Jason Ackerman 8/3/17 Jason Ackerman 8/3/17

Brixx Wood Fired Pizza

Background:
Brixx is well-known in the Charlotte area as a dependable spot for delicious wood fired pizzas, as well as pasta, salads, and sandwiches. In addition to North Carolina, Brixx is in ten other states, including our friends right across the border, South Carolina. Brixx kindly invited us out one afternoon a couple of weeks ago for their grand opening in the new Kinglsey neighborhood in Ft. Mill. Kingsley is seriously lovely--it is owned by the Springs family and the design and architecture calls to mind the rich history of textile factories in this area, the most prominent of which was owned by the Springs family themselves. Kingsley is a mixed-use development with shopping, housing, and several restaurants. The Kingsley Brixx is a standout lunch and dinner spot in this already bustling neighborhood.

Brixx recently added seven new sandwiches made on focaccia bread, the recipe for which was developed by James Beard Award winner Peter Reinhart, who is basically the supreme god of bread. Seriously, he has his own TED Talk on bread, so his expertise is definitely to be trusted. Check out everything we tried below!

Eat This:
In an effort to order outside of the box, we decided to try the Korean BBQ Meatballs for an appetizer. I truthfully did not have high expectations for these--they were Jason's idea, but they were winners! We devoured them in .25 seconds.

**Korean BBQ Meatballs**

***House made meatballs sautéed in Korean BBQ sauce with fresh pineapple, green onions, sesame seeds, and Sriracha***

Meatballs so good that Jason needed to catch his breath

Of course, we had to try one of their new sandwiches. Jason went with the muffuletta.

download (1).jpg — **Brixx Muffuletta**

***House-made olive tapenade, shaved prosciutto, pepperoni, & fontina cheese topped with a fresh spring mix dressed with vinaigrette on fresh-baked focaccia***

Fortunately, this new Brixx is super close to Jason's work, so we have both been back again already. Brixx Kingsley is quickly becoming our new favorite lunch spot in the Ft. Mill/Rock Hill area.

On one of these subsequent visits, I tried the new turkey sandwich. I had not been able to stop thinking about it after my blog buddy Stephanie (LifebyChipsAhoyt on Instagram) posted it--her picture made it look so good. And trust me--it's not just the picture. This is an amazing sandwich and now my go-to order at Brixx.

download (2).jpg — **Turkey & Pecan-Cranberry Chutney**

***Thick carved turkey with sliced Asian pears and pecan cranberry chutney topped with honey-herb arugula on fresh-baked focaccia***

The dressing on this bad boy really makes it. Some turkey sandwiches can veer into the dry territory, but this one doesn't even come close thanks to the vinaigrette and the chutney. I think next time I might even ask for extra chutney on the side, because that's just who I am. Jason has had the mozzarella sandwich a couple of times when he visited with co-workers (no picture--guess he doesn't want to get too "blogg-y" around his work buds. Rude!), and that's his new fave.

And we can't forget the pizza! Everyone knows Brixx pizza is awesome, but did you know they offer regular and whole wheat crust, and that both of these options are vegan? They also offer vegan cheese if you want to make your whole pie vegan-friendly. I am a card-holding member of Cheese Lovers Anonymous though, so I went with the classic Margherita pizza.

download (3).jpg — **Margherita Pizza**

***Fresh, house-made mozzarella, Roma tomatoes, and fresh basil on an olive oil base***

The pizza was so good! Looking at it makes me want another one right now. Very few restaurants make their mozzarella in house, so this is a truly special pizza.

Dessert:
We didn't have dessert on our visits, but by perusing their menu, I see they have a S'MORES PIZZA! I am definitely getting this on our next trip. Have any of your tried that?! If so, please leave a comment describing it in great detail. Thanks in advance.

No dessert pizza, but check out this picture of Jason SMIZING! Tyra would be so proud.

Drink:
Brixx offers 24 craft beers on tap, most of them local. They also offer 14 different varieties of wine and speciality cocktails. We didn't drink on this visit, but since this location is open until 1 am six nights of the week, this would be a great place to grab an evening adult beverage.

Atmosphere:
This location of Brixx is much more bright and open than other locations we've visited--there are lots of windows that allow natural light in the dining area. There is also an outdoor seating area that seats sixty people, and it will be amazing once fall rolls around.

It was shady under there, but since the temperature outside was approximately 200 degrees farenheit, we sat inside.

Wood Fired Hospitality:
On all of our visits, not just the one where they were expecting us, the servers and hosts/hostesses were so welcoming and friendly. The food comes out super fast, which makes this a great choice for a lunch break during the work week.

Frankie's Notes:
A comically blue Carolina sky makes your feel like maybe you are living in The Truman Show; Jason orders his tomato and mozzarella sandwiches without tomato because he is a monster; Does Tyra offer an online course in smizing? If so, I would like to enroll ASAP; Ordering meatballs always feels like a gamble, but those tasted like they were made by your Korean Nona; "Grandma's Cooking"/Asian fusion would be a great concept for a restaurant; I will be getting a s'mores pizza for a lunch dessert in the near future; Lunch dessert is a highly underrated activity that I partake in regularly.

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.

Jason Ackerman 7/26/17 Jason Ackerman 7/26/17

Ollie's Bites: Top Sushi Spots 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!

O-Ku

Interior of O-Ku//photo courtesy of O-Ku's Facebook page

Located in the ever-growing South End neighborhood, O-Ku is a great spot to meet friends for a drink and some fresher-than-fresh sushi. Must tries include the Green Eggs and Hamachi Hako, which is a boxed style sushi, and the Kiwi Kani roll which incorporates lump crab, avocado, and yes, kiwi, which is super fresh, creative, and delicious. Stop in Mondays and Wednesdays from 5-7pm for half off sushi rolls!

O-ku Sushi//photo courtesy of O-Ku's Facebook page

Ru Sans

Ru Sans in Dilworth is a Charlotte staple for quality sushi at a great price point. Don’t be deterred if there is a wait--it usually moves faster than what they quote. While you wait, enjoy a sake bomb at the bar and enjoy the cheers in your honor from all of the sushi chefs. My favorite roll is the Green Dragon, which has tempura shrimp and cucumber wrapped in avocado and roe. Yum!

The infamous sushi lunch buffet//photo courtesy of Trip Advisor

Bonsai Fusion

Sushi burrito!//Photo courtesy of Charlotte Agenda

If you find yourself Uptown for lunch, head over to 7th Street Market. Do not get distracted by the myriad options available in this fun eatery hall--you are here for the sushi, remember? The best deal at Bonsai is their signature lunch special--two rolls for $9! Also, check out the sushi burrito ($10) or the poke bowl. Their options are fresh, quick, and tasty!

Terminator roll//photo courtesy of Yelp — Terminator roll//photo courtesy of *Yelp*

Futo Buta

Although Futo Buta bills itself as more of a ramen shop than a sushi joint, their sushi is awesome! My favorite is the Salmon Belly Nigiri, which started as a special but is now a menu staple--it’s topped with a fabulous yuzu mayo tobiko roe. Other rolls are offered on special daily, and at this funky South End eatery, sushi can be an accompaniment to another dish like ramen or a rice bowl. Options abound!

Uni nigiri//photo courtesy of Yelp — Uni nigiri//photo courtesy of *Yelp*

Jason Ackerman 7/20/17 Jason Ackerman 7/20/17

Central

Background:
Central opened in 2008 in Miraflores, Lima and quickly rose to being ranked as the best restaurant in Peru. By 2014, it was named Best Restaurant in Latin America and remains number one today. Central currently ranks as the 5th best restaurant in the world. Virgilio Martinez also won International Chef of the Year in 2017. And lastly, Central is featured on Season Three of Netflix's, "Chef's Table." In the words of Ron Burgundy:

Central is run by Virgilio Martínez and his wife Pía León. Central serves a menu of items only found in Peru, and its goal is to show off the country's unique biodiversity. Peru experiences 30 of the 32 climates found on earth, and therefore boasts a wide variety of flora and fauna. Virgilio and his team travel the country looking for new ingredients he can bring back to Central.

Eat This:
You have two different tasting menus you can choose from--an 11 course menu and a 17 course menu. If are you are in Lima and have managed to get a reservation, you need to just go all out and get the 17 course menu, k? The 17 course menu is called Mater Elevations, and each course is based on a certain ecosystem and elevation unique to Peru. The menu takes you on a wild ride through the biodiversity of Peru, and a lot of this biodiversity includes some obscure ingredients us Gringos had never heard of. Don't fret if you have never heard of some of these items, just sit back and enjoy the adventure of Virgilio's unique take on Peruvian cuisine.

**Rock Molluscs**

***Sea snail, mussel, sargassum, limpet***

***-10 Meters***
The first six courses were all eaten by hand with no utensils. The first course started under the sea at -10 meters (that's -33 feet for those of you who failed 4th grade math). Sea snails and mussels were made into a black paste which you spread on the crispy seaweed crackers.

**Desert Plants**

***Huarango, cactus, sweet potato leaf, loche***

***180 Meters***
The second course took us to the desert where we enjoyed a bite of cactus, a lightly fried sweet potato nest, and then a sweet potato leaf coated in a mix of sweet spices. Our favorite part of this dish was the leaf--who knew a leaf could taste like such a decadent snack?

**Lofty Andes**

***Potato, tree tomato, alpaca, muna mint***

***3,500 Meters***
Next up, we traveled higher--up to the Andes, where we got to eat some potatoes with a delicious Alpaca sauce. Depending upon who you talk to, there are between 2,000 and 5,000 different types of potatoes grown in Peru.
The only problem with this dish is you wanted to eat more of the Alpaca sauce compared to the size of the potato (one small one each) you were given to dip in the sauce. Looking back, we probably should have put our fingers in that bad boy, but this was early in the meal and didn't want to lose decorum too early.

**Thick Stems**

***Olluco, chincho, onion, field mustard***

***3,500 Meters***
This little gem included a olluco, which is a purple tuber (no relation to a potato). They made a little latke out of the olluco and provided an elixir made of a little broth of chincho (native herb), onion, and field mustard to wash it down after.

**Water of nanay**

***Piranhas, cocona, achiote, huampo bark***

***680 Meters***
**This baby was all about the piranhas, which were served two ways. One version was served raw in a leaf and the other was a lightly fried piece of the piranha (skin attached).**
The waiter told us that this was one of their newest dishes on the menu, and yes, the piranha heads that make up the serving dish are real frozen piranhas! The piranha tasted pretty meaty in the raw form, almost like a flounder.

**Forest Cotton**

***Churo, gamitana, pacae, llanten***

***300 Meters***
Forest Cotton is one of the signature dishes of Central. It had three distinct bites. The first was white part of the cacao plant filed in the middle with cream. The next was the cacao leaf filed with Gamitana, which is a fish. Finally, it was washed down boiled juice from the Llanten plant.

**High Jungle**

***Macambo, cassava, copoazu, air potato***

***2800 Meters***
The bread course! If you know anything about scallionpancake, you need to know that we love bread more than Oprah. The main loaf (pictured on the right) was made from the cacao plant and came with a cacao spread as well as a burnt butter which blended right into the little dish it was served in. The middle was a little fried cassava cake, and the far left was a crunchy "air potato."

