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Capri is in Sutton Square, next to the Fresh Market.

"The city’s not making enough off parking and it’s obvious people don’t like paying for tickets. That’s the issue," said City Council member Mary Ann Baldwin.

During the last decade and a half downtown Raleigh has undergone an enormous resurgence that went along with a $2 billion investment from the private and public sectors. In the late 90’s we started to see Raleigh most interesting new restaurants appearing in downtown instead of in the suburbs. Popular bars in the suburbs began to fade as a bustling nightlife emerged in downtown Raleigh. In fact, almost every single interesting restaurant to open in the last 10 years has been in downtown Raleigh.

Apparently the City of Raleigh wants to ignore the role of free parking in that renaissance. The introduction of nighttime parking fees is a huge deterrent for restaurant patrons who have an alternative. If this becomes the city’s policy, expect a renaissance of its own in North Raleigh. Downtown parking fees would be a huge boon to restaurateurs in the suburbs.

Increased parking revenues from downtown lots also would be a big boon to McLaurin Parking Company, the company that operates these parking structures. You may also know that company as…the inlaws of Mayor, Charles Meeker.

Nothing lasts forever. Hillsborough Street’s nightlife scene in the 70’s rivaled Chapel Hill’s Franklin Street. North Raleigh saw a ton of great restaurants open in the 80’s. The popularity of downtown in the last 15 years is a delicate thing. If the City of Raleigh wants that momentum to continue, it must proceed with extreme caution. As it is, downtown is not perceived as convenient to where people chose to live, it isn’t perceived as an easy place to park, and it’s wave is nearing the point where we’ve typically seen nightlife/entertainment cycles end in Raleigh’s history.

While the fresh meats are impressive, perhaps the best offering at The Meat House is the marinated meats. Swing by and try the burgundy-marinated beef tips.

The Meat House Raleigh location is in Quail Corners Shopping Center, in the former Eckerd’s location. The center is at the intersection of Falls of Neuse and Millbrook roads. The store is open daily from 9am-7pm.

Raleigh on Ice  will offer families and visitors the opportunity to skate at chopping centers:

• November 20 through January 2 at North Hills Commons. The event opens during North Hills’ annual Christmas tree lighting event.
• November 14 thru December 10 at Brier Creek Commons
• December 13 thru December 26 at Triangle Town Center

Winterfest returns to downtown Raleigh

• Real ice rink
• Opening at Winterfest’s grand opening, Saturday, December 4
• Dates, hours, prices, and policies are still unannounced

A new tenant is finally on the way for the center, however. HomeGoods will open later this year/early 2011 in the space, complimenting the long-successful TJ Maxx in that center.

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Even better news, however, is the arrival of The Meat House to the center’s outparcel. In the space formerly occupied by Mattress Warehouse, next to Moe’s, The Meat House will open in February. It will be the chain’s second area store and will bring all of the delicious fresh and marinated meats to North Raleigh that Cary has been enjoying all year.

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Now to fill that space where Books-A-Million just closed…

Awards are offered in 11 different award categories, including new residential, commercial, or institutional construction, plus historic preservation, sustainable design, and tree and landscape conservation. The award for “Maintained Outstanding Appearance” honors appearance contributions by projects 5 years old or older. The “Individual” award is presented to a citizen who has consistently worked to preserve or improve city appearance.

The deadline for entries for the 2010 Sir Walter Raleigh Awards is Friday, July 9. Nominations for the can be made online at or by completing a printed form available at City government offices. In addition to project information, six or more digital photos of each nominated project or individual, submitted on CD or flash drive, are also required.

An independent jury will meet in July to review the nominations. Award winners will be selected based on specific criteria, including exhibition of a new standard of excellence, awareness of land stewardship, innovation, conservation of natural and/ or historic resources, and exceeding applicable ordinances. The Raleigh City Council will confirm the jury’s selections in August. Awards will be presented in October.

No other restaurants in North Carolina made the list, although The Melting Pot chain, with locations on Wake Forest Road and at Southpoint in Durham, was named to the list.

Woody’s Bar-B-Q

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This is a curious situation. I assume that Steve Bell would never explain the real story to me if I asked, but it seems rather odd that a shopping center that has lost its grocery store anchor, its nice restaurant anchor, and a slew of small stores in the back would play hardball in this economy with a high-end tenant who claims that they wish to keep their store open.

Perhaps a partial demolition of the complex is in the works. The 35-year old center’s original section is designed like a hook and has terrible frontage for stores in the rear of the property as well as on the back side of GOPC (near Chick-Fil-a). Also next door is an apartment complex that is pushing 40 years old. All of this is in an affluent area, but the risk of seeing the area slide in the way that North Hills Drive has is very real with aging rental properties (anyone notice the rise in crime, dead bodies found, and graffiti near 440 and Glenwood Ave lately?). Perhaps a reorganization of the shopping center property as well as the adjacent apartment property would be a fantastic injection of new life for the North Ridge area.

The new decor is a bit more casual, though many of the fixtures from the chic Jibarra remain. Walls have been painted festive reds, oranges, and greens. The menu (.PDF) is short and simple, and features entrees predominantly in the $10-$16 range. Items such as enchiladas, carne asada, and fajitas populate a menu otherwise full of interesting items.

We started out the evening with the queso, which was good; very runny queso fresco with some green chilis mixed in. The roasted corn and poblano soup hit the spot. It is similar to its counterpart at Mez, but gets a little more personality from its peppers.

For entrees, my wife won with the delicious grilled steak tacos. The smoky salsa and guacamole made the steak come alive. I decided to be adventuresome and get the grilled Steak Parrilla (skirt steak and chorizo, and peppers). The steak was of fair quality and the chorizo was good, but overall the meal just overloaded me with fats and left me feeling bleh. In retrospect I should have ordered Camarones al Gusto (seared shrimp in one of three different sauces). I’m definitely looking forward to trying it next time.

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[Show as slideshow]

I wish the new owners good luck, and assume that the current location needs a lot of work, but isn’t there something to be said for not upsetting the apple cart?

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The site’s menu is incomplete, but confirms that there will be rolled pita, salad pockets, pita “pitzas”, and other items. It appears that it will be a casual style restaurants. Numerous reviews online (1, 2, 3, 4) are positive, so it looks like North Raleigh will have a nice addition. I wonder how the Taza Grill folks are taking this…

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