Yvonne Ackerman 5/19/20 Yvonne Ackerman 5/19/20

Casa Tabachin

Background:

Back in November, we had the pleasure of staying at Casa Tabachin, an amazing, eight-suite home with a full-time staff, chef, and concierge service in stunning Puerto Vallarta, Mexico. Neither of us had visited Puerto Vallarta or Mexico before, and we were blown away by the beauty and walkability of the area.

Our chef, Luis, created so many amazing meals for us during our stay. Sometimes we would give our input, like when Jason was craving quesadillas, but most of the time we told him just to cook whatever he was feeling. This method never left us disappointed, from chile rellenos to huevos rancheros to grilled meats and vegetables, we ate so well at Casa Tabachin.

The wonderful House Manager Lala and her team made sure we had a never-ending supply of the best margaritas we’ve ever tasted in addition to keeping our rooms tidy and even running a load of laundry for us before we flew off to Mexico City.

We also had the pleasure of having Vallarta Tequila Tasting come to the house for a mezcal tasting! We learned so much, and I even bought a bottle to take home so I can remember my Casa Tabachin vacation for months to come.

Another great part about Casa Tabachin is their partnership with Mexitravels. Through their service you can book activities to help bring another level to your stay. We booked glorious in-house massages and a super fun day trip of ziplining with Vallarta Adventures.

We can’t wait to return to beautiful Puerto Vallarta and Casa Tabachin someday soon!

Yvonne Ackerman 4/21/20 Yvonne Ackerman 4/21/20

Quintonil

Background:

We dined at Quintonil in November of 2019 on a woefully short trip in Mexico City. However brief our stay, we made it a point to visit both Quintonil and Pujol – unfortunately, we were only able to get reservations on the same day, which resulted in another overeating situation like the Peru incident of 2017. Never forget. Nevertheless, we made the most of it and decided to stuff ourselves silly for the opportunity to eat at two of the World’s 50 Best Restaurants in a single day. We absolutely vowed we would not eat ANYTHING at all before our lunch at Quintonil which would lead quickly into dinner at Pujol with only time for a short nap in between. OH WAIT. We ate both the torta and the tacos you see pictured below. This day was guaranteed to end in gastrointestinal upset as early as 9:00 a.m.

**We found out after we took this picture that we were definitely not allowed to take this picture. Sorry.**

Yeah. That happened. Anyway, we roll up to Quintonil about 15 minutes prior to opening, not as hungry as we should be, but definitely as excited as we should be. We were also the first to arrive, which has never happened before. Got our first ever calm exterior pic (usually we are running late, it’s raining, dark, or we just plain forget this step):

Not only were we first, we also witnessed Chef and owner Jorge Vallejo and his daughter come outside to open the door and greet the guests. She was wearing an adorable chef’s hat, and it was the most precious thing we’ve ever seen. Jorge and his wife and co-owner Alejandra were even dining at the same time as us! It looked like they were having a business lunch with a few other folks, and we definitely stared at them in wonder and made it awkward for all.

Of course, we opted for the tasting menu despite our full day of eating ahead! We would never let you down. However, our explanations of exactly what was in each dish are surely lacking, because although the servers came out and explained every dish in great detail, they said so many things that we had never heard of before and couldn’t catch it all to write in our notes (much like our experience in Peru). We also didn’t want to keep them there while we asked them to repeat themselves. So there was a lot of nodding and then just going for it. The servers even brought out visual aides for some dishes, which was so great and helped somewhat.

Anyway, without further ado, here’s Quintonil’s tasting menu from Tuesday, November 26, 2019:

Eat This:

**Welcome Home**

I will only be welcomed home with a stack of freshly-made warm tortillas from now on, thanks. We loved that our meal started with this Mexican staple. The sauce on the left was super spicy and made with ants, which we saw (and tasted) frequently on our trip. The brown mixture in the middle was topped with huitlacoche (the fungus that grows on corn) which brought a truffle-esque kick that just took everything over the top.
**It was also fun to build our own tacos while we perused the drink menu – suffice to say, we really loved this course.**

**Jsaon’s art! I wish I could hang it on the fridge**

**Milpa Alta**

This course was named after one of Mexico City’s 16 alcaldías, and Milpa Alta is known for their agriculture and food – especially cactus. Once you opened the lid, dry ice smoke slowly dissipated to reveal a nopales ceviche with a crisp bite and a strong acidic finish. This was Jason’s favorite of the whole meal!

**Mone with Wild Mushrooms & Blue Crab**

This little blue corn crab tostada was the perfect bite, and my favorite course. It was so simple, but there was a ton of flavor and mushroom umami in this tiny pocket of goodness. There was a hint of lime and chili mayo, and lest we forget that generous bite of crab! Yum.

**Lobster Cocktail with guava & Coconut Foam**

**This was essentially lobster ceviche covered in a creamy foam. This was a light, flavorful, and visually impressive course.**

FullSizeRender (4).jpg — **Cured Trout from**
**Zitácuaro in Yuzu “Aquachile,” infused Oil of flowers & horseradish and an emulsion of oysters**

**Gah, what a fresh and colorful course! It was just bursting with flavors from the fatty trout and roe and fragrant oils.**

FullSizeRender (6).jpg — **Charred Mamey Tartare with “escamoles” and “crema De Rancho” infused in Melipona Bee Honey**

Our server brought out some mamey (pictured below) for us to see. It’s a very high-sugar fruit that grows in Central America and the Caribbean, and here the sweet fruit was paired with ant eggs (escamoles), a tangy sauce, and a kiss of honey sweetness.

FullSizeRender (7).jpg — **Fish “A La Tumbada”**

This course was a play on a traditional stew that’s popular in the Mexican city Veracruz. Made with rice and seafood, this version included a perfectly cooked fish filet topped with the crispy skin. One of Jason’s favorites of the meal!

**Atocpan-Style & a Selection of Wild Mushrooms in an Emulsion of Butter & Pitiona**

We felt blessed to have two of the best moles in the world in a single day! Pairing it with buttery mushrooms and a tangy sourdough made my heart sing more than I ever thought possible, though. I am torn – I may have even liked this one better than Pujol’s?! So hard to say. But it was fan-bloody-tastic.

**Roasted Cabbage, Scallops, & Artichoke Cream with “Chile Ancho”**

**Simple and flavorful, this dish was a great bridge between the mole and the final savory course. I’ve never had cabbage that tasted this good.**

FullSizeRender (8).jpg — **“Pibil” Duck “Panucho,” Oven-Baked Onions, & Fried Almond Puree**

**We loved this course. Super meaty and rich, this was another traditional dish with a twist. The tangy pickled onions put it over the top.**

Dessert:

FullSizeRender (9).jpg — **CACTUS SORBET**

Not a lot of places still offer a palate cleanser, and I am always down for one. It’s an extra dessert. Just a bite or two of this barely-sweet cactus sorbet got me even more excited for the main sweet event.

FullSizeRender (11).jpg — **Jerusalem Artichoke**

**With apple & buttermilk ice cream**
**The presentation was obviously stunning, and I loved trying Jerusalem artichoke in a sweet dish for the first time. I liked the texture play with the sugar shards, dried apple, and dried artichoke.**

Drink:

I don’t know what came over me at this meal, but I was in the mood to drink. Jason had the first cocktail pictured below, and I had the next three. ALLORA. Each one was better than the last, so zero regrets. I neglected to take a photo of the cocktail menu, but know that the drinks below were all super delicious and artfully crafted, as you can see.

FullSizeRender (10).jpg — What’s My Name Again?

Atmosphere:

Quintonil’s light, natural wood walls and high ceilings gave us major Noma vibes. Their aren’t too many tables, but they make the most of the space while still achieving an open and airy feel.

Two Tasting Meals in One Day Hospitality:

We had impeccable service at Quintonil. The way the servers bring around the ingredients to educate you during your meal is above and beyond, and we really felt that we were in someone’s home with the level of hospitality we were shown. One of the best service experiences of any of the Top 50 restaurants for sure.

Frankie’s Notes:

I wish I could tell you that we won’t do two tastings on the same day ever again, but we can’t make any promises; I don’t always have three cocktails at lunch, but when I do I get pretty weird; At least we walked back to our hotel from Quintonil to offset all of that eating; We’ve never eaten so many ants in our life as we did this trip, and we’re not mad about it; I hope that if Jason and I ever have a restaurant, Frankie will greet patrons at the door in a v small chef’s hat.

Rating: 5 out of 5 with 2 Michigan Pugs

Yvonne Ackerman 4/7/20 Yvonne Ackerman 4/7/20

How Roots is Giving Back During COVID-19

Background:

Here at Scallionpancake, we hope you are all safe, healthy, and holding it together through the craziness that is COVID-19. If you’re anything like us, some days are better than others, and you find yourself eating more than usual because why the hell not? So many of our local restaurants are doing amazing things to help the community while they struggle to stay afloat themselves, and with that in mind, we wanted to give a shoutout to Roots Cafe in South End. Owner and Chef Craig Barbour is currently running a campaign with Feeding Charlotte to help provide freshly prepared meals to those in need, which in turn keeps many of our Charlotte chefs employed. All you have to do to pitch in to support this great cause is purchase a gift card through their website and list the recipient as Feeding Charlotte. Click here to donate.

Also, when you order a meal from Roots’ Lunch Box menu for carry out , Roots will donate an additional meal to Feeding Charlotte. They also have an awesome Easter menu available for Sunday’s social distancing holiday needs. Click here to order online.

If you’re looking for something to fill your extra hours, listen to Episode #96 of the Scallionpancake Podcast with Barbour that we recorded in July of last year, and continue reading below to see a great brunch we had at Roots early last summer.

