Review: Wild East Pan Asian Bistro

How could I have come this far with Charlotte Food Talk without writing about this gem.  Wild East Pan Asian Bistro is the first restaurant I went to in Charlotte on a Moms Night Out, and it quickly became one of my family’s favorites.  We generally go for the sushi, but they offer such a variety of great food that it will also appeal to those crazy folks who don’t like sushi. 

So why haven’t I written about this little gem before?  Earlier this year, an electric fire caused Wild East to shut down for an extended period of time.  That didn’t stop owner Steve Li, however, Wild East has been back with a vengance since June, and we’ve eaten there several times since.  The quality, if anything, has improved. 

Before the fire, we could count on getting seating at Wild East easily, with no wait.  Nowadays, the restaurant has become much more popular, which I like to see.  A weekend may find you waiting for a little (a very little, fortunately) while before seating.  It is a lovely setting, not too casual, not too fancy, and the staff is incredibly friendly.  I have never had a complaint.  They have always been very kind to my son (who can devour more than one serving of the beef satay in an evening).  In fact, the restaurant is full of both families and adults (it’s our go to restaurant for adult guests as well).

They have a lovely drink selection, my favorite is the sake and plum wine martini (I can’t remember the name of the drink, but you’ll know it when you visit). 

I have to admit, despite Elena’s review of New Zealand Café; Wild East is my favorite sushi spot in town.  The sushi is absolutely lovely, fresh and delicious.  The less traditional rolls are fun and flavorful (my favorite is the Rock and Roll).  I’ve always wanted to try their Omakase (chef’s choice) plates (there are two, one for $28 and one – that should feed two easily – for $55), but that will wait for a future visit.

On the occasions where we order something else besides sushi, we enjoy the crispy beef with tamarind sauce, which we discovered at our Washington, DC Chinese take out restaurant of choice; Mei Wah.  Wild East is the only restaurant we’ve found in Charlotte with this dish.  The Pad Thai is terrific, but I still prefer Thai Orchid, perhaps only because that particular restaurant was very close to our house before our recent move. 

The fact is, I’ve tried many things on the menu here, and not once come home dissatisfied – quite the opposite; they need to roll me home.  The shining star at Wild East, at least in my eyes, is their sushi and their service.

Wild East Pan Asian Bistro

6420 Carmel Road

Charlotte, NC, 28226

(704) 341-2228

http://www.wildeast-bistro.com/

Apologies and a dinner recipe

It seems that in the past few weeks we've been abandoning the blog.  I promise that it isn't so.  After a week of being incredibly busy, my son contracted what I have been referring to as "The Plague", but is rather less extreme.  It starts with a fever, (pink eye in my son's case), and moves on to become a stomach flu.  

Want to know what makes you want to write about food less than having your toddler come down with the stomach flu?  Well, getting it yourself.  That's right, after spending a week in quarantine with my son, I spent another week in solitary confinement bed myself.  Thankfully, my husband and fabulous friends made my life substantially easier.  Finally, we are healthy again, and ready to start eating.  But, since my ability to eat out has been severely cut back this past week, I am going to share a recipe I have been meaning to post in any case!

Recently I found myself searching for a good white bean soup recipe, due to a large amount of leftover dried white beans from an earlier project.  I opted to go a modified version of this recipe from Williams Sonoma.  The first, and biggest, difference between mine and the Williams Sonoma recipe is the use of dried, rather than canned cannellini beans, but I also added white wine and replaced the chicken with veggie broth, but I would have used fresh chicken stock in a heartbeat, if I had had some at the time, and I played with the veggies and pancetta a bit.  Instead of serving it with the tapanade and croustini that they suggest, I went for kale, after two friends mentioned that their children had wolfed down these kale chips.  But I did have some bread to use, so, clearly, that was destined for garlic bread.

WHITE BEAN SOUP

INGREDIENTS

• Olive oil, as necessary
• One package pancetta, chopped (I take off the big fatty bits because we're trying to reduce fat in our house)
• One yellow onion
• Three carrots
• Three stalks of celery
• 6 garlic cloves
• 1 1/4  pounds of dried cannellini beans, soaked overnight and rinsed
• one box vegetable broth
• ½ c white wine
• thyme
• salt
• pepper
• ½ c Parmigiano-Reggiano 

·      INSTRUCTIONS

1. Cook the rinsed cannellini beans in unsalted broth until tender.  Set aside.
2. Chop onion, carrots, and celery.    Mince garlic cloves.
3. Saute pancetta until crisp, then add onion, carrots, and celery and continue to sauté until the vegetables are starting to soften.  Add garlic, and sauté one more minute.  Add to the beans.  Add wine and thyme.  Bring to simmer and  cook for 10-15 minutes.  Add salt and pepper to taste.
4. Blend about ½ - ¾ of the soup until smooth, depending on how chunky you want it.  Add blended soup back in, mix it, and keep warm until serving.

KALE CHIPS

INGREDIENTS

• Kale
• Olive Oil
• Salt

INSTRUCTIONS

1. Set oven to 300 degrees. 
2. Wash kale.  Remove center stem and cut into 2-3 inch pieces.  
3. Toss until lightly coated with olive oil and add a bit of salt (it doesn’t take too much).  
4. Spread evenly in one layer on cookie sheet (you may want to line the sheet with parchment paper) bake until crisp, usually between 15-20 minutes.  
5. Remove chips and try not to eat them all before dinner!

GARLIC BREAD

INGREDIENTS

• Crusty bread, sliced
• ¼-½  c Olive oil
• 6 cloves Garlic, minced

INSTRUCTIONS

1. In a small saucepan, heat olive oil and garlic.  Remove from heat as soon as it starts to sizzle, before garlic browns.   
2. Set oven on a low broil.  
3. Lay bread on cookie sheet and toast one side of the bread, watching to make sure it doesn't burn.
4. Remove bread, turn over the slices on the cookie sheet, and brush with the garlic and olive oil.  
5. Place back in oven and, watching carefully to make sure it doesn’t burn, broil until golden on the edges.

Review: Copper

My first brush with Copper came shortly after moving here, when we began our search for a good Indian meal (yes, I will get back to Mexican, but let’s move around the world a bit).  I was sick, and my husband discovered that you can, indeed, carry out from Copper, so he brought us some food, which was fine, but not great, considering the prices.  That was well over a year ago.

