Supporters of the local live-music community expressed concerns in October over some recent performances that were shut down at Greenville venues, including the recently-opened Collide Ministries on Ninth Street.

While some believe that city officials purposefully target live-music venues, the city says that the problem in many cases is improper use of permits.

Fire Marshall Gary Coggins, in speaking about Collide, said that when a venue acts as a nightclub, it must adhere to additional safety regulations. He said his department does nightclub inspections every weekend, and noticed an unusual amount of cars outside of Collide during the evening in question.

“This was opened up as a ministry,” Coggins said, “a church. What you do when you go in and change the intended use of it — and charging cover charges to come in — then what you do is you become a nightclub, essentially.”

In order to do so legally, Coggins said a venue must receive a special use permit, and bring itself up to codes of “A-2 Assembly,” or nightclub, which can be an expensive task.

Hot Dish

Anchalee Thai

Anchalee Thai Restaurant opened in Carolina East Center at 3400 S. Memorial Drive, the former location of Saeng Thai House.

The restaurant, operated by Prasit Meeprasert and his wife Sommai Meeprasert, is named for their daughter Aunchalee, who also is involved in the restaurant's operation along with family member Wan Thongsnga. The family formerly operated Saeng Thai House.

The authentic Thai menu features traditionally prepared cuisine from Southeast Asia including Thai soups, salads, noodle and rice dishes, curries, seafood and desserts.

Appetizer selections include chicken or beef satay ($6.99), Thai Spring Roll ($5.99), fried calamari ($6.99) and fried tofu triangles ($4.99).

Thai soups ($4.49 for a small bowl) include hot-and-sour Tom Yum with chicken and lemon grass, Tom Kha coconut milk soup with mushrooms and Thai-style wonton soup.

Thai salads range in price from $5.49-$13.99 and include versions with minced chicken, sliced grilled beef and seafood.

Entrees include Crispy Chicken Cashew Nut ($12.99), Honey Duck ($15.99), Paradise Chicken ($12.99), Fish Basil ($14.99), Seafood Delight ($14.99), Spicy Eggplant ($10.99-$12.99) and Ginger Scallion Fish (seasonal price).

The menu includes a variety of Thai noodle, fried rice and curry dishes. The price for each is $10.99 with chicken, pork, beef, tofu or vegetables; and $12.99 with crispy chicken, shrimp or duck. There are also a number of vegetarian dishes, including Thai Garden ($10.99) and Tofu Delight ($10.99).

Dessert offerings include homemade coconut or vanilla ice cream ($3.49), fried bananas with honey ($2.99) and sweet sticky rice with Thai custard ($4.99) or sliced mango or ice cream ($5.99).

Lunch specials are available.

Hours are from 11 a.m.-3 p.m. Tuesdays through Fridays and from 4:30-9 p.m. Tuesdays through Thursdays, 4:30-9:30 p.m. Fridays, and from 11:30 a.m.-9:30 p.m. Saturdays and Sundays.

Call 756-2852 for take-out orders or to book holiday parties or private parties in the party room. Gift certificates are available.

Daily Grind

The Daily Grind, 1909 E. Fire Tower Road, has introduced a new menu that owner Jennifer Shearin says has been two years in the making.

Old favorites like prime rib sandwich, Jay's chicken salad, the Ahi Tuna sandwich, Nuts and Berries salad, prime rib au jus and The Daily Grind's signature Lobster Dip are back, along with many other familiar favorites.

New lunch items include Shrimp and Avocado Wrap ($7.95), pimento cheese sandwich ($7.75), Veggie Hummus Wrap ($5.95), and the hot entree Tenderloin Bruschetta ($9.95) with beef strips sauteed with portabella mushrooms and onions, served on ciabatta toast.

The popular Simple Salad Trio ($8.95) features a house salad, fresh fruit salad and a choice of a third salad: tuna, shrimp, egg, salmon or Jay's chicken salad. A new lunch pasta dish, Papparadelle Marinara ($8.95), is made with roasted tomatoes, spinach, prosciutto and homemade marinara sauce topped with fresh goat cheese.