Eat This:

**BELT**

**My favorite B(E)LT in Charlotte.**

**Avocado Toast**

**Toppings change seasonally.**

**Potato latke**

**With sour cream and chives.**

Drink:

**Iced Coffee**

**What the world needs now is coffee, sweet coffee.**

Frankie’s Notes:

COVID-19 is the pits, and that’s all Frankie has to say about that; Barbour is an amazingly kind human who makes great food; Charlotte chefs will be back on top again in no time, and that’s straight from the pug’s mouth.

Yvonne Ackerman 3/24/20 Yvonne Ackerman 3/24/20

Peppervine Shines in SouthPark

Background:
Peppervine opened last February in Piedmont Row shopping center to much fanfare, as owners Anita and Bill Greene were already loved by many Charlotteans for their Banner Elk restaurant Artisanal. Since we are trying to be more Kathleen Purvis in our review style, we waited until July to visit Peppervine to give them some time to get their service and menu sorted out, and we went in on two separate occasions to make sure we were getting an accurate representation to present to you fine folks.

Eat This:

**Pimento Cheese Scones**

**Sorghum butter, pepper jelly, baked to order**
**These scones are the stars of the show. Definitely get two orders if you’ve got any more than three people. Or even if you’re by yourself. You won’t regret it.**

**Vadouvan Cauliflower**

**Cucumber, raisin relish, labne**
**A slightly spicy and flavor-packed rendition of my least favorite vegetable. It also inspired me to go and buy a bag of golden raisins.**

**Tuna Tartare**

**Shoyu, yuzu gelée, Fresno chili**
**To quote Vicki Gunvalson, tuna doesn’t fill my love tank. So I let my table-mates enjoy this one, and everyone said it was a top dish of the meal.**

**Shrimp & Grits**

**N.C. shrimp, Farm & Sparrow grits, maque choux, tomato jus**
**Every bite of this was bursting with savory and rich flavor. A very well done take on the Southern favorite.**

**“Fried Chicken”**

**Thai flavors, papaya, burnt lime**
**This was our favorite of the savory dishes. Peppervine’s Thai fried chicken puts traditional fried chicken to shame.**

**Carbonara**

**Pappardelle, truffle cauliflower cream, Nueske’s bacon, 62 degree egg**
**Although our server told us this one was a customer favorite, we weren’t blown away by this carbonara. It wasn’t bad, but it wasn’t noteworthy either.**

**Halibut**

**Warm quinoa salad, corn & kaffir lime emulsion**
**The halibut was fresh and perfectly cooked, and the succotash-style mixture that accompanied it was very well seasoned.**

**48-Hour Short Rib “Pastrami”**

**Giardiniera, smoked bearnaise, potato mousseline**
The short rib and potatoes had all of the flavors of traditional comfort food with an elevated flavor profile. I loved the freshness the herbs and tomatoes brought to what could have otherwise been a heavy dish.

Drink This:
The cocktail menu here is pretty tempting, but they also stock my favorite Espolon tequila, so you know I had to go with that, straight up. I also enjoyed my first-ever glass of Fernet at Peppervine, which, safe to say, is an experience I’ll never forget. It was terrible at first, then palatable, and then four or five sips in I downright enjoyed it. Not much of a shock, as I live for bitter flavors. Which is one of the traits I have in common with serial killers. Cool.

Dessert:
The dessert menu at Peppervine is just winning, winning, winning. Normally, we can’t choose just one dessert, so we get two or three. Here we couldn’t resist four on our first visit. Yes, we finished them all. And no, we didn’t regret a single bite. The creativity on each and every offering was just too irresistible to pass up.

**Cherry Dessert**

**Cherries. Meringue.**
Heaven help me, I can’t remember what this dessert was called, and I can’t find it online. It was, however, my favorite of the night. It was only barely sweet and the cherry chutney had a very bold flavor for dessert.
**I think this one was perhaps too out there for many diners, but it was everything I look for in a dessert: fruity with varied textures and moderate sweetness. I want it again.**

**Peach Cobbler**

**Vanilla creameux, pear butter, gingersnap streusel, and blueberry dumplings**
I will never in a million years not order a dumpling when it’s available. This was great, but I did feel like there were so many flavors going on that some got a bit lost, making this my least favorite of the desserts.

**Vanilla Cake**

**With corn ice cream**
**Can you tell I’m getting over my corn fear one kernel at a time? Pre-corn fear, corn ice cream was one of my faves, and this dessert was light and summery with ample toasted, caramel notes.**

**S’mores**

**Chocolate mousse & graham cracker ice cream**
**I am not a huge chocolate dessert fan, but everyone we dined with was loving this. And it was quite a stunner to boot.**

Atmosphere:
Peppervine is massive, and if you ever visited the restaurant formerly in this spot, AZN Asian Cuisine, you know that the space boasts stunning tall ceilings and towering glass wine cellars. Peppervine is much brighter and lighter than AZN was, and they’ve added a lot of lovely artwork, like a paper chandelier hanging from the high ceiling and a giant wood installation.

The entire effect feels very earthy, and gives the restaurant an upscale farmhouse vibe. Plus, there is a window to the kitchen, which we always love (I can’t remember if that was there when AZN was open, but it’s a lovely touch either way).

SouthPark Hospitality:
We had white tablecloth service on both of our visits to Peppervine, and we didn’t experience a single snafu. Top notch.

When you’ve had three glasses of Espolon you recreate American Gothic with your pug.

Frankie’s Notes:
Your first taste of Fernet has more ups and downs than an episode of This is Us; Could someone loan Ollie and me a pitchfork to complete this classic lewk? We just want to say that AZN was underrated, but Peppervine is still an upgrade; Three glasses of Espolon = my sweet spot; I want to marry Peppervine’s pastry chef, whoever he or she may be; Trying to be more Purvis-like is a tough job, but we’re up to the challenge.

Rating: 5 out of 5

Yvonne Ackerman 2/25/20 Yvonne Ackerman 2/25/20

Where to Eat in Plaza Midwood

Don’t get lost in a sea of hipsters! Let Scallionpancake be your approachable spirit guide to the fabulous eats of what’s arguably Charlotte’s favorite neighborhood, Plaza Midwood.

This article first appeared at Localeur. If you haven’t checked out Localeur yet, you totally should. It’s an awesome resource for travel recommendations.

Dish Review Plaza Midwood Restaurants — **Dish**

If you’re looking for some stick-to-your-ribs southern food, then you’re looking for Dish. Every entree comes with a deviled egg and a fluffy biscuit, and they offer southern staples like country-fried steak, biscuits & gravy, fried green tomatoes, and pimento cheese.
My personal favorite is the meatloaf! The prices are very reasonable, and the vibe is casual. Dish has been a Plaza Midwood staple since 2002, and you’re sure to feel at home here on your visit to Charlotte.

Soul Gastrolounge Review Plaza Midwood — **Soul GastrolOunge**

My favorite date-night option in Charlotte, Soul Gastrolounge has great energy and awesome food. The menu is huge, which I usually dislike, but here they manage to do it all right. Their watermelon pork belly tacos are famous in Charlotte, so don’t skip them!
I also highly recommend the sushi, all of the skewers, and literally everything on their daily special menu. Make sure you get one or two of their craft cocktails to wash it all down – the drinks are among the most creative and best executed in town!

Cilantro Noodle Plaza Midwood Review — **Cilantro Noodle**

**Vietnamese joint Cilantro Noodle is a newcomer to the Plaza Midwood dining scene, but the quality of their ingredients quickly made this spot a stand-out for carryout or a quick dine-in option.**
Their build-your-own bowl with lemongrass beef is my favorite, but the pho is not to be missed, either! For the make-your-own, you can choose from a base of white, brown, or fried rice, vermicelli noodles, a Banh-Mi sandwich, or a fresh spring roll.

The Diamond Plaza Midwood Review — **The Diamond**

Sometimes you just need a classic diner, and this is Charlotte’s best since 1945. Of course, you can get breakfast anytime, but no matter the hour, you need to start with an order of their famous fried pickles. From there, I love the Grecian mezze platter, but I know a lot of people swear by their hamburgers and the meatless loaf.
**I love sitting outside on the patio when the weather is nice, as Plaza Midwood offers best-in-class people watching.**

Yafo Kitchen Review Plaza Midwood — YAFO Kitchen

**YAFO isn’t your typical fast-casual joint. Chef Shai Fargian makes everything here from scratch, from the pillowy laffah bread to the creamy mac and cheese.**
I recommend an Israeli hot chicken sandwich to put an end to the chicken sandwich wars once and for all, or a chicken salad-stuffed avocado if you’re looking for something a bit lighter. YAFO offers something for everyone, so if you need to please a crowd in a hurry, this is your best bet in Midwood.

Yvonne Ackerman 2/11/20 Yvonne Ackerman 2/11/20

The Porter's House: Not Your Traditional Steakhouse

Background:
The Porter’s House is owned by the Rare Roots Hospitality Group, and it was brought to our attention by its current chef, Rob Clement, who reached out as a fan of the pod and graced us with his presence one fine Sunday afternoon as a guest. After his pod appearance, we could tell this guy meant business, and we knew we needed to try his food ASAP. We decided to take my dad here when he was in town, as we know he likes a good steakhouse.

After being blown away on that first visit, we knew this would be a regular spot for us. We went back for our anniversary recently, and there’s no denying that The Porter’s House is a true contender in the Charlotte restaurant scene, and it runs laps around every other steakhouse in town.

Eat This:

**Grilled Peaches**

**With burrata, sorghum, pickled banana peppers, and oregano**
This is a seasonal menu item, but if it’s offered on your visit, you need to order it! Rob’s pickled peppers are a revelation in themselves. Add burrata to that, and you’ve got yourself a damn fine time.