**Marine Soil**

**Sea urchin, pepino melon, razor clam, seaweed**
**0 Meters**
Finally a course where we knew all of the ingredients, and it was the token sea urchin dish. It seems like you have to serve sea urchin on your menu or you don't get invited to the Top 50 club. What made this one special was the razor clams, which mixed perfectly with the melon and sea urchin to take away some of the strong briny flavor of the sea urchin.

**Tree Skins**

**Avocado, huacatay, kanihua, macre**

**1200 Meters**
**The warm avocado paired with the herbs and crunchy kanihua made this dish one of our favorites. The flavor was simple, and the avocado was perfectly savory.**

**Land of Corn**

**Kculli, purple, chulpi, piscorunto**

**2010 Meters**
For those of you that know Yvonne, you know that she has a mental corn allergy/fear. We don't know the exact origin of the corn fear, but let's just say this was the Jerry Springer moment where Yvonne had to meet the corn head on. I don't know if it was Peru, Central, or the Lord up above, but Yvonne conquered her corn fear and ate the whole dish! Peru has over 50 varieties of corn, and this dish includes four types of corn made four ways. Our favorite was the fritter, which was basically the best hush puppy ever made.

**Colors of amazonia**

**Paiche, yacon, bellaco, lemongrass**

**450 Meters**
We're now in the Amazon. The pink slivers are paiche, a type of fish, which were slightly pickled. The rest is a bunch of straight up Amazonian magical plants and herbs.

**Coastal Harvest**

**Scallops, yellow chili pepper, borage, tumbo**

**20 Meters**
We've back by the coast, where we found ourselves eating scallops. These were the best scallops that we've ever tasted. hands down. The yellow chili pepper added a nice flavor to the little cracker made from tumbo, which is a Peruvian fruit.

**Sea Coral**

**Octopus, crab, squid, sea lettuce**

**-10 Meters**
**This one gave us flash backs to our trip to** **In Situ** in San Francisco, where we tried their take on this famous course. What makes this dish really cool is that it looks like the environment which you're eating - a little bed of sea coral. You have to dig down deep for the octopus and crab, but it's well worth the reward.

**Low Andes Mountains**

**Pork, black mashwa, panca chili pepper, kiwicha**
**1800 Meters**
We've made it to the end of the of the savory dishes, and this was really the only true "meat" course. The pork is pork belly, which was slow roasted for over 50 hours. It was dressed with a really nice, heavy Black Mashwa (Peruvian Plant) sauce. The seeds here are Kiwicha, which the internet considers a "Peruvian Superfood" that will cure pretty much any disease you have. Added bonus!

**Humid Green**

**Caigua, cushuro, sweet lemon, chaco clay**

**3700 Meters**
Desserts, desserts, desserts! If you've watched the *Chef's Table* episode on Central, then you'll remember Virgilio and his sister hand-picking tiny balls of algae (cushuro) from a lake high up in the Andes. Well here they are! The green ice is made from caigua, which is Peruvian vegetable. This was Yvonne's favorite dish of life.

Amazonian White

**Cacao, chirimoya, bahuaja nut, taperiba**

**400 Meters**
**A little chocolate ice cream Central style sounds good to us! The white shaved part is bahuaja nut, and the white ice cream is made from Chirimoya & taperiba, which are Andean Fruits.**

**medicinals & Plant Dyes**

**Congona, matico, malva, pilipili**

**3050 Meters**
We made it! We're at the end of our meal, and if you've eaten all this you need to go to the Shaman to help you digest everything you've eaten. Take a shot of the medicinal water made from various Peruvian herbs and have a few little chocolate bites before you take a look at the check and leave this magical land

Drink:
Central offers two drink pairings--one wine pairing and one juice pairing. We tried the juice pairing, because what other restaurant in the world offers a juice pairing? The juices ranged from random Amazon fruits like granadia, to lettuce and lime juice, to beetroot and muna mint. For Jason, who doesn't really enjoy drinking, this was his dream pairing. The table next to us got the wine pairing, which consisted of not just wine, but also a beer made especially for Central and a lot of fun liquors; however, we're not sure how you can walk out of a restaurant after drinking 10 glasses of anything.

Atmosphere:
As soon as you walked into Central the energy is palpable. It almost feels like the base camp of an expedition to an exotic locale. There are jars of all ingredients, flow charts, maps, and white boards filled with graphs. You are literally in a Peruvian culinary laboratory. There is an open kitchen, where guests can see what's being prepared. There is also a rooftop garden where a lot of the flowers and herbs are grown for the restaurant.

Part of the learning kitchen, where they train chefs from around the world how to make the menu.

Peruvian Hospitality:
The waiters were exceptional, always answering our questions (and believe me, we had questions!) and getting us whatever we needed at all times. At the end we asked for a tour of the restaurant, which the Maitre D' gladly provided, taking us through the kitchen, the garden, wine room, and of course the laboratory where they test out new ingredients.

The research room where they try out and test new ingredients

Frankie's Notes:
Literally knowing only 4% of the ingredients on the menu makes us feel cool; eating lunch at 1:30 and having the fortitude to not eat anything before that deserves an olympic medal; Yvonne can now officially consider corn as a friend, and not as a face-eating zombie enemy; Frankie would come down to South America, but he does not like that the toilets flush the opposite way; Eating at three of the top 30 restaurants in one week is pretty incredible, but something only professional eaters should try.

Rating: 5 out 5 + 3 Michigan Pugs

Jason Ackerman 7/13/17 Jason Ackerman 7/13/17

Maido

Background:
Maido is owned by Mitsuharu "Micha" Tsumura and is currently number eight on the "World's Fifty Best Restaurants" list, which is published by the British magazine Restaurant. The list is updated each year, and also includes rankings by region in addition to the main list. The rankings themselves are based on a composite score from previous year's chefs and restauranteurs, as well as restaurant critics. Maido is currently ranked eighth in the world ranking and number two for top Latin American restaurants. You can read more about Maido and other restaurants on the list here.

Main dining room ropes hanging down. When viewed from above, the ropes form the Japanese flag

Tsumura is a native Peruvian Nikkei who studied in Japan for a while before returning to Lima to open Maido, his first restaurant. Nikkei is a term that refers to Japanese emigrants, and Tsumura's menu reflects both parts of his background--his Japanese roots and his Peruvian upbringing. Tsumura is essentially a prodigy--he is easily among the youngest chefs on the top fifty list, and it's so cool that he has achieved so much success with Maido.

Checking things out as we wait outside--eagerly early for our reservation

Eat This:
The meal started with an assortment of "snacks" before leading to the larger courses. The first course of fine dining is so often my favorite, as I feel the chefs really try to wow with the early dishes, and the tiny bites pack so much flavor. Maido was no exception!

**Snacks**

***Seaweed tempura***
***sweet potato cream, squid fermented in beetroot, lime gel***

***Sushi rice cracker, avocado, trout belly, ponzu gel***

***Aji negro chawanmushi***

Two of our favorite bites from the whole meal

We were instructed to eat the two bites and then drink the custard. This was a top course for both of us. Every little bite and sip was perfection.

**Poda Cebiche**

***Sarandaja cream, mackeral, shallots, limo pepper, chulpi corn, nikkei leche de tigre***
We only had fancy ceviche like this during our trip--we ran out of time for a good old fashioned hole-in-the-wall place, but can't say we are mad about it. The ceviche at Maido was mouthwatering in its tangy savoriness.

**Dim Sum**

***Squid and sea snail cau cau, camotillo cream, crispy white quinoa***
The fifty best restaurants list notes this course as a standout dish on the Maido menu. Can't say we disagree! So many textures from the pureed fish, the squid and snail dumpling, and the crispy quinoa.

The money shot (in food blogger terminology...not in other worlds)

Why the fish is so fresh: this is two blocks from the restaurant. Lima is so pretty!

download (4).jpg — **Catacaos de Camarones**

***Green rice tamale, sautéed river prawns, creole sauce, chupe reduction***
**The chewy mochi tamale was perfect with the rich broth. Look at that tiny bouquet of veggies on the right!**

download (5).jpg — **Cassava Soba**

***Cassava soba, tenkatsu, vongole dashi***
**For this dish, you were instructed to eat the noodles and then drink the dashi. So savory and delicious. Lots of umami happening here.**

download (6).jpg — **Sudado**

***Catch of the day, sudado reduction, seaweed***
**The broth was poured in table-side. Loved this one!**

download (7).jpg — **Beef Short Rib 50 Hours**

***Camotillo potato cream, crispy rice, cushuro, purple corn chowder, black garlic***
**Yes, this meat was really cooked for fifty hours. It just fell apart when you put your fork in it. This was Jason's favorite course!**

download (8).jpg — **Sea Urchin Rice**

***Chiclayo rice, Atico sea urchins, avocado cream, wan yi, baby corn***
**This tasted like a risotto and all of the different textures played so well together.**
**Whew! There you have it! We were so full and happy. But wait--don't forget dessert!**

Whew! There you have it! We were so full and happy. But wait--don't forget dessert!

Dessert:

download (9).jpg — **Reef**

***Tofu cheesecake ice cream, bread sand, sweet potato, appel with wakame, camu camu, taperiba, and burgundy grape tapiocas, soy milk***
This was a game changer. We especially loved the crispy cocoa decoration and all of the textures. Taperiba is a Peruvian fruit--all of the fruits in Peru are ridiculously fresh and tasty, and I wish we could get all of them in the states!

**Mussel**

***Granadilla with mandarin sorbet, mucilage foam, cacao nibs, lucuma ice ceam, raspberries***
That's a little chocolate shell made to look like a cacao pod, filled with the lucuma ice cream! Wow. Lucuma is another Peruvian fruit. You can usually find it in the states in powdered form. The desserts at Maido were the best of all three restaurants from our trip that were on the top fifty list. We are still thinking about them!

The prettiest, tastiest dessert of the whole trip.

Drink:
The signature drink of Peru is the Pisco Sour, and they are everywhere. This was our first meal of the trip, so we enjoyed our first Pisco at Maido! It definitely spoiled us for other Pisco Sours on our trip, because it was excellent. Pisco is a brandy liquor that is fermented from grapes. To the pisco, they add fresh lemon juice, simple syrup, egg whites, and bitters. It is stronnggg and super tasty--not too sweet.

Jason enjoyed a cold-pressed juice--fresh juices are so prevalent in Peru!

Atmosphere:
The vibe at Maido was so exciting--there was not any music playing, but the constant buzz from the kitchen and sushi bar provided its own soundtrack. We sat at the sushi bar, which is something we love to do--we got to see a lot of action. We watched one of the chefs plate maybe 50 of the egg nigiri dish--it was such a delicate process to keep the yolk from breaking. Whenever any new party enters the restaurant, all of the chefs and serves yell "Maido"--which means "welcome" in Japanese. We had constant smiles on our faces throughout our dining experience. The overall mood was elegant but not at all stuffy.

Ropes hanging down into the dining room, viewed from above

Japanese Peruvian Hospitality:
The staff could not have been more gracious and lovely. They provided the sort of top notch service you except in a restaurant of this caliber.

Also, they were nice enough to let us behind the sushi bar at the end of the meal for a group shot. And guess what else? The man himself, owner Tsumura, happened to be in the restaurant during our lunch and came by to say hello! We felt so hashtag blessed, guys.

The Lovers Statue in El Parque del Amor, or The Love Park

Really exciting art near Maido. Can I keep him?!

