthy produce and enhance a sense of community and connection to the environment—they come in many shapes and sizes!

In and Around Cary

Cary, Morrisville and Apex are all home to community gardens (plus a variety of school gardens), and many are starting their 2012 planning now and invite new members to join them.

• Cary’s Pocket Community Garden
• Cary Senior Center Community Garden (for gardeners 55+),
• Gracious Harvest Community Garden
• Whole Foods Market-Cary
• Morrisville Community Garden
• Simple Gifts Community Garden (Apex)

Many community gardens in the area participate in programs where gardeners donate extra produce from their harvest to area food pantries and organizations such as the Inter-Faith Food Shuttle through the Plant a Row for the Hungry program.

Gardening Know-How

“Featuring urban farming experts, Dig In is a tremendous resource to gardeners and those who want to grow healthy, local foods for their communities and their families,” commented Laura Aiken, interim director of AHA and director of regional community relations for WakeMed Health & Hospitals. “Community gardens are increasing access to fresh fruits and vegetables,” Aiken continued. “Schools, churches, neighborhoods, community groups and other nonprofits can capitalize on the excitement around sustainable food systems, connect people with where their food comes from and promote environmentally friendly living.”

Dig In includes workshops are offered in two tracks: Track 1: Starting a Community Garden and Track 2: Taking Your Garden to the Next Level.

Track 1 workshops include starting a community and school gardens, composting, and raised beds and container gardens. Track 2 workshops include making money from gardens, preserving foods, engaging youth and seniors in the garden, keeping gardens growing.

Plus, all registrants will take part in a hands-on cooking lesson from Whole Foods Market-Cary and Whole Foods Market-Raleigh (Wade Ave.) about how to enjoy the bounty of the garden. In addition, a variety of educational booths about gardening, local food, composting and more are available at Dig In.

AHA!

Advocates for Health in Action (AHA) fosters and supports community efforts to make healthy eating and physical activity the way of life in Wake County. AHA is a group of more than 50 diverse organizations and community members who are shaping the environment throughout Wake County to ensure available and affordable access to healthful foods and physical activity for all community members.

Story and photos by Hal Goodtree.

Cary, NC – Want to liven up the dinner table in your house? Try visiting one of Cary’s fine Asian food markets. Specially for Chinese New Year, here’s a round-up of places to get spring roll wrappers, chow fun noodles, daikon radish and a whole lot more.

Asian Food Markets in (and around) Cary

It is entirely possible that we missed something in compiling our list. If so, please share in the comments (on the website).

Grand Asia Market

Grand Asia is a big, busy Asian supermarket on Buck Jones Road. The address says Raleigh but it might as well be in Cary. It’s on our side of 440.

The list of vegetables alone is impressive – seven kinds of bok choy, chive flowers, winter melon, lotus root and something called eddo. See Grand Asia’s List of Vegetables.

Noodles, sauces, meats, seafood and a marvelous selection of teas are also in abundance. You can get a bite to eat at the Joy Luck Club Cafe.

Grand Asia Market
1253 Buck Jones Rd.
Raleigh, NC 27606

SMart Supermarket

SMart (I never know whether to say “smart” or “s-mart”)  is a large, clean supermarket off Walnut Street in Cary. It carries a wide variety of Asian food products, fresh and packaged, with a special emphasis on Korean food. SMart also has a very tasty cafe.

SMart Supermarket
1000 Ryan Rd
Cary, NC 27511

Triangle Indian Market

Right on East Chatham Street is the Triangle Indian Market. Easy to find in the Chatham Square Shopping Center with an iconic mural on the wall. Fresh and packaged Indian foods from mild to wild are sure to enliven your dinner table conversation. Stop by for a jar of Rogan Josh sauce and use it to simmer pieces of chicken. Serve with Basmati rice.

Triangle Indian Market
740 E Chatham St.
Cary, NC 27511

Toyo Shokuhin

Toyo Shokuhin, also in Chatham Square in Cary, advertises itself as the only Japanese grocery store in the Triangle. You can get sushi supplies, miso, Japanese curries, gifts and other interesting things.

