Terrace Cafe

Background: 
Stewart Penick opened the first Terrace Cafe in South Park years ago with his nephew, Jacob, who at the time was a recent graduate of Johnson and Wales. After the success of their first location, they opened another in Ballantyne, and they now have a location in Greenville, South Carolina, with plans for another in Ft. Mill in the spring/summer of 2018. A couple of months ago, Penick and his team invited the Charlotte Food Bloggers out to check out their Ballantyne location and some new menu items. You no doubt have heard of Terrace's legendary fried chicken and red velvet waffle, but read on to check out some dishes sure to become your new favorites!  

The famous red velvet waffle/image courtesy of Terrace Cafe

Eat This: 

Sriracha Deviled Eggs

Smoked bacon & baby arugula

Wild Mushroom & Cheese Crostini

Garlic crostini, three cheese spread, & wild mushrooms
 

Oyster Spinach Salad

Flash-fried NC oysters, fresh spinach, caramelized onions, & warm bacon vinaigrette

Cranberry Apple Pork Tenderloin

Roasted and then sliced pork, sage-scented apples, dried cranberries, cranberry-peach marmalade, potato pancakes, & vegetable medley

Dessert: 
Terrace's dessert menu is absolutely amazing, and includes gems like a coconut cream bread pudding and a mini chocolate waffle stack! I want to go back and try them all, but that night we tried the...

Peanut Butter Brownie Cheesecake
 

Rich peanut butter and brownie chunk cheesecake layered over a chocolate brownie crust, topped with chocolate ganache and peanut butter cup pieces

Drink: 
All Terrace locations offer a full bar with plenty of options for cocktails, wines, and beers, including many local favorites.

Atmosphere: 
We have been to the Terrace in South Park and now Ballantyne, and both locations were cozy and spacious booths (my favorite) are abundant. 

Ballantyne Terrace Cafe//image courtesy of Open Table

Southern Hospitality: 
Everyone we have dealt with on this visit and previous visits have been lovely and provided top-notch customer service. 

Frankie's Notes: 
If you don't like chicken and waffles down here, they make you move back up above the Mason-Dixon line; We love potato pancakes no matter the season; A spacious booth makes it easier for Jason to lie down and take a nap after a meal; Frankie loves coconut cream bread pudding, but he's only had it in his dreams. 

Disclaimer: This meal was provided free of charge in exchange for an honest and unbiased review. All opinions are our own, and we were not compensated for this review.

 

Essex

Background:
Essex is nestled into the ground level of the Omni Hotel at the intersection of Trade and Tryon. A welcome addition to the slowly growing restaurant scene, Essex was opened in August of 2016 by four restaurateurs, two of whom also co-own Enso Sushi Bar in the Epicentre. The menu is diverse, and the cuisine ranges from Indian to Mediterranean, and even includes some killer house-made lox. #jewfood.   

Exterior of Essex/photo courtesy of Uptown Evolution

Uptown vibez/photo courtesy of Charlotte Agenda

Eat This:
Essex's signature item is their butter chicken, and we order it every time. Guess what the best part is, though? All of their bread is made in-house, like the delicious naan that comes with the butter chicken, the pita bread used in the shawarma, the tortilla chips with the huevos rancheros, and the bagel that comes with their lox platter. Scallionpancake loves bread more than Oprah does, hand to God. Homemade bread?! 

Oprah: I feel you

Butter Chicken

Chicken marinated in Indian spices, herb tomato sauce, micro cilantro, garlic naan

The salad offerings are a favorite--we have heard great things about the Warm Brussels Sprout Caesar, but we always end up with the Kale & Apple salad. 

Kale & Apple Salad

Kale, radicchio, and spinach blend, granny smith apples, candied pecans, goat gouda, and apple cider vinaigrette

Shawarma Pita

House-made pocket pita, shawarma, harissa, tahini, grilled onion and tomato, Mediterranean mix

This is Jason's new favorite dish --and check out those crispy waffle fries!

Essex also runs a mean brunch game. We liked everything we have tried, with the exception of the omelette pictured below, which was rather thin and dry. 

Huevos Rancheros

House-made corn and flour tortilla, tomatillo salsa, queso fresco, black beans, topped with a sunny side up egg, sour cream, and cilantro

Mediterranean Omelette

Parsley, cilantro, green onion, feta, and tomato confit/served with Essex home fries

Khachapuri

Cheese-filled naan with sunny side up egg

Nova Scotia Bagel

House-made fresh bagel, cream cheese, house smoked salmon, capers, onions, tomato//served with Essex home fries

Dessert:
Okay, so last fall and winter Essex served a dessert called the Golden Apple, and I think of it to this day. It was an apple enrobed in caramel and then white chocolate sauce was poured over it tableside. TO. DIE. FOR. I am not sure why they haven’t brought it back for this season?! Come on, Essex! We also more recently ordered a pistachio chocolate mousse dome that was excellent.

