Toro

Background: Co-chefs and owners Ken Oringer and Jamie Bissonnette, of the original Toro in Boston, opened up the Manhattan location of their restaurant in September 2013, conveniently located by the bustling High Line and Chelsea Market. We dined here with Jason’s NY buddies, Vishnu and Bravo Danny. Bravo Danny because he is to be differentiated from Charlotte Danny, and because he worked at Bravo. Yes, that means he has met Andy Cohen/he is one step from God.

Vishnu and Danny have a chicken wing club where they eat chicken wings all over NYC and then rate them, one through five. Their rating system is pretty clever--in order to keep their ratings from being influenced by others in the group, they put their rating number on their phones, and then all flip their phones over at the same time. They then create an average based on everyone’s number. I know what you’re thinking--how does one join this club? We are wondering the same thing, but in the meantime, we are considering starting a Charlotte chapter.

Eat This: The menu at Toro is overwhelmingly large, but we were lucky to have a nice server who directed us to some of her favorites, although it turned out that her favorites were not as well liked by the table as some of the other options we picked. Here’s what we went with:

Pimientos Del Padron: Spicy shisito peppers with sea salt. This is a dish that we have seen on a lot of menus recently, and while the preparation is similar everywhere, the quality varies greatly. These are the best version of shisitos that we have had--the heat is multi-dimensional, not just hot. The peppers are charred enough to add a smoky flavor, but not so much that they taste burned, and the salt is wonderfully generous.

Esqueixada de Hamachi: Yellowtail with sultanas, fish pepper, quail egg, and crema. We loved the addition of the yellow raisins (sultanas) with the tuna. The flavors were bright and this was a nice, light dish for early in the meal.

Bocadillo De Erizos: Pressed sandwich of sea urchin, miso butter, and pickled mustard seeds. Jason and I both agreed that this was our “must order” of the night, even though our table mates remained unimpressed even after it was served. Whatever, this was amazing. It was all about that delicious umami flavor, and we could have easily downed another order.

Navajas: Razor clams with piquillo pepper, garlic, and lemon. Our waitress highly recommended these, but we found them just alright. They had a flavorful citrus tang, but there just was not a lot to them. Since we only got a fairly small number of dishes for four people for dinner, we probably should have gone with something a bit more substantial.

Hamburguesas: Grass-fed mini burgers with smoked tomato, aioli, and pickled red onion. These were definitely the crowd pleaser of the night. Everyone at the table enjoyed the flavorful preparation, and it was so easy to eat and share.

Dessert: We tried the chocolate churros with a caramel dipping sauce, and while these were good, they were basically what you can expect anywhere from churros. The standout was the chocolate torte. It was a rich, dark chocolate sprinkled with graham cracker crumbs and served with ice cream.

Drink: We did not try any speciality cocktails, but the beer, wine, and liquor selection included a solid variety and had everything we wanted to order.

Atmosphere: Toro is housed in the former Nabisco factory: a loft-like, cavernous space. The raucous sound of diners, along with the bumping bass of rap music means that the restaurant was loud when we arrived at 8:00, and only got louder from there. It was a little difficult to make conversation, but the music selection was a steady stream of all of my favorites, so I didn’t mind.

Iberian Hospitality: The service here was slow in that it took a while for the waitress to come over initially (over 15 minutes) and then again to come back and take our food order. However, once our orders were placed, the kitchen had the dishes out super quickly. All of the staff was polite. We did order one dish we never got (the empanadas), but we were pretty full by the time we realized it, so we let it slide.

Frankie’s Notes: Javon is currently accepting applications for the Charlotte Chicken Wing Club; If you want to be in our club, you can’t eat chicken wings with your knife and fork and you have to drink the wing sauce; I am only good at one of these requirements; Bravo Andy is to God as Orange County is to Mecca; Bravo Danny has never met table-flipping Teresa; We are going to institute a more democratic voting process when dining with friends from now on; But, FYI: Ollie is a super-delegate.

Rating: Of course, we had to do the chicken wing rating system for this meal, and our table average was a:

3 out of 5

Et Cetera:
85 10th Avenue
New York, New York 10011
Monday-Wednesday 5:30-11 pm; Thursday-Saturday 5:30-12 am; Sunday 5:30-10 pm
http://toro-nyc.com/

 

The Mandrake

UPDATE--The Mandrake closed in the fall of 2016. I guess we called it, huh?

Background: Jose Garcia acquired The Mandrake in the fall of 2014, and he has worked tirelessly since to breathe new life into this uptown eatery that has undergone several different owners/chefs and identities in a rather short period of time. Now, The Mandrake has found its groove as the number one spot for tapas Uptown  under the creative management of chef Donnie Simmons (@thedonchef). Scallionpancake was recently invited to their media night to review their new spring menu. As Jason could not make it due to tax season, Amy and Nancy were my dates for the night.

Eat This: So, this night started off with quite a few hitches. The event time on the invite was slated as a 6:30 start time for cocktails and appetizers, and when we arrived at around 6:40 there was nothing happening. In fact, nothing happened at all until around 7:00 (the stated time for dinner to begin), when we were invited to the bar for cocktails and they started bringing appetizers around. We were not even offered water or welcomed by management during this time. We simply stood around waiting for something, anything to happen.

There was then some confusion about whether or not the cocktails and wine were complimentary. It made for some very awkward interactions between the guests and the servers (who were clearly given conflicting information, who, in turn, gave us information that conflicted with our invitation) and this hiccup definitely took away from the flow of this evening. However, it did not take away from the generosity of The Mandrake's hosting of the event and the invitation extended to us.

Passed appetizers:

  • Brisket and habanero cheddar rangoon. Uh, yeah, this was money in the bank. Especially after we had been standing around hungrily for a while at this point. These were little pillows of meaty, cheesy delight. I only ate one, but just because I didn’t want to look like a hungry savage.
  • Bacon wrapped alligator tails with Carolina mustard BBQ sauce. These skewers were good, but they were so large that they were a bit difficult to eat. The bacon wrapped alligator was staggered with sweet potato chunks. Pretty darn tasty.
  • Lobster risotto puppies. Yes, please. These were light, flaky, and fabulous. Although we could not taste much lobster, these had a great flavor. This was my favorite dish of the whole night.

The Main Event:

  • Mandrake Salad with pecans, red onions, grape tomatoes, goat cheese & bacon vinaigrette. I did not love this salad, as all I could taste was the super sweet dressing. My table mates also noted the sweetness, but they were not as bothered by it as I was.
  • Fried Green Tomato with wasabi aioli. I could not eat this due to my fake and made-up corn allergy, but my table mates really enjoyed this dish. Most said it was their favorite of the evening.
  • Airline Chicken with cayenne caramel sauce and grapefruit risotto. I had never seen airline chicken before, which is a boneless chicken breast with the drumette attached. It was a very beautiful dish, but it tasted like dessert. The sauce on the chicken and the risotto were both so sweet that it was difficult to eat. Most of us did not finish this dish. The chicken was cooked perfectly however, and it was not at all tough, as is so often the problem with chicken breast. I love dessert and sweet things (um, have we met?), but this entire meal was just too much sugar. As one of my fellow diners said, “I have to stop eating this or I am going to get diabetes.” Yikes.

Dessert: The final course was Key Lime Cheesecake. This dessert and their others are not made in house, but they all come from a man in Florida who produces award-winning cakes. I do not typically love citrus flavored desserts, but this cheesecake was delicious. However, at this point I was on serious sugar overload. I soldiered on and finished my slice though, don’t worry.

