Charlotte weekend visit

[CaliPoutine]

Ate at Katz today. Thank for the reccomendation, it was very good.

We brought in dinner from Mario's. It was just ok.

[hjshorter]

I'm headed to Charlotte this weekend to hang out with my sister, sans husband and kids. I'd like to surprise her with a nice meal out - looking for upscale and inventive. What's hot right now? Is David Pasternack's place open yet?

Edited January 10, 2007 by hjshorter (log)

[munchymom]

My favorite place in town right now is Table. Their butter-poached lobster with braised short rib is one of my favorite things ever. Table is on the outskirts of town, in a suburban strip mall. If you want to stay in the downtown area, I like Arpa, a tapas place.

[hjshorter]

Thanks. I'll be staying near Southpark, but am not restricted to that area.

Have you been to Las Ramblas, in Dillworth? The online blurb in the Observer sounded promising.

[munchymom]

Haven't been there. My favorite restaurant in the Southpark area is Toscana, an Italian place that is traditional, but really terrific. (Why am I saying "but"? It's traditional AND really terrific.) I'm always struck by how good the sauces are there. One place in the Southpark region that gets consistently good reviews, and is upscale and inventive, is Barrington's. I haven't been there myself (it's not kid-friendly) but from all accounts it's quite good. Another Southpark-area place that gets high recommendations (but that I have no personal experience with) is Zebra.

[Sam Iam]

My wife and I had dinner at Zebra two weeks ago, on friday night. Make your reservations early to get your time choice. Check out their web site. It's right across from the Cheesecake Factory at the Mall, park and enter in the back.

Wonderful! She told the waiter that the $9 per cup Foie Gras/mushroom/truffle cream soup had her making "When Harry met Sally" sound effects. (I'll have what she's having) The salads are unique, and she was happy with Lamb two ways, and I had the Rainbow trout in Panko crumbs.

A very extensive wine list, but the by the glass list in small, but adequate.

My parents have moved into Sharon Towers retirement home two blocks away, and we'll be returning whenever we go back to Charlotte to visit.

[kpurvis]

I'm headed to Charlotte this weekend to hang out with my sister, sans husband and kids.  I'd like to surprise her with a nice meal out - looking for upscale and inventive.  What's hot right now?  Is David Pasternack's place open yet?

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Pasternack is consulting chef in a new restaurant called Customshop on Elizabeth Avenue. It's not open yet; last I heard, they were aiming to be open by February. Zebra is an excellent choice, and I also like Barrington's very much, since it sounds like you want to leave the kids at home.

Somebody also asked about Las Ramblas. It hasn't been open very long at all, so I haven't been there yet.

And by end of January, Carpe Diem is reopening under new ownership with Mark Hibbs, formerly Cosmos Cafe, as executive chef doing what he is calling "Regional Carolinas cuisine." So that should be interesting, too.

[Pistachio Disguisey]

Are there any non-chain coffeehouses (with tables suitable for studying) open on weekday evenings in Charlotte? Thusfar, Dillworth's and Smelly Cat have let me down by closing at 8 pm, and I'm loathe to shell out cash for bad expresso at Starbucks or Carribou.

Edited January 23, 2007 by Pistachio Disguisey (log)

[kpurvis]

Are there any non-chain coffeehouses (with tables suitable for studying) open on weekday evenings in Charlotte?  Thusfar, Dillworth's and Smelly Cat have let me down by closing at 8 pm, and I'm loathe to shell out cash for bad expresso at Starbucks or Carribou.

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Java Passage in South End would be one of my top picks, for quality. But I'll confess, I haven't checked the hours lately.

[BrentKulman]

Are there any non-chain coffeehouses (with tables suitable for studying) open on weekday evenings in Charlotte?  Thusfar, Dillworth's and Smelly Cat have let me down by closing at 8 pm, and I'm loathe to shell out cash for bad expresso at Starbucks or Carribou.

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There is a place at the McGill Rose Garden called Heck Yea that serves Counter Culture coffee.

Not sure what the hours are or whether it is still open, as it has always struck me as a shoestring operation, but it might be worth a try.

