Seafood Connection

May 14, 2018

Background:
Seafood connection, owned by Chef Jamie Walker, started as a pop-up in Dublin, Georgia. When Walker moved, he moved his pop-up with him to Charlotte, and he operated mainly out of Indian restaurant King of Spicy. Last year, the owners of King of Spicy decided to close up shop, and Walker purchased their space, and he is now operating full time in the Albemarle road location.

Walker and his team of chefs pride themselves on only cooking fresh food (never frozen), and making all of their sauces from scratch.

We were invited out a few weeks ago to check out Seafood Connection, but it seems as though much of Charlotte already knows about this spot--the restaurant has 45k+ Instagram followers, and Walker and his girlfriend, Yashica Russell, said that they regularly see wait times over one hour. They are open Thursday-Sunday only, and they serve a brunch menu from 11-3 on Sundays.

Eat This:

Everyone at the table loved this dish. A winner.

**Chicken & Waffles**

fried chicken tenders & red velvet waffle

Another solid option. The chicken was spicy and a certain someone at my table said the waffles tasted like "cupcakes."

Simple, but flavorful. I liked these tacos quite a bit. They could have used some hot sauce, however.

**Seafood Mac & Cheese**

the winner of the night

My hands-down favorite thing we tried. It was rich and cheesy, and it had lobster, shrimp, and crab mixed in.

**C-Port Platter**

lobster, crab, shrimp, potatoes, corn, & sausage

Honestly, although Chef Walker is known for his sauce, I am not quite sure why anyone would put this much butter all over seafood. And I love butter. This actually tasted like margarine to me, and it completely overpowered the taste of the seafood. I don't mind it, but next time I would ask for it on the side.

Dessert:
No dessert, but if you go for Sunday brunch, that red velvet waffle could certainly function as a dessert.

Drink:
Seafood Connection has a full bar and a wide selection of soft drinks.

Atmosphere:
There is not much going on here in the way of atmosphere. It is a very large space with lots of windows, which was perfect for bloggers trying to get that Insta-worthy shot. My one complaint was an overwhelming smell of cleaning solution throughout the entire restaurant, which decreased my appetite somewhat. I am glad it was clean, but a harsh bleach smell certainly adversely impacts the dining experience.

Crustacean Hospitality:
The service, while friendly, is slow. This is more of a function of the food coming out slowly, rather than the servers themselves. Do not come here if you are in a hurry. Diners order at the counter and then receive full service at their table. Russell said to expect an hour to wait and an hour to receive food, at the bare minimum.

Frankie's Notes:
I was at this event for four hours without cell reception, and Jason thought I was dead; The fun doesn't start until you put on a crab bib; Chrissie Beth can crack crab legs with her bare hands, and she taught us how to be cool like her; Bloggers flock to a window seat like moths to a flame; Jason and I take a long restaurant wait time about as well as Frankie takes bath time, which is to say: not well.

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.

Omaggio Pizzeria

May 8, 2018

Background:
Omaggio means "tribute" in Italian, and Omaggio Pizzeria in the Metropolitan Center in Midtown, Charlotte is just that--a tribute to the simple and flavorful cuisine of Rome. Owner Daniel Siragusa moved from Rome with his family when he was three, and he has maintained a strong connection to his family's roots ever since.

Omaggio has pizza, pasta, sandwiches, salads, and homemade soups. Recently, Siragusa invited us out to try some menu items, including their seasonal spring pizza. We liked it so much, that we came back the following week with Jason's grandma! At 96, she is the toughest critic we know, and we were sure that Omaggio would pass her strict muster. We were right--she loved it!

On our two visits, we have tried a couple of appetizers, pizza, and pasta. Their pizza is now one of our Charlotte favorites. The thin Roman-style crust is a welcome change from all of the Neapolitan pizza we have had in our lives lately. Check out all of the delicious things we tried below!

Eat This:

**Proscuitto San Daniele & Burrata**

up close & personal

IMG_1630 (1).jpg — **Bruschette**

originale & truffle

**Parmigiana**

tomato sauce, homemade Italian sausage, fior di latte (fresh mozzarella), roasted eggplant, shaved parmigiano reggiano

**Fior di Zucca**

whole milk mozzarella, ricotta, zucchini, zucchini flower, salt, pepper, EVOO

**Pepperoni**

tomato sauce, whole milk mozzarella, pepperoni (delicious baby pepperoni!)

**Ortolana**

tomato sauce, whole milk mozzarela, roasted red peppers, eggplant, zuucchini

**Bolognese**

with spaghetti (sub for rigatoni)

Dessert:
The tiramisu and cannolis are made in-house, and we tried the tiramisu on our first visit. It was the fluffiest and most flavorful we have had this side of the Atlantic. We also tried their peach and lemon sorbets, and those were also fabulous.

**House-made Tiramisu**

as fluffy as a cloud

**Peach Sorbet**

with house-made whipped cream

Drink:
Omaggio offers soft drinks, beer, wine, and really good Illy brand coffee and espresso.

Atmosphere:
Casual, light, bright, and clean. There is also a lovely patio dining area.

Roman Hospitality:
Siragusa and his staff provide top notch service, and this is one of the biggest draws. You are treated like family at Omaggio, and that's a rare and precious thing in our city's rapidly growing restaurant scene.

Frankie's Notes:
When Grandma likes a restaurant, you know it is top notch; I didn't share even a bite of those garlic rolls with anyone; We love all of the decorative bikes at Charlotte restaurants; The tiramisu at Omaggio is so good it will make your forget your own name; We are starting a petition for more flowers on pizza; Does Omaggio get the baby pepperoni from miniature pigs?

Disclaimer: [Some of these] meal[s] were 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.

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Crepe Cellar

May 1, 2018

Background:
Husband and wife co-owners Jamie Brown & Jeff Tonidandel opened Crepe Cellar in 2009 after quitting their jobs and traveling around the world for about a year. I know what you're thinking: these sound like the coolest people ever--and that couldn't be more factual. Brown & Tonidandel have transformed NoDa with Crepe Cellar, Growler's Pourhouse, Haberdish, and Reigning Donuts. They are the queen and king of NoDa (as proclaimed by Scallionpancake), and all of their restaurants provide consistently good food and service.

After meeting Brown recently at an event for Charleston Wine & Food Festival, she invited us out to try some new menu items at Crepe Cellar. We hadn't visited Crepe Cellar in nearly three years, so we were excited to get back in and see what was new. We dined at Crepe Cellar on April 18th to celebrate the end of a grueling tax season for Jason, so this was a long overdue date night for us, and we loved every second. Read on to see what we tried!

Eat This:

**Burrata**

housemade burrata with olive oil, smoked salt, brûléed lemon, lemon zest & grilled bread (add proscuitto)

**Scallops Pastis**

ricard pastis beurre blanc, fennel pollen

**Duck Fregola**

cured confit duck leg, tomato-parmesan fregola sarda, sunny side egg, beet-stained pickled turnips

**Pasta Carbonara**

fresh pasta, egg yolk, pancetta, grilled asparagus, parmesan, black pepper

On a previous visit, we tried their a savory crepe, mussels, and their pesto brie fries, all of which we thoroughly enjoyed.

FullSizeRender (2).jpg — **HAM & GRUYÈRE**

béchamel & maple dijon glaze

FullSizeRender (3).jpg — **P.E.I. MUSSELS**

bacon, caramelized onions, shallots, apples, cider cream

The pesto brie fries are perhaps the Crepe Cellar's most famous dish, and we have enjoyed them on our past visits. These are a must order if you are a first-timer!

FullSizeRender (4).jpg — **Pesto Brie Fries**

hand-cut, twice-fried with pine nut basil pesto, melted brie, tomatoes

Dessert:
We were blown away by the creativity of the dessert options--a house-made miso chocolate ice cream and a poblano porcini ice cream?! Toto, we're not in Charlotte anymore! We got the poblano porcini ice cream, and not only was the flavor perfect--earthy, slightly spicy, sweet yet savory--the texture was on point. It was smooth and creamy, and not at all icy like some homemade ice creams.

Our server also generously sent out a strawberry cheesecake parfait, but we weren't wowed by that one in the same way. However, one thing I really appreciated about it was that it was not at all overly sweet like you would expect in a dessert of this style.

They are obviously known for their dessert crepes, but we didn't have room for one on this visit. However, in the past we have enjoyed several, particularly the classic Crepe Suzette and the Nutella and bananas.

FullSizeRender (1).jpg — **Crepe Suzette**

Grand Marnier butter sauce & vanilla bean ice cream

Drink:
Crepe Cellar has an awesome drink menu, as Colleen Hughes is in charge of the cocktail menu both here and at Haberdish. I enjoyed a perfectly dry glass of sparkling wine on our most recent trip, but I had some regret I didn't go for a cocktail!

A picture of the bar in the absence of a picture of my bubbly

Atmosphere:
Crepe Cellar is such a chill date night spot--it's classy and romantically lit without being fancy. We felt perfectly comfortable in jeans on a Wednesday night, but the mood lighting and cozy alcoves of the tables and booths made us feel like we were enjoying a special and intimate dining experience.

French Pancake Hospitality:
On all of our visits, we have received top notch service at Crepe Cellar. This is the type of restaurant where you want to linger over a glass of wine, and the servers are incredibly patient and allow you to enjoy your evening without feeling rushed.