Then, driving through Dilworth on New Years Day, we passed by the lovely homey building that is Copper and decided to stop in for dinner.  It was terrific.  We had some amazing food, lovely service, and a great time.  Our son came with us, and was not the only toddler in the room (mostly he’s pretty well behaved at restaurants).  Shortly afterward, I began Charlotte Food Talk, and after the Living Social deal became available, my husband and I were excited to revisit that meal.

Then last week, we did.  And were we disappointed.  Not really with the food.  Well, ok, maybe with the food.  After eating at some amazing Bengali restaurants in the largely Bengali neighborhood of Jackson Heights in New York this past weekend, the meal at Copper fades quickly in comparison.  Why, you might ask?  Read on.

We started with the gunpowder prawns, which were good, but not worth the price.  Then we continued with some relatively traditional dishes, murgh tikka masala (Chicken in creamy tomato sauce) and goat cheese-vegetable “roasted koftas”.  We also had some naan on the side, because who can resist tandoori breads?  It was good.  Just…  Good.

Maybe, however, it would have been better had the service improved.  But it didn’t.  After sitting us down at a table our server pretty much ignored us, and was absolutely uninterested when he finally came around to give us water.  My son never got his water (at our last visit it was served with grace and good humor).  The time between the water service and anyone coming to take the drink order, let alone the food order, was interminable (at one point we did ask someone else to get our server).  When the waiter finally did come around, I ordered a cocktail, which he warned me was very strong.  I would not normally find this annoying; I am a bit of a lightweight when it comes to holding my alcohol.  However, this, coupled with the rest of the service, set my hair on end. 

By the time we had finally finished with the food, we were more than ready to leave.  Forget dessert (disappointingly, because their dessert menu looked great), I wasn’t ready to face our server again.  Even with the $40 voucher from Living Social, we still managed to spend $30, including tip. 

So, we decided that Copper is, unfortunately, a bit of a hit or miss.  Frankly, if you were looking for a place to have a really good, classy Indian meal, I would suggest making the drive to their sister restaurant in Ballentyne, The Blue Taj, where I have yet to have a bad meal or bad service.  And yes, that review is coming soon.

~Aurora

Copper Restaurant

311 East Boulevard

Charlotte, NC 28203

704-333-0063

http://www.copperrestaurant.com

Zink Giveaway Results!

Apologies for the late notice! I've been busy with a trip to New York and a fun time getting a crown at the dentist (aren't you jealous? at least half-jealous?)

Ok, so, the moment you've all been waiting for:  The winner of our gift certificate to Zink is Lisa C, random.org number 7!  Congratulations Lisa!  I'll be in touch with you shortly.  Enjoy your dinner!

Giveaway! Zink, American Kitchen

I really love promoting restaurant events.  It supports local business, everyone gets to eat good food, etc.  So when I heard that Zink, I restaurant I've been meaning to go visit anyway, was doing a Facebook fan drive I was, naturally, excited by the news.  If they reach 750 fans by September 30, they will have a special celebration for said fans on October 5.

But, I don’t like to talk about restaurants I haven’t yet tried (I don’t mind putting the news out there in our current events column, but I don’t blog about it).  So, I tried to go to lunch using a handy Living Social deal I've had tucked away.  Unfortunately, my various attempts at taking people out to lunch failed (seriously, who DOESN’T want a free lunch!).  However, fate intervened and the lovely folks at Zink stepped in and invited me to dine.  So, please note my review may be a bit biased. 

When I got to the restaurant (15 minutes late, thanks to some car issues), I wasn’t sure how hungry I was going to be, but as I stepped in, the lovely scent of the kitchen began to convince me I could probably eat.  We sat down at the inviting booth, and began our lunch.  I looked over the menu, and couldn’t quite make up my mind, so my dining companion suggested the flatbread.  I started with a shrimp and local squash flatbread with sweet (caramelized) onions and goat cheese.  Some people may object to the amount of onion on the flatbread, however, I could eat solely caramelized onions for a meal and be quite content, so it wasn’t a problem for me.  The summer squash was perfect, and the shrimp and goat cheese added the perfect flavor.  It was sweet, smoky and delicious.

As I go back to the menu, I can’t imagine how I settled on the crab cakes.  I don’t know why I didn’t try the lobster club, or the fish tacos, or the duck leg (which my dining companion had, and it looked amazing, with a generous side of rich and creamy mac ‘n cheese).  Why didn’t we get the truffle-parmesean housemade fries, or the blue cheese potato chips, or any of the “Five and Dime” $10 entrees.  The menu is full of terrific sounding items that could take a while to go through.  The menu items average around $12, a perfect price for lunch.  The portions are perfect, with enough to take home if you want to, but not so much that you will be useless for the rest of the day if you eat it all.

Back to the crab cakes.  They were amazing.  The two cakes were on a bed of baby greens, peaches, and pickled onions.  The dressing wasn’t my favorite, but the peaches were terrific, the crab cakes were delightful, and the pickled onions added the right amount of zing. 

Unfortunately, I had to run out before we could take on the idea of dessert (to pick up my son at school), but I will be back (I still have that Living Social deal, which runs out later this week, so I’ll be back very soon!). 

Most importantly, you, too, can be treated to a meal at Zink, as they are partnering with Charlotte Food Talk to bring you $50 to spend at Zink.  To enter this giveaway, you must be a fan of Charlotte Food Talk on Facebook and be a fan of Zink on Facebook.  You can have an optional second entry if you sign up to follow Charlotte Food Talk on Twitter.  To enter, fill out the form below, and be sure to include your email address and phone number so we can contact you.  The contest will end on October 2 at noon.  We will announce the winner (chosen, as usual, by random.org) on October 3.

Giveaway Closed

Review: Customshop

Our server comes by to ask about our meal, my husband looks at me, “Can I tell her what you just told me?” 

“Sure!” I enthusiastically reply. 

“She declared it was the best meal she’s had in Charlotte!” he says triumphantly. And he is right.  Our dinner at Customshop was, so far, the most incredible meal I’ve eaten in Charlotte to date.  Of course I’ve had some great meals over the last year (have you read my reviews?), but this one was transcendent.  My husband agreed, and that takes a lot.

