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

Yamazaru

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Rating: 3 out of 5

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

Firestorm Pizza

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

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

Oh no--creepy blogger syndrome happening again!

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

They also offer Cheerwine and root beer floats!

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

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

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

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

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

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

Animal

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Hamachi Tostada
Fish sauce vinaigrette, peanut, avocado

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

Chicken Liver Toast

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

Dessert:

Cinnamon Roll

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

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

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

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

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

Rating: 5 out of 5

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

Kato

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

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

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

Wagyu Tartare

Hamachi Crudo with pickled cucumber and nori mozuku sauce

Ocean trout with charred cabbage

Duck with plum sauce

Uni & crab porridge

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

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

Image courtesy of Yelp — Image courtesy of *Yelp*

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

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

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

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

Rating: 4 out of 5

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

Here's Looking at You

Image courtest of Notey — Image courtest of *Notey*

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

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

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

Eat This:

**Avocado**

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

**Young Yellowtail**

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

**Beef Tartare**

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

**Duck Breast**

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

**White Trout**

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

Dessert:

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

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

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

Love love love.

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

**Folk Hero**

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

**Highway Mile**

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

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

Morrissey probabbblyyy wouldn't want us eating that tartare

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

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

Rating: 5 out of 5 + 2 Michigan Pugs

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

Yafo Kitchen

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Rating:
4 out of 5

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

Ivan Ramen

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

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

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

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

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

Eat This:

Japanese Fried Chicken
Toasted garlic caramel, togarashi, shiso ranch

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

Mushroom Tempura
Maitake mushrooms, white soy-koji dip

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

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

Pork Meatballs
Wasabi buttermilk, bulldog sauce, bonito

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

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

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

Enoki mushrooms, egg, and roasted tomato!

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Rating:
4 out of 5

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

Tavolo

Update: Tavolo closed in December 2017

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Momofuku Ko

Japanese cheesecakes topped with shaved black truffles

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

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

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

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

Eat This:

Pomme souflée, lobster paloise, chicken oyster, white kimchi

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

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

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

fluke -- barrel aged bonji

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

sea urchin -- chickpea, hozon

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

ko egg -- caviar

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

BREAD INTERLUDE (Cue the romantic music)

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

beef -- au poivre

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

razor clam -- pineapple, basil

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

skate -- vin jaune
katsu roll

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

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

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

duck -- squash

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

Dessert:

Japanese cheesecake with grated black truffles

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

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

foie gras -- lychee, pine nut, reisling jelly

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

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

wild rice --kombu

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

persimmon -- yuzu

Jason has a yuzu diffuser in his office now

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

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

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

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

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

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

Rating: 5 out of 5 /two Michigan pugs

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

Evoke at Le Meridien

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Corn Cheesecake
Bourbon mousse, rosemary, blueberry

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

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

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

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

Photo courtesy of the always fab Charlotte Agenda

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

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

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

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

Haberdish

The cocktail that launched a thousand yuppies

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

I see the lights, I see the party lights

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

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

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

Eat This:

Brined Smoked Chicken
Tossed in Alabama white sauce

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

Fried Chicken
Brined, battered, fried

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

The dumplings are so good your camera hand shakes

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

Tater Tots
Housemade tater tots

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

Hushpuppies
Fried cornmeal dough with sweet tea butter

Photographers were not quick enough for how fast this dish went

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

Pickled Candied Striped Beets

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

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

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

These two lovebirds certainly up the atmosphere quotient!

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

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

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

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

Rating:
4 out of 5

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

Good Food on Montford

I don't want none unless you got pork buns

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

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

Falafel
Hummus, cucumber & greek yogurt

Carnitas

Heirloom Tomatoes

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

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

Korean Beef
Crispy rice, scallion kimchi & gochujang

Prince Edward Island Mussels
Green curry, coconut milk & cilantro

Tempura Vegetables
Assorted

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

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

Garganelli
House-made Italian sausage, toasted garlic & tomato

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

Dessert:

Cannoli Cheesecake

Brownie Sundae

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Nomad.pdx

The prettiest dessert of the decade! And yes, those are beans on the side.

Background:
Nomad has been true to its name over the past several years--it started as a pop-up, and then had several temporary homes around Portland to serve its inventive 15-course tasting menu. However, as of February 2017, Nomad has a full brick and mortar to call their own on NE 24th Avenue.

Owner and Executive Chef Ryan Fox and his partner (in the kitchen and in real life, it would seem per their social media accounts) and Sous Chef Ali Matteis deliver a dining experience that is fancy, playful, and utterly delicious.

Our faces when we found out the boys surprised us with a trip to Portland (they told us we were going to Asheville until the night before). Swoon!

Eat This:

The menu goes right to an English teacher’s heart--the staff pairs each course with a quote that connects to the dish in some way. You may have already seen some of these dishes on our Best of 2016 Roundup

Amuse Bouche

carrots and crackers with butter
We started with an amuse bouche of carrots and crackers meant to be dipped into the most delicious butter. Operation Bouche: Amused

***buttermilk meringue, cipollini onion***

“A Squirrel is like buttermilk, once it’s out of the churn; the more you shake it, the more sour it grows.” - Irish Proverb

***scallop, compressed cucumber, coconut kafir foam***

“Two two basic items necessary to sustain life are sunshine and coconut milk.” -Dustin Hoffman

***green garlic yogurt, trout roe, garden greens***

“You can never have enough garlic. With enough garlic, you can eat The New York Times.” -Morley Safer

***summer squash custard, walla walla onion***

“A woman always has half an onion left over, no matter what the size of the onion, the dish, or the woman.” -Terry Pratchett.

