Restaurants – Page 8 – Fervent Foodie

Whisky River {Charlotte, NC–restaurant review}

November 15, 2012 6 Comments

Whisky (no “e”) River, owned by Dale Earnhardt, Jr. (yes, the NASCAR king), is located in the EpiCentre, just down the road from the NASCAR Hall of Fame. Despite the NASCAR connections, don’t come to Whisky expecting to see a bunch of rednecks drinking Busch Light. Instead, you’ll find “club casual” digs– it’s two parts rock and roll and one part country with a splash of southern hospitality. The country innuendo is slight: cowhide backs on the bar stools, a mechanical bull, and the occasional country song pouring from the speakers. There are also servers dressed in tight fitting tops and barely there Daisy Dukes, a uniform that surprisingly only applies to the female employees. What gives, Dale? Overall, the vibe in Whisky River is more night club than country western, and that’s exactly what Mr. Earnhardt was shooting for.

Whisky River offers a full drink menu–beer, wine, and cocktails–and has two sprawling bars, seating for over 200, a VIP lounge, plus plenty of room for dancing. Further solidifying its ultimate entertainment venue status, Whisky partners with Kiss 95.1 as the official pre and post party venue for many big name concerts and sporting events uptown.

Restaurants

Restaurant Review Roundup: Mert’s Heart and Soul, Eddie’s, Baja Soul {Charlotte, NC}

October 19, 2012 2 Comments

In honor of FRIDAY (hallelujah!), here are three flash reviews of restaurants I’ve dined at this month:

MERT’S HEART AND SOUL: Serving southern soul, low county, and Gullah-inspired dishes, Mert’s has been a common stop for visitors in Charlotte for over ten years. When I hear “Mert’s,” I instantly think of their amazing cornbread: sweet, cakey loaves that arrive at the table hot from the oven with a side of softened butter. Inside the restaurant, the quirky southern soul decor creates a fun environment, and it is a perfect reflection of the food. Some of my favorite dishes at Mert’s are the mac and cheese and the Carolina chopped barbecue pork sandwich, which comes on a hearty potato roll. The banana pudding is infamous, and believe me it lives up to the hype. Don’t forget to save room for cake!

Restaurants

Restaurant Review Roundup: Pure Pizza, Jackalope Jacks, Maria Bonita, & Mortimers — Charlotte, NC {restaurant review}

October 12, 2012 1 Comment

There’s no sense in beating around the biscuit–let’s get down to the nitty gritty on four Charlotte restaurants I’ve eaten at recently:

PURE PIZZA: Located uptown in the 7th St Public Market, Pure Pizza is quickly becoming one of my favorite spots for lunch. They specialize in farm to fork pizza, and their toppings are seasonal and sourced straight from the market. You have your choice of dough: sprouted ancient grain (which includes quinoa), classic Neapolitan or gluten-free. My favorite pie is the chorizo, which comes with organic radishes, onions, cilantro, and lime. Each pizza is served with a small container of honey for dipping the crust, which I found surprisingly tasty. Recently, PP expanded their menu to include several sandwiches. For lunch last week, I tried the caprese sandwich, which comes panini style, pressed and oozing with fresh mozzarella cheese. I am in love with their balsamic dressing—it’s tangy, sweet, and super thick, almost spreadable. Pure Pizza also sells adorable half bottles of wine and beer, there is plenty of seating available, AND the market validates parking.

JACKALOPE JACKS: by appearances alone, this place is incredibly deceiving. From the outside, it looks like someone scrapped an arcade and a miniature golf course and repurposed the parts into a restaurant. If you can look past the fake grass, you’ll find several holes-in-one on the menu (the golf analogy ends here, I promise). Their house chili is one of my favorites in town and their salads are surprisingly large and fresh. My top picks on the menu include the southwestern wrap with corn and black bean salad, teriyaki chicken skewers, and the jalapeno mac and cheese (if you like things extra spicy, that is). Jackalopes offers more than just standard bar food, though they do have awesome tater tots. They also serve brunch on Saturday and Sunday, with everything from “garbage plates” to crepes.

Features, Food Articles, Restaurants, Urbanspoon

My letter to President Obama {plus my top Charlotte restaurant picks}

September 1, 2012 12 Comments

Fervent Foodie is a contributing writer for the official Urbanspoon blog.

Dear Mr. President,

Forget the state of the economy, medical insurance issues, and the never ending tax-rate debate–politics just isn’t my cup of macaroni and cheese, if you will. As a fervent foodie based in Charlotte, the host city of the 2012 Democratic National Convention, I am writing you to advise you on the Queen City’s culinary scene. North Carolina is the birthplace of Cheerwine, Bojangles‘, and Texas Pete hot sauce and there’s much more to our food than collard greens, pimento cheese, and sweet tea.

(continue reading on the Urbanspoon blog)

Features, Restaurants

Ten Courses at Bistro La Bon–Charlotte, NC {Restaurant Review}

July 10, 2012 5 Comments

The chef approached our table. Instinctively, I sat up straighter, excited, as if I’d been approached by a celebrity (and in my eyes I had). He smiled. I smiled.

“I’m Chef Majid Amoorpour.”

My grin widened as I recalled thinking this restaurant, his restaurant, Bistro La Bon specialized in French food. Not quite (thankfully), despite what the name suggests. I looked up at the chef, still starstruck, as he asked if we had any allergies. We did not. Then he asked if there was anything we generally did not enjoy eating. Immediately, the words “RAW MEAT” scrawled through my thoughts in giant blood red letters, but as I began to relay this tidbit to the chef, I hesitated. Something about him–his warm demeanor, or the way he stood so serenely with his hands gently clasped in front on him, or maybe it was just his easy smile–made me trust him. I wanted to eat anything he cooked. I wanted to go wherever he wanted to take me. I wanted to put the world in his hands.

So, I asked him to surprise us.

The chef nodded then headed back to the kitchen, and I settled into my chair. Jarrod raised his eyebrows and grinned. This would be more than a meal–this ten-course tasting would be the ultimate dining experience.

One by one, the dishes emerged from the kitchen, and we listened intently as our server, Matt, described each in enticing detail.

Course one: salmon tartare with lemon zest, sesame cracker, and fresh dill. My heart sank as soon as I laid eyes on the dish. Though I’d never tried it, I was fully aware “tartare” meant R-A-W. It’s an adjective I’ve purposely avoided on every menu I’ve been presented, with zero pause for consideration. But here, the start of ten courses at Bistro La Bon, I felt venturesome. Jarrod and I lifted the crackers gingerly to our mouths then slammed them down in single swift swallows.

It took me a minute to sift through my thoughts, quit focusing on the word “RAW!”, and think about the taste. Honestly, it wasn’t bad. Surprisingly light and bright, actually, with a lovely lemon flavor. I can’t say I’d ever order tartare on my own, but wasn’t that the point of this tasting? To try new and interesting things? To go wherever the chef wanted to take us?

Course two: fresh buffalo mozzarella with local heirloom tomatoes, sea salt, and cracked black pepper with a balsamic reduction.

This beautiful dish was one of my favorites of the night. I’m a sucker for caprese. Actually, I’m a sucker for cheese, period, and this mozzarella was soft and supple like a freshly poached egg.

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