Drink: I know you are going to find this hard to believe, but I had a cucumber ginger margarita and it was, yes, so sweet. This could have been my personal preference, as I don’t usually order mixed drinks as I often find them to be too sweet/too weak. Usually you will find me drinking my own “signature cocktail,” a little something I call patron on the rocks. But, I wanted to try everything they were offering for us, so I took a chance on this. Nancy had a watermelon arugula gimlet that I tried, and it was much less sweet and very delicious.

Atmosphere: I really enjoyed the vibe in here. The lighting is so right; as loyal readers know I hate a place with glaring light; even if it makes the pictures better, it totally kills the mood. I also dug the artwork, particularly a picture of a turnip with a face. I liked him a lot.

Also, Chef Donnie (#thedonchef) came out after dinner and spoke to us about his vision for the kitchen and the restaurant, and he is a very lovely person who puts a lot of heart into what he is doing at The Mandrake. He is not merely cooking food, he is invested in creating a culture of inspired chefs who will invigorate the Uptown food scene. Also, congratulations to Chef Donnie on his recent glut of B.O.B awards (linked above). We will be back soon to try the regular menu to get a better idea of their offerings.

Southern Hospitality: I was really not impressed with the service we received. It could have been an anomaly at this particular event, but as previously stated there was a lack of communication between owner/management and his floor staff, which made for a very awkward interaction between guests and staff. There was seemingly no one leading this event to move us from the cocktail portion to the dinner, and we actually moved ourselves to the table at around 8:15, because it was an hour and fifteen minutes after dinner was supposed to begin and we all wanted to go home at some point (it was a Wednesday evening).  Again, this does not detract from how kind Chef Donnie and others staff members were, but the entire event appeared very disorganized from this blogger’s perspective.

Frankie's Notes: Turnip with a face is my new best friend; Getting diabetes from chicken is not the way I want to go; You have to be a real boss lady to drink my sig cocktail; I feel like we don't eat enough alligator and shark--maybe if we did we could all go back in the water again; Am I the only one who stopped swimming in oceans and swamps this year?; Seriously, don't go in the shark's house; Cheers to The Don Chef whose awesome hospitality made this event worthwhile--we will be back soon for a redux with their regular menu offerings. 

Rating: 2 out of 5

Disclaimer: Our meal was provided for free in exchange for an honest and unbiased review.

Et Cetera:

333 West Trade St.
Charlotte, NC 28202
11 am-10 pm; 12 am on Friday/Saturday; Closes at 4 pm Sundays

 

Evoke Redux

Background: We already reviewed Evoke back in the summer (yeah, that’s right, scallionpancake is basically a Charlotte institution now), and it’s now officially the first place scallionpancake got invited for a fancy pants blogger event! This was possible mainly through nepotism, as cousin Amy (amyonfood.blogspot.com) got us hooked up with the Charlotte Food Bloggers group. Thanks, Amy! So, to recap, Evoke, located in the recently revamped Le Meridian hotel, is headed up by Chefs Oscar LaFuente and Robert Reinken. The restaurant recently hosted a media night to showcase their new spring menu. Jason couldn't make the event because #taxseason, but Amy and I had a fabulous girls' night out. 

Eat This: This was such a standout restaurant for our first event. The night flowed very smoothly and the service was top notch. Here are the courses from the evening:

  • Crisp Pork Belly with white asparagus, morels, and pickled ramp salsa verde. Although no one in their right mind would complain about pork belly, this was not the best I have had. It was a bit tough/overcooked. The salsa verde was my favorite part of this dish. Also, please do not tell my Rabbi that I am still regularly eating pork belly. Conversion has been a dream, minus the Kosher bit. Ahem.
  • Sweet Onion Bisque with sourdough crouton, parmesan, egg yolk, and black truffle. Amy and I agreed that this dish was the best of the night! The soup was satisfying without being overly heavy, and all of the flavors really worked. It was a lovely spring soup. Also, you know we are about that truffle life.
  • Yellowfin Tuna Crudo with barolo pickled onions, caperberries, celery heart, and smoked olive oil. When this dish came out, I was even more gutted than I was previously about Jason being unable to attend this event due to that IRS life (TAX SEASON IS OVER, PRAISE ALLAH). Tuna is his fave. I thought this was just okay, but I don’t love chicken of the sea, so take my opinion with a grain of salt. The caperberries were my favorite part of this dish.
  • Mint Pappardelle with braised lamb, fava beans, morels, and ricotta salata. Evoke has incredible pasta, all made in house. This dish had great flavor, and it was everything a spring pasta should be (green, light, and herby). Amy and I also ordered pasta dishes from the regular menu to take home to the menfolk, and they both highly approved. Four enthusiastic man thumbs in the air.
  • Pork Tenderloin with ndjua, parsnip puree, Romanesco, and violet mustard. So, I learned what ndjua is, and I didn’t hate it.--in case you are similarly uninformed, it’s a spicy pork salami puree, and it’s amazing. That and the violet mustard made this dish. The pork was perfectly cooked.

Dessert: This was the only disappointment of the evening--the tasting did not include dessert! Quelle horreur! Amy and I remedied that by taking our drinks out to the bar and ordering a dessert whilst we waited for the boy’s pasta orders. We tried an olive oil cake with honey sorbet and it was awesome.

Drink: Complimentary wine was served with dinner, and the servers were amazing and let me have some sparkling wine upon request, because you know I’m fancy like that (read: terribly high maintenance).

Atmosphere: As we reviewed last time, the decor is decent and done in a 60s mod style. They have really done a lovely job revamping this space. 

Southern Hospitality: The service for this event was perfect and just the right amount of attentive without being ingratiating (a problem we had last time). 

Frankie's Notes: I think we all remember where we were when Jessica Simpson couldn't properly identify her tuna #neverforget; Tax season is over and I'm ready to have my man-friend back for dinner dates; Blogger events make you feel like you could really be somebody, someday; Ps--two more events and I quit my day job; Amy is the best cousin ever and we appreciate her helping us get our foot in the door of the Charlotte blogger scene! 

Disclaimer: Our meal was provided for free in exchange for an honest and unbiased review.

Et Cetera: 

555 S. McDowell St.
Charlotte, NC 28204
6:00 am-11:00 pm daily

http://www.evokerestaurant.com/

 

Freud

Background: Opened in Greenwich Village in February of this year, Freud is an Austrian restaurant opened by Eduard Frauneder, a Vienna native. Frauneder also owns two East Village joints, Edi & The Wolf and The Third man. In an incredible stroke of luck, they had just opened for brunch service on the day we stopped in. Kismet!

Eat This: We had just landed for our less than 48 hour visit in NY, and we had made sure to come hungry. On the other hand, we knew we had a lot of food stops left to make before flying out the next day, so we kept it fairly light. Jason had the Rhubarb Pancakes, served with whipped sour cream. Jason (thinks he) does not like sour cream, but even he was willing to take a chance on this one. He actually had ordered the bagel, but when we saw someone at the table next to us with these pancakes, he knew he had made a grave mistake. Luckily, they happily changed his order and the pancakes were divine--light and fluffy, not too sweet.

I ordered the Albacore Confit, served with cucumbers, dill, and crispy elephant garlic, along with some toast points. They have a similar option on their dinner menu, but this dish was just the perfect thing for a light lunch. It was very #norwegianfood.

Other options that looked delicious included the bread basket and the egg options (baked, sunny, scrambled, poached).

Dessert: No dessert here, but we did head to Rice to Riches immediately after.

