Vegetarian anyone?

So for the month of January I decided to go vegetarian to start the year off a little bit healthier than I ended the year before.  Given this I needed to find places to eat that would help keep me accountable.  Enter, Luna's and Fern.

Luna's - tucked into the back corner of Atherton Mills in South End, this little restaurant packs quite a punch.  I believe it's even billed as vegan but the food is surprisingly flavorful and really good.  I ordered the Fire and Brimstone quinoa veggie burger wrapped in collard greens and it has quite the kick.  It's served with a side salad and for sounding fairly blah, it was really good.  Now I don't normally seek out vegan food, but I've actually been craving this burger recently.  Luna's has other items that may not sound appealing for a meat eater but I promise, it's really good.  Veggie lasagna, salads, various hummus spreads are all good options.  The prices are also very reasonable, especially for an organic/local restaurant.  Check them out.
http://www.lunaslivingkitchen.com/Home.html

Fern - Another hole in the wall vegetarian place that is tucked in between a pawn shop and a garden center on Central Avenue across from the Family Dollar.  This stretch of road has some of the most randomly placed but best restaurants in town (i.e., Bistro la Bon, Soul, Midwood Smokehouse).  The sign is not lit up so it's easy to miss but once you find it, it's well worth the stop.  Fern is definitely higher end than Luna's and its menu changes seasonally.  It's somehow related to Something Classic catering and it definitely shows in the details.  The restaurant isn't big and there's not really a good waiting area so get there early or make reservations (only open Tues - Sunday).  Their OM burger is awesome (notice a theme that I keep ordering burgers at vegetarian restaurants) as is their Laughing Buddha bowl.  My friends tried the risotto and really liked it.  It's so good, there were a bunch of guys in there and there's no meat on the menu.  That should tell you something, right?  As I mentioned, prices are a little higher than Luna's and the portions are reasonable (i.e., not typical huge american portions we are used to) but the food is outstanding.  I plan to go back soon even though I'm off of my vegetarian kick.  Hope you check them out soon.
http://www.fernflavors.com/index.html

Sunflower Bakery - Elizabeth

Bakery/breakfast place $6 - egg and cheese sandwich and med coffee This place is a fun new local bakery in Elizabeth (across from Sbux on 7th) and it seems to be quite popular. My friends and I met for breakfast on Saturday, and I was not disappointed. I ordered the egg and cheese on whole grain and while it was quite yummy, I did have food envy of my friend's egg and cheese on the cheese biscuit. That looked (and supposedly tasted) much better than my whole grain toast. The bakery supports local farmers and has muffins, homemade pop tarts, regular lunch sandwiches and other baked goods. They also serve Counter Culture coffee which is really good. My only complaint is they don't have raw sugar, just regular and splenda (yuck!). It's no Amelie's but it's still pretty darn good. Anyway, since this place is less than 2 miles from my house, I'm pretty sure I'll be back. Check it out.

Lang Van - Midwood/Shamrock

Vietnamese So I don't have a ton of experience with Vietnamese food and I've always been a little intimidated to try this place. I came a long time ago but didn't order well so I usually stick with Thai when I'm craving asian food. However, a friend of mine loves this place and was willing to guide me to something I'd like so I gave it another go. It did not disappoint. I've always heard Lang Van is a fave among people in Charlotte who like Vietnamese food and now I understand why. My friend knows the owner/manager lady but it appears that she knows and remembers everyone who comes in and what they order. Rather than order off the menu, she asked what I liked (chicken, beef or seafood, rice or noodles, etc.) and she recommended the Vietnamese chicken burritos (they have an actual name but I can't remember it so just go with me here). The concept is pretty simple, they bring out the rice noodle tortilla with a steaming bowl of water and a plate filled with fragrant cilantro, mint leaves, skewered chicken, veggies and sprouts and you make your own burrito like dish. My friend and I split this and then he ordered the lemon grass chicken curry which we split as well. His was yummy, but definitely had a hidden kick to it. It seems that Vietnamese food is similar to Thai and just as good. However, the atmosphere at Lang Van is really the bonus. It's not so much the setting as the waitstaff and the owner. They treat you like family, they won't let your water glass get below the rim for more than 2 sips, and they remember you when you come. I ran into another friend there and she mentioned that they've remembered her order for years, even though the menu changed and she doesn't come very often. It's almost like a family vacation. :) If you're a fan of Vietnamese food or just an adventurous eater, I highly recommend trying this place. If you don't know what to order, ask for help and enjoy!

