Tour de Suttons

Tour de Kitchens enters its second week with a bang. I had high expectations for the Suttons but let’s just say they were blown out of the water and then some. The Suttons brought their “A” game, and it was an evening to remember. The competition may be over before it even began...so to start off, the Suttons printed off their Tour de Kitchen’s menu on stock paper to highlight the four course meal they were preparing (yes, I did say four course meal).

We started off the evening with an appetizer of goat cheese and blackberry balsamic crostinis and our first glass of wine. As you can imagine, they were perfectly toasted and easy to eat as Lori Ellen was putting the finishing touches on the salads.

Speaking of salads, our second course was a baby spinach salad with toasted walnuts, raspberries and goat cheese topped with homemade oil and vinegar (the blackberry ginger vinegar no less). It was incredible and we could have stopped there, but this was not the case. Our main course was salmon with grits and asparagus drizzled with a caper creme sauce. It was nicely paired with a bottle of Stag's Leap Wine Cellars Sauvignon Blanc. Yes, it was as good as it sounds.

The piece de resistance was our final course, and something that only a blow torch could have produced. The Suttons especially purchased a mini-blow torch for the homemade Coffee-Caramel Creme Brulee that capped off the evening. I was in heaven momentarily!

Not only did the menu completely outshine any restaurant I've reviewed over the past five years but the best part is we were able to enjoy the great company in their lovely home. Now, I would have asked Lori Ellen for all of her recipes but let's be real, I'll never be able to recreate any of this (except maybe the salad) so I'll just keep this one as a very special memory! Thanks Suttons! We can't wait for you to have us over again! The kitchen may never be finished.

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!

McDonough's Mexican Surf & Turf

The evening began en route to our gracious hosts as Lauren was trying to get out of donating to the Baylor U alumni phone-a-thon with the extremely effective student caller who kept her talking the entire drive over. This was a good thing because I couldn't remember where the McDonough's lived so I was texting people who might have their actual address. As Anna and Brett live across from the well known and frequent hotspot, Red Sea grocery, I wanted to make sure we didn't get lost on our way. Aimee's directions of "turn right on camden or something else near there" wasn't going to deliver us there on time. Fortunately CC came to the rescue and sent the address as we were driving past a group of men (no neck and his gang) loitering in a vacant lot. I finally recognized the street and the New England Patriots flag so we were ready for our first stop on the kitchen tour...

Anna and Brett kicked off the Tour de Kitchens last night with a new twist on surf and turf. Contrary to the typical ocean and land fare, the all-knowing McDonoughs went with just a single creature that is known to conquer both land and sea, the chicken! (For those aghast at this little known fact, vast internet research does support the theory that chickens can indeed swim.) So the night started off with introductions to the McDonough's fun neighbors who are both engaged (to other people, not each other) whose respective fiances were out of town. Sweet Anna was not only cooking for us but for two other hungry souls as well. The guacamole was amazing and almost gone, but we managed to get a taste or two to whet the appetite and set the stage for the main course. .

Anna cooked up some amazing chicken fajitas (aka Mexican surf and turf) which were incredible!! Here are a few pictures of the meal being prepped and eaten.

Here's Anna hard at work on our chicken fajitas!

And here's Lauren and me enjoying the best Tour de Kitchens kick off dinner ever!!! Thanks McDonoughs! We can't wait to come back.

Out with the old...

So I thought I would share some of the pictures of my kitchen renovation. I'm embarassed to say I've lived with the yellow tile and ugly linoleum for so long but it's finally on its way out. Who chose this stuff to begin with???

Tour de Kitchens

So after living in my house for six years and talking about renovating my kitchen, I'm finally doing it! I'm two days away from demo, all of my dishes are boxed up, and I'm curious whether I'll lose any weight without a kitchen or potentially strangle someone instead. My contractor says it'll be at least six weeks without a kitchen, so my roommate and I had a brilliant idea. Let's invite all of our friends over for a cook out and make them sign up to have us over for dinner while we don't have a kitchen. Then when our kitchen is finished, we'll have everyone back over to see the new kitchen. Brilliant, right? We thought so too.

So for the next six weeks, this blog is going to turn into a tribute to all of the Charlotte kitchens we've been able to eat in while ours is under construction. There will, of course, be prizes for the best overall dinner, the most memorable dish and maybe an honorable mention or two. Thanks to all of our friends who signed up to host us. We're very thankful and hope we can continue the tradition once the kitchen renovation is done. Here's to the 2011 Charlotte Tour de Kitchens!

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.

Siam Garden - Olde Whitehall (near Arrowood and 485)

Thai

So I'm working in a new part of town and my coworkers were raving about this little Thai hole in the wall. We went for my "welcome" lunch, and it was actually really good. I'm not a professional Thai eater, but I tried a couple of different things and they were great. The Pad Broccoli was awesome as was the Pad Thai. They ask what level of spicy you want (from 1 to 5) but I'm pretty sure 2 - 4 are all the same or either they don't really listen to what you ask. I ordered 2 and my lips were on fire. Meanwhile someone else ordered 3 and said it wasn't quite hot enough so either they got ours mixed up or they are about the same amount of heat. There aren't a ton of dishes, maybe 15 or so but everyone was raving about what they ordered. Someone else paid but it looked like most dishes were between $8 - $10 on the lunch menu. My only issue is the diet coke was from a can...bummer. At least it wasn't pepsi I guess.

I'm back...and so is Queen's Feast

Sorry for being MIA for so long. I'll spare you the details but I'm back in Charlotte, rarely traveling and there are a ton of new restaurants to visit. Even better, next week is Queen's Feast where awesome restaurants offer 3 courses for $30. I highly recommend getting some friends together and making reservations. http://charlotterestaurantweek.com Check it out!