We walked into Customshop to find a lovely spacious bar in front, and the tables spread out over a reasonable sized area.  The lighting was just right, dimmed, but not dimmed so much that you have to squint to see your food (a pet peeve of mine in higher-end restaurants).  My husband aptly described the music as “chill.”  It was a good mix, we definitely could hear it, but it didn’t take over conversation (except for the few minutes when we discussed the atmosphere).  The décor is tasteful, setting the stage for a brilliant meal.

Customshop is founded around the idea of “handcrafted food,” each dish beginning with quality raw ingredients.  Much of their ingredients are locally sourced, and, thus the menu changes every week to accommodate the availability of ingredients year-round.

After a bit of a search to find the drinks menu (wine is on the back of the main menu, ask for the dessert menu for the cocktail selection), we started off with a drink, my husband had a Manhattan, which he assures me was good – I am not a fan.  I settled on a glass of 2008 Salentein Killka Malbec, and it took a good deal of self control not to order an entire bottle for myself.

Then we had to choose our food.  It’s not an overwhelmingly large menu, ; a few raw items, a cheese and charcuterie plate, and a few starters, but they all sound so good, it becomes impossible to choose.  We decided to forgo the cheese plate (hard to do), and share a starter, settling on the beef carpaccio, with the help of our server.  What a good choice.  The meat was melt-in-your-mouth delicious, paper-thin, and not a hint of chewiness.  It was sprinkled with fresh horseradish, lemon and celery sprouts, lending it a bit of a punch, similar to sushi with a hint of wasabi. 

Eventually, we had to return to reality and decide on a main course.  My husband wanted to try one of the four pasta choices, and was eventually swayed toward the saffron fettuccini with Carolina shrimp, oyster mushrooms and pancetta.  I was split between the duck confit, the short rib, the yellow fin tuna, the half rabbit, and the tilefish – not quite the whole menu, but almost.  Eventually, I chose on the short rib (both decisions were aided by our lovely server).  Neither of us was disappointed.  The fettuccini was fresh and delicious, the shrimp was perfectly spiced, and the sauce was wonderful, with plenty of mushrooms and pancetta to go around.

The short rib was the star of the show.  It was nothing short of amazing.  The meat was so tender that, though I had a steak knife, it was unnecessary, my husband cut off a piece with his dinner knife, and the meat separated at the slightest touch.  The flavor was perfect, sweet, but tempered by the grilled escarole and it’s slightly too salty topping (It was hard, but I managed to eat it anyway).  The cipollini marmalade included a roasted whole onion on the side, which I had to fight my husband for.

As we approached the restaurant for dinner, my husband had noted that Elizabeth Creamery was next door and suggested we go for a bite after dinner.  After our meal, however, he changed his mind.  We leisurely ordered the chocolate soufflé (which, the menu notes, is a 15 minute wait, so order ahead if you are in a bit of a hurry), and enjoyed our post-meal daze.  Soon our dessert arrived, and was everything a chocolate soufflé should be: liquid chocolate in the center, surrounded by a nice crisp shell.  If you truly are not in the mood for one of their three dessert selections, check out their cocktails or various digestifs. 

We left that evening completely satisfied, but not uncomfortably full.  We strolled down Elizabeth Avenue back to our car hand in hand, reflecting on the past couple of hours and planning our next visit, to try their brunch. 

~Aurora

Customshop Food

1601 Elizabeth Avenue

Charlotte, NC 28204

704-333-3396

CSA Tuesday #2 (on Sunday)

I know, I know. My CSA Tuesday got delayed by some time-sensitive reviews (don’t forget to vote for Hickory Tavern for best sports bar in the United States!). But I want first to give you a run down of the first week of the CSA:

I listed our food for the week in this post.

I did end up making this watermelon soup. It’s absolutely amazing, I love the sweet watermelon with the spicy flavor, and added quite a bit of Tabasco sauce. But it took up a small fraction of the watermelon. So, I invited some of the girls over to eat watermelon one afternoon and I juiced the rest. Watermelon juice is very refreshing, and has the added benefit of being very healthy. The strawberry-watermelon martinis that were made from some of the juice were probably not quite as healthy, however, but amazingly satisfying (my husband came up with the recipe, but stuck with a bourbon and coke for himself).

We were a little scared of the okra (and we had quite a lot), but it was awesome. We grilled it one night and had enough left over to try a recipe from this book by Madhur Jaffrey. We ended up making a recipe called “dry okra,” rather than the sweet and sour okra. It is basically just okra fried up with lots of spices, most of the onions, and lemon juice. If you have a ton of okra, and don’t know what to do with it, check out her book. Yum.

The red peppers I did end up roasting, but then I blended them with some of the garlic, which I also roasted, sautéed an onion, and tossed the red pepper sauce, onions and pasta together. It was terrific. I used to live in an area of the world where red peppers were as cheap as tomatoes, and I really miss making roasted red pepper pasta sauce.

The rest of the garlic, basil and the hot peppers were used as fillers in a few of those dishes (I still have a few hot peppers left) while the grapes and purple peppers were eaten raw as side items. The week was a success and we had a very delicious selection of food to choose from.  I was very excited to head to Atherton Mills Farmers Market on Tuesday and pick up our second box.

For CSA Tuesday #2 we received the following:

• Feta cheese
• A watermelon
• A green pepper
• Several purple peppers
• Three red peppers
• Several handfuls of okra
• Three onions
• One head of garlic
• A bag of grapes
• Three pears

Stay tuned for my week #2 rundown (on Tuesday this time, I promise)!

~Aurora

Review: A Shout-Out to the Hickory Tavern

A few days ago, I received an email about The Hickory Tavern, a bar in Charlotte that has been nominated for ESPN’s “Best Sports Bar in North America”?  Naturally, that piqued my interest, but I never write about a place that I haven’t tried, so I immediately called my husband and asked him if he would like to go try a sports bar that night for a review.  He enthusiastically agreed and we left soon after he came home from work.  There are several locations in Charlotte, and 13 locations around North Carolina and Spartanburg, SC.  We chose Ballentyne for practical reasons, though their next location, opening this fall in the Metropolitan, will be even more convenient. 