Frankie's Notes:
Frankie really wishes he could have been here for this meal, but he can't take long flights due to his dislike of airplane food; This was one of two tasting menus we ate in one day; We really do not recommend that the average person eat such a staggering amount of rich food in a twelve hour period; We, however, are professional eaters--your mileage may vary/try this at your own risk; We also ate some street meat and street fruits on this trip against doctor recommendation; Our bacterial biome is very rich and hardy now; MAIDO!

Rating: 5 out of 5 + two Michigan Pugs

Jason Ackerman 7/5/17 Jason Ackerman 7/5/17

Ollie's Bites: Date Night in Charlotte

Hello, Loyal Scallionpancake Readers!

Welcome to a new series on the blog--Ollie's Bites. All of the articles featured here are also featured on the super cool travel website Localeur, for which Scallionpancake recently started writing. You should download the Localeur app posthaste, and use it to get insider recommendations from locals whenever you travel to a new place. Localeur is in tons of cities around the world and is growing daily. It's a damn fine concept, as getting recommendations from trusted locals is a hallmark of meaningful travel, in our humble opinion. Even though many of our readers are local, we like to think our recommendations are good for Charlotte natives or those just passing through. We hope you enjoy!

Here's the first installment--Date Night in Charlotte:

Growler’s Pourhouse

Image courtesy of QC Exclusive — Image courtesy of *QC Exclusive*

Start your night out at this NoDa neighborhood bar, which is a super chill spot for hipsters and mere mortals alike to grab a drink before dinner. In addition to a wide range of local craft beers and cocktails, you would be remiss if you didn’t order a round of oyster shots to get your night started on the right note. Feeling hangry while you wait for dinner? Never fear--there’s complimentary popcorn for you to nosh on.

Stick those babies in a shot glass and drink up!//image courtesy of Charlotte Five — Stick those babies in a shot glass and drink up!//image courtesy of *Charlotte Five*

Haberdish

Before heading to Growler’s, definitely put your name on the waitlist for this super popular southern eatery. Use the Nowait app, if you would rather avoid the half-block schlep. Can’t miss items include the mac and cheese (don’t you dare neglect to add the spicy chicken skin on top) and the sweet potato dumplings. Colleen Hughes is the master mixologist behind the cocktails here, and the quality and creativity of her drink menu has rightfully earned her a fair amount of local fame. Thus, you should have a drink. Heck, maybe have two. There’s not a bad one in the bunch, guaranteed.

Popbar

Us Charlotteans are beyond excited to get our first location of this New York gem. Do you like gelato? Obviously. Would you like it even better on a stick? Of course you would. The options for customization are endless--you can get your pop dipped (full dip, half dip, or a drizzle) in white, milk, or dark chocolate, and then covered with as many toppings as your heart desires. Don’t despair if there’s a line out the door--it moves fast, promise!

The Comedy Zone

After walking the previous three spots, it’s time to take a quick drive just one neighborhood over for some entertainment. The Comedy Zone is open seven days a week, and they pull pretty big names; I’ve seen Bob Saget and Margaret Cho here, and both were magical. Is the offering an open mic on the night you’re in town? Well, congratulations--you’ve just hit the jackpot. Charlotte has some awesome local comedic talent, but it is a truth universally acknowledged that awkward stand up is sometimes even more delightful than quality stand up.

8.2.0

Image courtesy of d3 Studio — Image courtesy of *d3 Studio*

Just a short walk away from The Comedy Zone, you will find this funky little joint that’s just right for a nightcap and some fun to keep your energy up into the wee hours. Highlights include the karaoke room, arcade games, or the sorta-secret speakeasy library (hint: push the bookshelf!). I highly recommend a boba cocktail and some french fries (with all the dipping sauces) for a late-night snack.

Jason Ackerman 6/29/17 Jason Ackerman 6/29/17

Soul Gastrolounge

Background:
Soul Gastrolounge is the crowning jewel of Plaza Midwood. Soul is owned by Lesa & Andy Kastanas, who also own The Diamond. What makes Soul so special, other than their creative cocktails, unique tapas, and a peacock on the wall? Well, it just so happens that Soul is the spot of Scallionpancake's first date. We started with pork belly watermelon tacos and ended with a kiss in the CVS parking lot (and then, ya know, a wedding)--so Soul holds a special place in our hearts. What makes Soul worth waiting two-plus hours for on a Saturday night? Check it out!

Check out that huge peacock!//image courtesy of Charlotte Magazine

Eat This:

Soul is a tapas joint, so we always get a lil' bit of everything. Our favorite menu items are often the specials, and we never neglect to order the sushi roll of the day. Soul's most notable dish is the Asian Glazed Pork Belly Taco, which is a perfectly cooked cube of pork belly with a piece of watermelon, rolled up in a flour tortilla. We don't often order this, but it's definitely a dish you should give a try on your first visit.

IMG_0813 (1).jpg — **roll of the day**

**We love the roll of the day...can you tell?**

**Shrimp ceviche**

**In coconut milk and lime, with plantain chips**

**Ahi tuna skewers**

**With sesame and soy drizzle**

**chimichurri beef skewers**

**With chimichurri sauce**

**grilled caesar**

**Garlic-oil romaine, toasted sourdough crouton**

Dessert:
Soul offers rotating dessert specials, and they are always awesome. On one of our earliest visits, we had a fig hand pie that I am still thinking about!

Sometimes, though, we head on over to Jason's favorite place of all time--Fu Man Chu Cupcakes.

Jason's mothership//image courtesy of Charlotte Agenda — Jason's mothership//image courtesy of *Charlotte Agenda*

Drinks:
Soul's cocktail menu is, on its own, a reason to visit the restaurant and brave the crowds. The menu changes seasonally, and I always want to try literally every option they offer. I often leave Soul a little on the tipsy side just for this reason.

Atmosphere:
Soul is the ideal spot for a date--it's romantically lit, and loud enough to cover any weird silences. Also, the people watching is almost as central to the experience as the food. We often run into people we know at Soul, and, this is one of many reasons why you should sit at the bar. The bar is going to be your best bet for eating and imbibing relatively quickly, and, as one of the buds we ran into at Soul pointed out--sitting at the bar offers a glimpse into the changing vibe of Soul throughout the night. Hint--it gets younger and rowdier as the night goes on. Not that Javon can stick around for much of this portion of the night, as we usually turn into pumpkins around 10:00 when we come home, have tea and watch The History Channel.

Oh--and fun fact! The billboard currently up just around the corner from Soul by artist Scott Partridge is a replica (with slight variations) of the print that we commissioned for our wedding. It's pretty surreal to see what's above your bed also on a billboard. The one above our bed has little versions of us and the two pugs though, duh.

Above our bed--check out us and the pugs, bottom left!

Javon's First Date Hospitality:
The service is great--all of our servers have been able to navigate the chaos of how busy they can get and the close quarters of the tables to ensure that we always have a special dining experience here.

Frankie's Notes:
Kissing in the CVS parking lot is classy as hell, and don't let anyone tell you otherwise; So is kissing on the first date, when the feeling is right; We have Scallionpancake stickers all over the Plaza now--check us out!; Sometimes, after dining in P.M. we like to head over to Common Market so that we may be stared at judgmentally by hipsters; I love the Goldfish at the Common Market, because the serving is solid, even when they are a little stale; Jason is the one who stole the letters out of the Comida sign--shh, don't tell; Just kidding it was Ollie; Just kidding x2, don't prosecute us.

Rating: 5 out of 5

Jason Ackerman 6/21/17 Jason Ackerman 6/21/17

Baku

Background:
Baku, which originally opened in 2013, went under new ownership in late 2016. New owners Birdie Yang and Janine Lu also own Yama Asian Fusion in SouthPark and Yama Izakaya in Plaza Midwood. Scallionpancake came here on a media night to try some offerings from the new chef (who was formerly at Bistro la Bon), and then we came back again with our bestest friend Lorin (AKA Hamiltoe) for a more detailed look at their menu.

On media night, we met their fabulous PR manager Bruce Hensley, who also manages restaurant week in Charlotte. Did you know that the bi -yearly restaurant week results in an 8.2 million dollar economic impact for the city? Holy food service, Batman! Bruce was great, and he gave us lots of cool insider info, like that owner Yang is a Level Two Sake Sommelier, and that the fish Baku uses in their sushi is flown in daily from New York and Hawaii (original origin: Japan). I also learned that Bruce's daughter is getting married soon at the Foundation for the Carolinas, which is where Scallionpancake tied the knot! So, we obviously chatted wedding details for most of the night.

Here are some shots of the interior of the restaurant...

Eat This:
There is not a thing I tried on the menu that I wouldn't recommend, but here are some favorites...

Calamari

Wagyu Beef Tartare with house made potato chips

Spicy Hamachi Rice Crispy Treat

Enoki Mushrooms

Kurobuta Pork Belly Skewer

Assortment of sushi rolls

Mostly salmon and a little bit of tuna for the J man

Dessert:
The desserts at Baku are all made in house (more on that below), and we loved both that we tried.

Beignets

Chocolate Lava Cake

Drink:
Baku's sake collection is beyond impressive--they have the most extensive collection in the state with 75-80 different varieties on their menu permanently, and then they also offer 10-15 rotating sakes on special. They even offer a bottle that is 1K! Yeah, save that one for an *extra* special night (like, maybe when you win the lottery). We enjoyed some budget friendly cold sake, and it was light and refreshing for summer.

Atmosphere:
Baku is a great date night spot, as it is romantically lit and feels a little fancy, but not so much so that you feel the need to get dressed to the nines. It works perfectly as a mid-week spot to catch up with your spouse and do something a little more elevated than a usual weeknight dinner.

We would sit outside, but Jason hates bugs and weather

Asian Fusion Hospitality:
The service we received was impeccable, and not just on media night. It was just as solid when we returned for a repeat visit. Our waiter checked in on us frequently and had a great sense of humor.

Frankie's Notes:
Restaurant week is like Christmas in January/July for Charlotteans; You can get tipsy on Natty Light, or you can get tipsy on a 1K bottle of sake--this is America, guys, and the choice is yours; That is, if you believe that the American Dream still exists; Not trying to get heavy, just questioning the possibility of social mobility in 2017 and the disappearing middle class; On a lighter note, Jason has a physical inability to not order pork belly when he sees it on a menu; Hamiltoe requested to take the above sheep home, and was brutally rebuffed; I casually questioned whether the chocolate lava cake was made in house prior to ordering it, and while I was in the bathroom Jason and Lorin told on me to the waiter and said that I vocalized my doubt re: the origin of the cake and shamed me; I don't know why I go out with them at all; Just kidding, they are my favorites!

Rating: 4 out of 5

Disclaimer: One of the meals above 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.

Jason Ackerman 6/14/17 Jason Ackerman 6/14/17

Selwyn Pub

This article also appeared in the May/June 2017 edition of Epicurean Charlotte magazine.

A cold beer, Bee Sting wings, and lounging in the sunshine on a sunny Carolina afternoon? That’s just what the doctor ordered--Doc Foster, that is. Regulars of Selwyn Avenue Pub will know Jim Foster as Doc, the co-owner of Myers Park’s number-one neighborhood destination for gathering with friends to eat, drink, and cheer on a Duke vs Carolina game. It’s no happy accident that Selwyn Avenue Pub is the premier destination for those searching for a grown up bar in Charlotte. Doc and and his father, Jim Foster Sr., also known as “Coach,” credit their long-lasting success with listening to their customers since they opened the pub in 1990. As Doc puts it, “We have stayed in business for 27 years because we listen to our customers--we want people to feel welcome and comfortable. What you see here is the result of 27 years of improv with audience participation.”

