Dot Dot Dot

Background: 
Dot Dot Dot opened in July 2017 in the Backlot of Park Road Shopping Center under Stefan Huebner and Conrad Hunter, who were already players in the Charlotte bar and restaurant community prior to this much anticipated opening (Huebner was a mixologist at Heist and Hunter also owns Foxcroft Wine Co.). Although technically a private club due to state regulations regarding maintaining a certain ratio of food to beverage sales, Dot Dot Dot boasts an insanely delicious food menu. However, the club aspect means you need to pay a $10 membership fee (per year), though each member may bring up to three guests at a time. Signing up online is highly encouraged in order to cut down on wait times at the door. 

This spot has such heavy speakeasy vibes that I had a hard time finding it when I visited on a warm spring night with Allie from EatDrinkCLT to sample some new menu items. Prohibition style: on point.  

Eat This: 
Chef David Quintana has a culinary pedigree from Johnson & Wales and worked at Wylie's Dufresne's wd~50 in NYC and Four Moons in South Carolina. He joined Dot Dot Dot just after they opened, and he has built the menu into one that reflects his focus on fresh ingredients and artistic plating. 

Crab Cake

scallop mousseline, lump crab, mache, blood orange, nasturtium crumble 

Sea Scallop

morel mushroom, asparagus, fava bean, artichoke, Iberico lardo de bellota, vanilla olive oil

Burrata

strawberry, roasted beet, arugula, black pepper, pedro ximenez sherry vinegar, black garlic molassses, crustini

Garganelli with veal meatballs

pecorino, peas, light cream, pea tendrils, mint

Pate en croute

moulard duck, pork, smoked duck ham, pistachio, savory pastry dough, pickled vegetables, dijon mustard, cumberland sauce

American wagyu flat iron

truffle veal glace, pickled mustard seed, cripsy trumpet mushrooms, creamed spinach

Cold-smoked fried chicken

celeriac puree, house-made sorghum hot sauce, petite braising greens

Dessert: 
It appears that Dot Dot Dot does not have any dessert offerings. Gasp! You could always go to Va da Vie gelato in the front of Park Road Shopping Center, or even swing by Amelie's in the Backlot for a pastry or two. 

Va da vie gelato

We love this place, but prepare yourself to spend 10 minutes hearing about the integrity of the gelato 

Amelie's

is bae

Drink: 
As you can imagine from a speakeasy style bar, the drink game is on point. Like the food menu, the drink selection changes seasonally. Huebner really knocks it out of the park, and I was especially digging on the creative names of the cocktails, like the "Lily Wants a Pony" and the "Boulevardier of Broken Dreams."

French-75

Sutler's gin, lemon juice, simple syrup, champagne, served up

Local gin

Used in the above cocktail--local & made in small batches. And check out that bottle!

The Queen City Swizzle

Dragon Moonshine rum, green chartreuse, mint, sugar, angostura bitters, served over crushed ice

Mint Julep

Maker's Mark bourbon, simple syrup, mint, served over crushed ice

The Anchorage

Aviation gin, yellow chartreuse, lemon juice, simple syrup

Lover, Dreamer, & me

Plantation 5-year rum, orange curacao, raspberry syrup, lemon juice, served over ice 

Pepper le Pew

Lunazul Primero tequila, black peppercorn-honey syrup, lime juice, cardamaro, egg white, served up

Atmosphere: 
Dot Dot Dot is housed in a former storage room, and the feel is cozy and old school class. I was geeking out over the bookshelves and the art deco divider between the bar and dining area. Dot Dot Dot is not huge, and I can imagine that it gets incredibly packed on weekends (we visited on a Tuesday night, so the crowds were light).

So Myers Park rn

That divider tho

Speakeasy Hospitality: 
Since I was joining Allie for a media preview, it is hard to give an unbiased review of the service. We were treated like queens on this particular visit, however. I can't wait to go back incognito with Jason. 

Frankie's Notes: 
When the speakeasy vibe is so authentic that it takes you ten minutes and asking for directions to find it = good thing it's not actually prohibition days; Not sure why they aren't using bathtub gin for that 1920s real feel; What about getting raided by the cops to add an extra level of excitement?; Park Road Backlot is a nation unto itself; Going out with EatDrinkCLT is dining with Charlotte food royalty, and I was honored; We love Va da Vie’s gelato and all, but we have to block off half a day to in order to hear about the authentic Italian spoons.

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.

 

Ollie's Bites: Charlotte's Best Bar Eats

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!