The dinner menu has almost been totally revamped. It is highlighted by Citrus Grilled Mahi-Mahi ($16.95) with fresh Mango citrus salsa; Prosciutto Bleu Chicken ($13.95) stuffed with Swiss cheese, prosciutto and spinach smothered in a shallot cream sauce; Fajita Chicken ($12.95) served in a baked tortilla bowl; Surf 'n Turf ($18.95) with a rib-eye steak and scallops or shrimp; and Herb-crusted Salmon ($15.95) topped with a creamy chipotle caper remoulade. Seared Ahi Tuna ($16.95) may be prepared in two ways: Pistachio Crusted, with a fresh mango cilantro puree, or Sesame Ginger with a sun-dried tomato and sesame char-crust topped with a ginger glaze. A new “hot sandwich” is the Sante Fe Chicken Quesadilla ($7.95), a wheat wrap filled with blackened chicken, black beans, onions, tomatoes, pepper jack cheese and cilantro. Wheat ciabatta roll is a new option for the build-your-own panini.

Also, seasonal desserts for the final quarter of the year include Mint Chocolate Cheesecake, Tiramisu Cheesecake, Pumpkin Cheesecake, Baked Apple Chai Crumble, Carrot Tunnel Bundt Cake, Chocolate Pecan Bourbon cake and Apple Cranberry Almond Pie.

For a full view of the menu, visit www.dgrind.com. Call 830-2233.

Mama Pete's opens

Mama Pete's Homestyle Chicken and Fish restaurant has opened at 1915 N. Memorial Drive, in the former location of Huddle House.

Owners are Greenville residents Louis Person, who has been a restaurant manager for 24 years, and his sister, Peggy Godley, whose nickname is “Mama Pete.”

The breakfast menu includes a variety of meat biscuits, ranging in price from $1.99-$2.35. Platters with two eggs and sausage, ham, bacon, chicken, pork chop, steak or tenderloin include a choice of home-style potatoes, grits, fries, rice and gravy, biscuit, toast or bun; platters range in price from $4.99-$5.50. Omelet platters and pancake platters also are available.

Fried chicken and fish are available by the piece or as a meal with sides. Drumettes ($3.99 for four with a choice of lemon pepper, teriyaki, buffalo, honey mustard, honey barbecue and barbecue sauces) and wings ($1.99 for four) are available by the piece. A small ribs basket is $3.79 (with a side, the price is $5.29). A half rack of ribs is $7.49, and a full rack is $11.99.

Fish includes trout, flounder, tilapia and catfish ($6.23-$6.93 with a side). Shrimp baskets are $6.29, and oysters are $5.25 for a small basket.

A daily lunch special includes a choice of meat and three vegetables with hush puppies, corn bread or roll. Seafood specials are served on Tuesdays, Fridays and Saturdays; soft-shell crabs are available on Fridays.

Sandwiches include trout or flounder ($2.85), hamburger ($2.55), grilled cheese ($2), ham and cheese, ($2.10), hot dog ($1.29), club ($5.35), chicken salad or tuna salad ($2.15) and broiled chicken ($2.70.) Six-inch subs include veggie, turkey, tuna, club and ham ($5 each), Philly chicken ($6) and Philly cheese steak ($6.35). Sides include fries, bacon cheese fries, sweet potato fries, onion rings, fried okra and corn on the cob.

Salads include grilled or fried chicken ($6.49), chef, ($5.99), and tuna or chicken salad ($4.99).

Kids' meals are $2.99 and include tenders, chicken, wings, hot dog or hamburger with a beverage.

Opening specials are being offered this week.

There is seating for 55 at booths in the dining room.

Hours are 6 a.m.-8 p.m. daily. Call 215-1167.