The results of customer input can be seen everywhere from the menu (customers asked for the Ahi Tuna Wrap that’s now one of their best selling items), to the enclosed TVs on the patio (a customer suggested the alcove for housing the TVs back in the early 90s when no other bars had outdoor televisions). The customers are the heart and soul of Selwyn Pub and play a central part in its identity. “We want people to feel welcome here, and to feel comfortable,” Doc says, and he believes it’s impossible to become stale in the restaurant business unless “you become tone deaf” to your customers’ demands. Doc has watched many fads in the Charlotte dining scene come and go, but he and Coach maintain a steady focus on a business model that cultivates longevity and customer loyalty. The equation is simple, says Doc: “If you want to hang out in Myers Park with a lot of nice people, we’re it.”

There is a comfortable familiarity about Selwyn Pub that resonates with its customers, but Doc never stops innovating. Case in point? A brand new retractable awning (AKA the “Selwyn Pubadrome”) was recently installed to replicate the beloved oak tree that had to come down in November of 2015. Doc knows how important the tree was to so many of his customers, and he did everything he could to salvage it. The tree, he notes, had more “check-ups” than his own children. Ultimately, however, all of the experts Doc consulted agreed that the tree could not be saved, and the soil was not amenable to planting a fresh tree in that spot. Doc spent many hours searching for a viable replacement that could replicate the feel of the tree, if not the exact look. The new awning provides many qualities the tree provided-- the sun shines through when the awning is out and allows in some warmth, but it will block heavy rain and much of the blistering heat of the sun’s rays in the height of summer. The awning stands tall at 11 feet high, so it never feels suffocating, and it maintains the patio’s open and breezy feel . Doc feels that the awning “keeps the spirit of the tree” in that the patio remains a comfortable gathering spot for the Myers Park community, and he knows his customers will be relieved to not have to cover their beers and race inside when a summer rainstorm blows in. Along with the awning, the outdoor heaters and comfy new seat cushions will ensure that Selwyn Pub remains a year-round destination (yes, all year--even on Christmas and “snow days”).

Once you are comfortable and climate-controlled no matter the weather, it’s time to focus on food, and diners know Selwyn as a reliable spot for quality pub food. The focus, Doc says, is on “shareable items, because they support our main purpose--people come here to meet their friends.” The food, like the pub itself is “communal” and Doc and his father know that customers crave simple and high quality menu items, so their focus is straightforward: “Buy absolutely the best ingredients and don’t screw it up.” What does this mean in practice? Angus chuck beef for hamburgers, fresh not frozen hand-breaded chicken tenders, sashimi grade Ahi tuna, and Boar’s Head meat products. Their most popular item, according to everyone from the rich and famous of Charlotte to the Myers Park teenage set, cast a unanimous vote: that pizza. With unlimited free toppings and a thin and crispy crust, you really can’t go wrong with a Selwyn Avenue Pub pizza.

Doc is the first to admit that the menu is a bit schizophrenic, but it’s merely the result of listening to customers’ demands over 27 years. Initially, Doc and Coach, who are of Irish heritage, had the idea of opening up “a little Irish pub in the neighborhood.” They quickly found, however, that as much as people enjoy Irish food here and there, or as a novelty on March 17th, most customers don’t crave that type of food on a day to day basis while they watch the game with a beer. So, true to their mission, they switched up their menu to what the customers craved. And while it’s mostly wings and pizza, sometimes it’s that fancy tuna wrap that’s now a bestseller, or anything else a customer might suggest in the near future. Selwyn is unpretentious quality at affordable prices. What to wash it down with, beyond the beer, of course? “Many people” Doc says, “are surprised at our wine menu--it is a wide selection of high quality wines at pub prices.” The drink options range from ciders to cocktails to a refreshing Sauvignon Blanc.

If you’re looking to peruse a menu online, though, you won’t have any luck; “the customers” Doc says, “are our social network.” One of Doc’s daughters did hook up the pub with a Snapchat Geofilter, but that’s as far their media presence goes. This philosophy meshes with one of the challenges Doc often finds himself pondering in his other gig, where he is a tenured professor of Law and Ethics at Queens University’s McColl School of Business. He notes that for all of the social media savvy today’s students demonstrate, they sometimes struggle with talking to one another face to face, and he believes that Selwyn Avenue Pub provides that place of social connection. Selwyn Avenue Pub harkens back to an earlier time of the village green, where people would gather together to discuss local issues and politics face to face, and not over Facebook or text; “People come here primarily because they want to socialize with their friends and meet new people, and we provide that comforting and inviting place for them to do that.” Doc believes that people crave that gathering place in their community, and Selwyn Avenue Pub is more than pleased to provide that space for the Myers Park and Charlotte community.

Did you see Selwyn Pub on Southern Charm?! — Did you see Selwyn Pub on *Southern Charm*?!

The only snafu? The notorious parking situation: “We proudly acknowledge that we’ve got the worst parking in the state,” Doc says with a laugh, but he notes that the upside is that everyone who manages to get here is “paying us the greatest compliment--they had to go through a lot to get here” he jokes. But seriously--take an Uber or hitch a ride with a friend and get down to Selwyn Avenue Pub ASAP to enjoy a few of those quintessential sunny southern afternoons this summer. And don’t waste any time, as Doc notes, “your friends are already here.”

Jason Ackerman 5/31/17 Jason Ackerman 5/31/17

Yamazaru

Still getting used to taking blog pictures without feeling like a creeper

Background:
Yamazaru opened in March of 2017 in the ever-booming South End neighborhood of Charlotte. The location could not be more perfect, as it's right next to Sycamore and within walking distance of tons of breweries that have limited menu options, or even just the occasional food truck. Yamazaru is owned by the sushi gods behind Ru Sans [read our review on what we consider the best sushi in Charlotte], so naturally we went in with high expectations.

However, we tend to make the mistake of going to a new spot too soon, and making rash judgments when they are still figuring out their service groove, and this visit was no exception. We visited Yamazaru on a Friday night in late April with Jason's brother, Adam, and his awesome girlfriend Emily. Despite some service snafus, we had a great time due to the awesome company and banging sushi. Check it out...

Eat This:
Here we have your basic Japanese restaurant Americanized house salad with ginger dressing. It was alright. I actually prefer the crappy iceberg lettuce to this fancier stuff. #whitetrashtendencies

Yamazaru Roll
Crab salad, avocado, tuna, baked eel, and scallops

Green Dragon, Tamago Nigiri, Angry Spider, and Salmon Avocado Rolls

Dessert:
We did not eat any desserts at Yamazaru, but we for sure went to Golden Cow Creamery after, which is conveniently just down the road!

Clearly not the ice cream from our visit that evening (hence the sunlight), but what can we say? We go here a lot.

Drink:
We shared some cold, unfiltered, sparkling sake! It was good, but I think it had the alcohol content of fruit juice. Yawn. On a Friday night I just don't want to feel feelings anymore, okay alcohol?

Atmosphere:
Yamazaru is super compact, as obviously real estate is at a premium in South End. Much like Ru Sans, it's a little difficult to navigate where to stand while you are waiting for your table. This is no big deal in nice weather, but of course when it's cold and/or rainy it means everyone is huddled awkwardly by the host stand. It was nice weather when we went, but we still huddled awkwardly by the host stand because we were hungry, and you know, out of sight out of mind, etc.

Oh! Yamazaru means "monkey" in Japanese, and we enjoyed the hidden monkeys splashed around the decor!

Ohx2--look for the booth that is one-sided and faces a wall. Look for it, but try not to be sat in it. Especially if you're with a co-worker or something. Awk sauce nation.

I don't know where to stand/Hi, Adam and Emily!

South End Hospitality:
Ughhh, we had terrible service on our first visit, unfortunately. Everyone was polite, but the servers seemed like they were still dealing with the madness of how busy they were. Our host sat three parties ahead of us who came in after us, and, once we were sat, we waited at our table for about 20 minutes without being greeted. I would definitely chalk this up to them working out the kinks of opening up a new restaurant. I am sure it will get better!

Frankie's Notes:
Jason and Emily are super chill in the face of slow service--Adam and I? Not so much; I have lots of white trash tendencies, like enjoying Dave & Buster's on occasion; If the host can feel you breathing on them, you'll be eating faster--that's just simple restaurant math; South End is so hip with its painted magic carpets and brewery yoga classes; No seriously, take how often you think Jason and I go out to eat for dessert in the average week and multiply it by four to get an accurate count.

Rating: 3 out of 5

Jason Ackerman 5/24/17 Jason Ackerman 5/24/17

Firestorm Pizza

Background:
Firestorm Pizza is a build-your-own pizza and salad concept started by Chris Berman. Berman has three locations of Firestorm, one in Winston-Salem, one in Mooresville, and his newest spot in Northlake which opened in January of 2017. I visited the Northlake location with my dearest friend Daniela after Firestorm so generously invited me out to sample some of their pizza.

What makes Firestorm stand out? The customer service, cleanliness, and the quality of the food and beverages. We had the best time making our own pizza with the fun staff at Firestorm!

Oh no--creepy blogger syndrome happening again!

Eat This:
Once we all got outfitted with gloves and hats, we got to go behind the counter at Firestorm to actually make our own pizzas! On a typical visit, the friendly staff will do all of this for you without you lifting a finger, but it was awesome to get a behind-the-scenes look at how the pizza gets made.

The process begins with the dough. You can get regular white flour, whole wheat, or gluten-free dough. The dough rounds are flattened using this nifty little dough press!

Once your dough is flat, it is perforated so it doesn't bubble up in the pizza oven.

Then, it's on to the most fun part--picking your toppings! Toppings are included in one flat cost at Firestorm--so feel free to load up!

Aunt Ms. Coach D AKA The Real Jewcan loading up those toppings!

Then it's into the oven for your little baby pizza! They start the pizzas near the back of the oven so the crust cooks up nicely, and then they move the pizza around for optimal browning.

In addition to pizza, Firestorm offers salads which you can also create yourself, and, my personal favorite thing at any pizza joint--garlic knots!

Dessert:
Firestorm also bakes up their own chocolate chip cookies. We didn't try one on this visit, but we were definitely tempted. Next time!

They also offer Cheerwine and root beer floats!

Drink:
In addition to the above floats, we can't forget about the beer! One of the coolest parts of Firestorm's concept is their tap system. They have twelve regional beers on tap and they have a nifty card system that they use to charge you for how much beer you want. You load up your card with a dollar amount, and then you can scan your card, which will keep track of how many ounces you have purchased. If you want more, no big deal! Just go back and load up your card again! This is a fun way to get to try lots of different options--maybe you could get a half glass each of two varieties you have your eye on! I tried SweetWater's "Goin' Coastal" pineapple IPA. It was super delicious, and I don't typically like beer!

Atmosphere:
The Firestorm at Northlake is very clean and has lots of cool touches--one of my favorite parts was that they offered "half boxes" by the utensil area so you didn't have to bother with going back up to the counter to get a box for the rest of your pizza.

Italiano Hospitality:
The staff at Firestorm were so kind and knowledgeable, and they were very patient with having so many bloggers and Instagrammers invade their store during peak dinner hours. I could tell we weren't getting special treatment--everyone who came in while we where there was receiving the same level of awesome service.