**Pimento CHeese Beignets**

**With bacon aioli**
**Maybe Jason’s favorite thing on the menu. Pillowy, tangy, cheesy…do we have your attention yet?**

**Shrimp Cocktail**

**Cocktail sauce, lemon horseradish gremolata**
**An elevated classic.**

**Filet Mignon**

**I always order the filet, and every steak at TPH is cooked to perfection. No overdone meat here!**

**RIBEYE**

**Look at that bone marrow butter melting its way into your heart!**
**TPH serves its steaks with fresh vegetables and herbs, which is a lovely addition that lightens up the meat. They also make their own in-house sauces – our favorite is the horseradish!**

**SCALLOPS**

**Cauliflower, bacon, Sunchokes**
**Another seasonal option that blew us away. So many textures at play here!**

**Halibut**

**Spaghetti squash, peppers, and aji dolce coulis**
**TPH offers a seasonally-rotating fish option, if that’s more your style. We personally can’t see ordering it over a steak, but you do you, boo.**

**DUCK**

**With okra**
**We hope this seasonal dish makes it back on the menu, because not enough restaurants offer duck, and Rob knows how to do this cute yet delicious animal justice.**

**Cowboy RIBEYE Filet**

**A steak that will cure what ails you.**

**Scallops**

**With field peas, peppers, lardons, and tomato-corn dashi**
**More scallops! We liked the version above even better than this first scallop dish we tried, but both were top notch.**

**Lobster Mac & Cheese**

**Bechamel, chives**
**Creamy, dreamy, and a menu staple at TPH. And really, what goes better with steak than mac and cheese and mashed potatoes?**

**Gnocchi**

**I can’t remember exactly what all was going on here, but I can tell you 100% that we loved it.**

Dessert:
On our first visit, the desserts were your typical steakhouse options – cheesecake, brownies, etc. However at our anniversary meal, we got to try some of Chef Clement’s new and creative ice cream flavors that he was testing out, including taro sprinkled with dehydrated carrot, pomegranate chocolate chip, and peppercorn and lime leaf. We loved them all!

**Ice Cream Trio**

**Taro with dehydrated carrot, pomegranate chocolate chip, and peppercorn and lime leaf**

**Dessert Trio**

**Brownie, cheesecake, and carrot cake**

Drink:
The Porter’s House boasts an amazing cocktail program. We especially dig the inclusion of whiskey-based margaritas.

**Mel’s Campfire**

**Vida mezcal, passionfruit, amaro nonino, tajin-pineapple oleo, sea salt, lime**

Atmosphere:
The Porter’s House is located in the Waverly shopping center, which is massive. I always love coming here because they have the best Whole Foods in Charlotte, and Whole Foods is my mecca. The interior boasts high ceilings and a more modern and lightened up vibe compared to more traditional steakhouses. They offer valet parking if you’re not down to fight the Ballantyne crowds.

Carnivorous Hospitality:
Shoutout to server extraordinaire Zack for taking great care of us on both of our visits. No complaints here.

Frankie’s Notes:
Typical steakhouses put us to sleep; Wayne is now the finest connoisseur of fine dining after his experiences at El Celler de can Roca and Enigma; On our first visit, Rob tried to kill us with food – he served us enough for 12-14 people, and we tried to take on that challenge and barely lived to tell about it; On our second visit, I was getting over my post-Mexico trip stomach issues that continue to linger to this day. My apologies to all of the servers and chefs for my 10+ bathroom breaks; If you don’t get Zack as your server, you should ask for him. We think he would love that.

Rating: 5 out of 5

Yvonne Ackerman 1/28/20 Yvonne Ackerman 1/28/20

Sweet Lew's, It's You

Background:
Lewis Donald opened Sweet Lew’s in late 2018 in the Belmont neighborhood of Charlotte. Learn more about Donald’s background on this episode of the Scallionpancake podcast. He’s a real mensch! We love Sweet Lew’s, and we think it’s the best BBQ in town.

Eat This:
I always go for chopped pork, but Jason swears by the brisket. All of the meats are smoked in-house in Donald’s giant smoker. I also freaking LOVE the man’s ribs.

Dessert:
You get the option of banana pudding or dirt pie! YUM. See the banana pudding pictured above with the sides.

Drink:
Enjoy beer, wine, or do it right with some of the south’s finest: Cheerwine and RC Cola.

Atmosphere:
At Sweet Lew’s, the approach is simple: it’s just good BBQ. Nothing fancy. Order at the counter and carryout or eat inside in front of the TV or outside on the patio. There’s a sauce station in the dining room, so make sure you LOAD. UP.

Pitmaster Hospitality:
Nothing but good, old-fashioned southern hospitality at Lew’s. Top notch.

Frankie’s Notes:
If you don’t think of Lucille Ball singing “Sweet Sue, It’s You” when you read the title of this blog, then that’s on you, bud; Frankie tried smoking brisket once, but he nearly charred his perfect curly tail right off; I hope to god you also get double banana puddings for dessert; Cheerwine is the nectar of the gods if the gods in question lived in the Holler and married their cousins; It’s fun running into friends like Laney JP at Sweet Lew’s!

Rating: 4 out of 5

Yvonne Ackerman 1/14/20 Yvonne Ackerman 1/14/20

Best Coffee Shops for Chilling in Charlotte

Because sometimes “work from home” means working from a coffee shop for a change of pace and a (small) dose of human interaction. I work from home a couple of days a month, and these are the coffee shops I choose to lug my laptop to because they have great coffee, tea, and food, and they don’t play music at one million decibels, which is my number one complaint with most coffee shops.

This article first appeared at Localeur. If you haven’t checked out Localeur yet, you totally should. It’s an awesome resource for travel recommendations.

matcha charlotte plaza midwood coffee shops

Undecurrent Coffee Review Plaza Midwood — **Undercurrent Coffee**

Undercurrent has two locations in Charlotte, one in Plaza Midwood and one in Optimist Hall. Both offer ample seating, but if you want to hunker down, I recommend the Midwood location. There are tons of outlets to plug in your devices, and the seating is super comfy.
**They make all of their menu items and baked goods from scratch and serve amazing coffee. The seasonal drinks in particular are always worth an order, and their iced matcha is second to none.**

Batch House Batchmaker Review Charlotte — **The Batch House**

The Batch House is home to THE BEST baked goods in Charlotte. If you want some of those, however, you’re going to have to get here early. Batchmaker Cristina Rojas-Agurcia opens at 7 a.m., but she’s often sold out of treats by mid-morning.
However, the shop itself stays open until 3 p.m., so you can sip your coffee, read a book, and enjoy the adorable, tea party-esque decor (oh, and the Golden Girls-themed restroom). This place is a gem!

Lincoln's Haberdashery Review Charlotte Coffee Shops — **Lincoln’s Haberdashery**

I love hanging out at Lincoln’s, and it’s my go-to spot when I work from “home”. The playlist is amazing (and offered at a reasonable volume so I can still concentrate), and they have some of the best food in Charlotte, coffee shop or otherwise. Everything is made from scratch, and you really can’t order wrong.
**The coffee is great and pairs perfectly with their signature GIANT chocolate chip cookie, The Louisiana Purchase. It’s the best cookie in the city in my book.**

Coco & The Director Uptown Coffee Shops Review Cronut Charlotte — **Coco & The Director**

Coco & The Director stands out for their unique seating options. Whether you want to lean back on a pillow on the floor in the stadium-style seats or sit like a grown-up in a chair with a back, Coco is here for you.
They offer smoothies, freshly-carved sandwiches, great baked goods (including cronuts!), and their coffee options are solid. If you’re looking to chill in Uptown Charlotte, Coco is the coffee shop for you. My favorite order is a black coffee with their house-made banana bread.

Hex Coffee Coffee Shops Charlotte — **Hex Coffee**

Hex doesn’t have the best seating compared to other places on this list (it’s ample enough, but not super cozy). However, the coffee is top-notch and probably the best on the list. They roast their own beans, and they also serve seasonally rotating cold options like draft vanilla lattes.
**The food options are limited, but they usually have something on offer from a local bakery or sandwich shop. If you find yourself in South End, Hex is worth a visit!**

Yvonne Ackerman 11/19/19 Yvonne Ackerman 11/19/19

Anomaly Charlotte Pop-Up

Background:

One spooky night in October, we attended a mysterious pop-up dinner at an undisclosed-until-the-last-minute location in Myers Park (which turned out to be a private residence). The invitation promised a “glimpse of Charlotte’s first immersive dining experience.” Color us intrigued. But let’s back up, shall we?

Charlotte native Sam Hart started his career in Marketing and decided to change paths after a few years to attend culinary school in 2016. He spent some time working in various restaurants in town, including Heirloom, Myers Park Country Club, and Foxcroft Wine Co., in addition to running his own private catering company, Laughing Duck. In order to gain more experience, Chef Hart packed up and moved to Chicago where he worked at Alinea and Momotaro, along with a stage at Schwa and Publican Quality Meats. He’s also worked as a private chef for high-end, luxury clients with Table at Home.

And now, Chef Hart is ready to bring it all back home to Charlotte and open a fine dining tasting menu with his friend and business partner Erin Skaryak. While they are looking for their brick and mortar, they’ll be hosting pop-ups around town, and we were honored and delighted to attend the first last month (tickets are already sold out for two upcoming December dinners).

What was truly wild was that we dined at Alinea three days prior to the pop-up, so it was even more interesting to experience Chef Hart’s cooking through that lens, as he included a few tongue-in-cheek references to Alinea tropes (like extra-large servingware), and we could definitely see Achatz’ influence at work in the flavors as well.

We are so excited for a true tasting menu experience to come to Charlotte, and we think Chef Hart is just the man to introduce our city to this level of cuisine. Anomaly will focus on local sourcing, maintaining a waste-free kitchen, and bringing a lighthearted sense of fun to fine dining. We’re all about this mindset – just because you have a Michelin star or a world-rated chef doesn’t mean you need a stuffy attitude or white tablecloths. As Hart said, “It’s not that serious. At the end of the day, it’s food and it should taste good.” Amen, Chef. We think the worst thing those in the food world can do is take themselves too seriously – great food is accessible to everyone, and no restaurant or price tag should make someone think that this isn’t for them or their palate. This level of greatness is for all of us, Charlotte.

