Bad Daddy’s Burgers

April 2, 2012April 4, 2012 Suzanne StrengthLeave a comment

What: Bad Daddy’s Burgers

Who Said So: Charlotte Magazine’s Best of the Best 2011 for Best Burger and Voter’s choice for best Milkshake and Charlotte Magazine’s Summer Fun for Chocolate Shake

Are you looking for the *best* hamburgers in Charlotte? Look no further than Bad Daddy’s. It used to be called Big Daddy’s Burgers, but for some legal reason they had to change it. Whatever. The delicious food is still the same.

Bad Daddy’s has 2 locations. The one I visited was in Dillworth and is a hopping place. And parking sucks. But you have to go. The only time I’ve ever been dissatisfied with my food was when we sat outside in November (covered area with big heaters) and my food got cold before we could eat it. Next time in winter we will be patient and wait for an indoor table.

This is my standard order. I never deviate from it, I feel you shouldn’t mess with perfection. It is a build your own burger, well-done (but you can get them cooked any way you like!) with cheddar cheese, lettuce, pickle, crispy onions, mayo, ketchup and mustard.

I opt for the tater tots as my side and they come with this amazing Bad Daddy’s dipping sauce that tastes like a smoky/spicy BBQ sauce mixed with mayo. My husband brilliantly asks for them to be fried extra crispy (I know what you’re thinking, but look, this isn’t health food anyway.). I did not do that this trip, but they were plenty crispy for me. Who needs mushy tater tots? Napoleon Dynamite?

I’m setting you up for my next admission by this picture and showing you how Bad Daddy’s “well-done” looks. My husband decries my choice saying that my burger is dry, but it just isn’t so. Plus, I have a terror of e-coli. Now, the real reason I show you this is to prove I cut my burger in half and ate only half because I ordered THIS MILKSHAKE for dessert:

When it arrived, I was reminded of the scene in Pulp Fiction where John Travolta was complaining about the $5 milkshakes. Which this was. And worth it! Thick and creamy, and you can even get adult versions with some liquor if you desire! Our waitress was kind enough to separate ours into 3 small cups for sharing.

We love this restaurant. It is a cheaper choice in Charlotte, but don’t expect it to be 5 Guys cheap. But do expect it to be delicious.

Charlotte

Bonterra Dining and Wine Room in Charlotte

March 24, 2012March 24, 2012 Suzanne StrengthLeave a comment

Bonterra first came onto my radar when Groupon offered a deal for $50 worth of food for $25. I looked at the website and was less than impressed. It wasn’t bad, just…amateurish. Plus, once I arrived, I found the menu they have posted online was actually much more abbreviated than what they actually offer. In fact, if not for that Groupon, I don’t know that I’d have even given Bonterra a chance. And what a mistake that would have been.

Let me apologize immediately for the quality of the photos. I brought my decent little digital camera, but decided against the flash in this fancy little place. What looked good on my display translated to dark blurry images once downloaded. How disappointing!

I’m sorry the photos don’t show it, but the food was amazing. Simply delicious. The service was just as good, possibly. Our waiter was not as knowledgeable as he could have been, but he made up for it in kindness and attentiveness. In fact, I asked a few questions (in preparation for writing this blog post) and he had to run off and go ask the chef (presumably) about every one of them.

To start off we enjoyed the Chef’s Choice of Charcuterie and Fromage (meat and cheese) with these yummy little accompaniments : honeyed pecans, thinly sliced pears, baby vegetables and one grainy mustard and one smooth mustard. It also came with house made crackers and bread. It was amazing.

Like idiots, we both ordered seafood for our entrees. We just couldn’t help it. In fact, we both wanted the scallops, but there was NO WAY I was going to get the same exact entree, so I quickly swapped my choice to the Grouper. And I am so glad I did. It was so juicy and tender. It was so full of flavor and cooked perfectly. It sat on a bed of kale and bulghar, which I never knew I loved. Huh.

My hubs got the seared scallops. Lord have mercy, they were good, but not quite as good as mine. The scallops were properly seared and you’ll notice the same sauce (not honey mustard) is under both seafood dishes. The only difference is that this dish had a parsley spaetzle. Those were doughy and not that great to me, but my hubs liked them, so there ya go.