Frankie's Notes:
The weirdest part of going to blog events is having to introduce yourself with your blog name or Instagram handle; In this vein, a very special shout out to the gal behind "Put It In Your Mouth;" There is a lot of pressure to make a good looking pizza when you are surrounded by so many creative types--I feel like my pizza deserves a gold star for effort; A pour-your-own tap counter is like a Coke Freestyle for grown-ups; I always wish fruity beers tasted more like fruit juice, and I am disappointed when they taste more like beer; Do they make alcoholic fruit juice?

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.

Jason Ackerman 5/17/17 Jason Ackerman 5/17/17

Animal

Background:
Animal is owned by LA powerhouse restaurateurs Jon Shook and Vinny Dotolo. The duo also owns Petit Tois, Trois Mec, Son of a Gun, and Jon & Vinny's. Animal, opened in 2009, was Shook and Dotolo's first restaurant, and it still makes nearly every "best of" list for Los Angeles cuisine.

True to its name, Animal focuses on meat-heavy dishes and adventurous ingredients for the hungry cave man inside of us all. Their menu staples include crispy fried pig ear, veal brains, rabbit larb, sweetbreads, and foie gras biscuits. For dessert they don't let up and their most notable offering is a bacon chocolate crunch bar. So, basically, vegans should stay far, far away from Animal, but I am guessing they would have figured that out based on the moniker alone.

We visited Animal for brunch, so we kept our fare a little lighter than the options listed above, but our experience left us eager to come back for the full dinner experience whenever we are in the area again.

Why were we in LA for all of this great eating? Why, so Jason could run a race, obviously. Here he is rocking the Disneyland Star Wars Half Marathon!

Eat This:
Tamago Scramble
Bone marrow sushi rice, Japanese pickles, arare

I loved this dish so much. It was light but filling, and the tangy soy flavor meant I could not stop eating it. What's arare? You've probably seen them a million times--they're those little soy rice crackers.

Image courtesy of Snack Treasures Hawaii — Image courtesy of *Snack Treasures Hawaii*

Hamachi Tostada
Fish sauce vinaigrette, peanut, avocado

The tostada was described by our server as one of the most popular (and lightest) dishes on the menu. Its bright, fresh flavors did not disappoint!

Chicken Liver Toast

My love for chicken liver toast is undying, and this was the hands down best I have ever had. I always feel like my body is getting healthier and stronger when I eat chicken liver, and while that immediate feeling is most definitely in my head, organ meats are legitimately filled with so many good nutrients and healthy fats. Those of you who still believe in the fat/cholesterol myth? Put down your fat free yogurt and get #woke. It's not the 90s anymore, ya'll.

Dessert:

Cinnamon Roll

Drink:
It was brunch, so it was all coffee, all the time. They also had a mint infusion (just straight up mint and hot water) that changed my life. I started buying mint on the regular when we returned to NC. Mint is great for your digestion!

Atmosphere:
Hip and cozy spot. It was a sleepy Sunday morning, and even though we had reservations we probably didn't need them as it wasn't crowded at all. The vibe was very relaxed and inviting.

LA Baby Hospitality:
Our service was a little slow, which was odd considering they weren't busy, but we weren't in a rush, so we didn't mind just relaxing with our coffee/tea and enjoying the morning at a leisurely pace. The servers were super friendly and offered great recommendations.

Frankie's Notes:
Jason bought the bright green race shirt so he would be easy to spot; Apparently literally everyone else had the same idea--all races now seem to be a sea of bright green, at least from this spectator's perspective; Disney security is no joke--I tried to jump a barrier to follow Jason to the finish and I almost got tazed; Don't taze me bro; Fat is your friend and his name is Bob the Fat Fairy; LA is a super awesome place filled with the best food and art; But seriously, why do we chase that cat?

Check out this pretty picture of Laguna Beach! And no: I didn't see Lauren Conrad; yes: I am still upset about it.

Rating: 5 out of 5

Jason Ackerman 5/10/17 Jason Ackerman 5/10/17

Kato

Background:
Kato is an unassuming spot in a strip mall in West Los Angeles. Kato is unique in that it offers a sophisticated tasting menu at a reasonable price ($50 per person). Chef and owner Jonathan Yao opened Kato in June of 2016 to rave reviews. We visited in January of 2017 with an old friend of mine from high school (Hi, Zach!) and his lovely girlfriend. Kato's vision is awesome, because you get quality food for a reasonable price and it's not your typical night-long tasting menu experience--we were able to get in and out and onto a comedy show at The Upright Citizen's Brigade!

Eat This:
We started with this lil' seaweed sandwich---it was super-charged with umami to get the evening started off properly!

It's filled with secrets (mostly because I can't remember what was in it)

Wagyu Tartare

Hamachi Crudo with pickled cucumber and nori mozuku sauce

Ocean trout with charred cabbage

Duck with plum sauce

Uni & crab porridge

Dessert:
Dessert was my absolute favorite course (I promise that this is not always the case (just usually), but this rose granita with buttermilk pudding was out of this world! I wanted five more.

Drink:
Kato did not have their liquor license yet on our visit, so we had some really awesome Jasmine tea topped with a sweetened condensed milk foam--basically the best version of Thai tea ever.

Image courtesy of Yelp — Image courtesy of *Yelp*

Atmosphere:
Kato is a very intimate spot (read: small), and the fact that it's tucked away in a strip mall makes you feel as though you are a food secret agent and you've found some sort of hidden gem, so that's exciting. The tables and decor are sparse--the focus is on the food, not the ambiance.

Hi, I'm sparse!/image courtesy of Yelp — Hi, I'm sparse!/image courtesy of *Yelp*

LA Baby Hospitality:
The servers were nice, and they were understanding of our lateness (LA traffic is seriously no joke), but we could tell that they were trying to move us in and out quickly, probably because they had someone else slated to use the table, which again, is totally on us for being late. There isn't really much reason to linger though, as Kato doesn't yet serve alcohol. Seriously, who wants to talk to their friends sober for longer than it takes to eat a meal? Does that make me an alcoholic?

Frankie’s Notes:
LA strip malls are probably where we will find a portal to another dimension; When your old high school friends are LA chic, does that make you fancy, too?; Seriously, I hope Elon Musk realizes his vision for an underground tunnel below LA's highways, because that situation is bananas; It actually makes me mad that they stopped traffic to film that dance scene for the opening of La La Land--like, seriously, these locals go through enough--get a proper set, Ryan Gosling; It's not Ryan's fault directly, but I am going to need him to apologize to me in person; "Hey girl, this traffic is really messed up, but I appreciate your flexibility in a stressful situation."

Rating: 4 out of 5

Jason Ackerman 5/3/17 Jason Ackerman 5/3/17

Here's Looking at You

Image courtest of Notey — Image courtest of *Notey*

Background:
Here’s Looking at You opened in LA’s Koreatown in July 2016 and was immediately a hit. Its star chef, Jonathan Whitener and front of house manager Lien Ta, who are also co-owners, have crafted a fun, hip little spot that manages to stand out in a neighborhood with no shortage of great restaurants. Both Whitener and Ta worked at another acclaimed LA restaurant, Animal, which we also visited on this trip--that review will be coming soon!

Here's lurking at you? Here's larking at you?? Glare sad face :/

We loved the vibe at HLAY, the space is cozy and the feel is laid back, but the cuisine is innovative and high-end.

Eat This:

**Avocado**

***Market citrus [persimmon], nori, hazelnut, champagne vinegar***
**The texture of the avocado the persimmon paired beautifully, and this was a nice light dish to round out everything else we ordered!**

**Young Yellowtail**

***Tamarind, serrano, radish, cilantro, banana blossom***
**When we see tamarind on a menu, it’s a no-brainer--we are ordering it. Also, did you know that bananas even have blossoms? I sure didn’t. But I liked it.**

**Beef Tartare**

***Red chili, ramps, yolk, turnip, cress, charred bread***
**Like tamarind, tartare is a dish we always order. This one was one of my absolute favorites, and by far my favorite dish of the night--until we got to dessert, that is!**

**Duck Breast**

***Blood mole, onion, Asian pear, natural jus***
This was our first foray into blood mole--the traditional Mexican sauce is typically made with chili peppers, nuts, and sometimes chocolate. This mole was made with, well, blood from the duck. Crazy stuff! We enjoyed it.

**White Trout**

***Khmeli suneli, hummus, snap peas, lemon, cilantro***
**The trout was fried, and spiced with khmeli suneli, a traditional Georgian spice. The hummus was a fab complement to the light and spicy breading on the fish.**

Dessert:

However, our main attraction was the bar pie--our server told us that they only serve one flavor of bar pie a day, and it can only be ordered at the bar (naturally). Their bar pie has won many awards in LA for being a top dessert, and we knew we had to try it. Plus, it was banana cream pie that day, which is maybe the best kind of pie, except for coconut cream, duh.

We started staking out the bar like creepers as soon as we began finishing up our main course (before we even finished dessert #1). I hopped up to steal some spots, only to be rebuffed--people had already been waiting for those seats. Embarrassment. Defeat. #barpiefail.

The hosts picked up on our persistence, and just decided to make it easy for us so we could get the pie and get outta there and stop bugging their patrons. Shame? No way. It was pie time!

Love love love.

Drink:
The cocktail menu is detailed and creative--I wished I could have tried every single one, but that would have surely involved a visit to the hospital, so we stuck with these two:

**Folk Hero**

***Persimmon leaf-infused tequila, winter citrus, yuzu, honey, Swiss Violette***

**Highway Mile**

***Buffalo Trace Bourbon, Amaro Sfumato, fresh lemon, black sesame syrup***

Atmosphere:
Intimate and trendy. We liked the picture of Morrissey on the wall, which our server let us know was a controversial picture--apparently Morrissey modeled for clothing company Supreme and wanted his photos to not be published after he found out that Supreme was sponsored by White Castle (Morrissey is an outspoken leader in the vegan community).

Morrissey probabbblyyy wouldn't want us eating that tartare

LA Baby Hospitality:
The server we had was so awesome--he explained everything thoroughly (including pop culture/Morrissey), and came around the perfect amount to check on us. Also, we really appreciated the server and host’s help in getting us a seat at the bar for some bar pie! Thanks, guys! Sorry we made it weird!

Frankie’s Notes:
Naming restaurants after great movie lines is such a clever idea--I would like to name a Hawaiian bakery after a line from Lilo & Stitch; It would be called: "If I gave Pudge tuna, I would be an abomination;" That fish is looking right into my soul; Morrissey is silently judging all of the diners; Cold hard fact? Even if "Bar Pie" was a fight to the death, Jason and I would still would have succeeded in eating it; No one died though; But I am saying they could have; Seacrest out.

Rating: 5 out of 5 + 2 Michigan Pugs

Jason Ackerman 4/26/17 Jason Ackerman 4/26/17

Yafo Kitchen

Background:
Yafo Kitchen is brought to you by Frank Scibelli, the same restaurateur who pioneered other Charlotte staple restaurants like Mama Ricotta’s, Midwood Smokehouse, Cantina 1511, Paco’s Tacos and Tequila, and Bad Daddy’s, which he recently sold for beaucoups and beaucoups of money (shout out to Tyler’s uncle on S-Town). So, Scallionpancake clearly loves Scibelli and all that he brings to the proverbial and literal table for our burgeoning Charlotte food scene. But with Yafo Kitchen, he has clearly outdone himself. Yafo is billed as Mediterranean and Middle-Eastern, and Jason and I definitely took note of the Israeli flare, from both the food offerings (the chef is Israeli) and decor (check out the giant pic of halvah on the wall next time you go).

