Spreading the icing on Durham's gourmet cake, the esteemed Nana's reopened after a nine-month closing for extensive renovation and expansion. Just down the street, Elaine's on Franklin opened with considerably less hoopla, but offered a more rewarding dining experience in the form of ambitious, well-executed new American fare and an eclectic wine list. A fourth, Mama Dip's, moved to new, roomier quarters across the street. All reopened with their original spirit largely intact. In a shuffling of talented chefs, the venerable Carolina Inn hired Brian Stapleton away from Il Palio, which in turn lured the internationally renowned Gennaro Villella from New York.
Some trends transcend the boundaries of city limits.
The boom in Mexican restaurants continues to permeate every corner of the Triangle and shows no sign of letting up. A growing sophistication, in fact, marks Triangle ethnic cuisine in general. Nearly a dozen Italian restaurants with aspirations considerably above the lasagna-pizza norm, for instance, have opened locally in the last year or so. Of these, Assaggio and Santa Lucia in Cary are worth special mention, as are Nina's and Italian Chophouse in North Raleigh, and Panzanella in Carrboro. If you're pining for paella, a dish that eluded the Triangle until recently, you'll find it in at least two area restaurants, Cafe Parizade in Durham and Mo's Diner in Raleigh.