News, Notes, and Gossip About the Charlotte Restaurant Scene
Dine & DishJuly 2011
07/22/11Pierre Bader to Bring Barbecue Uptown with City Smoke
Several weeks ago local restaurateur Pierre Bader announced plans to opened a new restaurant uptown next door to his popular Aria Tuscan Grille on Trade Street. Now we've heard that the new spot will be focused on all things barbecue. Bader says that his newest restaurant will be called City Smoke and set to open in January 2012. It will feature five different kinds of barbecue: Kansas, Memphis, Texas, and eastern and western North Carolina. Bader says there will be plenty of non-barbecue items on the menu too, such as chicken and fish and hearty salads. In addition to the barbecue you'll find a large bourbon selection as well as more than twenty beers on tap. While the space is still in the early stages of being developed,... Read more » Posted at 09:57 AM | Permalink | Comments: 0 |
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07/20/11American Roadside Burgers Opening Two Locations
American Roadside Burgers, a New York-based burger joint designed as a tribute to roadside burger stands, has announced it will open two Charlotte locations this fall. The first is set to open mid-fall uptown in the Ally Bank building at 440 South Church Street. The second will be in the SouthPark area and is expected to open in late 2011. Both locations will have interior dining as well as patios and bars. Since this is the restaurant's first expansion into the South East, I'll assume you're like me and have never eaten at ARB—and are therefore curious as to what is going to set this burger spot apart from the others that seem to be opening at a rapid rate around here. ARB's menu includes beef (all Sterling Silver brand), veggie, and turkey burgers as... Read more » Posted at 01:05 PM | Permalink | Comments: 0 |
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07/19/11Summer Wine Tasting With Aria and the Wine Vault
Next Tuesday, July 26th, Aria Tuscan Grill and the Wine Vault are hosting a wine tasting in Founders Hall from 6 to 7 p.m. The tasting is $25 per person and includes more than twenty summer wines (both reds and whites). After the tasting Aria is offering three courses from its entire dinner menu for $30 to those who attended the tasting. Plus, if you buy a bottle from the tasting and want to enjoy it with dinner, Aria will waive the corkage fee. Think this sounds like a fun way to spend a Tuesday evening? Make your reservation now at 704.548.9463 because the event is limited to only fifty spots. Read more »Posted at 08:54 AM | Permalink | Comments: 0 |
07/15/11Charlotte Restaurant Week Begins Today
The time has arrived! Restaurant Week begins today. This is the perfect opportunity to try new spots or indulge at your old favorites. Almost one hundred local restaurants are participating this time around. Personally, I'm disappointed that Customshop isn't participating this time as I saw Restaurant Week as the perfect excuse for ordering its famed bread pudding. However, as an avid Restaurant Week participant, I do have several other favorites including Carpe Diem (the warm goat cheese salad alone makes it worth the trip), BLT Steak (most of the time cocktails alone at BLT Steak come out to close to $30), and Blue Restaurant & Bar (just check out the... Read more » Posted at 09:11 AM | Permalink | Comments: 0 |
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07/14/11Chickadee's Cafe Open in Elizabeth
Charlotte old timers will say it's in the old Anderson's space. Newcomers will likely refer to it as being in the old Elizabeth Starbucks' spot. Regardless, the new Chickadee's Cafe on Elizabeth Avenue has arrived. The bright restaurant offers deli sandwiches and casual fare, making it the perfect spot for a quick lunch for nearby hospital workers. (When I visited almost a third of the dining room was wearing scrubs.) Plus, you can place orders to go, which a long line at the counter indicated was a popular option. But if you do choose to dine in, expect friendly servers in an airy atmosphere complete with light oak tables, tile floors, and walls dotted with Charlotte art. The menu has a few unexpected—and tasty—options like these pictured... Read more » Posted at 02:51 PM | Permalink | Comments: 0 |
07/12/11Changes at Black Finn