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!

Dandelion Market - Uptown

American tapas (i.e. small plates)
fun birthday dinner

I was so excited about trying out this new place and it did not disappoint!! Thanks to my friends who joined in the adventure with me. This place offers 35 of so different tapas options or you can try one of everything for $200 (for the whole table). With 11 of us, this seemed like a great idea and it was. The food was incredible and just kept coming and coming. Some of my favorites included the fried oysters, pancetta bruchetta, the lamb lollipops, fried portabello sticks, mozzarella flat bread and the cheese fondue. If you try this one of everything experiment, let me recommend that you pace yourself because it's a ton of food. Even with 11 of us, we still had three or four plates that no one touches. I would love to go back now that I've tried almost everything on the menu. It's definitely a must-try. A few words of caution though, the interior is pretty cool but a little small so it gets really loud. The food was incredible but heavy on the meats and fried options so it's not ideal for a diet (but very worth it)! And finally, pace yourself because the food kept coming and there's not enough room on the table for everything. Make yourself slow down and enjoy it but it's a great spot!

Dolce Vita - NoDa

Wine bar

Dolce Vita is a quaint wine bar (that serves beer too) in NoDa that is great for a gathering of friends new and old. It's been open a while and has definitely gotten through some kinks. They serve limited food (a few apps, pizza special, etc.) or you can always order Cabo Fish Taco and bring it over. They've redone the inside a few times, and I think they finally have it right. They now have nice bar stools, plenty of tables and comfy sofas. The art work is local and only a few are really wacky. You never know how many people will be there as the last time I went we were the only people in the place (a Thursday night). Last night they had two guys playing guitar who were really good but a little loud. It started 1/3 full when we arrived but was packed by the time we left so it was a lot of fun. The wine is usually pretty good, and it changes often. The choices for each type of wine are limited unless you opt for a bottle. Each glass is between $7 - $12, and I can't remember the bottle prices. It's a great meeting place in a fun location, and I think it'll do well. The sweet life indeed.

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.

The Liberty - South End

New American "gastro pub"
Entree, app, water = $33.

This new restaurant is a nice not-too-fancy addition to south end. I went with some friends on Friday night and this place was hopping. Fortunately we made reservations so we didn't have to wait. The waitress wasn't the friendliest, so that's my first minor complaint. The focus is on the beer here with lots of options but no explanations so if you're not familiar with the names, you're a bit out of luck. The waitress tried to be helpful but wasn't great on descriptions so two of my three friends didn't like their beer choice. She didn't offer the beer taster until my last friend arrived late and that was of course the winner. All beer aside, the food is pretty good. The options are different and entrees run from $14 - $20. We ordered the soft pretzels as appetizers but apparently they only come in servings of two. Our waitress didn't mention that so the six of us each got a little bitty bite of a really good pretzel. My entree was the Lucky Gastro-Pig. It's a very random mix of bbq, crepes, pineapple, spicy peanuts, jalapenos and "lettuce cups". It's essentially gastro pub fajitas. There were some weird flavors going on, but I really liked it. Two ppl ordered the angus burger with parm fries, two ordered bacon-wrapped trout with mac & cheese, and then one shrimp and grits. Everyone liked their respective dinners and the mac & cheese was great (of course I had to try it for the blog). The fries were good, not great, but I'm a snob about good fries. The main note about this place was the food presentation was awesome. Nice touches all around with my bbq served in mini le creuset pot, the mac & chz served in it's own little cast iron looking thing, etc. I really enjoyed my meal and will definitely to go back. One thing I'll say is it's billed as a "cheaper" place to eat when it's not cheap. It's not McIntosh's (which is where the location is now) but it's not Harpers either. Either way I would definitely recommend it! Just know your beers before you get there.
http://www.thelibertycharlotte.com/home.html

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

Fran's Filling Station - Dilworth

comfort food
rosemary chicken, mashed potatoes & beer - $25ish I think

"Drink til he's cute" - that's what the sign says in the ladies restroom and the highlight of my evening. Don't go to Fran's if you're on a diet as not many light choices. I started to order the Rosemary Chicken and asked to trade out the onion rings with a veggie. Turns out the onion rings were an accoutrement and not a side. The rosemary chx was just that: three breasts of grilled chx w rosemary and a few onion rings scattered on top. The waitress suggested the mashed potatoes which were awesome and rich. My friend got the meatballs which were definitely the better choice (and a favorite according to the menu). They came as two giant meatballs in sauce with lots of cheese. I thought there might be some pasta too but no, just the meatballs. I hear this is normal. Thanksgiving dinner plate was another option, fancy and messy burgers, ribs, etc. The food was good and the atmosphere is nice. I was a little annoyed that the entrees didn't come with a side. How many people eat just three chicken breasts with nothing else in a sitting? Just know that while the entrees aren't too expensive, you'll have to get a side or two too.

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?

Zio - Myers Park

Italian
$80 - 5 entrees and 3 salads

This cozy spot is at the old 5 steps down location just below its better known neighbor, Primo (behind the Boston Market on Providence). I picked up dinner for some friends and me and it's actually really reasonable. I tried the Rigatoni Abruzzi which had a nice flavor (spicy sausage, red peppers and mozzarella with an oily red sauce). The seasonal salad (w cranberries, pecans, goat cheese, and grilled asparagus) was awesome! I heard the wedge salad, and maria linguine was great too. The pasta is made fresh on-site and adds to the authentic feel. The prices were definitely reasonable, no entree we ordered was over $11 and the salads ranges from $4 - $6 although they were definitely of the side salad size. It's a great alternative to Mama Ricottas if you're looking for a change.

