Oak Steakhouse in Charleston, SC

October 26, 2014October 30, 2014 Suzanne Strength3 Comments

We had the pleasure of visiting Charleston sans kids last week. A business conference brought us there, so we didn’t have a lot of time to explore during the day, but we did get to eat dinner out most every night, and that was a treat in itself.

On our first night, we visited the Oak Steakhouse. My husband recommended it to me since he had visited with friends a few years ago. I was unsure, because at the time Urbanspoon had only rated it at 80%, and there were so many other choices rated higher. That was my first lesson in not always letting a few detracting reviews keep you away from a restaurant. It was our favorite from the visit.

Odd because my favorite appetizer, entree and dessert all came from different restaurants. Not so odd when you consider what I heard Tom Colicchio quote on Top Chef: “People go to restaurants for food and they return for hospitality.” So truthful, at least in my case. Good service and a warm ambiance are a huge part of the experience and Oak Steakhouse has that in spades.

When we first arrive, I am taken by the warm atmosphere and balcony overlooking the bar area down below. Upstairs was even more beautiful, with the large picture windows looking down on the street below and the murals painted on the walls. The curtains were heavy, sending me back to a Gone with the Wind kind of time. It was really magical for me. Our waiter came by and began what would be an amazing service for the rest of the night. He was so knowledgeable and helped guide us in our choices that night. He even brought us treats to sample from the chef. All were, of course, amazing. I thought we were going to bust there was so much food. And all so wonderful, you didn’t want to leave a scrap behind.

Maybe it is silly, but the bread that was brought to our table at the beginning of our meal was so delicious, I have to mention it. Soft, warm rolls topped by a salty, crunchy mixture of herbs and garlic and accompanied with a bit of real butter. I KNEW better than to eat the whole thing, but I just couldn’t help it. They were that good.

Before our appetizers, the server brought an amuse-bouche (thanks, Top Chef for that vocab lesson!) for us to sample. Dustin MAY have let it slip that I write a blog, so there’s the reason for that extra treat. The treat was a pickled shrimp on a lavash cracker slathered with onion jam. The shrimp was firm, fresh and chilled and just slightly pickled with fenugreek, coriander, mustard seed, bay leaf and white wine. The jam was sweet with a hint of cinnamon. Beautiful together!

First course for Dustin was the Steak Tartare. This is a mound of chopped steak that is…gulp…raw! On top is an over-easy fried quail egg, with and herb aioli and served with crostini. I tried a tiny bite. I tried to enjoy it. But alas, the rawness I could not overcome. I think he does this on purpose so he doesn’t have to share with me. Whatever the case, he loved it.

When we passed by the kitchen on the way to our table, I was struck by two things: First, that it was so small and so many people were being served out of it and second, that the oysters looked amazing. My research had me carefully selecting dishes to try, I even saved them in a Google Doc file so I wouldn’t forget…but sometimes you just have to make a decision on the fly. That was the right call. My first course was Oysters Rockefeller, and not only were they beautiful, but delicious as well. The creamy and cheesy spinach sauce with a hint of bacon capped these perfectly cooked oysters and then finished with a few chives and a squeeze of fresh lemon. It was the perfect bite. If you go, do NOT miss these. Another caveat: You can order them in any number, I got 4.

While waiting for our main courses to arrive, the server brought us another treat from the chef. This one was seared scallops and they were so blissful. The scallops were perfectly seared with a crispy crust and tender inside. They sat atop a bright green fresh pea puree’, roasted sweet baby carrots, jalapeno jam and roasted cauliflower. There was also a sherry gastrique underneath that had an Asian flavor, tangy and sweet, that owned me. My husband pronounced those the best scallops he’s ever had.

So, no way we could eat more, right? Wrong. Here come the steaks…Dustin opted for the dry aged Ribeye with chargrilled onions. It was so flavorful with a crusty outside and a tender interior, cooked perfectly. Chargrilled flavor was very prominent and wonderful.

I chose the filet mignon. I always get berated because there is not enough fat marbling to properly flavor the meat, but tonight this was no problem. My steak was soft to the touch with a perfectly crusted exterior. The chargrilled flavor was so delicious.

