This is a post by N&O restaurant critic Greg Cox:

The Parlour, known to local food truck fans as the cute mini school bus that serves homemade ice cream, has opened a brick-and-mortar location in downtown Durham (117 Market St.; 919-564-7999; theparlourdurham.com). There are quite a few of those fans, evidently, as the shop sold out on Saturday. Owners Yani and Vanessa Mazuz took yesterday off to crank out more ice cream.

The shop should be back to normal hours this week (Tuesday-Sunday from noon to 10 pm.) With a rotating selection of flavors that includes the likes of ginger dulce de leche and brown sugar roasted apple - not to mention ice cream sandwiches and other confections - looks like the churns won't be slowing down anytime soon.

The wheels on the bus will continue to go round and round, too. Follow them on Twitter (@parlourdurham) for the mini bus schedule.

Meanwhile in Morrisville, Batterz Up (10123 Chapel Hill Road; 919-244-3354; batterzupsweets.com) has opened in the old Morrisville Café building. Owner/baker Abby Broadway has given the space a complete makeover with a cheery coat of pink paint and display cases full of sweet temptations. She specializes in cupcakes, but will also offer morning pastries and coffees from Red Rooster Coffee Roaster in Wake Forest.

Hours of operation appear to be still shaking out. The shop is closed today, and scheduled to be open this week Tuesday-Friday from 8:30 a.m. to 6 p.m., Saturday 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. and Sunday from 1-5 p.m.

Send restaurant news to Greg at ggcox@bellsouth.net. Be sure to tune in to Greg's radio show at 11 a.m. Saturdays on WPTF.

This is a post by N&O restaurant critic Greg Cox:

You know those nights when one of you is in the mood for sushi and the other is jonesing for a burger? You're not alone, judging by the already sold-out sneak peek events this weekend for The Cowfish (4208-100 Six Forks Road; 919-784-0400; thecowfish.com) in the Captrust Tower at North Hills.

The restaurant opens to the public on Monday, and will serve lunch and dinner daily. Burgers, made with a half pound of humanely raised Angus beef, are available with just about every topping you can imagine, from fried capers to grilled asparagus to black truffle cheese.

If beef is not your thing, choose from seven alternatives: veggie, ahi tuna, grilled chicken, turkey, grilled portobello, lamb and chipotle bison. And if your mind boggles at all the possibilities, a list of Cowfish signature burgers comes to the rescue with the likes of Granny's Southern Pimento Cheese Burger and The Jalapeño Popper Show-Stopper.

Sushi cravings are catered to just as assiduously with an extensive selection of sashimi and sushi in every form from nigiri to hand roll. House specialty rolls raise the ante on the usual selection with creations such as the The Motherload, which features a slice of every fish on the Cowfish menu (and is priced accordingly, at $24).

Torn between burger and sushi? Check out the Burgushi section, where you'll find an assortment of sandwiches, rolls and bento boxes that incorporate both into the same presentation. The Nature Boy's WOOOOO-shi BuffalOOOOO-shi Roll, for one, an everything-but-the-kitchen-sink tribute to Ric Flair, professional wrestler and favorite son of Charlotte, home of the original Cowfish.

Send restaurant news to Greg at ggcox@bellsouth.net. Be sure to tune in to Greg's radio show at 11 a.m. Saturdays on WPTF.

This is a post by N&O restaurant critic Greg Cox:

UPDATED: The OC Bar & Grill (1028 Oberlin Road; 919-322-9710; theocraleigh.com) opens TODAY (4/17) in Raleigh.

No, not that OC. This one is named for Oberlin Court, the retail and residential complex near Cameron Village where the upscale sports bar is located. The restaurant will serve lunch and dinner daily, remaining open until 4 a.m. Thursday-Saturday and until 2 a.m. the rest of the week.

The extended hours are just one of the ways that owners Ryan Faircloth (who formerly owned Ham's in Chapel Hill and was a partner in The Corner in Cary) and Ryan Reid have in mind to set their establishment apart from the competition.

From house-smoked beef brisket to signature two-day-brined, slow-cooked chicken wings, scratch cooking is the rule for The OC's kitchen. In addition to the usual pub fare, the extensive menu covers a wide spectrum from loaded Tater Tots to cedar plank-grilled salmon to pork belly mac 'n' cheese to pomegranate molasses pan-roasted chicken.

The bar is aiming higher than the sports pub norm, too, serving cocktails made with fresh squeezed juices, homemade mixes and fresh herbs. And rotating taps will feature brews selected by fan votes on The O.C.'s Facebook page. Winners for the opening taps include Goose Island Summertime Kölsch, Carolina Brewery Oatmeal Porter, and Angry Orchard Cider.

When 4 a.m. rolls around on a Friday night, I'm betting coffee would get a few votes.

Send restaurant news to Greg at ggcox@bellsouth.net. Be sure to tune in to Greg's radio show at 11 a.m. Saturdays on WPTF.

This is a post by N&O restaurant critic Greg Cox:

Local couples Michael and Angela Luff and Chris and Tracy Flanagan have teamed up to open Indoor Greens (1951 High House Road; 919-825-1818; indoorgreensminigolf.com. ) in Cornerstone Commons shopping center in Cary.