Yep, even after all of that food, we had to get dessert. Once again, I was foiled when my hubs chose the creme brulee’, but I kindly deferred to my second choice, which was simply heavenly. The creme brulee’ though….yummmm. Just like that other thing men love so dearly, creme brulee’ is good, even when it’s bad. Creamy custard topped by scorched sugar. What’s not to like? It was perfect.

So, I got the chocolate hot lava cake. I wanted a souffle but didn’t want to wait, so lava cake it was. Again, always good. This one was yummy and melty in the middle, like you’d expect. Notice the sauces swirled alongside: creme anglaise, raspberry coulis and some chocolate shmear. The real star accompaniment was the pistachio ice cream. Fresh and tons of flavor…not like the nuclear green ice cream Breyers puts out.

So, the food was brilliant. The most awesome thing was that this restaurant is in an old church and is absolutely stunning inside. And it was packed. You don’t hear a lot about Bonterra when combing the “Best Of” lists, but if you don’t go, you are sincerely missing out.

Charlotte · Restaurants

Polka Dot Bake Shop

November 6, 2011December 20, 2011 Suzanne StrengthLeave a comment

Who: Polka Dot Bake Shop

Who Recommended: DishTip and Charlotte Magazine’s Battle of the Cupcakes

For: Chocolate Cupcakes

Ratings:

Chocolate Cupcakes: 7/10
Red Velvet Cupcakes 8/10
Salted Caramel Cupcakes 9/10

I prefer my bakeries to be in a quaint little house with the smell of vanilla wafting out of the door when each customer leaves with their bags of delicacies. Polka Dot Bake Shop isn’t like that. It’s in a strip mall, but I can forgive that because the cupcakes were so yummy!

Inside is a smallish space with the baked goods case front and center, as it should be. They had a modest offering the day we were there, but that’s just fine. You don’t want a lot of mess just sitting around getting stale. We went on a Friday about 1:30 and we had a line behind us out the darn door. People love this place!

We sampled 3 varieties on our visit. The first was a salted caramel cupcake. The cake was moist and delicious, the buttery frosting just sweet enough to balance the little bite of salt from the caramel. Topped with a dollop of caramel and a salty cashew makes it the perfect dessert. This one has very little that isn’t perfect. We gave it 9/10 stars!

Next up is the chocolate cupcake with chocolate buttercream frosting. This one was good, but my least favorite of the three. The cake itself was a little on the dry side and the buttercream, while rich, was pretty overpowering. A nice contrasting vanilla buttercream might have been a better choice. And I could have done without the sugar crystal sprinkles altogether. Don’t mess up my creamy dream. 7/10 stars

Back to the good stuff…Red Velvet cupcake was moist and delicious and we loved the bite from the cream cheese icing. Surprisingly, it wasn’t too sweet. Red Velvet cake can be either Ronald McDonald red or cloyingly sweet and be messed right up, but not so with this cake. It was perfect. nearly. I gave it 8/10 because it just wasn’t as luscious as the salted caramel. I’m the customer, I can do that.

If you love cupcakes, and nice people, stop by Polka Dot today.

Charlotte · Restaurants

Fran’s Filling Station

October 13, 2011December 20, 2011 Suzanne StrengthLeave a comment

Where: Fran’s Filling Station

Who Recommended: Charlotte Magazine’s Take a Bite

For What: Thanksgiving Every Day (Rated 10/10)

Other Items:

Cold Meatloaf Sandwich: 7/10

Croque Monsieur: 5/10

Warm Potato Salad: 9/10

Fran’s Filling Station is another restaurant resting in a strip mall, but what a little gem it is! They have a handful of tables outside, but the view is of the parking lot, so I elected to sit inside with my party. The eclectic art hanging on the walls and the funky furniture made me glad I did. I will note that the handicapped access is pretty poor here. It is to the right of the front door, and people park right up on the ramp. Also, as you can see, the tables are crammed onto the narrow sidewalk, so good luck getting a wheelchair through there without asking diners to move.

We visited for lunch and was it ever crowded! Of course, we were there on a Friday at noon, so that can’t be that unusual or unexpected. Our waiter was a bit overwhelmed and not as attentive as I’d have liked, but the other staff members were pleasant and perky.

