People are hungry for the Downtown Raleigh Restaurant Week.
It’s a time for chefs, restaurant owners and staff to cook their best grub for customers ready to try it.
What You Need To Know
Downtown Raleigh Restaurant Week runs through July 26
The gastronomic celebration comes as cyclosporiasis spreads across North Carolina, especially in Wake County
Restaurateurs say they are taking precautions with food handling, sourcing and making substitutions to keep the parasite out
Except there are concerns about an unwelcome guest crashing the party: Cyclospora.
The illness is wreaking havoc in Wake County and causing a lot of unwanted trips to the restroom.
But the smorgasbord of options await as cyclosporiasis spreads across North Carolina.
There are concerns because there are 270 confirmed cases of cyclosporiasis in Wake County, according to the county government.
The North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services has documented 307 cases in the state as of Tuesday.
Cases in five states — Indiana, Kentucky, Michigan, Ohio and West Virginia — have been tied to Taco Bell restaurants outside of North Carolina.
The NCDHHS is working with the North Carolina Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services to identify potential sources of cyclospora. The agriculture department has taken the lead on tracing the original supplier or source.
Cases in North Carolina have been linked to foods like parsley, cilantro and lettuce, but no single source has been identified, officials said.
Despite the threat of an invader, owners like Parkside Restaurant’s Todd Henderson are rolling with the punches.
“It’s been fantastic,” Henderson said.
There are fresh-off-the-grill meals, some discounted or created specifically for a themed showcase. Henderson said he captures the perfect ingredients for customers.
“What this does is give our chefs a little bit of a chance to get outside the box of our menu to shine a little bit, offer some specialties and some things that they like,” Henderson said.
Parkside is a Raleigh staple. Henderson said he wants the city to bring its appetite as the restaurant celebrates its 10th anniversary.
“It’s sentimental and historic, and it makes us all kind of remember that and get back together.,” Henderson said.
Except restaurateurs want to keep the cyclospora parasite out of the kitchen.
“Best thing that we can do is source locally,” Henderson said. “We source our produce from a local certified purveyor … right across the street from the North Carolina Farmers Market, and they source from local farms.”
He is using substitutes like summer gazpacho and cucumber crunch salad without lettuce.
“When we get it, we do everything we can. We’re really doubling down on washing, rewashing, washing our hands,” Henderson said.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention described cyclosporiasis as an intestinal illness caused by a parasite. People can become infected by eating food or drinking water contaminated with feces. The timeframe from exposure to sickness can range from two days to two weeks. Symptoms can include diarrhea and explosive bowel movements.
Hannette Alawar is a bartender and server at the Element Gastropub. Alawar said she isn’t letting the infection hijack their locally sourced plant-based menu and operation.
“We already take care precautions. We already keep up with current events so if there is a chance of anything, maybe slipping in, it doesn’t not get past the kitchen,” Alawar said.
Beyond the fear of infection, Alawar said Downtown Raleigh Restaurant Week is a point of pride.
“Restaurant Week, in my opinion, gives all of the locals a real chance to just accentuate and have their best dishes shine,” Alawar said.
She said you miss out on all the bites you don’t take.
“At the end of the day, people want good food, and we have good food,” Alawar said.
Raleigh Restaurant Week runs through Sunday, July 26.
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Dining and Cooking