Selwyn Avenue Pub

Pizza so good that MJ orders it

Selwyn Avenue Pub is a Charlotte institution. Located in the heart of Myers Park, this part indoor/part outdoor bar and grill has plenty of large-screen TVs and shady trees and is packed on beautiful fall game days. They are famous for their transfusion drink--vodka, grape juice, and sprite--and for their delicious pizza. The pizza is so good that local Michael Jordan is known to stop in often for a pie. Other solid menu items include their chicken wings and sliders. Parking can be a beast here, so an Uber is highly recommended.

Lebowski’s Neighborhood Grill

Wangs//Image courtesy of Charlotte Agenda 

Tuesday night trivia at Lebowski’s in Dilworth is the best Charlotte trivia in terms of the quality of both food and trivia questions, but in order to keep it possible to get a table, let’s keep that between us, okay? This bar with Buffalo roots does all of the Upstate New York favorites justice, like roast beef on ‘weck and the very best chicken wings this side of the Anchor Bar. Wash it all down with The Dude’s favorite--a White Russian. Be mindful that if you are going on Tuesday, for trivia or just to eat and imbibe, reservations are a must. And that’s not just like, my opinion, man.

The Cellar at Duckworth’s

Truffle fries//Image courtesy of Loop Charlotte

Below sports bar Duckworth’s in Uptown Charlotte lies a hidden speakeasy gem. The Cellar has a variety of seating from high tops to cozy booths, but I always choose a spot at the bar. Here you can watch the master mixologists craft inventive cocktails like my favorite, the Cellar Smash, which is essentially a grown up “slushie” with ginger, citrus, and elderflower. To soak up all of those delicious drinks, you can’t go wrong with the tuna tartare with wonton crisps, truffle fries, or the truffle mac and cheese. The Cellar also offers full entrees, but the shareables and small plates are the way to go here. The Cellar is a decidedly more upscale locale for bar bites--if you are looking for a more traditional bar experience, Duckworth’s upstairs has tons of TVs and great food, as well.   

VBGB Beer Hall & Garden

Giant pretzel//Image courtesy of Charlotte Agenda 

VBGB, located in the AvidXchange Music Factory, is a playground for grown-ups. Fun happenings include life-size games like Jenga and Connect Four, a covered patio, trivia on Thursday nights, and a DJ on Friday and Saturday nights. The food is not your typical bar fare, in that most of it is homemade and much of it is somewhat healthy--like the nitrate-free brats or quinoa salad. However, my favorite menu item is the biergarten classic: a jumbo pretzel with a side of homemade beer cheese. Don’t forget to sample all of the varieties of mustard lined up in the condiment station, too.

Dandelion Market

What's this color called, because I love it?//Image courtesy of Dandelion Market

Dandelion Market Uptown is a great bar to get a little bit of everything. Earlier in the evening, the bar is laid back and rather quiet (especially downstairs), but come 10pm or so, this place gets bumping--literally: the floor upstairs shakes a little when everyone starts dancing, but that just adds to the fun, right? The food here is a cut above for bar bites--don’t sleep on the potato croquettes with cheddar and bacon, prosciutto crostinis, or the brussels sprouts. And although I’ve never done it, but have always wanted to, you can even order the entire menu for $295.

Charlotte Gets Social

This article also appeared in the January/February 2018 issue of Epicurean Charlotte magazine.

All images courtesy of the QC Social Lounge Instagram page. 

If you ask any Charlotte native just how far our city has come in recent years in terms of dining and recreation, they will tell you without hesitation that Uptown has evolved substantially from what it used to be, that is--a ghost town outside of the hours of 9-5pm. Now, we have a rapidly growing dining scene bolstered by the proliferation of high-rise apartment buildings and hotels. However, anyone who frequents Uptown after dark knows there is still a need for something more in order to put us in true competition with larger cities. However, Charlotteans can rejoice in the New Year, as we now have the perfect player to capture our city’s enthusiasm and desire for innovation in our city’s nightlife. Enter: QC Social.

QC Social is, at its essence, an “enthusiast’s lounge,” describes General Manager Morgan Leitert. Every moment of a guest’s experience at QC Social is curated and finely tailored, from the drinks to the culinary selections. At once a bar, lounge, and venue, QC Social draws on collaboration from its creative team, staff, patrons, and our city’s local talent to ensure each visit offers a snapshot of the Queen City at its very best. This ethos is evident everywhere from the innovative cocktail menu to the vision for the lounge’s place in the community. QC Social will feature local artists and artisans everywhere--from their menu and talented bar staff to their walls and stage area, where they will host artists, musicians, and performers. “We want to highlight people's’ talents and what they can bring to the table,” says Bar Director Jade Finn. The feel of the lounge is above all intimate (think: cozy lounge seating), but the vibe can change night-to-night, depending on whether QC Social is hosting live music or showcasing a local artist.