From the moment they opened the door to let us in, the Hickory Tavern staff were terrific.  The service was quick and the conversation was friendly.  In short, just what you want from a restaurant staff when you head out to watch the game. And you can certainly watch the game.  Hickory Tavern provides a generously spaced room with televisions surrounding the entire room.  It is clean and easy to watch whatever you want to watch (although we weren’t there on a packed night), and has plenty of entertainment for fans of all sport.

One thing that interested me most about Hickory Tavern was how kid friendly it was.  A nice big space, they have a wide selection on their kids menu that will appeal to even the most picky child.  Most kids meals ran around $5-$6.  Mine chose the chicken quesadilla and a side of mandarin oranges. The quesadilla is absolutely terrific: I may have to get that for myself next time (it is, thankfully, on the adult menu)!

We adults started with the thick-cut Tavern potato chips, the perfect appetizer.  They are served with “Mexi-Ranch dressing”, which reminded me of one of my favorite bar selections in Australia: chips (fries) and sweet chili sour cream.  There are plenty of other classic bar appetizers to choose from, like nachos, cheese sticks and chili to oysters and seared Ahi tuna. 

Both of us were in a hamburger sort of mood.  I chose the Hickory BBQ burger (applewood smoked bacon, jack and cheddar, lettuce, tomato, onions, pickles, BBQ sauce), while my husband went for the California burger (pepper jack, avocado, sautéed mushrooms, thousand island dressing, lettuce, tomatoes, onions).  We both ordered slightly pink, and were disappointed at how slightly “slightly” was (a function of regulations, not the bar).  The burger is enormous; we would have preferred more appetizers and a smaller main course, especially if we had been there long enough to watch a game.  I chose the vegetable of the day (zucchini and summer squash) as my side, while my husband went for the classic French fries.  Both were good, mine were better the next day.  I would have gone with the crab legs, but unfortunately they are not available this year.  I have to give them credit for not serving poor quality seafood, but I think the shrimp and grits are next on my list.

We were pleased with the beer selection, which is, like many good bars in Charlotte, quite extensive.  I ordered their “Discovery Beer of the Month”, the Chimay White Triple, and was surprised when I got the whole bottle (before I’ve only had a glass).  We happily split it – both of us are fans of Chimay anyway. 

And then there was dessert.  We went for the brownie sundae, our favorite family dessert, and it was great.  I enjoy chocolate chips in my brownie, and so often they are left out of restaurant brownies, but not here.  This was my son’s introduction to brownie sundaes, it did not disappoint. 

We had a great time, and we plan to support this North Carolina establishment, and vote for them every day until Monday.  If you want to vote for them, head to The Hickory Tavern website and click “Vote Here”.  If they win, they and their patrons will get a “Monday Night Football viewing experience” with ESPN.  Voting is open until 10AM on Monday, August 29.

In short, if you are looking for a great bar with good food to go watch that game.  Whatever game that is, Hickory Tavern is the place for you.  You can go with the boys, the girls, or even your family, for lunch or dinner and be assured of a good time.

~Aurora

The Hickory Tavern – Ballantyne location

12210 Copper Way, Suite 212

Charlotte, NC 28277

704-295-9009

Providence Cafe

While I was unsure what to order at Providence Café, I was highly impressed with the grilled tarragon-dijon salmon. Served with the perfect amount of spice, it boasts a marvelous flavor while not being overpowering. Combined with spinach infused risotto, the pairing is mouth-watering.

The parmesan encrusted flounder is an excellent choice for a mild fish. The breading gives a nice crunch and the leek risotto is creamy and packed with a punch. The large grilled asparagus finish off the dish nicely. The portion is ample and could be shared if in the mood for a light meal.

Topped with a delicious aioli sauce, the grilled angus burger was served to perfection. Oozing with flavor and hard to put down, you will be pleasantly surprised by the tenderness of this burger. My husband ordered this sandwich medium-well (which I generally deem overcooked), but the juiciness was unspoiled by the temperature of the burger.

The atmosphere is charming. Gray Leather booths with bronze nail heads line the windows with quaint wood tables in the middle. Natural plants paired with elegant white moldings and soft music keep the ambiance relaxing.



You will find a beautiful bar to your right as you enter.




The fresh daily homemade focaccia bread is spectacular. Topped with a light layer of rosemary and cheddar cheese the aroma is spectacular.

I know it will be difficult, but be sure not to overstuff yourself with the focaccia, as you must savor the fabulous desserts.

Coffee lovers must try the cappuccino ice cream pie. Who doesn’t like homemade coffee ice cream slathered in chocolate ganache and fresh whipped cream?




If chocolate is your vice then try “come to the dark side”. This dark chocolate cake filled with dark chocolate mousse and ganache is a rich,winning combination.




Offering live music as well as brunch, Providence Café is a definite Charlotte culinary gem. When you can, be sure to see for yourself.

~Stephanie

110 Perrin Place
Charlotte, NC 28207
(704) 376-2008
Open Mon-Thu 11am-10pm;
Fri-Sat 11am-11pm;
Sun 10am-10pm

Review: Growlers Pourhouse

As a food blogger, I love sites like Groupon and Living Social, which allow me to eat out without breaking the bank.  So one night, when my husband and I had the rare opportunity to go out on a date child-free, I went online, did a quick search of what we had available and decided to go to Growlers Pourhouse.  You may recall that we stopped by Growlers on our way to dinner at it’s sister restaurant, Crepe Cellar.  I had been craving some good craft beer and wanted to check them out again.  So off we went.

Growlers Pourhouse states on its website “What we’ve got is simple: Craft Beer and Beer Food”.  Nothing could be truer.  They have a small, yet terrific, rotating beer menu with a handful of beers which change often, so every time you go, you may find yourself with a new selection to chose from. 

The menu consists of snacks (popcorn, pretzel, nachos, soup and chili), five selections of chips and dip, two salads, oysters, shrimp, five sausages, four paninis and three desserts, along with a selection of six side items.  They also have a cheese and beer pairing that I want to try next time I find myself at Growlers (and there will be a next time.  Hopefully soon.).

It may not seem like much, but what they do, they do incredibly well.  We shared a sausage plate (two sausages and two sides) and had the bourbon beans and housemade potato chips with beer cheese.  We chose the beer brat with juniper berry kraut and the sweet Italian sausage with peppers and onions. Everything was perfection.  The brat and the sweet Italian sausage were both delicious, the bourbon beans were flavorful, and we ended up ordering a second order of chips and beer cheese, because we couldn’t quite stand the thought of being finished yet.  The star of the show, of course, is the beer.  We tried three different beers (I was driving, it was a celebration for my husband), all of which were interesting and all but one I would order again.

