lhollers

What's happening, raji? Being from Vermillion, South Dakota, I can't exactly say that I am local! However, the gf's family lives in Charlotte, and I have been there numerous times throughout the last 3 years. While she goes to see her parents and brother, I go along for the food! As far as fine dining goes, the best experience I have had thus far is Zebra restaurant. Chef/Owner Jim Alexander (a former GA seafood chef champion and national Taste of Elegance winner) is doing some fantastic things with formal and accessible contemporary French food. We had the Chef's Grand Tasting with wine pairings, and the butter poached lobster on creamy risotto haunts me with its deliciousness to this day. A contender for best food around, and a huge wine list with options for all price levels. Definitely a must for the hardcore foodies visiting Charlotte. Upstream is another wondeful establishment and is currently one of the more trendy spots to eat in Charlotte. Upstream is definitely an upscale locale, with Chef Tom Condron preparing grade-A day-boat seafood. The gf and I had our first great meal in Charlotte here; we began with some fresh crudos, for mains she had a perfectly cooked mahi mahi with mango and hearts of palm, and I had a "surf and turf" of grilled filet and two monstrous seared scallops. Another gem, and a very beautiful interior. This place is owned by a restaurant group called Harper's who, coincidentally, also own a gem called M5. The other great Harper's establishment, M5, is more of a lounge than a restaurant, but we had a nice dinner there the last time we were in town (late Dec.). I really enjoyed the setup of the menu, which is divided into starters (obviously), then meats, fish and sides depending on whether you wanted roasted, grilled, etc. To begin, we had the garlic chile shrimp. I got one of the nightly specials (often including special ingredients priced insanely cheap) - a mixed dish of shrimp, clams, mussels, scallops and lobster together with rice in a spicy marinara sauce...rich, filling, outstanding comfort food. One of the coolest things about M5 is their wine service. They have an option called "Wine Journeys" where you receive 3 pours of 3 oz. each of wines from a certain region. I chose the Red Journey to Spain and the gf went with the Journey to Greece. This was a great deal, as it allows you to try different wines, and the pours are most certainly more than 3 oz.! On a side note, we had the best server we have had in our entire Charlotte dining career at M5 - definitely try to get Matt, he's the man. Another high end dining experience can be found at Noble's- Chef Jim Noble's self-named flagship restaurant. We ate here after the Meineke Car Care Bowl in December, and this is what I consider to be the "nicest" restaurant in Charlotte. A beautiful interior, gorgeous presentation and the most extensive menu showcasing local and organic ingredients. As we were intending to go out for the night, we were looking for something that wasn't too heavy. I was a bit disappointed with the crispy fried calamari, but only because I had been expecting to be blown away - there wasn't anything wrong, per se, but I just wanted more from a restaurant of this caliber. The crabcake was quite good, with large chunks of crab in a very light and crispy exterior, but the sweetbreads stole the show - easily the best sweetbreads I have ever tasted. We also had the tasting of Noble's charcuterie, which was fine, and a crispy fried oyster salad, of which the oysters were fantastic. Noble's is a great experience overall, but you definitely pay the price for it. On the opposite price spectrum, we had a romantic dinner at Luce, which I consider to be the premier Italian joint in town. The high ceilings and soft yellow interior make for a beautiful dining experience, but the pasta is the real star here. A nice beef carpaccio was the starter, and the fresh shaved parmiggiano and truffle oil definitely elevated this dish. Mains were a veal piccata with lemon-caper butter sauce for me, and cheese-stuffed rigatoni and canelloni for the gf. Delicious pasta carries the day, and the low prices make this a must-try in Charlotte. For the usual steakhouse, etc., we go to Ruth's Chris uptown, but Morton's, The Palm, and Sullivan's all get a lot of press for being top-tier steak restaurants. If you are just looking for a great burger, a beer and a fun atmosphere, Big Daddy's Burger Bar is the place to be. Hands-down, the best burger I have ever had - hugely customizable 100% grass-fed hormone free beef, with all kinds of condiments and add-ons at no extra charge. A very fun place to grab a bite to eat. My favorite place in Charlotte, the one that I absolutely have to go to every time I am there, is Ilios Noche. It's a Greek place that specializes in classic Greek and Mediterranean cuisine, and man do they do it up right. From the must-trys (saganaki, the octopus, souvlaki, whole striped bass, and the steak marsala) to the traditional Greek dishes like braised lamb shank and lamb oreganata, this place is the best food for the money in all of Charlotte. The most expensive thing on the menu is under $30, and the gigantic wood-burning stove and beautiful chandelier make dining here a treat! Charlotte definitely has numerous great food options for all price ranges, and is a wonderful dining city! Let me know if you have any more questions about the scene...hope this helps!