Penguin - Plaza Midwood (reopened)

Diner/Dive
$18 - 2 burgers + fried pickles

New but NOT improved! Such a bummer after the wait, but not totally unexpected. So the Penguin finally reopened after the chef/owner conflict and it's terrible! Rumor has it the chef "owned" the recipes so the menu is revamped but it's still mainly burgers and hot dogs. The fried pickles, a penguin staple, were too greasy and clearly had been left out a while. Then my blackbean burger, another penguin fave of mine, was awful! I mean, awful! I think they mushed a bunch of black beans together and that's about it. There was no flavor to it; it was pretty bad. My friend ordered the BLT burger and they FORGOT the burger! Seriously! They fixed it pronto but it's not like they were slammed. We got there at 7:30 on a Thursday and there were plenty of seats available. Sorry Penguin, I'm waiting on the Diamond to open for some good eats.

Soul - Midwood

Tapas/Sushi
$66 for three people's tapas, drinks and dessert

I love this place, but it's a little funky. There's always a wait (usually a good sign) and it's very trendy. The food is awesome though and I usually go with the specials or the server's recommendations. This visit did not disappoint. Some of what we tried included the mushroom/fried egg flatbread, greek pita egg roll (special) and the sushi tuna tacos which were all strange but awesome! We tried a few other things but these were the most memorable, and not typically what I would order. This place is small, so not so good for a group, and they have a techno bar inside so you need to be okay with loud thumping music. However, this place is always yummy so definitely check it out.

Loco Lime - Midwood

Tex Mex
Flautas, Mexican Chopped Chicken Salad & 2 Corona - $30.

Finally some good tex mex has made it to Charlotte without spending crazy money and not worrying about the sanitation score. My salad was awesome with chicken, avocados, corns salsa and fried jalapenos. It's definitely a new favorite item in town. This restaurant shares a parking lot with Common House (and Yoga One) so parking can be a challenge but it's worth it once you get inside. The decor isn't much to remember but the food is awesome. Plus, their chips and salsa are great which is more than I can say for a lot of mexican restaurants in Charlotte. I believe it's owned by the Hawthorne Pizza guys so they have dual promotions. Overall this is definitely my new favorite mexican place in town and very reasonably priced! My only bad comment is my friend's flautas were a little dry but he said they were really good anyway. Check it out!

Whiskey Warehouse - Midwood

Yuppy Sports Bar

This new place opened a few weeks ago in the old Creation spot across from the HT on The Plaza. I've been twice and both times it was packed! I think it's the new hot spot for people who are too rich/good looking for Thomas Street (not that I am but it's that kind of crowd). It majors on whiskeys but has any other alcohol you want as well. I don't like whiskey but one friend told me their selection was great and very reasonably priced. Parking's an issue as you're competing with Thms St and Common Market for spots. I think the owner or manager is related to Brazwell's but this is a much nicer place from what I remember of Bwellz (i.e. not quite as skanky). The food looked like bar food (sliders, chx fingers, nachos, etc.) but I'm not sure how it tasted. Lots of flat screens around but always packed and difficult to find a seat. There's no outside seating so it may die down in the summer. If you fit in the too cool for T St crowd, check it out.

Foskoskies - Midwood

Neighborhood Cafe
$19 - app, grilled cheese, tomato soup and side salad.

This n'hood spot is tucked in the middle of a midwood/shamrock next door to the original Pike's Pharmacy. One part of the restaurant is old school diner with a long bar and small 2 - 4 top tables. Because I with a bigger group, we sat next door. This was a little awkward because you have to walk out side in order to get to this part of the restaurant as it doesn't really connect. This part of the restaurant was noticeably nicer with cool art on the walls and white tablecloths. However, because our servers and food had to go outside before coming in, it just felt weird to eat over here. Supposedly they are about to break through the wall to connect the two side and it should be much better once that happens. In the meantime...the appetizer special was incredible! Sliced foccacia with artichokes, goat cheese drizzled with balsamic (similar to bruchetta w/o all the tomatoes). It was yummy. The menu is small with four or five high end hot specials (i.e., meatloaf and mashed potatoes) and then six or seven reasonably priced sandwiches (burger, veggie burger, grilled chz, chx salad). While the app was awesome, my grilled chz and tomato bisque was just ok. The grilled chz is what I could have made at home (I even think they used American singles for the chz) and the soup was yummy but not quite hot enough. My friends got the pasta special (tilapia on penne) and the veggie burgers. The fried looked awesome but the veggie burger didnt look as good a Penguins (which in my mind is the standard). Everyone enjoyed their dinner but agreed that the app was the best part of the meal. The desserts sounded awesome but we were pretty full. All in all, it's a nice n'hood spot that's pretty low key and reasonably priced but not a must-do place on my favorite dinner places.