Growlers also hosts several events.  Their most recent event was a beer and oyster pairing (although among the very few things I don't eat are bivalves...).  Earlier this month they had a beer education event, which is much more to my personal taste (though give me a beer and cheese tasting any day).

As for the bar itself, it is very spacious, with a magnificent community table near the center of the room, which at second glance is a door with iron trimmings.  A few booths and the bar line the room.  I do wish there was more seating, it seems a bit sparse for a bar that must have a ton of overflow from the Crepe Cellar next door. 

But that is my only real complaint.  And that only because we had to wait a few minutes before we could both sit down and order food.  If you are looking for a good night out at the pub, with some good beers that you may not have had opportunity to try, be sure to head to Growlers Pourhouse.  Open until two in the morning every night but Sunday (when it closes at one), you can get food until midnight (11 on Sunday).  For beer lovers and beer foodies alike, it will provide exactly what you are looking for.

~Aurora

Growlers Pourhouse

3120 North Davidson Street

Charlotte, NC 28205

www.growlerspourhouse.com

704.910.6566

CSA Tuesday #1

I joined a CSA.  After two weeks of anticipation, I got my first box today, and I’m excited to share the box contents and my plans for the box for the next fifteen weeks!

CSA stands for Community Supported Agriculture, and it is a great way for people to get good, fresh local produce weekly.  You buy a “share” in the produce, and you receive a (mostly) weekly box of food.  There are dairy, meat and vegetable CSAs available, you just have to do some searching.  It isn’t for everyone, and it isn’t financially practical unless you use all of the food.

Guest Blog: Food And Water Watch

A few weeks ago, the folks at Food and Water Watch emailed us with some information about their events near Charlotte.  I asked them if they wanted to write a blog post about the work that they are doing right now.

****

Cargill made big news this week. On Thursday the company announced that it was recalling 36 million pounds of turkey meat. Already, at least 76 people have gotten sick from salmonella poisoning and 1 person has died from the outbreak. This isn’t the first time we’ve heard about a recall like this. Think back to the spinach recall on spinach, Skippy Peanut Butter recall, Smithfield Pork , and others– all in one year! .And what about all the pesticides on our food, GMO produce, and factory farms? These scares are getting a lot of people to question what we are eating and where our food comes from. Shouldn’t our food system allow us to make safe and healthy choices?

Winner: Cowfish Giveaway!

Apologies for being a couple of hours late!  But the numbers are in, and Random.org did it's job of picking random number 15.  So congratulations to Penny D!!!

We will be in touch with the winner soon, thank you all who participated.

We will have another giveaway soon, so keep your eyes out and join us again!

Review: Pasta and Provisions

In a nondescript storefront on Providence between Queens and Wendover, there is a small piece of Italy called Pasta and Provisions.  If you have recently moved into a new home in South Charlotte, you may know them from the pile of welcome coupons you so often receive.  If you’re thinking about throwing that coupon away, don’t.  It’s worth the visit.

It’s a bit difficult to navigate around the store, everything is close together, and it may take you a few minutes to get oriented, but once you have your food, it’s worth it. It is part deli, part grocery, part pasta store, with a wall devoted to wine.  It's not the place for food shopping on a budget, but the store has everything you'll need for a romantic meal, and much of it is specialty items.  You would certainly pay more for the same quality food at a restaurant.

Cowfish Giveaway!

Since the time that I wrote my first review on The Cowfish, I've become a much bigger fan of the restaurant.  I've been many more times, I've taken my whole family.  We've gone to celebrate various events, visitors, dates.  In short, The Cowfish is quickly becoming an institution in my family.  Much of what I had trouble with in the article has been taken care of (I recently added a brief update to the review to reflect that change).  The long menu, one of it's most confusing and most delicious traits, remains.

Review: Amelie's French Bakery

Have you ever seen the 2001 movie Le Fabuleux Destin d’Amelie Poulain, known in the United States simply as Amelie? This unique film is nothing short of, well, fabulous. It is smart and quirky and fun, though quite dark humor.

Of course, I’m not reviewing the movie (but watch it). Rather, I’m here to tell you about a place that reminds me a bit of the movie whenever I walk in (and not just because of the name): Amelie’s French Bakery. Amelie’s is truly a Charlotte institution. When my sister and niece came to visit, just after I moved to Charlotte, Amelie’s was on their must try list.

A Taste of Nova Scotia

I'm back!  And alive!  My parents' goutweed experiment proved tasty, and we all survived.  It made for a very lovely soup, made with potato, leek and mushroom, as well as the goutweed, much like a warm vichyssois, but with mushroom and goutweed.

In the meantime, I enjoyed every bit of my time in Canada.  Along with sailing and beach time, we did a lot of eating.  The first day I was there, I discovered that my parents had gone without me to a smokehouse, where they bought three different kinds of smoked fish: smoked mackerel, cold smoked salmon (just smoked, no heat, known in the U.S. as lox), and “cajun style” hot smoked salmon (both heated and smoked). This is possibly the most amazing smoked fish I’ve had in a long time.The lox melted in my mouth, the mackerel was delightfully smoky and mild, and the hot smoked salmon was delightful.

Something Classic Cafe

Something Classic Café is an interesting concept; it offers traditional café style lunches and dinner, as well as catering and a large assortment of freshly made ready to-go take out items. From soup, brisket, and casseroles to watermelon salad, the take out menu is ever-changing and is always interesting.

A Pocketful of Porcini

I consider my parents the ultimate locovores.  When most people talk about eating local, they mean produce from local farms and family gardens.  But when my parents talk about eating local, they mean exploring the native vegetation and trying out what grows in an area naturally. 

I have been visiting a lovely small town in Nova Scotia (hence the recent lack of blog posts – Internet is difficult here), where my my parents have a summer home.  This summer, they have been enthusiastic about trying out “goutweed” (or more pleasantly, “bishop’s weed”), a decorative plant that has run wild throughout the town.  Ok, technically it is not “native,” but near enough.  They have an entire field of these pretty, yet invasive, plants, so, upon finding that it was edible, they decided to do an experiment.  I will tell you  more about that as it unfolds (provided I’m not in the hospital).

