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LOOKWESTan introduction to western wake

In Look West, readers can discover all that Western

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78 LOOK WEST 79

DININGGUIDEA selection of restaurants, bakeries, bistros and cafés in Cary,

Apex, Fuquay-Varina, Holly Springs , Morrisville and Raleigh.

Advertisers are highlighted in boxes.

CARY

Abbey Road Tavern & Grill“Great food … outstanding live music.”1195 W. Chatham St., Cary;(919) 481-4434; abbeyroadnc.com

Andia’s Homemade Ice Cream“Premium quality ice cream and sorbet.” 10120 Green Level Church Road #208, Cary; (919) 901-8560; andiasicecream.com

Zen� shPOKÉ BAR

HAWAIIAN FOR “CUBED” or “sliced,” poké is a raw � sh salad, fre-

quently served with rice, sauce and a variety of toppings. Widely available

on the West Coast, this island favorite has migrated to the Triangle.

Janet Lee of Zen� sh Poké Bar grew up eating poké on visits to Ha-

waii and California, where she says poké restaurants are as common as

Starbucks. After attending Duke University, she opened Zen� sh, � rst in

Durham and now Morrisville.

“Poké is a much more fun way to eat a salad,” she said. “It’s an easy,

delicious way to eat your veggies.”

Start with a base, typically rice, but quinoa, green salad and zucchini

spirals are also options. Next pick a protein, such as tuna, salmon, shrimp

or tofu. Then you’ve got toppings galore to choose from: mango, green on-

ions, edamame, seaweed salad, kimchi, avocado, masago and seven house-

made sauces.

“Poké is all about the sauce, quality of the � sh and the toppings,” Lee

said. “You can eat at different places and have a totally different experience

because of the unique sauces.”

Because Zen� sh’s sauces are gluten-free, even those on restricted

diets can customize their poké bowls in countless ways.

— Emily Uhland

9924 CHAPEL HILL ROAD, MORRISVILLE | ZENFISHPOKEBAR.COM

Annelore’s German Bakery“Pastries using the fi nest local ingredients.” 308 W. Chatham Street, Cary(919) 294-8040facebook.com/AnneloresGermanBakery

Bellini Fine Italian Cuisine“Everything is made fresh from scratch in our kitchen.” 107 Edinburgh S. Drive, Suite 119, Cary; (919) 552-0303; bellinifi neitaliancuisinecary.com

Big Dom’s Bagel Shop“Serving bagels, B’donuts and sandwiches”203 E Chatham St., Cary;(919) 377-1143; bigdomsbagelshop.com

Big Mike’s Brew N Que“Beers on tap to compliment locally sourced, farm-to-table BBQ.” 1222 NW Maynard Road, Cary;(919) 799-2023; brewnquenc.com

Bonefi sh Grill “Fresh is our signature.” 2060 Renaissance Park Place, Cary;(919) 677-1347; bonefi shgrill.com

Bosphorus Restaurant“Traditional Turkish and Mediterranean cuisine in an elegant atmosphere.”329-A N. Harrison Ave., Cary; (919) 460-1300; bosphorus-nc.com

Bravo’s Mexican Grill “Extensive menu raises the ante considerably above the typical Tex-Mex.” 208 Grande Heights Drive, Cary(919) 481-3811; bravosmexicangrill.net

Brewster’s Pub“Open late, serving a full food and drink menu.” 1885 Lake Pine Drive, Cary(919) 650-1270; brewsterspubcary.com

Brig’s“Breakfast creations, cool salads and hot sandwich platters.” 1225 NW Maynard Road, Cary; (919) 481-9300; 1040 Tryon Village Drive, Suite 604, Cary; (919) 859-2151; brigs.com

Chanticleer Café & Bakery“Family-owned restaurant serving up breakfast, lunch and specialty coffees.” 6490 Tryon Road, Cary; (919) 781-4810; chanticleercafe.com

Chef’s Palette“Creative fl air and originality in every aspect of our service.” 3460 Ten Ten Road, Cary; (919) 267-6011; chefspalette.net

