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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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!
Hot and Sour Soup
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.
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!
Chipotle spiced popcornFarmhouse Lemonade
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.
Peppedew Poppers and Deviled Eggs
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.
Caesar Salad
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.
Chicken with Peruvian spices
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.
Meatloaf
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!
Farmhouse Burger
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.
BrownieWhoopie PieApple-Berry Cobbler
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.
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.
Robin Sorenson
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.
Hook and LadderNew York Steamer SubSmokehouse Beef and Cheddar Brisket
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!
This restaurant is a pretty happening place in Rock Hill! I’m not normally way down south like this, but we had business at the Piedmonth REALTOR Association, so that included a lunch. Any errand worth its salt includes lunch out, right? While Dustin picked up our Supra Key, I scrolled through Urbanspoon looking for a decent place for lunch. At 93% approval rating, I decided to give it a try and we were not disappointed.
As I mentioned, this is a very happening place. Busy, even at the late lunch hour. We started our meal with a garden salad, which was crispy fresh with homemade dressing and loaf of multi grain bread with softened butter. Both were amazing, but that bread! Nutty and warm, it was a perfect start to our meal.
Garden SaladBread and Butter
I had the Cherry Chicken Pasta. I’d read the reviews on Urbanspoon, so knew that this was the dish to try. I wasn’t disappointed. It was reminiscent of an alfredo pasta sauce with chicken and mushrooms…and cherries. The cherries l could honestly have done without, but the pasta itself was just amazing. Creamy and flavorful with tender chunks of chicken? What’s not to love.
Cherry Chicken Pasta
My husband indulged in the Old Fashion Reuben, which was gooey and crunchy, a perfect combination! The corned beef was lean, and a perfect compliment to the crunchy sauerkraut and sharp Swiss cheese. Dustin’s only complaint was that the bread was a little buttery for his constitution.
Old Fashion Reuben
If you are looking for a slightly upscale place for lunch, not so stuffy you can’t go in casual clothes, Michael’s is the place for you. I guarantee you will find something on their diverse menu that is appealing.
Bistro la Bon describes itself as humble, or at least describes its location as such, but to my way of thinking it couldn’t be more wrong. When you walk in, you are immediately immersed in the modern decor and realize that this is a place where the hip come to play. The chef, Majid Amoorpour, has over 20 years of cooking experience he brings from all over the world. You’ll find menu items from many different countries represented.
When we arrived, we had to wait in the bar for about 10 minutes while they got our table ready. I had a reservation, but 10 minutes wasn’t that big of a deal. The bar was active and full of boisterous people, so could be an exciting time for those who like such an atmosphere. Me, being a killjoy, found them loud and obnoxious. It happened to be a large party, which proved to be loud and obnoxious even in the dining area, but that isn’t Bistro’s fault. Just a personal note 🙂
Tomato Bisque
But the fooooooood more than made up for the noisy atmosphere of a few toasted diners. We began our meal with tomato bisque and a shrimp and cornbread appetizer. The tomato bisque was creamy and smooth, with a velvety tomato flavor with just a hint of basil. It was the perfect cup of soup.
Shrimp with Cornbread
The shrimp with cornbread was a small plate (tapas) and utterly perfect. The shrimp were plump and perfectly seasoned in this spicy sauce with shallots and garlic and the cornbread was sweet and moist. I wish I could make an entree out of it!
Fish with Lentils
For my entree, I ordered the pan seared fish with lentils. I am desperately trying to remember what kind of fish it is, but all I can tell you is it was delicious. Perfectly tender and flaky, and the sauce was light yet tangy. The lentils were also flavorful and soft.
Airline Chicken
Dustin had the airline chicken, which was glazed with a cherry sauce and set atop a bed of couscous. He said it was the most tender chicken he’d eaten. Couscous is not usually my favorite, but this was spiced perfectly and savory.
Vanilla Bean Creme Fraiche Panna Cotta with Seasonal Fruits & Berries
Dustin got the Panna Cotta for dessert. It was merely a vanilla custard accomapanied by stewed fruits and some whipped cream. I found it not decadent enough, but Dustin found it light and refreshing. I think this dessert will appeal to those who don’t have much of a sweet tooth. My dessert was miles better.
Oh, here it is! This bread pudding is the best I’ve had. Creamy and warm, a perfect set up for the cold, intensely vanilla ice cream and the sweet, buttery caramel sauce. I have no idea what the little crunchies were on the side, but yeah, I gobbled them, too. A perfect end to a perfect evening!
Dish is a wonderful find in Charlotte. It is eclectic, but only to a certain extent. The dishes are purely Southern, but only if your grandmother was a hippy. When you enter Dish, you will have to stand at the door and look around for a minute. The outside doesn’t do justice to the interior. It’s really very fun and funky. The waitstaff is much the same. Each is an individual and the times I’ve been, quite nice and helpful.
We tried the Fried Green Tomatoes for our appetizers. They were tart and crispy, and perfectly seasoned with just the right amount of crunch from the golden brown spheres. These are served with a very refreshing horseradish sauce that is spiked with dill.
Fried Green Tomatoes
For my lunch, I chose the soup and salad, since I was a little full from the Fried Green Tomatoes. That was kind of dumb, in retrospect. The salad was fine, with the homemade Ranch dressing, which is always a must, but the soup was oddly chunky and not velvelty smooth. I just couldn’t get a taste for it. And Tomato basil soup is my favorite, so that is really saying something. As you can see from the picture, my plate came with a deviled egg. Creamy and rich, it was delicious.
Soup and Salad
No matter. My son got the Chicken and Dumplings which arrived with fresh fruit and a huge biscuit, and of course, the deviled egg. The dumplings were soft yet chewy, with plenty of tender chicken. It was nicely seasoned and very thick. The fresh fruit was a disappointment. Does anyone really like cantaloupe? The biscuit was fluffy and warm and the top was glistening with butter. It was just good food.
Chicken and Dumplings
Dish is a lovely restaurant, and a must-hit if you are in Plaza Midwood.
barenakedchefsaidso.com 