Monterrey Mexican Restaurant

I was recently shopping in Pineville and worked up an appetite. We decided to use our Entertainment book and scout out nearby restaurants. We came across Monterrey Mexican and although we could only find a few reviews, they seemed to be favorable.

My first impression was not great. Located in a sad-looking strip mall, the building and signage had zero curb appeal. The atmosphere inside was somewhat dreary and I could see that the sides of the booths had "food film" built up around the sides (not what I want to notice before ordering). They did have a 91.0 sanitation score posted. Although, it could have been higher, it was still an acceptable rating to calm my dirty kitchen fears.

Review - PURE Taqueria

Suffice it to say I was truly elated to hear about a new Mexican joint coming to my part of town. Its not very often we get a new restaurant that generates buzz out here in the Matthews/Indian Trail area, in fact I think this is the first time since moving here over a year ago that there has been ANY restaurant opening in this area that warranted a visit.

Pizza Peel Giveaway Winner!

Thank you to all who participated in the Pizza Peel Giveaway.  And, of course, many thanks to the Pizza Peel.  The CFT girls got together and ordered from the Pizza Peel last night, and it was as terrific as ever.  If you haven't begun to follow them on Facebook, you should, you'll get updates on their specials and other breaking news.  Plus, they are giving away one pizza a day until they reach 750 fans!  You could be next!

Congratulations to our winner Nikki J!!  You are the proud recipient of $25 for the Pizza Peel.  We will be in touch with an email shortly:)

Review: Paco's Tacos and Tequila

When I mentioned I was craving Mexican food, a friend of mine suggested we go have lunch at Paco’s Tacos.  I started giggling, Paco’s Tacos??  But I went anyway, and was happily surprised.  Sadly, I have forgotten to bring my camera during my several visits, so I will have to add photos later.

The restaurant is tucked away behind Williams Sonoma, just across the street from SouthPark Mall.  It is a bit dark inside, and appears cramped until you sit down.  I have always sat at the booths on the “lower” level, just a few steps down after you enter the restaurant.  It is right next to the window, so it seems much lighter.

Announcing A Giveaway! $25 for the Pizza Peel and Tap Room

The good folks at The Pizza Peel and Tap Room liked our review so much that they are giving us $25 to give back to you as our first giveaway here at Charlotte Food Talk. We are very excited to bring this giveaway to you, and look forward to offering more in the future.

Fill out the form below to enter. Make sure to leave your name and a valid email address, so we can send the prize. You have three opportunities to enter this giveaway (each of these things will count as one entry):

1. "Like" Charlotte Food Talk on Facebook. Our page can be found here.
2. "Like" The Pizza Peel and Tap Room on Facebook. Their page can be found here.
3. Sign up to follow Charlotte Food Talk publicly through blogger.

The responses will be numbered as we receive them. The contest will close on June 14, and winner will be chosen via random.org and posted on Wednesday, June 15.

In addition to this giveaway, the Pizza Peel is giving away one free 8" pizza a day until they reach 750 fans on Facebook. All you have to do to enter is write "I love the Pizza Peel" on their wall. So you have a chance to win twice!  Good luck everyone!

Contest closed.

*Please keep in mind that we are not paid by restaurants to review their food. All our reviews are opinions of the authors, based on their personal experience. We try to eat objectively and remain anonymous until we have formed an opinion of the restaurant. *

Beer, Bikes and BBQ: A Review of Mac's Speedshop

The entrance of Mac's Speedshop

This is a hard review for me to write because it's the first time I've had to write a review about a place that I have been to this many times.  Mac's Speedshop was the first place I went for a meal in Charlotte (well, after Bojangles the night we arrived).  Mac's has three locations, Lake Norman, Steel Creek and Southend.  This review speaks specifically to the Southend location.  But why, exactly, do I find myself returning to Mac's so often? 

Cabo Fish Taco

Recently, I had family visiting and since they are taco lovers, I knew I had to take them somewhere to satisfy their tortilla craving. So I did my research and after careful consideration, I thought that heading out to the artsy Noda district to dine at Cabo Fish taco was the remedy for our cause.

Review: San Antonio's Modern Mexican, A taste of the southwest?

I’m from Southern Arizona. I say this because I expect a certain type and quality of food when it comes to Mexican fare. I either want Baja style or good old Sonoran comfort food. Yes, I know there is a lot more to Mexican cuisine, but that’s what I grew up with. However, I’ve learned to accept that cheese crisps (tortillas slathered in butter with cheese melted on top, best served with heaping portions of guacamole) are replaced with quesadillas outside of Arizona.

Summer Fun: The low down on Charlotte farmers markets

I have a small addiction to farmers markets.  It’s a great way to get fresh produce and chat with the local producers.  When I’m visiting a new place, I generally go to the farmers markets to see what there is to eat.  This small obsession with farmers markets has taken me from the lovely Salamanca Place in Tasmania to the awesome Atwater Market in Quebec (both fabulous attractions).  Fortunately, Charlotte also has some awesome farmers markets, and in honor of May’s farm-to-fork month and the coming summer months, I think it’s time to make a list.

Elizabeth Creamery

If you are like me and remember going out for homemade ice cream as a kid, you may have wondered where to find those delicious small creameries popular some years ago. With the consumption of frozen yogurt on the rise it has become increasingly difficult to find that extra-special dairy treat. Elizabeth Creamery is definitely one of Charlotte’s well kept secrets.

Portofino's

Although I have lived in Charlotte for almost a year now, I recently started thinking about all the Italian fare I used to eat back home. Being that I love all things Italian, I realized I have yet to have great Italian in Charlotte. This was an alarming revelation for me! So, please join me ladies and gentleman as I attempt to enjoy the flavors of Italy in Charlotte. My promise to you is to keep you posted on my journey and fill you in on my various highlights and disappointments. Today, I will start with my trip to Portofino’s.

Farm to Fork: a Celebration of Local Food in Charlotte

During the month of May, Richard Gruica, founder of Good Eats and Meets, has partnered with several local restaurants to bring Charlotte a three-course lunch and dinner option to celebrate local food.  From Erin’s Restaurant in Rock Hill to Kabuto in Huntersville, over 15 restaurants in the greater Charlotte area will be offering three course meals at lunch ($14.95 or $18.95, not all restaurants will participate) or dinner ($18.95, 28.95, or $38.95, each restaurant will have one or more of these prices) highlighting local food.  Part of the proceeds from dining will go to the newly formed North Carolina Farmers Fund.  Please check with Carolina’s Farm to Fork for more information on this city-wide event.

