Charlotte weekend visit

[kpurvis]

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.

Looks like I've struck out on your Concord request. My best Concord source says you might be describing What-A-Burger, which is sort of local and does good fountain drinks, but isn't a drive-in. Or he says there are great burgers to be had at Lane Street Grill in Kannapolis, although he warns the place is funky and it also isn't a drive-in.

Or, final possibility, some wondered if you might mean the late, great Herlocker's Drive-In, a fine local institution with great onion rings. It was really in University City, but not everybody knows where University City stops and Concord starts. Sadly, Herlocker's closed earlier this year.

[hazardnc]

Ach! Herlockers is the place I was thinking of - can't believe I missed it before it closed.

Thanks for the other tips. I have always meant to explore Statesville. Wish there was something good in Salisbury too, b/c that's a cute little town.

Snappy Lunch and Mount Airy are going on my summer "must see" list!

[phaelon56]

I don't get back down to Charlotte these days but am glad to see this thread stilll alive.

I haven't heard anything about Java Passage closing but did hear some word of mouth rumors a month or two back about a coffee/espresso operation in Charlotte being up for sale. When I was down there regularly Java Passage was the only game in town for really decent espresso but I had hopes that more good shops would open. I do suggest checking out the shoestring place mentioned upthread. If they serve Counter Culture coffee there's a high probability that they do a good job with both coffee and espresso.

Teh place that I know for certain is open at night and has some comfy couches and chairs with tables is Jackson Java on University Blvd out past Harris (heading out of the city) Coffee is decent and espress drinks are hit or miss - contingent on what barista is workign. but the atmosphere is nice and you'll find many people, mostly UNC students, in there at night.

Coffee Cup has a pretty decent lunch as well as a good breakfast - bruing a good appetite as the portions are huge. I didn't get to try To the Bone - they opened after I stopped visiting. Byt my former GF (who still lives there( says it's decent. More of a greasy spooon / fast food feel for soul food is The Chicken Box. It's on Tryon a mile or two out of downtown (uptown) on the right before you reach To The Bone. When they have them their fried green tomatoes are really good.

[BrentKulman]

I haven't heard anything about Java Passage closing but did gear some word a month or two back about a coffee/espresso operation in Charlotte being up for sale.  When I was down there regularly Java Passage was the only game in town for really decent espresso but I had hopes that more good shops would open.  I do suggest checking out the shoestring place mentioned upthread. If they serve Counter Culture coffee there's a high probability that they do a good job with both coffee and espresso.

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I had a cup of coffee at Java Passage just last week. I think the owner may have recently split up with her husband, based on a conversation I overheard as I was filling my cup. Perhaps that was what was behind the For Sale rumors.

[hazardnc]

FYI - Counter Culture Coffee (which is what I buy) is now sold at Julie's Coffee in the Habitat Re-Hab store on Wendover across from the Home Depot. It's actually a pretty cool little coffee spot and worth checking out.

[mizducky]

I've been back home for nearly a week but am only just now finding time to report on the foodie aspect of my visit to Charlotte. Not as much to report as I had hoped, partly because my 5- and 9-year-old nephews turn out to be a bit too rambunctious to take to any restaurant more sophisticated than a Chick-fil-a. And I had the "joy" of my very first experience of a Chuck E. Cheese -- ah, the pleasures of playing auntie ...

I did manage to slink away on my own a couple of times for some slightly more sophisticated repasts. One of my hits was the Penguin. Dang, that was a fun place--my kind of joint. I haven't seen a restaurant staff with that many tattoos and piercings since I left Seattle. I totally spaced the fried pickle recommendation, and instead wound up ordering the BBQ salad:

It was mentioned that NC-style barbeque, when not done perfectly, can be on the dry side. This stuff was a tad mite dry. But it had a great smoky flavor and aroma, and I could clearly see traces of a nice pink smoke ring on various bits of meat. I slathered some of the vinegar-based sauce on, and was well satisfied.

On another escape I did a run through NoDa, and wound up having lunch at Addie's Jamaican Cuisine. I ordered what was billed as the Jerk Chicken Salad:

As you can see, this is more like jerk chicken plus a salad, but I have no complaints--especially since that hunk o' bird was one of the juiciest, moistest chicken breasts I had ever tasted. The jerk seasoning was great, but I confess I'm even more impressed with the chef for keeping the white meat so juicy.

Edited to add: the server at Addie's highly recommended their sorrel drink, so I got some--and boy am I glad I did. Wonderful stuff ... was that a hint of cinnamon in there? Whatever it was, it was delicious.

We did wind up taking the nephews to Discovery Place, but all they wanted to eat was jellybeans from the Candy Unwrapped exhibit. Their mom practically had to beg them to take a break and come with us for lunch in the museum cafe, more because she and I were starving than anything else. (The less said about the quality of that meal, the better.)

But at least I got out and experienced a little taste of "Weird Charlotte"--and I liked it.

Edited May 8, 2007 by mizducky (log)