Frankie's Notes:
There is no people watching like NoDa people watching; Why aren't more Charlotte restaurants incorporating mushrooms into their desserts?; Ms. Hughes is one of Charlotte's greatest treasures; Do you think that Jamie & Jeff will adopt us?; Tax season Jason only eats Chipotle, so this was a real treat for him; Tax season Jason looks at you like this from January-April 15th.

Tax season Jason sees you, and he says no, you can't deduct that.

Disclaimer: [Some of these] meal[s] were 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.

Dot Dot Dot

April 24, 2018

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

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

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

**Crab Cake**

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

**Sea Scallop**

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

**Burrata**

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

**Garganelli with veal meatballs**

pecorino, peas, light cream, pea tendrils, mint

**Pate en croute**

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

**American wagyu flat iron**

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

**Cold-smoked fried chicken**

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

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

**Va da vie gelato**

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

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

**French-75**

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

**Local gin**

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

**The Queen City Swizzle**

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

**Mint Julep**

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

**The Anchorage**

Aviation gin, yellow chartreuse, lemon juice, simple syrup

**Lover, Dreamer, & me**

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

**Pepper le Pew**

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

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

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

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

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

DeSano Pizzeria

April 17, 2018

Background:
DeSano Pizzeria is a small chain with locations in California, Texas, Tennessee, and North Carolina. All DeSano locations adhere to the strict guidelines required to be called Napoletana pizza. There are specifics on crust, type/temperature of ovens, tomatoes, cheese; the process to be a certified Napoletana pizza is intense, and for a good reason: the pizzas are delicious. They are so delicious, in fact, that Tom Brady and Gisele are known to break their strict diets in order to enjoy a pie every now and again.

There are two DeSano locations in Charlotte, one in Midtown and one in Waverly. We have been to the Midtown location several times, on one occasion we went as part of a blog even hosted by our favorite, Stephanie from LifebyChipsahoyt.

Eat This:
Well, you gotta get the pizza, obviously. Our favorites are the lasagna pizza and the classic marghertia.

Lasagna

San Marzano tomato sauce, meatballs, ricotta, garlic, scamorza, mozzarella di bufala, pecorino romano

IMG_6814 (1).JPG — VERDURA

Broccoli rabe, mushrooms, Vesuvian cherry tomatoes, garlic, scamorza, mozzarella di bufala, pecorino romano

NAPOLETANA

Broccoli rabe, sausage, scamorza, mozzarella di bufala, pecorino romano

One of the best parts about DeSano is that you can order any pie Carnevale style, which means they bake ricotta into the crust for a classy stuffed-crust experience. It's only fifty cents, so we can't see any reason why you would not take this option. Also, it turns your pizza into an infinitely Instagrammable star shape.

In addition to pizzas, DeSano also has incredible meatballs, calzones, and salads. I often see people grabbing meatballs to take home to add to a pasta, but when we order them, I usually just eat them straight up as a side.

The Midtown location also offers a weekend brunch special where you can get cold pizza and a Bloody Mary bar. If you are not into cold pizza, then they will also heat it up for you, but we think this is such a cool and unique offering!

Cold pizza and a bloody mary

For what ails you on Sunday mornigns

Dessert:
Okay, ya'll. Here is our favorite thing about DeSano. They will serve you cannoli filling in a bowl. This is ostensibly a gluten-free option, but we really just dig cannoli filling. Proceed with caution, however. As this is an off-menu item, we have found what we get to be rather inconsistent (a giant bowl compared to a small bowl, chocolate chips mixed in compared to on top, cashiers not knowing how to ring this up, etc.), however, it is worth the gamble, because when it's good, it's good. Seriously, we fight one another over these bowls, so I recommend getting two.

You can also go classic, in a shell cannoli, if you're into that sort of thing.

Classic cannoli

Image courtesy of *Roamilicious*

One thing we haven't tried, and we have major FOMO, is DeSano's dessert pizza. Look at this beauty!

Drink:
DeSano Midtown has a full bar, as well as fun specialty drinks like Mexican coke and San Pellegrino sparkling fruit beverages. Molto Italiano!

Atmosphere:
The DeSano in Midtown is huge. The kitchen is open, and there is a bar and an enclosed patio. You order at the counter. The one in Midtown is not usually very full, as it seems most of their business is from take-out orders.

Italiano Hospitality:
The counter service is very friendly, and the pizza makers work quickly to get you eating in no time.

Frankie's Notes:
If Tom Brady deigns to get off of his pretentious throne to grab carry out pizza, then you know it's got to be good; We like to get pizza two or three times a week, which inspired our Pizza Wars podcast episode; There are no losers in the game of pizza; Why don't they bake Nutella into the crust of the dessert pizza?!; Why don't we bake Nutella into everything and thus create world peace in our time?

Disclaimer: [Some of these] meal[s] were 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.

Eleven Madison Park

April 10, 2018

Background:
Eleven Madison Park (EMP) was opened in 1998 by world renowned restaurateur Danny Meyer. Meyer is the man behind NYC institutions Union Square Cafe, Gramercy Tavern, Blue Smoke, and...SHAKE SHACK. Yes, the same genius behind Shake Shack founded what some considered the best restaurant in the world. In 2006, Meyer hired Daniel Humm as head chef, and he and Danny (that's what his friends call him) quickly turned EMP into one of the top restaurants in New York. Humm bought the restaurant from Meyer in 2011, which is when EMP earned its first Michelin Star. By 2012, they had earned three Michelin Stars. Currently the restaurant ranks #1 in the world.

Eat This:
When booking a reservation, you have two options. You can do the full tasting menu in the main dining room for $315/person, or you can do an abbreviated five course tasting menu in the bar room for $175/person. We went for the full tasting menu, because that's how we live our lives.

Black & White

*Cookie with Cheddar & Apple*
When you arrive at the table you are presented with a box. What's in the box? This black and white cookie--a savory nod to the famous NYC staple. It's a great first bite to start the meal.

nbM%jXiWQpuFro0xxxNNHQ.jpg — Bread

*Scallop Butter, & Broth*
The first real course was the bread course, which we learned was designed for the winter menu to provide something hot to warm us as we began our meal. This course consisted of four distinct parts: bread, scallop butter, scallop broth, and then live scallops with sea urchin immediately following this. Yvonne was obsessed with this butter (check out her other website: www.yvonnelovesbutter.net), which was creamy with a rich, umami scallop flavor.

Scallop

*Live with Sea Urchin*
My favorite part of this dish was the scallop broth, which was thick and flavorful, and tasted somewhat like the best miso soup you've ever had in your life. The raw scallop with sea urchin was presently nicely on a seashell. It felt as if we were in *The Little Mermaid*, receiving a pearl from our boyfriend Eric (love you, Eric!).

caviar

*Benedict with Smoked Ham, Sturgeon, and Hollandaise*
Another play on an NYC favorite: eggs benedict. This was probably the coolest presentation of the night, with the caviar in a special EMP tin, which we later got to take home, as well as a row of small English muffins presented on an elevated wood plank. We loved the interactive element of making our little sandwiches with the quail egg and caviar provided.

Squid

*Grilled with Juniper and Horseradish*
At this point in the meal, we were given choices as to what we wanted. I chose the squid, and Yvonne chose the foie gras. The squid tasted like a tartare, refreshing and cold with the slight kick of the horseradish.

2gi4Zv80STW3OA++HnLANQ.jpg — FoiE Gras

*Seared with Maple and Apple*
Yvonne proclaimed this to be the best foie gras she has ever had. The presentation with the thinly sliced apple hiding the foie gras was on point.

5EKyBhZ8RNe%M+mgxPvNMQ.jpg — Halibut

*Poached with Variations of Turnip*
This was the surprise of the night for me. When I ordered the halibut, I wasn't excited, but I wanted to order something different from Yvonne. The halibut was excellent, and the turnip was presented in three ways--in the sauce, mixed with the halibut, and then sauteed underneath the halibut. Really a refreshing and surprising way to serve both the halibut and turnips, and a truly special EMP dish.

lKJuJXocR%GNEVjkcvobyw.jpg — lobster

*Butter-poached with Butternut Squash and Chestnut*
This was the stereotypical lobster dish at a nice restaurant. Cooked right. Tasted good, but nothing really memorable.

O3+kDEBTQveM3RzOgvhcXw.jpg — mushroom

*Tart with Cremini & Black Truffle*
This was the one table side preparation of the meal. The captain wheeled over a cart and proceeded to cut open a crust that was baking on top of a cast iron pan. She then took the crust and turned it into the "pizza" crust, which she then lathered with black truffle & cremini paste and shaved cheddar cheese. So good. so cool. It was also served with a melange of portabello and cremini mushrooms on the side.

Duck

*Honey and Lavender glazed with Cabbage*
This duck is everything to me. It's the best duck in the world. What makes it so special? It's the skin, which is thick and crusted with Szechuan peppercorns and glazed with honey and lavender. The actual duck meat is cooked medium rare and has the perfect tenderness to match the slight crunch of the crust. It's the most perfect bird I've ever had.