Behold the reason for our visit! The Thanksgiving Everyday is possibly the best turkey sandwich I’ve ever come across. This overstuffed sammie is full of goodness: house roasted turkey (not from the deli!), cranberry, stuffing, and sage mayonnaise on house-made bread. Just look at this house-made bread; nutty and substantial. Nothing is escaping, not one scrap of turkey. That darn thing was so big it was held together not by toothpicks, but by dowels. It was heaven. I have to rate it 10/10. No way to make it better. Yep, it’s that good. If you’ll have a look at the tiny cup of potato salad, you will see hunks of potatoes mixed with creamy, perfectly seasoned mayo. It was wonderful, and I’m not even a potato salad fan. I give it 9 out of 10 stars.

I got the worst of our sandwiches, the real Croque Monsieur. I make my own, so maybe I’m a snob, but the bechamel sauce tasted like wallpaper paste. It was terrible, and fraught with nutmeg. The ham and Gruyere were perfectly fine, and I should have just asked them to leave the bechamel off, which I would surely do next time. I got mine with chips. Out of 10 stars, I’m going to give it a 5. And that is being nice.

My sister got the Cold Meatloaf sandwich. It comes with marinated onions, russian dressing, lettuce & tomato. Now, if you like cold meatloaf, this is the best cold meatloaf sandwich I’ve had. The dressing and onions make it sloppy and delicious, and give it an unexpected tang. This was served with homemade potato chips that were crispy and salty.

Mooresville · Restaurants

El Cerro Reyes in Mooresville, NC

October 3, 2011December 20, 2011 Suzanne StrengthLeave a comment

Who: El Cerro Reyes

Who Recommended: Urban Spoon

For What: #6 Best Restaurant in Mooresville (as of today)

El Cerro Reyes has been on my “to try” list for a while. My hubs and I visited the other day after another assignment I was on (Small Fry Diner) was discovered to be closed. I was so pleasantly surprised! Like many delicious Mexican restaurants , this one is tucked in a strip mall, but don’t discount it because of that. The inside is pleasant, roomy and the wait staff is right on the money.

The menu is pretty standard Mexican fare, but everything was seasoned perfectly! After being seated, we were brought complimentary chips and salsa. The chips were crispy and warm and the salsa was just spicy enough. We ordered a cheese dip and it was creamy, thick and deliciously smooth. It is white, which is my favorite, not the processed yellow.

I ordered the lunch Chicken Chimichanga which came topped with cheese dip, lettuce, tomatoes, guacamole and sour cream. It is served with a side of rice. The tortilla was nicely crispy and the chicken inside was pulled white meat chicken, juicy from being boiled in a spicy tomato sauce. The rice has a little cheese dip drizzled on it from the chimi, and that is fantastic!

My husband got a combo which came with a taco, chile relleno and beans. He was not as impressed with his haul as I was, but I’m writing that off on him being grumpy. He said the beans were kind of pasty, and there was no pepper in his chile relleno. He deemed the taco just “alright.” Whatever.

It isn’t ranked #6 in all of Mooresville for nothing. Get yourself over there.

Charlotte · Restaurants

The Great Sandwich Bite: Zada Jane’s “Druther’s Clucker”

September 26, 2011December 20, 2011 Suzanne StrengthLeave a comment

Who recommended?: Charlotte Magazine

For What?: One of Charlotte’s best sandwiches

Where?: Zada Jane’s

This article focused on finding sandwiches in the city that broke out of the traditional mold. And you know girls, we love a frou-frou sandwich. Zada Jane’s is near my sister’s house, and after getting my new cast the other day we picked her up for a lunch at this hipster hangout. I quickly realized that 1. Charlotte magazine isn’t always right and 2. I am way too uncool for this place.

I’m told that Zada Jane’s is a popular brunch and breakfast spot, and on the weekends the outside eating area fills up in nice weather. The inside is funky and everyone who works here is, too. As we sat down in our casual clothing, I began to look around and realized that while I wasn’t cool, neither was everyone else in there. We sat amongst hipsters, artists (I assume) and even a few suits. It was cozy!