[hazardnc]

A friend who lives in the condos above Java Passage on South Blvd (behind EQ3) says they are closing. I hope that's not true b/c the other location is closed on the weekends. I love Counter Culture's espresso blend.

My SO and I tried Las Ramblas a couple of weeks ago. They have a lot of kinks to work out. A couple of items we tried were quite good (the octopus, the fried sardines) and one was downright awful (eggplant with machego -- greasy and bland). The flan had a grainy texture. Maybe things will improve soon.

I am dying to try Fiamma - perhaps this weekend. I stopped by one Saturday to pick up a menu and was told they are reworking it.

One place I want to return to is Catalunya Cafe in Dilworth near Talley's. We had lunch there one day not long ago. Though the restaurants bills itself as Catalan, though it's not truly authentic. However, their sandwiches were great. My husband had the Philly Bistec Queso and I had the Roast Pork. Their fries are excellent and I suspect they do the twice cooked method. They come with an excellent aioli. Catalunya Cafe

[Malawry]

I was in Charlotte for a family event this past weekend. I didn't get out too much, but I did want to comment on two things:

1. Dean and DeLuca. I was staying in the hotel in the Phillips Place Court, so of course I had to put the baby in the stroller and take a short walk down to the Dean and DeLuca at the other end of the center. I am familiar with the DC area store and expected something similar, but what they have in Charlotte is a much smaller shop more focused on prepared foods than anything else.

I was particularly disappointed at the poor selection of local foods. Specifically, I wanted to score some stone-ground grits since I was out of my supply from the Old Guilford Mill near my folks in Greensboro. There are several kinds of polenta at the Charlotte D&D, but no grits. And not much of anything else local, either--I saw some popcorn and that was about it. Also? They bake their chocolate chip cookies off from frozen dough of the sort sold by Sysco, but they're charging an awful lot for the pretty packaging they sell it in. The box was just sitting out. I didn't ask about the provenance of the other baked goods and wonder where they get their bread from. I was disappointed with the store and didn't buy anything except a bottle of water and a bottle of sugar cane vinegar.

2. Dinner Saturday night for the family event was at the Noble's restaurant in town. I'd dined at the old Noble's in Greensboro before and it was a revalation to my late-teenage palate--my first experience with buffalo mozzarella, among other things. My baby was fussy and uncooperative, so I left the private room we were in and walked around the restaurant with him. He was fascinated with the open kitchen, so I tried to stand out of the path of the servers and point out things to his wide eyes. Chef Jim Noble happened to be in the house, saw us, and we started chatting. He ended up cryo-ing a bag of Anson Mills grits for me to take home. Wotta guy!

The baby wouldn't chill out, so we left rather than ruin dinner for everybody else. They packed up my dinner to take with me. The GM was so attentive, he included a black linen napkin to go with my black skirt--in the to-go bag! I enjoyed the veal tenderloin while watching a movie on the TV in my hotel room while the baby snoozed away. Ah, parenthood.

One of these days, I'd really love to return to Noble's in Charlotte and try the food for real. The service staff was definitely fantastic, going far beyond the ordinary for the comfort of a rather harried mother and fussy baby in the middle of a packed Saturday night service. Kudos to them!

[CaliPoutine]

. Dean and DeLuca. I was staying in the hotel in the Phillips Place Court, so of course I had to put the baby in the stroller and take a short walk down to the Dean and DeLuca at the other end of the center. I am familiar with the DC area store and expected something similar, but what they have in Charlotte is a much smaller shop more focused on prepared foods than anything else.

I was particularly disappointed at the poor selection of local foods. Specifically, I wanted to score some stone-ground grits since I was out of my supply from the Old Guilford Mill near my folks in Greensboro. There are several kinds of polenta at the Charlotte D&D, but no grits. And not much of anything else local, either--I saw some popcorn and that was about it. Also? They bake their chocolate chip cookies off from frozen dough of the sort sold by Sysco, but they're charging an awful lot for the pretty packaging they sell it in. The box was just sitting out. I didn't ask about the provenance of the other baked goods and wonder where they get their bread from. I was disappointed with the store and didn't buy anything except a bottle of water and a bottle of sugar cane vinegar.

