Restaurant Review: Rooster’s Southpark

February 9, 2017August 18, 2017 Suzanne StrengthLeave a comment

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If you haven’t been to Rooster’s in a while, do yourself a favor and get over there. We decided to go after a chef friend recommended it so highly. She told us that the Executive Chef, Zack Renner, was amazing and that they served her farm’s pork. That’s all she had to say, we were there.

We reserved a table for 8 so they put us in a room that looked like it might once have been the hallway of a small strip mall. BUT they’d doctored it up with pretty twinkle lights and a nice fountain in the middle. And then there was this adorable pig door holder we were all entranced with…and we weren’t alone. A few people stopped to take pictures of Porky.

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Our waitress was so kind and deftly handled our large(ish) group by giving us suggestions, fixing drinks when we weren’t satisfied and delivering the bad news about dessert. The management also stopped by a time or two to make sure our night was going well..which it very much was.

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Cocktails are the best way to begin Girl Nosh. Rooster’s has a fine selection of wine, brews and mixed drinks. This one (I forget the name) was muddled cucumbers, raspberry and gin. I have to admit it wasn’t for me, but others at the table found it refreshing and light.

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To soak up all of this alcohol, they brought us an assortment of delicious baked breads with olive oil and balsamic vinegar. The bread was hearty and delicious. Very nutty.

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Housemade bresaola. I didn’t try, but doesn’t it look great?

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The French Onion soup was not one of my favorite soups. It was hearty, but not as flavorful as it should have been for such murky and dark broth. I didn’t opt for it on my second visit.

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The salads were all so fresh and dressed perfectly. This one was on their daily offerings page, meaning it was what was fresh at the farmer’s market: Whole romaine leaves topped with walnuts, tangerine slices and grated Pecorino Romano cheese. Perfect.

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The next salad was baby arugula, chopped pears and chevre cheese. Yum!

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My salad was a wedge. I don’t know why I’m not more adventurous. I just love a wedge. And this one was perfect. The cold, crispy iceberg lettuce topped with creamy, tangy blue cheese dressing is a comfort food. This one had some pickled red onions on top that were both sweet and tart, and really gave the salad a punch!

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When you go to Rooster’s, you must have something that was wood-fired or wood-grilled. Shannon got the salmon, and it was perfectly cooked…charred on the outside and tender on the inside. She was so happy with her choice!

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Other dishes I didn’t try but were reported to be delicious: Wood-Fired Joyce Farms Natural Chicken. Laurie said it was tender, full of flavor and really juicy.

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Anessa got roasted veal with mushrooms and blue potatoes. It sat in a deliciously flavored jus and drizzled with aioli. Perfection.

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One of the best dishes for the night was Jennifer’s braised beef short rib. Tender as a a slow-roasted pot roast, but packed with flavor. The meat just melted in your mouth!

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I have mixed feelings about my entree. I got the fried oysters, and while they were perfectly delicious: crispy on the outside and creamy on the inside with a nice briny flavor, I’d come to a restaurant that has “wood-fired” in its name and didn’t get something from the grill. Supremely stupid. You can get oysters at a fish camp. Stick with something with the taste of fire.

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Have you ever seen a cheeseburger that looked this yummy? And shoestring onion rings to accompany. That’s not even fair.

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Amazingly simple spaghetti. Perfectly balanced and flavored.

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Buttery seared scallops. Oh my.

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You know, sometimes side dishes are predictable or dialed in. An afterthought. At Rooster’s the sides are at center stage alongside the entrees. All sides here are designed for two people, but are so good you may not want (or be able) to share.

The fried corn should be your first choice. It’s real corn. Not from a can. And it is pan-fried with spices that make is lip-smacking good.

The stone ground grits are another perfect choice. Little nuggets of corny goodness are buried in them and there is plenty of heavy cream to make them rich and velvety.

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One of the best things I’ve ever put in my mouth was the wood-fired sunchoke. It sure didn’t look like much more than a ginger root when it came to the table, but the taste was amazing. When I saw the word “sunchoke” I immediately conjured images or the artichoke. The sunchoke, however, is a tuber, like a potato. It was creamy and had a little bit of sweetness to it. The wood firing brought out a nuttiness in it as well. Very complex for such a simple dish. One of my favorites for the night!

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Another favorite is this mess 🙂 This is a mix of mushrooms, which is probably one of my favorite foods in the world. The table agreed that these were a favorite. They were lightly seasoned and gently cooked, so their true flavors shown through.

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Macaroni and cheese: soupy and creamy…yum!!

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By the time we were done eating, most of the tables around us were empty. And they’d take our top dessert choice with them: the coconut cake. We didn’t let that stop us, though. We all ordered the back up dessert which was an apple tarte. The waitress called it something else, but for the life of me, I cannot remember what that was. To describe it I’d say it was dried apples (re-hydrated, of course) placed atop a buttery and light croissant crust. It was accompanied by a scoop of vanilla bean gelato and a spill of rich caramel sauce. Even though apples aren’t my favorite dessert fruit, this reminded me of the fried pies my grandmother used to make. The apples had a tart but sweet taste and were very soft. The crust wasn’t overly sweet, so it was perfect with the gelato and the caramel. Decadent and delicious!