Now, onto what we ate at Anomaly’s very first pop-up.

Eat This:

**Magnify**

**Oyster with koji cream, mint, basil, and Ossetra caviar alongside a shooter of Thai Moji**
We loved the presentation here – you ate the leaf-wrapped oyster dotted with tangy koji cream directly off of the magnifying glass like it was a giant spoon, and then you used it to read the tiny-print menu that was brought out just prior to plating.
The shooter of Moji, which is a kombucha-like tea beverage, added freshness and additional interest, but we weren't huge fans of the oyster bite. Looking back on the meal as a whole, we feel like this first impression could have used a bit more flavor to stand up to the rest of the meal and accompany the awesome plating.

**Roses are red**

**Miso cured prawns with roses, roe, and citrus**
**These bites were delicate and savory, and the texture of the rose petals added an extra shot of velvety richness. Not the most memorable course of the night, but very tasty.**

**Mole**

**Chicken skin mole bar with prickly pear**
Not only my favorite dish of the evening, but one of my favorites of all time. This one stuck with me for a long time afterward, and I couldn’t get over the boldness of the thick chocolate shell with the mole-spiced chicken. I feel like many chefs would have chickened out (ahem) and gone lighter on the chocolate, but the thick and bittersweet shell just put this over the top and delighted and confused my taste buds in the best way possible.
**Also, you pulled out the (real!) chicken bone to crack the shell open. So fun and interactive. A real Bronx cheer, if you will.**

**Truffle**

**200-layer pave with truffle**
Dear god, this dish. I didn’t count the layers of potatoes, but I’ll go with 200. But what really blew me away was the THICKNESS of this truffle. Usually you get truffles shaved ultra-thin, but after this dish I’d like to start a petition demanding this kind of thicc on all my truffles from here on out. God bless. Chef said this was 20 grams of truffle. Now that’s what I call a #trufflegram.

**Casserole**

**Sweet tea sweet potato mousse, pecan pie crumble, marshmallow brûlée, pickled sweet potato, micro sage, and sage oil**
The flavor profile of this course screamed Thanksgiving to me – you had all of the sweet and savory flavors of a full Thanksgiving feast in a few transportive bites. It was such a great bridge between the savory and sweet courses, and the pickled sweet potato added yet another tangy layer to the sweet and savory elements.

Dessert:

Paper Plane

**Orange chiffon cake, orange peel, bourbon reduction, Paper Plane explosion, Aperol chantilly, and white chocolate ganache**
**We had no idea that a Paper Plane was a well-known cocktail** **created by Sam Ross** (and possibly inspired by the M.I.A. song!) made with Aperol, Amaro, and whiskey. This dessert took the flavors of that cocktail and infused them into a light and perfectly balanced cake topped with a brûléed orange slice and pop rocks, which are always a fun time.
**We also received a Paper Plane cocktail shooter with this course. A lovely finish to a magical meal!**

Drink:

One of the major elements of Anomaly is their thoughtful wine pairing. Like many other tasting restaurants, the only options will be wine and beer, and the pairings will be offered as an additional supplement that you’ll pay for in advance along with your meal when you book on Tock (AKA, our favorite reservation system).

Erin on da right, Chef on da left. Clowns/jokers in the middle.

The wines will vary night to night and change as often as the menu, but if this pop-up is any indication, you’ll be enjoying the finest wines from around the world (that I believe must have been mostly free of sulfates/sulfites, as I enjoyed four or five glasses and didn’t have to answer to a raging headache the next morning. That’s how you know it’s the good stuff, people). Erin is in charge of the wine pairings, and after the exquisite pairings we experienced, we trust her completely.

Atmosphere:

Well, this particular dinner, as aforementioned, was in a lovely Myers Park residence, courtesy of a friend of Hart’s who opened up her home for the pop-up. It was top notch and we plan on getting an invite to move in any day now. In addition to our host, we enjoyed the company of five other diners, and, as you know, we love a good community table. Making new friends often takes a meal to even higher heights of enjoyment, and that was certainly the case at the first-ever Anomaly pop-up. Shoutout to our new BFF Realtor Stephen Cooley!

Hart and Skaryak mentioned they are looking in Dilworth for their permanent location, so time will tell what vibe and neighborhood will complement Hart’s cuisine.

Another aspect that sets Anomaly apart is that they will be setting each course to a song, which is a super cool concept. Lots of restaurants are into banging playlists lately, but no other restaurant takes the care to pair each and every dish with its own soundtrack.

Pop-Up Hospitality:

Much like Schwa, Anomaly will not have any front of house staff or dishwashers. The chefs will running the entire show from prep to clean up and everything else in between. We liked this experience very much at Schwa, and we think it’s a great way to keep costs low while providing diners with a particularly intimate dining experience. We experienced great hospitality from Hart and his team on this particular evening, and we have no reason to expect anything less than stellar with the chef/owners at the helm of service.

Frankie’s Notes:

We got into a major fight on the way to this dinner, and I may or may not have shown up sporting major “cry face,” but all that really matters is that we didn’t bail; We thought for a minute we were going to have an Invitation-style cult experience instead of an eight-course meal; Having a wine pairing on a Wednesday is risky business, but we handled it like champs; Cooley told us some of his most wild real estate stories, and one of them involved a death – now that’s spooky!; Frankie’s soundtrack is Paper Planes, and if you catch him at the border he’s got visas in his name.

Rating:

We aren't going to rate this pop-up, since it was essentially a media dinner and, well, a pop-up that’s a precursor to the real deal. However, we were not asked at any point to share our experience out on any platform – we’re just doing that because we love ya (and Anomaly). We will give Anomaly its fair rating once they've been open for a few months and we’ve had a few visits. Charlotte needs this calibre of dining, and we are so happy to have been included in your first Charlotte pop-up. Cheers, Anomaly!

Yvonne Ackerman 11/5/19 Yvonne Ackerman 11/5/19

Schwa Cleans Up Its Act

Background:
Chicago’s Chef Michael Carlson began his career working under Paul Bartolotta at Spiaggia, Valentino Marcattilii in Italy, Grant Achatz at Trio, and Heston Blumenthal at The Fat Duck. In 2005, Carlson was offered a Sous-Chef position under Achatz at Alinea, but right around the same time, the opportunity came to buy Schwa, and he took it. Out of everyone he’s worked with, Carlson counts Achatz as his biggest culinary inspiration, so it was interesting to come here two nights before we dined at Alinea. It perhaps would have been best the other way around, but allora.

Schwa has an interesting reputation that’s all over the map. This article sums it up nicely, but essentially Schwa is known for the wonderful – a consistently-held Michelin Star since 2011 and one of the hardest reservations to get in town, to the less than – rumors of a drug-filled kitchen and canceling diner’s reservations at the last minute. However, per the article above and in our experience, Schwa has moved away from any shenanigans. Our dinner was seamlessly executed and felt very professional and high-end. AKA, no one offered us any cocaine (#rude).

We were initially introduced to Schwa by Chef Mike Noll of our beloved Bardo, who worked under Carlson for a time (and now we can see many Schwa influences in Noll’s dishes!). We were in town so Jason could run the Chicago Marathon, and it was a joy to fit Alinea and Schwa into the same weekend of culinary debauchery.

Our experience was only slightly sullied by having just checked into a disgusting and unacceptable room at the Congress Plaza Hotel (never, ever stay here – I don’t care how great the location is), and we were a little stressed out with trying to find a new hotel and rush from the marathon expo to Schwa with enough time. We made it only about ten minutes late, which felt like a miracle. Of course, then Jason had to run to the Mexican grocery down the street to procure my booze, because no way I’m dining at a BYO restaurant sober, lateness be damned. I digress. Onto the food.

Eat This:

Schwa serves a seasonally rotating tasting menu. Here’s what we had on October 11th, 2019:

**Raviolo**

**Quail egg, truffle, ricotta**
**This dish was also designed to be taken as a shooter, which, spoiler alert, I also found difficult because it was a pretty big bite.**
**My issues aside, HOLY CRAP. This was one of the single best bites I’ve ever had in my whole entire life, and this is when I knew we were in for a treat.**
**Also, at this point the tequila was kicking in strong and I was quickly moving past our hotel difficulties. Jason, however, was not so quick to forgive and forget. Oh well. Who’s happy? I’m happy.**

Shad Roe

**Sour tomato, allium flowers, Genmai**
Whoa – this shad roe potato was such a nice, light twist on traditional pâté. The popped Genmaicha rice with sour tomato gel and fennel pollen added a tangy crunch to each bite. We loved this dish, and it was unlike anything we’d tasted before.
PS, I had zero idea what our server was saying when he introduced this dish. I was like, who is Shadro, and is she related to Sinéad O’Connor? We had to just straight up ask him what the heck he was talking about. In case you’re keeping track, that’s two times we embarrassed the family name thus far.

FullSizeRender (13).JPG — **Abalone**

**Melon, yuzu-kosho, arugula**
This dish was a play on the classic prosciutto and melon, and was a nice bridge course before full-on dessert. While the fermented tanginess of the yuzu-kosho added an extra bit of pizazz, this course wasn’t the most memorable.

Dessert:

FullSizeRender (14).JPG — Apricot

**Taleggio, brown butter, marigold**
**And here we have my favorite dish of the night, and definitely my top five favorite courses of any restaurant we’ve been to.**
**The Taleggio pound cake was baked around a baby wheel of Taleggio and topped with citrus-laced marigold and a sauce with a light white wine flavor.**
**It was at once satisfying and light, and the different flavors played together beautifully. Oh my good heavens. This was everything to me. The portion was generous, but I still wanted so much more.**

Drink:

Schwa is completely BYO – we didn't know if that meant just alcohol (you know Jason needs his mocktails), but it indeed means everything. To quote our server, “We may have a can of Coke floating around somewhere in the back.” So, whether you’re looking to get lit or a teetotaler, come prepared with your beverage of choice.