Toyo Shokuhin
748 E Chatham St.
Cary, NC 27511

VGS of Morrisville

VGS is a store-front market on Morrisville-Carpenter Road. Great place to pick up a curry or other South Asian item if you live in the area.

VGS of Morrisville
Morriville Square Shopping Center
128 Morrisville Squareway
Morrisville, NC 27560

Apna Bazar

On Davis Drive, also in Morrisville, is Apna Bazar. It’s a newer entrant into the Cary-area food market, specializing in South Asian cuisine. Fresh and packaged goods include dals, curries, masalas, rice and more.

Apna Bazar
3607 Davis Drive,
Morrisville, NC 27560

Garlic stems from SMart

Story and iPhone photos by Hal Goodtree.

Morrisville, NC – How many sandwiches are made and eaten everyday in Cary? Thousands, surely. But you’d have to eat a lot of sandwiches to find any as good as those from Peppers Market in Morrisville.

Peppers Market in Grace Park

The mood is bright, modern and cheerful at Peppers. Light floods in from windows on two sides, local artwork decorates the walls and a cozy patio seems to bring the outdoors into the restaurant.

The shop is located in Grace Park at the corner of Davis Drive and Morrisville-Carpenter Road. Grace Park has a neighborhood-y feel with residences above the stores and plenty of light and space.

The Food

There’s always something unusual about the sandwiches from Peppers – even the ham and cheese has something magical about it (ham piled high on a crispy flat bread with creamy goat cheese, tomatoes and whole grain mustard).

Other sandwich favorites include BBQ Bleu Chicken (grilled chicken breast with Sweet & Tangy Homemade BBQ sauce, baby spinach and a roasted garlic & blue cheese aioli), Pork Lion on a Ciabatta roll, or Citrus Salmon (grilled salmon steak lightly marinated in Peppers Sweet Citrus Sauce and topped with red onion, crisp lettuces and ripe tomatoes).

Peppers also offeres soups, salads, smoothies and vegetarian fare. See the menu.

Everything we’ve had at Peppers has proven wholesome, well-prepared and delicious. The restaurant also serves breakfast.

Service

The attention to detail one experiences in the restaurant and the food is mirrored in the service.

Service is quick, unobtrusive and efficient from order-taking to food delivery. The staff cranks it up and visibly hustles during lunch hour.

Peppers isn’t a franchise – the owner walks around and makes sure everything is good and everyone is happy. When was the last time you saw the CEO of McDonald’s walking around to find out if your Big Mac was okay? Think about that when you’re deciding where to spend you lunch money.

For uniqueness, quality, cheery atmosphere and good service, CaryCitizen is please to recommend Peppers Market as one of our favorite local places.

Story and photos by Kaynan Goldberg. Kaynan is CaryCitizen’s 13-year-old columnist on all things frugal, crunchy, healthy and green. She blogs at VeggiesGoCrunch.

Cary, NC – Murphy is my grandfather’s Black Labrador Retriever.  He is about ten months old, and he is adorable. But what’s in his food bowl?

A Dog’s Life

Murphy has a good life.  He goes the dog park every day.  He spends a few hours either jumping off the dock into the lake (remember, he’s a Lab) or running around and just being a dog.  When it’s time to head home, he’s ready for dinner, and then sleep.  His life is full of people who love him.

Murphy is a lucky dog.  My grandfather really thinks about what goes into Murphy’s food bowl, which is more than can be said for most dog owners.  I’m not throwing anybody under the bus – I’m just stating a fact.  They may think they know what they’re feeding their dogs.  But most of them have been brainwashed by advertisements telling them that their brand of dog food is amazing.

If you have a dog, think back to the last time you bought dog food.  Did you even bother to look at the ingredients list?  If you didn’t, go to your brand’s website and check right now.  I’ll wait for you.

… Have you checked yet?  No?  Go do it.

Ingredients

Alrighty, then.  Did your dog’s food have chicken as the first ingredient?  Or maybe lamb?  Or fish?  If so, good for you – and, more importantly, good for your dog!  If not, it was probably a corn or soy product.  I’m sorry to say that that is bad news.  Corn and soy are both inflammatory in dogs.