Tubby Cheese

*Grilled with Celery Root, Black Truffle, and Winter Greens*
EMP's take on a cheese course. They bring out a perfectly grilled circle of cheese with black truffle, and then also mix a salad right in front of you with black truffle vinaigrette. This grilled cheese was as down home as Eleven Madison Park can get, but with the black truffle thrown in to make sure you remember where you are. A great dish to end the savory courses.

3z+VAvyyQ5uhEO9Yhy4GCw.jpg — Donut

*Cranberry & Pear filled with Mulled Wine Ice Cream*
Our favorite dessert. The donut was filled with cranberry and pear, but the star of the show for me was the mulled wine ice cream. What a unique and cool flavor! I could have eaten a whole pint of it.

Butternut squash

*Ice Cream with Sarsaparilla and Pumpkin Cake*
A very warm winter dessert. I love a good pumpkin anything, #PSL for life. I am also a sucker for exotic ice creams (see mulled wine above). So this one was good. And that's how I would describe the desserts at EMP: just good. Overall, the desserts are kind of disappointing for the type of restaurant and the standard of EMP.

chocolate

*Torte with Creme Fraiche Ice Cream and Cranberry*
Again, a solid desert but nothing to write home about. Tasted good at the time, but we're not going to remember it a month from now.

wc9g%7hMSAOGD9+LyVkqlQ.jpg — Pretzel

*Covered in Chocolate*
The last bite, and one of the best. This is the best chocolate covered pretzel I've ever had, hands down. What made this so good was the chocolate to pretzel ratio was perfect. The pretzels were made in house, and had a doughy, marzipan taste.

Drink:
Okay, so we screwed up and didn't order an alcoholic beverage, which was stupid because they are known for having amazing cocktails. In our defense, we did have two two pickle backs immediately before dinner at my old favorite haunt, Whiskey Rebel, with best friend of the blog Vishnu "Charlotte Heartthrob" Pillai. The cocktail menu was presented by ingredient. The options included apple, chocolate, sarsaparilla, cranberry, kombu, and others. They also offered non-alcoholic options. I went for the mushroom mocktail, because I'd never had a drink made with mushrooms before. I guess I grew up sheltered and unaware of what the world had to offer.

COFynJPNS4+yqonpnxd1sA.jpg — Mushroom

*Porcini Mushroom Broth, Oolong tea, Squash Syrup, Honey, Verjus and Cold Brew Coffee*
This was one of the coolest drinks I've ever had. I can only explain the flavor as mushroom with a sweet coffee aftertaste. The mushroom wasn't overwhelming, though. It was a flavor I have never had before, and I loved it.

Atmosphere:
Eleven Madison Park has the coolest and best atmosphere of any top notch restaurant we've been to. It feels like you're walking into The Great Gatsby, because you sort of are. The restaurant is located in an art deco lobby of an office building originally owned by Met Life. The chandeliers and crown molding are all original, and the large florescent light on the ceiling was the first florescent light in New York City. The restaurant was just renovated a few months ago, with subtle changes. Sometimes when you go to the world's best restaurants, the atmosphere is museum like, with patrons almost scared to have too much fun. EMP was different. Everyone seemed like they were having a really good time. The waiters also seemed to have a sense of humor, and they weren't afraid to joke with patrons or chat with them, cutting the tension that often comes with a restaurant of this stature.

Gatsby Hospitality:
Eleven Madison Park has the best service of any restaurant we have been to. Hands down. From the moment you walk in, you feel like you're the only patron that matters in the restaurant. But it's not stuffy--the servers joke around, and, of course, they answer literally any question you have about the restaurant in a split second. Special requests? Glad you asked. There is literally a person whose job it is to make people's experiences magical. If a waiter overhears that someone loves ice cream, for instance, you might get a house-made pint of ice cream to take home at the end of the meal. Want all of the desserts instead of choosing just one? Just ask. We did. Want a pet baby lion delivered to your table at the end of the meal? Okay, maybe not, but you get the point. EMP spends a lot of effort on their hospitality, and it pays off.

Frankie's Notes:
We made a special request to be instantly transported to the 1920s, and we are now stuck in a time warp; Shout out to Rita Ackermann (no relation), who painted the large abstract on the wall; Every meal should start with cookies; Not getting a cocktail at EMP is like refusing wine from Jesus; We are regretting not dropping hints about our love of ice cream.

Rating:

5 out of 5 with 2 Michigan Pugs

Ollie's Bites: Charlotte's Best Bar Eats

April 3, 2018

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

Selwyn Avenue Pub

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

Lebowski’s Neighborhood Grill

Wangs//Image courtesy of Charlotte Agenda

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

The Cellar at Duckworth’s

Truffle fries//Image courtesy of Loop Charlotte

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

VBGB Beer Hall & Garden

Giant pretzel//Image courtesy of Charlotte Agenda

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

Dandelion Market

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

Fork!

March 27, 2018

Background:
Fork!, located in Cornelius, NC (right next to Davidson) is a farm-to-table restaurant situated in a quaint old house with a sprawling porch. Tim and Melanie Groody have owned Fork! for about four years, and they recently opened up Ramen Soul in Mooresville. Jason and I ventured here for date night on an unseasonably warm evening in February. Check out what we tried below!

Eat This:

Spicy Chicken spring rolls

Wasabi, plum sauce

Our waiter told us that he recommended the hickory smoked pork dumpling appetizer, but then Jason ordered these. Why would he do that? I don't know. You'll have to ask him. I don't like spring rolls, so I passed, but Jason reported that they were good. I'll eat you one day, pork dumplings. A lot of the menu items had an Asian or island-y flare, which we found interesting for the venue and rest of the menu (mac and cheese, mashed potatoes, etc.).

Smoked caesar romaine salad

Garlic croutons, shaved artisan cheese

Simple and flavorful greens. They were even nice enough to split this into two portions for us, without us asking. Hospitality plus!

Grapevine smoked wahoo

Bagna cauda, yogurt, arugula, pickled cauliflower greens

Fresh and citrus-y.

All natural beef bistro steak

House made worcestershire

The only dish we didn't like. We both felt the steak was a tad overcooked and lacked seasoning.

Pan Seared mahi

Sorrel charmoula & basil collard pesto

The mahi had a crispy sear and great flavor. I love that the meats came with the option of sauce on the side. Obviously I ordered two (un-pictured). Because sauce.

We don't know exactly why, but we didn't order enough dinner. Maybe the above would be enough for mere mortals, but we are hobby eaters. The only thing we didn't like was the steak, but for some reason we didn't feel like ordering anything else. It's a bit of a mystery, even to us. However, we had devised a game plan...

Dessert:

Whit's frozen custard

...From down the way

I mean, we were only about a mile from Whit's, so...

And Whit's is only a half a mile from Kindred....

We were weird. We know it. We are sure that Fork! has lovely desserts, and we will be back to try them one day. But on this night, we needed custard and some bread. I would recommend that Fork! implements a bread basket. But that's just this blogger's opinion.

Drink:
Jason and I stuck with tea (iced for him, hot for me) but Fork! had an inventive cocktail menu we will also be back to try.

Atmosphere:
Fork! was adorable, and while we liked the food, the real standout to me was the ambiance. We happened to be here on a gorgeous evening at dusk, but I have a feeling that Fork! just has good and cozy vibes whenever you go. It felt at once relaxed and upscale.

Davidson Hospitality:
Our server was super nice, and we felt awful, because we seemed to spook him with our picture taking. It wasn't his fault that we didn't order enough food and had to go to two more restaurants. That was solely on us. We are strange and we freely admit it.

Frankie's Notes:
We made it weird at Fork! and we don't really know why; The siren call of Kindred's milkbread is like a magnetic force field; Getting island vibes in Cornelius is confusing and exciting; Wrap-around porches make everything better; Why does Fork! have an exclamation point in it?

Rating:

3 out of 5

Halcyon, Flavors from the Earth

March 20, 2018

Background:
Halcyon, located in Uptown Charlotte, shares a building with the Mint Museum and overlooks downtown Charlotte from its second story venue. Halcyon sources local ingredients and makes all of their food to order daily. Chef James Stouffer does not even serve previously frozen items--the only food kept in the freezer is their homemade ice cream.

Our good friend Stephanie from @lifebychipsahoyt invited a large group of bloggers out one Thursday in February to sample Halcyon's fresh and seasonally rotating menu. We had such a blast, and although Jason and I had been to Halcyon in the past, it had been a while, and it was so great to see all of the fresh offerings for spring 2018.

Eat This:
We started the night with a smorgasbord of snacks, spreads, and shareables. Diners can customize these small bites in whatever combination they choose.

House-made bread & pita

Whipped Butter. Lemon Oil. Paprika.

Ate about five pieces of that bread in the back. And allll of that monogrammed butter.

House-Cured Duck

Assorted Cheeses. Pickles. Mustard.

Chicken liver pate, n'duja, smoked salmon spread

Jardiniere Vegetables, Castelvetrano olives, artichokes barigoule

Lyonnaise Salad

Frisee. Benton’s Bacon. Poached Egg. Mustard Vinaigrette.

Roasted Kale & Farro Salad

Farro. Kale. Cauliflower. Golden Raisins. Marcona Almonds. Tahini Dressing.

Brussels Sprout Salad

Sea Island Peas. Hominy. Peanuts. Tobago Aioli.

IMG_0578 (1).jpg — Scallops & Pork Belly

Local Maitake Mushrooms. Roasted Green Onions. Spicy Aioli.