It’s not over yet. The waiter told us that the King Crab was caught by the guys on the TV show. Sold. It was huge, spiky and worth every pinch trying to get it out. So much sweet crab meat. I can’t even.

So this was one of those fancy restaurants where the sides are purchased individually. We each got one and shared. My research told me to try the truffle fries, but my husband was dead set on the Macaroni and Cheese and I couldn’t see getting 2 starches. So, I chose the roasted mushrooms. I adore mushrooms, but you know…these were mushrooms. They were great, but you could do the same at home. If you go, and want 2 starches, don’t give in to guilt…just get them both!

The bacon macaroni and cheese was so creamy and worth every calorie. The bacon added a smokiness to the cheese and the noodles had just enough bite still in them to provide a bit of texture. But not too much, no one wants crunchy macaroni and cheese. If you dine here, one of you must get this dish.

This was our first night in this magical city and our best meal. The food was amazing, the restaurant was beautiful but the service we received was so attentive, it made the night. Dustin and I disagree what our server’s name was, so I looked on my receipt. It stated he was “The Bruce.” So if you decide to go, you know who to ask for!

Youssef 242 in Hickory

September 21, 2014November 11, 2014 Suzanne Strength3 Comments

Hickory has blessed few real “fancy” restaurants (when compared to Charlotte) so I was so excited to finally try Youssef 242 last night. I’ve had it on my list forever, and somehow never got to it. I made reservations in the middle of the night (thanks Open Table!) and like that we were in.

We arrived on a back street near Hickory High School, and I was truly amazed at the cool little spot, tucked away from prying eyes on Hwy. 127. This was gonna be good, I could feel it. As we approached the entrance, we saw the outdoor seating area with the fireplace. So welcoming! Unfortunately, too hot for this gal, so inside we went.

We were greeted promptly and kindly, and given our choice of a table or a booth. I appreciated the choice, one of our diners is a tall man, so sometimes a booth isn’t a great option. We were seated and approached by the server quickly.

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We ordered appetizers and those were brought quickly. Some were better than others. I got the escargot. They were served in small puff pastry cups and pan sautéed with garlic and parsley. The flavor was fine, but the temperature was too cool. My other criticism is that the shells tasted of the freezer. Next time I’d get another dish.

My husband got the Fried Blue Oyster Mushrooms. They were amazing! The batter was light and crispy, perfectly fried and not at all greasy. They sat atop a Dijon mustard sauce which was a perfect pairing. Very tangy! It balanced the sweet and rich bite of mushroom.

Our friend got the crab cake, which was served atop a fried green tomato with vegetable slaw and a sriracha sauce. He said it was in need of salt and a little bland, but cooked perfectly. He wasn’t wild about the fried green tomato with it.

Two of us got the filet mignon. It was atop cheddar mashed potatoes and finished with a demi glace. My filet was cooked perfectly, but it lacked seasoning and had an overly smoked flavor that I did not like. The potatoes were creamy, but I didn’t see or detect any cheddar in them. There was even some discussion at the table that they might be fake potatoes? I don’t believe that to be true, but we were underwhelmed for the prices Youseff charges.

My husband got the NY Strip. It was slightly better, but the real show stopper for me was the fried onion strips on top. They were fried delicately and perfectly. These folks really seem to know how to fry. Nothing was soggy, everything crispy and perfectly seasoned.

My other friend got the Mixed Green salad with Chicken. She loved it, but said that the chicken was dry. The salad had garbanzo beans, quinoa, carrots, pickled onions, cucumbers and tomatoes with a vinaigrette dressing. It was dressed well.

We chose 2 desserts for the table. Robert and Jeri got the Vanilla Brulee, which was reported to be fine, but nothing special. It did come with a quarter of a cookie which was a nice decoration, but really just a tease.

The other dessert was a Pineapple Upside Down cake. This was the star of the show. It was topped with a delicious vanilla bean ice cream and caramel sauce. Out of this world fresh and good. It was served warm, too.

Did we like this place? Sure, it was ok. But, for the price, there are so many better choices out there, even better choices in Hickory. The meals were hit or miss, and for half the price, I’d recommend it. Alas, I cannot.