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Chocolate Milkshake: Runny and chocolately, just like I like it.

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We at Girl Nosh all agreed that this was one of our favorite places we’d been to. That’s saying something, because we’ve been to some fine restaurants. You will need a reservation, but you can make them on OpenTable.com. Go on and get that done now. You are welcome.

Charlotte

Aix en Provence: French Cuisine for the Queen City

November 12, 2016November 24, 2016 Suzanne StrengthLeave a comment

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Girl Nosh went French last night. And we are definitely going back. And very quickly let me apologize for the poor quality of these photos. I took a photo with the flash and got an evil glare from another diner, so I had to abort the idea of great photos. Good manners and all.

Aix en Provence is an intimate restaurant seating 56 on Providence Road in Charlotte in the spot that was once Terra. I wanted to try it because Open Table had it ranked #1 in their Diner’s Choice awards. I can see why, it is fancy without being too pretentious. It’s an experience where I felt pampered and important, but not stilted and stuffy. I loved it, and this is exactly what a fine dining experience should be.

A little background: Our server was actually one of the owners of the restaurant. He was so knowledgeable and precise I just knew he was invested somehow, and his professionalism was evident throughout our entire meal. He gave us recommendations that all turned out to be wonderful choices. Each course was better than the last. Bryan (that’s the server, we got on a first name basis as one does) gave us a brief history of the evolution of Aix en Provence. They opened in December of 2015, just barely making a showing at the end of the year. His business partner and co-owner worked at Lumière and with some globally renowned chefs like Daniel Boulud and Scott Conant . Perhaps more importantly, he’s actually from France.

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While they have an extensive wine list, we opted for the cocktail that Brian recommended to us: L’eveilleur. So refreshing and citrus-y! He graciously gave us the recipe, too! It’s 1.5 oz St. Germaine Elderflower Liqueur muddled with a slice of orange, lemon, lime and 3 basil leaves (muddled to a fine pulp), strained into a martini glass and top with champagne, garnish with a basil leaf. I had two and I was feeling pretty good.

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An unexpected treat arrived with the crusty bread and European butter: an Amuse Bouche! That roughly translates to a bite sized hors d’oeuvre (saw that on Top Chef) and they are all the rage now. This one was stelline pasta mixed with anchovy, capers and olive oil. It was briny and packed a flavorful punch in that single bite. A great start to our fabulous meal!

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The Octopus a la Plancha was a scattering of gently charred Octopus with a sampling of coulis: sunchoke, hearts of palm and cilantro. The octopus wasn’t tough or chewy, instead it was pillowy soft. The coulis were rich and packed with flavor. Perfect and beautiful to look at.

The Escargot was similarly tender. I’ve never had them when they weren’t the slightest bit chewy, but these were soft with just the right amount of chew. They were baked in an herb butter and topped with these tiny mounds of puff pastry. I had to use the bread from the table to soak up the herb butter, it was too good to leave.

The Lyonnaise salad is so simple, it shouldn’t be as good as it is. But every single aspect of this salad was executed perfectly. The fresh frisee lettuce is dressed simply with a light vinaigrette, and when you cut into the poached egg, the egg yolk adds a richness to the tart dressing. Stab a piece of the fried lardon and it is bliss. We all laughingly called the lardons “meat candy.”

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The Squid Ink Gnocchi was a (for us) out on a limb, but there was no need to fear; it was perfectly delicious as promised. The gnocchi were very tender and the squid ink gave it just a hint of the ocean, but the apple slices perfectly balanced the squid ink and the lump crab. It was topped with a celeriac creme, all frothy and wonderful.

The Bouillabaisse Marseillaise was recommended by our server. All of this perfectly cooked seafood: fresh fish, poached lobster, mussels and clams, just sitting on a bed of celeriac and potatoes lying in a pool of the most delicious saffron broth infused with the flavor of the seafood. It was topped with a slice of bread spread with some divine sauce, which I used to sop up the broth. Perfect, tender seafood, each mouthful was a delight.

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If you want to eat a decadent Chocolate Souffle’, I will warn you, you are going to wait. But, like all good things…you know the rest. This is no exception. It was more than delicious. It was beautiful, it was silky, it was…luxurious. Though I love chocolate, this is the first time I’ve ever had a chocolate souffle’. I could be base and say it reminded me of a molten lava cake, but it wouldn’t be true. The differences are huge to the discerning palate. And to me. Perhaps the most exciting thing was when the owner came out in front of our faces, made a hole in the center with a spoon (he took it away, too, he didn’t leave that messy spoon for us to use. Classy move) and poured in the most amazing vanilla cream. I just wanted a cup of that to sip with my chocolate. It was so rich, I just couldn’t finish it. I brought it home and it was a different kind of delicious right out of the fridge at midnight. Just like my hero Nigella.

We also sampled the Apple Tart Tatin. It was described to us as the French version of Grandma’s apple pie. Lies. My grandmothers are all awesome cooks, but this…oh. This is fancy, compact and hugely packed with flavor. Every single element of the dessert was executed perfectly. The crust was flaky, not soggy. The apples were tender but still somewhat crisp. And the syrup was sweet but not sickly. All perfect, all delicious. Together, bliss.