Where to go?

Last week was a festival of eating out on my part. I didn't intend for it to go that way but I had lunch and dinner at a different place every day last week. I only share this to say these are few places to remember when looking for ideas. They aren't worth a whole new post but wanted to put them out there for you to think about:

Mama Ricotta's - love the Tuscan salad - best on the menu! Their special, chicken sausage and asparagus lasagna, was incredible. The new wine list is a little confusing (it's listed by region rather than type) but the basic chianti was AWESOME!! Go for the Quartino if you are debating a second glass. It's definitely the best value.

Cantina - The guac! Is there any other reason to go?! They've updated their menu to appeal to the unsophisticated mexican food eaters (i.e. me) so you can go authentic mexican or tex-mex. The chicken quesadilla was really good and definitely better than the ones I make at home. The sangria was a little overrated. Sorry frank.

Crepe Cellar - I only went for dessert but I always like what I get here. Their burger (w gruyer cheese and onion straws) was listed as one of the best burgers in Charlotte not from a burger place. It is pretty incredible! The best dinner crepe is the one with the chicken and ranch sauce but for dessert, the marscapone and berries was pretty yummy. Some people liked it better than the nutella and banana crepe. I can't decide between them as they are both pretty darn good!

Nolen Kitchen - they too have updated their menu but it's still a great place for a group as the price points are pretty wide ranged. The casa salad with goat cheese and candied pecans was really good but the whole wheat penne was incredible! Never heard of their chardonnay options but the waitress pointed me in a good direction and really enjoyed what I had. the ice cream medley was great with the exception of lemon basil sorbet. Yep, you read that correctly. Weird!

Amelie's - every time I go here I'm reminded why I love it! It's just a very cool place and the food's great too. I finally went for lunch (I normally just go for breakfast) and had their asparagus leek and something soup. Amazing! Some french lady started belting out tunes which I think was a pre-show warm up for later. While always a little crazy, this place will definitely remain a favorite.

Brazwell's - I finally went to this place that everyone's talking about and I have to say, I don't get it. What's the appeal? It's a nicer sports bar with girls in low cut tops. Ok, so I get why guys go there but I'm not sure why it's one of the new "it" places. The nachos were fine, not great. Maybe their wings are why people go, just like hooters, right? No thanks.

Village Tavern - teriyaki chicken salad. love it! next.

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

Avanti - Arboretum

Italian
$50 - calamari app & pasta dishes for 4 ppl

This place is at the Arboretum and felt very...diner-ish. We were clearly the only ppl not in family units or high school students. It almost felt like an Italian version of McAllisters. So two of us ordered the Pasta Fiorentine and the other two ordered Chicken Romano, both touted as Avanti favorites. The Pasta Fiorentine was...not so great. The pasta itself was fine and the chicken was actually pretty good. It's just that the sauce was way too sweet and a little watery. As my friend commented, "every bite gets a little sweeter each time so that it's hard to actually eat it." "The sausage is just regular sausage, it's not Italian. It's bland." This was being almost complimentary. If I weren't running 9 miles tomorrow, I probably wouldn't have eaten it. My other friends LOVED their Chicken Romano. One was saying it was as good as Magianno's. There was some debate about this but one friend held firm. The calamari was...definitely out of a frozen food bag. It wasn't bad per se, it just wasn't that great. The one bright spot was our waiter who actually wasn't very good but had a great attitude. My friend found a coupon on Restaurants.com which helped enjoy the experience a bit more. My friends said they would go back, I won't be with them. Sorry!

Dean & Deluca Wine Bar

Wine bar
$99 - lots of wine and two apps for two people

The best thing about D&D wine bar is lots of amazing wines to try. It's not cheap but it's really good. We both tried wine flights (i.e. three small pours of three different wines) and our favorites were of course the most expensive ones we tried. The flight was around $14 and the glass of my favorite was $16. Ouch! The apps included Hummus and Pita and Brushetta with sun dried tomatoes and goat cheese. The hummus and pita were nice but just tasted like hummus and pita, an app I really like but a little overpriced at $9. The brushetta was good but the waiter made it sound better than it was. It was really good but based on his description, I thought it was going to be best brushetta I'd ever had. It does come in three huge slices of bread with lots of sun dried tomatoes and goat cheese but I like lots of garlic in my brushetta and this didn't have that. I'm sure my friend appreciated it but it didn't make for my favorite app. Just a heads up. It's definitely a great place to go, especially in the summer when you can sit outside. My only warning is it ain't cheap! But it's D&D and they can get away with it. :)

Room 112 - Uptown

Asian/Sushi
$7 - broccoli & chicken @ lunch

So this place is owned by the same fam that owns Fujo, Ginbu, plus a bunch of other asian themed restaurants around town so the food may seem familiar but the atmosphere is pretty "uptown." It's a small place but we're usually ordering take out for lunch from here so that doesn't matter. The sushi is really good and the chinese is yummy too. It's pretty much the same as Fujo with a more trendy feel. My only beef - pepsi! Yuck! Who drinks that stuff?? They are trying to be a fun place to go uptown before heading out on the town. Try it out and let me know...

Pizza & by the way...