The owners are billing their new venture as "The Triangle's first mini golf course for casual fun and serious golfers," and they've backed up the claim with an 18-hole course of professional grade greens complete with undulations. Kids and casual players can play from shorter tees.

After you've worked up an appetite, head over to the Clubhouse Café, where the counter service menu includes greens of another sort. Salads - house, Greek and mixed greens with bleu cheese, apple, caramelized pecans and a poppyseed dressing - head up an offering that leans to light and healthy fare. Current options include chipotle hummus, mojo chicken lettuce wrap and chicken gyro, but you'll also want to check the board for specials.

The PBJ on the kids' menu even comes with a choice of veggie chips or fruit, with beverage options including juice box and bottled water.

OK, maybe the mayo and Boursin cheese spread on the club sandwich are a little on the indulgent side.

Indoor Greens is open Monday-Saturday from 10 a.m. to 9 p.m., and Sunday from 2-6 p.m. $12 gets you unlimited golf and includes $3 credit in the Clubhouse Café.

Send restaurant news to Greg at ggcox@bellsouth.net. Be sure to tune in to Greg's radio show at 11 a.m. Saturdays on WPTF.

This is a post by N&O restaurant critic Greg Cox:

Lafayette Village was built to look like a quaint European village, but the dining options at the North Raleigh shopping complex have taken on an increasingly international flavor. The newest addition to the roster is Sushi One (8470-100 Honeycutt Road; 919-615-3209), which adds a melange of Asian cuisines to a lineup that already included everything from French crêperie (Simply Crêpes) to Argentinean steakhouse (Pampas, which opened in December).

Owner/sushi chef Larry Yang, who has previously worked at Kanki and Sushi Love, describes the kitchen's offering as Asian fusion. "Other restaurants say they're Asian fusion," he says, "but they're really just Chinese and Japanese and Thai. We do real fusion."

Well, sort of. The menu does indeed include a few fusion creations, but for every Shinkai sea bass or Dynamite noodle there's a dozen or more traditional dishes. Teriyaki, chow fun, Thai curry - in short, pretty much anything you'd find at those other "fusion" restaurants - you'll find it here.

Naturally, that also includes Yang's specialty and the restaurant's namesake. Sushi One doesn't have a website yet, but you can find them on Facebook.

UPDATE: Sushi One's website is now up - sushionenc.com

Send restaurant news to Greg at ggcox@bellsouth.net. Be sure to tune in to Greg's radio show at 11 a.m. Saturdays on WPTF.

This is a post by N&O restaurant critic Greg Cox:

A wood-fired oven, custom-trimmed in copper, is the star of the show at Radius Pizzeria & Pub (112 N. Churton St.; 919-245-0601; radiuspizzeria.net), which opened last week in downtown Hillsborough. Burning local hickory, maple and oak, the oven turns out a varied assortment of pies, from the Cyclist (caramelized onions, mozzarella, mushrooms and herb-marinated chicken) to the Big Kid (spaghetti and sliced meatballs).

Owner/chef Mick Carroll, who comes to the Triangle from Ireland by way of San Francisco, plans to put the oven to further use. He's developing a selection of wood-fired appetizers (mussels with garlic, for one) and entree specials such as achiote-marinated double-cut pork chops, which he's planning to serve with yuca fries cooked in duck fat.

But Carroll's pride-and-joy oven is hardly the only attraction at Radius. The kitchen staff includes a couple of names that will be familiar to local foodies. Damon Lapas, erstwhile part-owner of The Barbecue Joint in Chapel Hill, is applying his meat-smoking skills to everything from New York strip steak to turkey breast for panini. Dania Gonzales, formerly chef of the Cuban restaurant Gregoria's Kitchen in Durham (which was closed by a fire), will contribute an occasional Latin accent to the offering.

The menu, which Carroll describes as featuring "world comfort food," is still taking shape. As the restaurant gets up to speed, look for the offering to expand to include a daily offering of soup, salad, pizza and panini specials.

Radius is a casual, family-friendly place with a full bar (including eight draft beers, all local). The restaurant serves lunch Monday-Saturday, dinner Tuesday-Saturday.

Send restaurant news to Greg at ggcox@bellsouth.net. Be sure to tune in to Greg's radio show at 11 a.m. Saturdays on WPTF.

This is a post by N&O restaurant critic Greg Cox:

Charles Tirada, owner of Asian restaurants ShabaShabu and Sushi Blues, is dipping his toe into a new concept with the opening of The Saucy Crab (4020 Durham-Chapel Hill Blvd.; 919-237-1935; thesaucycrab.com) in Durham.

Or, to be precise, a new twist on an old concept. Inspired by the traditional crab boils of the mid-Atlantic and Gulf coasts, the restaurant's house specialty features shellfish steamed with corn and potatoes and tossed in your choice of four sauces.