CinéBistro“Ultimate dinner-and-a-movie experience.” 525 New Waverly Place, Cary; (919) 987-3500; cinebistro.com/waverly

City Barbeque“Barbeque in its truest form.” 1305 Kildaire Farm Road, Cary(919) 439-5191; citybbq.com

Coffee & Crepes“Freshly prepared sweet and savory crepes.” 315 Crossroads Blvd., Cary; (919) 233-0288; coffeeandcrepes.com

Corbett’s Burgers & Soda Bar“Good old-fashioned burgers and bottled soda.”126 Kilmayne Drive, Cary; (919) 466-0055; corbettsburgers.com

Ashworth Drugs“Quintessential place for fresh-squeezed lemonade, old-fashioned milkshakes and hot dogs.”105 W. Chatham St., Cary; (919) 467-1877; ashworthdrugs.com

ASHWORTH DRUGS

Academy Street Bistro“A fresh take on Italian-American cuisine in the heart of Cary.” 200 S. Academy St., Cary;(919) 377-0509; academystreetbistro.com

Jon

ath

an

Fre

din

Clean Juice“Organic juices, smoothies and acai bowls.”3035 Village Market Place, Morrisville; (919) 468-8286; cleanjuice.com

Crosstown Pub & Grill“A straight-forward menu covers all the bases.” 140 E. Chatham St., Cary; (919) 650-2853; crosstowndowntown.com

58 LOOK WEST 59

TOUCH-A-TRUCKLeave the toys at home and see the real thing in Apex. Get up close and personal with fire, police, garbage trucks and the people who operate them! apexnc.org/959/Touch-a-Truck

TURTLEFESTMeet live animals and complete a scavenger hunt at this fun, family-friendly event at Bass Lake Park in Holly Springs! hollyspringsnc.us/361/TurtleFest

WHEELS ON ACADEMYCalling all car fans! Go back in time and see the wheels of yesteryear line Academy Street in downtown Cary. Little ones will enjoy the Touch-a-Truck event. townofcary.org/recreation-enjoyment/events/special-events/wheels-on-academy

JUNEAMERICAN DANCE FESTIVALIf you love to dance, or just love watching it, check out this annual summer showcase of great performances. americandancefestival.org

APEX LATINO ARTS FESTIVALCelebrate Latino arts and culture with a

weekend of food, children’s activities, dancing, music and a traditional piñata-breaking ceremony. apexlatinofest.com

PEAK CITY PIG FESTHighlighting all things smoky and saucy with a barbecue-cooking competition, street vendors and pig races in the heart of Apex. peakcitypigfest.com

TRIANGLE RESTAURANT WEEKAll around the Triangle, your favorite restaurants offer special dining menus and deals during this week of good eats. trirestaurantweek.com

JULYHOLLY SPRINGS JULY 5THFace-painting, fireworks, food, rides, crafts and skydiving are all at this celebration of America’s birthday. hollyspringsnc.us/358/July-5th

ICE CREAM SOCIALAny day is a good day to eat ice cream, but head to Fuquay-Varina for National Ice Cream Day. Free ice cream, tea and lemonade will be served. fuquay-varina.org/844/Ice-Cream-Social

continued on page 60

ANNUAL EVENTSJANUARYMLK JR. DREAMFESTJoin others in the community to remember the life and efforts of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. in downtown Cary through music, film and service. townofcary.org/recreation-enjoyment/events/holiday-events/dreamfest

TRIANGLE RESTAURANT WEEKNearly 100 area restaurants cook up special dishes and menus for this annual event. trirestaurantweek.com

FEBRUARYKRISPY KREME CHALLENGEThe best way to run five miles is to eat a dozen Krispy Kreme donuts in the middle of it. That’s exactly what you’ll do when you participate in the Krispy Kreme Challenge held every year in Raleigh. krispykremechallenge.com

MARCHHOLLY SPRINGS SPRING FLING

Celebrate springtime with music, inflatables and fun for the whole family at Jefferson L. Sugg Farm at Bass Lake Park. www.hollyspringsnc.us/360/Spring-Fling KITE FESTIVALFly high at Cary’s annual Kite Festival held the first weekend in March at Fred G. Bond Metro Park. Bring your kite or make your own, and compete to win one of the many categories like “best crash” and “largest kite.” townofcary.org/recreation-enjoyment/events/festivals/kite-festival