Sorry for being MIA for so long. I need to start eating out more and posting again. I'll do better. Hope you check back and let me know if you have any suggestions for where I should go. Also, anyone have an opinion on best pizza in town? Here's what I know:

Libretto's is way better than Fuel for pizza by the slice but more expensive and only in the epicenter
Luisa's is supposed to be awesome but never been there
My all time favorite pizza is New Mexico at Wolfman
Revolution in noda has some weird pizzas (I had one with fig something and arugula) but it was actually really good.
Intermezzo and Hawthorne both have yummy pizzas but maybe not the best in town
Mezzanotte - blah
Papa John's is so much better than Dominos
Pizzaria Uno - one should never eat there
Brixx - I actually like their pizza but kind of burned out on it over the years. It's really good if you're new to town or haven't been there much. They also have a great Brixx salad. But after 10 years, I am ready for something new.
Pizza Peel - I've never been but hear it's a big hit with the District Attorneys in town. It's where the old Mellow was by Cotswold.

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!

Basil - Uptown

Thai
Pad Ewe - can't remember the price but this post is way overdue!
http://www.eatatbasil.com/

Heard great things about this place and went during Clt Restaurant week a while back with some friends. Most people got the Pad Thai but I went with a combination of things (basil roll, pad ewe, and glass of wine) and the food was awesome! The basil role was really good and fresh tasting. The Pad Ewe (I know I'm not spelling that right but you'll probably find what I'm talking about) was yummy; it's a noodle dish with veggies and your choice of meat. It's probably more chinese than most of the other dishes but I thought it was great. I'm not a huge pad thai person, but my friends were raving about it. The owner was there and making sure things ran smoothly which they did. The atmosphere is very trendy, uptown, where people go when they want to act like they've eaten Thai food since before it was cool. I give this place 5 stars. My only warning is if you go for lunch past noon, you won't get seated until 12:45 as this place fills up quickly. However, it is well worth the wait. The owners have a few restaurants in Charleston and they seem to know what they are doing as I think this place will be successful. It's right next to Latorre's on 5th and Church. Definitely check it out. Much nicer than Thai Taste but worth it for the food and the atmosphere.

Mezzanotte - Cotswold

Italian/Brick oven pizza
$25 - glass of chianti & mezzanotte pizza (italian sausage, mozzarella, four basil leaves)

Honestly, it was just okay. The location is pretty great if you live in that area because there aren't a ton of choices nearby but I thought the pizza was just plain. The waiter (who was a little weird) was talking up the incredible muscles and some yada yada entree but I went with the namesake pizza and was a little disappointed. The atmosphere too is a little odd in this place. It's like there are two restaurants in one. One room is more casual and families with young kids sit in there with the TVs while the back of the restaurant feels a little nicer/quaint but I don't know how they decide where to seat you. My friend wasn't eating so I don't have anything else to share but I doubt I'll go back unless someone else chooses it. It's also related to the main Italian restaurants in town (Luce, Toscana, Coco Osteria) but this one is definitely the weakest. Could be a good place for a mid-week reasonably priced group place to eat if you need it. Plenty of seats and choices on what to get. Personally, I'd rather go to Chipotle next door.

Mai - South Charlotte (corner of Rea & Colony)

Sushi
$27 per person for sushi assortment, house salads and edamame and a drink

Dinner at Mai was a bittersweet experience. The sushi was awesome!! We tried a few different rolls including the New Orleans (shrimp tempura with avocado and tuna), Arizona (spicy tuna and avo), Philly (salmon, cream cheese and something else) and a plain tuna roll. The Arizona was the best, surprisingly so, then NO, then Philly, then tuna. The house salads were awesome (love ginger dressing) and edamame was great. The problem was our service was TERRIBLE!!! and I mean to the point where we debated even leaving a tip (we did). We arrive and order drinks. The water shows up but the other drinks are a little slow to arrive (there are only 4 or 5 occupied tables in the place so not sure what the hold up was). Then we order our sushi (by writing it down ourselves), edamame and our salads. It takes a while but then our edamame and sushi show up at the same time. Hello! Edamame is an app therefore it comes out first. Notice that I did not say our salads came out too. We had to ask about those after about 5 minutes. Of course since we're eating sushi which has tons of sodium, we drink all our water. Our waitress never refills our glasses, another waitress does...once. The food is outstanding but we are getting a little peeved at our waitress. She doesn't clear anything from the table after it's done (i.e. salad bowls, edamame, shells, empty glasses, etc.) so everything just keeps piling on up. Oh, we never are offered silverware either, so we are forced to use chopsticks for everything. A great challenge on a fun night, but it would have been nice to have the option. Then she brings our bill and we split it. Only when the receipts come back, she's charged one card the full amount and the other card half of the amount. When we point this out to her, she just looks at us with an annoyed look and says, "I've already swiped the card. There's nothing I can do." ARE YOU KIDDING ME??? Fortunately another waitress heard this, came over and said she could submit a refund to settle things up. Now I loved the old Mai on South Blvd and could love this new one. However, someone needs to retrain our waitress as she needs some serious help before she drives away any customers. I hate it when people complain about the service at the restaurant and berate waiters, but I had a small glimpse of understanding as to why this happens. What could have been a few mistakes and easily overlooked with an apology turned into a bad service experience because of her bad attitude. I hope you go and try this place out but definitely be warned about the waitstaff and if things look to be starting off on the wrong foot, beware the rest of your night.

Good Food on Montford - Selwyn/Park Rd

New American

While the place was packed and looked like it had a lot of potential, I might say it was trying too hard. They change their menu frequently as evidenced by the paper menu stapled together. They have small plates (hot, cold, light and noodles), then a substantial (i.e. meat) and sides. A friend and I split a bibb salad w avocado, goat cheese and grapefruit (yes, it tasted random on the salad too) and calamari. I thought the calamari was awesome even with the lemony sweet sauce and sausage it was served with. I ordered a noodle as my main course since none of the meats appealed to me. There were 3 fish options, rib eye, quail and pork ribs. None of those sounded good to me so I went with a garnecelli noodle tossed with garlic and tomato. It was a bit bland but I guess was what it was billed to be. I just hoped it would have a little zest. We ordered the fried yuca as a side and it was okay. My friend had the rib eye and said that it tasted good but was a little fatty. However, neither of us knew if that was normal for rib eye so take that with a grain of salt. However based on the number of people and noise level, people definitely like this place. The acoustics aren't very good so don't take someone with a hearing problem. All in all, I will probably go back at some point but it's not my new favorite. I would take Roosters over this place any day.  http://www.goodfoodonmontford.com/

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.