***wagyu beef tartare, smoked shallot***

“Eat it raw before all else, then grill it, and boil it last of all.” -Japanese Proverb

***sourdough rye roll, smoked beef fat, nutritional yeast butter***

“Give me Yesterday’s bread, this Day’s Flesh, and last Year’s Cyder.” Benjamin Franklin

***albacore ceviche, red currants, sorrel, lime***

“Ceviche is an acquired taste, a phrase which means ‘something you don’t like the first few times you eat it’...” -Lemony Snicket

***albacore, boysenberries, seaweed***

“The cure for anything is saltwater: sweat, tears, or the sea.” -Isak Dinesen

***morel mushroom, charred onion jus, agastache***

“The sudden appearance of mushrooms after a summer rain is one of the more impressive spectacles of the plant world.” -John Bonner

***beef, chimichurri, nasturtium***

“Give them great meals of beef and iron and steel, they will eat like wolves and fight like devils.” -William Shakespeare, *King Henry V*

Dessert:

***carrot bread, fresh ricotta***

“Once upon a time there were four little rabbits and their names were Flopsy, Mopsy, Cottontail, and Peter.” -Beatrix Potter

***Oregon berry sorbet, granola, coriander***

“”Better than any argument is to rise at dawn and pick dew-wet red berries in a cup.” -Wendell Barry

***padron pepper ice cream, brown butter solids***

“Destructions lead to a very rough road, but it also breeds creation.” -Red Hot Chili Peppers

***chocolate brownie, almond ice cream, brooks cherries***

“What use are cartridges in battle? I always carry chocolate instead.” -George Bernard Shaw

Rich Chocolate Covered Cherries

A bonus dessert of rich chocolate covered cherries

Drink:
When we visited, Nomad was in one of their temporary locations, so the drinks were limited to wine & beer. We enjoyed wines all around. Now they offer cocktails, which are no doubt divine!

Nanco enjoying some rosé and this tiny flower!

Atmosphere:
Well, as where we dined was their temporary spot and no longer where they operate, this is rather a moot point. However, the location where we ate was awesome because it was not only open to the kitchen, but about five paces from our seats to where the food was being prepared. You actually needed to walk through the kitchen to get to the restrooms--it was so cool to get an up close view of the magic.

Portlandia Hospitality:
Well, as this picture of us would indicate, we cozied up to the Nomad staff so well that within an hour we were trying to snag an invite to go foraging for mushrooms with Ryan and Ali that weekend. Needless to say, that invitation never really came through (though we did get as far as exchanging cell numbers), we appreciated Ryan and Ali’s brief foray into our delusion, and their prompting of the eternal question: “Does he like me, or does he like me, like me?”

Cause we're the fourteen best friends that anybody could have!

Frankie’s Notes:
You know dinner went well when you exchange numbers with the chefs afterward; But seriously though, why did they never call?; Maybe Nancy came on too strong; We are going to start adding quotes to everything we eat; What’s a good quote relating to the fact that Jason eats Chipotle 6 nights out of 7 during tax season?; We are going to inject Otto with beef fat; Otto is Ollie’s new name.

Rating: 5 out of 5 and Two Michigan Pugs

“One cannot think well, love well, sleep well, if one has not dined well.” -Virginia Woolf

Jason Ackerman 3/1/17 Jason Ackerman 3/1/17

Stoke

Background:
I can't imagine being a guest at the Marriott City Center and coming down to grab a bite to eat and seeing the grandeur that is Stoke. This beats the heck out of an airport HoJo’s, to say the least.

Stoke and the coffee shop CoCo and the Director are both a part of the Marriott’s recent renovation that included their guest rooms as well. And man, what a renovation! The head chef here is Chris Coleman, formerly of McNinch House and The Asbury. Even though The Dunhill is dead to us (due to their part in a major wedding snafu that I will not blast them on the internet for...well, anymore than I just did), that’s still a pretty impressive resume.

Eat This:
Stoke is true to their stated mission of changing their menu seasonally. I love this, as so many restaurants say they do this, but nothing ever seems to rotate out. That said, here are a few of our favorites from visits throughout last summer, fall, and this winter. We personally can't wait for the mac and cheese to come back!

Pretzel Brioche with rotating trio of butters and spreads

Wood Roasted Avocado Toast
salsa verde, arugula

Pimento Cheese
buttercup & blue, wood-roasted chiles

Beets
sunflower granola, orange-infused UAV ricotta

Chicken Liver Pate
Peanuts & muscadine jelly

Trout

Sticky Pork Shank
Chili-sorghum glaze, peanuts, benne

Don't forget to eat the leftover glaze like an animal!

BBQ Carrots
Carrot top pesto

NY Strip Steak

Carolina Gold Rice Grits
63 degree egg, aged white cheddar

Mac & Cheese

Dessert:
Um, let’s talk giant donut. If you haven’t been to Stoke yet, I have no doubt you have seen this beauty on Instagram. Behold: Giant Donut of Your Dreams. This baby is filled with one pound of diplomat cream and an entire heath bar. Favorite donut moment (of many)? When our party of four decimated this guy, and the party of four sitting next to us only managed to finish a meager quarter. Hah! Serious amateurs in the world of binge eating! Joke’s on them!

Great Big Donut Filled with Love
Filled with one pound of diplomat cream and a crumbled Heath bar

Drink:
The cocktails are my favorite thing about this place, and now that you have read the above, you know that’s saying something. The menu includes “pressed” cocktails, which are served in a coffee press! My favorites? The Barrio (El Jimador Anejo, dubonnet rouge, xocolatl bitters) and the Aged Green Point (Redemption Rye, yellow chartreuse, punt e mes, angostura bitters).

No drinks in this shot, but itsn't that the cutest couple you ever did see?

Atmosphere:
It is ridiculously cool it here--from the open concept kitchen to the hanging sculptures, it just feels very upscale without being at all stuffy. I love watching the wood fire oven and food prep while we eat. We never feel weird about going to a hotel to eat--nay, we feel fancy and footloose!

The atmosphere on the night we went during the riots and the SWAT team joined dinner.