Drink: Even though Jason was running the NY Half Marathon the next day, he still indulged in a Freudian Cocktail with me! I had the Tomatillo Bloody Mary, which was very different from any other bloody I’ve tried. It had chunks of tomato in it, which I know would not be everyone’s cup of tea (vodka), but I really enjoyed it. It could have been a tad spicier, though.

Jason had the Nirvana, a pink concoction (duh) with Pisco, Aperol and blood orange juice. His drink was the winner between the two. They also have a cocktail called the Libido. Psych jokes abound.

Atmosphere: The space is very zen and has a European cafe feel. It’s outfitted in wood paneling and lush greenery, and there are psych books scattered about. They tacked up current newspaper front pages to the wall, including some fun tabloids. The bathroom shelves were lined with tons of tea candles, which rather shocked me. I saw this practice several times on this visit, and I had second-hand anxiety over the potential lawsuit/fire hazard. It looks cool though, for sure. 

Viennese Hospitality: The servers were so kind and even asked us what we thought of the brunch, as it was their first day trying it out. There was not a big crowd when we went, but all of the staff was super attentive without being ingratiating.

Frankie’s Notes: I would like for Jason to keep running races in fabulous locales for the rest of our lives; People who think they don’t like things like sour cream or mayonnaise when they really don’t know what they like; Chunky cocktails versus pink cocktails is the new Batman vs Superman; It’s been hard to write blog posts during tax season, but we’re back, internet!

Rating: 5 out of 5

560 LaGuardia Place
New York, New York 10012

http://www.freudnyc.com/

 

Ru Sans

Background: The first Ru Sans was opened in Atlanta by chef Wataru Nagata. Per the newspaper clippings posted on the wall that I read one night while waiting for a table, Nagata's goal was to mold Ru Sans on the business model of Wal-Mart. That sounds really bad/we are not really sure what that entails, because our table was ready so I stopped reading. Anywho, there is one thing we know for sure, though, and it’s that Ru Sans has the best darn sushi in Charlotte. Disagree? We will fight to the death over it--with chopsticks, of course. 

Eat This: When we say “Best in Charlotte,” that doesn’t mean you can only go to the all-you-can-eat buffet and disagree based on that measure alone. You have got to go to Ru Sans for dinner, where you will see some truly incredible sushi chefs working at mach speed to turn out the freshest, tastiest sushi in Charlotte. Furthermore, you have to trust Jason to order you some rolls. His picks will vary, but the mainstays are:

-Always start with the Curry Rice Ball. Not to quibble over details, but it’s really more of a triangle than a ball, Mr. San. Either way, this little guy will start your evening out right.It’s crunchy fried goodness on the outside and sticky rice inside. Don’t get the teriyaki one, get the curry one. You’ve been warned. You are gonna want to start with something, though, as the appetizers are money. The house salad and seaweed salad are good options, as is the tuna poke bowl.

Our favorite rolls:

-Green Dragon Roll. Shrimp tempura and cucumber wrapped in avocado and topped with roe. The best roll on the menu.

-Atomic Salmon: Shrimp tempura and avocado wrapped in salmon, topped with jalapeno slices.

-A basic tuna or salmon roll with avocado is always a good choice. The fish will be fresh and delicious, and, one of the best things about Ru Sans: the rolls are a reasonable size for eating in one bite, just the way God intended. Tamago (sweet egg omelette) is also a great choice, either sashimi or nigiri style.

-Be adventurous and try a roll off of the specials menu. These can be hit and miss, but at least you can say you tried. A recent miss was a roll with big lemon slices on top--rind and all. Was it a garnish and we ate it? Are we supposed to be cool with eating a big bite of citrus rind? Insert that new emoji scratching its chin (best new emoji, hands down).

Dessert: We don’t usually do dessert here, but the grilled mochi cake with red bean sauce is awesome and not something you can find everywhere.  

Drink: Sake, obviously. You will also get a boisterous cheer for a sake bomb, if you are at the bar. Pro tip: if you sit at the bar, you will get a complimentary appetizer, like crab (krab) or cucumber salad. Yay!

Atmosphere: The feel here is fairly utilitarian--nothing fancy pants about it. This is not a bad thing, though. The prices match the ambiance. Ru Sans is great for a casual weeknight dinner or a quality and economical meal before a fancier night out Uptown. There is no sushi Uptown that matches Ru Sans. Sorry, Enso. Why would you want to pay more to eat lesser sushi? A funky bar and expensive light fixtures? Nah.

East Asian Hospitality: The service here is mostly great...except for one consistently terrible waitress who shall remain unidentified--at one time, her excuse for being terrible was that she had only been at that job for six months? Um...as someone who has worked in restaurants, I am going to put it out there that six months is what we might call...long enough. She is an anomaly though. Mostly the service is quick and polite.

Frankie’s Notes: If you go to a sushi buffet, lower your expectations; Another pro-tip: a 30-minute quoted wait at Ru Sans is usually only 15-20; Jason loves tuna even though it is slowly giving him mercury poisoning, a la Jeremy Piven; Bad game show idea: “Am I supposed to eat this or is it a garnish?;"  Wait, does this mean that Mr. Krab was made out of soy and artificial coloring?; The Epicentre does not have great food and is generally terrifying after 10:30 pm; If you have worked at a restaurant for six months, know that the rest of the world will view that as “kind of a long time.”

Rating: 4 out of 5

2440 Park Road
Charlotte, NC 28203
Monday-Thursday: 11:30-2:30, 4:30-11 pm
Friday: 11:30-2:30, 4:30-12am
Saturday: 12:00-2:30, 4:30-12am
Sunday: 3-11pm

http://www.rusanscharlotte.com/

 

The Pump House

Background: The Riverwalk area in Rock Hill is growing like crazy. The walking trail is busy every day and packed on a beautiful weekend. There are new apartments and homes going up at warp speed, a wine bar just opened (a second location of The Grape Vine--a Baxter staple), and a hair salon and a Brixx Pizza are coming soon. Not to leave out the pinnacle of Riverwalk, of course--the shiny, beautiful BNA building.  A close second, however, is the brand new restaurant, The Pump House.

The Pump House is the vision of Ell Close and Colby Mosier, who, along with Jeff Conway, the owner of Napa on Providence and Ruth's Chris Steakhouses in Charlotte, have turned the dilapidated Celanese Textile Factory pump house into the one of the most unique and best restaurants in York County. The restaurant sits directly on the Catawba River, offering 180 degree views of the river. It is a five story restaurant--the top story is the bar, the fourth floor is reserved for special events, and the third floor is the main seating area. The second floor is used for storage and the first floor is where you enter. You can even see the original pump sitting outside of the restaurant!

Full disclosure: Jason's parents are a 1% owner in the Pump House, so we got to go the investor dinner before their official opening. Riverwalk perks!

Eat This: The menu is what we'll call "Modern Southern." Their entrees average around $20 and include three types of shrimp and grits, steak, trout and catfish, and many other southern delicacies.

The calamari was light and tasty. Other appetizer options included a rock shrimp cocktail, tomato soup, and caesar salad. 

The filet and the trout were both served over pureed butternut squash and greens which were seasoned and sautéed to perfection. Also, the filet was cooked a perfect rare, as requested--only good restaurants are willing and able to cook rare steak, so that's a good sign. The southern fried shrimp and grits came with collard greens and house made bacon, and tasted like we imagine great-grandma used to make them (not a Jewish grandma, obvs). 