Amelie's - NoDa

French bakery
$5 - breakfast sandwich and large coffee

If you love cool places with yummy breakfast food or desserts, this is the place to go. They are a bakery with a cafe and food is fresh and good. I got an egg, Gruyere and ham on fresh baguette and it was awesome!! They have tons of little french desserts that people love (but I'm not a huge french dessert person). Because they are bakery, they are open 24 hours but I normally go on Saturday mornings if I remember. The coffee is good (not out of this world) but the sandwich makes that irrelevant. I've been for lunch and their soups are amazing (you can taste test if you want) but I would rather just go for breakfast. It's in a cool neighborhood and has a cool vibe. They support Habitat which I think is pretty cool. Definitely recommend this place!  http://www.ameliesfrenchbakery.com/

Crepe Cellar - NoDa

French American
awesome food, esp crepes

$24 - 2 beers, margarita french bread pizza, nutella & banana crepe

This place is awesome!! It just opened tonight and I have a feeling it won't be the last time I go. The atmosphere is really cool. Only around 10 tables and a neat bar area. It's comfortable and trendy. The food prices were around $6 - $9 per entree and I loved the french bread pizza. My friend had the Gruyere cheese burger with string onion rings on top. That was incredible! Other entrees include ham and Gruyere cheese crepe, pizzas, salads, shepherds pie and other stuff. The desserts were mostly crepes around $5 - $7. A small wine list but 6 beers on tap reasonably priced including Amstel Light. Since tonight was opening night there were 2 tables for every one server but things went very smoothly. I highly recommend it for a great meal in a low key environment.

More dining ideas

It's time to list some new restaurants as I'm bored with the ones I know. Here are some suggestions depending on what you're looking for:

Outside seating:
Village Tavern - Southpark - great patio but usually really crowded $20s
Thomas Street Tavern - Midwood - great place for a beer and just hanging out $10s
Lulu - Midwood - french themed southern food, different wine list. $40s-$50s
Roosters - Southpark -few seats but worth it if you can snag one $40s (mentioned in SL mag)
M5 - Southpark - way hip if you're into that scene and have some $$$
D&D Wine Bar - Southpark - best for wine and apps, not really dinner $20s-$30s
Zada Jane's - Midwood - never eaten dinner there but bfast is good
Intermezzo - Midwood - Friday night is 1/2 off martini's. Pizza is good, some of the other stuff has gotten mixed reviews.

Other restaurant ideas (I'm listing this as much for myself as for you):
Foskoskies - East Clt (next to Pike's Pharmacy) - haven't eaten here yet but heard it's awesome. Supposedly have outside seating but never been so can't comment.
Nolen Kitchen - Myers Park - I always forget this place but it's pretty good. Can be pricey depending on what you get.
New restaurant next to Breakfast Club - has anyone been there?? Strange location but it looks nice.
131 Main - supposedly owned by Houstons' people, some friends love it.
Other ideas??

Roosters - Southpark

New American
$57 - split tomato and feta salad, 1/4 spit roasted chicken, split pan fried corn, split peach/blackberry cobbler, 2 glasses wine ($97 total)

So my friend and I were trying to come up with a fun place for a glass of wine outside now that it's cooler and without a long wait. It was a shot in the dark at 7:15 on Saturday night but they had a table and we grabbed it. I love this place. The food was awesome, the portions are reasonable, everything is a la carte and it's moderately priced (for Charlotte). It's easy to split stuff so going with a friend is great. I've been here twice recently, once for dinner and once for just wine and dessert. They opened a wine bar in the back of the restaurant that's a little weird. Some nights it's packed and fun while this Saturday it was empty. It's probably used as a great place to celebrate something with lots of friends. I realize I featured this place a year ago but I've placed it as one of my faves recently if you're okay spending some cash. It's not cheap but it's really good.

Chipotle - South End or Cotswold

Mexican
<$7 for salad and chips I think

For a restaurant with 3 things on the menu (tacos, burritos, salads) this place is really good and different than all the others. They do a few things really well: 1. coke products, enough said. 2. everything is organic and farm-raised and good for you. The chicken has a kick but I really like it! You almost feel like you're eating healthy there. 3. Guac - they do this really well. It's almost sweet but definitely is fresher than most other places that I've been. 4. Chips are hardy, not wimpy. My only complaint is NO QUESO!!! What's the point in having mexican?? I haven't figured this out yet, but do know I like it and it's someplace I'll go back to on a regular basis. Ambiance is modern and cold. Sit outside.

Big Daddy's Burger Bar - Dilworth

Burgers
$13 - cantina burger, sweet potato fries and diet coke

The good news - the black bean burger was pretty good and the sweet potato fries were awesome! Not as good as the Penguin but that's hard to beat anyway. It's slightly overpriced in my opinion. You're paying for the "atmosphere" I think. It was $9 (with tax) for the basic burger which my friends all tell me was good. There was a great debate as to how it stacked up to Five Guys, the Penguin, South 21 and someplace else but no winner was declared although every one seems to love Five Guys (I haven't been there yet). The bar was pretty extensive so I'm thinking this is really a bar that serves good food rather than the other way around.

