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Here’s a painless way to save a little extra cash for the heating bill. Just dine at any of the five Rocky Top Hospitality restaurants in the Triangle this month between 5pm and 6pm, when entrees are buy-one-get-one-free. The usual restriction applies, naturally: the free entree must be of equal or lesser value than the one you pay for.

Interested? Check the restaurants’ Web sites below.

Michael Dean’s: www.michaeldeans.com

The Twisted Fork: www.thetwistedfork.com

The Red Room : www.redroomraleigh.com

Bogart’s American Grill: www.bogartsamericangrill.com

Hi5: www.hi5raleigh.com

The lives of many foodies in the area were touched by Marta Brewer-Samper, who  lost her battle with cancer last Friday. We will miss her cheery spirit as well as her talents as chef at Tasca Brava and Dos Taquitos Centro. 

A memorial service will be held today, January 6 at 5:00 p.m. in the chapel of St. Rafael Catholic Church, 5801 Falls of Neuse Road, Raleigh. 

Thanks to Assistant Features Editor (and fellow foodie) Adrienne Johnson Martin for this heads-up, which she posted on the Happiness is a Warm TV blog: HBO has just released a documentary about the famous New York restaurant Le Cirque. Here's the link to Adrienne's post, which includes showtimes:

http://blogs.newsobserver.com/tv/le-cirque-a-table-in-heaven-eat-this-up 

The latest victim of the current economic hard times is Vines Bistro (www.vinesbistro.com), which is closing its doors permanently after January 3. 

But at least the Cary restaurant is going out with a bang. Owner Dawn Cupero has announced that, in addition to a special dinner on New Year's Eve (reservations required), she'll host farewell parties on the following Friday and Saturday (January 2 and 3).

Here's a selective list of area restaurants with special plans for New Year's Eve. Check the Web site or call the restaurant for more information.

I'll update the list as I learn of others. 

Raleigh

Enoteca Vin (www.enotecavin.com)

Fleming’s (www.flemingssteakhouse.com)

J. Betski’s (www.jbetskis.com)

Midtown (www.midtownandbar115.com)

The Mint (www.themintrestaurant.com)

Posta Tuscan Grille (www.postatuscangrille.com)

Ruth’s Chris Steak House (www.ruthschris.com)

Savoy (www.restaurantsavoy.com)

Zely & Ritz (www.zelyandritz.com)

Cary/Wake County

An (www.ancuisines.com)

Bistro 64 (www.bistro64.com)

Herons (www.heronsrestaurant.com)

Klara’s (www.klarasrestaurant.com)

Peak City Grill (www.thepeakcitygrill.com)

Ruth’s Chris Steak House (www.ruthschris.com)

Skylines Café (www.skylinescafe.com)

Sunset Grille (www.sunsetgrillecary.com)

Vines Bistro (www.vinesbistro.com)

Durham

Blu Seafood & Bar (www.bluseafoodandbar.com)

Chamas (www.chamas.us)

Fairview (www.washingtondukeinn.com)

Jujube (www.jujuberestaurant.com)

Mez (www.mezdurham.com)

Piedmont (www.piedmontrestaurant.com)

Pop’s (www.pops-durham.com)

Revolution (www.revolutionrestaurant.com)

Rue Cler (www.ruecler-durham.com)

Six Plates Wine Bar (www.sixplateswinebar.com)

Taverna Nikos (www.tavernanikosgr.com)

Tyler’s (www.tylerstaproom.com)

Vin Rouge (www.ghgrestaurants.com/vinrouge/vinrouge.html)

Chapel Hill/Carrboro/Hillsborough

Azure Grille (www.azuregrille.com)

Elaine’s on Franklin (www.elainesonfranklin.com)

The Franklin Hotel (www.franklinhotelnc.com)

GlassHalFull (www.glasshalfullcarrboro.com)

Il Palio (www.sienahotel.com)

La Résidence (www.laresidencedining.com)

Panciuto (www.panciuto.com)

Pazzo! (www.pazzo-restaurant.com)

Here's a select list of special holiday events and deals at area restaurants.  

An (www.ancuisines.com) - Holiday wine social, December 19 5:30-7:30pm. Light hors d’oeuvres, $25 per person.