The waitress we had was a little on the surly side, but I noticed she was a bit friendlier to the artsy types in there. Were we too vanilla or am I overly sensitive? No matter, she was very efficient and met all of our needs. I opted for the Druther’s Clucker as recommended by Charlotte Magazine.

The Druther’s Clucker is a grilled chicken sandwich deluxe. It comes with grilled chicken, fresh basil, caramelized onions, mozzarella, and sun-dried tomato mayonnaise on rosemary foccacia. It is also served with a side of your choice: chips, black eyed pea salad or a green salad (for $2 more). I opted for the green salad, hubby opted for the black eyed pea salad.

The sandwich, much heralded by Charlotte Mag, was just ok. I mean, I ate all of it, but it was really no better than any grilled chicken sandwich I’d had anywhere else. It wasn’t packed with flavor like all of those bold ingredients would lead you to believe. I think if they would take better care in seasoning the chicken breast itself, and not just piling on ingredients to the sandwich, the outcome would have been better. Both my husband and I agreed we’d get something different next time.

The green salad was delicious. It was full of delicious fresh veggies like peeled cucumbers, tiny diced tomatoes, sprouts and sweet shredded carrots. The greens were a mesclun mix and it was topped by homemade croutons. Served with a homemade dressing of your choice: I chose Ranch. I tasted my hub’s black eyed pea salad, and found the black eyed peas to be a little underdone for my taste. Also, it was in a sweetish vinegar dressing that desperately needed some acid. I smirked because mine was clearly better.

Now, the “Winner Winner Chicken Dinner” was my sister’s order. She got the grilled chicken nachos and if she weren’t carrying my niece, I might have smacked her and stolen in, like in our childhood days. These nachos were served in a bowl, so you could have eaten it like a salad, but the crispy chips lined the bottom of the bowl instead of lettuce. The chicken had a yummy chargrilled taste and it was loaded with cooked veggies. Homemade salsa, guacamole and sour cream topped all. Perfection.

If I’m perfectly honest, I was a tad disappointed by Zada Jane’s. Maybe I had too high hopes for a humble chicken sandwich? Next time, if there is one, I’ll get the nachos.

Charlotte · Restaurants

Original Pancake House

September 17, 2011December 20, 2011 Suzanne StrengthLeave a comment

Recommended to me by: Charlotte Magazine, Voters Choice

Original Pancake House: Best Breakfast (Voters Choice)

I have been meaning to go to the OPH for YEARS, but good lord, who gets up early enough to drive an hour to go have breakfast in Charlotte? It just so happened that I had an early appointment with my surgeon, and my mom and I decided we needed breakfast after that painful experience. OrthoCarolina Foot and Ankle Institute happens to be right around the corner from this joint, so it was a no brainer.

When we walked in, I noticed immediately the high ceilings. It makes me feel like I have plenty of space around me, even in a crowded restaurant. We were seated immediately at a booth and a waitress came by quickly to take our drink order and drop off the menus. They also sat down crayons for my little one, for which I was grateful.

The menu had so many things I wanted to try, namely that Dutch Baby everyone talks about, but I just broke right down and got the mushroom omelet with a side of pancakes. I must tell you that they were both just pretty average. Breakfast is not that big of a deal to fix, but the sherry/mushroom sauce that accompanied my omelet was just wrong on top of that omelet. The omelet itself was enormous and very fluffy and actually cooked well. So there’s that.

The pancakes were just alright. Nothing special, and I had the buttermilk pancakes with the plain old maple syrup, nothing fancy. Sometimes going with the basic dish is a beautiful thing, an unspoiled classic; this was not so with my pancakes. They lacked flavor and the syrup was just..there. I would go for that Dutch baby next time, or maybe even a blintz if I was feeling really crazy.

OK, so I’m being a little snobby. The fact is my mother and little girl loved their food. Mom got a sausage omelet with the pancakes and loved them. My little one got a grilled chicken sandwich and hashbrowns, and gobbled it all up! I stabbed one of the potatoes, which turned out to be more like homefries than the shredded hashbrowns she is used to, and sprinkled with Cajun seasoning. They were tender and delicious!