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.

Destin

The Back Porch in Destin, FL

June 23, 2014 Suzanne StrengthLeave a comment

The Back Porch has been become somewhat of an icon for most people visiting the beach. Each night throngs of people stroll up from the beach to get a picture in the oversized beach chair and let their children play on the sand while they wait for a table. And it won’t take long, not really. It just seems long because you are hot. And sandy.

Forget your troubles. If you are a tourist, there’s no getting around it. You have to go to the Back Porch. The restaurant itself is basically outdoor seating inside. All of the windows open up to allow the beach air to flow through. Hope to sit by a window with a cross breeze. On my last 2 visits, I have not and have nearly died from heat exhaustion. A bit of an exaggeration, but my teenage son really did get sick to his stomach because he was so hot in an interior room.

We started our dinner with an order of raw oysters and an order of fried calamari. The Oysters were fresh and plump and absolutely perfect. My only complaint is that I wish they were served on a bed of ice, because they’d begun to warm up before we finished them. The calamari was crispy and tender, served with a tart marinara sauce. My kids loved them.

The crab stuffed shrimp (pictured above, blurry) were really delicious. Stuffed with crabmeat and topped with a lemony butter sauce, then broiled to a crispy perfection. The stuffed potato was creamy and cheesy and needed just a touch of salt. The Southern corn medley is studded with peppers and beans and was a flavorful accompaniment to the seafood.

My husband ordered the blackened ahi, rare. He reported that though the seasoning was delicious, his tuna was overcooked.

It’s never perfect, but it’s always good. My favorite times at the Back Porch are coming in from the beach in the afternoon for a late lunch in flip flops and a cover up. Smoked tuna dip never tasted so good.

Belmont · Restaurants

Splat! Coffee n’ such

May 11, 2014 Suzanne StrengthLeave a comment

My sister introduced me to Splat! when she brought me some delicious wedding cupcakes for my birthday. They were heavenly! Almond cake with a yummy fluffy white icing and pearl dragees. Honestly, I am not a fan of the crunchy dragees, but they were so pretty, I forgave the garnish.

Even though I admittedly went in for cupcakes, I did sample an Italian soda and it was sweet and delicious. The atmosphere is relaxed and warm, with plenty of seating.

The selection of baked goods here is small, but you are sure to find something you’ll enjoy!

Mooresville · Restaurants

Restaurant Review: Pomodoro’s in Mooresville

April 6, 2014April 7, 2014 Suzanne Strength2 Comments

Pomodoro’s is an Italian restaurant tucked into a shopping center in Mooresville. From the outside, the restaurant looks unassuming, but go on inside. It is actually larger than you would think. We arrived at 5:30 pm on a Saturday evening and were seated right away. As we were leaving an hour or so later, there was a line. Come early!

This restaurant has a ton of booths. They are straight backed, and looked to be kind of tight. I requested a table since my fused ankles don’t do well trying to get up from the booth. There were only a few in the back, which won’t be a big deal to everyone, but it was to me, so I mention it. The hostess graciously made the change for us with little fanfare.

We got a couple of appetizers for the table and both were done very well. The first was the Salt and Pepper Fried Calamari. These are served with marinara sauce for dipping. They were seasoned perfectly, breaded lightly and fried quickly until just done. There was not a tough ring on the plate. If you like Calamari, these are done well.

We also got the Bruschetta which was different than I’d had before but so delicious. The bread slices were toasted with olive oil and encircled the pile of sweet tomatoes dotted with basil, parmesan cheese and kalamata olives. All of this was drizzled with balsamic vinegar. I was expecting the bites to be tangy, as I’ve had before, but they were actually very sweet. I loved it. It was easily my favorite appetizer. Also pleasing was how crispy the bread was. The olives provided just enough salty bite to make it all work.

All of our meals came with a Garden Salad. This salad was huge! It came with a mixture of lettuces, tomatoes, black olives and shredded mozzarella cheese. All of their dressings are homemade (yes!) and I had the Ranch. It was delicious! The salad was maybe even my favorite part of the whole meal, so fresh and delicious! And I normally don’t like tomatoes, but the one on our salad was canned, and tasted perfect. I’m not sure if they were out of fresh tomatoes or if that is just the way they plate the salads, but it was wonderful!