Dessert: We tried the Cheerwine molten chocolate cake, which might have been the best chocolate cake we've ever had. It was so good that the two of us ate it all and didn't save any for Bernie (The Bern), who was politely talking to the couple next to us while we ravaged it. We then convinced our waiter to let us have another one for the table. Alas, The Bern still didn't get to eat that much of the second one. Oops. You have to be fast with your fork when you dine with us. 

Drink: Some super awesome cocktail offerings--Jason tried the River Water, which was served in a mason jar and made with moonshine, blood orange syrup, and love. 

Atmosphere: Sophisticated country vibes abound. Modern seating and stainless steel combine seamlessly with wood panels and a taxidermy beaver under glass ("Justin Beaver"). It was not open on the night we went, but soon the patio will be open (fifth floor), which will be so lovely for drinks and watching the sunset and wildlife on the river. 

Southern Hospitality: Our bartenders and waitstaff could not have been any sweeter. The owners said that all servers would be attending training at Ruth's Chris restaurants in the next week to further hone their fine dining service skills. 

Frankie's Notes: BNA is where Jason Ackerman IV will work; Just kidding, Jews don't name their kids like that; We hope the seafood is not from Lake Wylie; If only the real Justin Beiber could be preserved under glass; We owe The Bern two chocolate cakes; Expect to find the BNA staff dinning al fresco on a Friday evening in the near future. 

Rating: 3 out of 5

575 Herrons Ferry Rd
Rock Hill, SC 29730
Hours: TBD

http://rockhillpumphouse.com/

 

Seoul Food Meat Co

On Saturday night, Seoul Food Kitchen had its soft opening. If you want some K-pop and Korean barbeque, then you have found the promised land. This place was jammin' for a little-publicized opening, which we think really speaks to Charlotteans desire for new and interesting cuisine (we do well, but we could do better). They were only offering one option on Saturday: a tray of foods, the variety dictated by the kitchen.

Our tray included two kinds of barbeque, a sweet pork and a smokey brisket. Both were fantastic and we could have easily eaten more, but we didn't want to hog (pun) the meat from our fellow patrons--not foodies, by the way-I detest the word foodie. It's like moist. Moist foodie. Shudder. 

The tray also included Sriracha slaw, pickles, sticky rice with chilis, and pimento corn cheese served with rice crisps. 

The full menu was teased, and it included wonders such as green tea biscuits, soju, and something called "potato swirl." We will definitely be back soon--they are opening for real sometime in the next couple of weeks, but they told us they couldn't give an exact day. The suspense makes it even more exciting! 

Very important linguistic query: What's a good alternative for the word "foodie?" Gastronomes? Culinarians? The fat kids inside of us all? Discuss. 

https://www.facebook.com/seoulfoodmeatco/?fref=ts

 

Kid Cashew

Background: Kid Cashew. So hot right now. (see also: Hansel). Kid Cashew opened on East Boulevard about two weeks ago and Scallionpancake is here to give you the scoop. The owner, Martin Sprock, also owns RuRu’s Tacos & Tequila and Leroy Fox. This spot is what I (affectionately!) term a cancerous location--it has housed two or three failed restaurants in a short period of time. Is this the restaurant that ends the losing streak? Well, in the words of Marcel the Shell…“read on!”

Eat This: The menu is a family-style affair with selections for small plates, salads, sandwiches and “from the butcher” items--meat cooked on the grill served with a selection of sauces.

We tried--

Small Plates--Hummus, tzatziki, & eggplant caponata dips served with grilled bread. We tried all three, and they were awesome. The hummus was super thick with a strong coriander flavor, the eggplant caponata was sprinkled with golden raisins, but my favorite was the tzatziki. Sometimes this iconic yogurt dip can taste anemic--like the chef threw some cucumber slices into a cup of Dannon and called it a day. Kid Cashew’s version was thick and had that distinct tangy greek yogurt taste. At this point, we were all feeling pretty good about the state of things. Then we got the Chargrilled Spanish Octopus, and our lovely dining companion Daniela wanted to know why the heck you would go out of your way to say “chargrilled” when the flavor was anything but. We didn’t even see grill marks. The roasty, crispy giangte beans served with this dish were our favorite part. Otherwise, bland and run of the mill: skip.

Salads--We unanimously agreed that the Passionate Beet & Arugula salad was the way to go when we were ordering; it’s served with whipped goat cheese and toasted pistachios. You had us at goat cheese. However, we were unpleasantly surprised that the goat cheese was a microscopic smear on the bottom of the dish, and we could barely make up the flavor. The beets were seemingly poached in a sweet, cinnamon broth, rendering the entire dish too sweet and not at all what we were expecting. Lots of other tables had the Farmer Greek salad, which looked really tasty.

Sandwiches: We tried the Lamb Burger on a brioche bun. This was our favorite dish of the night, but it’s a little difficult to split burgers/sandwiches between more than two people. The burger was cooked perfectly, but it was served with two awkward baby potatoes that were hanging out like a garnish. Either offer potatoes as a side or don’t--this was a weird tease (and the potatoes were undercooked).

We would have liked to have tried one of the meat dishes & more of the sandwiches--maybe next time. We left feeling pretty nonplussed, on the whole. This place definitely has room to grow, but we would certainly give it another shot after they have been open a few more weeks.

Dessert:  They have two options right now, a caramel ice cream and a sponge cake--we got the cake. With a dessert of this quality, it might be better not to offer anything at all. It tasted like a cake from a grocery store --bland and somewhat dry.

Drink: They have a Goat’s Breast Milk cocktail--but the name is just to shock you (uh, well played), this drink does not have milk of any kind. It’s a sweet and tangy mix of ouzo, amaretto, lemonade, and mint. We ordered a pitcher, and while the flavor was great--refreshing, and not too sweet, it was very light on the booze. It was basically mint lemonade. Still good, but not what we were expecting or worth the price tag ($30 for a carafe).

Atmosphere: This place is adorable. I couldn’t stop marveling at the details when we first walked in--water carafes in an antique bathtub, chandeliers, and cool knickknacks scattered about. My only complaint is that the lighting was harsh--why do so many dinner places insist on having lights like a supermarket? What happened to mood lighting? We are pushing 30--we need it.

Southern Hospitality: Our server was very personable, and someone else was quick to fix our wobbly table. The food came out quickly and with a smile. They were perhaps a bit too quick to try and take our plates away (before we were finished), but that’s a minor complaint.

Frankie’s Notes: Don’t take “Tax Season Jason” to dinner if you aren’t ready for him to throw expletives across the table at the top of his lungs; What does Daniela want? Grill marks. When does she want them? uh, yesterday; How do you measure the level of passion in a beet? Cinnamon, apparently; Only really good friends can split a hamburger into thirds; Restaurants that are about as romantic as a Wal-Mart on a Wednesday afternoon; We are not sure if this was worth missing Tuesday Trivia over--they need more Johnny & hot wings.

Rating: 3 out of 5

Et Cetera: 

1608 East Blvd.
Charlotte, NC 28203
11 am-10 pm daily


https://www.facebook.com/KidCashew/?fref=ts  

 

 

 

 

Kindred

Background: Kindred was voted #7 on Bon Appetit magazine’s list of Best New Restaurants for 2015. Yep--Davidson, NC made the top ten list for the whole darn country. Husband and wife team Joe and Katy Kindred wanted to move back to Joe’s hometown after they met on the Chicago restaurant scene. 

Eat This: We’ve gotta come clean about our first visit. Back in August when we first ventured to the charming college town, we were less than impressed with Kindred. It wasn’t that we disliked it, we just didn’t get what the hype was about. Was it good? Yeah. Top ten in the country good? Calm down, bro.