The better news - so when i originally ate here, our service experience wasn't that great. Our waitress messed up a few things and wasn't on top of it. I think she was new or just really inexperienced. However, the management response has been pretty extensive. I sent them an email through their website, and I received a call and email from the manager and a call from the owner, Frank Scibelli. They've gone above and beyond trying to rectify our bad service experience which I give them kudos for. It goes to show that individual owners are especially sensitive to a potentially bad experience whereas a chain usually doesn't care. Frank has definitely gone above what I expected with his response which I appreciate.

All this being said, I'll definitely go back now. When someone cares this much about one person's experience, you know good things are in store for this place. Until next time...

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)

Thai Taste - Dilworth

Thai
$17ish - #42 & Amstel Light

I'm ashamed to say I've lived in Charlotte almost 10 years and this was my first visit to Thai Taste. Everyone I know who's been loves it but as I am afraid of Thai food, I've been hesitant to go. I went with a group of 5 who all had recommendations of what I should try, so I was feeling pretty confident I'd like what I ordered. I ended up with #42 (no idea the name) but it was probably as close to chinese food as thai food gets. Wide rice noodles with chicken, napa cabbage, broccoli, carrots and light soy sauce. It was awesome!! One friend got the Pad Thai which was really good too. I normally am not a fan of the flavor of Pad Thai elsewhere, but this one was different and I liked it. My other friends got different curry dishes with coconut milk, and they were all good too. I probably wouldn't order them myself, but I enjoyed a taste. For those that like that flavor, they all loved what they got. Well, food aside, the place is pretty cool. Quaint, asian themed restaurant that was packed but not overly so. Our service was good, and our waiter was quirky in a good way. The guy that checked us out had go-go gadget fingers so that was fun to watch. Besides that, the location is great and I found something I liked. I hope to go back soon. Side note: they do a lot of take out business if you're looking for ideas. Later!!

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.

Art's BBQ - Dilworth

Diner
$7 something for lunch - cheeseburger, side of mac n chz & diet coke

I was heading to the new Coffee Cup with a friend when I heard it had not yet passed its health inspection. Being on that side of uptown and not knowing of any good options, we dead ended into Art's (corner of McDowell & Morehead). I've seen this place for years on the outside but never been in. It reminds me of Mr. K's but not quite as nostalgic. The food was good and greasy, and it was really nice to have side options other than fries. I think they had green beans, pasta, and other stuff but I zoomed in on the mac n chz once I saw that. Plus, they serve coke products so I automatically like it better. The only problem was no ice cream. Anyway, if you're looking for cheap, greasy and good, it's a good option.

Dolce - Dilworth

Italian
$40ish dinner - Pollo Romano, 2 glasses of wine & split gelato sampler

I've been meaning to go here for a while but with so many Italian places in town, it took wanting to try something new to finally get here. I went with a friend for dinner on Thursday night and we sat outside. It's a quaint Italian restaurant where at least the hostess had an accent (which I can only assume was real). It's a white tablecloth kind of place with a small sitting area outside and a larger restaurant inside. Almost everyone was outside this night. I ordered the Pollo Romano - chicken w artichokes, sun dried tomatoes in a white wine sauce. It was awesome! They served it with oven roasted potatoes and a vegetable medley. Whatever it was, it was some good stuff. They served bread, of course with the white bean thing similar to Luce and Toscana. The wine was nothing I was familiar with but the cute waiter helped me pick something out and I enjoyed it. I still have no idea what it was but it was good. For dessert, we split a sampler of three gelatos: vanilla, chocolate and hazelnut. It's not quite as good as being there, but it's a lot better than D&D's gelato. The vanilla and chocolate were really good, the hazelnut was okay but I'm not a normal fan of it anyway. The setting is a little weird driving up (it's next to the Roly Poly) but you didn't feel like it once you stepped inside. It's definitely on the higher side of local Italian but I'll definitely go back. Probably a good place to bring the parents.

Cabo Fish Taco - NoDa

California fish taco place
$8.50 - BBQ Mahi Tacos (didn't buy so don't know actual bill)

I have to admit that I've never been a huge fan of the food at CFT. I like the atmosphere and the idea, but the food was never great in my opinion. Granted, I usually get the Cabo Fish Tacos (beer-battered cod w/ cabbage, lettuce, tomatoes and sauce) which are good but a little too greasy for me and never leave a good lasting impression. The chips are fine and the salsa is a fresh corn and tomato salsa which is good, but I prefer real Tex-Mex salsa so it's not my favorite. However, this has all changed. I discovered the BBQ Mahi Tacos (bbq mango marinated mahi with same fillers) and it was AWESOME!!! Definitely makes me want to go back and get them again. They serve coke products, another plus and this meal was so good, I could care less about the salsa. The sides are all fine but not my favorite (cucumber salad, mexi-slaw, beans and rice I think). Anyway, I'd encourage you to try these out and if you've never been before, it's a fun place to go in a cool part of town. If you like fish tacos, I hear these are some of the best but clearly they aren't up my alley. Anyway, hope you enjoy.

Chowhound.com

I've discovered a new website called chowhound.com which is a restaurant website based on location. I love it. If you go to their website and click on South, you can google Charlotte and all of the relevant blogs/postings pop up about different restaurants in charlotte. My favorite is My Charlotte Recommendations. Different people can ask questions like, "where's the best bbq in Charlotte?" and random people respond. I've read through a few strings and found it really helpful. I was looking for a seafood place in Carolina Beach and there was a posting about that exact thing. I bought shrimp from the recommended spot (something Brothers) and it was really good. I placed a link from here but I recommend checking it out, especially if you're heading out of town and looking for places to go. Anyway, just a suggestion. Thanks!