I enjoyed a quarter or better (!) of this bottle of Patron, and Jason enjoyed a Tamarind soda from the trusty Mexican grocery. Just in case you’re like us and run out of time to prepare your beverage options, this nearby option is legit and worked in a pinch to help us create our own pairing experience. Looking back, I wish I had gone with some wine, but I’ll never be sad about some tequila. Put that on my tombstone. Also, Jason picked up a lovely guava roll for us on his field trip. My husband, he always brings me food treats, even when we’re already sitting at a 14-course meal. Love him.

Atmosphere:

Schwa is located in Wicker Park, one of Chicago’s hippest neighborhoods. The inside is tiny (only 26 tables and the bathroom tucked back in the kitchen) and moody – the walls are painted mostly black with black-painted lightbulbs and pulsing rap music.

Both of us love a casual atmosphere like this, and I actually find that the juxtaposition can make me enjoy the food even more than an upscale dining room. Maybe subconsciously it lowers my standards and then I am happily blown away? I’m not sure, but I can tell you that I loved bopping to the jams while sipping my tequila in jeans, and it is up there as one of my favorite restaurant experiences of all time.

Cool Kid Hospitality:

One of the interesting things about Schwa is that there aren’t any servers, dishwashers, or front of house staff. The chefs do it all, from food running to cleanup. This is pretty exciting as a diner, since you get a chance to talk to the chefs and learn their background in bits and pieces (we swear we tried not to hold them up too much).

Taking the new Moleskins for a spin at Schwa

Also, the dish explanations were perhaps as detailed as any we’ve ever had, which makes sense since the chefs are intimately acquainted with everything on your plate. Some of the servers were chattier and more friendly than others, but none of them were rude.

Frankie’s Notes:

We want to do the full Chef Noll Chicago “This is Your Life” tour; I will never make assumptions about a shot glass at a Michelin-starred restaurant ever again; My tombstone: “Here lies Yvonne. She loved pugs & tequila – but maybe not in that order.”; Jason running to the Mexican grocery with with negative ten minutes to spare was a harrowing moment for me, but since he came back with that guava roll, all is forgiven; Jason is not the most fun to dine with after I’ve refused to stay in the hotel he booked – is that on me?; I might be 11.9% French, but never forget that our son Ollie is 2% dog, 98% other.

Rating: 5 out of 5 with Two Michigan Pugs

Yvonne Ackerman 10/8/19 Yvonne Ackerman 10/8/19

Flip-a-Lo's Gives Charlotte a Taste of Buffalo

Background:

Owner Samar Haddad opened Flip-a-Lo’s off of Carmel Road in Charlotte after being inspired by other family members who were also in the Buffalo-style chicken wing game. And Flip-a-Lo’s is done in the true Buffalo way – no sad breading here, people. The wings are crispy and fresh, as Haddad is so committed to not using anything frozen that her restaurant doesn’t even have a freezer. That’s dedication to the chicken wang game. We first tried Flip-a-lo’s after being invited in, but we’ve been in on our own many (MANY) times since.

Eat This:

**chicken Wings**

You can get your chicken as wings or strips, and one of the coolest things about Flip-a-Lo’s is that you can mix and match your sauces in every combination. Want 3 Buffalo Hot, 2 Teriyaki, 4 Garlic Parmesan, and 1 Honey BBQ? Want to mix Buffalo mild and BBQ on a SINGLE wing? That might be kind of a dick move, but they would have you covered. Want to dip your wings in bleu cheese or ranch? Those are all homemade. PRAISE. Your wings come with two breadsticks, carrots & celery, or you can sub fries or another side for a small upcharge.

**Buffalo Pizza Sticks**

Oh my dear god. These pizza sticks haunt my dreams, man. Once the get in my head, I have to have them. Haddad and her team makes the dough for these babies from scratch. I told you this place was legit. The crust is super soft and doughy, and there’s just the right ratio of cheese, hot sauce, and tiny pieces of crispy Buffalo chicken. You should just go ahead and get the large order, because these babies reheat beautifully.

**Breadsticks**

The breadsticks come as a side with any order of wings or strips, but they really deserve their own shout out. Made from the same homemade dough as the pizza sticks, these sticks are covered with a delicious garlic sauce with pieces of fresh garlic – no artificial garlic flavoring here, people!

**Chicken Strip Tacos**

**Want to go outside of the Buffalo wing box? Opt for some chicken strip tacos, using any kind of sauce you want.**

**Sticky White Rice + Bleu Cheese + Teriyaki**

**Ready for a Flip-a-Lo’s menu hack? Add bleu cheese and teriyaki sauce to the top of some sticky white rice, and you’ll never need to go to a hibachi restaurant ever again. Boom.**

Dessert:

You can get Little Flips, which are bite-sized donuts made from the same dough I’ve been waxing poetic about for several paragraphs. We haven’t tried these yet, but I can pretty much guarantee they’re great (UPDATE: TRIED THEM. VERDICT: AWESOME).

Drink:

Wash down your wangs with standard soft drinks, beer, and wine.

Atmosphere:

Haddad runs a seriously tight ship – this place is CLEAN, and she boasts a 99% health rating. You could eat off the floor, though we don’t necessarily recommend it.

Flippin’ Hospitality:

The service is friendly and fast, which is great, considering a large part of their business comes from take out or third-party delivery. We usually opt for take out, that way we can drive home way above the speed limit to ensure we eat our wings when they’re hot and fresh, baby.

Frankie’s Notes:

Ask for your wings extra crispy, you won’t regret it; Frankie has eaten chicken wings at The Anchor Bar in Buffalo, and he thinks Flip-a-Lo’s does them justice; Jason made a freakish wing with like four sauces mixed together, and he wasn’t proud of the final result; Lil Flip is Frankie’s rap name; I can freely order multiple orders of extra hot sauce here and drink them without judgment. Hallelujah.

Yvonne Ackerman 9/24/19 Yvonne Ackerman 9/24/19

Capishe Real Italian Kitchen Upgrades Charlotte's Fast Casual Game

Background:
Capishe opened off of Morehead near Uptown Charlotte in late 2018, and, to be frank, we didn’t think twice about it until we were recently invited in. We had fair to middling hopes, as we can be food snobs (shock of all shocks), especially when it comes to fast casual. However, we ended up looking pretty stupid to ourselves (name that quote) when it turned out that Capishe is beyond legit.

Nearly everything is made from scratch, including the pizza dough and pasta noodles, and we were blown away by everything we tried. Kindred alum Chef David Cavalier is at the helm, and it’s safe to say he knows his stuff.

Eat This:

**Caprese**

**Vine ripe tomato, Buffalo Mozzarella, basil, olive oil, balsamic vinegar reduction**

**Angelina Pizza**

**Buffalo Mozzarella, caramelized cipollini onion, roasted mushrooms, truffle oil**

**San Lorenzo Pasta**

**Rigatoni #80, Capishe red sauce, dolce piquante pepper (Peppadew), Buffalo Mozzarella, Italian sausage, caramelized cipollini onion, fresh garlic.**
**Claim to fame: now Yvonne’s #1 pasta in Charlotte.**

**LINGUINE CARBONARA**

**Linguine #21, pancetta, white wine, parmigiano-reggiano, fresh-chopped parsley**

**CHICKEN PARMIGIANA**

**Puccia bread, chicken, ricotta, basil - parmigiano reggiano, Nona sauce on the side**

Dessert:
Capishe serves delicious housemade canoli in addition to several flavors of gelato.

**Cannoli**

**I loved how this cannoli was business in the front (traditional chocolate chips) and party in the back (white chocolate chips). So, so good.**

**Gelato**

**Wayne went with a classic chocolate and vanilla combo.**

Drink:
Capishe serves beer, wine, and soft drinks. Wayne enjoyed his first Peroni, and he thought the woman who offered it was saying “Corona” in a strange accent. Now that’s strange, Wayne.

Atmosphere:
We loved the high ceilings and huge glass windows. Even better – the entrance is essentially a giant window that they keep open during good weather. It was open when we were there, and we caught a lovely breeze and got to enjoy some prime people watching as folks were walking home from a college football game.

Dowd Y-Adjacent Hospitality:
We can’t speak much to the service since this was a media visit, however from what we observed everyone seemed to get their food quickly after ordering at the counter, and all of the employees seemed happy to be there.

Frankie’s Notes:
We love taking Wayne places because he’s a tough critic who doesn’t mince words, and the news is in: he loved Capishe; This is a great place to go to meet bros in boat shoes, if you’re in the market for one; All of Charlotte’s other pastas are just imitating; Jason ate the traditional half of the cannoli while I enjoyed the white chocolate party in da back; Every time we eat Italian Jason brags about his time studying abroad in Florence; ALLORA.

Yvonne Ackerman 8/27/19 Yvonne Ackerman 8/27/19

Queen City Classic Wine Tour with Big Fat World Tours and NC Wine Gals

Background:
The lovely Allie of EatDrinkCLT invited the fairer half of Scallionpancake on an epic North Carolina wine tour back in late July – sorry, Jason, this trip was ladies only. Along with Allie, I joined Sarah from Charlotte Food Scene, Jess from The Sweet Seoul, Julia from CLTChomp, and Amanda who works with Visit Charlotte, a branch of the Charlotte Regional Visitors Authority for a relaxing Sunday of wine tasting and girl talk.

We were accompanied by our guide Jessica, who co-runs NC Wine Gals with her partner Megan (NC Wine Gals is an offshoot of Big Fat World Tours, if you’re looking for even more opportunities for guided travel). We enjoyed the Original Food and Wine Tour which consists of five different stops with tons of wine and food along the journey.