RALEIGH ST. PATRICK’S DAY PARADE AND FESTIVALDon’t forget to wear green to this fun-filled and family-friendly parade that makes its way through downtown Raleigh! raleighstpats.org

APRILBREWGALOOIf you love craft beer, you won’t want to miss this. North Carolina brewers team up with food

trucks and vendors to take over downtown Raleigh for a weekend of food, drink and fun. shoplocalraleigh.org/brewgaloo

SPRING DAZE ARTS & CRAFTS FESTIVALGet crafty at the annual Spring Daze Arts & Crafts Festival, where you can enjoy local North Carolina art, food and entertainment in beautiful Bond Park. townofcary.org/recreation-enjoyment/events/festivals/spring-daze-arts-and-crafts-festival

MAYAPEX PEAKFESTCelebrate the Peak of Good Living with live music, carnival rides, fair food and fun. apexpeakfest.com

ARTSPLOSURE – THE RALEIGH ARTS FESTIVALSee Raleigh in full color at this weekend-long event to celebrate the arts! raleighartsfestival.com

FEST IN THE WESTHead to USA Baseball Training Complex at Cary’s Thomas Brooks Park for pie-eating contests, a food truck rodeo and plenty of live music! festinthewest.com

FREEDOM BALLOON FESTAt this annual Memorial Day event, remember, honor and celebrate those who have lost their lives fighting for our freedom. The four-day festival features food, fun and, of course, hot air balloons! freedomballoonfest.com

GOT TO BE N.C. FEST Celebrate all things North Carolina with local food, a carnival and fireworks at the N.C. State Fairgrounds. gottobencfestival.com

MORRISVILLE SPRINGFESTSee Morrisville’s Town Hall Drive transformed into a carnival with games, rides, food trucks and fun for the whole family! townofmorrisville.org/government/departments-services/parks-recreation-cultural-resources/special-events/springfest

There’s always something going on in

Western Wake. These annual events

and festivals bring people out to

listen to music, enjoy great food and

celebrate the community.

ARTS & CULTURAL VENUESThere’s no need to go far to enjoy

a great live performance or art

exhibit. The Western Wake arts

scene is vibrant and growing,

attracting nationally known

musicians and homegrown talent.

CARY ARTS CENTER101 Dry Ave., Cary; (919) 469-4069; townofcary.org

The downtown hub of arts activity, the Arts Center has a 431-seat theater, open studio space, youth classes and camps, and a variety of exhibitions. It is also the home of two performance programs — the Marvelous Music Series and Applause! Cary Youth Theatre.

FUQUAY-VARINA ARTS CENTER123 Vance St., Fuquay-Varina; (919) 567-3909; fuquay-varina.org(opening Summer 2018)

HALLE CULTURAL ARTS CENTER237 N. Salem St., Apex; (919) 249-1120; thehalle.org

The beautifully restored 1912 building hosts a variety of cultural performances, visual art exhibits and movies. Camps and classes for children and seniors are also offered.

HOLLY SPRINGSCULTURAL CENTER300 West Ballentine St., Holly Springs; (919) 567-4000; hollyspringsnc.us

Performance and meeting spaces include an intimate 184-seat theater, a conference center, a spacious lawn for outdoor concerts and a lobby exhibition space for rotating art shows. The Holly Springs Community Library is also housed in the same complex.

Spring Daze Arts & Crafts Festival

July 4th Celebration at Koka Booth Amphitheatre

Jonathan Fredin

Jonathan Fredin

22 LOOK WEST 23

DISCOVER WHY APEX IS KNOWN AS “The Peak of Good Living”

AS IT GROWS, CARY PLACES Priority on Quality of Life

ONCE ONLY A STOP along the Chatham railroad, Apex is now a place that people love to call home. One of the fastest growing suburbs in the U.S., Apex grew by 307 percent from the first half of 2015 to the first half of 2018, according to Realtor.com.