The Girl Nosh group goes out to eat every month. And we normally go somewhere fancy and noteworthy. This restaurant, we all agreed, was one of our very favorite trips. We will be back soon!

Charlotte · Restaurants

Restaurant Review: Aria Tuscan Grill

May 22, 2016May 22, 2016 Suzanne StrengthLeave a comment

May Girl Nosh was at Aria Tuscan Grill in Uptown Charlotte. We were a small group this time, but the restaurant was jammed with prom-goers. It made for some very interesting people watching. I saw a lot of first time high-heel wearers. Good times. Anyway, here’s the girls:
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Our waiter greeted us and brought us some chilled water in a bottle for the table. He gave us the option of sparkling water and Pellegrino (same thing?) and we all felt like cheapskates for saying that plain old tap water was fine. But gah. Who wants to splurge on water? Save your pennies, and order a cocktail.

With the free water (which was just fine, by the way) they brought out the free appetizers: White bean spread with fresh Italian bread. Some of the folks at our table didn’t really love the white beans, but I did. They were tangy with a splash of vinegar and minced onions and herbs and creamy when spread on the bread. Drizzle with olive oil and you have a winner.

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Here’s what you were saving those pennies for: D.S.L. No idea what it stands for, but lord was it good. It was a mix of Limoncello, Prosecco, Muddled Fresh Mint and Strawberry Purée. How I found this was by asking the waiter which drink was the least strong. Because I’m a wimp and I was driving. This is the answer. To lots of questions, I found out.

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For the paid appetizers, we all agreed to get something different so we could try each other’s. Anessa got the Calamari Fritti. This was a lightly fried mix of Calamari sticks and Scallions which were garnished with Peppadew Peppers. The two dipping sauces were Spicy Tomato Sauce and Lemon Aioli. I don’t know which I liked better. The spicy tomato sauce packed a flavorful punch, but the aioli was subtle and creamy. The calamari itself was lightly fried, not overcooked, but we missed those weird tentacle thingies. Still, a favorite at the table.

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Heirloom Tomato Caprese features Burrata, Basil Pesto and the freshest heirloom tomatoes. Skinny girl treat.

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Another skinny girl treat was the Asparagus + Prosciutto Tender braised asparagus served alongside a lightly dressed Spring Salad with a Roasted Lemon Vinaigrette with Prosciutto. A splash of balsamic vinegar adorned all. Laurie was pleased as punch with her choice. She said it was so fresh and light.

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Eggplant Parmigiana
You expect it to be fried, but just tryyyy it like this. Seriously. It was so good and fresh, and the Tomato Marinara that it swims in is so spicy and good. Sitting atop is Mozzarella, Olives, Peppadew Peppers, Basil and it all somehow works together amazingly. And look at the cool plate.

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Caramelized Gnocchi
I always ask the waiter what his favorite dish is. Very rarely am I steered wrong by the person who has tried everything on the menu and consistently brings food to patrons night after night. So, when he recommended this, no brainer. If you could get a bite with all 5 elements: Gnocchi, Prosciutto di Parma, Pear, Gorgonzola, Truffle Oil, you would hear the sound of angels and a light would emit from your mouth. Not even exaggerating.

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Tuscan Red Wine Braised Beef Short Rib
If you’ve never had short rib, you might not realize that when braised it tastes just like pot roast. But really tender, and so flavorful. This one sat atop an English Pea Risotto, ringed with plops of Goat Cheese and garnished with Brussel Sprout Chips. It was so rich and hearty. I’ll get that next time.

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My choice for dinner was a special. It was Grilled beef tenderloin, Caesar style potatoes & Swiss chard. I had to send mine back because the steak was too rare for me (cold red center, blech) but they brought it back a few minutes later and it was perfect. OK, still pretty red on that far right one, so I didn’t eat it. But the rest was very delicious. The meat was so tender, and seasoned perfectly. I LOVED the small little potato coins and the parmesan sauce they were in. Also, I never knew I loved Swiss chard so much.
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Roasted Arctic Char
Anessa got this dish, and because it was cooked so rare I could not taste it to report to you. I will just tell you that it was perched upon Roasted Eggplant and topped with Shaved Fennel Citrus Salad with a Walnut Vinaigrette, She said it was cooked perfectly and delicious. But she left a lot of that eggplant on the plate, suspiciously.

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OK, so the polenta is a side dish, but I have to mention it because it is one of the best things I’ve ever eaten. Creamy, buttery goodness. I mean, just look at that lake of butter in this dish. Sinful. Amazing.

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Crispy Chicken Parmigiana
We all know what this is, and it might be an unimaginative choice. I can’t help it, it’s still an old favorite. And when done well, like it is here with fresh Mozzarella and the spicy Marinara you sincerely can’t go wrong. Simple and good. ariachickenparm

Spaghetti + Meatballs
Mimo’s Meatballs, Red Sauce, Parmigiano: Another classic that can’t miss. Honestly, this was from another visit, and I never tasted it, but my dining companion said it was fine.