Review: Halcyon, Flavors from the Earth

My husband and I recently celebrated our anniversary.  I had a few restaurants in the queue to visit, and of those, I opted for a relatively new restaurant, Halcyon, Flavors from the Earth.  I have to admit that I was skeptical when I first heard it’s name, but I love restaurants that focus on local farm-to-fork concepts. Sure enough, skepticism was quickly set aside.

Friday Favorites: Quick dinners

Some days you want something homemade, but you just don't want to cook very much at all.  On those days, what do you cook?  The girls behind CFT bring you their favorite quick 'n easy recipes.  Post if you have a favorite quick and easy recipe you would like to share!

Review: Dilworth Neighborhood Grille

The Dilworth Neighborhood Grille is somewhat of a multi-faceted eatery/hangout. Offering a sports-themed bar area with a tempting array of tap beers, munchies and HD televisions to watch, there is more to see. The other sections include 2 private party rooms and a family-friendly dining area with oversized comfy booths surrounded by charming wood-paneled walls. And now for the food…

Friday Favorites: Kitchen gadgets

We are starting a new weekly post called "Friday Favorites".  In this section, we are going to discuss our favorite something-or-other.  To kick it off, we asked each other what each of our top five kitchen tools were.  Here are our answers:

Eating for a Cause: Taste of the Nation

When I first heard about Taste of the Nation, I sent an email to my CFT ladies and husband marking the event as one I wanted to attend.  I have been disappointed by other “taste of” events in the past but this one changed my mind.  I desperately wanted to go.  The middle of the week and a relatively high price tag made it seem like a lofty goal, so imagine my surprise (and joy!) when late last week, my husband came home with two tickets.

Review: Boudreaux's Louisiana Kitchen

In the mood for some Louisiana-style Cajun cuisine? Then head out to Boudreaux’s, a Cajun eatery in Charlotte’s artsy Noda district. Inside its cramped yet cozy atmosphere, you will find a simple décor, a friendly staff and consistently good food.

Recipe: Ropa Vieja (aka Old Clothes)

Wow - blogging is hard work! After a brief hiatus, its time to get back on topic - MORE CUBAN FOOD!! As previously noted, Cuban dishes are deep rooted in traditional recipes that leave little room for innovation. This may be a likely reason why Cubans have taken so much creative liberty in the naming of their dishes. In keeping with the theme around Cuban dishes with names intended to confuse and deter, today I present you with Old Clothes. Yup - that is what it is called - Ropa Vieja. Hands down, without a doubt, the holy grail of all Cuban dishes. If I was stuck on a desert island - two things I tell you - two things - Ropa Vieja and Croquetas. This is my dear suegra's recipe. She is one of the best Cuban cooks (Cubans cook - they don't "chef") I know, and just by nature of attempting to transcribe her recipe I have likely angered some Santeria high priests and San Lazaro Himself - Cuban women don't cook from recipes, they cook from the heart. Well worth the wrath of the gods to share this magic with you! Enjoy!

Review: Cowfish - Redefining Sushi and Burgers

Cowfish. Where to start? That’s both Cowfish's basic problem and best feature.  There is no good place to begin. The menu is much too long. Page after page swarm in front of you reading like Homer’s Odyssey. Do you start with an appetizer? A salad? Some sushi?

Once you’ve made a decision on the appetizer, you consider your main course, hoping for some guidance, but between the sushi rolls, the burgers, the “Burgushi” (more on that later), and all the various entrees, combos, and other items, not to mention the make-your-own everything, you find yourself sitting in a daze. Trying to take it all in is rather like trying to understand the scale of the Grand Canyon.

Review: Poppy's Bagels & More

Do you consider going out for a yummy morning breakfast spread but are unsure where to head? Recently I was searching for the perfect place to go-I wanted something sit down with an extensive list of options and my counterpart wanted cheap and easy bagels. Reluctantly I agreed, expecting a predictable, uninteresting bagel.

Fortunately, there was nothing predictable about these NY style bagels.

Review: Crepe Cellar

I have to admit, the first time I went to the Crepe Cellar Kitchen and Pub, I knew nothing about Charlotte restaurants. It was our first week in Charlotte, and we didn’t know many people. I had come to Charlotte sight-unseen, and after two days, I was tired from moving, setting up a new home and wrangling a baby. My husband had been inundated with work and coming home to help get the house in order. In short, we were tired, grumpy and hungry.

Review: New Zealand Cafe

When I first moved to Charlotte last May, my immediate mission was to scout out all the staples I would need to survive in this new town – great pizza, great Mexican, a Chinese take-out spot and most importantly – SUSHI! Finding myself land-locked for the first time in my life, I set the bar low when I began my quest for toro. Luckily, I didn’t have to search too far or long to find what I can honestly say may just be the Best. Sushi. Ever.

Yes – I know, that is a BOLD statement coming from someone who worships at the altar of Nobu and Katsuya, and recently went all the way to Tokyo for sushi (ok, I went for work, but my sushi experience there was indeed transcendental).

Recipe: The Perfect Quiche

I had this quiche last summer with broccoli at my sister-in law’s house and I thought about making it ever since the first bite. I was very pleased when I received the recipe as it was so easy to replicate!

Don’t be afraid to add or substitute ingredients that sound good to you. On my list to try are salami, ham and a scoop of sour cream (although not all together)! My daughter loves this quiche so I load hers with extra veggies.

I hope you find this recipe as fun as I do to play with!

Review: Cake from Edible Art

I have a little boy who just turned two, and last week I spent more time planning a brunch hour meal suitable for adults and toddlers and less time writing for CFT.  Mostly, however I wanted a good cake.  Now, I can bake and decorate a perfectly fine cake, but I’ve been dying to order a cake from a local bakery.  So, I scoured the Internet, talked to friends, visited a few bakeries, and ended up ordering a cake from Edible Art.

