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WEDNESDAY, APRIL 25, 2018
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IN SEARCH OF A SLICE IN DOWNTOWN RALEIGH?
PIZZA
Greg Cox for Triangle Today
For all of downtown Raleigh’s burgeoning restaurant scene, it has long suffered from a shortage of that most vital of urban eateries: a place where you could grab a slice of pizza. The situation has improved considerably in recent months, as these three newcomers have come online to fill the void. Oakwood Pizza Box, Pizza Times and Benny Capitale’s all sell pizza by the whole pie or by the slice. But that’s where the similarities end. Get a taste of each spot below and read the entire article at triangletoday.com
OAKWOOD PIZZA BOX 610 N. PERSON ST., RALEIGH
THE PIZZA TIMES 210 S. WILMINGTON ST., RALEIGH
BENNY CAPITALE’S 121 FAYETTEVILLE ST., SUITE 110, RALEIGH
You can get pizza by the slice, but if you have the time, do yourself a favor and round up a friend or two for a whole 18-inch pie. Get there early (Oakwood Pizza Box is as compact as its name implies) and order a Narragansett lager — or if you’re feeling continental, a Campari and soda.
First, the good news. If there’s a better value than the $2.50 cheese slice, I don’t know about it. Chef Michael Rehm, a veteran of eight years in the Raleigh Times kitchen, has come close to mastering the all-important crust, starting with the slow fermentation of the dough that’s crucial for developing its texture.
The second location of a Virginia-based chain in the Triangle, Benny’s claim to fame is its 28-inch pie. (Benny Cappella’s in Chapel Hill is the other one.) That’s right, 28 inches. Let’s just say a whole pie is about as big around as an adult bicycle wheel, and that a single slice will fill you up as well as those individual-size pizzas at most places.
Make your pizza a half-and-half, maybe classic pepperoni on one side, white with meatballs and mushrooms (cremini, lightly sautéed with thyme and a touch of garlic on a ricotta-mozzarella base) on the other. Then sit back and enjoy a little slice of New York in Raleigh.
Add one or two toppings from the list of 15 or so at 50 cents a pop. Or go nuts with a $4 daily special like the Baby Blue (arugula, blue cheese, house-ground beef and red onion on an olive oil base). Any way you slice it, it’s a bargain.
Given its size, the crust is surprisingly well executed — just the right thickness with a crust that, if not as puffed and blistery as the best, still has a good toothsome bite to it.
WEDNESDAY, APRIL 18, 2018
fun finder
TRIANGLE TODAY | THE NEWS & OBSERVER
java jive
PERK UP WITH COFFEE SHOP PLAYLISTS Melissa Howsam for Triangle Today
Saturday April 28 | 11:00am-3:00pm Songbird Celebration Wake County Parks & Recreation Bird related activities including games, crafts, storytimes, bird hikes and learning stations wakegov.com/parks/events/Pages/default.aspx 919-870-4330 Saturday April 28 | 1pm - end Alice @ Wonderland Sensory Friendly Performance Raleigh Little Theatre A modern spin on Alice and Wonderland for individuals with autism spectrum disorders, $12.00 12yr and younger, $18.00 Adults https://raleighlittletheatre.org/events/alicewonderland-sensory-friendly-performance/ 919-821-3111 Sunday April 29 | 1:00pm-2:00pm Nature Art: Kite Making Horseshoe Farm Nature Preserve City of Raleigh Make your own kite and learn about sky & clouds $4.00 per person, ages 5 + raleighnc.gov/services | 919-996-6640 Tuesday May 1 | 10am-10-45am Time for Tots:Start Your Engines North Carolina Museum of History A program on NASCAR where you can try on racing gear, learn about the drivers and make your own racing flag $5.00 per child (free for members) ages 3-5 ncmuseumofhistory.org/events/time-tots-startyour-engines | 919-807-7979
Find details for these events and more fun stuff at
kidstownnc.com