Custom Shop - Elizabeth

Handcrafted food (i.e. random but good)

My offiice celebrated our holiday dinner here and were not disappointed. It's a small upscale restaurant across from Carpe Diem. The atmosphere was lively, even for a Tuesday. Yummy apps included flat bread and an Italian cured meat plate. Entrees included a bunch of seafood options and pasta dishes and range from $18 - 25. I had the seared tuna with butternut squash which was great. Dessert included chocolate and hazelnut gelato - incredible even though I was stuffed. If you've got the dough or someone else is paying, definitely check it out!

www.customshopfood.com

Sunday lunch spots in "Midtown"

So there's no actual midtown in Charlotte but it's what I would call anywhere in between Southpark and Uptown (not on the East side). My friends and I agonize every Sunday where to go for lunch. While there are likely a ton of options, we frequently end up at Park Towne (Qdoba, Jason's, Cheesesteak & Asian place) because we can't think of anywhere else. I've been wracking my brain for spots so thought I would share my list. Please add to it if you can think of anywhere else. The criteria is pretty simple: relatively cheap but good and open for Sunday lunch. ? means I don't know if it's open on Sunday. The rest I'm pretty sure about.
Going north on...
Park Road: McAllisters, Roasting Co, Park Towne, Sushi 101?, Fuel, Brixx, Big Daddy's, East Blvd Bar & Grill, Fran's Filling Station?
South Blvd: Mac's BBQ, Five Guys, Noodle place, Chipotle, Owen's, Pewter Rose (not cheap but so worth it), Einstein's
Southpark-ish: Panera on Fairview, Earth Fare cafe, CPK, another Brixx
Out of the way: Zada Jane's, Zoe's Kitchen by Midtown Trader Joe's, Panera on Prov Rd
Other ideas?

Thirsty Beaver - Midwood

Biker Bar
beer = cheap

Though not technically a restaurant, this place is random enough to warrant special mention in the blog. This bright orange painted random cement block building is off of Central Ave and has an ugly giant beaver painted on the side. No food here (thank goodness), just beer and mixed drinks. Most beers come in a can (PBR anyone?) with 4 or 5 bottle options (Blue Moon, Heini, Heini Light and something else, Mic Ultra maybe). The mixed drinks included specialities like a shot of whisky chased by a shot of pickle juice and a beer mixed with Clamato Juice. The ladies room is three feet from the bar, literally and there's a couple of pool tables in the back. My one concern about the place is if there were a fire, everyone is screwed! However the best part about this place is the clientele. I was there on Saturday for the Habitat Young Prof Cornhole tourney and saw a new accessory that will be hot stuff this fall. I don't know it's technical name but I call it the Harley Davidson pony tail jacket. Not to be confused with a leather scrunchy, this hot new item actually covers the entire length of the pony tail much the way leather pants cover the legs. Not only does it come in black leather but you can actually get it with studs along the entire length of the pony tail jacket. Ladies, keep an eye out because I'm sure these will sell out quickly from the finer boutiques here in town. Now to be fair to the Habitat people, it wasn't someone from their crowd with this must-have item but one of the biker babes that likely frequents this joint. This place is a gem in the randomness that is Midwood. I'll be back soon with my pony tail jacket. Until then...
For your very own, check this out! Black Leather Pony Tail Wrap

Hawthorne's - Elizabeth

http://www.hawthornespizza.com/
Italian/NY style pizza
$14 - salad and 2 beers

I've done a post on Hawthorne's before but they've updated their menu so I wanted to give them another shout out! I think Hawthorne's is a great restaurant. They have a separate take out shop next door which I frequent for salads. The chop, tuscan and hawthorne salads are my favorite and the Elizabeth special is my fave pizza. Their garlic knots are incredible but you need to order them "less burned/baked" in order to get the perfect consistency. Their baked ziti is really good too. They've recently changed up their beer offerings to more fall stuff (oktoberfest beer from Virginia and pumpkin something). No matter, it's a great neighborhood place and perfect for sitting outside weather. Maybe not the best pizza in town but very worth it!

