Should I stay or should I go {the week in food}

I’ve been incredibly distracted the last couple of weeks, spending every breath of free time surfing Craigslist and property management company sites for a new apartment.  It’s one of those life moments when I just wish someone would tell me what to do.  Should I stay in my current rental and pay the (exorbitant) rent increase or move?  And if I move, where?  One bedroom or two?  Is it safe?  Can I walk to work?  Does it get good light?  Is street parking a deal breaker?  Is shared laundry?!  Where will I put my shoes?  Is there a coffee shop within walking distance?  What about good restaurants?  Will my beloved green couch fit in the new rental?  GAS STOVE!!!! Will my friends and family still come to visit???

It’s a lot to ponder.

With all this rental business looming overhead, I’ve been a stranger to my kitchen.  You know what that means.  It’s time for a little restaurant recap!

Let’s start with the Common Market hot mama panini–tomato, red onion, red pepper, spinach, Havarti, and mayo plus turkey–that I devoured right there in the parking lot.

Common Market - hot mama panini with turkey

No shame, this girl.

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Lunches, lattes, and lust-worthy onion rings {the week in food}

Over the years, I’ve developed a bad habit of eating at my desk and working straight through lunch.  Bypassing a midday break means more work gets done, and, all else equal, I get to leave an hour earlier than I would otherwise.  It’s a horrible, horrible thing.

Lately, in an effort to maintain my sanity and some degree of happiness, I’ve been making a conscious effort to break away from my desk every day for lunch.  Most days, this means me, my salad, and my iPad huddled next to the fireplace in the back of Caribou Coffee.  It’s incredibly relaxing sitting next to the heat of the fire and feeling the buzz of the city whirling by.  Though, I’m quickly developing and addiction to afternoon lattes.  Good thing or bad thing, I’m not sure.

This week, I also squeezed in a lunch at Pure Pizza at the 7th Street Public Market, which I capped off with a delicious latte o’ love from Not Just Coffee.  (See?  Addicted!!)

not just coffee charlotte

Friday, I met my new friend Keia (check out her blog:  the Sunnyside Up) at Harvest Moon Grille.  Keia and I first met via phone when she interviewed me for her Creative Loafing article on what is means to be a foodie.  This was our first official lunch date, and in true Mary fashion I started our convo off by awkwardly exclaiming “So… I want to be you!”  I quickly followed our laughter with an explanation that I’d love to work as a freelance food writer and attend an abundance of fun food events as she does.  And now you want to be her too, am I right?

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Pork skewers, Phillies, and a bunch of crappy meals {the week in food}

Upon review of my food photos from the past week, I was struck by just how much meh there was!  I went out to eat more than usual, and you’d think the increase would have upped my odds of getting some great meals.  So, apparently the odds were not on my side, BUT I did hit the recipe jackpot with these Asian-inspired pork tenderloin skewers!

Asian pork skewers

Stay tuned for the recipe post coming later this week–I can’t wait to share it with you guys!

The skewers almost made up for the barrage of blah I endured.  It started with dinner with my pal Vanessa at Levant, a Mediterranean restaurant uptown.  The 7pm reservation I made was almost laughable given we were the sole patrons in the restaurant for the duration of our meal.  Is this ever a good sign?  Levant is owned by the same folks who own Kabob Grill (one of my favorite lunch spots in town).  The menu is nearly identical, but the food that we were served was no comparison to Kabob.  I’m still confused on this…  I’ll have to swing by Kabob soon to fill my kafta cravings!

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Vino and carbo loading {the week in food}

If it weren’t for the random snapshots of food in my phone, I’d have no proof at all that a whole week slipped right through my fingers.  Of course by food I mean large amounts of wine and assorted carbohydrates.  And some chocolate, here or there*.

* here or there = everywhere

After last week’s flop (in which I was served a dish I didn’t order and left to eat it anyway), I was a little hesitant to plop down thirty big ones on another restaurant week dinner.  But the girls at work convinced me to join them at Pisces for some Asian cuisine.  There was a lot of sushi to choose from, but in an effort to meet my daily stress-induced carb quota, I opted for the shrimp and garlic noodles and some pork potstickers (that oddly reminded me of mini Mrs. T’s pierogies, and yes, that IS a good thing).

pisces collage

The $30 menu was a great deal, considering it came with a glass of wine and THIS chocolate cake…

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Is this what I ordered?! {the week in food}

A really bizarre thing happened the other night.  I was out to eat with friends at a new-to-me Italian restaurant here in Charlotte.  I’d  suggested the restaurant solely because I wanted eat their bucatini with grilled shrimp, pancetta, and tomato sauce on the Queen’s Feast restaurant week menu.  And if that’s not reason enough to force three of your comrades to dine at a restaurant, I don’t know what is.  When the waiter took our order, I pointed at the menu and said “I’d like the Shrimp Romana, please.”  Thirty or so minutes later, I was presented with a shrimp pasta dish, though this one had penne (not my beloved bucatini) and a white wine sauce.  I was so caught off guard, that I flagged down the waiter and asked if the dish was what I ordered.  He hastily assured me it was.  And I, somewhat embarrassed and not wanting to cause a scene, ordered another glass of wine and tried to hide my disappointment.  What the heck, Mary?!  I had never EVER ordered something wrong like this!  I was befuddled and sort of sour at the whole situation.

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