There’s more to those beats than just head-bobbing. Music has long been touted as inspo for creativity … according to a bajillion studies — like this one noted by Reuters at the end of last year: “Listening to happy music while working may spark the kind of divergent thinking that’s associated with creativity and problem-solving, a recent study in the Netherlands suggests.” In the era of remote working (or studying … or writing the next great American novel … or banging out the best biz deal), the coffeehouse is your creative-thinking concert for solo and collab. And if you’re just looking to relax, a cup a joe with a side of soundtrack may too be just what the doctor ordered. Music is good for the soul — helping to ameliorate stress, anxiety and even depression. To wit, we rounded up sounds from hot java spots around town to get the spin on where best to perk up and settle down. Sola | @solacoffee Welcoming and airy, this laid-back family-owned shop with an Australian/West Coast vibe pushes play a range of oldies, reggae, alternative, Motown and more. “Depending on the day, we strive for different types of moods,” says Sola’s Sally Luther. “Mornings — due to a quieter and older crowd — we would aim for softer tunes. As we move throughout the day and the crowds and conversation picks up, so does our music.” Thus, the playlists vary by day and time. “We love the oldies, stations such as Fleetwood Mac, Louis Armstrong, Otis Redding, America, to name a few.” Looking for Motown? Hit up sola on Mondays. Reggae? Well, the fix is in on Reggae Thursdays. And if classics are your thing, “Saturdays are generally classic,” says Luther. “We love our music to create an atmosphere that cultivates conversation.” We’re thinking sipping the maple cinnamon latte with made-in-house syrup ($4-$5) on Motown Monday sounds like the cure for Monday blues. Cocoa Cinnamon | @cocoacinnamon Now with three locations, Cocoa Cinnamon’s first perk shop on Geer Street is unique from its brethren via a
Jam to classic tunes while enjoying the Classic Cappuccino at Morning Times in downtown Raleigh. Taylor Shaw purposefully crafted playlist to complement the communal living room vibe. Dotted with comfy couches and bartops, the shop offers “a sense of travel and exploration throughout,” says co-owner Areli Barrera, “with a pretty low-key SZA or Anderson .Paak vibe.” The Coffee Vibes playlist includes deep house, funk and soul, Italo disco, international, new wave, cumbia, bossa nova, jazz, global bass, Baile funk, Soulection… etc. “People can follow us on Spotify via username ‘clubcocoa,’” says Barrera. “On nice sunny days, we try to keep the genre fluctuating throughout the day and are always trying to make the vibe feel like you are sitting by a pool soaking in the sunshine and interjecting a pop of foreign landscape.” #YAAS. Our pick? Channeling those vibes and copping a spot outside with an Iced Natural Ethiopian Pour Over (12 ounces for $4) for its juicy notes of watermelon, strawberry, green apple and fig with a chocolatey finish. Perfect for impending warmer weather. The Morning Times | @themorningtimes DTR’s go-to coffeehouse for everything from meeting, working, dating, creating and more is the quintessential neighborhood cafe. Reflecting that vibe is a Pandora Business soundtrack spinning everything from Frank Ocean to Mulatu Astatke, with a morning vibe of smooth jazz a la Otis Redding and Beach Fossils to a nighttime pick-me-up range from Moody Synth, R&B/ Soul to upbeat ’90s rock. Classic meets classic with the classic cappuccino ($3.50), in your hand as you are propped anywhere from the patio to the entry windows to the large upstairs seating area.
TRIANGLE TODAY | THE NEWS & OBSERVER
WEDNESDAY, APRIL 25, 2018
TAKE A TASTE OF SPRING WITH THE NEW MENU AT ORO Melissa Howsam for Triangle Today Hungry? ORO’s chef Chris and culinary team are answering the call with myriad new mouthwatering dishes now on offer. Herbivores can dig into fresh with the caprese salad with fresh burrata and heirloom tomatoes. Seafood
lovers can order up smoked salmon flatbread with creme fraiche and crispy capers, or seared scallops with crispy pancetta and garlic cream. And landlubbers will wanna try the jerk lamb chops with pineapple chutney. And, yes, the truffle mac & cheese and sesame cauliflower are still on offer.
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Get in ma belly! “ORO’s new spring menu really is delicious and we are excited!” says co-owner Cara Hylton. “It blends global ingredients for a real combination of culture and flavor that will leave you feeling as if you’ve taken a trip around the world right from your seat.” Also upping the fun factor in your Sunday Funday, ORO is now open for Sunday brunch (10 a.m. to 2 p.m.), with a Build Your Own Bloody Mary Bar to boot. Big bonus for brunch fans (aka e’erybody). The full menu (and Sunday brunch) awaits you at ORO. Reserve online here or call 919.239.4010 to secure your table.
Courtesy of ORO
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WEDNESDAY, APRIL 25, 2018
TRIANGLE TODAY | THE NEWS & OBSERVER
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