If you’re looking for the Cliff’s Notes, the biggest surprise of the trip was that North Carolina is home to so many nuanced, Italian-inspired wines due to our blessed location in the Piedmont region. We didn’t taste any of the super-sweet Muscadine that often gives NC wine a bad rap. The tour included a wide spectrum of rich and complex wines that I had no idea were made so close to Charlotte. Also, the scenery in Yadkin Valley is just amazing. Especially outside of Raffaldini Vineyards, you could really trick yourself into believing you’d been magically transported to Italy (like The Magic Schoolbus, but with more drunk women). It’s just a stunning part of the world that we’re so lucky to have only a short drive away from home.

We highly recommend the tour for a mini couple’s trip or girls’ getaway (the tour bus takes a minimum of six people and a maximum of 12, so if your group is smaller you’ll be paired up with some new friends!). The tour bus leaves at 10 a.m. and returns around 6 or 6:30 p.m., making it an easy and fun day trip from Charlotte. Oh, and if you book using the code “Charlotte,” you can get $20 off your tour! Yay! Read on to see what you can expect from a daylong adventure with NC Wine Gals.

Eat (DRINK) This:

**Assorted Table Wine Shoppe in 7th Street Market**

Everyone meets at 7th Street Market in Uptown for a breakfast-inspired pairing courtesy of the Assorted Table Wine Shoppe, which is nestled in the back of the market. Here you’ll enjoy your first pairing – a Carolina Riesling with a Krispy Kreme donut! This pairing is quite surprising, because although the Riesling is sweet, the sugar in the donut actually cuts the sweetness of the wine and brings out a depth of flavor that you don’t get when you taste it on its own. So cool! This stop was a great way to get everyone’s energy up for a fun day ahead. I thought I’d be nursing my coffee until we finished our drive to wine country, but that all went out the window with a 10 a.m. glass of wine! Woohoo party time.
After we finished, we all piled into the van, which was super roomy with just six of us. It was a great chance to catch up, and the hour or so drive to the first vineyard flew by! PS, this is also when I started calling the vineyards “breweries” even though I wasn’t tipsy yet. My bad.

**Jones Von Drehle Vineyards**

This vineyard is a stunner, and the only stop where we enjoyed a full wine tasting. It was great to get a detailed tutorial from one of the owners on the wines we were tasting, and we also got to munch on some oyster crackers as a “palate cleanser.” But, let’s be real, a cracker connoisseur like myself considered this an epic snack above all. #oystercrackersforlife.
FUN FACT: This vineyard is owned by two couples who are also in-laws! There is also a good girl vineyard dog named Chloe you should find and pet here at JVD.

**McRitchie Vineyards**

This stop stands out because it’s where we ate BBQ! Heck yes, there’s BBQ on this wine tour, people, in case I haven’t convinced you to sign up yet. Jessica made a glorious tray of delicious BBQ for our lunch, and we paired it with their rich Ring of Fire red, a favorite of mine from the whole tour.

We also had their Ruby Red Port (chilled), which was a delightful surprise, as I usually find port too sweet, but I think the combination of the meat pairing and the cooler temperature of the port mellowed it out. The port was actually the only tasting that I finished its entirety! I am also a lightweight, FYI. You wouldn’t have wanted to see me finish every glass, and if you had seen it, it probably would have been on the news (“Local Woman Blacks Out for Three Days in Vineyard”).

**Raffaldini Vineyards**

This vineyard was my favorite, and I clearly am not alone, because this place was just packed. The grounds genuinely reminded me of Italy, there was live music, I loved their reds, and we had dessert. What else could a girl want?
We tried their famous Montepulciano Riserva (seriously famous – this wine has won awards!) with some meatballs Jessica made, and then paired a Sangiovese with some delicious homemade brownies! Are you seeing the theme here that Jessica is an awesome cook and an excellent wine spirit guide? She was our van DD, chef, and teacher! Who could ask for anything more? We spent a good amount of time here people watching and sitting on their upstairs porch listening to the band. I also bought a bottle of Montepulciano, which ended up being $32 and officially is the fanciest bottle of wine I’ve ever purchased for myself. Top dollar, baby.

**Piccione Vineyards**

The final stop of the trip involved goat cheese and rosé, so it’s safe to say we were all looking forward to this one all day. We paired their Montepulciano Rosé with some goat cheese, honey, and crackers, and it was a lovely ending to a fun day.

FUN FACT: this vineyard was started by a doctor with Italian heritage!

Dessert:
Brownies, of course! I also got another brownie for the road at Raffaldini (they make their own brownies with their Sangiovese, but they also sell brownies from a Greenville bakery that I enjoyed). Brownie options abound, I tell you! PS you can also buy chocolate bars from McRitchie...not that we would know anything about that. Ahem.

Drink This:
Um, see above.

Atmosphere:
Who knew that we had such stunning vistas right in our backyard? It was such a treat to get outside of the city and breathe some fresh air with good friends.

Wine Drunk Hospitality:
Jessica from NC Wine Gals could not have been a better host. She was so laid back, but also kept us to a schedule so we got home at a reasonable hour, dropped all kinds of wine knowledge on us, fed us, and was simply the all-around best tour guide there is. I can’t recommend her or NC Wine Gals enough!

Frankie’s Notes:
I seriously had to read this three times to make sure I didn’t call a vineyard a brewery again; Also, please tell me if I missed one; Wine drunk is just a special kind of drunk, amiright?; Any wine that’s over $12 is a major splurge, and don’t let anyone tell you anything different; There are no other girls I’d rather spend a day drinking wine with! Yay for good friends, booze, and beautiful North Carolina wine country.

Yvonne Ackerman 8/13/19 Yvonne Ackerman 8/13/19

Piedmont Culinary Guild's Sensoria Food & Wine

Background:
We are huge fans of Kris Reid and The Piedmont Culinary Guild, which you may have heard about on this awesome episode of the Scallionpancake podcast. In recent years, PCG has partnered with Central Piedmont Community College to present a food and wine celebration at their Sensoria Art and Literature Festival. Local chefs join with local wineries to create food and wine pairings, and patrons eat, drink, and celebrate Charlotte’s culinary scene. Beyond all of the delicious food and drink, there are even culinary breakout sessions you can attend to get educated on food and wine after you fill your belly with delicious food. The event is held on a spring Sunday, and we have attended the past two years and enjoyed ourselves immensely. It’s really a great opportunity to see the up and coming chefs in the area.

The most fun part is that attendees get to vote on their favorite pairing at the end of the event. Last year, Chef Greg Collier won for his smoked trout and apple salad on cornbread toast. Who won this year? Read on to find out!

Jason couldn’t make it, so I went with good friend of the blog Nancy!

Eat This:

**Santé**

**Chef Adam Reed**
**Roasted pork over pickled slaw and tropical salsa**

**Hello, Sailor**

**Chef Mike Rozycki**
**Spring onion rigatoni with braised pork and Parmigiano Reggiano**

**Zeppelin**

**Chef Vince Giancarlo**
**Piccione Nero braised Springer Mountain Farms chicken thighs, finished on the Big Green Egg with Cheerwine Korean chili BBQ sauce and kimchi pickled vegetables**

**Fahrenheit**

**Chef David Feimster**
**Spicy Yellowtail wonton tacos with chili oil, pickled shallots, green onions, and cilantro**

**Members Food Service**

**Chef Brandon Lopez**
**Gorgonzola panna cotta with pancetta, vanilla and honey popcorn, corn shoots, and lemon-basil microgreens**

**Stoke**

**Chef Chris Coleman**
**Smoked pork belly sweet fry bread with peanut, benne, and chili jam**

Duke’s Bread

**Chef David Quintana**
**Pork katsu with pickled cabbage, black garlic tonkatsu sauce, and potato bread**

**Barberry Lunchbox**

**Chef Majid Amoorpour**
**Wild mushroom and truffle-infused goat cheese crostini**

**Aux Bar**

**Chef Steven Goff**
**Braised rabbit with mustard whip and creamy Farm & Sparrow grits**

**The Fig Tree**

**Chef Greg Zanitsch**
**Smoked duck mousse profiterole with bacon fig chutney, bleu cheese butter, and pickled red onions**

The Stanley

**Chef Paul Verica**
**Beef tartare on brioche with pickled potato, truffle, yolk, and herbs**

**5Church**

**Chef Whitney Thomas**
**Harmony Ridge Farm duck liver mousse with pickled ramps, and huckleberry marmalade on brioche**

Dessert:

**Earl’s Grocery**

**Chef Jamie Turner**
**Apricot tangelo chiffon mousse cake with laurel-lime gastrique with white chocolate crumble**

Who won, you ask? Okay, okay, it was none other than Scallionpancake Podcast favorite, Chris Coleman! His fry bread donut deserved all of the accolades and extra pug fairy dust to boot. That dish was definitely our personal favorite, and we also loved the pork katsu sandwich from Duke’s bread, the profiterole from The Fig Tree, and both desserts.

Drink:
Sensoria is all about the wine, but I am all about not having a hangover Monday morning. I stuck with water. Woo!

Atmosphere:
As Sensoria is presented in conjunction with CPCC, it’s held at the Philip L. Van Every Culinary Arts Building off of King’s Drive. It’s a lovely spot for an event like this with a large professional cooking space, but it does get super crowded with so many chef’s stations and people milling about. We recommend coming early to avoid peak crowds!

Also, the last two years the wonderful people of Blue Goat Dairy have been posted near the entrance sampling their wonderful selection of sweet and savory goat cheeses. They also sell delicious candied pecans!

Piedmont Region Hospitality:
Most of the chefs seem super happy to be at this event and talk to the people, which makes it a great way to get to know the faces behind your favorite restaurants and new discoveries. For restaurants who don’t have chefs who are as…uh, personable, we recommend that they send a smiley surrogate in their place. Trust us, we get it – we wouldn’t want to interface with the sweaty masses of plebeians either, but if you know making small talk isn’t your thing, send your food with an ambassador.