Braised Bison

Trumpet Mushrooms. Roasted Shallots. Poached Egg. Grilled Baguette. Bacon.

I am usually not a chicken girl, but this was my second favorite dish of the night. The mole and the phyllo made this such an unexpected delight.

Salmon Koulibiac

Carolina Grit Rice. Cabbage. Mushroom Duxelle. Spinach. En Croute. Swedish Mustard.

Chicken Pastilla

Stewed Chicken. Potatoes. Capers. Olives. Green Mole. Chipotle Glaze. Phyllo. Herbs.

My favorite dish of the evening. Sooo much dill. Dill forward, even.

Venison Saddle

Braised Red Cabbage. Parsnip Puree. Cocoa Nibs. Toasted Oats.

Dessert:
I forgot to snap a photo, but we were served the most delicious hand-rolled dark chocolate truffle for dessert. Other dessert options include house-spun ice cream, warm apple cake, chocolate mousse, & chevre cheesecake. I can't wait to go back and try them all!

Drink:
Halcyon has an epic wine selection, and we enjoyed a dry white on this particular evening. Seasonally rotating cocktails are also available. The first time Jason and I came here, it was for his birthday in October 2014, and we enjoyed an epic pumpkin cocktail. That was pre-blog days, so no photo, but I still think fondly of that drink.

Atmosphere:
Halcyon is stunning, and the decor parallels their natural approach to cuisine. Some of the tables are made from long slabs of petrified wood, the light fixtures look like bird's nests, and there is a vibe that is at once upscale and woodsy. The restaurant faces the west, so if you come at dusk you can catch a gorgeous sunset over the Queen City.

You seriously do not want to go out to eat with any of us

Locavore Hospitality:
Halcyon is owned by the Mother Earth restaurant group that also runs Fern, Flavors from the Garden and Something Classic Cafe and catering company. On this visit and on our previous visits, we received top-notch customer service and servers who are attentive and well-informed about the cuisine.

Frankie's Notes:
If you go out to eat with bloggers, you just need to accept that your food is gonna get cold before you can eat it; Bird's nest chic is the new black; The way we swooned over the salmon koulbiac you would have thought it was a Backstreet Boys concert circa 1998; Monogrammed butter is how we do fine dining in the south; What is petrified wood so petrified of, pray tell?

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.

Chima

March 13, 2018

Background:
You might be surprised to find out that Charlotte's favorite (and only) Brazilian steakhouse actually originated in Brazil. If you've ever been to Chima, this shouldn't surprise you, because it feels authentic af. Ft. Lauderdale got the first US location in 2004, and now Chima has four US locations, and Charlotte is lucky enough to be included in that exclusive club. If you have ever been to a Brazilian steakhouse, you know how magical they are. Close to twenty different varieties of meat brought to your table on skewers? It's every American's Brazilian dream come true! We have long been Chima fans, particularly during restaurant week, as you can get so much bang for your buck here--you can save $20 per person off of the typical rate during restaurant week! Jason's history with Chima is particularly storied, and you can hear more about his meaty history in detail on this episode of the podcast (preview: his muscles get bigger with every bite of meat he takes). We felt completely and totally honored when Chima invited Scallionpancake out a few weeks ago to formally review Charlotte's meat amusement park. They seriously treated us like royalty. Look! We even got a sign:

Eat This:
Okay, here is how Chima works, for the uninitiated:

Wonderful servers bring food accessories to your table (meat-cessories!). This includes mashed potatoes, polenta, fried bananas, turkey pate, meat croquettes, and, the very best thing of all: cheese bread. You can try a little bit of everything else, but eat all of the cheese bread. If you have any of it left over, please DM us and we will send you our P.O. Box number where you can send us all of your uneaten bread.

Then, you hit up the salad bar. There are differing opinions on this, but I like to be liberal at the salad bar. It's all fresh, tasty, and it counterbalances the meat situation that's about to hit you hard. Jason is dainty at the salad bar, as he thinks it is foolish to use valuable stomach space on anything that isn't meat on a stick. On our last visit, he broke his own rule and went all out and ate a heart of palm (yes, just the one), and a sliver of Parmesan.

When you feel prepared, you should turn your attention to your "meat button." Don't overthink that term, thanks. Your meat button has two speeds: orange, which means: "Yes, please, I would like all the meats" and black, which indicates: "I am on the verge of a physical and mental breakdown and I need a brief meat hiatus."

When you flip that button to orange, it is GO TIME, BABY. The meat comes fast, and you've gotta be ready. Do you want top sirloin? YES. Lamb shank? YES. Filet? SIR, YES, SIR Parmesean pork? YUP. Hot dog? GTFO of here with that noise. No offense to the hot dog and the chicken, but that's not what you're here for. You are here for the best of the best, and you must plan wisely.

What if you are here with...gasp...a vegetarian/vegan??! No worries. They don't have to starve. Plenty of options for them on the salad bar, plus these two skewers for them--vegetables and, the newest option at Chima, cinnamon roasted pineapple! Whhaaatt. I know. Pretty great--even if you're an omnivore.

Jason and I love the sauces at Chima, and sampled them all on our most recent visit. Our favorites are the hot sauce and the horseradish. Put it all over everything! Even your date, if you want to get weird.

If you only learn one thing from this blog post, we need it to be this: Chima is not over when you're full. Chima is over when you hate yourself. And that's the best lesson I can give you. Now is not the time to be conservative. Now is not the time to diet. You are gonna meat out, k? You need to be in a full-scale meat sweat by the time you leave.

Think you're full? NO! Eat this bread, too! Eat it all! Get a plate full of butter because you are living — Think you're full? NO! Eat this bread, too! Eat it all! Get a plate full of butter because you are *living*

Dessert:
Our most recent visit is the only time we have found valuable stomach space for dessert, and we are so glad we did. We tried the chocolate peanut butter lava cake and the Brazilian trio. The cake was good, but if you are only getting one dessert, we highly recommend the trio. It comes with a walnut cream, a beijinho, which is a mixture of coconut and condensed milk, and a brigadeiro, which is a chocolate and condensed milk concoction. The coconut was our favorite of the three, and we would like an entire vat of it. Well, two vats. One for each of us. Everyone knows I hate to share dessert.

Drink:
If it's your first visit, you absolutely must try the Caipirinha, which is Brazil's national cocktail. A traditional Caipirinha is made with cachaca, sugar, and lime. How is it different from a Mojito? A mojito is made with rum, which is distilled from molasses, and cachaca is a liquor distilled from sugarcane. Chima also makes a mango and strawberry variety in addition to the traditional lime flavor.

We also recommend a nice red wine to accompany all of that meat.

Atmosphere:
Chima has great lighting and a hip vibe. Also, with everything going on, Chima is a great spot to go with friends or on a date--it's as much entertainment as it is a dinner.

Brazilian Hospitality:
The servers are so attentive at Chima. There is always someone asking you if you need anything. When your meat button is on "go" the food comes around so quickly, but the servers are very aware if you are on a meat break, and they won't bother you if your button is turned to black.

Frankie's Notes:
Jason's muscles really do get bigger when he eats meat, but only the muscles on the top half of his body, so he collapses like an accordion; Why aren't meat-musement parks a thing?; I wish every restaurant brought around items on skewers--right down to the check; We really do have a P.O. Box filled with Charlottean's unwanted bread; Or do we?; After eating at Chima, you need to lie down within 20 minutes before meat fatigue kicks in--you've been warned.

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.

Don't feed this to a Millenial gremlin after midnight

Zeppelin

March 6, 2018

Background:
Zeppelin opened in South End, Charlotte, in late 2017, and shares a building space with the soon-to-open new South End Common Market and the recently opened Bang Bang Bites. Head Chef Vince Giancarlo worked previously at Baku, Aquavina, and Cantina 1511. We found the overall Zeppelin experience similar to Soul Gastro--small plates in a hip and cozy atmosphere with a banging cocktail list. Zeppelin is tiny and super hot right now, so prepare yourself for a wait (and make use of the Nowait app--hear about the trials and tribulations we endured just to get a table on the podcast).

Eat This:
The menu is divided into "Smalls" and "Biggies," and below are our orders from two visits.

**Maine Lobster Avocado Toast**

*Butter poached, homemade brioche, herb aioli, bacon, preserved lemon*
The thick and sweet brioche toast with that generous lobster claw? Avocado toast perfection, we say!

**Scratch Buns**

*Sweet miso Heritage pork belly, shaved cabbage, pickled chilis*
Love, love, love.

**American Wagyu Tartare**

*Taro & sweet potato chips, black truffle yolk, egg custard, roasted tomato relish*
The tartare was just okay--we felt this dish was concerned with presentation over flavor.

**Point Judith Calamari**

*Korean chile, yuzu, pickled bacon dashi gel, serranos, HRF shishitos*
Our new favorite calamari in town--sorry to Luca. The dashi gel took it to another level. Slightly spicy, slightly sweet, and just lightly fried.

**Pacific Yellowtail Crudo**

*Coal-kissed, pickled & smoked red onion, sriracha tartare crispy rice, serranos, ponzu, truffles*
Delicious--get everything below in one bite, and it's a thing of beauty.