Now look at the second ingredient.  Depending on your brand, this could be anything from “ground rice” to “chicken meal” to “meat by-product meal.”  So you know, a lot of the meat in dog food is in “meal” form. All this means is that the meat has been concentrated and dehydrated, so that there is less fat and more protein packed in the food.  It’s obviously a process, but it’s one of those things you just can’t avoid, and it’s certainly not the worst thing you could feed your dog.

One thing to think about – the type of meat should always be listed, be it chicken, duck, fish, beef, whatever.  If it just says “meat,” then that means the manufacturers don’t want to disclose what kind of animal is in their dog food.  It’s like the mystery meat in the cafeteria – nobody wants to eat that.  If your second ingredient is another corn or soy product, you’ll probably want to research another brand.

What’s the third ingredient?  If you haven’t found an animal protein source yet, you should definitely see one now.  If the first two ingredients were animal-sourced, then this third ingredient will probably be a grain – rice or  barley.

The fourth ingredient will be another grain, and the fifth will probably be some form of animal fat.  Like before, you’ll want to know what kind of animal.  It might say “preserved with mixed tocopherols” – that’s okay.  Mixed tocopherols are antioxidants that keep the fat from spoiling.

Now, if your dog food was mainly quality meat and whole grains, then you – and, more importantly, your dog – are good to go.  However, if you found a bunch of corn, soy, and mystery meat, you might want to look at some other brands.  Blue Buffalo, which is what Murphy eats, is an affordable brand with minimal fillers and no artificial stuff.  My grandfather swears by it, and I can certainly vouch for it.  It may not be the “perfect” dog food, but it is definitely good.  (I promise that I am not being paid to advertise Blue Buffalo.  I am just a fan of their dog food.)

Really, this whole post was just to get you in the habit of reading ingredients.  Maybe you already read the ingredients on your food, or your family’s.  If you do, that’s great – keep up the good work!  But if you have a dog, it’s part of your family, too.  You should definitely treat it that way.  It is more expensive, but by investing in quality food, you might be saving yourself a lot of money on vet bills.

Gus Counts Too

Up next on the pet food frontier: cat food!  We do not actually have a dog, although that will hopefully change some time this year, but we do have a cat named Gus.

Gus is a great cat.  He’s sweet, he never bites or scratches, and he even puts up with my baby brother – no easy task, since my brother is a three-year-old who likes to use Gus as a pillow.  My whole family loves Gus, and we’d only do good things for him.

Can you guess where this is going?  While I was researching this post, I learned something about Gus’s food, Hill’s Science Diet.  We’d always thought that it was a good food – it’s got the words “Science” and “Diet” right in the name!  Turns out that it’s not that great.

It’s one more thing to think about – and of course I learned this just after we bought Gus a new bag of food.

Kaynan Goldberg with her father Jordan  at the Western Wake Farmers Market in Cary. Photo by Hal Goodtree.

Story and photos by Hal Goodtree.

Cary, North Carolina – Looking for some place new to get coffee and a pastry? Check out Sugar Buzz Bakery & Cafe, now open in Saltbox Village.

A New Bakery with a History

Sugar Buzz opens its doors with a built-in following. Laura, the owner of Sugar Buzz, was the original proprietor of Laura Lynn’s Deli & Bakery in Morrisville 17 years ago.

The new bakery/cafe occupies the space that was formerly Marilyn’s Pizza. Sugar Buzz opened in December (last month).

According to Laura, business has been pretty good so far.

Cozy & Delicious

The room is cozy with about a dozen tables. The space is clean and uncluttered, with colorful artwork on the whitewashed walls and beautiful light cascading in through the plate-glass windows in the front of the cafe.

The baked goods looked fantastic. Croissants, fruit tarts, muffins, scones, cinnamon bread – all baked fresh on the premises.

Breakfast & Dinner

In the morning, there’s breakfast strata and quiche as well as  breakfast casseroles and all the fabulous baked goods.

For lunch, Sugar Buzz offers a signature chicken salad croissant, veggie wraps, savory muffins and tarts plus an assortment of salads.

