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The Alley burger.

Photo by Juli Leonard

320 E. CHAPEL HILL ST., DURHAM Rating: ♦♦♦♦ Prices: Entrees $17-$25 Cuisine: Contemporary American Atmosphere: Casually elegant Recommended: Foie gras mousseline,

jar of pickles, duck and waffle, pan-seared black bass, burger Noise level: Moderate Service: Well-trained

Greg Cox for TriangleToday

hannon Healy, the longtime head bartender at Crook’s Corner before he opened Alley Twenty Six in 2012, was way ahead of the modern craft cocktail curve. And you might say Healy’s decision to expand Alley Twenty Six into the neighboring space and add a restaurant to his bar called for the most complex and delicately balanced recipe he’s ever attempted. The presentation and garnish, so to speak, were a given. Because the dining room and kitchen are located in the new space, Healy was able to

FEBRUARY IS TRIANGLE TODAY’S

leave the casually elegant bar undisturbed, from its burnished wood bar and rich brown leather-upholstered stools to its cozy sofa grouping in the front window. The decor of the dining room with its open kitchen (and a second, smaller bar) is a harmonious blend of oval mirrors on French rose walls, hardwood floors stained the color of Amaretto, a sparkling glass display case of liquor bottles and a garnish of mint green dining chairs.

The tricky part of the recipe was incorporating a food menu that would measure up to the liquid offering at one of the area’s premier bars without upstaging it. Healy found the key ingredient for meeting that challenge in the form of chef Carrie Schleiffer, who most recently dazzled with her food-and-beverage balancing act at Bar Virgile, and before that at the gastropub G2B. Read more at triangletoday.com

IYWINE

DETAILS COMING SOON! CONTESTS Y EVENTS Y GIVEAWAYS

MONTH

weekend planner

good eats

Have you tried UberEats delivery?

Get your groove on This month the Triangle hosts prominent artists featuring a range of bluegrass styles, from traditional to progressive.

Oak & Dagger Public House The shrimp and grit cake.

Mike Williams for Triangle Today

The Stray Birds have made the musical leap from sidewalk buskers to acclaimed touring and recording artists. Their 2017 CD, “Magic Fire,” was released on Hillsborough’s Yep Roc Records and earned praise from NPR as one of Folk Alley’s Top 10 albums of the year. The details: Jan. 13, 8 p.m. Cat’s Cradle Back Room, 300 E. Main St., Carrboro. $12, or $15 day of show. 919-967-9053 or or catscradle.com

Find details at triangletoday.com

N&O file photo

Monuts is a fave in Durham. An obvious choice.

Photo by Juli Leonard

Yonder Mountain String Band has won loyal fans and hosted festivals since forming in 1998. This year marks two decades for the Colorado-based bluegrass band, and the 20th anniversary tour is underway. The Southern Belles will also perform. The details: Jan. 12, 8 p.m. Cat’s Cradle, 300 E. Main St., Carrboro. $25, or $30 day of show. 919-967-9053 or catscradle.com

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by J

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N&O file photo

Now that UberEats is in the Triangle, more people will probably be ordering in and watching Netflix. I know I’ll be ordering from Pizza La Stella — a lot. I asked a few friends what UberEats would be bringing them and these options look pretty scrumptious.

Grammy-winning bluegrassers Steep Canyon Rangers got their start at UNCChapel Hill. They return with two evenings of award-winning fan favorite songs and new ones from their forthcoming CD, “Out in the Open,” which will be released later this month. The details: Jan. 12 and 13, 8 p.m. Memorial Hall, UNC-Chapel Hill. Ticket prices vary. 919-843-3333 or carolinaperformingarts.org

Alpaca Peruvian Charcoal Chicken (9th St.) Marinated rotisserie chicken cooked over wood charcoal.

The Tomatico tart – cherry tomatoes, shiitake mushrooms and arugula, tossed in basil-cilantro dressing and piled high on a base of cashew mascarpone crema in a fluted shell of sprouted almonds – is a stunner at Living Kitchen in Raleigh.

food truckin’ CHIRBA CHIRBA

Pictured at left is the Sweet Soy Glazed Pork Belly and Chinese Spinach Bun from the Chirba Chirba Dumpling food truck Prices: steamed dumplings $6.75 (6 pieces) to $19 (18 pieces); pork belly pocket $4 Website: chirbachirba.com

Photo by Juli Leonard

Go to triangletoday.com for the full review by Greg Cox.

#healthyvibes Health hacks from Cory Maxwell, O2 Fitness Melissa Howsam for Triangle Today Local “fitspert” Cory Maxwell, fitness director at O2 Fitness Seaboard Station, dishes lifestyle hacks for better physical and mental health — and a do-anywhere workout recipe for success. Hack #1: Be prepared Always keep a bag stocked in the car for the gym (clothes, shoes, socks, towel, etc.). And prepare food in advance so you do not make bad choices in the heat of the moment. Hack #2: Get a dog! This is a great accountability tool that will allow you to be active. Show your dog and yourself some love by taking nice long walks or runs.

Recipe for health Elevate your fitness or shake up your routine with Maxwell’s do-anywhere bodyweight workout: 10 servings of squats 10 servings of push-ups 30 second servings of planking 10 servings of lunges on each leg 10 servings of cobras 30 second servings of mountain climbers Add each ingredient in the order given above and repeat two full times for your perfect dish.

What We’re Up Against Directed by Heather J. Stickland Presented in the LEGGETT THEATRE

at William Peace University, 15 E Peace St Raleigh, NC 27604

Presented by special arrangement with SAMUEL FRENCH, INC.

Jan/12-28

Hack #3: Use a standing desk. This will not only save your hips and lower back a lot of trouble, but will keep you awake with greater mental clarity throughout the work day. Hack #4: Turn off the music. Try listening to podcast [or] leadership speakers on your commutes. This can not only make a commute go by faster, but get you motivated for a productive day. It’s a great way to always continue learning and growing.

THERESA REBECK’S