Enoteca Vin (www.enotecavin.com) - Offering discounted gift certificates, 10-20 percent off face value, depending on the value of the certificate.

Margaux’s (www.margauxsrestaurant.com) - Special holiday lunch hours, December 16-19, 11:30am-2:30pm.

Mo’s Diner (www.mosdiner.net) - Annual candlelight dinner, Tuesday December 23.

Xios (www.xioscafe.com) - $5.95 lunch specials throughout the holidays.

Crook's Corner (www.crookscorner.com) will be closed for the holidays through Christmas Day. That means you'll have to wait until December 26 to taste the persimmon pudding that's featured as the December dessert special, if you haven't tried it already. 

It's worth marking on your calendar. Chef Bill Smith is using the recipe of the late legendary Bill Neal to make this traditional - and increasingly rare - Southern holiday season treat. He's using locally gathered wild persimmons, too. As long as they last, that is.

I've already posted my annual list of area restaurants which will be open on Christmas Day. As always, that list includes several hotel restaurants. 

But hotels are celebrating the holidays in a variety of other ways, too, with lots of options for kids and adults. Here's a selective sampling:

Carolina Inn, Chapel Hill (www.carolinainn.com)

Dec 20: Jingle Bell Rock, a special holiday party for the kids

Every Saturday and Sunday before Christmas: breakfast with Santa

Fearrington House, Chapel Hill (www.fearrington.com)

December 24-25: Christmas at Fearrington, including two night stay

The Franklin, Chapel Hill (www.franklinhotelnc.com)

Dec 13: Holiday parade viewing breakfast

Dec 18: Creole Reveillon wine dinner

Siena Hotel, Chapel Hill (www.sienahotel.com)

Dec 14: Holiday choral brunch

Dec 22-29: 8 days of Hanukkah dinner specials

The Umstead, Cary (www.theumstead.com)

Dec 14: kids (6-14) make gingerbread houses with the chefs

through the end of December: hot chocolate and holiday treats

Washington Duke Inn, Durham (www.washingtondukeinn.com)

Dec. 24: Christmas Eve dinner (prix fixe) with holiday tunes on the piano 

For details, check the hotels' Web sites. 

Today's Epicurean column (http://www.newsobserver.com/lifestyles/dining_clubs/epicurean/story/1327...) includes an excerpt from my annual list of restaurants that are open on Christmas Day. Here's the full list, below. I'll add more as I learn of them. And as always, feel free to add your own contributions.

Carolina Crossroads

The Carolina Inn, 211 Pittsboro St., Chapel Hill

918-2777

www.carolinainn.com 

Crabtree Grill

4500 Crabtree Dr., in the Raleigh Marriott Crabtree Valley, Raleigh

781-7000

http://marriottmodules.com/raleigh_marriott_crabtree_valley/crabtree_grill/

Fairview

The Washington Duke Inn, 3001 Cameron Boulevard, Durham

493-6699

www.washingtondukeinn.com 

Fearrington House

2000 Fearrington Village Center, Pittsboro

542-2121

www.fearringtonhouse.com 

Fujisan

8411-105 Brier Creek Pkwy., in Brier Creek Commons, Raleigh

806-2888

www.fujisansteakhouse.com 

The Grove Café

421 S. Salisbury St., in the Sheraton Raleigh Hotel, Raleigh

834-9900

www.sheraton.com/raleigh 

Herons

100 Woodland Pond, in The Umstead Hotel and Spa, Cary

447-4200

www.heronsrestaurant.com 

Il Palio

The Siena Hotel, 1505 East Franklin Street, Chapel Hill

918-2545

www.sienahotel.com 

Irregardless Café

901 W. Morgan St., Raleigh

833-8898

www.irregardless.com 

Penang

431 W. Franklin St., Chapel Hill

933-2288

www.penangnc.com

Posta Tuscan Grille

500 Fayetteville St., in the Marriott City Center, Raleigh

227-3370

www.postatuscangrille.com

Red Lotus

239 S. Elliott Road, Chapel Hill

968-7778

www.redlotusasiankitchen.com 

Windows at the Franklin

311 W. Franklin St., Chapel Hill

442-9000

www.franklinhotelnc.com