Wow, I thought the same exact thing. I went there specifically looking for the grits to bring back for a friend and was really dissapointed. I didnt buy anything because like you I didnt think anything looked really good.

I'll just order my grits from Anson Mills or Hopping John.

[kpurvis]

I'm sorry you had such a bad experience, Malawry. Dean & Deluca is really a New York store that aims more at transplants. That side of town tends to have a high percentage of people who moved to Charlotte from somewhere else. For grits and other local products, you're better off hitting someplace like Reid's uptown or Home Economist (multiple locations), because both are locally owned. Of course, since you were transportation-hindered, it doesn't sound like that was an option.

I'm glad to hear you liked Nobles. Jim Noble has a new small-plates place, Rooster, that I'm hearing good things about and the atmosphere may be more kid-friendly. You'll have to add it to your list for your next visit.

Next time you come, feel free to contact me back-channel and I'll do my best to steer you around town. I don't live too far from SouthPark so I know the area well.

[Malawry]

Thanks, Kpurvis. It's a nice offer. I am rarely in Charlotte (my grandparents live there, but they usually come to Greensboro to see me when I'm with my folks there), but if I make it back without a packed schedule I'll look you up.

[debbiemoose]

Wonderful! She told the waiter that the $9 per cup Foie Gras/mushroom/truffle cream soup had her making "When Harry met Sally" sound effects. (I'll have what she's having)   The salads are unique, and she was happy with Lamb two ways, and I had the Rainbow trout in Panko crumbs.

   

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Ooh, I had that soup for lunch there about a year ago. It was quite embarassing to be caught making those sound effects when dining alone.

[mizducky]

Howdy, folks--I'll be visiting my sister in Concord NC in the latter part of April (specifically, I'll be flying into Charlotte April 25 and heading back May 1), and I'll have a rental car at my disposal for prowling around, especially during those times when I'll be on my own while my sister is working and her kids are busy with school. I've read through this topic and a few others I found from searching on Charlotte; unless I goofed the search up somehow, I found nothing on Concord.

What I'm especially looking for are places that specialize in local regional cooking and/or uniquely "local flavor" establishments I'm highly unlikely to find back in San Diego--and I don't mind doing a little driving to get to such places. I've read up on North Carolina styles of barbeque, and am definitely interested in trying some; I'd also love to get some good soul food, which I haven't had in years. Personally, I'm rather less interested in upscale dining at upscale prices, but you never know ...

[hazardnc]

Concord is a bedroom community of Charlotte, and therefore most of the restaurants there will be of the chain variety. I believe there are a few fish camps in Concord, which while not unique to Charlotte, I think worthy of a visit for a southern experience. Think FRIED seafood.

Charlotte cuisine is not really distinguishable from other southern food. We are not a Charleston with low country influence, nor a New Orleans with it's Cajun and Creole slants. Southern/soul food and barbecue are the trademarks of North Carolina. The former is easy to find here. The latter is not so easy.

On the 'cue front. Personally, I think Bill Spoon's BBQ here in Charlotte on South Blvd. is darned good - and I have compared this to more famous 'cue from Bridges in Shelby, Lexington BBQ and Allen & Sons in Chapel Hill. I have never tried Gary's in China Grove (north of Concord), but have heard good things about it. Off Sunset Rd. is another good place for 'cue called Rusty's - but I still prefer Spoon's.

As for southern/soul food: you must try Price's Chicken Coop on Camden (near uptown Charlotte - WARNING: Closed on Sundays and Mondays) for very good fried chicken. It is a true Charlotte institution and if your sister hasn't tried it yet, she will truly enjoy the experience. I'd say the family venture into Charlotte as a group on Saturday, stopping at Prices to pick up a picnic lunch of chicken and biscuits and extra sweet tea, then drive into uptown (what newcomers call it) or downtown (natives call it), and eat your picnic at the Green (on Tryon between 1st and 2nd streets). Walk 6 blocks down College St to Reid's Fine Foods @ 7th Street station. Here, you can find some southern staples for your trip home. Before you leave, have the kids try to make the building play music by touching the special panels on the building. If the kids are young enough, pop over to the Imaginon and/or Discovery Place. Definitely walk around to admire the fountains up and down Tryon Steet. If you're in town long enough to be hungry again for dinner, you can go to Merts Heart & Soul for more southern style food.

