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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Napa on Providence–Charlotte, NC {restaurant review}

I’ve never been to Napa Valley, but I’ve dreamed of the gorgeous hillsides, world-class vineyards, and earthy, sophisticated cuisine.  In my mind, Napa is the epitome of relaxing destinations—a place to unwind and let your mind linger on the food and the local wine (and not much more).

Here in barbecucentric Charlotte, California cuisine is practically nonexistent.  That is, until Napa on Providence opened in November 2012, taking over the space that Providence Café occupied for twenty plus years, and infusing the Charlotte food scene with a little spice of the northern California countryside.  The vibe inside the remodeled restaurant is polished, warm, and inviting with a large bar area plus an attractive patio.

As the name suggests, Napa on Providence specializes in Californian cuisine, the root of which is fresh ingredients, simply prepared.  Napa takes this tenet seriously–all dishes are made to order, from the sauce for the macaroni and cheese to the outstanding white beans with house-made sausage, which taste like they’ve simmered together for hours.

Napa on Providence - White Beans

Everything is thoughtfully executed, all the way down to the drinking water they distill in-house and the hammered copper drinking glasses they serve it in.  Even the house bread is special.  The rolls are handmade by a retired Navy baker.  They are dense and chewy and served in recycled cork baskets along with pomegranate honey butter.  Once in season, the pomegranates will be harvested from a hundred year old tree at the foot of Napa’s patio.

Napa on Providence - Lobster Mac

Dinner at Napa starts with small plates, and sharing is encouraged.  The food arrives at the table in rustic cast iron skillets perched upon stark white dishes, and each selection is beautifully composed.  The small plate offerings include charcuterie, both grilled and raw oysters, and several salads.  The meatballs are my personal favorite. Made from a mix of beef and pork, they are studded with small chunks of carrot, stuffed with house-made mozzarella, and served perched upon polenta cakes with homemade tomato pomodoro sauce.

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Restaurant Review Roundup: Nova*s, Midwood Smokehouse, Pewter Rose {Charlotte, NC}

Welcome to another installment of Fervent Foodie Flash Reviews!  These reviews are my frills-free thoughts on restaurants I’ve recently visited.  Quick and to the point–just what you need when you’re starving like Marvin, girl.

 

novas bakery coffee shopNOVA*S BAKERY COFFEE SHOP – Nova’s Bakery has been supplying Charlotte with baked goods since 1996, and a few months ago Nova’s expanded their operations to include Nova’s Bakery Coffee Shop in South End.  The 24-7 bakery and coffee shop serves hand crafted coffee and espresso beverages and baked goods straight from their mother location in Plaza Midwood.  They have a wide variety of fresh baked breads on hand, including sour dough, focaccia, and olive bread, plus bagels, muffins, and scones.  The coffee shop also offers an extensive selection of sweets, including cookies, cakes by the slice, and filled-to-order cannoli.  I can personally vouch for the walnut brownies, which taste especially good when warmed up at home and topped with hot fudge and a scoop of vanilla ice cream.  Just sayin.  While the coffee shop is small, there are a handful of tables and ample workstation seating with plugs and free wifi.  For a real steal, check out the half-priced day-old baked goods rack.  Nova’s is a fantastic addition to South End, but there is one negative.  Even with all the delicious fresh bread they have stocked, they don’t serve sandwiches.  Did I mention they’re open 24 hours a day?

Nova's Bakery on Urbanspoon

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Whisky River {Charlotte, NC–restaurant review}

whisky river charlotte

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 charlotte bull

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.

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Soul of the South–a Feast Food Tour {Charlotte, NC}

For better or for worse, my favorite thing to do on the weekends is EAT.  Each Friday night, Jarrod and I head out to a local restaurant for what we affectionately call a “slow dinner.”  We order drinks, we savor them.  We order an appetizer, we relish it.  Then, after turning the server away at least three times, we order our entrees.  And later (on occasion) we order dessert.  It’s like a progressive dinner, except we sit in one spot the entire night, with the exception of regular potty breaks.

Last weekend, we had the epitome of slow dinners:  six small meals at six different locations!  The best part was we didn’t have to plan a thing—everything was handled by Kristi of Feast Food Tours.

I met Kristi a few months ago, and I had an immediate urge to go on one of her tours.  She has several options listed on her website, including an Uptown Chic Tour and Charlotte Brew and Chew Tour.  But, for the love of barbecue, I chose the Soul of the South Tour, on which Queen City Q was our first stop!queen city q charlotte (2) Queen City Q opened earlier this year, but we hadn’t made it in for a visit prior to the tour.  Our first order of business:  pulled pork sliders! queen city q charlotte (3)

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