Hotelier Hospitality:
The service here is top notch, from the hostess stand to the servers. Sometimes they bring out the food all at once instead of pacing it with the starters and the main courses, but otherwise the staff is on point and super personable.

Frankie’s Notes:
Marriott > The Dunhill and I am not yet ready to talk about what happened at the latter; But seriously don’t stay there; People who try to go easy on a giant donut because they think it might negatively impact their cholesterol are big losers, okay?; OKAY?!!; I would like to order room service from Stoke while in a hotel bed watching Bravo; A french press ups sophistication quotient 47-54%; The airport HoJo’s: forever in our hearts.

Rating: 4 out of 5

Jason Ackerman 2/16/17 Jason Ackerman 2/16/17

Buxton Hall

Background:
Buxton Hall BBQ was opened by Elliot Moss and Meherwan Irani in August of 2015 in a space that has been many things: it was once a paper company, a roller rink, and a boat show room (and no, not all three at the same time). Scallionpancake first heard about Buxton Hall in the 2016 Hot 10 edition of Bon Appetit. Charlotte’s Kindred made the cut in 2015, and now an Asheville restaurant? North Carolina’s culinary scene is on fire, and we couldn’t be more thrilled about it. We headed to Buxton Hall on a whim on New Year’s Day this year, and it was more than worth the drive. And no--we didn't drive to visit Asheville for the day. We literally drove there just to eat at Buxton Hall and turn around to go back to Charlotte, and yep--still worth it.

Eat This:
Buxton Hall’s menu changes daily, and the day we went they were running a brunch menu with some New Year’s flair, such as the New Year’s Bowl with blue grits, fried egg, collards, black eyed peas, and bbq hash, or the Good Luck Hand Pie, with cornmeal pastry crust, black eyed peas, collards, and lots of luck. As tasty as those sounded, we were here to skate to one song, and one song only: pulled pork and lots of it. We both ordered the:

Whole Hog BBQ Plate
Eastern NC BBQ mop, slaw, pickles, hushpuppies, choice of two sides

For sides, we went with the chicken bog, which is a mix of rice, chicken, sausage, peas, and lots of spice, and the spicy collard greens--these are made by putting the collards underneath the whole hog that is roasting on a spit and letting them catch the drippings. The bog was just so-so, the spice was not as prominent as promised, and the flavors just didn’t wow us. The green beans, which we each ordered, were stand out. You could really taste the flavor from the drippings and they were just the right accompaniment to the pork so you could feel like you were doing something virtuous by eating a vegetable, but it, you know, tasted like pork. Win.

Dessert:
Brunch dessert! The cinnamon roll was by far and away our favorite part, and maybe that’s because we were silly and didn’t order the buttermilk fried chicken biscuit, but holy geez. We were emotional.

Buxton Hall employs full-time pastry chef Ashely Capps and she is whipping up straight goodness in that kitchen. Her goodies are seasonal, too--I took home a traditional fruit cake on this New Year’s visit. The cake was heavy on the brandy, and it was the most amazing ever. People don’t appreciate fruit cake due to its reputation of being dry and crumbly, and this iteration laughed in the face of that stereotype.

Warm Banana Brioche Cinnamon Roll
Pecans + walnuts, brown sugar, sticky schmear

Drink:
How about a cheerwine and bourbon slushie? This even intrigued Jason, and he rarely ever indulges in the devil’s brew. The “house slushie” switches up daily, and oh what fun! It’s better than 7-11, guys.

Atmosphere:
The open, loft-like space is sunny and bright. The kitchen and bar serve as focal points, and in the kitchen you can see the hog roasting on the spit. The hog on the day we went was named “Lucy,” and we were very grateful for her gift to us.

Other fun touches? A dessert case, where you could see all of the specialities of the day, and in the restroom? Original carvings on the mirror frame and such from the roller rink days. Rad!

Slow Roasted Hospitality:
We sat at the bar and received great service from the two bartenders on duty. The folks out front were awesome, too. We browsed for a while at the cool merchandise and food options. They had leaf lard which I didn’t splurge on this time, but it can be rather hard to find--it’s the good stuff!

Frankie’s Notes:
Driving two hours each way for a 45 minute lunch is just something Javon does, okay? And no, we didn’t even stay to walk around Asheville. There was a football game on, for god’s sake!; I have never eaten black-eyed peas and collards on New Year’s in my whole life...is this why everything is going to shambles?; We are going to put various items under pig drippings now: kale salads, avocado toast, pug biscuits; Adult slushies make up for taxes and mortgages; I am bringing fruitcake back, and fruitcake is bringing sexy back, and you’ll have to get your own because I’m not sharing with anyone.

Rating: 4 out of 5

Jason Ackerman 2/8/17 Jason Ackerman 2/8/17

In Situ

Background:
In May of 2016, The San Francisco Museum of Modern Art (MoMa) reopened after a three-year renovation. As part of this renovation, the museum also unveiled a new high-class eatery, In Situ. In Situ’s concept is mind-blowing, and perfect for an art museum: they recreate the dishes of famous chefs and restaurants around the world. In Situ, in the art world, refers to an art piece that is made specifically for a certain location. At In Situ in the SFMoMa, dishes are taken out of their original context and recreated for an audience sometimes a half a world away (sometimes not--the menu bounces from Kyoto to right down the street at Mission Chinese). Not only is this such a great concept for the location, it is also a fantastic way to get a sampler of so many different famous dishes from world-renowned restaurants.

Eat This:
In Situ was our first fine dining experience in SF, so we were super excited to go all out.

Check out Hamiltoe's Lily Pulitzer in the background tho

Carrot, Sour Curd, Pickled Pine

Inspired by Matt Orlando from Amass in Copenhagen, Denmark

Of course we had to start with the Copenhagen dish! We had completely missed Amass during our visit, and this is the first time we had heard of it--which is clearly a huge overstep on our part! We were so consumed with Noma (which we couldn’t even get into), that Amass escaped our notice.