You can keep it traditional with Louisiana crawfish tossed in a Cajun sauce or Carolina blue crab sprinkled with Old Bay. Or get creative and try, say, shrimp (EZ-Peel or whole, head-on) in a pineapple teriyaki sauce. The menu also offers fried seafood baskets, served with your choice of hand-cut fries or sweet potato fries and slaw. Key lime pie and other desserts are baked in house.

Tirada, who formerly went by the name Charles Meteesatien, has given the building that previously housed Fish House (which he also owned) a complete makeover, replacing neon-accented contemporary Asian with a rustic crab shack style complete with butcher paper on the tables.

Billed as "Durham's only backyard seafood joint," The Saucy Crab is open Monday-Friday from 4-10 p.m., Saturday-Sunday from 11 a.m. to 10 p.m.

Send restaurant news to Greg at ggcox@bellsouth.net. Be sure to tune in to Greg's radio show at 11 a.m. Saturdays on WPTF.

This is a post by N&O restaurant critic Greg Cox:

It’s early spring and, right on schedule, Irish pubs are sprouting up all over the place. I’ve lost count of the number of times I’ve written that a pub opened “just in time for Saint Patrick’s Day.”

You can add the newest location of Hibernian (8021 Falls of Neuse Road; 919-803-0290; hibernianpub.com) to the list. The North Raleigh pub opened its doors with ten days to spare in the building that formerly housed Duffy’s for a decade. Owner Niall Hanley has given the space a complete overhaul to match the menu, a mix of Irish and American pub fare that now counts house-corned beef among its attractions.

Hanley is also fervently working on the restoration of the original Hibernian on Glenwood South, which was closed by a fire in December. He hopes to reopen by May with a few improvements, including a rooftop patio. I’ll keep you posted.

Meanwhile in Morrisville, the opening of a second location of Trali (3107 Grace Park Drive; traliirishpub.com) will miss its originally targeted St. Paddy’s Day opening by just a couple of weeks. According to chef-partner Eamonn Kelly, they’re now hiring staff and are shooting for an early April opening.

Send restaurant news to Greg at ggcox@bellsouth.net. Be sure to tune in to Greg's radio show at 11 a.m. Saturdays on WPTF.

This is a post by N&O restaurant critic Greg Cox:

Hotpoint Deli (1718 Walnut St.; 919-460-6299; hotpointdeli.com), the Cary restaurant that rose from the post-kitchen-fire ashes of the original Maximillians on Buck Jones Road nearly 14 years ago, has pulled up stakes. Owner/chef Anthony Scazzero cites a more visible location and improved facilities as reasons for moving around the corner to the former Waffle House building on Walnut Street.

Returning fans will be happy to know that the restaurant's quirky chalkboard menu of pizzas, sandwiches, salads and light entrees has survived the move, and still includes longtime favorites such as Felix the Cat (tortilla-crusted catfish sandwich) and Cry Baby (a grilled chicken calzone that lives up to its name with a fiery "Green Demon" pesto).

Meanwhile in Raleigh, Steve Jones and Sharon Rhue have opened Black Cat Café (4209 Lassiter Mill Road; 919-788-8240; blackcatcafenh.com) in the former Hot Point Café space at North Hills.

Actually, Jones and Rhue bought Hot Point Café - which was once an outpost of Hotpoint Deli, though the two restaurants have long since gone their separate ways under different ownership - last October. But the husband-and-wife team retained the old name for several months as they gradually began to transition to a menu more in keeping with their culinary style.

That style, according to Jones, features "Southern comfort food and Southwestern flavors," with an emphasis on local produce. While the menu retains the Hot Point underpinnings of pizzas, sandwiches, salads and eclectic entrees, an expanded selection of meatless options reflects the fact that both the owners are vegetarians.

The couple plan to increase the number of gluten-free options as the menu continues to evolve. And they're in the process of scheduling a calendar of live music, especially for Sunday brunch.

Send restaurant news to Greg at ggcox@bellsouth.net. Be sure to tune in to Greg's radio show at 11 a.m. Saturdays on WPTF.

This is a post by N&O restaurant critic Greg Cox:

Lindsay Moriarty and Rob Gillespie, whose scratch-made donuts have won a devoted following at the Durham Farmers' Market and food truck rodeos, have opened a brick-and-mortar location. And they're taking full advantage of the roomier digs at Monuts (110 E. Parrish St.; 797-2634; monutsdonuts.com).

An expanded selection of yeast-raised and cake donuts now includes five popular standards (among them apple cider and "something glazed") as well as daily features such as grapefruit-bourbon with candied ginger and peach jelly-filled with a Sriracha-peanut glaze.

Monuts also offers a modest selection of homemade bagels (which can be transformed into breakfast sandwiches with cooked-to-order eggs and other fillings), as well as muffins and occasional specials such as bread pudding. The shop serves beer, wine and Counter Culture coffee.

Monuts is open from 7 a.m. to 2 p.m. every day but Tuesday, though hours are "still getting worked out," according to Moriarty. The husband-and-wife team have parked their tricycle cart for now (except for special events), but they hope to get it rolling again once the shop is running smoothly.

Send restaurant news to Greg at ggcox@bellsouth.net. Be sure to tune in to Greg's radio show at 11 a.m. Saturdays on WPTF.