Durham's Piedmont restaurant has been bought by the Eno Hospitality Group, the folks behind Coon Rock Farm and Raleigh's Zely & Ritz restaurant.

Folks have been waiting for Richard Holcomb, his wife, Jamie DeMent, and their other partners to open Eno Restaurant and Market in downtown Durham. Chef Marco Shaw moved to Durham from Portland to help open that restaurant. But that restaurant opening has been repeatedly delayed.

DeMent says they were approached by Andy Magowan, the only remaining original owner of Piedmont about buying the restaurant. The other original owners, Drew Brown and Abby Pearce, have moved onto other endeavors.

"It was the perfect opportunity for us," DeMent says.

UPDATE: DeMent says they put the Eno efforts on hold while they finished the deal regarding Piedmont. She says they are now focused on trying to finish finding investors for the Eno project. Shaw starts cooking TONIGHT at Piedmont.

SECOND UPDATE: Andy Magowan sent me a statement via e-mail about his future plans: "I'm leaving Piedmont in order to start a beer-garden/restaurant in Durham, a smaller place with a large outdoor seating area. I will serve simple but high-quality, seasonal, all-american food, and will maintain my interest in and support for local foods & farmers."

Click READ MORE to read the press release.

Toyota sponsors a Farm to Table tour each year. This summer, they are coming to the Raleigh Downtown Farmers Market. What does that mean for you? Free food.

About 10 local chefs will be cooking up bite-sized tastings from market ingredients on Wednesday, July 21. The chefs include: Sarig Agasi of Zely & Ritz, Jeremy Clayman of Busy Bee Café, Chris Hylton of The Mint, Meechai Kowae of Spize Café, Christi Preddy of Tir na nOg Irish Pub, Jason Smith of 18 Seaboard, Clifton Vogelsberg of Solas, Ian Sullivan from Coquette Brasserie and Amy Tornquist of Watts Grocery. 

The market is from 10 a.m.-2 p.m. and is located on City Plaza on Fayetteville Street.

Just a reminder that you need to move fast if you want to be able to enjoy these celebrations of heirloom tomato season:

• Raleigh's Zely & Ritz restaurant has made a tradition of heirloom tomato dinners. Last year, demand was so high that they ended up hosting seven such events. So far, they three dates chosen: July 20 and 28 and Aug. 3. Call 828-0018 for details and reservations.
• Raleigh's 18 Seaboard is hosting heirloom tomato wine dinners at 7 p.m. July 26 and 27. It costs $45 per person plus tax and tip. The menu includes a sampling of heirloom tomatoes and cheese, bibb salad with green zebra tomatoes and sprite melons, grilled filet mignon with tomato terrine, corn, potatoes and a warm heirloom tomato gazpacho and an upside-down sungold tomato and pineapple cake with honey-basil ice cream. Call 861-4318 for a reservation.

Several Triangle restaurants are celebrating heirloom tomato season with special dinners. Here are three that might interest you:

At 7 p.m. Thursday, July 8, Foster's Market in Chapel Hill is offering one of its farm dinners, which happen every other Thursday at that location. The family-style meal will feature heirloom tomatoes from Peregrine Farm in Alamance County. It costs $15 for adults, $7 for children. (Owner Sara Foster encourages parents to bring their children and noted that accomodations will be made for children who don't like the tomato-centric menu.) The menu includes a tomato plate with three different heirloom varieties, shrimp and pasta al fresca with focaccia and melon ambrosia. Walk-ins are welcome. Reservations are encouraged: 967-3663. The store is located at 750 Martin Luther King Jr. Blvd.

Raleigh's Zely & Ritz restaurant has made a tradition of heirloom tomato dinners. Last year, demand was so high that they ended up hosting seven such events. So far, they three dates chosen: July 20 and 28 and Aug. 3. Call 828-0018 for details and reservations.

Raleigh's 18 Seaboard is hosting heirloom tomato wine dinners at 7 p.m. July 26 and 27. It costs $45 per person plus tax and tip. The menu includes a sampling of heirloom tomatoes and cheese, bibb salad with green zebra tomatoes and sprite melons, grilled filet mignon with tomato terrine, corn, potatoes and a warm heirloom tomato gazpacho and an upside-down sungold tomato and pineapple cake with honey-basil ice cream. Call 861-4318 for a reservation.

Raleigh's Zely & Ritz has two upcoming wine dinners next week: 

At 7 p.m. Wednesday, May 19, they are offering a five-course meal featuring wines from Odisea Wine Company with Winemaker Adam Webb as the speaker. The menu is: 

•  Tropical Fruit Salad with Citrus Sauce and In the Red Goat
  Cheese paired with Odisea Dream Albarino, Sueno Vineyard, Lodi, CA ‘09
• 
Shrimp and Clam Soup with Coconut Milk finished with Candied
  Ginger and Toasted Almonds
 paired with Odisea Wine Company Grenache Blanc,
  Clements Hill, Lodi, CA ‘08

• 
Pomegranate Molasses Glazed  and
  then Slow Roasted Pork Loin with Dried Cherries 
and Black Raspberry
  Sauce with Sweet Potato Gratin paired with Odisea Wine Company Two Rows
  Grenache, Clements Hills, Lodi, CA ‘08
• Slow Roasted
  Ribeye of Beef with Black Pepper and Star Anise Rub with Creamy
  Risotto and Mulberry Sauce paired with Odisea Wine Company Unusual Suspects,
  CA ‘08

• Dessert: Assorted Cookies
Larry’s Beans Coffee and Teatulia Teas

It costs $49 per person without wine and $75 per person with wine.