Charlotte’s storied history will also take center stage, from the design of the building to the cocktail menu. In the building process, QC Social worked to preserve the history of their space rather than tearing it all down and starting fresh; the team sought out local metalworkers and woodworkers to enhance the original exposed brick and wood in the open and airy lounge. Celebrating Charlotte’s past is central to QC Social, and this philosophy is realized most fully in their graphically designed libations and elixirs menu. Going far beyond a simple description of their cocktails, Finn crafted a vision for a menu that is at once an illustrated history of Charlotte and an inspired list of libations whose creativity and style goes well beyond what we have seen from any cocktail menu in the Queen City.

Part cocktail menu and part graphic novel, the list of drinks is sorted into sections, each inspired by a piece of our city’s history. The opening part of the innovative menu describes Charlotte’s founding days and is titled after our city’s most famous (and infamous) descriptor by General Cornwallis of our city as a “hornet’s nest of rebellion.” The cocktails in this section draw from a well-curated spirits list and are inspired by Charlotte’s fiery beginnings, like the Yeoman’s Uprising and the Whistle-Belly Vengeance. Finn describes this section of the menu as drinks you would find “in a tavern in colonial North Carolina, but with a modern twist.”

Although just that amount of originality would be enough to impress, the cocktails are even more than their clever names and adherence to the local theme--they take the art of mixology to a new level. For example, rather than using only egg whites, the Yeoman’s Uprising incorporates a whole egg, and all of its ingredients are shaken with whiskey barrel aged wood chips which imparts a woodsy, smoky flavor profile to the finished product. Cocktailers create their own shrubs, cordials, and barrel-aged spirits for all of the 32 cocktails spread across four menus. The themes of the other menus relate to the ascendency of Charlotte as a banking empire and celebrate our city’s diversity with globally inspired cocktails.

Each cocktail is made using an advanced ice system--purified water is used to create hand-cut ice cubes for each drink. QC Social’s attention to each detail, right down to the ice, ensures that each cocktail’s flavor profile is well-balanced. Sometimes, the ice even is used to enhance the flavor of the drink, like in the Uptown Cavalier, which uses a hopped grapefruit bitters-flavored ice cube to add both flavor and chill. Another cocktail, the Mecklenburg Farmer #4, uses hand-shaved ice flavored with sage, cucumber, and Aviation gin.

Beyond cocktails, QC Social serves a variety of wines and beers. The tap beer menu is “regional and rotational” says Leitert, and the bottle menu is also regional, unique, and includes Belgian and Trappist beers. The feel of the menu is “curated and not overwhelming,” says Leitert. The wine selection is focused on small Italian producers and unique varietals. QC Social is passionate about highlighting smaller producers on all of their menus, and there are plans to host tastings to introduce the Charlotte community to their selection of wine and beer.

The Shareable plates menu will adhere to the finely curated feel of the beverage menus. Food options are small plates with a focus on local and seasonal items, many of them plant-based. Leitert and Current Culinary Olympic Team member Master Chef Jason Hall developed the menu to incorporate items from local growers and producers. Their charcuterie plate will feature cheeses from their neighbors at Orrman’s Cheese Shop, and their produce will come from local farms. Look for inventive shareable plates like a polenta and white bean tart, or a beet and apple mille feuille. The menu items will surprise even those already familiar with the North Carolina farm scene--like a vegan cheesecake made with (wait for it) North Carolina passion fruit (when in season). Their signature dessert is also plant-based and pure decadence: a chocolate chestnut tart with shortbread crust. QC Social’s small plates menu has an attention to detail and excellence writ large in the experience of the lounge as a whole.

With their grand opening this at the end of this month, QC Social is breathing new life into Uptown Charlotte, and its creative and management team believes in the Charlotte community, “We feel strongly about promoting our scene and talent here,” says Finn. He recognizes that many people from larger markets are moving to Charlotte, and they arrive and want that same dining scene that they are accustomed to. People are ready for creative food and drink options, and they do not want to be limited in their choices. “It’s a good time to be in Charlotte,” says Finn, “and we want to be a part of that movement.”

QC Social is ushering in a new era with their social lounge concept by providing a place for patrons to enjoy great drinks, small plates, and music in a relaxed atmosphere. Gone are the days when Charlotteans have to venture out of town for an experience that is a cut above--QC Social provides something for everyone. Each evening at QC Social, the team will go out of their way to ensure guests have an experience that is at once unique and focused on excellence, and that philosophy is ultimately what will put Charlotte on the map as a destination city.

