Dish

M5 Opens

Tom Sasser, Tom Condron, and the crew from Harper’s Restaurant Group have been busy this summer. First, they shut down the original Harper’s on Woodlawn. Sasser says doing so pained him—the restaurant contained many original bricks and wood saved from a historic downtown hotel—but that the light rail construction helped do the restaurant in. The new Harper’s, though, near Carolina Place mall, is a showplace. And M5 Modern Mediterranean, in the Villages at SouthPark at the corner of Sharon and Morrison, has been packing them in since opening in late June. Condron’s simple menu features fresh ingredients, and you can watch dishes being prepared in the open kitchen.

M5 Opens

Tom Sasser, Tom Condron, and the crew from Harper’s Restaurant Group have been busy this summer. First, they shut down the original Harper’s on Woodlawn. Sasser says doing so pained him—the restaurant contained many original bricks and wood saved from a historic downtown hotel—but that the light rail construction helped do the restaurant in. The new Harper’s, though, near Carolina Place mall, is a showplace. And M5 Modern Mediterranean, in the Villages at SouthPark at the corner of Sharon and Morrison, has been packing them in since opening in late June. Condron’s simple menu features fresh ingredients, and you can watch dishes being prepared in the open kitchen.

Filling the Palomino spot

Downtown, New Orleans-based GW Fins is preparing to open in the vacated Palomino spot in the O’Dell building at Tryon and Eighth. This will be the restaurant’s second location. The first, run by Gary Wollerman and Tenney Flynn, has garnered national acclaim since opening in 2001. Chef Flynn’s dishes up a seafood menu with a little New Orleans flair, but don’t expect only gumbo and blackened items. This is a serious, daily-changing menu, from the lobster dumplings to the top-grade yellowfin tuna.

Kilwin’s come to town

Long known to Blowing Rock regulars with sweet tooths, Kilwin’s Chocolates and Ice Cream Shoppe recently opened in Ballantyne, in Ballantyne Village. Pam and George Click opened the first Charlotte location for the sixty-three store chain. Look for chocolates, ice cream, and freshly made waffle cones. 

Another new steak house

The new Harper’s has some company with Saltgrass Steakhouse. The Texas-based chain opened in Pineville in June. Expect Texas-themed décor, Shiner Bock beer bread, and steaks flavored with garlic butter and a spice rub.