But...maybe the problem was the hype and we needed to manage our expectations? Did they have an off night? Did we? With all of these super important life queries swirling through our heads, we decided to give it another shot before we reviewed it. We dined with our lovely friends Zander and Tamara. They are also: getting married this year and don’t care one bit about spoiling their appetites on bread before the meal. Twins!

Kindred specializes in small plates that rotate seasonally. Top picks this visit included the Wagyu Beef Tartare and the Tagliatelle alla Bolognese. The tartare was served with finely grated dried mushrooms and salty dried fish--absolute perfection. The Bolognese was a table favorite and we agreed it was like something your Italian grandmother would make, if you had one (if you do have one, will you share her with us?) Jason and Zander really loved the Pork Saltimbocca served with grits and red-eye gravy, but Tamara and I just wanted more bread. All the bread. Their bread is “milk bread” served in a round carafe with house cultured butter. The first loaf is free to the table, but you have to pay for additional loaves. Worth it.

Dessert: At dinner, we found out that Zander is kind of a health nut: he drinks bulletproof coffee every morning, engages in intermittent fasting, and eschews dessert. Tamara told us that her other half always acts super non-committal regarding dessert, until it is on the table, practically begging “EAT ME, ZANDER.” And, true to her word, Zander looked at the three of us like we were hungry barbarians when we suggested two desserts after we pretty much had eaten everything on the dinner menu. Then, when it was served he descended upon it like it was a death row meal (disclaimer: Zander is the thinnest of us all, so #judgementfreezone). What did we get, you ask? the Milk & Cookies (salted chocolate chip cookies with cinnamon ice cream) and the Chocolate Birthday Cake. The cookies and ice cream were pretty good, but the cake was the stand-out. On our last visit, we thought it tasted disappointingly similar to Baskin Robbins ice cream cake, but this time we were so glad we ordered it. Top notch.

Overall, we felt the food this time around was much more impressive than at our visit in August. We still aren’t sure it’s “top ten in the whole country good,” but it is definitely great food and easily among the top restaurants in Charlotte.  

Drink: Jason & Tamara each ordered the same girly cocktail (called the Santiago) and gave it high marks. We especially liked the aluminum straw that looked like a dental instrument.

Atmosphere: Kindred used to be a drug store, and they have maintained some original wood elements in the bar area (+ the dental-esque straws). The seating is both upstairs and down, and the kitchen is in the basement, so the servers certainly get a workout! The decor is charming, right down to the sign in the bathroom that says: “Employees must wash their hands...and moonwalk out of the bathroom.” The atmosphere at Kindred definitely feels special--perfect for date night or a fancy occasion.

Southern Hospitality: The service here is laid-back, but helpful. On both occasions, our waitresses have been more than happy to offer food and drink suggestions.

Frankie’s Notes: When you are planning a wedding, you become People Who Only Talk About Weddings--you can feel yourself doing it and yet you are powerless to stop it; Friends don’t let friends feel weird about ordering bread to-go; Dessert is casual until you turn into a T-Rex over some cake; Tamara is planning our honeymoon to Easter Island to see the alien statues; It’s normal to go through a stick of Kerrygold butter a week, right?

Ranking: 5 out of 5

Et Cetera:

131 N Main St.
Davidson, North Carolina 28036
Tuesday-Saturday: 11:00 – 2:30pm and 5:00-10:00pm

http://kindreddavidson.com/ 

 

Top Five Restaurants of 2015

We had a pretty darn good 2015, due in no small part to the things we stuffed our faces with. Without further ado, here are the top 5 places we ate this past year.

Jason

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1. Funky Gourmet

Athens, Greece

(Snails with fresh black truffle pictured above). A 2 star Michelin experience worth every penny. Each dish was perfect its own little way.

2. Rose's Luxury

Washington, DC

(Vadouvan Curry). There's a lot of hype to Rose's, but it is one of the few places that actually lives up to the hype. If you're in DC , it's a must visit.

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3. FIG

Charleston, SC

The best dish of the year goes to FIG - this soft shell crab pasta was one of the top things I've ever eaten!

4. Michael's Genuine

Miami, FL

Michael's was amazing, but this dessert was the best of 2015 - a smore ice cream pop with dark chocolate dipping sauce.

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5. Momofuku Ssäm

New York, NY

I've been wanting to get the duck at Ssäm for roughly 5 years, so in 2015 my dream came true! Shout out to Vishnu and Andrew for helping us devour this guy. 

Yvonne

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1. Funky Gourmet,

Athens, Greece

Everything about this meal was beyond any other dining experience I've had, and this dessert was so innovative and tasty. I couldn't stop freaking out about the fact that we were having our first night in Europe together, that Jason was running the marathon in two days, that we just got ENGAGED...and then I was served a potato filled with ice cream. All was right with the world. 

2. Eating House

Miami, FL

(Heirloom tomatoes with nuoc cham, peanuts, & coconut ice). This was pre-blog days, but it was definitely one of the meals that inspired us to start telling people about the specifics of the massive amount of calories we run off every week. This salad was molecular gastronomy done right--the coconut ice didn't detract from the fresh tomatoes and thai flavors, it only added. The different flavors and textures here were mind blowing, and I've spent a lot of time thinking about this dish since June (that's normal, right?). 

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3. Momofuku Ssäm

New York, NY

When we were in New York (sadly, also pre-blog), we spent the whole weekend eating, to the point where I felt kind of sick on the plane ride home. We had breakfast, lunch, and two ice cream places before 2:00 Sunday afternoon--but when we ate this duck on Saturday, I was actually hungry, and not only is hunger the best sauce, the sauce that came with this duck was the best sauce. Also the mint and the chive pancakes (AKA scallion pancakes!). Oh yeah, and the duck. Ya dig? 

4.  Det Lille Apotek

Copenhagen, Denmark

We ate this meal hours after we landed in the magical fairyland of Copenhagen. The streets were like a doll's house come to life, the people were beautiful, the night was crisp and sparkling with Christmas lights...I was so in love with everything that night, especially my wonderful fiancé who brought me there (and the sure promise of danishes the in morning). Our cab driver recommended this spot, and told us it was the oldest restaurant in Copenhagen. Due to that, this restaurant may have been a bit touristy, but what we ate was authentic Danish/Nordic cuisine. The sampler included so many delicious meats and pickled vegetables, but the standout was the smoked herring with onions and capers with warm rye bread and butter. I ate this several more times on our visit, and it inspired me to eat like this all the time. That definitely hasn't happened yet, but one day I will recreate this meal and imagine I am back in my favorite place, future spot of Javon's summer home, circa 2036. 

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5. Rose's Luxury

Washington, DC

Yes, the bread put this place over the edge onto my top 5 list. Like everything on their menu, Rose's rotates out the variety of bread and compound butter, and I am so glad that this was the iteration we got to try. I mean, you add potato to bread, and then make it taste even more like a potato? Shut your mouth. This list really made me come to terms with how much I love potatoes, and that I am much more long-winded than Jason. WHO KNEW?

Bonus Categories

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Best Cocktail

Lidkoeb, Copenhagen, Denmark

This winter wonderland magic was from a bar in Copenhagen called Lidkoeb. I don't remember what the liquor was, what else was in it...just that it had this cute little powdered sugar dusted piece of a pine tree in it and it tasted like hygge and happiness. Signature wedding cocktail inspiration? Le duh. 