The carrot dish was perfectly executed, and it made my top five for 2016. There is nothing better than a well-done vegetable dish that stands alone so well you never once miss the meat. We can’t wait to try and get reservations at Amass the next time we visit Copenhagen.

Wasabi Lobster

Mango jelly, thai vinaigrette, wasabi marshmallow

Inspired by Tim Raue from Restaurant Tim Raue in Berlin, Germany

The wasabi lobster made Jason’s top five for 2016, and it was certainly one of the finest preparations of lobster I’ve had. Lobster needs so little--just a little expertise to bring out the natural flavor and tenderness, and the slight spicy/sweet flavor of the wasabi marshmallows did that perfectly, and the texture of the tender lobster and fluffy marshmallow paralleled each other so well.

Maybe this picture is crooked, or maybe that's just your perception of life

Octopus and the Coral

Braised octopus and seaweed (spicy)

Inspired by Virgilio Martinez from Central in Lima, Peru

Whoa, was this dish awesome! Aesthetically the dish is supposed to resemble its title--an octopus hanging out in the coral. Rice crackers are dyed with squid ink which added an element of texture and color. The braised octopus was cooked perfectly and it was rich and heavy--such an unusual flavor profile for a seafood dish. A cup of broth was served on the side--I loved this touch! It was warming and flavorful.

Give me liberty, or just give me duck breast. Whichever

Liberty Duck Breast

French green lentils, apples, aged red wine vinegar sauce

Inspired by Thomas Keller from The French Laundry in Yountville, California

Oh dear, we had problems with this dish both in its real form and its copycat. We had to order The French Laundry staple, especially knowing we would be dining there ourselves in a few days and we would be able to properly compare the two versions. Each version, however, was rather overcooked. Read our full TFL review here.

The Forest

Quinoa risotto, mushrooms, parsley “moss”

Inspired by Mauro Colagreco from Mirazur in Menton, France

The Forest came highly recommended by our server, and we were so glad we ordered it. The presentation was so fun, and the aesthetic and taste made you feel like you were really foraging in the woods for mushrooms.The “moss” was a parsley flavored light sourdough, and the variety of mushrooms and flavors going on were just mind blowing. Eating this dish was akin to being a fairy trampling through the forest, and we dug that.

Dessert:

Interpretation of Vanity

Moist chocolate cake, cold almond cream, bubbles, and cocoa

Inspired by Andoni Luis Aduriz from Mugaritz in Errenteria, Spain

I mean, bubbles? We had to see what this was all about. Unfortunately, this was a fairly basic chocolate cake, and the best part was the almond cream. You can’t deny the excellence of the presentation, however!

Wood Sorrel & Sheep’s Milk Yogurt

Inspired by Rene Redzepi from Noma in Copenhagen, Denmark

This dessert is the closest we have been to Noma (the number one restaurant in the world for several years), and that kind of sucks, but this version of their famous dessert didn’t disappoint. Wood sorrel is a weed with an acidic, slightly sour flavor. Here, the sorrel is turned into a sweet granita and served with a honeyed yogurt with a crisp shell of sugar served atop. Loved this one!

Drink:
When we went, which was right after they opened, they were serving beer and wine only, so Hamiltoe and I drank prosecco. Their menu now includes cocktails, which sound delicious. Jason had some tasty nonalcoholic infusions during our meal, like this hibiscus one:

Atmosphere:
The vibe in here was in keeping with a modern art museum--clean and minimalistic. The seating was a bit too minimal (read: uncomfortable), but the bar area had awesome seating made out of wood that looked cool, and also more comfy. Also, the silverware looked like paintbrushes!

Artistic Hospitality:
The service was professional and there were no missteps, but the waiters were a bit snooty/hoity-toity, which I never think is necessary just because the category is fine dining--lighten up, people! It’s just dinner.

Frankie’s Notes:
Three dishes from our 2016 top ten are from In Situ, so I guess you could say we enjoyed it; We Googled the silverware while we were at the table and put it on a wish list; Feeling like a fairy while eating is my current and 8th grade self’s goal always; Desserts made from weeds are healthy and delicious; Nonalcoholic infusions < prosecco < tequila.

Rating:

5 out of 5 + One Michigan Pug

Jason Ackerman 2/2/17 Jason Ackerman 2/2/17

Saison

Background:
Chef and owner of Saison, Joshua Skenes opened Saison in 2012, which was initially a pop-up only open a few nights a week. Now, Saison has three Michelin Stars, boasts the #27 spot on the World’s 50 Best Restaurants list, and Skenes has a reputation for getting to the “heart” of his ingredients in a way that goes far beyond “eating locally” (read this article for more on his philosophy)

We went to Saison on our last trip to San Francisco, just two days after our wedding. We were so excited to have some time to ourselves after the whirlwind of the marital festivities and Jason’s work conference that he was attending during the day. We were greeted warmly and given an awesome cozy spot near the bar where we settled in for the tasting menu.

Eat This:

Infusion of herbs from our garden

Starting with an herbal infusion is a lovely and light way to begin; it forces you to breathe deeply and focus on the meal that’s about to come. The practice feels meditative and lovely, and more restaurants should adopt teas and nonalcoholic infusions as an accompaniment to food.

Succulents from the coast

Saison Reserve Caviar
I don't want to say that Saison peaked too soon (did I just say it?), but this course was perhaps the highlight of the entire experience. One pound of caviar is wrapped in seaweed and smoked over a fire, and the servers unwrap the seaweed table side and serve atop toothsome succulents. The caviar alone was worth the cost of admission (well, almost), and had us giddy about the rest of the meal.