**Maine Lobster Mac & Cheese**

*House-made fettuccine, uni bechamel, truffle froth, brioche crumbs, bacon-poached lobster tail*
One of our favorites--we were licking the bowl. Can you blame us?

**Notorious P.I.G Puppies**

*Braised HRF pork cheek puppies, Eastern Carolina BBQ, whipped honey butter, house BBQ sauce*
These cute little puppers were a table favorite! The savory barbecue flavor paired with the crispy fritter perfectly.

**Dry Aged Crispy Duck**

*Local wildflower honey, sansyo pepper, coriander, fleur de sel, arnaud olive oil, fresh herbs, compressed persimmon*
Only I really liked this duck--other dining companions complained that the flavor was off.

Dessert:
There are currently three options--a chocolate cake with Biscoff ice cream, a Krispy Kreme bread pudding with dulce de leche, vanilla-yuzu ice cream and candied rose petals, and a trio of ice creams (the biscoff, vanilla-yuzu, and a chocolate variety). We loved both of the options below, but if you have to pick just one, we recommend the chocolate cake.

Krispy Kreme bread pudding

with dulce de leche, vanilla-yuzu ice cream and candied rose petals

Drink:
Bartender Ryan Hart crafted a gorgeous and novel-esque cocktail menu with a mix of innovative cocktails ("Remixes") and old school 1900s "Classics" like gin fizzes and sazeracs.

Gin Fizz
Gin, lemon, egg white, sparkling mineral water

This cocktail was rather poorly mixed--some pockets of egg white and lemon were suspended in a viscous trap of blech, but subsequent cocktails were all fabulous (no pictures due to: too lit. Whoops).

Atmosphere:
Zeppelin calls to mind early 1900s vibes, and stays on theme with zeppelin drawings and a giant metal zeppelin hanging above the dining area. Random liquor bottles, knick knacks, and the odd bird cage (or three) complete the look, but we felt that the decor went a bit overboard in this respect and was somewhat cluttered (particularly on the empty bottle front). We did, however, love The Savage Way's giant preserved moss "Z," which is certainly the visual focal point of the restaurant.

Wide shot of Zeppelin interior/image courtesy of Charlotte Business Journal

A divider down the center of the restaurant keeps the side farthest from the bar from being to noisy, and creates a private atmosphere for each table.

World War I Hospitality:
Shout out to server Tony, who we have had the pleasure of having on both of our visits. He provided attentive service, always checked in and thoroughly explained each dish to us. We love you, Tony!

Frankie's Notes:
Has avocado toast jumped the shark?; Biggie Smalls is so hot on Charlotte restaurant menus right now; Apparently the Hindenburg was a rigid airship and a zeppelin is a semi-rigid airship; Scallionpancake drops facts like candied rose petals; The romanticization of the turn of the twentieth century needs to be replaced with a renaissance of the Mesozoic Era and dinosaur themed restaurants; Forget about activated charcoal--what about asteroid debris lattes?; No dinosaurs were harmed in the making of this post.

Rating:

5 out of 5

Launderette

February 27, 2018

Scallionpancake Travels:
We traveled to Austin so Jason could attend the annual Xerocon conference. We arrived a couple of days prior to the conference so that we could take in all of the glorious food Austin has to offer. Check out a previous post on Austin's most famous BBQ joint, Franklin BBQ. Austin struck us as an exceedingly livable place--the city was clean, fairly walk-able, and filled with so many good eats. Insider tip: in between meals, head to Gourdough's for a donut that will put all other donuts to shame.

Background:
Chef Rene Ortiz opened up Launderette in February 2015 in an old Laundromat on the east side of Austin. Ortiz is known for being passionate about seasoning & choosing to pack a punch of flavor into each dish. Launderette is constantly on the "Best Of" lists for Austin and around the country, so when we visited Austin in December of last year, we knew we had to check it out.

Eat This:
We asked our waiter what to order, and he gave us the, "Everything is good on this menu, or else we wouldn't put it on the menu," line that we never know what to do with. There are always dishes that a server prefers to others on a menu, even if everything is good. Truthiness is important to Scallionpancake. With the waiter being no help, we decided to go with our hearts and Jason's extraordinary knack for ordering great things. The menu is broken up into four sections: "Snacky Bits," Wood Grill," "Vegetables," and "Specialties." The first three were tapas/shareable portions, while the specialties were larger, main course portions.

We decided to start off with the labneh. If you've never tried it, labneh is a middle eastern yogurt dip that is thick and tangy.

**Labneh**

*beet hummus, millet crunch, everything cracker*
We loved this dish. Our only complaint was that we needed maybe seven more crackers? Kthanxbai.

**Aquachile**

*escolar, citrus, cilantro, thai chile, crispy fennel*
Essentially ceviche, and super delcious.

IMG_0291 (1).jpg — **Charred Octopus**

*corona beans, Spanish chorizo, paprika, fried parsley*
This dish was a swing and a miss. The octopus was over cooked, and no one likes to gnaw on a sad tentacle of octopus. Pass.

**Piri Piri Prawns**

*crispy rice salad, tamarind, mint chutney*
This dish nearly made Jason's top dishes of 2017 list, so you know it was fabulous. Our favorite part was the spicy & slightly sweet sauce on the crunchy prawns. Looking back, we should have ordered two plates of these.

**Sticky Brussels Sprouts**

*apple bacon marmalade, pecorino, almond, pickled apple*
These were basic brussels sprouts, and far from the best we've ever had (that honor goes to Flipside). They were alright. 7/10.

Dessert:
Chef Laura Sawicki is in charge of desserts at Launderette, and we were super happy with our dishes in this department. The birthday cake ice cream sandwich was a top dessert of 2017 for sure.

**Flourless Chocolate Cake**

*caramelized white chocolate, sunchoke, black sesame, cassis, cocoa nib crunch ice cream*
Jason gave this a 10/10, I went 6/10

**Birthday Cake Ice Cream Sandwich**

I mean, are you dying, or are you dying?

Drink:
Let's talk color changing straws. Yes--color.changing.straws. Jason and I totally wanted to ask for a few to take home. Jason had iced tea, and I enjoyed a Wild Honey cocktail. It wasn't very strong and was on the sweet side, but the flavor was good.

Wild Honey
mezcal, lemon, honey ginger syrup, chili tincture

Atmosphere:
Launderette was just too cute. We loved the whole 1950s vibe that was reflected in the seating, decor, and even in the servers' outfits. There was a cool contrast to the retro items with some funky art (with a 50s twist, like a punchy & modern picture of a record), and the lighting was perfectly dim. We enjoyed the chill vibe and felt very relaxed throughout our meal.

Check out the record pictures that we loved!/image courtesy of Eater

Southern Laundromat Hospitality:
As we mentioned above, our server was perhaps a bit less than helpful, but he seriously had about eight tables at once, so we forgive him. They weren't particular busy on the night we went, but perhaps they were a bit understaffed. Our food came out quickly, although we felt the pacing of the dishes was off.

Frankie's Notes:
Laundromats are the effing worst, unless you are eating a classy meal in one; Insert Nick Young meme when a waiter says everything on the menu is good; Do you think octopuses know that they are currently trending at upscale restaurants?; I looked that up--the plural of octopuses is just that, and not octopi; Insert "The More You Know" rainbow; Color-changing straws are the key to a long and happy life.

Rating:

5 out of 5

Hello, Sailor: Exploring One of Eater's Top 18 Restaurants in America

February 20, 2018

Background:
Hello, Sailor is brought to us by Joe & Katy Kindred, the culinary masterminds behind the Davidson favorite and their namesake, Kindred. Hello, Sailor is located just down the road from Kindred in Cornelius, in a space formerly occupied by the Rusty Rudder, a decidedly less upscale seafood joint than Hello, Sailor. This highly anticipated opening (like, for real, for real anticipated...Eater named it in its list of the 16 most anticipated restaurant openings of 2017) in December created a buzz in the Charlotte food community, and as more and more people tried it, the reviews grew more mixed. Hello, Sailor has gained a lot of haters, which is odd considering the success of Kindred. Apparently people are highly upset about loud dining rooms, overpriced entrees, and the loss of their beloved Rusty Rudder (really?). We decided to check it out for ourselves one Sunday night in January with our friends, Tamara and Zan.

This writer's opinion: photo booths should be free for all to enjoy with the purchase of food & drink

Eat This:
Former Charleston chef Craig Deihl runs the show in the kitchen, and he has devised some exciting options for seafood lovers. Lobster rolls, oysters, and crab legs--oh my! How could we possibly choose? Here is what we went for:

**Hamachi Poke**

*Benne seed, lobster roe, macadamia nut*
Hands down, the poke was the highlight of the meal. All of the herbs on top made this dish flavorful and there were so many different textures happening. Ten out of ten, would eat again. The kitchen even makes a vegan version using watermelon, and that is what our dear vegan friends Tamara and Zan enjoyed. They loved it, too!

**Oysters**

*East vs West coast, fernet mingonette*
Good oysters--super fresh and the mingonette had a strong acidic bite. Loved the signs designating these as East Coast oysters with the Biggie pic--cute (and v. hardcore, obviously).

**Hushpuppies**

*Yuzu kosho-honey butter*
Everyone at the table went wild for these light and crispy hushpuppies.

**Twice Fried Sunchokes & Caviar**

Solid dish.