Basically, Yafo Kitchen is the Chipotle of Mediterranean food, and that is just a straight-up genius concept. You feel healthy AF eating here, even though the serving is enough for two hungry men, and the laffah bread probably has enough calories to sustain you for a week. But the fresh vegetables! The hummus! It’s the kind of healthy meal you would make yourself at home if you weren’t so much of a lazy bum.

Eat This:
It seems obvious that the only way to go here is the create your own bowl, right? Right. You can create the base of your bowl with hummus, babaganoush, tzatziki, salad, rice, or the seasonal grain offering--or you can combine any of those ingredients for a 50/50 bowl. You could even throw your ingredients into a laffah wrap, or you could just eat your laffah on the side, which is our preference.

What is laffah? So glad you asked. Laffah is similar to pita bread, but it is more dense and more delicious, basically. It’s also called taboon bread or Iraqi pita. You can watch the employees making the bread fresh while you wait--it is served hot and you will wonder why you have never heard of this magical bread before.

Magical sauces! They have granch (Greek yogurt ranch) and schug (cilantro jalapeno sauce). Get both of these and use them liberally.

The Sides! The greek yogurt mac and cheese with toasted bread crumbs is a definite winner.

Check out that mac and cheese! Photo courtesy of Charlotte Magazine — Check out that mac and cheese! Photo courtesy of *Charlotte Magazine*

You can also order a number of other items like sandwiches or a whole chicken with all of the mezze (side) dishes.

Dessert:
We can vouch for the chocolate chip cookies, which they also make in house. This place is the real deal, right?!

Drink:
Yafo has a fun drink counter, similar to Chopt’s offerings. You can get cucumber mint limeade, hibiscus tea, lemondae, organic unsweetened black tea, or regular sweet tea. They also have local beers!

Atmosphere:
Yafo is fast casual, so the decor is nothing fancy, but the layout is easy to navigate, and the tables are kept bussed and clean so the constant influx of customers can get in and get out with a belly (Scibelli) full of laffah. There are TVs if you would like to watch the game while you eat.

South Park Hospitality:
The folks behind the counter are a marvel of speed and efficiency. The line moves shockingly fast, considering how many add-ons and customizations can be used on each order (and many people are often ordering for a whole family). Yafo is a well-oiled machine, and we like that.

The only complaint is that it’s located in South Park, which is kind of off the beaten path for a lot of folks, and the traffic around that area can be a beast--not to mention the parking in the Morrison shopping center, which is a nightmare. This is going to get worse with the recent opening of Sabor right across the parking lot. We need more locations, Mr. Scibelli! If possible, one location should be in our kitchen. Thanks.

Frankie’s Notes:
Frankie and Frank Scibelli are going to open a fresh new restaurant concept this fall: Pugs ‘N Pops; Jason does not like halvah, blintzes, or cream cheese: is he really Jewish at all?; If S-Town Alabama had a Yafo Kitchen, would they still be S-Town?; What’s the deal with cousin Rita?; Did Tyler ever find the hidden treasure?; What can we do now with our lives now that S-Town is over?! Send all comments and suggestions our way.

Rating:
4 out of 5

Jason Ackerman 4/20/17 Jason Ackerman 4/20/17

Ivan Ramen

"The Art of the Slurp" -- art by Nathan Fox, photo courtesy of Glenwood NYC — "The Art of the Slurp" -- art by Nathan Fox, photo courtesy of *Glenwood NYC*

Background:
Most of the restaurants on Netflix’s Chef’s Table are prohibitively expensive, hard to get a reservation at, or both. Ivan Ramen, however, is neither. Ivan Orkin, featured on the third season of Chef’s Table, has a background story that makes you want to eat his homemade rye noodles and give him a hug. I won’t give any spoilers, but his narrative takes a turn that had Jason and I both tearing up.

The first Ivan Ramen opened in Japan in 2006, and Orkin tells the story of trying to gain acceptance and customers as an American Jewish man selling ramen in the birthplace of the cuisine. Orkin’s experience of being visited by a top Japanese food critic is as riveting and heartwarming as Ratatouille, minus all the rats.

Ivan making noods, photo courtesy of The Atlantic — Ivan making noods, photo courtesy of *The Atlantic*

Now, Ivan Ramen has two iterations stateside in NYC, the OG Ivan Ramen on Clinton Street, and an Ivan Ramen Slurp Shop on 11th Avenue. Jason and I visited the flagship location during our mid-tax season NYC visit, and we were so excited to attend our first food show restaurant.

Eat This:

Japanese Fried Chicken
Toasted garlic caramel, togarashi, shiso ranch

This app was slightly spicy from the togarashi (chili powder), and light and crispy. We loved this appetizer so much--it might have been the favorite for the table of the whole night!

Mushroom Tempura
Maitake mushrooms, white soy-koji dip

This was money in the bank. Orkin found a way to make mushrooms decadent in this light breading. What’s koji? Why, that’s a fungus that’s used to ferment lots of Japanese food, including the soybeans used to make soy sauce.

Scallionpancake is like Reading Rainbow for fat adults — Scallionpancake is like *Reading Rainbow* for fat adults

Pork Meatballs
Wasabi buttermilk, bulldog sauce, bonito

These were delicious, according to the guys. They pounced on the them so hard I don’t even recall trying one. Maybe next time?

Orkin’s ramen is distinctive for its homemade rye noodles, as most ramens are made with wheat or rice noodles. Ivan Ramen offers both versions, but the rye noodles were a standout: tangy, chewy, and satisfying.

Tokyo Shio Ramen
Sea salts, dashi + chicken broth, pork belly, soft egg, enoki mushrooms, rye noodles

Enoki mushrooms, egg, and roasted tomato!

Another unique element to Orkin’s ramen is his recommendation to add a roasted tomato to any ramen, which, having tried it, I would go so far as to say you should add two.

Dashi, by the way, is a staple Japanese broth flavored with seaweed and fermented fish--it is all umami, all the time.

Triple Pork Triple Garlic Mazemen
Tonkotsu broth, pork belly two ways, whole wheat noodles

As featured on Chef's Table! — As featured on *Chef's Table*!

The flavor in this dish is out of control, but with pork and garlic x three, how could it be anything but amazing? This option was perfect for Jason, who is not the biggest fan of ramen (or any soups), as the mazeman has only a minimal amount of broth, just enough to coat the noodles.

Chicken Paitan
Rich chicken broth, minced chicken, egg yolk, shio kombu, rye noodles

Our server told us that when Orkin visits the restaurant, this is the dish he usually orders, other than the traditional shio ramen. Both of our dining companions, Andrew and Vishnu ordered this, and they gave it high marks. What’s shio kombu, you might ask? I certainly did--it’s dried seaweed flavored with mirin, soy sauce, and sugar.

Dessert:
There was no dessert on the menu! In the immortal words of Cathy: ACK!

Image courtesy of Ms. Magazine — Image courtesy of *Ms. Magazine*

It’s okay though, as Ivan Ramen is located only blocks away from a location of our very favorite shaved ice spot--Snowdays!

The best thing at Snowdays is their Yeti Tracks--blueberry Oreo shaved ice! It’s a dream come true.

Drink:
The menu offers a selection of beer, sake, and sake cocktails. It was a cool and rainy night, so we split a couple of carafes of their only hot sake, which was warming and stood up to the flavorful dishes.

Any other night, Jason probably would have opted for one of the tasty-sounding nonalcoholic options, like an Ivan Palmer (iced barley tea with yuzu lemonade) or a lychee soda.

Atmosphere:
Ivan Ramen has a buzzing, exciting atmosphere. The kitchen is open, so you can see the chefs at work, and all of the patrons are happily slurping their ramen, as depicted in the awesome Nathan Fox comic strip that hangs above the bar area. Just like the chef himself, Ivan Ramen doesn’t seem to take itself too seriously, and that lends to a fun and relaxed dining atmosphere.

Image courtesy of Tasting Table — Image courtesy of *Tasting Table*

The only awkward part is the layout of the single-person bathroom--the line forms (and there will definitely be a line with only one stall) in between the bar area and the outside patio, so that area is packed with diners waiting and servers and other patrons trying to get through to the patio.

Jewish Japanese Hospitality:
Our server was awesome--he gave us excellent recommendations and was super patient while we took forever to order, and again when we hung around for a long while camping at the table with our sake and catching up with Andrew and Vishnu. The hostesses were also super chill and sat us before our whole party arrived (shh, don’t tell).

Frankie’s Notes:
When you dine with Party Suh, you get two carafes of sake; Why is it not socially acceptable to slurp all soups like ramen?; Where is the restaurant with the Japanese guy making blintzes?; Chef’s Table really makes you weigh the decision of staying in bed and being comfy, or trekking downstairs for a snack; Do you think ramen is on Cathy’s summer diet plan?; ACK!

Rating:
4 out of 5

Jason Ackerman 4/12/17 Jason Ackerman 4/12/17

Tavolo

Update: Tavolo closed in December 2017

Background:
Tavolo (pronounced “tah-vuh-low”), located in Uptown Charlotte, opened in December 2016 in the old Cosmos Cafe location at College and 6th street. Earlier this month, Tavolo extended an invitation to the Charlotte Food Bloggers to come and check out their wood fired pizza.

Eat This:
What makes Tavolo’s pizza special? They use a 50/50 blend of flour and semolina, make all of their sauces in house, and cook all of their pizzas in a fancy pants wood fired oven. All of the pizzas start out cooking in the back of the oven, and then they move them closer to the front near the end of the cooking process. The result is a slightly blackened crust, bubbly cheese, and that slightly charred flavor you can only get from a wood fire oven.

For their meats they use Boar’s Head products, and they get their spices from Motown Spice Provisions in Mooresville.

We got to design our own pizza, but I would love to try their prosciutto and fig pizza on my next visit!

Dessert:
We didn’t try dessert on this visit, but they have all the classics like tiramisu and cannolis.

Drink:
The bar at Tavolo is spacious and includes lots of fun cocktail options on the menu.

Atmosphere:
The kitchen is open to the dining area, which is nice. The decor is fairly simple--the only thing I wasn’t crazy about is the Italian writing on the back wall, which felt a little cheesy to me.

Photo courtesy of Charlotte Agenda — Photo courtesy of **Charlotte Agenda**

Italiano Hospitality:
Everyone was very gracious on our visit, and the staff was very energetic about getting people to know about Tavolo.

Frankie’s Notes:
I always have the best time when I am out with the Charlotte Food Bloggers--thank you all for being so awesome!; Extra dirty martinis remind me of Mrs. Dougbert; Does anyone else find it emotionally taxing to make homemade pizza at home? The dough always sticks to the stone and it ends me nearly crying and wanting Fuel delivered; maybe I need a 50/50 semolina/flour blend; When putting toppings on pizza, remember: more is more!

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.