Elusive, beautiful/photo courtesy of Trip Advisor

pistachio chocolate mousse dome

Drink:
Cocktails are on point at Essex--try the Queen Scarlett made with gin, green chartreuse, strawberry puree, lemon juice, agave, and muddled basil. They also offer several cocktails on tap, including a Moscow Mule. 

Gimlet/photo courtesy of Charlotte Agenda

Atmosphere:
Essex is unique in that there are several different sections to the restaurant, and they all have different vibes. There is a sizable outdoor patio that overlooks all of the hustle of Uptown Charlotte, a sun patio, a dark cozy bar, and oversized cushiony booths--you can sit wherever fits your mood and the vibe of your party. Warning--you are very unlikely to catch a street parking spot on Tryon, but you can get your parking validated if you park in the garage off of Church street.

Bar/photo courtesy of Open Table

Uptown Hospitality:
The service at Essex has always been great, and we have visited multiple times. Also, the food comes out super quickly. My only complaint is that they only carry a sriracha-type hot sauce and no “Louisiana style” hot sauce, and this pains me to my very core.

Frankie’s Notes:
Willy Wonka had the golden ticket, but in the winter of 2016 I had the golden apple, and that was significantly more important to me; Who is Queen Scarlett? Did she die in the library with a wrench?; Trade and Tryon gets weird sometimes, and I love that; You can wave to the Halal truck man from the patio of Essex; Nothing breaks my heart as thoroughly as insufficient hot sauce options.

No freaking Frank's Red Hot?!

Rating: 4 out of 5

 

Ollie's Bites: Brunching in Charlotte

This article first appeared on Localeur's website--check them out for travel recommendations! Localeur features in-the-know locals giving food, drink, and recreation recommendations from all over the world!

Essex

If you are looking for something different from the usual brunch fare, cozy and classy Essex is the spot for you. Located Uptown, Essex has dishes that span the globe, like the Georgian cheese bread khachapuri, which is a delicious boat-shaped piece of bread filled with melty cheese, two sunny side up eggs, drizzled with a touch of olive oil. Or the Korean steak and eggs with beef, fried egg, pork belly and a kimchi glaze. There is no shortage of traditional brunch fare, like a bagel platter (with a house-made bagel) or french toast.

Vivace

Image courtesy of Charlotte Agenda

Vivace’s brunch game is so on point. Start with the bottomless mimosa and bloody mary bar--ideal for getting that ever-elusive extra-spicy bloody or the perfect ratio of champagne to orange juice (80/20, duh). For only $30, you can get the adult beverage of your choice plus two courses--one appetizer and one main course. The options for both courses are ample, and standouts include mussels, meatballs, and braised short rib hash. The high ceilings and large windows that overlook the Little Sugar Creek Greenway make Vivace a bright and cheery place to spend your weekend morning.

littleSpoon

Would you like a side of gangster rap with your brunch? What about giant coffee mugs that are essentially bowls? And instead of bacon, how about crispy pork belly? If any or all of these appeal to you, then littleSpoon will be your jam. Menu highlights include the #BEC (bacon, egg, and cheese sandwich), Korean brussels sprouts,cinnamon toast brulee, and oh dear lord--don’t neglect to order the bacon (LS Slab Bacon). Expect a wait on the weekends during prime brunch time, and servers with just a touch of hipster attitude, but fret not--the food is worth the wait.

The Asbury

Photo courtesy of Charlotte's Got a Lot

The Asbury is inside of The Dunhill Hotel, which was opened in 1929. The Asbury itself has a reputation as an old-school Uptown dining spot, but the clientele spans all age ranges. This is a popular spot for a boozy brunch before a Sunday morning Panthers game, or to meet with friends to catch up over Maw Maw’s Cast Iron Biscuits with bacon jam (divine), or the Fried Chicken Sammy (a Southern classic). There is parking validation (up to two hours) if you park in the garage attached to the hotel.

Cafe Monte

Image courtesy of Charlotte Magazine

If you are staying in the South Park area, Cafe Monte is the top choice for brunch. The menu offers accessible French cuisine like a croque monsieur or mussels and frites. For an appetizer, the brie en croute is a favorite. If you are looking for something more traditional, there are plenty of options: omelettes, eggs benedict, and belgian waffles. Wash it all down with a cappuccino or mimosa. PS--Charlotte recently passed the “brunch bill,” which means that you can order booze as early as 10 am on Sunday (it used to be noon). Travelers and locals alike: rejoice!

The Workman’s Friend

Bar by night, The Workman’s Friend in Plaza Midwood is an unlikely--and amazing-- spot for brunch. This is an Irish joint, so their menu offers some nods to the Emerald Isle, like grilled cheese made with Kerrygold cheddar, bangers and mash, and rasher egg toast. There is also a “Caffeinated Libations” menu with cocktails made with a local iced coffee available on draft. You have your choice of mood lighting here, too--the indoor seating is dim and intimate, and there is a large patio in the back if you want to catch some sun while you brunch.