Midwood restaurants

So, I've been eating out a lot recently but haven't kept up with the blog so I'll give an update on a bunch at once. I recently toured some of the new Midwood hot spots and here are my thoughts:

Common House - casual restaurant, nicer than the Dish and not as southern. Prices were great ($6 for Fried Green Tomato BLT + side salad and $5 or $6 for grilled (or maybe fried) Pimento Cheese Sandwich + fries. It's a neat spot with outdoor seating (points for that), modern feeling and someplace that's easy to go on a week night. The food was good if not a little random. I can't remember everything but mussels for an app and weird special. I guess you could say the menu wasn't super memorable. I really liked it while I had one friend say so-so on their dining experience. I'd recommend it for a different place to go.

Soul - metro lounge that serves sushi, random small plates and plays lots of techno. The vibe is very cool, the hostess was a little snotty and I've heard it's THE new spot for late night. The sushi menu looked pretty good, slightly overpriced but may be worth it. I didn't eat there. I can imagine it's more of a spot for drinks and will likely compete with Loft 1523 except it doesn't feel as big. The outdoor patio is slender and I can imagine gets packed pretty quickly. I would definitely meet someone there for drinks though and it's across the street from DQ if you get that blizzard craving too.

Central Coffee Co. - this cool coffee shop just opened about a week or two ago across from Intermezzo and the old Swing 1000 place. It's definitely a better coffee shop than Nova's (i.e. it's a real coffee shop and not a bakery with an espresso machine), the treats all looked homemade, and I'm pretty sure it's owned by a greek family as there were some definite greek themed food items. The pound cake looked amazing as did the blueberry scones. The biscotti was really good and homemade as well. They have free wireless and a neat atmosphere. There's a fireplace in the back with two comfy leather chairs and a skylight. There's a little chalkboard for kids and random magazines lying around if you get bored with your coffee friend. :) The only downside is no outdoor seating. However, they are supposedly working on this so maybe there will be next time. I would definitely recommend this place if you're looking for a cool local coffee shop that isn't the 'bucks.

Bucks County Tavern - random bar on the corner of Club & Central. I've always wanted to stop by there for a drink and I was finally able to. It's been 3 or 4 different bars since I've lived nearby and they finally have one that might work. They scraped the paint off the windows so it doesn't look so shady from the outside and put a tiki hut in the back. The crowd was super random ppl in their 40s and 50s, one guy peed in the parking lot and then came back in and sat down at the bar, two Harley guys came in as we were leaving and the whole night felt like that. Supposedly they serve good sandwiches but I was just there to soak in the randomness, not eat. If you're looking for a strange night, this would be a good place to end up.

Misc Midwood/Dilworth Dining Ideas updated

So, the whole reason I started doing this is because people always ask me for ideas about where to go to dinner. For some reason we all get in a rut and end up at the same ol' same ol'. Here's a few suggestions for places near Uptown and a brief summary of what I can remember. I'll add other locations another time.

Midwood/Elizabeth:
Lulu - ecelectic, popular, good food, outdoor seating $$$
Portofino - Italian, home-style, supposedly great pizza, family friendly $$
Creation - Asian fusion, cool atmosphere, slightly overpriced $$$ or $$
Thomas Street - Red Oak, garden burger and fries with ranch, great bar food. Yummy! $$
Penguin - Smoky Diner, great food (esp onion rings), quirky wait staff $$ or $
Hawthorne - great neighborhood place, awesome salads and garlic knots, okay pizza $$
NoFo - girl parties, cool shop next door, avg food $$ or $$$
Carpe Diem - 1/2 priced apps before 6:30 (i think), yummy food, good wine, closer to $$$$
Anntony's - great marinade and side items, chicken's gone down hill $ - $$
DQ - it's all about the blizzards! $
Zada Jane's - great breakfast (organic or locally farmed), love the grits, they haven't figured out the opening hours yet (7-8 am depending on when you go), parking can be a pain $ - $$