I'll second that - as a frequent lurker on ulterior epicure's photos, I can attest to the fact that he really has outdone himself with this trip...stunningly beautiful photography combined with the typical fantastic food reviews and write-ups. This would be a great source to consult if you were planning a trip to France with a splurge meal in mind...

Current NY Times food critic...

My significant other and I recently ate at Wild Sage. As a dedicated foodie, we have frequented what I consider to be all the "fine dining" establishments in Sioux Falls, but had yet to try Wild Sage. The building location is downtown, and somewhat out of the way, which I assume contributes in part to its relative unknown nature; the interior, however, is beautiful - definitely one of the nicer in Sioux Falls, in my eyes second only to Foley's. We arrived for an early dinner, so service was a bit spotty. There were numerous times that we saw servers standing around by the pass, waiting for something to do or someone to serve. Although a minor quibble, this is not something I would expect from an upper-tier establishment. The menu is focused on regional, locally-grown game and vegetables, and is reasonably priced for the area. Appetizers are $5-10 and entrees are $20-25. Wine list is by no means expansive, but there are a fair amount (roughly 40) bottles, with the average glass being $8. I had a superb Pinot Noir from Oregon, and my date had a light Chardonnay; although there was no somellier on staff, our waiter was knowledgeable about wines, and selected two that paired nicely with our entrees, which was appreciated. As we had a movie we were hoping to attend that night, we opted for salads to start, bypassing the appetizers. She got a simple field salad (hard to go wrong there) with the usual accoutrements and a house-made garlic ranch that was quite good. The only flaw I could find was that the cherry tomatoes were very cold and hard, suggesting that they used frozen product - again, not what I expected from an establishment of this caliber. However, these were offset by the absolutely stunning sliced carrot that garnished the salad. I'm not sure of the preparation, but I believe that they were simply butter poached, as the flavor was the most vibrant I have ever tasted in a carrot. It sounds funny to attribute so much deliciousness to a garnish on the side salad, but these were literally the best-tasting carrots I have ever had. I, on the other hand, opted for the Caesar salad. Agian, hard to go wrong here...great lettuce and great dressing; if anything, the presence of purchased parmesan detracted from the dish - I just like it so much more when there is fresh shaved or grated...oh well. Bread service came with the entrees rather than the salads, which was strange (but did assist in mopping up the delicious sauce that came with the duck!). Nothing special, just baked goodness with some butter (not house-made). For mains, she had the red snapper. This was a simple preparation where the fish was coated in panko and parmesan, then flash fried, resulting in a crisp exterior and flaky, moist interior. I was initially leery of her ordering the dish, as she is not a big fish or seafood fan, but my fears were unfounded. A well-done, mild whitefish that she thoroughly enjoyed. The snapper was accompanied by a sweet tomato chutney, which helped foil the bitter parmesan, and worked well overall. I ordered the duck breast, which came in a port-cranberry reduction. Traditionally, I have been served duck breast rare or, at the most, medium rare. This, however, came out just over medium, with no trace of pink in the meat at all. Although this wasn't a huge effect on the meat, I could definitely tell that there was some moisture and texture lost, as the duck was lacking the velvety, succulent quality that traditionally defines a savory duck breast. This was remedied, however, by the port-cranberry reduction, which was sensational. When combine with a few craberries and the sauce, the duck breast was transported to new heights of flavor, leaving me completely devoid of any disappointment over possible overcooking. The fat caul around the breast was left on while searing, leaving a thin layer of savory, gelatinous flavor that was greatly appreciated. All in all, a good sized portion of flavorful duck that would have benefitted from cooking less, combined with a knockout sauce that nearly salvaged the entire dish. Sides for both dishes were steamed seasonal vegetables, with roasted potatoes for her and garlic mashed for me. Very well done on the vegetables, which I believe were locally grown. Neither of us are huge dessert fans, but as this was our first time at the establishment, we decided to go with a fruit tart/crisp that was being offered that night. I assume that there is not a permanent pastry chef on staff, but this was quite well-executed, with a flaky crust giving way to a moist interior filled with raspberries, blackberries, strawberries and apples in a dark fruit sauce. A nice way to end the meal, and certainly not too heavy or filling. Altogether, with two salads, two mains, dessert and 4 glasses of wine, the bill was just south of $90 - certainly reasonable, considering the decor, ambience, service and food. Wild Sage is definitely on their way to becoming one of the premier dining establishments in Sioux Falls. Although I enjoy Tre Lounge and Foley's a bit more, we will definitely be returning to Wild Sage, and I can see this place most certainly becoming one of our go-to's for a nice meal. I would highly reccommend this restaurant, and cannot wait to return! Wild Sage Grille 300 N. Cherapa Place Sioux Falls, SD 57103 (605) 274-1667

