Epicurean:Neal's Deli, which opened recently in downtown Carrboro, modestly bills itself as "a Mom and Pop operation."

Epicurean:Taquerias and Tex-Mex eateries have sprung up all over the Triangle in recent years like cactus flowers after a desert rain.

Epicurean:In the mood for something yummy? Two new Asian restaurants promise to deliver just that. They tell you so right up front, in their names.

Epicurean:By any measure, the recent opening of Trálí in North Raleigh's Brierdale Shopping Center was a big success.

Epicurean:The number of Middle Eastern delis in the Triangle has been steadily growing in recent years, but full service restaurants specializing in the cuisine remain conspicuously underrepresented.

Epicurean:Rodolfo San Juan and Azalea Villalobos, the husband-and-wife team who opened El Sabor de Oaxaca two weeks ago in Clayton, don't call the food they serve "authentic."

Epicurean:This week brings news of two distinctly different variations on the bistro theme.

Epicurean:File this week's restaurant news under "W" for "Win some, lose some."

Epicurean:Got a yen for sushi? You can satisfy it at any of four new restaurants -- all featuring Japanese cuisine, but each as different from the other as sea urchin from a California roll.

Epicurean:Tired of the same old bagel-for-breakfast, burger-for-lunch routine? How about crêpes for a change of pace?

Epicurean:Sugar and spice -- with an exotic Latin American accent -- are the flavors of the week for the latest restaurant news.

Epicurean:Fire and smoke is the theme for the latest round of newcomers to the Triangle dining scene. Make that a double dose of smoke.