City Tavern - Uptown

American
$46.5 - Chicken Panzenilla, Chicken Saltimboca, 1 glass Fat Bastard Chard, 1 Diet Pepsi

Not that great. We went here on Saturday night before going to see Lion King, and it was really disappointing. The restaurant wasn't that busy and there were a lot of open tables but for some reason our waiter never seemed to be around. The food was okay, not great and I probably won't go back. It's been a while since I've eaten at the one on East Blvd, but I remember my experience there as much better. First of all, there seemed to be a little fighting among the wait staff for who had the table next to us...awkward. My water glass kept getting empty (server faux pas) and when my friend ordered diet coke, the waiter didn't mention they only serve pepsi, he just brought her a diet pepsi instead!! The nerve, ticks me off! Anyway, the food was really bland which was a bummer but we were on our way to a better time so the evening wasn't a complete waste. All that to say, I wouldn't recommend this place.

Ru Sans - Dilworth

Sushi
$50 - 2 people, various sushi items & 4 beers

My friend and I ate here on Friday night and ended up sitting at the sushi bar...what a great idea. First of all, it's a much better experience as you not only get to see how they are making stuff, but you can also interact (i.e. flirt) with the sushi chefs. They started us out with an itty bitty cucumber salad thing in soy sauce which was yummy (we didn't order it). We did order Edamame to start, which was served really hot with salt on the side. For dinner we got a bunch of different sushi including tuna, california rolls (of course), rock & roll, and the Rising Sun (salmon, tuna, cream cheese and avocado lightly fried) which was huge! Everything was really good and really fresh, but as always it was too much. My friend took home the rest in a doggy box and said it was still good the next day. A few interesting things to note about Ru Sans. First the chefs yell a lot, for someone's birthday, sake bombs (shots), pretty women who come in and who knows why else. There were also a lot of groups of cute young guys who were eating there. I don't know why this surprised me, but it did. They've expanded the restaurant since last time I'd been there too which is good because now there's a ton of space. If you've never eaten here, it's really good sushi and a fun atmosphere. It's definitely not a quiet place to go for a relaxing meal, try elsewhere for that. There's some outside seating but it looked a little awkward meaning everyone walks through it on your way inside. I would think that's a pain if I were sitting there. They do serve other stuff for anyone who doesn't like sushi, but I've never had any of it. I do know they have a sushi buffet at lunch but that's a little weird to me. All in all I'd recommend it as a fun place to go with friends for dinner.

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.

Kabob House - Dilworth

Middle Eastern
$25 - Mixed Kabob Grill (4 skewers with beef, lamb, chicken and something with 2 delightful side items (Omar's Salad)) & Mixed Veggie Plate (with Hummus, Baba Ghanoush, Tabbouleh, Potato something, Grape Leaf, Spinach Puff thing and something else), pita bread and two waters

This place rocks!! The food does anyway and the service. It's a tiny spot, maybe 10 tables in the Harris Teeter shopping center on East Blvd. Our waiter was really friendly and helpful. We ordered the mixed options so we could share and try different things. A few things were awesome: most of the skewers, Omar's salad, hummus, baba ghanoush, pita, etc. One of the skewers tasted like a hamburger, and I'm not a huge fan of tabbouleh to begin with so those were blah. The potato thing was really good too; it was essentially a french fry with garlic mixed in. I was pretty hungry but there was plenty left over so the portions are big. I'll probably get the same thing again if I go back cuz I really like the variety. They also gave us this little sweet pastry thing for dessert. I don't know if everyone gets it or we did because we were so clueless, but it was yummy and just the right size. Kind of like a fortune cookie with Chinese. They have belly dancing on Fridays supposedly although I can't imagine where she dances; this place is tiny. Anyway, I always forget about this place but highly recommend it.

Pewter Rose - South End

Sunday Brunch - Dad picked this one up too

Utter disappointment!! I used to love Pewter Rose for Sunday Brunch, and it was a highlight to go there. They served these awesome butterscotch scones and coffee in cool glass mugs. My old favorite thing on the menu was the Breakfast Burrito, a tortilla filled with spicy scrambled eggs, black beans, spanish rice and salsa. I took my parents there on Sunday, and they've CHANGED THE MENU!!!! There was a similar item called Huevos Rancheros which was no where nearly as good. I am so sad, I don't know what to do. Where will I go with people in town for Sunday brunch again?? Is there no where else? The decor has changed recently which is a nice upgrade. It's more open and not as eclectic feeling. However, the brunch menu has shrunk and what I got was completely average. It was fine ($9) but so disappointing compared to my old favorite. The scones were still there but are much smaller and doughier which can be good depending on your preference. My waiter was super nice and really cute so that helped, but the food was blah. I'm torn. I used to love and rave about Pewter Rose as the best place for Sunday Brunch but now I just don't know. I must go back and try something else. You're on your own folks! Any ideas?

Providence Cafe - Myers Park

American Cafe
Somebody else was buying...Thanks Dad!



I took my parents to Providence Cafe as there are lots of good options here, and it's reasonably priced. The atmosphere is okay and it's a good place for a group as there always seems to be one when I'm there. I've met people here for drinks on multiple occasions and it's easy to do. There's one male bartender in particular who is really friendly and serves a generous pour. Two lady bartenders I've had were a little stingy. Providence Cafe is always consistent, but for some reason it's not my favorite restaurant of this type (I much prefer Village Tavern which is similar to me). The Cafe Chicken Salad is my favorite thing on the menu, and it's usually what I get. Mixed greens with fruit (mainly cantaloupe and melons but also has grapes, strawberries and sugared pecans). My dad got the Tarragon Chicken Pasta and he loved it. They serve pretty good bread beforehand which is nice but not the best ever. Parking is a pain here which I always forget about. I was with some friends last time I was here and we ordered the two most popular apps: fried spinach wrapped asparagus and spinach dip. The spinach dip was really good, the asparagus was good but random. Not sure that I'd get that again. All in all, a fine place to meet up with friends but probably not top of my list.