Jason Ackerman 4/5/17 Jason Ackerman 4/5/17

Momofuku Ko

Japanese cheesecakes topped with shaved black truffles

Background:
David Chang is a food god, and Jason’s conduit to the world of fine dining [see our review of Momofuku Noodle Bar here]. We love his brash attitude towards vegetarians, his lack of adherence to silly rules of “fine dining” and his prolific nature in the restaurant business. If Chang opened it, we will come. Also, Jason has broken his “only sports” rule to allow us to watch Mind of a Chef (briefly, and only in between sporting events), the first season of which is hosted by Chang himself. There is nothing we like more than watching Chang slurp ramen all over the world, except for getting the chance to visit one of his restaurants and eat his delicious food!

Momofuku Ko is Chang’s fanciest restaurant--the only option is a 13-17 course tasting menu. Head Chef Sean Grey operates the kitchen with precision and grace, which we got to see first hand as we sat in the seats overlooking the kitchen. This is the best of both worlds--great food and getting to see how the sausage gets made (Hamilton reference in honor of the other cool thing we did that same weekend).

Jason visited the original location of Ko when they first opened--this location is much larger and features cool art from artist David Choe, and you can see the duck and beef aging in glass cases along the back wall.

We really pushed our limits of lateness with this visit--we had a 12:30 reservation and a 4:00 flight. We decided we were just going to go for it and take our time, and if we missed the flight, so be it. We were super casual until we almost actually missed the flight, and then we were those people frantically running through the airport and the gate door was closed literally right behind us. We cut it close but we made it, and we got to enjoy one of the best meals of our lives. Who says you can’t have it all?

Eat This:

Pomme souflée, lobster paloise, chicken oyster, white kimchi

It's a Sunday afternoon, baby, and I'm alive

These three amuse bouches were a favorite of the entire evening. The pomme souflée was essentially a crispy little potato chip filled with a delicious cream, and the lobster paloise was like a crunchy lobster roll. J'adore.

For the chicken oyster, we were instructed to eat the oyster, and then down the kimchi like a shot. As Jason's mom Teri would say, these three bites really "set the tone" (shoutout to wedding invitation stress flashbacks!). We were ready to eat until the lethargy and self-hatred set in. And away we go!

fluke -- barrel aged bonji

The fluke was presented simply--with only a brush of bonji. What's bonji, you ask? Why, only the liquid seasoning designed and trademarked by the man himself. Is there anything Chang can't do? We were told to dip the fish in the salt and eat it with the mustard greens. Yessir.

sea urchin -- chickpea, hozon

This dish and the next one have remained on the menu when many other options have been rotated out, according to the interwebs. The interplay of textures makes this dish truly special--the soft, springy texture of the sea urchin blends with the rich hummus-like hozon. Hozon is another Chang original seasoning that is akin to a miso paste. I read this review that likened this dish to being licked by a puppy. And while that may be a strange simile, it's not even slightly inaccurate.

ko egg -- caviar

Jason made the chef laughed when he said this one looked like pac man. Then, all I could see was pac man throwing up. All likenesses aside, a soft boiled egg with caviar and salty potato chips is a winning combination.

BREAD INTERLUDE (Cue the romantic music)

What's this? Why, just house made sourdough with butter that has been aged in a cave next to blue cheese. YUM.

beef -- au poivre

What's a fine meal without a simple rare-to-raw beef? Why, it might as well be Taco Bell, says Jason.

razor clam -- pineapple, basil

The light citrus flavor of the clams was just the thing after the beef. The drops of basil were fantastic--the flavor was so concentrated and fresh.

skate -- vin jaune
katsu roll

"But you had all those cappuccinos earlier?""Yeah, but that was like, you know, foam" — "But you had all those cappuccinos earlier?"
"Yeah, but that was like, you know, foam"

This dish was truly special. After preparing the huge Skate fillet, the chefs removed it from its fried breading, and told us that the fried coating is only to make sure the fish stays flavorful and doesn't dry out in the cooking process. The (naked!) fish is then covered with a potato foam that's been cooking away in a whipped cream bottle in a sous vide bath.

THEN, the chefs take the "leftover" fish skin and fill it with cabbage, thus creating the most delectable little "sushi roll," which is enjoyable both because it tastes fab and because you know nothing was wasted.

duck -- squash

The duck was the grand finale to end all finales, and Jason's favorite dish of the afternoon. We had watched the chef give tender loving care to this duck from the moment we sat down--grilling, roasting, seasoning. And repeat. And finally, here it was. Of course, it was cooked to perfection, and paired with the squash, which was cooked practically to the point of falling apart--well, the whole experience was divine. Sweet, but still filled with savory umami.

Dessert:

Japanese cheesecake with grated black truffles

Bouncy, flouncy, trouncy, pouncy, FUN FUN FUN FUN FUN

And this was my favorite. I have been dying to try Japanese cheesecake, which is a light, bouncy, fluffy thing--almost like a cheesecake souflée. The cake was only just barely sweet, and the truffles on top were the perfect complement. This was also a great gateway course--somewhere between an entrée and dessert.

foie gras -- lychee, pine nut, reisling jelly

Heaven is just mounds and mounds of shaved goose liver (see also: a vegan spooky Mormon hell dream)

What would you say if I told you that this was a sweet sorbet topped with frozen foie gras that is grated over the dish right before you eat it? Why, that's crazy, you might say! Straight from the mind of a chef, as it were, and this dish was the only repeat on the menu from when Jason ate at Ko years ago. We can see why it's a staple--we have never tasted anything quite like it. The foie gras melts quickly as you eat it, so the texture and flavors change with each bite.

wild rice --kombu

One of the chefs told us that this course was one of his favorites, and we agree completely. The nuttiness of the brown rice keeps the ice cream from being too sweet, and the topped rice adds texture and depth. We were, of course, terribly full at this point, but hey--you can always eat ice cream.

persimmon -- yuzu

Jason has a yuzu diffuser in his office now

...and more ice cream! The citrusy granita was a lovely finish and refreshing palate cleanser after a perfect meal.

Drink:
Jason and I both enjoyed some cocktails (he had non-alcoholic and I went for the hard stuff, per usual).

Drink up before you get on the plane: a life lesson in traveling

Atmosphere:
It’s modern and sleek inside Ko. The focus is on the front kitchen/prep area that the bar faces, which is really all the decor you need.

Chang Dining Empire Hospitality:
The staff was amazingly gracious to us--the chefs answered our questions (as they were cooking our food), and the servers never missed a beat on replacing the silverware, replacing napkins when you got up from the table, and overall making us feel like royalty. The best part? At the end, one of the hosts asked us if we wanted to see the back kitchen! Is that even a question?! We got to go into the back and see the behind the scenes prep happening, and also got to view their private dining room reserved for parties and such. This added such a special touch to our visit, and we were so grateful for the opportunity. We asked our gracious host if Chang still comes in often, and he said, “some might say too often!”

Frankie’s Notes:
When we were running through the airport I pretended that we were running late to catch our flight to Paris and we had left Kevin at home (but we didn't know it yet, naturally); I feel sad that Alexander Hamilton never knew the pure joy and beauty of a Japanese cheesecake; A David Chang musical would have a number with dancing ramen flavor packets; Jason and I have written a tax season musical, and the opening number is called: "It's Another Monday for Jason;" Seriously, our musical is legitimately amazing, and we only want it produced by Lin Manuel Miranda or Trey Parker & Matt Stone; We keep a block of foie gras on ice at all times now in case Chang ever drops by Charlotte. WE LOVE YOU, DAVID CHANG!

Rating: 5 out of 5 /two Michigan pugs

Jason Ackerman 3/28/17 Jason Ackerman 3/28/17

Evoke at Le Meridien

Background:
It’s spring, so that means it must be time for a new tasting menu at Evoke! Scallionpancake feels so lucky to be invited back to Evoke again (see our previous reviews here and here)--this time to test out the delicious stylings of new chef Rodrigo Velazco.

Chef Rodrigo is originally from Caracas, Venezuela, and he worked for many years on the Miami food scene. After getting a few years in fine dining under his belt, he wanted to gain training in “old school” cooking techniques, so he traveled Europe extensively so he could learn from classically trained chefs. In the kitchen at Evoke, Rodrigo sees himself as a “bridge” between classical techniques and the modern leanings of his young staff--he is close to their age, so he understands their new school mentality, but he has the background of the “old guard” way of cooking. Rodrigo blends these two mindsets seamlessly on the menu at Evoke--classical preparations with unexpected twists are his specialty. Rodrigo takes the input of his team of chefs seriously-- “the biggest mistake a chef can make” he says “is to only trust his own taste.” So, Rodrigo says, he is notorious for chasing his staff down with a little spoon, asking them to taste this and that in order to ensure that everything tastes just right.

Evoke is located in the recently updated Le Meridien hotel, which is a lovely space to grab coffee, a drink, a meal, or a popsicle dunked in prosecco on their rooftop bar (City Lights--which opens for the season on April 1st). Rodrigo says that Evoke must do double duty as a hotel restaurant and an upscale destination restaurant for locals. Rodrigo wants Evoke to function as a “deep breath” kind of place for his customers--he hopes that when you come in, you get a drink, feel relaxed, and really settle in for an evening of fine dining surrounded by your friends and family.

Eat This:
We started with a light tuna ceviche course which was bursting with bright spring flavors. My favorite here was the crispy onion.

Yellowfin Tuna
Sea beans, saffron pickled fennel, arugula, crispy onion, lemon oil

Ain't no spring chicken (because it's fish)

What are sea beans? So glad you asked! They are a type of succulent that grows in marshes--Chef Rodrigo likened them to tiny asparagus. Delicious! This course was one of my favorites.

Burrata Salad
Heirloom tomato, brioche, black olive vinaigrette, basil

I say tomato, you say burrata; tomato/burrata, tomato/burrata--let's call the whole thing off

You can never go wrong with a little caprese salad, and this dish took that simple and beloved dish to a new level--the sweet, crispy brioche and the tart sweetness of the tomatoes paired perfectly. This course was my absolute favorite of the night. It was light yet satisfying, and I loved the richness of the burrata rather than the usual mozzarella.

Lobster & Sweetbreads
Peas, mint, lemon, tarragon jus vinaigrette

Book title: Sweetbreads are made from bread, and other lies your French chef told you

Like the last dish, this one threw some of my dining companions off (burrata is cheese and sweetbreads are the glands of animals...glad we've got that out of the way!) Not bread, to be sure, but a little sweet, actually! After some fun table googling and everyone deciding to be adventurous, all of my dining companions agreed we loved this dish. Although combined from heavier elements (lobster and, well...glands) this dish was bursting with the pleasant earthiness of spring, and it was not at all overbearing. Chef Rodrigo treats these ingredients gently, and the flavors are bright and the dish is satisfyingly filling. And yay! We tried new things.

If you can get over what you are eating (which is never hard for me, I guess I am a monster/vampire hybrid) then this is a great dish to cut your gland teeth on, and a good foray into the exciting world of the thymus!

Pimenton Rigatoni
Braised rabbit, fava beans, morels, mint gremolata

Little bunny foo foo/hoppin' through the forrest/pickin' up the field mice/and boppin' 'em on the head

Wascally wabbit! This dish was also bursting with spring deliciousness. I especially loved the morel mushrooms--they just soak up all of the goodness of any dish, and I love their chewy texture. My dining neighbor and I agreed that sometimes we think it's sad to eat rabbit, just because they are so darn cute. However, suffice to say, we ate it anyway and loved it. This dish put me over the edge of fullness--it was so satisfying with the rabbit and the pasta. Evoke makes all of their pastas in house, and it had phenomenal texture and smokey flavor from the pimenton (AKA paprika).