**Grilled Caesar**

*Parmagiano, breadcrumbs (pictured with shrimp add-on)*
Overly dressed, but still a good salad. Jason maintains his preference for the grilled Caesar from Soul.

**King Crab**

*Broiled with ghee & chili salt*
This was my entree, and I loved it, at first. I have never had a restaurant slice the claws in half like this, and easy to eat crab legs are a dream of every fine, upstanding, healthy, normal American [girl]. However, after a while, I noticed just how over-salted the crab was--it made my mouth dry, and it made the crab dry, too. I really didn't want to finish it at around the halfway point. However, it was market price, so you know I finished it. Crab is just too delicious to be ruined with an abundance of seasoning. People should stop being mad about acoustics and start being mad about overly salted food, because this is an issue with have also noted in the past at Kindred. Someone in the kitchen has a heavy salt [bae] hand.

Is that you, Sous Chef at Kindred & Hello, Sailor?/image courtesy of NBC News

**Watermelon**

*Al pastor, sea salt*
Fine--watermelon. Nothing special happening.

**Avocado Coleslaw**

In the words of Jimmy Fallon--ew. Overly dressed in mayonnaise, and where the hell is the avocado? We assume in the dressing, but it really just tasted like mayo. We were also expecting even a small slice of avocado. Do not promise avocado and then fail to deliver! We are millennials. We will riot. We are triggered. Pass on this side.

Dessert:
Dessert options include soft serve, a seasonal hand pie and a chocolate poke cake. We went with the poke cake and the hand pie, and while the bourbon pear hand pie was super good, the poke cake blew me away. Under the top layer of chocolate cake was a crumbly, slightly under-baked German chocolate cake situation, and I was living for it.

Drink:
The drink selection is so fun--some of the cocktails come in exciting cups, like a tiki man or a shark, and there are bendy straws, too! I was dying over the cuteness. We ordered the uber sweet Cherry Negroni Slushie and the Sea Legs, which was an even more syrupy sweet mezcal drink that was a major disappointment, cool cup aside. I have never found the cocktails at Kindred to be quite this sweet, and I know there is a beachy vibe and all, but cocktails this sweet are just a recipe for a hangover, or at least a killer headache.

Atmosphere:
The Kindreds describe the vibe as "North Carolina Fish Camp meets mid-century Palm Springs," and we were loving the retro color palette (hello, millennial pink!) and fun touches, like a photo booth and a waiting area that makes you feel like you are in an episode of Mad Men. After reading reviews online, it seems that much has been made about the crappy acoustics in here, and yeah, we noticed it. The sound bounces all around the restaurant and the space does not have the coveted intimate feel that Kindred emanates.

Fish Camp Hospitality:
Everyone from the hostesses, to the bartender, to our server was super nice and helpful. Our server patiently went over our questions, and the pacing was good.

Frankie’s Notes:
I have one question: wtf is a fish camp?; Biggie vs Tupac oysters gave me a measure of anxiety--too soon/am I choosing a side?/I don't want to get popped; Eating with vegans is fun, because you never know what those little rascals are going to order; FYI: Conrad Birdie is coming; Someone call the meme police: Salt Bae is on the freaking loose in the kitchens at Kindred and Hello, Sailor; When millennials don't get their avocado the earth tilts off its axis, dammit; Seriously: what's a fish camp?

Creep on creepin' on, Scallionpancake friends

Rating:

4 out of 5

Robin

February 13, 2018

Scallionpancake Travels:
San Francisco, California, is a favorite travel destination of ours. Jason frequently has conferences and work events in San Fran, and, naturally, I tag along. Robin is located in super-hip Hayes Valley, which is filled with many great restaurants and boutique shops.

San Francisco is a great place for fresh sushi and quality Japanese cuisine, as it is home to a large population of Japanese-Americans. Also, many tourists visit Chinatown, as it is right in the heart of the Financial District, but Japantown is hip, super clean, and worthy of your time on your next visit. In fact, Japantown is totally walkable from Hayes Valley & Robin. Insider tip: check out Benkyodo in Japantown for an amazing selection of mochi and manju in a cozy cafe setting.

Background:
Chef Adam Tortosa opened Robin in July 2017 on Gough Street in Hayes Valley, San Francisco. Chef Tortosa previously worked in several well-known restaurants, including Kiwami and Ink in Los Angeles, and Akiko's and 1760 in San Francisco. Robin's concept is innovative in that there is no menu with prices, and no set tasting menu, either. Diners can give their waiter a price point from $79 up to $179 per person, and the sushi chefs will devise a unique menu based on that price, as well as diners' specific preferences. Our waiter asked what types of fish we prefer, and if we were fans of uni. We were assured that even if we weren't fans of uni, that the chef would prepare it in such a way as to make us converts. You may have heard our thoughts on the pod previously about uni, but suffice to say, we fall firmly in the camp of "not fans," but we said we would try at least one uni dish to stretch ourselves. Also, the waiters will let you keep your options open and decide as you go how much sushi you are up to eating. Below is everything we enjoyed--we left perfectly full with this amount of food.

Although they ship in seafood from Japan & Chile, Robin serves as much as local fish as possible. Our waiter explained that there is so much great fish off of the coast of San Francisco that so few chefs utilize, and that Tortosa takes advantage of that proximity whenever possible.

Eat This:

**Cured local cod**

*Wrapped in seaweed, served with traditional Mexican-style ceviche with pistachios, pomegranate, lime juice, and microgreens*

**Assorted Nigiri**

*Including steelhead trout with peach (middle)*

**Wagyu tartare**

*On a toasted nori chip topped with uni and Asian pear*

**Assorted Nigiri**

*Closest: Yellowtail, middle: New Zealand King Salmon with tomato confit and whipped tofu, back: Golden Eye Snapper*

**Sesame noodles with black truffles**

With black truffles

**Onsen jidori egg**

*With shiitake soy sauce, ikura, and wasabi*

**Smoked caviar nigiri**

*With potato chip and grilled ramp aioli*

Dessert:
This guy below was good (not great), but we both agreed we wouldn't have hated one more dessert course! This dish was made using sake lees, which is the solid byproduct left over after sake ferments. Pretty cool!

**Sake lees custard**

*with pomegranate and pistachio*

Drink:
Robin offers beer, wine, and sake. We enjoyed sake, and they had an awesome selection of (cold only) sakes.

Atmosphere:
The decor was lovely, and Jason particularly enjoyed the modern vibe, like the coral and black backsplash on the sushi bar and the metallic wall. Stand-outs included dishes (and chopstick holders!) made by a local potter, and the bathroom floor, which had tiled inlaid with pennies! Too cool. Oh--and the bathroom had an essential oil diffuser. Can you tell I really liked the bathroom?

That sushi bar, tho/image courtesy of Eater SF — That sushi bar, tho/image courtesy of *Eater SF*

Hayes Valley Hospitality:
Our waiter was awesome about checking in to check our fullness level and to see if we were enjoying everything. We really loved the pacing of this meal--the courses came out quickly (but not rushed), so that we were done with this meal in under two hours. We were relieved, as we were not in the mood for an extra long tasting on this particular night.

Frankie's Notes:
We wanted to bring home the cool pottery chopstick holder, but we reined in our kleptomaniacal tendencies; Uni will never be something that Scalliopancake craves, but Robin made us like it more than we ever have before; Frankie's favorite essential oil scent is cheddar cheese; We always need at least two desserts to feel emotionally fulfilled.

Rating:

5 out of 5 plus one Michigan Pug

Dilworth Tasting Room

February 6, 2018

Background:
Dilworth Tasting Room opened in 2016 in the former Dilworth Billiards spot on Tremont Avenue. Specializing in low production, high quality wines, DTR serves a much-needed role in Charlotte as a low-key spot to have a glass of wine and a cheese plate on a weeknight (try Thursdays when they have half off Cabernet Sauvignons!). In addition to wine and cheese, DTR has an amazing cocktail menu and heartier entree options. We have been to DTR several times, and, on one visit with the Charlotte Food Bloggers, we got to try the wide array of menu items below. Check them out!

Eat This:

**Snack Caddy**

*Mixed nuts, mixed olives, selecton of seasonal pickled vegetable (pickled in house), orange mustard marmalade. With an assortment of house made fatbread breads & crackers*

**Bruschetta**

*Classic, & sauteed mushroom*

**Bruschetta**

*Roasted grape & ricotta*

**Bruschetta**

*Roasted artichoke with garlic cream cheese*

**DTR Market Salad**

*Spring mix lettuce, warm root vegetables, goat cheese bark, nuts with a raspberry sherry vinaigrette*

**Chicken & Dumplings**

*Parisian gnocci in chicken jus finished with herbs and spices*

**Pan-Seared Scallops**

*Roasted broccoli, black risotto, with corn veloutee*

**Pan-Seared Pork**

*With a sweet potato dauphine and a roasted apple gastrique*

**Horseradish-Encrusted Beef Tenderloin**

*Braised fingerling potatoes, asparagus, carrots, with a mushroom glaze*

Dessert:

Drink:
You really can't go wrong with any of the wines at DTR, and they sell all of them by the bottle as well, so you can take one home to enjoy for later. In addition to the Thursday Cab special, they also offer half off Japanese Toki Highballs on Wednesday nights. Also, when I recently took my book club to DTR, I found out they are very accommodating about helping parties split bottles of wine on their bill--the staff made it so easy, and no one had to do any math, woohoo!