Dilworth:
Kabob House - mid-eastern, great veggie plate and chicken kabob (strong flavors) - $$
Brixx - same as everywhere - $$
Cantina 1511 - Par-tay! Get the guac or Enchiladas de Dennis (not much else is good) - $$-$$$
300 East - good salads, lunch sandwiches and stuff, very metro $$-$$$
Pewter Rose - best brunch in town, love the scones, can't remember dinner - $$-$$$
Big Daddy's Burger Bar - $8 burgers which are pretty good. Great sweet potato fries. Avg. service - $$
Bonterra - cool, in old church, great wines, good food, pricey - $$$$
Mac's - awesome bbq, mac n chz, buckhead bettys w harley hogs, parking stinks - $ - $$
Frankie's - Italian, my parents love it, kinda heavy, good wines - $$ - $$$
Mama Ricotta's - Italian, weird location, okay wines, love the rolls, great waitstaff - $$ - $$$
Thai Taste - great Thai food, good for a beginner, they pack 'em in - $$
Copper - Indian, never been, no idea
i - pricey Japanese, never been
Owen's Bagel - steamed bagel sandwiches, cool owner, free wi-fi, coke products - $
Brueggers - love me some BEC on Rosemary Olive Oil for bfast - $
Just Fresh - just boring - $ - $$
Dunkin Donuts - it's all about the coffee - $
Orig Pancake House - yummy bfast food but smell like grease all day long - $ - $$
Fuel - pizza by the slice, interesting combinations, okay but not great, cheap - $

$$$$ - way pricey, bring mom and dad ($40 pp min)
$$$ - special occasion ($20 pp min)
$$ - good reason to go, not just because you don't want to cook ($10 pp min)
$ - just cuz ($5 pp min)

Intermezzo - Midwood

Pizza/Eastern European
$17 - split a pizza, intermezzo salad, and san pellegrino

So, it's a cool spot off of central near the old Swing 1000. The location's been a few different bars but hopefully this family owned eastern european restaurant will stick around. There are 10 tables and a cozy bar area so it can feel hoppin' pretty quickly. The bartender and waiter (eric) were really friendly and flirty, so it was easy to enjoy the experience. The menu is eclectic, unusual pizza options, eastern european dishes I didn't know of and then basic stuff like turkey burgers. The pizza we ordered was really good. The crust is softer than hawthornes but not as doughy as the old mellow or papa johns. We ordered something with sundried tomatoes and other stuff that I don't remember except to say it was yummy. Since the place is a little small, we had to wait around 20 minutes but for a Friday night at 7:30, this wasn't too bad. All in all, I liked it. it's cozier than hawthorne's and more familiar feeling. I would think it would be easy to become a recognized regular if you wanted to. I'd recommend it. oh, one thing to note. my friend and I ordered the 16 inch and ended up taking half home. I'm sure the small would have been a better choice but the waiter convinced us to go big. Just an FYI.

Lulu - Midwood

New American Bistro - dinner
My hot date picked this one up :)

I met a friend here for drinks and dinner and what a great place to do so. We sat outside where the setting is urban and fun. (Side note: I've been here three times and never been inside.) Lulu's offers lots of "locally grown and small business offerings" which makes you cheer for the little guy. However, they were changing out their menu last week so lots of things weren't available. Their Chardonnay is really good and a complete unknown (to me anyway). i.e. I doubt you could pick it up at HT. We got the calamari for an app which was lightly fried and served with a slightly sweet dip. It was good. For dinner I had lavender roasted half chicken with brie served with mashed potatoes. It was really good but too heavy for 80-degree weather in June. J got a salmon in soup thing which tasted better than it looked. However, they are changing the menu so I don't know what will remain starting in July. All in all, Lulu is a fun place to meet someone for drinks or apps. Dinner is good, but not the best in town. Prices are on the higher side so it's not someplace to drop by any night of the week for a quick bite. However the atmosphere is festive and the outdoor patio is my favorite. Hope you enjoy.

Mama Ricotta's - Midtown

Italian
$35 - 2 people (1 glass chianti, 1 family style penne ala vodka, 1 small tuscan salad)

Mama's is a great restaurant and is always on the back burner when thinking, "where should we go to dinner?" It's great for groups, the food is consistently good although pretty rich, and it's reasonably priced. My friend Lauren turned me on to the Tuscan salad which is romaine, mozzarella, tomatoes, red onions tossed is an olive oil vinaigrette. It's really good but the onions are a little strong for me (and I don't think it's as good as Hawthorne's but don't tell Lauren). The Penne Ala Vodka has prosciutto and penne in a tomato cream sauce. It's so yummy that I get it almost every time I go. It seems like everyone has a favorite there. The broccoli and chicken is really good too, as is Mama's pasta (although it's too rich/creamy for me). They have amazing rolls they serve at the beginning of the meal but I like 'em soft so you may have to get another basket if they're too hard. Two appetizers are yummy, the goat/marscapone cheese and bread spread and the calamari. Great for group eating too. The Nutella pie for dessert is affectionately known as "crack" it's so good, but it will make you sick if you're not careful...it's awesome!! I recommend Mama's as a good place for a birthday party, date night, or somewhere not too fancy to take your parents. It also makes for great take-out. Yummy!