Sturgeon
White aspargus, fennel, pearl onion, grapes, Di Vitello jus

I cannot recall ever having Sturgeon before, but my table neighbor and I decided it reminded us of Catfish, which, to be honest, was a comparison neither of us were crazy about. I find that Catfish is a very divisive fish, and while some people love its distinctive flavor, I am in the other camp. Therefore, this dish was not my favorite due to the flavor profile of the fish itself, but I did love the sauce, grapes, and asparagus.

Dessert: Evoke has a new Pastry Chef, Chelsea Ecdao. Chef Rodrigo had nothing but awesome things to say about her and her delicious concoctions. I did not try this dish, as longtime readers will know about my fake and made up (and yet very, very real in my mind) corn allergy/fear, but everyone at the table was dying over this corn cheesecake:

Corn Cheesecake
Bourbon mousse, rosemary, blueberry

"There's corn in this, and that seems very bad indeed" - my brain

Look at how gorgeous it is! I struggled not to eat this lovely. I did go home and eat Trader Joe's chocolate covered coconut almonds as a consolation prize. And don't worry--my portion was happily eaten by my new blog friends at the table.

Drink:
Evoke has a lovely wine and cocktail list, though I stuck to mezcal on the rocks. What kind? I'm not sure--I didn't specify or check, but it was fab. I am not picky about my drinks on Thursday night after a long week. My dining companions enjoyed wine and cocktails, and everyone seemed pleased with their selection. L'chaim!

Atmosphere:
Evoke is simply lovely--soft lighting, candles, and a very upscale vibe. Like Stoke, this is a hotel where I would be delighted to stay if I were traveling in Charlotte. I cannot wait to check out the rooftop bar, City Lights. Last year was its first year open, but I never got a chance to check it out. They open for the season on April 1st, and Jason and I will definitely be making a post-tax season stop here as soon as April 18th rolls around.

Photo courtesy of the always fab Charlotte Agenda

Hospitality:
Chef Rodrigo and his staff could not have been more gracious and kind. Chef came out to ask us our opinions on the dishes, and the entire service experience was very attentive, which has been my experience even on previous visits that were not blog events.

Frankie’s Notes:
Evoke has the unique distinction of having a triple Scallionpancake review! Hats off to you, Evoke; Many have tried, few have succeeded in getting us to return a whopping three times to their establishment; Just kidding--we have been to Seoul Food Meat Company 17 times without ever being asked, not even one time; When I have to go to blog events without Jason I get nervous and start shouting at strangers that burrata is cheese; But for real, it's cheese and you should know that; Frankie likes tomatoes and he doesn't like Catfish; Just kidding--tomatoes are toxic to dogs and do not say we told you to feed your dogs tomato products; I made new friends at this dinner! Yay, friends! Shout out to Jess at Slice of Jess. She is super cool and is going to teach me her mom's recipe for ricotta! Go read her awesome blog.

Disclaimer: This meal was provided free of charge in exchange for an honest and unbiased review.

Jason Ackerman 3/22/17 Jason Ackerman 3/22/17

Haberdish

The cocktail that launched a thousand yuppies

Background:
AHHHHHH Haberdish. That’s how this restaurant makes us feel right now.

I see the lights, I see the party lights

Haberdish is owned by Jeff Tonidandel, who also owns Growler’s Pourhouse and The Crepe Cellar--sooo, he basically owns an entire block of NoDa. While Scallionpancake likes Growler’s, and is so-so on The Crepe Cellar, we were blown away by Haberdish. Haberdish was poppin’ on our first visit on a Friday night, right around two months after their opening in December. Like many others that night, we were drawn like moths to a flame to a Charlotte Agenda instagram picture floating about of a gorgeous pink cocktail adorned with one of their signature flower ice cubes. We saw the picture, we made plans to go--just like the rest of Charlotte on one fine Friday night (cue two and a half hour wait). Read on to see why this place is our new jam--we have been back once more since our first visit, and it’s one of our new go-to spots.

Rose gold silverware and flowers in my drink: is this heaven?

Our second visit was during the thick of tax season--it’s possible Jason and I bickered like everyone’s favorite married Jewish couple, and it’s also possible he fell asleep at the table. Yay, March! The best part? My dad was in town! Yeah, Wayne!

Eat This:

Brined Smoked Chicken
Tossed in Alabama white sauce

Is this chicken, what I have, or is this fish?

Fried Chicken
Brined, battered, fried

Sweet Potato Dumplings
Hand-spooned with brown butter, sage, parm

The dumplings are so good your camera hand shakes

Mac & Cheese
with optional spicy crispy chicken skin--not included in this picture

Tater Tots
Housemade tater tots

Are those housemade tater tots, or are you just happy to see me?

Hushpuppies
Fried cornmeal dough with sweet tea butter

Photographers were not quick enough for how fast this dish went

Biscuits & Bacon Jam
Snowflake flour, lard & butter/served with homemade bacon jam

Pickled Candied Striped Beets

Dessert:
We have yet to try dessert here, because PopBar is right across the street. Have you guys been to PopBar?! It’s the freaking best. We are hoping to get sponsored by them, considering we go two-three times a week.

Drink:
UGGGHHH the cocktails. Colleen Hughes is the mixologist with the mostest--she also is in charge of cocktails at Tonidandel’s other restaurants, but she has outdone herself here. The cocktail menu had changed from one visit to the next, but some amazing staples remained, like Daniela’s favorite, the house mint julep, aka “the adult slushie.” The drinks are fabulously strong and the flavors are inventive--no basic sweet concoctions to be found. Two and a half hour wait? No worries, we will be posted up at the bar!

Atmosphere:
With its tall ceilings, exposed brick, and steel beams Haberdish nods to NoDa’s history and aims to call to mind the textile mills of the 1800s. The lighting is soft and romantic, and it’s the kind of place you want to linger (much to the chagrin of others waiting hours for a table).

These two lovebirds certainly up the atmosphere quotient!

Southern Hipster Hospitality:
The servers and bartenders are nice, but they certainly seem harried--which makes sense considering how slammed they have been lately. You do get the feeling they want to rush you out the door a bit, and on our first visit our server forgot a dish (and still charged us for it). She was super sweet and took it off right away, but it feels like they still need some time to adjust to just how popular this place is going to be on Friday and Saturday nights.

The beast emerges from his tax-season lair. Do not approach or look directly in the eye!

Apologies on behalf of my dad (The Wayner) who simply cannot understand the fast-talking youth of today, and asked our waitress if she was speaking Polish. We laughed; she didn’t.

Frankie’s Notes:
When Charlotte Agenda posts, the whole of Charlotte responds like lemmings; If Jason will wait more than once for two hours for a restaurant during tax season, you know it is legit; It’s way better to be in a faux-textile mill in 2017 eating fried chicken than working in a real mill in 1887, worried about losing a digit; I am sure Wayne would hate Gilmore Girls; Wayne lost his life alert; Wayne drank several glasses of fifteen-year-old bourbon; Are the last two things related?

Rating:
4 out of 5

Jason Ackerman 3/14/17 Jason Ackerman 3/14/17

Good Food on Montford

I don't want none unless you got pork buns

Background:
Good Food on Montford is owned by Bruce Moffett, who also owns Barrington’s and Stagioni. The concept is seasonally and locally sourced tapas in a funky and relaxed setting. Good Food consistently runs a long wait, especially on weekends, even eight years after their opening. Even as the landscape of Montford has changed around them, Good Food continues to bring a touch of class to this well-known drag and bro-heavy hangout.

Eat This:
The visit featured was not our first to Good Food, but it was noteworthy as we dined with our lovely friends Tamara and Zander when they were expecting their little one, who has now arrived! Welcome to the world, little Dalton! Here is what we ate on this particular visit:

Falafel
Hummus, cucumber & greek yogurt

Carnitas

Heirloom Tomatoes

Steamed Bun
Five spiced rubbed pork belly, hoisin, & pickled vegetables

Somebody told me that you had a pork bun that I had February of last year

Korean Beef
Crispy rice, scallion kimchi & gochujang

Prince Edward Island Mussels
Green curry, coconut milk & cilantro

Tempura Vegetables
Assorted

Gnocchi
Braised duck, greens, toasted pecans & roasted squash puree

It's possible we dug into this one before the picture was taken? Shh, don't tell

Garganelli
House-made Italian sausage, toasted garlic & tomato

Overall, we feel Good Food is just that: good. Not great, and a bit overrated. It would be worth it if the parking was not a full-on nightmare and the wait a bit more manageable. Although the menu is supposed to be seasonal, it doesn’t rotate out all that much, and the offerings feel like they need a fresh dose of innovation.

Dessert:

Cannoli Cheesecake

Brownie Sundae

Both of the desserts were Applebee’s quality. D+ at best.

Drink:
Good Food bartenders make a mean cocktail! We didn’t indulge on this visit (we were all in solidarity with pregnant Tamara), but all past samplings were delicious.

Atmosphere:
Good Food is small and popular, so naturally it can feel rather cramped. The decor itself is modern and simple, but it is very easy to feel suffocated in here on a busy Friday or Saturday night.

Bro City Hospitality:
Our service on this visit was fine. Nothing to write home about, and our server forgot a few items and had to be reminded.

Frankie’s Notes:
Montford can be a scary place on a Saturday night; RIP Andrew Blair’s; Johnny (aka Jonathan) says Moosehead has the best wings in the city; RIP Maverick Rock Taco; When one friend is pregnant we are all pregnant, i.e., we all ate for two; If I had to put the word “Applebee’s” in this review, you know that automatically knocked it down a star.

Rating: A bit overrated and only worth a <30 wait...4 out of 5

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Korean BBQ Meatballs

Brixx Muffuletta

Turkey & Pecan-Cranberry Chutney

Margherita Pizza

Rock Molluscs

Desert Plants

Lofty Andes

Thick Stems

Water of nanay

Forest Cotton

High Jungle

Marine Soil

Tree Skins

Land of Corn

Colors of amazonia

Coastal Harvest

Sea Coral

Low Andes Mountains

Humid Green

Amazonian White

medicinals & Plant Dyes

Rating: 5 out 5 + 3 Michigan Pugs

Snacks

Poda Cebiche

Dim Sum

Choripan

Nigiri

Lapas Cebiche

Catacaos de Camarones

Cassava Soba

Sudado

Beef Short Rib 50 Hours

Sea Urchin Rice

Reef

Mussel

Rating: 5 out of 5 + two Michigan Pugs

Serrano ham & Manchego on toast

Roll of the day

roll of the day

roll of the day

salmon nigiri

Pan con tomate

Shrimp ceviche

Asian Glazed pork belly taco

hummus of the day

Ahi tuna skewers

chimichurri beef skewers

grilled caesar

guinness chocolate cupcake

Rating: 5 out of 5

Rating: 4 out of 5

Rating: 3 out of 5

Rating: 5 out of 5

Rating: 4 out of 5

Avocado

Young Yellowtail

Beef Tartare

Duck Breast

White Trout

Pear Upside Down Cake

Bar Pie

Folk Hero

Highway Mile

Rating: 5 out of 5 + 2 Michigan Pugs

Rating: 4 out of 5

Rating: 4 out of 5

Rating: 4 out of 5

Rating: A bit overrated and only worth a <30 wait...4 out of 5

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Rating:
4 out of 5

Rating:
4 out of 5

Rating:
4 out of 5