Hello all! I have the good fortune of being in the Triangle area for the New Year's holiday, and will be dining at some top-notch establishments throughout the next few days. Tonight we start with Bonne Soiree in Chapel Hill. Tomorrow is Nana's in Durham. Thursday brings Solas in Raleigh. Further posts with more details and pictures will follow, as well as any meals we have during the days we are here. I look forward to posting!

Siiiiiigh...my dreams of Alinea die, yet again... Now I need another special occasion lol! Thanks for the info!

What's up, fellow eGulleteers? I will be in Charlotte, NC over the Christmas holiday, and was hoping to find a culinary event in the area for New Year's Eve. Best case scenario would be a tasting menu at an upscale place, with some sort of event for the evening, but we would be open to any suggestions that others may have. We would like to stay in the area, and some possible destinations could include Atlanta, Charlotte, Charleston, etc. Basically anywhere in the Carolinas and the Southeast in general...if anyone has heard of or knows of anything going on, please help a fellow foodie out and let me know! Thanks to all!

Alinea is closed at that time for holiday break anyway.Chicago has all the usual food attractions, from high-end food (even with Alinea closed, we still have Avenues, Everest, Charlie Trotter's, and tru), to casual fine dining (Aigre Doux and dozens more), to ethnic (just about every ethnicity, plus combinations like Latin fusion, pan-Asian, and even Indian-Latin), to our delicious deep-dish pizza and other local specialties. ← I realize that and would be more than happy to go with such prestigious venues as Charlie Trotter's, Avenues, or Everest - I had simply thrown the name out there to see if anyone knew of Alinea's policy... As to the actual evening, we were looking more for if anyone knew of specific events that were going on at these locations for the New Year's Eve...regardless of where it is at, we wanted at least some ideas! Thanks for the info on Alinea!

Yeah, that doesn't exactly sound like what we were looking for lol... Anywhere else in the South that is worth checking out?? I have seen some fantastic posts of other restaurants in the area, but am completely unfamiliar with the South... Thanks for the tips!

Hello, everyone! My significant other and I were hoping to go somewhere for New Year's and were wondering if anyone knew of any culinary events planned for the evening in Las Vegas? We would prefer an extended tasting menu with some sort of event, but would be open to any and all suggestions - thanks!

Does anyone know if Alinea is doing anything special for this New Year's Eve? Any advice or knowledge would be greatly appreciated!

Hello fellow egulleteers! I am a law student in Vermillion, SD (just south of Sioux Falls, SD) and was hoping to find somewhere in the Midwest to have a culinary New Year's Eve celebration! My girlfriend and I very much enjoy food and drink, and would love to know if anyone has heard anything regarding possible events over the new year. Best case scenario would be tasting menu accompanied by an enjoyable night, but we would be open to suggestions... Alinea is tops on our list, but we realize that goal is a little far-fetched lol! The Midwest is by no means a limitation, we would just love to keep the Chicago dream alive...if there is word of anything in the South, Vegas, NY, CA, etc., we would be more than willing to consider!!! We appreciate all the help and hope that this generates some response! Logan

Shelby , I need your help! I enjoy nothing better than drooling over your wonderful breakfast photos containing perfectly poached eggs, yet am unable to duplicate such results...I have perused the "Poaching an Egg" threads in the Cooking forums, but still can't quite master the technique - please let me know!