Lobster marigold

The claws x.o. sauce, Farm flowers, Golden berries
Oh, man! Lobster?! Golden berries??!! These are a few of my favorite thingggsss. This course was the start of using a single ingredient for each course and presenting it in several different ways, using every portion of the animal or ingredient and mining it for all of its possibilities.

Lobster Tail

Here we had a lobster tail (one portion was from a male lobster, one from a female lobster), claws, served with a tangy accompaniment of golden berries (also known as dried gooseberries), and lightly fried farm flowers.

Sea urchin on grilled bread

A perfect piece of Tartine bread soaked in an elixir of soy, milk, and egg yolk topped with a piece of uni. Whoa, was this combination mind blowing--the soaked bread and the uni have similar textures and the soaked bread is tangy--we really loved this one.

Monterey Bay abalone

with its liver and preserved artichoke broth
A red abalone in a wakame, artichoke, and liver sauce with capers. This was not our favorite, but was delicious nonetheless.

The whole radish & our butter

This dish is a prime example of how Saison uses their farm plot and their dairy cows to create dishes that are simple and focus on freshly curated ingredients. Radish, prepared all different ways, and clarified butter poured over the entire dish upon serving.

Pumpkin hung above the fire for a few days

Whoa, was this take on pumpkin mind blowing! The pumpkin hung above the fire was lactofermented and tasted meaty--if you didn’t know it was pumpkin you wouldn’t have guessed! The torn pumpkin was much like pasta, and the cultured pumpkin with cold pressed seeds tasted rich and fatty.

Hairy pig

Sweet herbs, Buttermilk herbs, A bouillon made of the bones
The heaviest dish, and one of our favorites. You could make a little pork sandwich with the biscuits, which were the most delicious part! I loved the inclusion of bone broth, which was a warming and healthy way to end the savory courses.

Dessert:

Fruit & Tea

Orange Sorbet

Just when we thought it was over, we ended the night just as we began, with a delicious herbal infusion and this super fun orange sorbet, served in an orange!

Gold-Leaf Dipped Chocolates

Gold-leaf dipped chocolates were also brought out with this course--talk about a grand finale!

Drink:

Dessert Cocktail

The cocktails were beyond impressive--our favorite was the bourbon concoction served in this tiny pipe, which the bartender told us is often used for absinthe as it helps diffuse the flavors.

Atmosphere:
Cozy and dimly lit, Saison had a romantic atmosphere. Our favorite part was the soundtrack--they played the best 80s beats all night. This kept the atmosphere fun and not overly stuffy as fine dining can often be.

Michelin Hospitality:
The service was impeccable, as you would expect. There was team service, and sometimes the chef brought out a course, which was awesome! We also had a great chat with the bartender--everyone was kind and helpful.

Frankie’s Notes:
Bojangle’s is going to start serving herbal infusions before and after chicken biscuits; Frankie wants more caviar in his life and less Ollie; Golden berries are the most underrated fruit; A grand finale of desserts doesn’t even need fireworks; Eating Michelin Star food and listening to “Jessie’s Girl” is an experience we should all have; Jason drinking out of a little pipe is the image I want to have of him in my head for always.

Rating: 5 out of 5 and two Michigan Pugs

Jason Ackerman 1/29/17 Jason Ackerman 1/29/17

Eat Globally; Dine Locally

This article also appeared in the January/February 2017 edition of Charlotte Epicurean magazine.

There is a restaurant boom in Charlotte--it seems like every other week there is a new restaurant opening (next to another new apartment complex in South End, naturally). While this is great for the Queen City’s economy and food connoisseurs, there is more to the Charlotte food scene than flashy openings in high profile areas. Our diverse population means that there are many different authentic global cuisines being prepared around our fair city, and often these culinary gems are hidden in strip malls, supermarkets, and off the beaten path from your usual go-to restaurant.

Restaurant: La Shish Kebob

Reuben chowing down on some halal goodness

Location: Eastland neighborhood, off of North Sharon Amity Road

Type of Cuisine: Middle Eastern

Why you need to add it to your culinary rotation: La Shish Kebob is very unassuming from the street--but you can rest assured that the food is fresh and authentic. You can order at the counter, or you can try their buffet, which is overwhelming in a most wonderful way: tabbouleh and other salads, halal meats, soups, rice, all the pita your heart could desire, and don’t forget the tzatziki to cover it all in. For dessert, we tried a pastry different from the ever popular baklava--kanafeh, a cheese pastry soaked in sugar syrup. Delicious! In addition to the food, the owner was super friendly, and La Shish Kebob has had a 100% sanitation rating for three years in a row--OCD diners rejoice!

Tip: If you are still hungry for dessert (100% of the time for my crew and me), head a few doors down to Golden Bakery for even more authentic Middle Eastern and Mediterranean sweets and breads--come early if you want to get their naan, they tend to sell out quickly!

Restaurant: Thai House

Location: Pineville/Gastonia/University/Lake Norman

Type of Cuisine: Thai

Why you need to add it to your culinary rotation: Thai House is impeccable: the atmosphere is stunning, with carved wood seating areas and sculptures, the service is great, and the food comes out fast and flavorful. It’s easy to see why this place is a successful local chain. The starters we tried here were new to us--the fried potstickers were fried in a wonton wrapper rather than a dumpling wrapper, and were filled with spinach and chicken--a delicious take on the usual. They also had spring rolls wrapped in light Thai crepes in addition to the usual rice paper wraps. The Pad Thai and Pad See-Ewe were big hits with the table, as were the curries.

Tip: Get the mango sticky rice for dessert--it’s the perfect Thai ending to your meal--cooling, light, and refreshing.