Another Charlotte landmark is the Coffee Cup (also uptown) - great soul food, best for breakfafst. Here, you can get your country ham with red eye gravy, very good grits, salmon cakes, pork chops, chicken and waffles and excellent biscuits. Hmmmm. Coffee Cup is open Monday through Saturday.

For some local color, head over to the Plaza/Midwood area (again, near downtown Charlotte) where you can hang at the Penguin on Thomas Street. I think their burgers and corn dogs are pretty darned good, but you really go there for the fried pickles (yes, I said fried pickles) and the atmosphere. This is one of the few places in town where the bankers sit next to the bikers. Across the street from the Penguin is Dish - more Southern food, but mediocre in my book. Their fried green tomatoes are not bad, but I cannot abide by the honey butter they serve with the biscuits. It's just not right.

You personally may enjoy a visit to the Charlotte Regional Farmer's market, though it is best seen on Saturday mornings when you will find the local farmers and their produce. Much of the other stuff is trucked in from Florida or California. I believe the King's market (near uptown) will be open by the time you arrive. They sell some local produce and are open Tuesdays and Fridays. If you're lucky, the guy selling fresh seafood from South Carolina will be there and you can buy some shrimp.

One thing I wish you could find here is boiled peanuts. You gotta try 'em. I like to call them redneck edamame. They are best purchased from an old man boiling them in a recycled metal drum. If there's no one at the farmer's market selling them, the Petro Express on 4th street heading out of town has them - but I haven't tried them yet. I love boiled peanuts.

I hope this helps! Email me if you want directions or other stuff.

Edited April 1, 2007 by hazardnc (log)

[BrentKulman]

As for southern/soul food:  you must try Price's Chicken Coop on Camden (near uptown Charlotte - WARNING:  Closed on Sundays and Mondays) for very good fried chicken.  It is a true Charlotte institution and if your sister hasn't tried it yet, she will truly enjoy the experience.  I'd say the family venture into Charlotte as a group on Saturday, stopping at Prices to pick up a picnic lunch of chicken and biscuits and extra sweet tea, then drive into uptown (what newcomers call it) or downtown (natives call it), and eat your picnic at the Green (on Tryon between 1st and 2nd streets).  Walk 6 blocks down College St to Reid's Fine Foods @ 7th Street station.  Here, you can find some southern staples for your trip home.  Before you leave, have the kids try to make the building play music by touching the special panels on the building.  If the kids are young enough, pop over to the Imaginon and/or Discovery Place.  Definitely walk around to admire the fountains up and down Tryon Steet.  If you're in town long enough to be hungry again for dinner, you can go to Merts Heart & Soul for more southern style food.

Another Charlotte landmark is the Coffee Cup (also uptown) - great soul food, best for breakfafst.  Here, you can get your country ham with red eye gravy, very good grits, salmon cakes, pork chops, chicken and waffles and excellent biscuits.  Hmmmm.  Coffee Cup is open Monday through Saturday.

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Three additional soul food places in Charlotte:

On Mint St., very near downtown is the United House of Prayer cafeteria that is connected to the church of the same name. I stopped by last week and had some terrific fried chicken, cabbage and warm corn bread.

Out near the University, you can find Down to the Bone, which is my favorite stop for oxtails and green beans as well as Grandma's Country Kitchen where the food is accompanied by jonnycakes and molasses.

[hazardnc]

Brent, Where is Down to the Bone? And you reminded me anout UHoP - I have been hearing about them for years and need to get there. Back in the day, we could go to McDonald's Cafeteria for soul food, but I have heard UHoP is a worthy sub.

[mizducky]

Cool! This is exactly the kind of stuff I was hoping to find out. Taking notes ...

(I think my sister did mention taking the kids to Discovery Place--one's four, the other's eight, so it sounds like just the thing for 'em ... plus their auntie here is a big ol' kid at heart and would probably groove on it too. )

[BrentKulman]

Brent, Where is Down to the Bone?  And you reminded me anout UHoP - I have been hearing about them for years and need to get there.  Back in the day, we could go to McDonald's Cafeteria for soul food, but I have heard UHoP is a worthy sub.