 

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Best Non-Michelin Dessert

The Frieze, Miami, FL

The rum raisin ice cream from Frieze in Miami. This was the year I decided I loved this old lady flavor, owned it, and grossed out Jason with my adoration of it. Special consideration to the rum raisin at Bar Cocoa at The Ritz. (We didn't take a picture, so here's Ollie in his cone of shame)

Rose's Luxury

Background: Rose's Luxury opened in October, 2013 in the Capitol Hill district of Washington, D.C. by owner and chef Aaron Silverman, who previously worked with David Chang of Momofuku fame. Almost immediately after opening, Rose's became one of the hottest restaurants in DC. In 2014 it was listed by Bon Appetit as the hottest new restaurant in the country. The restaurant is so hot right now that side businesses that have been set up just to hold your place in the waiting line! There is a bar down the street that has a cocktail on the menu called 'Waiting for Rose's." 

Eat This: Here's the deal: there are only about 12 items on the menu at a time. You want to try everything on the menu, especially after you just waited 2 hours to have the privilege of eating here. In order to do that you need to either be super hungry or get a reservation for at least 6 people. So make sure before you go that you have a) 5 friends who like to eat good food and b) get there at least an hour and a half before they open to ensure you can get a table. PSA: If you don't have 5 friends you can pay Javon to come with you. You're welcome.

The menu changes regularly but slowly. Our waiter Patrick said that they rotate out a dish once or twice a month. It won't be uncommon for a returning customer to see familiar dishes for a few months. That being said, here's what we ate:

Bread: If Jesus knew that you could make bread this good he probably would have turned all the fish into these magical loaves. The loaf is a spin on a loaded baked potato: warm potato bread served with a bacon and chive butter. When you eat the bread it gives you confirmation that waiting in line for two hours was probably, no, definitely a good idea. 

"Cold" Small Plates: We started with Beef Ribeye Tartare with pickled ramps and crispy potatoes. We then had Fall Vegetable Panzanella salad.

"Warm & Grill" Small Plates: Charred Carrots served with harissa, housemade yogurt, & pearl onions; Pork Sausage served with habanero, peanuts, & lychee salad; and Grilled Quail with Brussels Sprouts, Caesar & apples.

"Other Goods": Crispy Pig's Ear Salad with mango & cabbage; Vadouvan Curry with sweet potato & caramelized banana; and Confit Goat with BBQ Sea Island red peas, rice ,& garlic breadcrumbs. These dishes really divided the table, what with 1.5 vegetarians and two culinary curmudgeons. Our server Patrick said the Pig's Ear Salad was his favorite thing on the menu, and Javon super enjoyed it--the mango brightened up the dish, and the overall effect was surprisingly light. The curry, though, was our favorite dish of the night. 

Pasta: Hand-Cut Chitarra with caramelized cauliflower & white wine soffritto; Penne "alla vodka" with squid & basil; and an off-menu bonus dish for our resident vegetarian: Truffle Pasta from the heavens.

Larger Dishes: They had two larger dishes, which were family style portions. The Smoked Brisket with white bread, horseradish & slaw was like your grandma's brisket, only 100x better. What really stole the show here was the Peruvian-Style Chicken with fried yuca, sweet potato ceviche, & plantains. The chicken might have been the best chicken we've ever had - extremely juicy with a perfect seasoning. It also came with three sauces, one of which was a spicy red mole sauce which was to die for. Jason almost made Yvonne stick the rest of that in her purse.

Dessert: The desserts were the only part of the menu that didn't completely floor us. We ordered all of the ones on the menu, and the standout was the Eggplant Tarte Tartin--we had never had an eggplant dessert! 

Drink: They have a selection of cocktails which looked good, but ultimately didn't tempt us. We knew were in for a long food night so we stayed with water and unsweet tea. 

Atmosphere: Rose's Luxury is located on 8th street near Capitol Hill, which is quickly becoming a hot food community. The interior was Southern Modern and extremely homey and welcoming. It felt from the moment you walked inside like you were eating somewhere special.

District Hospitality: The staff is overwhelmingly gracious. Any question or concern was handled with swift and upmost care. We mentioned to Patrick that we really liked Charleston for food, and he came back to us a few minutes later with a list from all the chefs, including Mr. Silverman, of the best places to go in Charleston and what to eat at each place. 

Frankie's Notes: Sometimes, you love food so much that it confuses your loved ones and almost makes them miss the Florida State game; Javon ate truffles twice in one month: #winning; Standing in line for food brings people together; Confession: we came here directly from standing in a line to eat at Milk Bar.

Rating: 5 out of 5 + 2 Michigan Pugs

 

Et Cetera:

717 8th St. SE
Washington, DC
Monday - Saturday: 5:00pm - 10:00pm

http://www.rosesluxury.com/

 

Rhubarb

Background: Chef and owner John Fleer opened Rhubarb in 2013. Fleer is a three-time nominee for the James Beard “Best Chef in the Southeast Award,” and this restaurant plays a central role in the rapidly multiplying upscale Asheville dining scene.

Eat This: Literally everything. Okay, but if we have to narrow it down, let us direct you to these standouts:

  • Start with the Rosemary Sea Salt Pecans. We know what you’re thinking: “Wait, what?! A huge menu of appetizers and you tell me to get the nuts? You cray.” But trust us, the nuts have the most exquisite flavor, and it changes from amazing to ethereal as they cool. The flavor is the nutty embodiment of Christmas and joy.
  • Order the Berber Pie (Rhubarb Jam, Benton’s Prosciutto, Spiced Onions). Eating a hand pie makes you feel like a peasant, but in a good way. And yes, rhubarb is peppered all over the menu, from the foods to the cocktails. Cute! Skip the Frito Misto (fried pickled vegetables)--you can get something similar anywhere.
  • For entrees, we highly recommend the Muscadine Duck Confit and the Goat Cheese Gnudi. The duck has so many different elements--duck ham, sweet potato cake, walnuts--and it all just works.The muscadine glaze is a great addition and a duly noted nod to local fare, as well as a nice change from the typical fruit pairings you see with duck. Surprisingly, our favorite dish was the Lyonnaise Salad. This was amped up from the traditional version with fried trout sardines--this dish was the ringer that impressed the whole table.

Dessert: The dessert menu had one clear winner, the Figgy Toffee Pudding. Oh lawd. We had never tried traditional sticky toffee pudding, but I am certain that the substitution of figs for dates was an upgrade. We tried a Brown Butter Squash Cake that did not impress--it was dry and lacked flavor.

Drink: A wide selection of craft cocktails that rotate as often as their seasonal food offerings. The night we were there they had an “Inigo Montoya” cocktail made with Hendrick’s gin and egg whites that was stellar.

Atmosphere: Rhubarb is adorable. It is the kind of place where you want to linger, and the vibe is modern farmhouse chic. The lighting is soft and there is an outdoor patio that must be killer in warmer months.

Southern Hospitality: There was team serving, which we feel sometimes does not go as well as the alternative. We had to ask for some items more than once, but overall the servers were knowledgable and polite with no major missteps.

Frankie’s Notes: Can they make nuts that taste like Hanukkah?; Seeds and North Carolina wine give muscadines a bad rap; “You killed my father, prepare to drink this delicious libation”; There should be more restaurants that resemble an Anthropologie; That classy Renaissance peasant feeling can be achieved with a turkey leg and/or a hand pie.