Frankie’s Notes:
The things that Chef Coleman can do with donuts defy logic and break the donut glass ceiling; When in doubt, put a duck on it; Everyone loves the girl drinking water at a wine event; Not all chefs are people-chefs, and that’s a-okay with Frankie; You know what doesn’t pair well with a spicy cabernet? A sweaty plebeian.

Yvonne Ackerman 5/28/19 Yvonne Ackerman 5/28/19

Dorothy Creamery Scallionpancake Loaded Nachos

Background:
Earlier this year, we partnered with Dorothy Creamery to participate in a cheese recipe contest! That’s right – Dorothy Creamery did the impossible: they got us whipping up food in our kitchen rather than ordering off a menu. We were up against a very worthy competitor, Cheese Sex Death, who ultimately took home the crown in our round for her awesome Rose Honey-Baked Brie with Pistachios. Even though our nachos didn’t win, we think they make for a damn fine lunch or game day snack, so we wanted to share the recipe with you! These come together in less than 15 minutes and the end result is colorful, cheesy, and downright tasty. Here’s how we made them!

Who wouldn’t want a bite of these bad boys?

First things first: grab your Dorothy Creamery cheese!

Recipe:

Step One: Fry Up Some bacon

Is there any sweeter sound and smell in the world than that of bacon frying in a pan? We cooked ours in a large cast iron skillet. Once the bacon is on the verge of crispy, remove it from the pan and place it on a paper-towel lined plate, reserving the bacon grease.

Step Three: Add Kettle Chips

Jason had the idea to make nachos for our recipe, and it was also his idea to use kettle chips, which I loved! Everyone uses tortilla chips, but how many people make nachos with a crunchy kettle chip? Genius. I knew I married him for a reason. Add the kettle chips to the pan with the banana peppers and scallions, and then add the cooked bacon back to the pan and mix it all up.

Step Four: Cheese TIME

Let’s get cheesy, people. Grab your Dorothy Creamery cheese. We used two rounds of Comeback Cow and one Keep Dreaming. Cut the rind off of the cheese, and add it to a medium-sized saucepan with heavy cream. Cook on medium heat, stirring consistently until the cheese and cream have melted into a perfect, lump-free cheese sauce.

Step Five: Plate the Nachos

Add the kettle chip mixture to a plate and spoon the cheese sauce over the top. Sprinkle some of the reserved scallions on top, along with some cilantro, if you’re a fan!
Et voila! Optional step: take the cheese to your backyard and get some sexy photographs.

Want to buy some Dorothy Creamery cheese of your own? Use this link to order online, or click here to see where you can buy it locally!

Yvonne Ackerman 5/14/19 Yvonne Ackerman 5/14/19

Harper's Restaurant

Background:
Harper’s has been a Charlotte institution for years. Jason came here often growing up, and it was his grandmother’s favorite place (she ordered the burger, which also just so happens to be my go-to order). Harper’s has grown from the South Park location to several other locations in Charlotte and beyond.

For us, the OG South Park locale is where it’s at, and we were beyond excited to be asked out for a formal tasting last month. Truthfully, we are at Harper’s at least every two weeks, so to be formally invited was such an honor. We think Harper’s is a sleeper hit and that it often doesn’t get the credit it deserves. Read on to see what makes Harper’s such a great part of Charlotte’s dining scene.

Eat This:

“Secret Menu” Blue Cheese Chips

We’re going to let you in on our little secret: Harper’s “secret menu” blue cheese chips. Apparently these used to be on the menu, but you can still get them if you ask nicely. Personally, I like to douse these in a HEAVY pour of hot sauce, but Jason doesn’t like that one bit. You do you. But whatever you decide hot sauce wise: GET THE CHIPS.

Asian Chicken Salad

**Asian chicken, mixed greens, mushrooms, almonds, scallions, and crispy wontons**
The chef told us that this salad is one of their most popular menu items, and it’s a solid option. I’m not usually a chicken breast fan, but theirs is juicy and flavorful, and the crispy blackened bits take it over the top. This was my first time trying this, and I’d order it again!

Harper’s Original Chicken Supremes

These are Jason’s FAVORITES. Seriously. He says Harper’s chicken supremes are the best chicken tenders in town, and just look at that crispy fried batter. You can get an appetizer portion or an entree portion, and they come with their house-cut fries.

Do you think Harper’s Chicken Supremes could be the next SUPREME WITCH in the coven? image credit to SYFY Wire.

House-Cut Fries

These fries take two days to make. They are cut in house, brined, and then fried up to absolute perfection. That golden-brown color isn’t fry face tune, it’s just the mark of a potato treated right. Don’t expect to be able to share these with anyone.

StreetSide Grilled Fish Tacos

**Grilled white fish, fresh corn tortillas, grilled pineapple pickled onion, salsa verde served with Spanish rice & black beans**
**Did someone say Taco Tuesday? Who wants to crowd into the same old tired taco joint as the rest of Charlotte when you can get these beauties? That’s what I thought.**

**DANISH RIBS**

Do you want to eat the screen? Uh, yeah you do. These ribs were fabulous and right outta Denmark, which you know we love. Danish ribs really do come from Denmark, are known for being more tender than traditional American ribs, and have 13 ribs instead of the usual 12. These babies are GOOOOD.

Dessert:

**IRON SKILLET COOKIE**

**Do you like cookies? How about warm cookies? Well, you’re in luck. This iron skillet cookie checks all the boxes, ya’ll.**

Drink:
Harper’s has a full bar, and a great bar area with booth seating and lots of TVs that are always turned to whatever sporting event you want to see. Jason and I always choose to dine in the bar, so he can watch TV while ignoring me. On second thought, maybe this is why he likes Harper’s so much?

Atmosphere:
Harper’s at South Park is huge, which means they rarely run a wait, even when they’re busy. The decor is simple and laid back, and it’s the kind of place you feel you can come as you are. It’s a great place for family get togethers, since there’s something on the menu for everyone. We actually came here after I officially become a Jew, and I still had wet hair from my Mikvah dip. Good times.

All-American Hospitality:
The service at Harper’s is so fast and efficient. One of the things we love about dining here is that we can get in and get out in under an hour, even when they’re busy. Although the visit we’re depicting here is a media visit, we have never had anything but great service, and we seriously come here all the time.

Frankie’s Notes:
The bread at Harper’s is also a secret menu item – they don’t bring it out automatically, but you can get it if you ask! ; Jason loves a restaurant with a TV so he doesn’t even have to pretend to feign interest in whatever I’m talking about;

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.

Yvonne Ackerman 4/16/19 Yvonne Ackerman 4/16/19

Yume Ramen Sushi & Bar

Background:
Yume opened last summer in South End (the Gold District, if you subscribe to such labels #stoptryingtomakegolddistricthappen) after enjoying many years in Matthews. Co-owners and husband and wife Tony Yum and Rosena Tong are serving up mainly Japanese cuisine at Yume, with a focus on sushi and ramen. We sadly never made it to the Matthews location, but we have been in to the new spot for two media events in the last six months, and we wanted to share the beautiful dishes we’ve sampled with you fine folks. We’re hoping to get in for a full meal soon, but in the meantime, feast your eyes on all of this fabulousness.

**Jason “Always Ready to Roll at All Times” Ackerman**

Eat This:

**Hana Roll**

**Crab, Wagyu, & gold leaf**

An assortment of glorious sushi!

**Edamame**

**Does sushi even exist without edamame?**

**Curry Fries**

**A brilliant combination.**

**Grilled Avocado**

**Well, there’s a damn fine idea.**

**Karaage & Takoyaki**

**Karaage is essentially a delicious Japanese chicken nugget, and takoyaki is basically an octopus hush puppy. If you haven’t had either of these, DO NOT PASS GO & RUN STRAIGHT TO YUME.**

**Pork Belly Steam Buns**

**As far as the eye can see.**

All the ramen!

Dessert:

**Matcha Cheesecake**

**A match made in heaven.**

Drink:
The drinks at Yume are so creative and delicious, and they go down like actual candy. Watch out, people.

**Yume Masa**

**AKA “Dreams Come True”**
**Vodka, plum rosé, melon Japanese soda, and cranberry juice. Lined with pop rocks.**

**UbeSawa**

**Made with Japanese sweet yam & tastes like Pez candy. What’s not to love?**

Atmosphere:
It’s a fairly intimate space at Yume, but the restaurant is lined with full length windows to let in gorgeous light on sunny days, and there is ample bar and sushi bar seating in addition to the tables (no booths).

Gold District Hospitality:
Since we’ve only been for media events, we can’t give an unbiased opinion on the service, but we will say that everyone on the staff seems very excited for all of the great things happening in Yume’s kitchen and bar. We also got to meet the awesome Ted, pictured below, who was sadly only a part of Yume’s staff for a brief time.

Frankie’s Notes:
Will you sign our petition to #stoptryingtomakegolddistricthappen?'; Someone has to fight for the big causes in our lives, you know?; Why is this the first time I’m having gold leaf on sushi?; Every culture needs a chicken nugget and taco of some kind; Our friend Ted certainly wasn’t having his best day; Maybe we should have covered him in gold leaf before taking this picture?; RIP Ted.

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.

Yvonne Ackerman 4/2/19 Yvonne Ackerman 4/2/19

Buxton Hall + Hello, Sailor Collaboration Dinner

Background:
On January 31st, 2019, Elliot Moss ventured to Cornelius to partner with The Kindreds for a collaboration dinner at Hello, Sailor. As soon as we heard that this was happening, we immediately bought our tickets. As we’ve mentioned many times before, we go to Buxton Hall every New Year’s Day to enjoy the culinary delights of Moss and his Head Pastry Chef Ashley Capps, so a short drive to Cornelius to enjoy both Moss AND The Kindreds was a no-brainer.