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Pasta al Nero
King Crab, Scallops, Shrimp, Linguine, Spicy Marinara: This was another of our waiter’s recommendations. And was it spot on. The shrimp were huge and cooked perfectly. The crab was delicate as were the scallops, but the scallops were just on the undercooked side. I’m sure bay scallops are hard to get exactly right since so small, but there you go. The squid ink linguine was an unexpected surprise, but I didn’t taste any difference between it and regular pasta.
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Orecchiette with Sausage
Toasted Garlic, Broccoli Rabe, Roasted Red Peppers, Chiles: Another dish enjoyed on another visit. My dining companion said this one was simply “Ok”.

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Aria Tiramisù 6
Espresso, Lady Fingers, Mascarpone Crema: Is this not the most beautifully rustic dessert you’ve ever seen in your life? And guess what? It tasted just as good as it looked! The coffee soaked lady-fingers were perfect; not too strong and not too wet. The fresh cream was perfect and made for a light end to a delicious meal. 13221704_1723691334580311_1064938938907246289_n

Chocolate Hazelnut Cake
White Chocolate Crema: And then there’s this. Dense. Chocolaty. Rich. Hazelnutty. If you like Nutella, you’ll love this.

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So, there you have it. Aria. It’s delicious. I will say that both visits we had an issue with service. Not a big big big deal, but our waiter was a little annoyed with us and was a little absent. The owner did come over and chat with us about his friends in Lincolnton, so that was a nice touch. Even with the snooty waiter, I’d go back. Everything we ate was delicious last night.

Charlotte · Restaurants

Restaurant Review: Mert’s Heart and Soul

March 9, 2016 Suzanne Strength1 Comment

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Mert’s Heart & Soul is located in downtown Charlotte. When you walk through the doors, however, you forget that fact. You feel like you are in an out-of-the-way hole in the wall establishment. I love it. The walls are filled with personal pictures and other interesting memorabilia.

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Some of the criticisms we’ve heard of Mert’s is that the service is lacking. We found that not to be a concern at all. Our waiter, DJ, took care of our large party perfectly. He even posed for a picture with me!

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Sincerely, I should put these cornbread cakes down there in the desserts. Especially when you slather them with this amazing honey butter. But, alas, they bring them before the appetizers, so I feel I must insert them here. This is what everyone talks about. These tender pones are just sweet enough to satisfy the Yankees, but still savory enough to tempt the Southerner. (I don’t know about your family, but my people call yellow, sweet cornbread “Yankee” cornbread.) Whatever you call it, it is glorious.
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Mert’s has a limited selection of appetizers. Everything we tried was delicious, but my favorites were Mert’s Soul Rolls. These egg rolls have a unique spin: they are filled with seasoned rice, black-eyed peas, collard greens and chicken. They are served with a spicy honey mustard sauce that has just enough punch to elevate this crunchy favorite.

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Every Southern/soul food place worth its salt has Fried Green Tomatoes on the menu and Mert’s is no different. The tomatoes themselves were sliced perfectly (not too thick) and fried crisply. The remoulade sauce that dressed them was tangy and a little spicy. It was a good dish. But honestly, it is one of those things, much like calamari, that is on every menu, and there isn’t enough variation in taste from one to the other to really justify getting it and forsaking the trying of a new dish. But hey, I understand cravings. If you are just jonesing for some FGT, then by all means, enjoy. But branch out!

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For dinner I got the Fried Chicken Wings with Winston-Salem Sauce. They were maybe the best pieces of fried chicken I’ve ever had. Crispy, not greasy, and seasoned perfectly. The sauce is merely hot sauce dowsing it, which was perfect. The macaroni and cheese was perfection and the black-eyed peas were creamy and well seasoned. I’d get that exact same plate if I went again. So good.

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Laurie got the Fried Whiting on the recommendation of our waiter, DJ. She said it was amazing! The fish was crispy on the outside, tender and flaky on the inside. The macaroni and cheese was the best any of us had ever eaten. Cheesy and creamy with just enough crusty edges to add a little texture. The collard greens were braised perfectly, and topped with fresh tomato and onion: mixed together to make a perfect bite!

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Erika got the Salmon Patties with macaroni and cheese and greens. She said the patties were fine, but nothing special. Next time she’d try something else.

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Anessa got the Fried Catfish and Fried Chicken Combo with Yams and Macaroni and Cheese. The chicken and fish were fried and seasoned perfectly. The yams were slow cooked in brown sugar and butter…how can that be bad? And the macaroni. Yeah, we’ve already talked about how life altering that is.

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The lemon pound cake was tangy and had a good flavor. Anessa reported it was a little dry, so next time she might try another dessert.

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My peach cobbler came with a scoop of vanilla ice cream and whipped cream. It was decent cobbler, but my mom’s is better. Not overly sweet, but not overly flavorful either. The best dessert of the night was this:

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This is the banana pudding cake. It was moist, cakey and full of banana flavor. I never even thought I liked banana pudding all that much, but this cake…what a great twist on a classic.

Here’s the real deal: No matter where we go, or what we eat, we always ALWAYS have a blast together!