My entrée was the Veal Marsala. I hate to report that it was terrible. The marsala sauce was very sweet and the veal was chewy and inedible. I asked for a serving of marinara sauce for my spaghetti noodles just to be able to finish the pasta. I would not recommend this dish to anyone. However, everyone else had dishes that they loved, so I am still going to recommend this restaurant. Just skip this dish.

My friend got the Sirloin Steak con Gorgonzola and said it was amazing. It was grilled to a perfect medium and served atop a creamy Gorgonzola sauce with steamed broccoli and pasta on the side. It looked wonderful!

My other friend had Zuppa di Pesce which was a soupy tomato broth filled with sautéed shrimp, clams, mussels, scallops and calamari over fettuccini noodles in a soup bowl. Though the broth was a bit watery on top, the seafood was cooked perfectly. Also, my friend discovered that when she dug from the bottom is was much more flavorful as the garlic bits and spices seemed to gather at the bottom. So, if you get this, and you should, make sure you scoop from the bottom to the top every now and again to distribute all of the goodies.

Lastly, my husband got a simple pasta dish of penne pasta with meatballs and marinara sauce. He raved about this dish. The marinara was so flavorful and well spiced, it needed nothing. The meatballs were tender and huge!

We will definitely be back to Pomodoro’s for another visit very soon. The prices were very reasonable and you get a lot of food for your money. This is truly a hidden gem.

Cornelius · Restaurants

Restaurant Review: 131 Main in Cornelius, NC

February 27, 2014September 6, 2019 Suzanne Strength1 Comment

We have been hearing forever that 131 Main was the place to go, and sure enough when we finally rolled up not long ago there were tons of people waiting to eat. I was excited, something this busy couldn’t be bad, right? Eh. I was quite let down.

Once we were finally seated, it was so dark inside we could hardly read the menu. This always vaguely annoys me. We decided on our menu orders and placed them with our frazzled waitress.

We sampled the Deviled eggs for an appetizer. I found them to be a touch too vinegary for my liking. They were pretty to look at, however.

For my entrée I had the Cajun Penne Pasta. It came with shrimp, tomatoes, scallions and sour cream and in a spicy cream sauce. It was pretty tasteless on the night we went. The shrimp were nicely cooked, but the whole dish was very bland. I was quite disappointed.

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My friend had the Slow Roasted Chicken with Smashed Reds. I didn’t get a bite, but she did seem happy and I thought the potatoes were creamy and rich.

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My date got the meatloaf with mashed potatoes and vegetables. The gravy was a creamy, mushroom gravy that was delicious, and he enjoyed the meatloaf, but it tasted as if it had been grilled to me. For his vegetable he chose a cucumber salad. Yuck.

Dessert was a Brownie Sundae thing. Chocolate is great, but this brownie was a bit dry. We were just not impressed. At all. I may go back at lunch to see if my experience is any better, but I’ll not brave the throngs again at dinner to eat here.

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Gastonia · Restaurants

Jia Asian Fusion in Gastonia, NC

January 29, 2014September 16, 2017 Suzanne Strength3 Comments

Jia is one of my favorite restaurants in Gastonia. The only problem is it is nearly in Cramerton, so if I’m out shopping on the main drag (read that Franklin Blvd.) then it is kind of a haul. But, lucky me, my sister is in Cramerton, so I usually stop by pretty often 🙂

The restaurant is small and unassuming, but we’ve never had a bad meal here. I’ve worked my way through most of the menu, and some of my favorite dishes include the calamari, spring rolls and hot and sour soup. The calamari is crispy and spiced perfectly. The spring rolls have pork and shrimp and are served with the most delicious sweet chili sauce for dipping. But my favorite appetizer is the Hot and Sour Soup. It is chock full of mushrooms and tofu and comes with crispy fried noodles. Perfect for winter!

The sushi at Jia is among the best I’ve ever had. The fish is fresh, and the rolls are innovative. If you will check out the Specials board when you enter, you’ll see some specialty rolls that aren’t on the menu and even some that are with lower prices.

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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.