Dr. J - that swordfish presentation is dynamite...looks delicious! Marlene - do you mind if I ask what the marinade consisted of? Lamb is cooked perfectly...

Thanks! It is actually lhollers (with a lowercase L haha) - hope to be posting more as soon as I can!

Wow! After about two weeks of massive frustration and repeated attempts, Kim Shook finally filled in the missing piece of the puzzle, informing me that in order to post pictures, they must be resized to 640 pixels... Anyway, all's well that ends well! Many thanks to both Mrs. Shook and Peter Green for the information! So...I finally got to cook for my grandparents and few of their friends - my menu was pretty basic and didn't follow any real theme, but for a first attempt in a new kitchen, it turned out pretty well. Bread with Balsamic Vinegar and Olive Oil Pretty simple prep, obviously - delicious and crusty garlic and olive bread from a local bakery, with the classic Balsamic and Olive Oil. Lettuce Wraps The prep I decided to go with ground turkey - I very much enjoy the flavor, and the people I was cooking for hadn't had it before Some of the bread and the Romaine leaves that were used for the wraps The finished product - browned the turkey, then added some hoisin and soy for the Asian influence. A bit of julienned carrot and water chestnut added a textural contrast and a bit of color - the herbs on top are some basil and oregano (two favorites of mine that I use too much ) Marinated Flank Steak I decided to go with flank steak due to the number of people I was cooking for, and the specific tastes of my guests. I started out by marinating the meat in some white wine, a bit of soy, chopped garlic (as essential to my being as water ) and onions, and fresh rosemary. This was left to marinate for about 9 hours, allowing the herbs and marinade to penetrate the tougher cut of meat. I reserved the marinade after, boiling it for a few minutes, then using it to baste the meat as it was cooking on the grill. The meat turned out quite well - grilled for 15-20 minutes on medium-high heat, and it ended up at a nice medium-rare . Roasted Ratatouille I never really knew what ratatouille was, but had a bounty of fresh vegetablesand found a nice looking recipe, so decided to test my luck. My ingredients included eggplant, red and green pepper, green and yellow zucchini, cherry tomatoes, garlic, onions, sugar, red wine vinegar, and some red pepper flakes for heat. I started by dicing the garlic and onion and sweating them over medium-low heat. While those were cooking, I rough chopped the vegetables and threw them in with the garlic and onion. As soon as the vegetables had softened up, I added the tomatoes, using a wooden spoon to crush and release some of the juice and flavor. Finished off with some red pepper flakes to taste, sugar to counteract any bitterness, and some red wine vinegar. This is a picture of the ratatouille right before it went in the oven for a nice, long roast. Here it is - the end result (before wipedown and service, of course). As I said, (although I am most admittedly biased to my own cooking ) the meat turned out great, and the ratatouille roasted up quite well - the vegetables really melded well together, and the liquid elements brought out the individual flavors of the ingredients. Honeyed Shortcake with Creme Fraiche and Raspberries I must admit, I in fact did not make my own short bread lol ! I did, however, mix some honey and water, drizzled it over the cakes, added a dollop of creme fraiche and tossed on some delicious fresh raspberries. An admittedly simple dessert, yes, but I was honestly exhausted after this marathon - guess I just need more practice (which shouldn't be a problem)!! I apologize for the long post, and I hope to be able to put some more replies and photos on good ol' eGullet!

Hello, fellow eGulleteers! I have been a longtime reader and lurker, but this is my first post... My true passion is restaurants and eating out, but I do love cooking, as well as reading and studying everything I can on food. I go to school in Vermillion, SD, so I don't have the bounty of higher-end establishments in the area , but I do try to find time to travel to select cities for dining experiences...perhaps some posts and photos of those later lol! Anyway, I recently cooked for my grandparents and their companions, and wanted to share the results. If anyone could instruct me on how to post pictures, it would be greatly appreciated! This is most likely an easy fix, but I am having a bit of trouble with the first post... Any help would be greatly appreciated, and I look forward to being able to post pics and a review! Thanks!