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Charlotte · Restaurants

Tupelo Honey – Girl Nosh

July 11, 2015October 5, 2017 Suzanne Strength3 Comments

So I find myself in a separated state after 20 years of wedded bliss. I gave myself a couple of days to wallow in misery and then got a plan together. New job, new gym membership, new church…check. The last piece of my happiness puzzle was surrounding myself with great friends. Thus “Girl Nosh” was born. We are a group of girls who enjoy going out to eat together and laughing our heads off. We meet once a month and the only requirement is that everyone has to take a picture of their food for my blog and let me taste a tiny bite of what they got 🙂

Our charter meeting was held at Tupelo Honey in Charlotte. We had to call for reservations, since I had too many folks coming to use the online reservation scheduler. No big deal, they were nice and efficient and had our reservation when we arrived. Actually, we arrived early and they seated us very quickly. Awesome!

OK, so I have one knock on the place. It was smoking hot. I mean, I never cooled down. We were seated by the door and it kept opening with each new customer, totally screwing us out of cool air every time. Every time. If only they had a more “closed in” entryway, perhaps that could be avoided? All I know is I was hot. But, I did buy two drinks, so maybe there is a method to the madness?

The Bar

Our table ordered white wine, Sangria (red) and a mixed drink called a Honeysuckle and Lavender Flip. The Sangria was sweet and fruity and very refreshing. The Flip…well…that was light and sweetly resplendent. That’s right: resplendent. It was made with Cathead Honeysuckle Vodka and a house made lavender sweet and sour mixed with soda water and a squeeze of lemon. Served over cracked ice and a sprinkling of lavender buds on top, and you’ll hear an angel sing upon first sip.

Appetizers and Small Plates

First up is a hearty appetizer: Fried Green Tomatoes. Any southern restaurant worth its salt must have this on the menu. But TH has their fried green maters on a bed of creamy goat cheese grits and that is nestled over the top of some brightly flavored red pepper coulis. What a perfect combination. The crispy, salty and sour fried green tomatoes was a perfect counter balance to the decadent grits. The coulis added just enough spice to tie it all together. A perfect dish that we had to order 2 plates of to share.

The Jumbo Lump Crab Cake was another hit. It might have been the best crab cake I’ve ever tasted! Crispy on the outside and full of sweet large hunks of crab. Seasoned just perfectly! It came propped against a small salad a mixed dark greens dressed with a jalapeno aioli and tossed with sweetly sour baby tomatoes. That salad had a bite to it! Perfect addition to the simple goodness of the crab cake.

The table also thoroughly enjoyed Warm Pimento Cheese, like a Southern cheese dip, served with house-made tortilla chips. I looked around to see so many tables enjoying this simple, but unbeatably delicious, sharable appetizer. I can’t believe I’m saying this, but it didn’t even need salsa. It was that good.

The humble Biscuit. Handmade, fluffy, salty and tender. Served with honey (of course) and blueberry preserves. A.mazing.

Brunch

Erika had a brunch item for dinner: Fried Chicken and Biscuits! She couldn’t make up her mind what she wanted, everything looked so good, but the description of the basil gravy eventually won her over. Let me set this dish up for you: Huge bowl is filled with split house made biscuits. Next, they place a perfectly fried buttermilk chicken breast patty. Add crispy NC country ham and some basil and top all of that with a fried egg. Which when Erika sank her fork in burst and gave a new level of richness to that gravy. It was decadent and wonderful, and she could barely finish a third of her meal!

Dinner

Laurie ordered Roasted Duck Breast. It was topped with a cherry port wine sauce and served with cardamom ginger roasted carrots and a shaved Brussels sprout salad dressed with a honey vinaigrette. Laurie said that the duck was cooked well, but the skin wasn’t seared enough, leaving it chewy. She cut all of the skin off and ate the duck breast meat. It was tasty, but she was disappointed with the skin. The salad was so tangy and creamy, much like a cole slaw.

Vickie got the Jumbo Fried Shrimp. These big, juicy prawns were buttermilk fried and topped with a sticky cherry pepper lemon aioli. Vickie reported them amazing! She got hers with a side of asparagus and a side salad.

I got the Hickory Nut Gap Farm Beef and Bacon Meatloaf. I’m going to be honest here: I picked something that would go with the macaroni and cheese. Because that’s what I was wanting. If you are going to cheat on your diet, you should really go all out. So, I picked fried okra, too. NO REGRETS! The meatloaf was so tender, and a nice brown color, unlike my gray offerings. The gravy on top was a tomato rosemary shallot gravy that was zesty and packed with flavor. I was dragging the macaroni and cheese through it, too. The macaroni and cheese was gooey and cheesy. I mean, even a bad mac and cheese tastes pretty good, but this one is yummy, no fear. The fried okra was plump yet crispy. Not that frozen mess you get at other places. I was so happy. Joyous, really.

Kathy, the healthy one in the group, opted for the Venerated Veggie Bowl. We’ll never truly know how wonderful this was because Kathy refuses to share her food! LOL I can say that it looked amazing and she couldn’t eat it all. Let me set it up for you: On the bottom of the bowl there is a layer of SC Stone Ground Goat cheese grits and that is topped with salsa verde black-eyed peas. They then pile on sauteed greens, fried okra and salsa. I love meat, but this bowl looked amazing.

