Fayetteville Foodies: Restaurants that came & went in January & my favorite eats this week
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This year has been off to a busy start.
Besides tons of recent openings and new restaurants to come, I’ve written about why drag queens will no longer perform at Dirtbag Ales; the woman behind the area’s only brunch food truck; how the egg shortage is affecting local families; the city’s new alcohol-alternative bar, and Fayetteville food traditions like the first Golden Corral and the Massey Hill Lion’s Club Oyster Roast.
I also put together a list of ways to surprise your sweetie (or your friends) with something a little more special than a basic box of chocolates this Valentine’s Day, like treats, events and activities around Fayetteville.
Coming up, I’ll be covering what's next for Chang's Seafood Market now that it lost its matriarch; a local mom’s new podcast about meal preparation and planning; a neighborhood guide to Trade Street; and what might be behind the recent influx of smoothie shops around Fayetteville.
I’m also working on an updated list of Black-owned businesses in Cumberland County to support this Black History Month and all year long. If you own or know of one not on this list from August 2021, please send the businesses name, phone number, address and website to me at tshook@gannett.com. Thank you!
The best things I ate this week
Breakfast burrito
My first story about the best Mexican spots in the Fayetteville area received such an overwhelming response, that I wrote a follow-up with another five recommendations! You can read the full story at fayobserver.com when it is published on Monday.
Spoiler alert: one of the Mexican places most frequently recommended to me is Don Ramon’s Taco Shop on Reilly Road. The restaurant is known for their breakfast burritos, and I finally got around to trying one yesterday.
It comes with scrambled eggs and cheese, a choice of meat and several optional add-ons. I ordered mine with potatoes, bacon and salsa verde on the side. It was flavorful, supremely cheesy and kept me full until dinnertime.
Poke
My husband and I’s friends from Hawaii, Lohi and Sean, always bring us the most delicious poke. We decided to try making it this weekend, with great success! We purchased the tuna Saturday morning at Sunfish Market on Yadkin Road. It was only a few minutes after it opened, and the market was already buzzing with customers.
The owner, Will Randall, greeted us right away with a sample of shrimp nigiri and a few poke tips: cube it when it’s thawed to the firmness of a ripe avocado; add cilantro for flavor and chopped cashews for texture.
We took his advice, and it turned out wonderfully. I can’t wait to make it for guests!
Good to know
Fry Papi food truck added carne asada chili cheese fries to the menu for $12.75.
International Cravings food truck added Cajun chicken pasta to the menu for $11.50. It’s available through the end of the month.
Pan at 105 Hay St. downtown now serves breakfast, including sausage, egg and cheese sandwiches, bagels and coffee.
Bonefish Grill, 230 Glensford Drive, now offers brunch, including mimosa and margarita pitchers, French toast and frittatas from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. on Sunday.
One lucky shopper at each Fresh Market grocery store location will win free roses for a year. Enter to win at the store, 230 Glensford Drive, through Feb. 14. Read the details here.
Happy eating,
Taylor Shook
Taylor Shook covers food, dining and business for The Fayetteville Observer. Click here for her most recent articles or reach her at tshook@gannett.com.
This article originally appeared on The Fayetteville Observer: Shook: Best Fayetteville foods I ate this week were poke & a burrito