Restaurant: Honey Buns

Location: Independence Boulevard

Type of Cuisine: Taiwanese/Korean/Vietnamese

Why you need to add it to your culinary rotation: Have you been to the magical international food paradise that is the Super G Mart? If so, then you might know about the hidden deliciousness in the back of the store--Honey Buns. Honey Buns is mostly Taiwanese cuisine, with elements of Korean and Vietnamese thrown in for good measure. They have dim sum, bao buns, banh mi, pho, fried rice--basically, anything and everything you might be craving. Our favorite things to order are buns (red bean, taro, and egg custard), and bubble tea. The bubble tea at Honey Buns is the very best in Charlotte--endless options and heavy on the add-ins.

Tip: Definitely shop around Super G Mart while you are here--you can get great deals on groceries. Our favorites? Miso, sriracha, mochi ice cream, and all flavors of Pocky.

Restaurant: Woodlands Vegetarian Indian Cuisine

Location: Eastland neighborhood, off of Albemarle Road

Type of Cuisine: Indian (all vegetarian)

Why you need to add it to your culinary rotation: One of the common themes at the restaurants we checked out for this article was that the menus tended to be, well, huge. The crazy thing, though, is that all of the restaurants on our list manage their large repertoire of items so very well. There is magic in these kitchens, and Woodlands is no exception. Everything is made fresh and tastes healthy, filling, and comforting. Fresh tomato soup, homemade roti and naan, and rich curries are among the standouts. We tried a couple of things new to us here, too--we had dosa for the first time, and we didn’t realize what we had been missing. In case you are similarly uninformed, dosas are thin and crispy crepes made with white lentils and rice, and then filled with potatoes and other delicious things. We also tried carrot halwa, and it was love at first bite: grated carrots, milk, dried fruits, and nuts. The sweet halwa went perfectly with all of the savory components of our meal. Woodlands is awesome because it doesn't feel quite as heavy as Indian cuisine sometimes can; we left feeling perfectly satisfied.

Tip: If you want to try a sampling of many items on the menu, get the South or North Indian Thali. This platter will satisfy whatever you are craving!

Restaurant: Kabab-Je

Location: Matthews

Type of Cuisine: Mediterranean & Lebanese

Why you need to add it to your culinary rotation: Kabab-Je has a lot going for it--a large menu filled with fresh mediterranean salads and kababs, favorites like spanakopita and grape leaves, but the number one thing about Kabab-Je is their homemade pita bread which they churn out hot and fresh continuously--as in, all day, every day. If they are open, you are getting fresh pita, and that, friends, is a thing of beauty. Also homemade? Their labneh, which is strained yogurt with mint and olive oil, and that together with the pita? Yeah, you should pretty much cancel any existing plans and drive there for dinner tonight. Other favorites include the batata harra (spicy potatoes) and the kabis (mixed pickles).

Tip: This is a great place to order in stages--start out with a few plates and order more depending on your level of hunger. You will leave feeling healthy and sated.

Restaurant: Doan’s Vietnamese Cuisine

Location: South Boulevard

Type of Cuisine: Vietnamese

Why you need to add it to your culinary rotation: You have probably driven by Doan’s dozens of times and missed it, but you need to change that ASAP. Located within one of the many strip malls along South Boulevard is one of the most authentic Vietnamese restaurants in the city. Many consider Doan’s pho to be the hands down best, and it’s perfect for the season--there is nothing like pho on a chilly night. Not in the mood for soup? Get one of the vermicelli noodle dishes; the spicy lemongrass with beef was rich and flavorful. Other standouts include the Vietnamese yellow pancake with shrimp, pork, chicken, and bean sprouts. Like many of the dishes here, the pancake is served with the traditional fresh herbs and lettuce that add to the fresh flavor profile Vietnamese cuisine is known for.

Tip: Get the avocado smoothie! It’s surprisingly not overly sweet, and it’s also a great accompaniment to the loads of hot sauce you just put in your pho.

Jason Ackerman 1/1/17 Jason Ackerman 1/1/17

Top Five Restaurants of 2016

Everyone’s all like, “2016 is the worst thing that ever happened to anyone,” but, all elected neo-fascists with a twitter problem aside, this year was pretty rock solid for Javon and the pugs. In addition to getting married, travels, and pug-ventures, we ate so much delicious stuff!

Jason

**1. State Bird Provisions**

**San Francisco, CA**
This place was everything I believe a restaurant should be - inventive, thought provoking, and, of course, they serve excellent food. My favorite dish here was the tofu pasta pictured above. You would have never known this was tofu!

**2. Franklin BBQ**

**Austin, TX**
I had the pleasure of going to Austin this year for my friend Datus' bachelor party. Another guy in the party, Jonathan Eisen, AKA @jewisheater, hooked us up with a massive order of Franklin's BBQ. I had read about Franklin's prior to going and it's crazy; there is a devoted following of people who camp out for hours to get some BBQ, but I just thought they were a bunch of crazy Texas loons. Turns out, I'm one of those loons now. This was the best BBQ hands down I've ever had.

**3. In Situ**

**San Francisco, CA**
The single dish I think about the most from the past year is the Wasabi Lobster from In Situ in San Francisco. The flavor of this dish was amazing, with the wasabi really bringing out the flavor of the lobster. Plus it came with wasabi marshmallows...drop the mic.

**4. Superbite**

**Portland, OR**
When I look back on our trip to Portland, the standout for me was Superbite. The flavor in all the small "bites" were amazing, with this spaghettios with black truffle, irish butter, and parmigiano was the best of the bunch.

**5. Bazaar Meat by Jose Andreas**

**Las Vegas, NV**
I went on my bachelor party to Vegas, and the first night we went to Bazaar Meat by Jose Andreas in the SLS Hotel. We tried all of their rib eyes, including these two from Lindsay Ranch in Oregon and Vaca Vieja in CA. These were by far the best steaks I've had in my life.