Lunch

Lunch isn’t all that much different from dinner, but they do have more sandwiches. My favorite is probably the Shoo Mercy Cheesy Grill. A gooey mixture of Havarti and pimento cheese tops carmelized onions, crispy maple smoked bacon, salty smoked ham, fried green tomatoes and fresh basil all on wheat sourdough bread. Sounds like a lot going on, but the combination is perfect. Squishy, salty, creamy and crispy: it hits all the notes.

I got my sammie with a bowl of their tomato soup. Eh. A little tangy.

The Southern Fried Chicken BLT is another staple at Tupelo Honey. I had one at lunch on another visit. The chicken is seasoned perfectly, crispy crunchy and the bacon is smoky. Perfect in its simplicity

Side Dishes

You could make a meal on the side dishes. Seriously. Because they have a veggie plate where you can choose 3 or 4 for your meal. But, if you just want a couple with your meat (do it!) you’ll be happy too. Laurie got the Edamame, Pine Nut, Golden Raisin and Carrot Salad. I was very suspicious of those healthy looking green beans, but I was pleasantly surprised at the sweet and tangy dressing, and the bite from the pine nuts. Healthy never tasted so good.

Another favorite of our table was the Benne Coated Asparagus. Asparagus can’t go wrong as long as it isn’t over cooked. These were perfectly cooked, still had a bit of a snap, and the benne (sesame seeds, right?) added a nuttiness. Yum!

You may also choose a side salad as one of your “vegetables.” This one comes with mixed greens, grape tomatoes, shredded carrots, pickled onions and pine nuts. The pickled onions and pine nuts are tangy and crunch elements that are different from your run-of-the-mill side salad.

If you are looking for a delicious country meal that is a little on the upscale side, you have to give Tupelo Honey a try. Just bring a fan.

Charlotte · Restaurants

The Cowfish

November 26, 2014 Suzanne Strength3 Comments

Are you looking for an eclectic cuisine that fuses two well loved foods into one delicious dish? No? Nor was I. I just wanted to try food at a place called Cowfish. So glad we did!

We wanted both burgers and sushi, of course, so we opted to try the mini burgers of the week for our appetizers and each got a fancy sushi roll for lunch.

The Burgers of the Week happened to be blue cheese burgers. Dustin was not a fan of blue cheese, but still managed to down two of them. They were cooked well, and very juicy. I loved them, but they were a little drippy (which all delicious burgers should be.) The Cowfish sauce was tangy sweet mayonnaise and the slaw was divine, even to someone like me who is usually pretty indifferent to slaw.

My sushi roll, The “Prime Time” Filet and Lobster Roll, was one of the best things I’d ever had. And clocking in at $22 for one roll, well it should be. But, I’m telling you, one is all you will need. It is very huge and quite filling. The inside was comprised of buttery lobster and crisp, fresh cucumber matchsticks. Atop this were rare (yet in my case, I asked for medium) strips of filet mignon and strips of smoky slices of portabello mushrooms that were panfried in the juices from the steak, then tossed in truffle oil. This tasted like bacon! Bacon veggies! Brilliant!

Dustin chose the Blackened Tuna Roll. Inside this is delicate lump crabmeat, gently mixed with cream cheese to make a delicious, light salad with a slight crunch from the tempura flakes. Topping this are strips of blackened tuna, a dollop of guacamole and a fresh sliver of jalapeno. Talk about the perfect bite! Everything was fresh and delicious.

For dessert (yes, we did) we shared an order of Apple Pie Wontons. Holy Moly. Homemade apple pie filling encased by a wonton wrapper and flash fried. As if that wasn’t enough, they serve it with a dollop of vanilla bean ice cream that is surprisingly light and airy and drizzled with a caramel sauce. You can’t really go wrong with a fried wonton, but this one was so rich, with the crispy wrapper and the apple pie filling was sweet with just enough tart to balance. It was plenty big enough to share.

The restaurant is much bigger than it appears from the outside. We even sat on the patio and it had plenty of heaters out there to keep us warm. Our service was amazing, we lacked nothing during our visit. We will be back soon!

Charlotte · Restaurants

Cafe Monte in Charlotte

August 23, 2014August 27, 2014 Suzanne StrengthLeave a comment

Café Monte

My girlfriend and I decided to give this place a try because we found a Living Social deal that was too good to pass up. So glad we did! The interior is fun yet elegant. When we were there, they had live music playing in a corner and a pastry case on the opposite side. It made the wait for our table a bit more bearable!

We were seated in the busy restaurant at a small patio (looking) table and were immediately served our drinks. Our server was attentive and friendly.

We started with some pretty standard appetizers. My friend ordered a salad, and it was dressed sparsely and was pretty basic. I tried the French Onion Soup. The cheese was delicious, but the broth itself was lacking in body and flavor. We both agreed we’d try something a little more adventurous next time.

We sampled the Chicken and Mushroom Crepes for our entrée. This was really my friend’s dish, but she let me have a taste. They were rich and creamy and I kicked myself all night for not getting them. I know it looks a mess, and the picture isn’t that clear, but it was the best thing we had all night.