I will return. We had fantastic service and weirdly enough, the Coke was fab..really strong. Burn your nose kind of strong. I adored it. Next time, however, you know..the Dutch Baby. I’m beating a Dutch Horse, aren’t I?

Highlands · Restaurants

Review: Wolfgang’s in Highlands, NC

May 31, 2010April 8, 2013 Suzanne Strength2 Comments

RECOMMENDED BY: SOUTHERN LIVING MAGAZINE

WOLFGANG’S RESTAURANT AND WINE BISTRO

It’s been a long time, what with the accident and other life events, since Dustin and I have been out to a nice restaurant, let alone a whole weekend getaway! Yet, that’s exactly what we did this past weekend.

We took a trip to Highlands, NC which is so beautiful! We had a few culinary clunkers along the way, but the ONE restaurant that made all of these misses worthwhile was Wolfgang’s in Highlands. I should also disclaim all of the photos that follow because my husband would not allow me to take pictures of our food because he was embarrassed. What a sissy.

Wolfgang's Restaurant — Wolfgang’s Restaurant

Wolfgang’s is an unassuming place in downtown Highlands, located right across from the Old Edwards Inn. I was nervous about the dress code because I had on a dress with my boot and my high top tennis shoe. Now, the boot is self-explanatory (oh, she got hurt) but the high top tennis shoe just makes me look like an idiot. At times like this I wish it were appropriate to wear a sign on my back that states boldly “I WAS HIT BY A DRUNK DRIVER WHO BROKE BOTH ANKLES/FEET/LEGS.” I digress.

We must have looked fine, because several people on their way out thanked us for a lovely meal. Hey, I’m okay with being mistaken for a server/hostess over people staring at me because I’m dressed like a yahoo. When the maitre d’ came back to escort us to our table, we were seated at an intimate table by the bar. The table and chairs were lovely, and had a tree limb motif. I was charmed.

Yeah, yeah, it looked great…you want to hear about the food. Our server brought us a basket of warm homemade bread with soft butter pats. After our drinks were delivered, the server brought us an amuse bouche from the chef. Tonight it was a cherry pepper stuffed with creamy goat cheese and topped with a chiffonade of basil. All of this served in a nice, tidy white spoon. It was a delicious beginning to an even better meal.

For starters I had Escargots Au Gratin. These snails were tenderly baked in garlic butter sauce and then topped with a light Chardonnay sauce. Dustin had the Shrimp and Lobster Bisque, which was listed as a specialty of Chef Wolfgang. The soup was velvety smooth and full of flavor. It was better than any I’d had in Charleston, SC, the former champion of bisque.

Our entrees were absolutely spectacular. Both were served with a small salad of mixed greens, lightly dressed with a vinaigrette, roasted potatoes rubbed with sea salt and grilled asparagus, served al dente and perfect. I ordered the fresh fish of the night, which was a rockfish served “Oscar” style. My broiled fish was perfectly cooked and topped with a perfectly lemony beurre blanc sauce and lump crabmeat. Dustin ordered one of Chef Wolfgang’s Signature Specialties: Veal Medallions “Wolfgang”. These tender discs of veal were sliced thin and cooked to perfect tenderness. They were settled on a beautiful Cabernet sauce in addition to a béarnaise sauce that topped it with crawfish tails. I think the decadence got to Dustin’s head as he declared it the best thing he’d EVER eaten and you all know he eats my food nightly so that can’t be true.

We were bursting, but there was no way I was leaving there without tasting the strudal of a German chef. Dustin and I shared an apple strudal a’ la mode. Now, Dustin hates nuts. He inhaled this tender pastry, filled with chunks of apples, raisins and walnuts, swimming in our melting ice cream. While we were enjoying dessert, Chef Wolfgang came out to make sure all of his diners were enjoying his creations. A perfect end to a perfect evening.

Among Chef’s Wolfgang’s many accolades are his stint cooking for Commander’s Palace in New Orleans, write-ups in Southern Living, a ten-year run as excellence awarded by Wine Spectator, and a top choice at OpenTable.com.

Now, if you are a wine drinker, you should know that Wolfgang’s won some pretty fancy awards, and their wine list is extensive, and servers most knowledgeable. Dustin had a Cabarnet that night that was wonderful, while I had to forego the alcohol because of my pesky pain meds.