Atmosphere:
Well, the most stunning part of DTR is their secret garden-esuqe courtyard. Seriously, when everything is green and the weather is warm, this patio is so lush and inviting. It's the perfect place to sip a prosecco on a May evening! Gah, is it spring yet?!

Dilworth Billiards Hospitality:
Everyone at DTR is so nice, and they do a lovely job accommodating larger parties, and they also take reservations on their website. On each visit, I have left pleased with the service.

Frankie's Notes:
Frankie tried to play billiards once, but he's much more of a ping pong pug; An epic charcuterie plate can improve your week 150%; Putting grapes on bruschetta is the best thing that came out of 2017; Math is terrible and you should avoid it whenever possible; Yvonne once tried to create a secret garden inside her house; She used a blue blanket to replicate a stream; Is that weird?

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.

Franceschetta 58

January 30, 2018

Background:
I went to Italy this fall for the ten year anniversary of when I studied abroad in Florence. I went with two of my good friends, Vishnu & Ravi, who had to deal with my crazy picture taking of food, and for that I am forever grateful. We did a lot of good eating on this trip---so much so that I think I turned Vishnu into a little bit of a foodie. PUBLIC SERVICE ANNOUNCEMENT: If you haven't listened to the podcast Vishnu and I did on our entire trip to Italy, check it out here.

One day I arranged for a day trip from Florence to Modena, about an hour and a half's drive away, for the sole reason of going to one of Massimo Bottura's restaurants. I've been obsessed with Bottura ever since he was on the first ever episode of Chef's Table listening to parmesan reggiano cheese like I listen to a good episode of Fresh Air with Terry Gross (aka--very intently--love you Terry!). We tried to get into Osteria Francescana, but it was completely booked, so we "settled" on the more casual Franceschetta 58. After the success of Osteria Francescana (currently ranked #2 in the world), Massimo Bottura decided to open up Franceschetta 58, a more modestly priced, less fancy restaurant in Modena. We all three agreed this was our favorite restaurant of the trip.

Eat this:
There are two options when you go to Franceschetta 58, you can pick between two fixed price menu (the 48€ Tradition in Evolution Menu or the 65€ I <3 Modena Menu), or you can go a-la-carte. Everyone at the table can choose what they want, so I went with the I <3 Modena Menu while Vishnu and Ravi went a-la-carte. After the meal we all decided that a-la-carte was the way to go, because we feel you actually got more value that way, plus you got to choose what you wanted.

The menu itself is highly focused on local ingredients found in the Emilio Reggiano region of Italy, the two most famous being parmesan reggiano and balsamic vinegar. You think you know what good parmesan and balsamic taste like, but you have no idea until you come and taste them here. The flavors are more pronounced, with no bad aftertaste that you can get sometimes, especially with cheaper parmesan. This brings us to the first dish of the night:

b%ZuamcmRE2YlHVj4bjTAA.jpg — **Pumpkin with Parmesan Reggiano and Bacon**

This was the best dish of the night, hands down. The sweet, smoothness of the pumpkin combined with the rich, strong parmesan and the salty, crispiness of the bacon was an epic combination--one that I don't think any of us had had before. Who would have thought to put parmesan over pumpkin? Pure genius. In addition, Vishnu really liked this because it was the free appetizer of the night. "The best dish was free!", Vishnu kept saying.

**Cheese Plate**

I am normally not the biggest fan of cheese plates, but when you are in the home of parmesan, well then, you get the cheese plate. This parmesan was made from white cows from Modena and aged for 30 months. So good. The other cheeses were good as well, but let's be real--we're here for the parmesan.

wlPDAH%WSpuNGEGndvPb6g.jpg — **Low-temperature cooked egg, Parmigiano Reggiano fondue, black truffle, and Jerusalem artichoke**

What if god was one of us? Answer: he'd eat this dish, probably every day. If you are seeing a trend here, almost every dish has parmesan in it, because why not? Can you go wrong with a combination of black truffle, crispy Jerusalem artichoke, and parmesan fondue? I think not.

**Creamed cod, Chickpea Purée, Hazelnuts, “Crusco” Pepper, and Mushroom Broth**

This was a modern take on a traditional Italian fish dish. The creamed cod had a mashed potato like consistency in the mushroom broth, which made for a great combination, especially when you got a crunch of the hazelnuts. The red pepper seemed to be more for show, because it didn't really have too much of a taste.

rEajauOESnO%Z6d8+3Zrgg.jpg — **Emilia Burger by Massimo Bottura**

This was, to our surprise, the one disappointment of the night. We were thinking that the burger by Battura would be the best because this was the one menu item with his name on it. Unfortunately it kind of just tasted like a burger from McDonalds (note from Yvonne--"Um, that sounds excellent! Don't diss the McD's!").

**Tortellini with Parmigiano Reggiano Sauce**

Now we've moved on to the pasta courses, or the primi piati, if you are following along in Italian class. Seriously, this parmesan sauce was so good when Vishnu and Ravi went to the bathroom I licked the plate. Don't tell them.

**Orecchiette with “Burrata” Mozzarella, Anchovies, Confit Tomatoes, Thyme and Bottarga**

What was super cool about this dish was that the anchovies were ground up and used like a salt on top of the pasta. How smart is that? The one complaint most people have about anchovies is that they are to salty, so why not play on that and turn them into the salt portion of the dish? Magnifico!

**Pork Belly with Balsamic Vinegar Sauce, Carrot and Ginger Puree, and Sautéed Spinach**

Here comes the balsamic, which complimented the fattiness of the pork belly like Dwight Howard compliments Kemba Walker. A pick and roll dunk if i've ever seen one. The carrot and ginger puree added a nice, earthy kick as well.

**White Sea Bass, Marinated Cucumbers, Yogurt and Bell Pepper Ice Cream**

A trend we saw on this trip to Italy was vegetable flavored ice cream. Here it was bell pepper, at Per Me in Rome it was tomato. As Yvonne knows, I will basically do anything to not eat vegetables, but putting it in ice cream is a good way to get me to like it. The cold, sweet and salty ice cream really mixes well with the fish. I'm always a big fan of mixing opposites, like sweet and salty, or hot and cold. To a certain extent, this dish kind of sums of Franceschetta 58. There is a way to take familiar, traditional Italian flavors and turn them into something modern and fresh.

2epxLQ7AR+is62pLuUPe1w.jpg — **Homemade Vanilla Ice Cream with Chocolate Crumble and Warm Morello Cherries**

We're on the home stretch. At this point we were almost bursting with the amount of food we'd eaten, but rule #1 of Scallionpancake is that we always have room for dessert. What was excellent about this was the warm cherries, which made for a nice compliment with the cold vanilla ice cream. Just a pure, classic dessert.

**Cold Coffee and Orange Custard, Cocoa Brownie, Rhum and Raspberries**

Oh did I forget to mention it was my birthday? What a way to end the night, with a little magical brownie with some coffee and orange custard. So good, and it left for a great taste in our mouths for the drive back to Florence.

Atmosphere:
Franceschetta 58 had a very modern, warm feeling. The restaurant is very small, and is located in an old automobile repair shop, so it's very long and not very wide. There are plates of different colors and shapes on the main wall - a modern homage to rustic Italian cooking. Black tables with no table cloths cement that this is not going to be a traditional Italian meal.

Italian Hospitality:
The waiters and waitresses were very nice and attentive, answering all the random questions we had with a smile on their faces. Vishnu and Ravi even arranged for a candle on the last dessert, which was a very nice touch.

Frankie's Notes:
It's fun to see friends from the past and hang out for a week together in Tuscany; If you aren't eating gelato three times a day in Italy, you aren't doing it right; "Rome wasn't built in a day" seems like something that should be obvious; Aziz Ansari--fellow NYU Alum from South Carolina, aka TWINNING; PSA #2--we do not believe the current allegations against our beloved Aziz; We saw a pug that day in Italy and I almost caused an accident crossing the road to pet it; #puglife.

*Bonus* Vishnu's Notes:
Hello my little pancakes. GFOP (Good Friend of the Pancake) Vishnu here. I want to take a quick moment to thank Jason, my fam from another ma'am, for being the driving force behind our pilgrimage to Franceschetta 58. Best idea ever. He already broke down our wondrous meal with the zeal and attention to detail of a prepubescent Brad Stevens breaking down game film so all that's left for me to do is yammer away about literally whatever comes to my mind. I promise you'll only regret this a little, SP!

Since our meal I've decided to refer to Massimo Bottura as il piccolo mago. Because he's short in stature and long in magic-making (that's your Italian lesson for the day, you're welcome). Good magic conjures up something unexpected, right? Let's talk about that parmesan pumpkin starter. I'm not a foodie but I love food, so I'm not used to sitting down for a meal and being genuinely surprised. I order a chicken parm or a pad see ew and I already have a basic outline in my head of what I'm getting. My taste buds are already preparing to compare that order to past iterations. This starter knocked me on my ass. At first glance it looked liked a standard cheese fondue but when I sunk my spoon in, see, that was the magician's turn. The pumpkin puree spilled out from underneath its blanket of Parmigiano-Reggiano sauce and suddenly it's, well, magic. When was the last time a dish genuinely surprised you? When was the last time you felt that unique moment when surprise gives way to joy? It's a beautiful thing. It was a beautiful meal.