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7945 N Tryon St, about a mile before you reach Harris Blvd. going away from town.

It's on the left side of Tryon in a fairly non-descript strip shopping center and is the last storefront on the right side of the center.

[kpurvis]

Brent, Where is Down to the Bone?  And you reminded me anout UHoP - I have been hearing about them for years and need to get there.  Back in the day, we could go to McDonald's Cafeteria for soul food, but I have heard UHoP is a worthy sub.

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Hazard, if you want the ultimate U-Hop experience, I'd suggest visiting the mother house on Beatties Ford Road. Most House of Prayers have small cafeterias, but the one on Beatties Ford is the largest in the area. Since it is close to the old McDonald's location, it has replaced it as the place for people of all races to stop by for lunch on the west side of the city.

[hazardnc]

Thanks, Kathy. My daughter attended Northwest School of the Arts which is on Beatties Ford and I know the UHoP there. In fact, the teachers often get lunches to go from that location.

You should know the answer to this one - isn't there some great old fashioned burger joint in the Concord area? I seem to remember reading about a local drive-in up there that I would like to try myself someday.

This thread made me think of some southern-style restaurants around the state that are not bad day-trips from Charlotte.

First, there's Tony's in Gastonia for an old-fashioned soda shop experience. Here, you can get grilled cheese sandwishes, burgers with pimiento cheese, fried bologna and darned good milk shakes that you need to eat with a spoon they are so thick.

In Spartanburg, SC there is the The Beacon Drive-In, which is the closest thing to the Varsity in Atlanta you can get around here that I know of. They make banana splits the size of your head here!

In Tryon, NC (about 1 1/2 hours from Charlotte) there is the Caro-Mi restaurant where they serve food family style. You pick your meat (mountain trout, country ham, fried chicken) and they bring bowls of veggies for the table to share. There are rocking chairs on the porch overlooking the Pacolet river. I haven't been here in years, but I sure did like the place. It kind of reminded me of the Loveless Motel in Nashville. Tryon is a charming town, known as horse country. The Tryon Garden club manages a great, short walking trail leading to the head of Pearson's Falls. Mizducky, if your sister and kids have not yet seen any North Carolina waterfalls, this is easy to get to and easy to see. The hike is only 1/4 of a mile long and easy.

Bridges Barbecue in Shelby - love their hushpuppies too! The location on 74 is the one I always visit.

One place that has been on my list for years is the Snappy Lunch in Mount Airy (the inspiration for Mayberry, RFD). They are know for their pork chop sandwich which Jan and Michael Stern reviewed in Gourmet probably 10 years ago. This place is on my list of places to see before I die! Sadly, Mount Airy is over 2 hours from Charlotte, so it's not a good day trip unless you're really craving that sandwich!

[kpurvis]

I'll check on your Concord request, Hazard. I've got several Concord experts, so I'll see what they suggest.

Since you work up in that area, you know the burger place on 36th Street, right? Wait until the weather turns pretty. It's an eat-in-your-car place. But it has great, gooshy Carolinas slaw and chili burgers.

On roadtrips, I'd definitely include Keaton's outside Statesville. It's one of the great food road trips and only about 40 minutes from Charlotte. (There's also a promising barbecue joint on the same road, so I need to make a return trip.) Last time, I also fit in a stop at Jaybee's Hot Dogs on the way back. Hot dog was pretty good, but the milkshakes were fabulous.

I've been to Snappy Lunch several times over the years. It is too far for a lunch trip from Charlotte, but Mount Airy is really a very pretty, walkable little town. So it makes a nice Saturday excursion, particularly if you pair it with a Yadkin Valley wine wander.

The town has a number of lovely old houses made from local quarry stone and of course, the Andy Griffith Museum. If the Old North State Winery is still open (stuff comes and goes so quickly, I hesitate to mention any place if I haven't been in, like, the last hour!), they have a decent little restaurant and wine tastings. It's in a former department store just a block or two up from the Snappy.

And one tiny correction on Bridges, just to keep the record straight: The location on 74 is the only one. The other Bridges, Alston Bridge's in downtown Shelby, is a different restaurant. Both are worth a visit, to compare and contrast.