QC Social is located at Northside Station 300 N College Street Charlotte, NC 28202

Bad Daddy's Burger Bar

Background: 
Frank Scibelli, Charlotte restauranteur extraordinaire, opened the first Bad Daddy's on East Boulevard in 2007. In 2015, Scibelli sold the prolific local chain to Colorado-based restaurant group Good Times. There are already a ton in CO, and pretty soon there will likely be locations all over the country. If you have ever visited a Bad Daddy's then you likely are not wondering what all the hype is about--it's freaking delicious! For years, the OG location in Dilworth has been Scallionpancake's favorite place to grab a burger and tots. A few weeks ago, we were invited in to try some of Bad Daddy's finest so we could share them with you all. Read on to check out what we sampled! 

Eat This: 

Fried Pickles

Served with traditional ranch dressing

Bad Daddy's is known for their fried pickles. They are unusual in that they are long slices instead of chips like you see at most restaurants. The breading is slightly spicy and holds up well on the pickles. We had never tried these, and we loved them! Definitely a new go-to order now. 

Nick's Patty Melt

On rye toast with Swiss cheese, grilled onions, mayo, and Dijon mustard

A patty melt is such a classic burger joint order, and this iteration does not disappoint. I ordered mine medium, and it was cooked perfectly--such a pleasant change from most burger places that overcook their patties. What puts this melt over the top is the inclusion of the sweet and savory caramelized onions. 

We must take a moment, however, to talk about the side: TOTS. Hands down, Bad Daddy's has the very best tater tots in town. We will come back again and again just for these. 

Bad Ass Burger

A massive 10 oz. beef patty with house-made American cheese, buttermilk fried bacon, horseradish mayo, lettuce, tomato, and pickle. Lives up to its name in every way!

The Bad Ass Burger is the ultimate on Bad Daddy's menu. When you have the meat shakes and nothing else will do--you've gotta go Bad Ass. Jason switched out the buttermilk fried bacon for regular bacon because he really is the picture of health. This one simple swap basically makes the order a dry salad, calorie wise. The burger is juicy and savory, and satisfies that craving you get when you need a big fat burger and nothing else will do. 

And again: tots = life. If you get the fruit on the side, well, we will need to talk about that, okay? 

Oh yeah, and see that Bad Daddy's sauce? Dipping your tots into that goodness just takes everything to a whole 'nother level. Bad Daddy's sauce is made with mayonnaise, BBQ sauce, and a blend of spices. Seriously, so good. I dip my burger in it, the tots, my fork--basically everything in reach. 

In addition to their speciality burger options, Bad Daddy's also offers create-your-own burgers, chili, and salads. When I don't feel like going full-on, I like to do a create-your-own salad with a grass-fed burger patty. Another thing I love about Bad Daddy's is that they are one of the few restaurants that offers grass-fed options and unusual protein options like buffalo burgers 

Dessert: 
We didn't get dessert because we were stuffed. However, Bad Daddy's offers soft serve with toppings that we have had before, and it's fabulous. 

Way too full to even think about dessert

Drink: 
I love love love the milkshakes at Bad Daddy's! I went with the Oreo shake, because that's a flipping American classic, you know? 

If you aren't a five year old like me, Bad Daddy's also offers tons of local draft beers and a full bar. 

Oreo Milkshake

Heaven

America's favorite cookie, amiright?

Atmosphere: 
We have been to this location in Dilworth, as well as one in Ballantyne. At both locations, the atmosphere is family-friendly and clean. When the weather is nice, we like to sit outside on the patio--there are lots of fans, so it's usually lovely in the Charlotte heat we get 9 months out of the year 

Also, one of the best parts of the Dilworth location is the door to nowhere. Seriously, it's half connected to a wall, so instead of going through it, you can just walk right around it. It's a mystery to us, but we like to walk through it instead of around, just in case it turns into a magical door to Narnia someday. 

Shady & green patio

Hello. Is it me you're looking for?

Medium Rare Hospitality: 
The servers at Bad Daddy's are always polite and efficient. We have never had any issues with service on any of our visits. 

View of the bar

Frankie's Notes: 
Maybe we would eat more salads if we used Bad Daddy's sauce as a dressing; What if exiting through the door to nowhere made all of the calories from tater tots disappear?; What is it about putting potatoes in a cylinder shape that makes them taste like unicorns prancing through fields of pugs?; How many different ways can you cut a pickle?; Jason and I prefer drinks made from Oreos to drinks made from grain alcohol; Bad Daddy's cured all my meat shakes, and it was glorious. 

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.