One more thing, I'd like to take this opportunity to offer some foodie advice from a non-foodie: if you can, in preparation for a meal that you expect will be pretty special, walk around Modena for a bit. Preferably with dear, old friends. What do you mean you can't find a quaint, sleepy Italian town to wander around before all your meals!? Alright, fine, if you can't then just do something that gets your soul stirring a bit. Maybe peruse your favorite book store, or walk down your favorite street or through your favorite park, or talk to someone you love. It gets the juices flowing, digestive and otherwise. Trust me on this. Allora, buon appetito!

RATING:

5 OUT OF 5

Lincoln's Haberdashery

January 23, 2018

Background:
Lincoln's Haberdashery opened just this month in South End, right down the road from Chef Michael Shortino's first restaurant, Futo Buta. Futo Buta has long held as my number one favorite restaurant in Charlotte--in fact, it was the very first post here on our little corner of the internet--check it out here (and also see our our style has changed since August 2015!). We also talk more in depth about Lincoln's on this week's episode of the podcast!

Lincoln's Haberdashey feels like it belongs in a much larger city than Charlotte, and that's one of the many things I love about it. It is part restaurant, coffee shop, retail space, ice creamery, wine bar, well--you get the idea. It reminds me a lot of Bi-Rite, one of my favorite San Francisco spots. The vibe is hip, yet cozy, and I can't wait to spend an afternoon there reading or doing blog work. The other night, Scallionpancake was absolutely honored to be invited to their media preview, and although we had already visited once the previous week, the media night gave us even more to love about Lincoln's Haberdashery. Read on to see what this new space has to offer Charlotte.

Eat This:
Lincoln's Haberdashery makes all of their bread in house, as well as their ice cream. Whatever they don't make from scratch, they source from the best of the best. For example, the olive oil they use on "The 13th" sandwich is from award-winning Queen Creek Olive Mill in Arizona, and the mozzarella on that same sandwich is made in-house. It's all just a wonderful amalgamation of the best things--both made and curated. By the way, that olive oil is the absolute best I have ever tasted--it's so spicy and fresh! We were given a bottle to take home, and I finished a quarter of mine in approximately four days. A bottle of that, some flaky salt, and a fresh loaf of bread makes for a great breakfast the morning after your visit. Here is a snapshot of everything we sampled, from both our solo visit and the media night:

Mornin':

**Mary's Muffin**

*Scrambled egg, tomato, Duke's mayo, with a choice of "protein" (Hickory Nut Gap ham, bacon, or avocado)*

**Sticky Biscuit**

*Hickory Nut Gap ham, rosemary cheddar biscuit, and wildflower honey butter*

**Stuffed Flapjack**

*Lemon ricotta, pure maple syrup, and berries*

**Avocado Toast**

*Lemon EVOO, baby arugula, shaved onion*

**Take it to the Bridge**

*ACME smoked salmon, house toast, dill, red onion, capers, and Ikura (salmon caviar)*

Sandwich & Soup:

**Grilled Cheese**

*Gruyere, shallots, and thyme*

**The 13th**

*House-made mozzarella, La Quercia prosciutto, fresh basil, Queen Creek EVOO*

Dessert:
Oh my god, the DESSERTS. Ugh, all of the pastries are made in-house, and they are beyond delicious.

Are you drooling yet?

I want to live in this pastry case, thanks

Assorted ice creams

Ice cream flavors rotate, and the flavors range from the classic (vanilla peach) to the adventurous (mushroom! bacon!).

Drink:
Lincoln's Haberdashery offers a small selection of wines by the glass, and some beers and local favorite Updog Kombucha on tap. They also have an enormous selection of bottled and canned beer and bottles of wine for purchase. And don't forget the beer float--you can get a chocolate porter with vanilla fig soft serve and have the best float of your adult life.

**Stovepipe Latte**

Pure Intentions espresso, steamed milk, honey, & cinnamon

And don't forget the coffee! They have two signature espresso drinks, the Stovepipe (espresso, steamed milk, honey, & cinnamon) and the Mary Todd (espresso, steamed milk, lavender, & house-made lemon sugar). And they sprinkle cinnamon on top in the shape of Lincoln's head. Well then.

Atmosphere:
The marketplace portion of Lincoln's Haberdashery offers so many fun things--pet treats and accessories, candles, magnets, keychains, mimosa kits (!!!) and more. Also, there are tons of cool details, like a refurbished bureau with tiny "thumbs up" knobs.

Two thumbs up for Lincoln's Haberdashery

Shortino Hospitality:
Just like at Futo Buta, Shortino's staff is gracious and quick to offer suggestions and recommendations. You can tell that everyone enjoys working here, and the vibe is chill and relaxed.

Frankie's Notes:
2015 blog was so yesterday, so yesterday--just like Hillary Duff says; Is it wrong to drink olive oil straight from the bottle?; I still haven't finished Stranger Things Season Two--does Barb come back from the Inside Out, or what?!; If Abraham Lincoln and Barb had a baby, would it be a ginger?; We think they should sprinkle a cinnamon pug's head on at least one beverage.

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.

Charlotte Gets Social

January 16, 2018

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

All images courtesy of the QC Social Lounge Instagram page.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

25017272_913288032178552_2532242086984417280_n(1).jpg

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

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

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

Top Five Dishes of 2017

January 9, 2018

Listen to this post in audio format on our podcast!

Scallionpancake Travels:
In addition to our top five restaurants of 2017, we decided to spice things up and rate our top five dishes of 2017. Sometimes, we really love a particular dish at a certain restaurant, or something smaller at a casual place that is worthy of the title of "best dish," when "best restaurant" doesn't quite make the cut. Without further ado, here are our top five dishes of 2017!

Jason

**1. Wasabi Langoustine**

**Restaurant Tim Raue, Berlin, Germany**
**This, to me, is the most perfect dish in the world. It's the best thing I've ever eaten, hands down. Enough said.**

**2. Z-Man Sandwich**

**Joe's Kansas City BBQ, Kansas City, KS**
**The Z-man was a revelation--one BBQ sandwich to rule them all.**

3. **Confit Suckling Pig**

**Astrid & Gaston, Lima, Peru**
This was the outstanding dish of Peru to me. The suckling pig mixed with dark Peruvian chocolate in a peanut broth just combined perfectly together. I would have never thought that the rich chocolate would have gone together with the suckling pig, but it did, and it was great.

**4. Sportskage**

**La Glace, Copenhagen, Denmark**
The single dessert I think about the most from this last year is the sportskage from La Glace in Copenhagen. This is the oldest and most famous bakery in Copenhagen, and their signature cake dates back to 1891 when it was first made for the debut of the play, *Sports Man*. It consists of crushed nougat, whipped cream, a macaroon bottom, and caramelized choux pastry. It had the consistency of a cream pie, but with almost a health bar taste with the nougat. So good!

**5. Mac & Cheese with Crispy Chicken Skin**

**Haberdish, Charlotte, NC**
**The Mac & Cheese at Haberdish is cheesy perfection. The key to this dish is the hot sauce that adds a slight kick to the chicken skin. I could eat it every day!**

Yvonne

**1. Mussel Dessert**

**Maido, Lima, Peru**
Although Maido didn't make either of our best restaurant lists, we both really loved so many of the dishes there. This dessert had local Peruvian elements, like granadilla, mandarin sorbet, and lucuma ice cream. Also, you can't go wrong with an edible bowl made out of sugar!

**2. Doner kebab**

**Mustafa's Gemüse Kebap, Berlin, Germany**
I would gladly wait another hour in line to eat this perfect sandwich again. The meat was juicy and well-seasoned, and the vegetables were fresher than you could ever imagine from a food cart. This kebab was certainly a part of what made our culinary adventures in Berlin special!

**3. Tomato soup and rolls**

**Indio Feliz, Aguas Calientes, Peru**
Jason wants to kill me for this choice, but after a seven hour hike through the Andes to Machu Picchu, this tomato soup brought me back to life. I loved the little town of Aguas Calientes, which is completely devoted to tourists visiting Machu Picchu--it felt like a mining town in the American west, only Peruvian style. Also, maybe, just maybe, I picked it partly because it gets under his skin. Shhhh, don't tell.

**4. Ribs**

**Joe's Kansas City BBQ, Kansas City, KS**
**I am usually more of a pulled pork kind gal, but these ribs were everything to me. The flavor was 10/10, and I loved the atmosphere in the gas station at the original Joe's location.**

**5. Hummus**

**Mamoun's, New York, New York**
I love when Jason takes me to NYC and shows me all of his old college haunts, like the tiny, counter-seating only Mamoun's location he took me to last March. I wish we had a quick & cheap Lebanese spot like this in Charlotte. Their hummus was tangy, fresh, and had the perfect texture.

Top Five Restaurants of 2017

January 4, 2018

Listen to this post in audio format on our awesome blossom podcast!

What a year! Scallionpancake traveled three continents in 2017, and during our travels we visited some of the best restaurants in the world. Like years past, both of us have come up with our top five restaurants for 2017. SPOILER ALERT: Next week we will publish our top five dishes of 2017. Stay tuned!