Review: Enso Asian Bistro & Sushi Bar

I first went to Enso Asian Bistro and Sushi Bar back in the summer, accidentally stumbling in for some quick cocktails and a nosh – I was so blown away by the Rock Shrimp appetizer, I’ve been looking for an excuse to head back for more and see what else Enso had in store. My birthday was the perfect excuse to spend way too much money on sushi.

The ambiance is certainly impressive – however, it doesn’t make up for the absolutely mediocre, insanely overpriced “sushi” (more like fushi – fake sushi) that they offer – but back to the ambiance.

Recipe: Greek Chicken Soup (Avgolemono)

Greek chicken soup (Avgolemono)

This chicken soup has been keeping me company and making me feel better since I was very small. I first had it in my grandmother’s kitchen and many, many times after when my stepmother and I learned to make it. I feel comfortable that the integrity of this recipe has remained intact over several of my family’s Greek generations. I hope you find it as authentic and tasty as I do!

Review: Brunch at Bistro La Bon

It has taken me a long time, but I think I can finally admit disappointment with the “brunch buffet”.  It sounds great; but almost never measures up.  My Sunday brunch at Bistro La Bon was no exception.

Review: Pewter Rose

After dining at Pewter Rose, I am on the fence as whether to return. Where do I start?

Recipe: Camarones Enchilados – or as I say Enchilated Scrimps

Cuban cooking is extremely traditional – you either make it the way its SUPPOSED to be, or you have made it wrong! There is no fusion, innovation, no unexpected twists or surprising tastes – at least there shouldn’t be. Cuban food is NOT spicy – but IS full of flavor and delicious. Ironically, it is also one of the most misunderstood and misinterpreted cooking cultures out there – this dish may serve as a perfect example as to why.

This classic Cuban dish, translates into "Shrimp in Enchilada Sauce". Funny thing is, enchilada sauce does not even exist in our cooking culture, and the sauce used in this recipe for decades has never been, and will never be anything even remotely enchilada – like. I’ve seen some Cuban restaurants translate the name of this dish into “Shrimp Creole” – certainly not Creole sauce either!! The sauce is a very tasty tomato based sauce that to me really embodies the taste you should expect from a number of Cuban staple dishes.

Recipe: Longing for some Latin food?

My husband loves Latin food and I am the first to admit I am guilty of rarely preparing him this style of food. I have thought in the past (when living just outside of Miami), “Why make the food when I can buy it so easily?” That changed after moving to Charlotte. In my quest for Latin food that pleases my picky palette and my husband’s desire to eat tasty Latin food that he so misses, I decided to prepare a meal a friend of mine once so lovingly made for us. Much to my surprise, I learned this recipe was very easy to prepare. However, you must have a blender or food processor to save you a lot of work!

Review: A first glimpse of Savor Cafe

“Do you think they are kid-friendly?” I said, looking at the menu for Savor Café online and printing out my Groupon before we headed out.  “I don’t know, but we can find out,” replied my friend.  This is always a concern of mine at lunch, when I can’t take a MNO (Mom’s Night Out, for those of you not in the know) to go check out a less-family friendly restaurant or get a babysitter and head out with the husband.

Recipe: Chicken Triathlon

I have been told that it is impossible for a chicken to be used for three days, but I beg to differ.  I think you can, as a family of three (ok, two and a half), use a chicken for three days (and possibly four) pretty easily, with some actual veggies, of course.  I must add here that when my son is older and begins eating me out of house and home, or when children arrive in the future, chicken may only last for two dinners, but night three can always be substituted for night two.  Also, to do this, I refuse to let my family eat chicken for lunch.  Allow me to share with you my most recent chicken extravaganza.

Review: The Penguin

Souvenir cup!

While watching a piece on The Penguin Drive-In on Charlotte’s Diners, Drive-ins and Dives, I practically ran out of the house to catch some of this home cookin’. It was all I could do to wait for my gals to find a time to join me for this greasy fest. I had a lot of confidence that The Penguin was going to be an unforgettable dining experience. But when I read rumors that this eatery had changed (for the worse), since its management switched hands in October of last year, I had to go see for myself.

Review: Greek Isles Restaurant

When I saw that Greek Isles was voted the 2010 Best European Restaurant by the readers of Creative Loafing Magazine, I knew I had to give it a try. Descendants from Greece, couple Pana and Toula Photopoulos have created a Mediterranean experience in Charlotte worth mentioning.

At first glance, I was surprised by the vast size of the establishment. It was quite a large restaurant (when compared with most Greek eateries which are usually more the size of a large Starbucks).

Inside, I found an inviting bar with plenty of seating and tables close by. Next to the bar a wall separates the restaurant and opens up into the main dining room facing an open style kitchen. The ambiance is warm, without being overly decorated. There are just enough Greek statues and Island photographs to make you remember that it is the Greeks that are responsible for the wonderful food you are about to eat.
We came in on a Saturday at about 5:30pm and were one of the first tables. When we left at 7:30 there was hardly a vacant seat in the house. In fact, there was a line at the front door.

Review: King's Kitchen

I haven’t lived in Charlotte for that long, but I have developed an affinity for a well-known North Carolina native, Jim Noble. 

I was not able to visit Noble’s Restaurant before it closed in August 2010, and I have not been to Roosters Wood Fired Kitchen.  However, recently, after a restaurant week reservation mix-up, my husband suggested we dine at one of the more unique restaurants in his empire, The King’s Kitchen.

Recipe: Mama Anna's Enchilada Casserole

As a mother of an 18 month old, one of my biggest parenting struggles is feeding my little monster while still satisfying my need for a nice dinner. Long gone are the days where I could prepare a leisurely 3 course meal on a weekday. Now on Sundays I cook for ME – but during the week the only thing I crave for dinner is something that is EASY, QUICK, and at the very least EDIBLE (I sometimes fail on this account) by everyone in the house.

Opinion: OpenTable Valentine's Day Rundown

Do you plan to celebrate Valentine's Day? Not me. I’m the Ebenezer Scrooge of Valentine's Day. So this year? I’m going to be babysitting for my friends while they go out. My list of reasons for disliking the holiday is long and complex, but THIS article is about YOU, dear readers!

I was going to do some research about places that were having a Valentine’s Day special, but, thanks to the internet, OpenTable has already done that for me! Check it out! Thus, based purely on the information on OpenTable and the restaurant’s own websites, I will present my sports-commentator-esque rundown of the options.