O'Kupas Pub

A Morehead City restaurateur opened O'Kupas Pub and Grill at 608 S.W. Greenville Blvd. in the building that formerly housed Mazatlan Mexican restaurant.

Owner Faris Ghazal owns Skipper's Cove seafood buffet and Brandy's breakfast restaurant, both in Morehead City.

O'Kupas will feature a menu with lots of variety, from deli sandwiches and salads, to fried seafood, pasta, burgers and Greek fare.

The building is being totally renovated and a large bar and televisions are being installed.

Cooking class

Locavore Market will sponsor a brunch and Local Flavors cooking classes led by Linda Watson from the “Cook for Good” website on Nov. 6 at the Tipsy Teapot, 409 S. Evans St.

“Cook for Good in 20 Minutes a Day” will be held at 9:30 a.m. and “You Bought It, So Cook It” will be held at 11 a.m.

Between classes, Tipsy Teapot will serve a brunch made with local products provided by Locavore Market. The tentative brunch menu includes spinach and goat cheese quiche, roasted seasonal vegetables, sausage made from local pasture-raised pork, homemade scones with local jam, locally roasted coffee and tea with local honey.

Cost is $12 for one session, $22 for one session and brunch, $20 for two sessions and $30 for two sessions and brunch. To register, visit www.locavore-market.com/cooking-class.html.

Dickey's opens in Rivergate Shopping Center

Smoked meats are the star at Dickey's Barbecue Pit, 3013 E. 10th St., in the Rivergate Shopping Center on the northeast corner of Greenville Boulevard and 10th Street behind Walgreens. It's the former location of Phat Philly's.

Dickey's smokes its meats — pork, beef brisket, ham, turkey breast, chicken breast, Polish sausage, hot links and pork ribs — overnight, on site at every restaurant. The signature barbecue sauce is a sweet and spicy tomato-based sauce.

Barbecue sandwiches with a choice of meat are dressed with pickles, onions and barbecue sauce; price is $3 for a “little hoagie,” $5 for a “big barbecue sandwich” and $7 for “The Westerner,” with a choice of two meats and cheese.

Barbecue plates with a choice of meat range in price from $7-$10 and are served with a roll and a choice of two sides — waffle iron fries, creamy coleslaw, Caesar salad, fried onion tanglers, green beans with bacon, potato salad, barbecue beans, jalapeno beans, fried okra, mac and cheese, baked potato casserole, Brunswick stew or hush puppies.

The menu also includes “bakers,” large stuffed baked potatoes, for $4-$6, as well as Chicken Caesar Salad ($5) and Smokehouse Salad ($6). Kids' meals, for children ages 12 and under, are $4.

Big dill pickles and small soft-serve ice cream cones are offered free with any purchase.

Meats are available for $11 a pound and sides are available by the pint, quart and gallon.

Dickey's offers one size for beverages — 32-ounces in a signature yellow cup for $2.

The restaurant dining room seats 78 diners at booths covered with blue gingham plastic tablecloths. Patrons order at the counter. The restaurant employs 12 people. Manager is Victory White.

Dickey's, based in Texas, is the largest barbecue chain in the country. The Dickey family opened its first barbecue restaurant in Dallas in 1941; it's still in operation. Franchising began in 1994, and there are now more than 120 locations in 30 states including North Carolina restaurants in Cary and Durham.

“People in North Carolina seem to love Dickey's. Other locations have been doing really well and we wanted a piece of that success, said franchise owner Walter Bedard. “I know Dickey's will be received well in Greenville. It is a great place to live and a great place to do business.”

Dickey's is open from 11 a.m.-9 p.m. seven days a week. Call 215-2233, or visit the website www.dickeys.com.

Hot Dish is a weekly column of restaurant and food news by Jane Hudson in the Daily Reflector. To submit items for consideration, call Jane Hudson at 329-9577 or e-mail jhudson@reflector.com.

Deadline is Mondays at noon for the Wednesday paper.