News, Notes, and Gossip About the Charlotte Restaurant Scene
Dine & DishApril 2011
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04/29/11Midwood Smokehouse Opening Soon
According to owner Frank Scibelli (Big Daddy's Burger Bar, Cantina 1511, Mama Ricotta's, Paco's Tacos & Tequila), the new Midwood Smokehouse on Central Avenue in Plaza Midwood is set to open next week—and you're going to want to schedule a meal there soon. "We want to do serious barbecue," says Scibelli, who traveled around North Carolina trying the state's famous pork barbecue and consulted with James Beard Award winner Robb Walsh on Texas barbecue. "We're doing old-fashioned, wood-smoked barbecue." At Midwood Smokehouse 'cue connoisseurs will be able to eat Eastern NC-style vinegar-based barbecue, Texas-style brisket, and even half chickens with South Carolina-style mustard. The menu will also include barbecue-focused... Read more » Posted at 02:27 PM | Permalink | Comments: 0 |
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04/27/11Lulu on the Green is Open
The owner of the Plaza Midwood favorite, Lulu dine|wine, opened a new restaurant last week. Lulu on the Green is located in a small stone kiosk on the new greenway on Kings Drive, just across from Mama Ricotta's and Meskerem. Open from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m., the new restaurant offers snacks like bagels and coffee for morning walkers on the green as well as tasty options for al fresco lunch dining including hummus, sandwiches, quiche, soup, and fresh fruit. And while options like a croque-monsieur and pan bagnat may seem fancy, Lulu on the Green is about as casual as it comes. You order at the counter, everything is $7.50 or under, and seating is all outside—something you'd want to do anyway on this gorgeous stretch of... Read more » Posted at 11:59 AM | Permalink | Comments: 0 |
04/26/11Reid's Fine Foods Opens!
When Reid's closed in Uptown last summer it looked like another Charlotte institution had bitten the dust. But now the popular shop has finally reopened in its new Myers Park location—and, from what I saw today, it's worth the wait. Inside the new store you'll find gourmet goods from chocolate and candies to cheese and wine. There's a small produce section, a meat and seafood counter, a prepared foods area, and, of course, a "gourmet-to-go" sandwich and salad counter where you can design your own dish. There's also a kitchen area, which will feature cooking classes that begin after Mother's Day. Now, I'll stop rambling so you can check out these shots of the new Selwyn Avenue store. Read more »Posted at 04:06 PM | Permalink | Comments: 0 |
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04/25/11New Items at Cowfish
The ever popular Cowfish Sushi Burger Bar has made some additions to its already extensive menu including four new sandwiches, which all sound pretty tasty. Here are the menu newbies—in case you need a little inspiration for your next Cowfish trip: Appetizers Posted at 09:48 AM | Permalink | Comments: 0 |
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04/21/11NoDa Brewing Beer Tasting at Duckworths
NoDa Brewing Company is so new it's not even open yet. But that doesn't mean you can't try its brews. This Saturday (April 23) at 1 p.m., Duckworth's Grill and Taphouse is hosting a FREE tasting of four beers from the local brewery. Beer lovers can taste their American Pale Ale, an IPA, a witbier, and their Coconut Chocolate Porter (which must be just as amazing as it sounds as it won 2nd place in its category in Highland Brewery's recent Highland Cup homebrew competition). Read more » Posted at 08:16 AM | Permalink | Comments: 0 |
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04/18/11Taste of Time at the Levine Museum
Since 1997, the Levine Museum of the New South has held its Taste of the New South fundraiser each spring, but this year's event will be called Taste of Time in honor of the museum's 20th anniversary. The celebration is happening next Thursday (April 28th) from 6 to 9 p.m. and will include a debut of an updated and expanded Cotton Fields to Skyscrapers exhibit, as well as a menu featuring a blend of Southern dishes and new cuisine. The menu alone would make this worth the ticket with Southern-slanted options such as southern fried chicken, miniature ham biscuits, and skewered watermelon with cheese and fig reduction. Or, for those looking for a more exotic taste, there will be Vietnamese... Read more » Posted at 08:01 AM | Permalink | Comments: 0 |
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04/14/11Cinco de Mayo Party Ideas from Frank Scibelli
Cinco de Mayo is only three weeks away! It's time to start planning... If there is anyone is Charlotte who knows how to throw a great Cinco de Mayo party, it's Frank Scibelli, the owner of Cantina 1511 and Paco's Tacos & Tequila. I asked Scibelli, who frequently travels to Mexico and seriously knows his authentic ingredients, for tips on hosting your own May 5th fiesta. First things first, Scibelli set me straight: Cinco de Mayo isn't Mexican Independence Day. In fact, it's really only celebrated in the state of Puebla in Mexico and, of course, in the United States. It's meant to commemorate Mexico's... Read more » Posted at 10:49 AM | Permalink | Comments: 0 |
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04/07/11Deep-Fried Peaches at Food Lion AutoFair
Every year when the Charlotte Motor Speedway hosts the Food Lion AutoFair they serve up some tasty fair food-themed dishes (we're talking the kind of deep fried stuff that would make your cardiologist cry—one year they actually served fried butter). This year deep-fried peaches (pictured) are headlining. Created by Chef Eileen DelPiano with Levy Restaurants, the peaches are sliced, dipped in batter, and fried up fresh. They come served hot with a sweet yogurt, cinnamon, and vanilla dipping sauce. What's that? Peaches sound a little too healthy to you? Well, I'd like to suggest some of the other fair food offerings like a bologna-q sandwich with deep-fried strips of bologna in BBQ sauce, or the pimento mac and cheese balls mixed with bacon and deep fried,... Read more » Posted at 10:32 AM | Permalink | Comments: 0 |
04/06/11Cooking Class at Blue Restaurant & Bar
Feel like getting creative in the kitchen? This Saturday (April 9th) Chef Gene Briggs is hosting a cooking class at uptown's Blue restaurant from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m.. The class will be on classic sauces and the menu includes hollandaise with spring asparagus, bechamel with a croque-monsieur, veloute with chicken supreme and spring vegetables, and zabaglione with fresh berries. Each dish can be paired with wines that are available for purchase at a discounted price. The class is $39.95 per person. Call 704.927.2583 to reserve your spot. Read more »Posted at 08:42 AM | Permalink | Comments: 0 |
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