Residents love the small-town charm and big-city amenities. A recent citizen survey re-vealed that 95 percent of residents rated Apex a great place to live, and it’s getting better all the time. Every year brings new shops, restaurants, breweries and more! Many of these are located in Apex’s picturesque downtown, where multiple structures are listed on the National Register of Historic Places.

Nearly a dozen annual street festivals also bring visitors downtown. PeakFest is the signa-ture event, drawing artisans from all over the state with their unique wares. The Apex Music Festival attracts musicians of all genres. The Latino Arts Festival is a celebration of the senses with music, dancing, art- and jewelry-making, and homemade Latin American foods. Dozens of barbecue teams from across the country roll into Apex for the Peak City Pig Fest, with the winning team walking away with thousands of dollars in prize money. Apex also celebrates Christmas on Salem and July 4th with small-town charm.

CARY IS A THRIVING community that is home to renowned restaurants, plentiful shopping, boom-ing business, quality entertainment, acres of park-land, miles of greenways and an unforgettable cul-tural experience.

Money Magazine named Cary the hottest town in the East and one of six Hottest Towns in America. The town was also recognized by Money Magazine as one of the Best Small Cities in America, ranking fifth on one of the magazine’s annual lists of Best Places to Live. Cary has also been recognized as one of the Most Livable Mid-Sized Cities in America, and one of the Best Places to Retire and to Raise a Family in the United States.

More than two-thirds of adult residents hold a college degree, and nearly all of Cary citizens have access to the internet. Hundreds of businesses have responded by establishing headquarters, offices and major facilities in the town including SAS Institute Inc.; ABB Inc.; Lord Corporation; MetLife; Oxford Uni-versity Press and Epic Games.

Cary has more than 31 public parks, 82 miles of trails, cultural arts classes and programs as well as dozens of free concerts and other special events. Cary’s annual Lazy Daze Arts and Crafts Festival draws thousands of visitors and hundreds of artists and arti-sans from all over the country.

The Halle Cultural Arts Center, dating to 1912, is a modern center for exhibitions, musicals and plays.

Trackside Skate Plaza combines street-skating features with compe-tition skateboarding elements.

The American Tobacco Trail spans more than 22 miles from Apex to

Bond Park is one of the largest municipal parks in Wake County. Its 310 acres include a lake, a community center, a ropes course, athletic fields, playground and miles of trails.

The Page-Walker Arts & History Center offers a glimpse of Cary’s past, but don’t miss the pictur-esque gardens.

ATTRACTIONSATTRACTIONSDurham. The Town of Apex has more miles of the popular greenway in its town limits than any other Wake County community.

The Elevate Fitness course, at Apex Community Park, was inspired by obstacle courses seen on “American Ninja Warrior” and other television programs.

The Koka Booth Amphitheatre is a state-of-the-art performance center nestled in a picturesque outdoor setting.

The Downtown Park is a popular spot to eat lunch or listen to a free concert.USA Baseball National Training Com-plex brings top young players to Cary for the NCAA Championships and other tournaments.

The Apex Nature Park outdoor amphitheater hosts a series of concerts during spring and summer. Don’t miss the park’s disc golf course, where you can see nighttime glow tournaments.

WakeMed Soccer Park hosts profes-sional soccer teams, the North Carolina Football Club and the Carolina Courage.

The Cary Tennis Park is one of the largest tennis facilities in the South and offers year-round tennis.

T O W N P R O F I L E SW E S T E R N W A K E

Bond Park

LazyDaze Arts and Crafts Festival

Bo

oth A

mp

hitheatre

Elevate Fitness

Downtown Apex

Trackside Skate Plaza

64 LOOK WEST 65

Going Gonza

WRITTEN BY DAVID MCCREARY

PHOTOGRAPHED BY JONATHAN FREDIN

GONZA SALAMANCA sits at the Cary bar of

his newest namesake eatery and re� ects on how far he

has come in the last few years. The Colombia native

opened his � rst restaurant in North Raleigh in 2011

along with his younger cousin, Carlos Rodriguez.