Yvonne

**1. Nomad**

**Portland, OR**
Nomad was my top pick for Scallionpancake’s restaurant of the year. The good food we ate was just part of what made the trip with Danny and Nancy (Dancy) so fun, but the very first thing we did when we got off the plane was head, luggage and all, to Nomad. I don’t want to say that this was where we peaked, but wow, what a way to start! Nomad is in a warehouse-type space, and their concept is to do away with white tablecloth service and all preconceived notions of fine dining. Their food reminded me of Funky Gourmet as it was all so innovative--every course blew my mind. Most of all? These two:

Morel mushroom, charred onion juice, agastache

I do not have any idea how Ryan and Ali (that’s right, we’re on a first name basis with the chefs) made a mushroom taste like meaty, savory heaven, but that’s what we are dealing with, here. The humble, wrinkly little morel just multiplies times a million under the influence of these dazzlingly talented chefs.

Sourdough rye roll, smoked beef fat, nutritional yeast butter

That description might speak for itself--and bread is my favorite food, so this one spoke to me. I also loved the use of nutritional yeast, especially paired with the beef fat, so many savory umami flavors going on, and it was a delight to eat a bread course with oompf.

**2- Saison**

**San Francisco, CA**
On our mini-Honeymoon to San Francisco, Jason made reservations at Saison, currently number 27 on the list of best restaurants in the world. My favorite was the first course--they make their own caviar, which they cure, and then grill in kelp leaves. When they deliver it to the table, they unwrap the kelp packet of caviar, and it tastes like the most buttery, salty, delicious present you’ve ever opened.

**3- In Situ**

**San Francisco, CA**
Inside of the San Francisco Museum of Modern Art, there is a restaurant with a theme that fits perfectly with a museum--In Situ recreates famous dishes from the best restaurants in the world, often under the direction of the famous chefs themselves. We came here on our first real dinner out in San Fran, and it really set the tone for the trip. The ambiance is sparse and, well, modern--the tables are made out of found pieces of cottonwood and there are wooden osso chairs and, of course, a fun gallery wall. The dishes rotate fairly often, but my two favorite dishes from July were:

Carrot, Sour Curd, Pickled Pine inspired by Matt Orlando from Amass in Copenhagen

Of course one of my favorites is from a Copenhagen restaurant! Here, they take a carrot cooked in carrot juice, dehydrate it, then rehydrate it, and then coat it in pickled pine and serve it with the sour curd. The carrot is chewy and tangy, and it is just so amazing what flavors can pop out of a well-done vegetable dish.

Wood Sorrel and Sheep’s Milk Yogurt inspired by Noma in Copenhagen

Noma was named the best restaurant in the world many times over, and continues to make the list, even though the restaurant is now currently being reimagined as pop-ups and an urban farm as the owners start on new projects. Sorrel is juiced, then frozen into a beautiful, bright granita which is paired with a tangy sheep’s milk yogurt, and then topped with a thin anise-flavored candy. This was so light and summery (I notice it’s not on their current menu--maybe it will come back seasonally?), and just the right amount of sweetness. Also, Jason and I have always wanted to go to Noma, so this was the next best thing.

**4- The French Laundry**

**Yountville, CA**
Ah, the much discussed visit to The French Laundry. Yes, it’s true that the restaurant as a whole did not fully meet our (rightfully high) expectations, but this dish absolutely 100% did. Although I usually hate the word “mouthfeel” (right up there with “foodie”), this dish had it. The interplay of textures and the savory sabayon just tasted like the pinnacle of fine dining: light yet rich, creatively served and flavored, and just so memorable. Check out part 1 & part 2 of our review!

**5. Superbite**

**Portland, OR**
We were sweaty, exhausted, and starving, and then Superbite appeared like an oasis. After our Dangerous Hike around Mt. Hood, we started googling restaurants in the car. And, like some of our very best culinary adventures, we happened upon Superbite very luckily--it is a fairly new small plates restaurant with rave reviews, and because we came pretty early (right around 5:00), we walked right in without a wait. We were a tad underdressed (and did I mention sweaty?), but they took us as we were, and the service and food were both phenomenal. Although everything we ate here was good (Jason has already mentioned their fab Spaghettios), my favorite of the night was the (super) bite of mushroom on a cloud of lightly savory miso marshmallow. This was, quite simply, the perfect bite, and it was a great first course to an overall fantastic meal. We are already looking forward to our next visit to Superbite!

Runners-up

**Chez Panisse**

**San Francisco, CA**
Strawberry sherbet meringata with Dirty Girl strawberries

**State Bird Provisions**

**San Francisco, CA**
Sourdough pancake with sauerkraut, pecorino, and ricotta

**Saison**

**San Francisco, CA**
Orange sorbet (served in an orange!)

Jason Ackerman 12/26/16 Jason Ackerman 12/26/16

State Bird Provisions

Listen up fools: we apologize for the three month hiatus. We spent the last three months planning to get married and then doing just that. We've done a lot of eating in that time that we've been saving to post, so put on your stretchy pants and buckle up for the ride.

Background: State Bird Provisions opened up in 2012 by husband and wife duo Stuart Brioza & Nicole Krasinski. State Bird is credited with starting the "dim sum" trend of having dishes pushed around on pull carts, outside of traditional Chinese fare. The restaurant has won many accolades, including Bon Appetit's Best New Restaurant in 2012, a James Beard Award, and one Michelin Star. It is also known for being extremely hard to get into, so when we strolled up at 9:00 pm on a Tuesday we thought we'd have to wait for an hour or so. Luckily we got it right away because of a cancellation. The hostess said the best days to walk in are Mondays and Tuesday.

Please Note: Hamiltoe (of Hamilton & Sons, LLC) accompanied us on our journey to State Bird so when it looks like we were ordering for 8 people we were actually ordering for 3, not 2, thank you!

Eat This: State Bird has a small menu with a few regulars - most notably the CA State Bird (see above), which is deep fried quail with pecorino and some other magical accouterments. This is a must get, so go ahead and mark this off your list. They also have a whole section of their menu dedicated to toast and... wait for it...pancakes!!