For my dish, I chose the special for Friday night: Broiled Lobster with fries and asparagus. It was fine, but the waiter really hyped it up and you know…you’ve had Lobster once, you’ve had it a million times. It was delicious, but nothing special. Plus, kinda messy and hard to handle with grace. Next time, crepes for me.

After staring at the pastry case while waiting on our reservation, we decided we had to have dessert. My friend chose the chocolate éclair. The photo is blurry, but I’m sure you can see the cracks in the chocolate on top. That was an indicator we should have heeded. It was dry and uneventful. Very disappointing for a French bakery.

This was the winner between the two desserts. This Vanilla fruit tart was good, but it still had that “made ahead and sat around” flavor to me. I was not impressed, but maybe my expectations were too high for a French restaurant.

The next time we go, we will skip dessert altogether, but definitely have the crepes.

Charlotte · Restaurants

Midwood Smokehouse in Charlotte

August 5, 2014August 15, 2015 Suzanne StrengthLeave a comment

My husband and I visited the Midwood Smokehouse today and we were so so so happy. So happy. This is huge. Because I’m not crazy about barbecue. I was trying to be nice when I agreed to go. But lord-have-mercy…it was good.

Inside is pretty hip. Lots of metal pig memorabilia, waitresses wearing “Bacon” socks and general “characters” waiting tables and eating here. I loved just sitting in the booth and looking around. All while smelling that delicious smoky smell.

We started off our meal with a watermelon margarita and a beer. Normally I skip cocktails, but the waiter changed my mind by telling me this one was made with real watermelon (not some mix!). Sure enough, it tasted very refreshing, and not to sweet at all despite the sugar on the rim of the glass.

The Cuban sandwich was the menu item that immediately drew my attention. In fact, once I saw it, I stopped looking. The pressed sandwich is chock full of sliced ham, barbecued pork, Swiss cheese and topped with mustard, lettuce and tomato. I had never had a Cuban with the lettuce and tomato, and next time I’ll leave those off. The bread got so flat and crispy in the pressing, and the barbecue pork taking the place of a sliced pork cutlet lent a smokiness to the sandwich. I chose macaroni and cheese as my side and it was creamy and cheesy topped with a crusty coating of baked cheese. It was the best macaroni and cheese I’d ever had at a restaurant. How about that?

The hubs got the beef brisket plate, mixed. That means it was half lean meat and half fatty meat. I can appreciate that fat is needed to make meat tender, juicy and flavorful, but I’m no fan of fatty meat. That said, he left me have a bite of his lean brisket and it was so tender, so juicy and flavorful…I was thankful for the fatty pieces lying around it. The barbecue sauce is tangy and tomato-y. I also detected a bit of beer in it? He chose the baked beans as his side and they were baked with the same barbecue sauce that came on the plate for dipping. A few candied bits of meat had made their way into the beans, too. Seriously, perfection.

Really love this place. And did you notice the china this meal is served on? Funky, punky décor, cool waiters and staff, and then grandma’s china. I’m in love. Go.

Charlotte · Restaurants

Nan and Bryon’s in Charlotte

December 21, 2013 Suzanne StrengthLeave a comment

Nan and Byron’s is a new restaurant in Charlotte by the folks who brought you 5Church. I understand that 5Church is upscale (I haven’t visited yet) and they bring the same care for their food to Nan & Byron’s but the prices are pretty amazing. We arrived at the restaurant, located in the old Vinnie’s Raw Bar on South Blvd, a little earlier than our reservation time of 8:30 p.m. We were told to have a seat and we’d be seated at our table close to our reservation time. Once we were 5 or 10 minutes past our reservation time, the manager came over to apologize for our wait and brought us 4 drinks of our choice for our trouble. Wow! Actually not a bad move, because we bought 4 more plus our dinner beverages. Still, the gesture was welcome. It set the tone for what was to be a great evening.

Before he even got back with our drinks, we were seated at our table. We were by the bar and near a large party, so the noise level was a bit loud for me, but this time of year, that is to be expected. We were brought our *free* drinks and some yummy chipotle spiced popcorn for the table. It was a welcome, and somehow hip change from the normal bread and butter. The drinks we tried included (but were not limited to) Farmhouse lemonade and the Cadillac Jalapeno Margarita. All were pronounced yummy, but they are a little on the pricey side. Please remember, the food is a bargain, so they have to make their money somewhere!

For our appetizers, we ordered Deviled Eggs and Peppedew Poppers. The deviled eggs were so pretty, they tasted nearly as good as they looked. What was very present was a vinegar taste that I thought was a little overwhelming. Still, creamy and delicious! The Poppers were little fritters full of nuclear hot cheese. I took one bite, it spewed on me, dripping on my shirt and burning my lips. So, my tip to you is this…use a fork. No fun with pick up-ables, but trust me, save your shirt and your tongue. You don’t want cat-tongue for the rest of your meal. Once we learned to properly eat the poppers, we discovered them to be more than delicious, breaded nuggets with a fresh dipping sauce that was very herbaceous.

My dinner came with 2 sides, so for one of my sides I opted for a Caesar salad. The romaine lettuce was chopped into bite sized pieces making it simple to eat, which pleases me greatly. The dressing is very tangy and it is served teeth-chatteringly cold. Sprinkled atop it all was grated Parmesan cheese which gave it a salty bite to perfectly contrast the croutons. I loved it.