Rating: 4 out of 5

Et Cetera:
7 SW Pack SQ.
Asheville, NC 28801
Monday, Wednesday, Thursday 11:30 am to 9:30 pm
Friday 11:30 am to 10:30 pm
Saturday 10:30 am to 10:30 pm
Sunday 10:30 to 9:30 pm
Closed Tuesday

http://www.rhubarbasheville.com/ 

 

 

 

 

Lexington Barbecue

Background: Lexington Barbecue is a no frills, traditional southern BBQ establishment. They smoke their meat (pork shoulders only) over oak or hickory coals every day. When we saw the smokers working overtime when we pulled up, we knew we were in for something good. This place has consistently been ranked on "Best Of" lists for BBQ across the country, so don't just take our word for it--they are the real deal. 

Eat This: We were dying for good BBQ after being disappointed by the Lexington Barbecue Festival. Seriously, do not attend this festival if you are looking to go HAM (pig puns!) on some pork--you will be sorely disappointed. The festival is heavy on tchotchkes/the people of WalMart and light on the BBQ selection. So, we booked it out of there and Googled our way to Lexington Barbecue, heralded as the best of the best. 

Their signature dish is the chopped BBQ plate, which is unique in that it is very finely chopped. The flavor is rich and smokey, and you top it with the signature NC vinegar-based BBQ sauce. They also serve a coarse chopped option, which we would like to try next time. The platters come with rolls, coleslaw, and french fries. Yes, this is a meal of beige, but sometimes you just need some southern comfort food. Plus, this coleslaw is vinegar, not mayo, based, so there's your healthy veggie. Boom. Jason, who doesn't usually like coleslaw, gave it his stamp of approval. 

For a side, order the pork skins. They are huge and different from your typical bagged chicharrones--super crispy with lots of smoke flavor. While these are probably not something you want to eat regularly, it's definitely something to try when you're in the heart of BBQ country. 

Dessert: We actually did not try any (insert shock and awe here), but the menu includes a selection of pies and cobblers. 

Drink: There's no alcohol here, but you should be drinking sweet tea or Cheerwine, honey. #thesouth

Atmosphere: Do not come here expecting ambiance, because you're not going to get it. You're here to worship at the altar of smoked pig. Revel, bask. 

Southern Hospitality: You'll get this in spades. Sweet waiters and waitresses who serve you on the double. What more could you need? 

Frankie's Notes: It's a morally confusing week when you discover your love for Pumpernickel the Mini Pig via Instagram and eat a lot of pork; "I went to the Lexington BBQ Festival and all I got was this crappy t-shirt;" Actually, we got a fairly nice poster with a picture of a pig playing a fiddle; Sometimes, a plate of beige food is good for your soul; If you're in the south and you don't like sweet tea, you have to join the Witness Protection Program.

Ranking: 3 out of 5 

Et Cetera: 

100 Smokehouse Lane
Lexington, NC 27295
Monday-Saturday: 10 am-9:30 pm

http://www.lexbbq.com/

 

The Cellar at Duckworth's

Background: Rob Duckworth expanded his Charlotte empire of Duckworth's to include a new concept: craft beers, cocktails, and more upscale cuisine from the usual bar fare. The Cellar is located in the basement of the Tryon Duckworth's and has a walk-in beer cooler and a separate kitchen from the upstairs restaurant. 

Order This: As The Cellar is close to Scallionpancake headquarters, this review has been a while in the making. We first visited The Cellar right after their opening in July, and we have been several times since. After our first visit, we would have recommended the Saffron Fettuccine heartily; after our third visit we would have told you to skip it (gummy pasta, overcooked octopus, blah). Even after our first visit, we would have told you to beware the House Made Waffle Cones (Ponzu Poke Tuna; Coconut Shrimp; Chicken Sriracha Honey)--the sweet/savory combination they are aiming for is lost in overly sugary cones and lackluster fillings. Conversely, we would recommend the Dried Garbanzo Bean Hummus and the Tuna Tartare for being consistently on-point. The tartare is served with guacamole and wonton crisps, and it's a well-done take on a favorite. Same goes for the hummus, but it's hard to screw up hummus (thanks, tahini!). The Cellar Burger was neither a win or a loss: we give it a solid: "meh." On our last visit, our dining companions enjoyed the Espresso Rubbed Lamb Carpaccio, and we like them so we will take their word on the matter as final (don't let us down, #Jarah). 

Basically, eating at The Cellar is food Russian roulette--it was a 4 in July and a 2 in October. This is not a game you want to play when the bill for two could easily be $70, if you're drinking. 

Dessert: We have only ordered one dessert, the Campfire Almond S'more. It was...cold--as in: no melt-y chocolate on a s'more?! Say it ain't so. Our waitress told us it was supposed to be served that way, but we were dubious. If that's indeed the intended serving style, it doesn't really work in practice. It was hard to eat and the flavors didn't meld at all. Did we eat it? Well, yeah, because we love chocolate and we're not quitters. But come on, guys. 

Drink: This is where The Cellar wins all day, every day. The beer and wine selection is huge, but more importantly the craft cocktails are incredible. Our favorite is the Cellar Smash, which is basically an alcoholic ginger slushie. You can hear the bartenders smashing the ginger for the drink, and doing all kinds of old-school cocktail mixology voodoo. Tip: sit at the bar and get the insider scoop on what's going in those drinks. Magic. If this were a libations-only blog, The Cellar gets a 5. 

Atmosphere: The feel is as speakeasy-esque as we've seen in Charlotte--that is, until we open our own speakeasy. You've got mood lighting, classy wood accents, and a quiet yet electric atmosphere. Very Gatsby.

Southern Hospitality: We have had service that runs the gamut from staid and old-school charm to borderline surly. Again, roulette. The server who tried to take a 3/4 finished Cellar Smash almost lost an arm. 

Frankie's Notes: Our speakeasy will be accessed from an underground tunnel; Venti Jason is going to open a school for gifted Octopi; Never (never) take a plate or a drink without asking if the eater is finished, if you value your appendages; "First, you take the mallow..."; Are there unicorn tears in a Cellar Smash? We are asking for a friend. 

Ranking: 2 out of 5

Et Cetera: 

330 N. Tryon St.
Charlotte, NC 28202
Sunday-Wednesday: 5pm-12am
Thursday-Saturday: 5pm-2am

http://thecellaratduckworths.com/ 

 

Danny's Midwood Challenge

Danny conquered the Midwood Challenge at the Diamond restaurant. For his bravery he received a t-shirt (they only had ladies smalls left so he got an IOU). Scallionpancake salutes you! 

 

Founding Farmers

Background: Founding Farmers was, well, founded by in 2011 by The North Dakota Farmers Union to promote family farms. After years of successful marketing/managing at the original location, Dan Simons and Mike Vucurevich are now co-owners of this successful concept. Founding Farmers is faithful to the principle of farm to table; everything in their restaurants is sourced locally and nothing is frozen (except for the ice cream!). Yes --even the to-go cups are made from 100% recycled materials. The first location is located near George Washington University and now there are two additional locations in Tysons, VA and Potomac, MD.

 Order This:  If you are there for brunch we recommended either the Whipped Blueberry Butter Buttermilk Pancakes or the Founding Farmer's Breakfast. The pancakes were light and fluffy with a blueberry butter that would make Willy Wonka turn into an Umpa Lumpa. The Founding Farmer's Breakfast comes with two eggs, your choice of meat, and a side - but for three extra dollars you can get a bacon upgrade which comes with a speciality glaze of either black pepper maple, Texas BBQ sauce, hot sauce, or sweet & sour. FOR THE LOVE OF GOD GET THE BACON UPGRADE. If you don't you will probably regret that decision for the rest of your life. Also, a shout out to the hash browns--they looked like the ones you get a Waffle House, except they were 100 times better. If you go for dinner we highly recommend any of their pastas, which they make fresh everyday. We tried the sausage mushroom gnocchi which was amazing. Someone else in our party got the trout which was delicious as well. For an appetizer we got the "Bread, Chips, Crisps" which was a mountain of homemade chips and breads with four amazing sauces: romesco (red pepper based sauce), pimento cheese, green goddess (avocado + magic), and onion dip.