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!

California Pizza Kitchen - SouthPark

American/Pizza
$28 - large Waldorf Salad, 1 mushroom pizza, 2 waters

I always forget about CPK but it's so good to remember. First of all, this salad (I hope I'm remembering the name correctly) is so good. It's field green and romaine with grilled chx, granny smith apples, candied walnuts, and gargonzola cheese. It was like eating dessert that's good for you. The flavors go so well together but be warned, the large salad is big. They also have it in a half portion which is still a good size. A friend and I split the salad and the pizza and we definitely had leftovers. The pizza here is also really good and with some crazy combinations, it differentiates itself some from the other 50 pizza places in charlotte. The crust is thicker than Brixx but not has thick at Mellow. However, it's a little bit sweet which I really like. The portion size is slightly smaller than brixx too so it's good for one or splitting with a salad. A couple of things to note about CPK. 1. The bread really isn't that good that they serve beforehand. For a pizza place, this is surprising. 2. If you pay with AmEx, beware that you could shut down the computer system. Something about the magnetic strip...I don't get it but it happened to me once. Just warn the waiter when you pay. 3. I'm not a huge fan of their two tops near the front. If you can get a bigger table, I would. 4. They have an outdoor patio that looks pretty nice so I would definitely think about it for the summer.

Coco Osteria - Uptown

Light Italian
$12 entree for lunch, don't know about the total cost

My coworkers brought me here for lunch and I love this place. Two walls are floor to ceiling windows which makes the place bright and airy. It's rather small in size but is always crowded when I've been here. The entrees ranges from $10 - $14 I think and everything around the table looked great. I had the Macceroni alla Buttera which was large tubed pasta with snap peas and sausage in a light tomato cream sauce. It was excellent. I love this place because they serve the diet coke with a lime and you don't even have to ask. Coke comes with a lemon. I don't know if they have a different menu for dinner but I would highly recommend this place for lunch. They don't take reservations so you have to get their early but it's so good, it's worth it. It's owned by the same guy who owned Luce & Toscana but it's less formal and not as pricey. A highly recommended uptown place to go!

Nolen Kitchen - Myers Park

American
Entree was around $15 I think, no idea about the drinks or apps

Nolen Kitchen is where the old Kaffe Frappe used to be and I think it's a much better place. The food is good and ranges from mid-priced sandwiches and salads to higher end entrees. The portions aren't so big that you feel stuffed but everything I tried was really good. Our table got fried zucchini which was awesome and I picked veal gnocchi as my entree. It was the perfect sized portion and really good. Their fries are seasoned with lots of salt so they are really good too. We ended up with a few desserts and the banana creme brulee was my favorite. We tried the girlscout coffee drinks with godiva and creme de menthe, but it wasn't very good. Too watery tasting I would say and nothing really special about the presentation. The bar tender was really nice and made me a special drink for my birthday (the Love Potion). It was tasty and fun with a splash of cinnamon on top. A few of us ran into people we knew which makes it fun I think when you're in a restaurant. Nolen K is a good date place or place to go with a group to celebrate something. I'll definitely go back. www.nolenkitchen.com

My Birthday Week

It's my birthday this week, so I've been eating out a lot. I've gone to some great restaurants, but I don't really know the bill. So I'll tell you what I thought, but not how much it cost. Hope that's okay.

Brio - Southpark

Italian
Working lunch that someone else paid for so I don't know the full bill. I had a mini pizza and side salad that listed around $10 I think.

My friends have been raving about how good Brio is. We went for a late lunch and it was packed. It's much bigger inside than it appears and the scene was nice. A good place for a date night or when your parents are in town. The food was really good and everyone seemed to enjoy what they ordered. It's a little hard to gauge with a business lunch but I'll say there wasn't a lot left over. The pizza really was a mini but I don't know if they serve that size at dinner. The menu contained typical Italian fare but I've heard it's one of the better Italian places in town. I'd agree that it's pretty good but it's still a chain (I've never been to Maggiano's so I can't compare it to that. One major negative...Pepsi. Enough said.

Roosters - Southpark

Mid-scale American
$46. - dinner for two (1/4 white chicken, mashed potatos, sugar snap peas, salad, french onion soup, 1 dessert and 2 waters)

Roosters is a new spot opened by the guy who runs Noble's. It's lower scale than Nobles, but the food is still really good. We arrived on a Monday night and it was packed. We ended up sitting at the bar which was a bar facing the cooking stations rather than a traditional bar. It's a cool setup at the "bar" where you can watch sous chefs prepare their specialties. We sat in the soup and salad section and watched the guy prepare a few. The menu is a la carte and ranges in price from $6 - $12 per item (less for sides but not much less). The salad was great ($6 for small portion) and the soup ($8) was a little rich both in flavor and price for me. Becky had the chicken and raved about the sauce it was prepared in. We split the sides which were really good and fresh tasting. The mashed potatos had a perfect amount of garlic but were a little small if the intention is to share. We split a dessert called chocolate peanut butter crunch with vanilla gelato. The flavor was nice but the texture was a little too crunchy and kind of hard to eat. It sounded better than it tasted. However, the gelato was awesome!! The interior of the restaurant is typical with the exception of one entire wall covered with stuffed Roosters. It was little strange, especially since we faced that direction the whole meal. All in all, I'd definitely go back. www.roosterskitchen.com