DO NOT MISS THE PANCAKES OR YOU WILL REGRET THIS FOR THE REST OF YOUR LIFE. The one on the menu the night we went was sourdough, sauerkraut, pecorino, & ricotta.

Dip the pancake in the magical dust and don't ask questions.

Just when you think you've figured out the menu and what you want, then the "dim sum" carts start coming. And I swear to the ghost of John Ritter, each one looks better than the next. The first one to come out was an avocado and smoked trout dip with house made potato chips. Imagine the best smoked trout you've ever had served with your all-time favorite potato chips. Then multiply that by 10 and that is what we ate.

Potato chips & smoked trout with avocado dip

Next up were some raw salmon rolls with mint and radishes in a yogurt sauce. State Bird is known for accenting Japanese style dishes, but adding their own signature flare. This dish was a nice cool complement to the salty, hot potato chips.

Raw salmon with mint and radishes in a yogurt sauce

Our favorite dish of the night might have the Yuba Americana, which was tofu skin shaped like chanterelle pasta with guanciale, pecorino, and basil. The taste of the yuba was amazing, and if it were 1995 and we didn't have internet on our phones we would have never known we were having tofu and not real pasta.

Yuba Americana with guanciale, pecorino, and basil

We had a few other dishes, including the carrot "mochi" with brown butter & pistachio dukkah, the heirloom tomato salad with quinoa crunch, and oysters. All of which were amazing, which just goes to our point: you literally can't go wrong here. There is nothing on the menu that isn't amazing.

Dessert: If there is one thing you should know about Javon by this time, is that we love dessert. Naturally we were thrilled by their wide selection of exotic fruit and flower based desserts. The stand out was the hazelnut "ice cream" sandwich with chicory macron, lemon condensed milk, and strawberries. We also got the coconut-lavender panna cotta with askinosie chocolate crunch and a fig, the stone fruit granita with vanilla bean tapioca, peaches, and smoky tea gelee, and last but not least, the world peace peanut muscovado milk.

Hazelnut ice cream sandwich (closest), stone fruit granita (in bowl on right), world peace peanut muscovado milk (in glasses), and coconut-lavendar panna cotta (in clear dish).

Drink: State Bird serves wine and beer (a huge selection), plus a great selection of teas and house made sodas. Jason tried the samovar iced tea with crushed oolong and yuzu simple syrup and gave it two gorilla thumbs up!

Atmosphere: The atmosphere at State Bird is quirky and fun. There are weird UFO pictures on the walls and dotted tables. It feels like a fun, crazy parade with all the dim sum carts going in and out of the kitchen.

Golden State Hospitality: There is a lot of interaction with the waiters, since they are walking around with carts explaining the different dishes they have. They do team serving, and everyone was extremely helpful with a great sense of humor.

Dim sum cart (The guy at the table across was really intrigued)

Frankie's Notes: If I got in a fight with a quail, I'd probably win; Sometimes you walk into a place and actually get a seat; I wish I could be pushed on a dim sum cart for the rest of my life; Don't ever tell someone they are eating tofu unless they ask; Sometimes magical dust is 100% legal and 150% delicious; Maybe one day you will be a stranger eating across from us who is featured on the blog--dream big!

Rating: 5 out of 5 with 2 Michigan Pugs

Et Cetera:
State Bird Provisions
1529 Fillmore Street
San Francisco, CA 94115

http://statebirdsf.com/

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Rating: 3 out of 5

Rating: 5 out of 5

Rating: 4 out of 5

Avocado

Young Yellowtail

Beef Tartare

Duck Breast

White Trout

Pear Upside Down Cake

Bar Pie

Folk Hero

Highway Mile

Rating: 5 out of 5 + 2 Michigan Pugs

Rating: 4 out of 5

Rating: 4 out of 5

Rating: 4 out of 5

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

Amuse Bouche

buttermilk meringue, cipollini onion

scallop, compressed cucumber, coconut kafir foam

green garlic yogurt, trout roe, garden greens

summer squash custard, walla walla onion

wagyu beef tartare, smoked shallot

sourdough rye roll, smoked beef fat, nutritional yeast butter

albacore ceviche, red currants, sorrel, lime

albacore, boysenberries, seaweed

morel mushroom, charred onion jus, agastache

beef, chimichurri, nasturtium

carrot bread, fresh ricotta

Oregon berry sorbet, granola, coriander

padron pepper ice cream, brown butter solids

chocolate brownie, almond ice cream, brooks cherries

Rich Chocolate Covered Cherries

Rating: 5 out of 5 and Two Michigan Pugs

Rating: 4 out of 5

Rating: 4 out of 5

5 out of 5 + One Michigan Pug

Infusion of herbs from our garden

Succulents from the coast

Lobster marigold

Lobster Tail

Sea urchin on grilled bread

Monterey Bay abalone

The whole radish & our butter

Pumpkin hung above the fire for a few days

Torn pumpkin barbecued octopus

Cultured pumpkin cold pressed seeds

Hairy pig

Smoked Sundae

Orange Sorbet

Gold-Leaf Dipped Chocolates

Dessert Cocktail

Jason

1. State Bird Provisions

2. Franklin BBQ

3. In Situ

4. Superbite

5. Bazaar Meat by Jose Andreas

Yvonne

1. Nomad

Morel mushroom, charred onion juice, agastache

Sourdough rye roll, smoked beef fat, nutritional yeast butter

2- Saison

3- In Situ

Carrot, Sour Curd, Pickled Pine inspired by Matt Orlando from Amass in Copenhagen

Wood Sorrel and Sheep’s Milk Yogurt inspired by Noma in Copenhagen

4- The French Laundry

5. Superbite

Runners-up

Chez Panisse

Saison

Rating: 5 out of 5 with 2 Michigan Pugs

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Rating:
4 out of 5

Rating:
4 out of 5

Rating:
4 out of 5