If you've stopped in BlackFinn's dining room recently, you've probably noticed that the popular uptown saloon has done some upgrading when it comes to both decor and culinary offerings. Today I had the chance to try some of the menu's newest offerings—and since prior to this most of my dining at BlackFinn had consisted of burgers and wings, I was impressed. Below you'll find photos and descriptions of many of the tasty new dishes. Everything was good, but my personal favorites were the ying yang shrimp appetizer (if you like sriracha flavoring, you'll enjoy this), the Hong Kong Style Chilean Sea Bass (it's marinated in a tea which gives it a slightly sweet taste), and the BlackFinn Hot Choclate (read its description and you'll understand there's no way this... Read more » Posted at 02:05 PM | Permalink | Comments: 0 |
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07/11/11New Menu at Urban Sip
Urban Sip, the 15th floor wine and Scotch bar at The Ritz-Carlton, has introduced a new tapas menu—and a new cocktail—this month. The following new items are on the menu: Marinated Piave Vecchio Cheese with Caramelized Onions But it's the new cocktail that should really get your attention. They're... Read more » Posted at 02:31 PM | Permalink | Comments: 0 |
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07/07/11Tequila Week at Vida Mexican Kitchen y Cantina
Vida Mexican Kitchen y Cantina in uptown's EpiCentre is hosting seven days of tequila appreciation in honor of National Tequila Day on July 24th. Throughout the week of July 18 through July 24 Vida will be showcasing Tequila Flights of the Day, giving guests a change to sample multiple tequilas. In addition to its daily tequila offerings, Vida will also be hosting special events during the week. The festivities begin on July 18 at 5:30 p.m. with a Tequila Week Kickoff Party. Want tickets? They're giving them away on their facebook page. Then, on July 20 Vida is hosting an 1800 Tequila Dinner at 6:30 p.m. The restaurant's chef will be creating a four course menu designed... Read more » Posted at 09:55 AM | Permalink | Comments: 0 |
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07/06/11Rita's Italian Ice Grand Opening
This Saturday, July 9, the new Rita's Italian Ice in Plaza Midwood is having its grand opening. The spot has actually been open for several weeks (something I can say with much authority as I've become a frequent visitor), but on Saturday they're celebrating with free regular size ices for everyone, a ribbon cutting, and face painting. Plus, the first one hundred people through the door get free ice for a year. Not familiar with Rita's Italian Ice? Well, you should be. Rita's serves frozen ice in flavors like Key Lime, Swedish Fish, and Mango, as well as frozen custard in flavors like vanilla, coffee, and strawberry. You can order them apart or... Read more » Posted at 08:21 AM | Permalink | Comments: 0 |
07/05/11Charlotte Restaurant Week
Now would be a really good time to make your reservations for the upcoming Charlotte Restaurant Week. In case you haven't heard, this summer's Queen's Feast runs July 15 through July 24. The set up is the same as in the past—area restaurants (including those as far away as Lake Norman, Belmont, and Fort Mill) are offering fixed-price meals of three or more courses for $30. On the event's web site you'll find participating restaurants and their price-fixed menus. If you're looking to try something new, this year there are several new restaurants participating including Table 274, Pisces, 15 North Roadside Kitchen, and Fran's Filling Station. Read more »Posted at 09:28 AM | Permalink | Comments: 0 |
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07/01/11Moe's Opening in Epicentre
Moe's Southwest Grill is opening on July 14th in uptown's Epicentre—something you've probably known for a while now if you've walked past the soon-to-open location. However, what you may not know is that this new Moe's is going to have the first self-serve Coca-Cola Freestyle machine. On the off chance you don't know what a self-serve Coca-Cola Freestyle machine is, I will explain. With this new machine you can mix and match your own choices of brand and flavor combinations for fountain drinks using a touch screen (think Raspberry Coke mixed with lime). According to Moe's press release, this means that customers can experiment with more than one hundred brands and more than one million combinations. So start planning your combo... Read more » Posted at 01:11 PM | Permalink | Comments: 0 |
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