The entrees were presented so lovingly and were almost too beautiful to eat. I got the chicken, which was a 1/2 chicken roasted in Peruvian spices and sitting atop some spicy green sauce. My other side (besides the salad above) was the macaroni and cheese. They were pretty skimpy with that. Luckily, the deliciousness of the chicken more than made up for this. It was so tender, and juicy! The spices were perfect, not too overpowering, smoky and sweet. It all worked together, perfectly. I will be hard pressed to try something new next time I go.

The guys got the meatloaf. It is described as seasoned ground beef topped by sriracha ketchup and red wine sauce. I only got a tiny taste, but it was really good meatloaf. Tender, not greasy at all, and that ketchup. Wow. Nan needs to bottle it and sell it. Dustin opted for double starches with mashed potatoes and macaroni and cheese. It worked.

The last entree we sampled was a sandwich. My friend got the Farmhouse burger and she was very impressed by all of the different flavors going on: spicy cheese, smoky sauce and salty bacon top the nicely seasoned ground beef. Yummy!

Desserts are not “officially” on the menu yet (at the time of our visit) but we are told they are made by the pastry chef at 5Church and brought over, so the menu changes seasonally or to the whims of 5Church. We tried the Berry-Apple Cobbler, The Brownie and the Whoopie Pie. The Berry-Apple Cobbler was ho-hum and had an odd sort of processed taste to it. I wasn’t impressed. My friends got the Whoopie Pie, and they said it needed ice cream or something to combat its dryness. Mine however, the Brownie, was a.maz.ing. The brownie was warm and gooey, the peanut butter ice cream that topped it was a perfect rich accompaniment. I wish I had one now.

This new restaurant is an exciting new concept for Charlotte, at least to my way of thinking. Our reservation at 8:30 p.m. led us to be one of the last “diners” in the joint, which began to fill up with hip looking young folks. I think Nan and Byron’s might be too cool of a scene for a homegirl like me, but just try to keep me away.

Charlotte · Restaurants

Firehouse Subs at the Epicentre in Charlotte

November 4, 2013November 16, 2013 Suzanne Strength96 Comments

We were honored to be invited by the Co-founder of Firehouse Subs to attend an invitation only soda/sandwich pairing at Firehouse Subs at the Epicentre in Charlotte on Tuesday night. At first I was skeptical, thinking it was a marketing ploy designed to garner good reviews for their restaurant, but hey, free food won over my good sense. I am so glad I didn’t pre-judge. That tasting has made a customer of me for life, and I’ve already told 4 people so much about my experience, that they too are anxious to go. Brilliant is what that marketing plan was!

Before going in, we walked around a bit to see what the Epicentre had to offer. Turns out that place is pretty cool. It’s a little expensive to park, but well worth it for the plethora of restaurants, clubs and fun stuff. Here are a few of the things we saw while strolling:

We sampled 4 different subs while we enjoyed the founder, Robin Sorenson, sharing anecdotes and stories about the start up of his company, their mission, and the charities that they support. What I learned is that you can start a huge company that begins with a small dream, and that the company gives a ton of money to various charities, but locally, nationally and even internationally. Also, we learned about the quality of their ingredients, which is second to none in the sandwich business. Another thing that separates Firehouse from other sub shops is the service provided. I’ve never been in one when I wasn’t greeted upon arrival and then provided with exceptional service while there. Also, their dining room is large enough for people who wish to dine in. There were 50 seats at the restaurant we visited.

The first sub we got to sample was called the Hook and Ladder. It consists of smoked turkey breast, Virginia honey ham, melted Monterey Jack cheese, and topped with Lettuce, tomato, mayonnaise and mustard. All of this served with a crunchy kosher dill pickle on the side.

All of this sounds pretty basic when I write it down, but these sandwiches are anything but. First, the meat they use is top quality. None of the pre-sliced coldcuts like at Subway, and no cutting corners with cheap cuts of meat. Their meat is always USDA choice, not a claim most sub places can make. The bread they used is baked especially for them, and always steamed so your sandwich is soft and chewy. The mayonnaise they use is a double yolk mayo which tastes far more rich and creamy. All of their cheese is Sargento. My point in telling you this, is that if you use quality ingredients, it stands to reason that you will serve a quality product. And that is exactly what Firehouse serves.

After all of this delicious food, we were handed a bucket full of a few goodies, and were left with this pearl of wisdom: “Don’t let your lifestyle drive your business.” Simply put, live within your means.

For my visit, I was rewarded with 5 $10 gift cards for Firehouse Subs. I am going to do a random drawing for these cards on November 15. To enter, comment on this blog (and leave me some contact info to find you again if you win!). If your comment doesn’t show up right away, don’t worry. I have to approve all comments. Good Luck!

UPDATE!!! Thank you for all of the comments, here are the winners! Please email me your addresses to Barenakedchef AT gmail Dot com and I’ll get your card in the mail!

Sara Wood
Tiffany O
Sherry Franklin
Amy Hart
Elizabeth Milam

Congratulations, ladies!