“More than six years ago we began serving el-

evated Colombian and Mexican cuisine in a fun

environment,” said Salamanca, bedecked in a black

Gonza Tacos y Tequila T-shirt.

Today, he co-owns � ve locations throughout

the Triangle, plus a seasonal spot inside the Dur-

ham Bulls Athletic Park and a popular food truck.

“To this day I don’t know how we did it, be-

cause we really had no money at the beginning,”

Salamanca said. “Our success has come from word

of mouth from customers, and we’ve been offered

great opportunities in Raleigh, Durham, Wake For-

est and now Cary.”

Situated in the lower level of Waverly Place, the

latest Gonza outpost features some 200 illumined

stars suspended from the ceiling. An eye-catching

mural on the back wall showcases famous Latin ce-

lebrities and athletes, while an assortment of lucha

libre wrestling masks adds to the eclectic décor.

What’s more, a Day of the Dead motif per-

vades throughout the expansive main dining area,

but despite the skulls, it’s not that eerie.

“The tradition behind the Day of the Dead in-

volves people honoring loved ones who have passed

away,” Salamanca explained. “It’s a much bigger

holiday in Mexico than Cinco de Mayo.”

Salamanca says the goal at Gonza is to provide

a memorable dining experience for each guest.

“People don’t just come here because they are

hungry,” he said. “They want to have a good time

and receive great service in a fun atmosphere.”

Lunch and dinner menus feature a tempting

selection of Mexican and Colombian specialties.

Start your meal with a plate of chiles endiablados,

which comprises bacon-wrapped jalapeno peppers,

cream cheese and habanero sauce.

“I like to tell the guests these are armadillo

eggs just to see how they respond,” Salamanca said

with a smile.

Among the most popular entrees, street-style ta-

cos and fajitas are crowd-pleasers. For a sure� re win-

ner, order the impeccable chile-braised short rib tacos.

Standout dish Mexican Flag features chicken,

steak and pinto beans stuffed inside corn tortillas

topped with green, red and white sauces.

“The beauty of the dish is the combination

of all the � avors with tomatillo, chile de arbol and

Mexican cream,” Salamanca said, describing the

three sauces.

Colombian-inspired dishes include arro’ e coco

con pecao’ (catch of the day served with salsa veracru-

zana and coconut rice), ceviche and a guava dessert.

Bartender Allison Cousins whips up

hand crafted cock-tails using Gonza’s

extensive variety of tequilas and regional

spirits. The restau-rant also serves a selection of Latin wines and beers.

continued on page 67

ABOUT OUR TOWNS

ANNUAL EVENTS LISTING

EXTENDED DINING GUIDE

COMMUNITY COVERAGE

AD SPACE6-10

MATERIALS DUE6-17

Publisher of Cary Magazine, Cherokee Media Group

is a full-service media company based in Cary, N.C.

CMG specializes in print and digital media, custom

publishing, event and meeting planning, public relations,

digital marketing and photography. Whether it’s developing

a new brand for your business, a comprehensive advertising

and marketing plan, crisis communications or print and

digital collateral — our single purpose is to help your

company or organization achieve success by sharing your

story with the audiences that matter most to you.

Cherokee Media Group, its parent

company, S&A Cherokee, and sister

company, S&A Communications,

have received numerous awards and

recognitions, including being named

to the Inc. 5000 list of

the fastest-growing

privately held companies

in America, receiving the

Fast 50 Award from the Triangle Business Journal and being recognized by Publishing Executive magazine as one of the Best Magazine Publishing

Companies to Work For in 2009. S&A Cherokee was named

the 2010 Small Business of the Year by the Cary Chamber of

Commerce, and won the 2010 Entrepreneurial Summit Award

from the Garner Chamber of Commerce.

Intelligent Communications

CHEROKEE

PUBLISHER Kris Schultz kris@carymag.com

SENIOR EDITOR Amber Keister amber@carymag.com

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ALSO REPRESENTING

The Inaugural Food Issue

The Heart + Soul of Holly Springs and Fuquay-Varina

JUNE/JULY 2019

Treat Yourself Crazy Good

DessertsOther Ways To

Indulge

22

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