Dessert: Uncle Buck's Beignets. If you don't get these here then you can't blame anybody but yourself (Sorry Obama). These are maybe the best beignets ever imagined. They were warm, soft, and layered to perfection. They came with three different types of dipping sauces --raspberry, chocolate, and caramel. 

Drink: Founding Farmers has an extensive cocktail list that blends old school favorites with the new (Chelsea Handler Cocktail, anyone?). All the juices are hand-squeezed daily and, and they make fresh syrups twice a week for delicious non-alcoholic cocktails. We tried the Raspberry Rickie and the Blueberry Phosphate, both of which were excellent.

Atmosphere: This is a big, crowded place for the quality of food that they prepare. The decor is "sophisticated rural"--an aesthetic that will undoubtedly grow on you while you wait two hours to eat brunch. The best part are the white fluffy clouds suspended from the ceiling. Oh, and a sheep that looks right into your soul. 

Southern Hospitality: The host/hostess counter staff could have been a little kinder, but it was a stressful scene in there for Saturday brunch, so it's hard to blame them. Once we sat down, the service was quick and all-around impeccable. 

Frankie's Notes: It's not an arms race, it's Saturday brunch in DC; Founding Farmers was actually founded by farmers; They juiced Violet Beauregarde to make the blueberry butter; Life rule: you never buy the extended warranty, and you always upgrade your bacon; Waiting two hours to eat brunch is either a major testament to your love of food or indicative of a hole in your life that can only be filled by beignets. 

Ranking: 4 out of 5

Et Cetera:
1924 Pennsylvania Ave. NW
Washington, DC 20006
Breakfast: Monday - Friday 7:00am - 11:00am
Lunch & Dinner: Monday 11:00am - 10:00pm, Tuesday - Thursday 11:00am - 11:00pm, Friday 11:00am - 12:00am, Saturday 2:00pm - 12:00am, Sunday 2:00pm - 10:00pm.
Brunch: Saturday & Sunday 9:00am - 2:00pm and every holiday Monday

http://www.wearefoundingfarmers.com/ 

 

Shake Shack

Background: The first Shake Shack was opened in 2004 in Madison Square Park in New York City. Founded by New York Restauranteur Danny Meyer (Famous for Eleven Madison Park & Union Square Cafe), Shake Shack now is a publicly traded company with locations in over 10 major metropolitan cities around the world.

Order This: You really can't go wrong with anything on the menu, but if it's your first time you have only two options: The SmokeShack or the 'Shroom Burger. The SmokeShack is the Jesus of the hamburgers, with cheese, smoked bacon, chopped cherry pepper and ShackSauce. The words here do not do justice to just how good this burger is. The biggest mistake is only ordering one - because you're guaranteed to want another but there is another hour long line to wait through. The other option is the 'Shroom Burger, which is a portobello mushroom filled with melted cheese and deep fried. The first bite of this beauty will have you starting your own hipster food blog with a title something like "Shroomnami" or "Shroomapotamus".

They are also known for their crinkle cut fries, which are really good but slightly overrated when some people call them "the best fries in the world." They are definitely extremely good, but they aren't the best you've ever had. I recommend ordering them with cheese on top. 

The hot dogs are good as well, but don't waste your time when you can have a SmokeShack or 'Shroom Burger.

Dessert: The other main reason besides the burgers to visit Shake Shack is their custard. They have chocolate and vanilla every day, along with a special flavor which they change once a week. The last time we were there they had a pumpkin pie flavor, which was amazing. I highly recommend getting a concrete (custard with mix-ins) with chocolate truffle cookie dough.

Drink: Brooklyn Brewery has crafted an exclusive beer for Shack Shake called the ShackMeister Ale. They also have numerous local brews on tap at each of their locations. 

Atmosphere: Nothing fancy, but all you need for some quality burger-eating time. 

Southern Hospitality: The service is super polite, but expect to wait a while as everything is made to order. 

Ollie's Notes: AHHHH BURGERS 

Ranking: 4 out of 5 

Et Cetera:

Check their website at www.shakeshack.com for the nearest location and hours.

 

King Daddy's

Background: Owners John and Julie Stehling opened King Daddy's in West Asheville during the spring of 2014 after the success of their first restaurant, Early Girl Eatery in downtown Asheville. 

Order This: This is mostly a chicken and waffle joint, but the options and customizations available will blow your mind. First, you pick a chicken. You can choose between Fried, sub-genres of fried (Korean, Habanero Sweet Potato, Gluten Free, Fried Chicken Livers), grilled, or, the clear winner: Heirloom, which is lightly breaded and sautéed in a cast iron skillet. This chicken takes a little longer than the other ones, but it is so worth it. You can also choose between white/dark and leg/breast/thigh for most options. Then, stop: waffle time. All are served with maple syrup or sorghum, and the best options here are the Pumpkin and classic Belgian Waffles. The Cracklin Waffle (pork cracklin in the batter) is the only one I have tried that I wouldn't order again, but this could be personal preference. But don't stop there! Top your waffle with dessert-y things, like peanut butter, banana, chocolate chips, strawberries, caramel, ice cream...the world is your oyster.

Their other entrée items look amazing, like the Lamb Burger or the all-day breakfast items (Fried Pie: Aged Country Ham, Poached Egg and Brie Style Cheese in a Flaky Crust, Waffle Benny), but the pull of the chicken and waffles is too strong. The veggie sides and appetizers are decent, but I wouldn't fill up on them--save room for the mains and dessert. The pictured Poutine didn't wow us, despite being made with lamb gravy. The only caveat is that their side salad is the best I've ever had--who puts avocado on a side salad? Legit. 

Dessert: The desserts are worthy of a trip on their own. Highest recommendation to the Chocolate Mayo Cake and the Banana Pudding (with cubes of pound cake). I have it on good authority that these go smashingly with tequila shots and three rounds of Clue. 

Drink: There's a large beer selection and creative cocktails like the Sorghum Old-Fashioned or the Sherry Cobbler (Amontillado Sherry, Orange, Sugar), but for some reason when I come here all I want is a glass of milk, which I never get elsewhere. It goes with the waffle, I swear. Try it--the combo is worth the strange looks you will get when you order. 

Atmosphere: Their seating area is on the small side, but it is so cozy inside. Bonus, their retro branding and cool chicken logo translates into a mean t-shirt. 

Southern Hospitality: The (hipster) service here is decent, if a bit on the slow side.

Frankie's Notes: Chicken & Waffles will never jump the shark; Side salads that don't cheap out; Ms. Scarlet, in the mountain house, with a lime wedge; Adults ordering milk: it's fine; There should be affirmative action in the Asheville food scene for the non-tragically hip set. 

Parking: There is a lot in the back, but it is shared with a Crossfit, so don't park in those spots. They will tow your car with their bare (bear) hands. 

Ranking: 3 out of 5

Et Cetera: 

444 Haywood Road
Asheville, NC 28806
Sunday-Thursday: 9am-10pm
Friday-Saturday: 9am-11pm

http://www.ashevillekingdaddy.com/