Also, I don’t know if you use OpenTable to make your reservations, but it is awesome and painless! Yes, you’ll have to register, but it’s minimal. On Wolfgang’s site there is a quick link that allows you to make your reservations quickly!

I made these reservations about a week before traveling, and I am now amazed at how many people know and love this restaurant. If you are in Highlands, NC or anywhere close, don’t miss it.

Highlands on Dwellable

Lincolnton · Restaurants

Court Street Grille in Lincolnton

June 27, 2009November 13, 2013 Suzanne Strength2 Comments

113 Court Sq, Lincolnton, NC

Tel: (704) 732-3242

Court Street is one of our favorite restaurants in Lincolnton. Located on the court square, it is a popular destination for the white collar lunch crowd. But, don’t let that dissuade you, this place is popular with everyone!

The offerings include sandwiches, Italian standards, pizza, salads and wraps. Everything is very fresh and homemade. The owner’s mom makes a homemade cake(s) daily, and when it is gone, it’s gone. So, get there at lunch and get a piece!

Cross section of Italian Sandwich — Cross-section of Italian Sandwich

On this visit I had the Italian Sandwich platter. They wrap all of their sandwiches in foil and serve them warm. As you can see by the cross section I’ve provided, the Italian sandwich is filled with ham, mortadella (bologna?), cheese, lettuce, tomato and dressing. As you can see, I opted for no tomatoes. The platters themselves come with french fries and a small side salad. The french fries are crisp and covered with seasoned salt. For the salad, you have your choice of mesculan mix, iceberg lettuce or a mix. I find the mix to be the best choice. Their dressings are homemade (at least the house Italian and the Ranch) and the salads come with tomatoes and a large helping of cheese, which for me turned out to be too much for the amount of lettuce. I’m probably in the minority there.

The variety of sandwiches there is pretty flavorful. Some of my favorites include the buffalo chicken wrap, and the chicken sandwich with Osama’s (that’s the owner) specially seasoned chicken. All are served dressed the same way mine is. I’ve also asked them to make my daughter a “pizza sub” with pepperoni, cheese and sauce (not on the menu) and they happily obliged.

Now, if you have picky children who wouldn’t dream of eating a sandwhich with all of that “stuff” on it, try the chicken fingers off of the appetizer menu. Yep, they are pretty basic, but you can see the pepper flakes in the breading, so that counts for something. My son was thrilled with them.

The pizza is offered on the kid’s menu, and on the adult menu as well. It was cheesy and delicious while it was hot, but after it became lukewarm it was not

as appetizing. They also have lasagna, spaghetti, manicotti and the like. It is good and served with a salad and grilled garlic bread.

The service is normally quick and the owner is friendly. The atmosphere is probably the best in Lincolnton with the buffed hardwood floors, the exposed air ductwork, large picture windows, plants and location to the court house. My only gripe is the parking. It is always, no matter what time I arrive, crazy packed and you feel you’ve won the lottery if you find a space up front.

Even if you have to walk a piece, it’s worth it.

Huntersville

House of Taipei

May 23, 2009November 25, 2021 Suzanne StrengthLeave a comment

Chinese restaurants aren’t that special, right? Just fast food, or even a buffet to be scarfed down in less than an hour at lunch? Not so at the House of Taipei in Huntersville. When you enter you can see the difference in the table linens. The restraurant is filled with rich dark woods and the table linens are white cotton (even the napkins!).

We started off with Hot and Sour Soup, which had a thick, rich broth and was chock full of mushrooms and tofu. We’ve also had their egg rolls which are crispy and delicious. For our entrees on this night we shared, of course. My husband got Moo Shu Pork, which is a little like a Chinese pancake. It is a thin tortilla spread with Hoisin sauce and topped with a stir-fried picture of pork, bamboo shoots, mushrooms and cabbage. That is my favorite! I ordered the Shrimp in Firecracker sauce, which is described a spicy Chinese marinara sauce. It is fantastic! See the picture above for these entrees.

We always order too much so we never have room for dessert, but we always get the fortune cookies for the ride home.