Get Your Sugar Buzz

Sugar Buzz Bakery & Cafe is open 7 days a week.

Sugar Buzz Bakery & Cafe
1231 Kildare Farm Road
in Saltbox Village
Cary, NC 27511

Visit Sugar Buzz Bakery online for hours and more information.

Cary, NC – Here are two words you don’t hear together very much: “eco-friendly” and “hamburgers.” BurgerFi, a new restaurant concept, aims to change that perception when they open their doors in Cary during the Spring of 2012.

Natural, Local, Recycled

BurgerFi uses all natural Angus beef – naturally grown, humane certified, vegetarian fed, no antibiotics or hormones. Frozen custard is made fresh every two hours. There are craft beers, sundaes, shakes, wine by glass, fresh cut Idaho fires and onion rings.

Sound like the malt shop of your youth? That’s their aim.

But BurgerFi is an update of the burger concept. In addition to the sustainably-sourced food, there’s recycled metal chairs, plug-in parking spaces for electric cars and a special emphasis on local products.

Why BurgerFi

BurgerFi seems to be an shortening of burgerfication, as in “the burgerfication of America.”

The BurgerFi universe currently consists of three restaurants in Florida. It is the brainchild of well-known restaurateur David Manero.

Henry Harris and Burley Moss, experienced restaurant franchisees in the Carolinas, acquired the BurgerFi rights to this market. Future restaurants in Myrtle Beach, Charleston and Columbia, SC are planned. Each BurgerFi location is projected to employ about 50 people.

Where & When

No word on where in Cary BurgerFi will open, or exactly when. Sometime this spring.

But the hip, eco-friendly, easy and affordable concept is likely to prove popular in Cary.

One day, BurgerFi may have hundreds of locations across the nation. In Cary, we won’t have to wait that long to find out what the future of burgers tastes like.

Story by Lindsey Chester and photo by Hal Goodtree.

Cary, NC – Dean Ogan, owner of Rocky Top Hospitality , recently announced plans for a second Cary restaurant in the former Stonewood Grill on Darrington Drive off NW Cary Parkway.

The new establishment, Rockwell’s American Grill, will feature “American comfort food” and joins Rocky Top’s other Cary success, Tribeca Tavern. Opening is set for January 24th, 2012.

The Menu

Rockwell’s will combine the concept of a modern American grill with family style portions, and a menu inspired by American diners, delis and traditional comfort foods.  Breakfast will be served all day, and Rockwell’s will offer family style service and a menu priced very reasonably from $5 – $19.  The bar will focus on reasonably priced craft beers, wines and modern day takes on classic American cocktails. With Cary’s love of outdoor dining, the new patio is sure to be a hit and seats more than 100 guests.

Chefs

Owner Dean Ogan, Marshall Smith (of Michael Dean’s, Bogart’s Red Room, and Savoy), and Marc Vanscoy (who works for Tribeca Tavern, Porter’s, Frazier’s, and Twisted Fork) will all collaborate on the new menu.  Marshall Smith will be staying long term along with his dad, Richard Smith (from the Twisted Fork) doing the baking and desserts.

 “Rockwell’s American Grill is the kind of restaurant that serves our favorite foods we have all grown to love,” said Ogan. “We could not be more excited to open the restaurant in January. Whether it is our grilled cheeses, comfy entrees or classic American desserts, Rockwell’s  ..(will)..remind every individual of their family classics.”

Stonewood closed October 1st (news to me) and is currently undergoing renovations. The building is being leased by TriProperties, who manages the Preston Walk shopping center. The restaurant includes 7500 square feet plus the outdoor patio, which will be open year round.

Locally Grown

Other restaurants in the area owned by the group include The Twisted Fork, The Red Room Tapas Lounge, and The Mash House. Tribeca tavern has two locations, one in Cary and the other in Raleigh. Rocky Top Hospitality makes a point of being unique and using local North Carolina ingredients- seafood, meats and organic produce. They pride themselves on their  hormone free beef and pork. Pasta  and desserts are made daily.

Hours

When the new restaurant opens in January, lunch and dinner will be served every day from 11 a.m. until 10 p.m., with the bar open until midnight each evening except Sundays.