At 7 p.m. Thursday, May 20, they are offering a five-course meal featuring wines from Bethel Heights Winery. The menu is:

• 
Steamed Mussels with Honeysuckle and Lemon Balm Sauce
 paired with Bethel Heights Estate Grown Pinot Blanc, Eola-Amity Hills, Willamette Valley, OR ‘08

• Chapel Hill Creamery Carolina Moon and Pear Grilled Cheese Sandwich on Brioche with Arugula and Almond Salad with Caramelized Lemon Vinaigrette
 paired with  Bethel Heights Estate Grown Chardonnay, Eola-Amity Hills, Willamette Valley, OR ‘07

• 
Crispy Cured and Smoked Coon Rock Farm Ham with Date and Red Wine Reduction Sauce with Mashed Sweet Potatoes
 paired with Bethel Heights Eola-Amity Hills Cuvee Pinot Noir, Willamette Valley, OR ‘07

• Grilled and Slow Roasted Ribeye of Beef with Dried Cherry Risotto and Mixed Berry Sauce
 paired with Bethel Heights Casteel Reserve Estate Pinot Noir, Willamette Valley, OR ‘07

• 
Assorted Cookies
, Larry’s Beans Coffees and Teatulia Tea

It costs $49 per person without wine and $85 per person with wine.

Call 828-0018 to make a reservation. 

Last month, I went to the "Lunch with Amanda" event at Raleigh's Zely & Ritz. It is a relaxing family-style meal with 4 samples of wine. Amanda May, a saleswoman with Juice Wine Purveyors, leads the tastings.

May and Zely & Ritz co-owner, Nancy Agasi, are friends. These lunch events evolved from Nancy and Amanda just trying to catch up amidst their busy lives. Their first lunch involved May, Agasi, and Agasi's husband, Sarig, the restaurant chef, ordering pizza and having a few glasses of wine on a Monday when the restaurant was closed. To make their lunches more regular, the women decided to start offering a once-a-month lunch and include the restaurant patrons. The first one was back in October. 

Last month's menu included a rutabaga and baby collards rissotto; braised pork with molasses and North Carolina beer rissotto; a pizza with turkey confit, garlic confit, apple chutney, arugula puree and a red wine reduction; a goat cheese, apple chutney and arugula pizza; and a green salad with balsamic vinegar.

With that you get samples of four wines, which are available at a discount for sale. 

The next one is Friday, April 23. It costs $15 for lunch. That's an excellent deal for the wine and food you get. Call 828-0018 to reserve your spot.

Zely & Ritz have a Chocolate-themed dinner with optional wine pairings at 7 p.m. Wednesday, March 17. (That's tomorrow!) 

The menu is: 

• Chocolate Covered Grapes to Nibble

•  Whole Wheat Foccacia with Dark Chocolate Spread and CRF Cured Ham

• Pork Loin Crusted with Cocoa Nibs over Chocolate Fettuccine

• Beef Osso Buco Braised with Cocoa Powder and Balsamic Vinegar Reduction with Creamy Cocoa Risotto  

• Milk Chocolate and Almond Tart, Dark Chocolate Flavored Truffle and Chocolate Chili Ice Cream

The cost is $49 per person or 
$75 per person with wine. 

For a reservation, call 828-0018

Carr Vineyards winemakers Jessica and Ryan Carr will be the guest speakers at a wine dinner at 7 p.m. tonight at Raleigh's Zely & Ritz. Spots still remain at the table. 

The five-course meal costs $49 per person without wine and $75 per person with wine. Call 828-0018 for a reservation. 

The menu includes tuna carpaccio with passion fruit sauce and a salad of green apples and orange zest, roast duck and cherry pie, slow roasted ham rubbed with black pepper and star anise and a lamb stew with spicy paprika. Each course is paired with Carr wines from Pinot Gris to Cabernet Franc. 

Chef Sarig Agasi also mentioned that they are doing a wine lunch at noon, Friday, March 26. It is a family-style lunch for $15 with wine pairings for a reasonable price. Agasi was such a salesman that I signed up for lunch on the 26th. So maybe I'll see some of you there.

Zely & Ritz is hosting a dinner tonight featuring the cheeses of Chapel Hill Creamery. The five course dinner starts off with puff pastry-wrapped Calvander cheese and NC apples, and ends on a high note with Pheta cheesecake Napoleon with dates braised in red wine.

To taste for yourself what comes between, call 828-0018 for reservations. Cost is $49 per person ($79 with optional wine pairings).

Reminder: This is the last weekend to enjoy Zely & Ritz's five-course tasting menu for $75 a couple. This is the restaurant's way to celebrate its five-year anniversary.

The menu was chosen from among customers’ favorite dishes. Those include Mexican style shrimp ceviche, creamy butternut squash risotto with asiago cheese, pork loin with dried chery sauce and for dessert, one of my favorites, pine nut tart with honeycomb ice cream.

If you want wine pairings to go with your tasting menu, it costs an additional $30 per person. Call 828-0018 for a reservations.