**The best ribs we’ve had outside of Texas**

Eat This:
The other allure of the collaboration dinner was that it was family style, which is something we fell in love with at Noma Under the Bridge. There’s just something about the camaraderie and good vibes at a table filled with like-minded foodies. I was actually worried about the amount of food, since we would be sharing, but that turned out to be a crazy concern, as there was SO.MUCH.FOOD, and even plenty to take home to eat the next day! From the moment we walked in to the moment we left, it was a glorious onslaught of FOOD, FOOD, FOOD.

**Sweet Potato Biscuit**

**Pimento cheese, smoked pork tenderloin ham, garlic jam**
This was hands-down my favorite bite of the night – what a way to start! I love a good ham biscuit, and this was better than any I’ve had. These biscuits were passed along with the below sandwiches and some un-pictured, delicious chicken wings!

**Crispy Clam Roll**

**On milk bread**
OH THE MILK BREAD MADE AN APPEARANCE. How could you have any sort of meal with The Kindreds without milk bread? This was one of Jason’s favorites and mine, and the texture of the lettuce, clam, and milk bread made for such a show-stopping combo.

**pâté en croûte**

**With Bresola & various mustards**
**On our** **podcast with Piedmont Culinary Guild’s Kris Reid**, she said this was her favorite dish of the night! And we can see why. She spoke to how difficult it is to get every part of a pâté en croûte right, and that Moss and Kindred knocked it out of the park.

**Assorted Vegetable Ferments & Pickles**

This was the portion of the meal where the amount of food got insane. These pickles were delicious, but I felt they didn’t get the appreciation they deserved because at this point the dishes started coming out fast and furious!

**Hushpuppies**

**These famous hushpuppies are on Hello, Sailor’s regular menu, and the crispy bites with yuzu kosho-honey butter are always a crowd pleaser.**

**Little Gem Lettuces**

**With Rock crab & winter citrus**
This is very similar to the Citrus Crab Louie salad on Hello, Sailor’s regular menu, and similar to that salad, it was freaking amazing. I actually enjoyed the bulk of my serving the next day for lunch, and it really held up!

**CHarred Napa Cabbage Salad**

**Granny Smith, cucumber, avocado, smoked catfish**
**I didn’t like this salad quite as much as the one above, but Jason liked it more – and he doesn’t even really care for salads, so that’s saying something!**

**Pit-Smoked Crispy St. Louis Ribs**

**Goat cheese white BBQ sauce, onion & poppy seed breadcrumbs, & pickled fennel**
OKAY OKAY OKAY. These ribs. They were the best we’ve had outside of Texas. The goat cheese white BBQ sauce was a mind-blowing, savory flavor explosion, and we pretty much could drink it by the gallon. More goat cheese on ribs, please.

**Whole Smoked Duck**

**With coconut rice & curry**
**I loved this one. A spicy, complex curry sauce paired with perfectly cooked duck. No one does meat like Moss.**

**Green Beans**

**Cooked under a BBQ pig**
These green beans were one of three sides, and they were essentially the same as the green beans cooked under the hog from Buxton Hall. Love them in Asheville, and loved them at this dinner, but they weren’t standout enough with everything else going on, and I felt they could have cut the sides from the menu, as a lot of them went to waste on our end of the table. They also had fingerling potatoes and collard greens, which we didn’t grab a photo of.

**Whole FLounder**

**Mojo verde & roasted chile mayonnaise**
Loved the flavor and preparation here. This is on Hello, Sailor’s regular menu, so you can drive to Cornelius and get it any time. At some point, we just dug into this spicy, crispy fish with our barehands. That’s the kind of bonding that happens at family style dinner – you get so comfortable with the people you’re dining with that you feel like you can be yourself and eat with your hands. It’s a beautiful thing.

Dessert:

**Toasted Oatmeal SAndwich Cookies**

**With butterscotch curd, cardamom mallow cream filling, & cacao nibs**
**I liked these better than the chess pie, but still – far too sweet.**

**To-Go Desserts**

**‘Nilla wafers & passionfruit caramels**
**I loved that Capps did goody bags to-go, and I ate the ‘Nilla wafers and caramels for my “lunch dessert” at work the next day.**

Drink:

**MAMA Ain’t Home**

For some reason, sugary cocktails at Hello, Sailor just sound irresistible, even though I usually don’t order them. This rum-based drink was so good, I had two. And had a very tipsy and fun evening with my new best friends.

**Mocktail**

**Jason’s mocktail! He said it was very good. Look at that adorable little flamingo.**

Atmosphere:
The retro, chill vibe at Hello, Sailor is my favorite in all of the Charlotte area. It just makes me excited every time I walk in, and the anticipatory feelings never let me down – it’s always a good night at Hello, Sailor.

Family Table Hospitality:
We’ve never had anything less than great service at Hello, Sailor or Buxton Hall, and this night was the same. The servers had a lot going on with so many guests and plates, and they managed it all beautifully. Even the lovely Katy Kindred was serving, and she came out at the end of the meal with the chefs to thank everyone for coming, and let us know they’re planning to do more collaboration dinners soon – especially once the weather gets nicer! She is a gem, and her great personality added to the night’s good feelings.

Frankie’s Notes:
If we are breaking bread together, I am going to consider us new best friends; After two Mama Ain’t Home cocktails, I am a damn good time (and also prone to dropping something or putting my foot in my mouth); If you drive north of Charlotte and don’t enjoy milk bread in some form or fashion, you’re doing it wrong; Why can’t we cook everything under a hog? Even hogs?; Frankie and Ollie would like to join for the next collaboration dinner, because they say they’re family too, goshdarnit.

Yvonne Ackerman 3/19/19 Yvonne Ackerman 3/19/19

Legion Brewing Brunch

Background:
The OG Legion Brewing opened in Plaza Midwood in late December 2015 and quickly became a power-player in Charlotte’s competitive brewery scene. While we aren’t huge beer drinkers, we’ve always picked Legion as our favorite brewery because they have a good selection of sweet, fruity beers and a relaxed vibe. Three years after location number one, they opened up a grand South Park location with tall ceilings and an abundance of square footage. We recently checked out brunch at the South Park Legion, and we were very impressed with their offerings. As folks who just don’t drink beer, we both agreed we would come here for the food alone. Chef Gene Briggs runs a very professional kitchen, and we loved everything we tried. Check it out!

Eat This:

**The CUre**

**Roasted pork hash skillet with baked egg, green onions, and Legion hot sauce aoili**
**This is one of the most popular brunch items, probably because hungover people love potatoes. And really, who doesn’t? This is a classic brunch dish, and we really liked the aioli.**

**The ABLT Breakfast Pizza**

**Avocado, bacon, arugula, tomato, eggs, and parmesan aioli**
**Can you go wrong when breakfast meets pizza? That’s a rhetorical question. I hope you didn’t answer aloud to yourself while you were reading – that’s embarrassing!**
**I found this dish a bit hard to eat, but structure aside, Legion makes their pizza crust in-house, and wow, it’s a winner. Make this a fork and knife situation and you’re in business.**

**Baby Spinach & Avocado Salad With Steak**

**Fresh baby spinach, ripe avocado, Campari tomatoes, pickled red onion, toasted pumpkin seeds with an orange lime dressing**
Love the amount of avocados and eggs on the menu. I felt so strong after this brunch, like I could lift a car off a baby (or a baby pug). And now steak! My protein cup runneth over. I would order this again, but I would like to sub out the spinach for another lettuce, because I firmly believe that spinach only belongs in a smoothie and/or out of my life forever.

**Pork Belly Grilled CHeese**

**Collard greens, cheese, and a fried egg**
This was a special on the day we went, and they actually kept it on for a while because it was so popular. And yes, it was as good as it looks. They had been making it with pork cheek, but they ran out and were using pork belly. We had zero complaints on this substitution.
**Also, it was *super* nice of that alien to drop in and pose with this sandwich, but his creepy pink hand is making me uncomfortable!**

Dessert:

Drink:
Okay, okay – we don’t drink beer. Seriously, they brought it out and we didn’t drink it. So embarrassing. However, we do indulge in a cocktail, and hot damn, they had one of the best we’ve had in a while. They use (Scallionpancake podcast featured guest!) Farmers First coffee to make a perfect martini. Of course, we didn’t take a picture of it, because we were too busy fighting over it. Jason drank 3/4 of it, for the record. They also had a good “Southern Mary” made with jalapeño bacon and house-made Bloody Mary mix, but seriously, get the Farmers First Martini if you aren’t a beer drinker!

**Look at all these beers that starving children could have gotten buzzed on!**

**No picture of the martini, but plz enjoy this picture of my son and me! Also my weird hairline and the close-up on my leggings digging into my flesh.**

Atmosphere:
Again, this location is downright impressive – it wows you as soon as you walk in the door. Three huge taps are the focal point of the bar and restaurant, and they span all the way up to the second floor. Yes, a brewery with two stories. The decor has a very similar vibe to Asheville’s Sierra Nevada (granted it’s a heck of a lot smaller) in that it’s brewery with a touch of upscale class.

South Park Brewery Hospitality:
Since this was a media tasting, we can’t rate the service, but we really loved our server, Brooks, and we have had good service whenever we’ve visited the Midwood location on our own. You tell us, have you had good service here? We’re really trying to get our comments section bumping. If you’ve never been to Legion, then comment anyway and tell us your favorite type of muffin!

Frankie’s Notes:
What’s it like being the jerks who go to a brewery tasting and don’t drink beer? We’ll never tell, sorry; Frankie doesn’t want to go into great detail, but in all honesty beer makes him bloat up like a little pug balloon; Has anyone ever tried to fly by jumping off the second floor of Legion onto the ant people? You should try it!; Just kidding, don’t sue the Pancake; You know who’s my favorite muffin? YOU.

**Don’t say it, don’t say it…ugh fine: YOLK PORN**

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.

Yvonne Ackerman 3/12/19 Yvonne Ackerman 3/12/19

Meat & Potatoes: Redefining Charlotte's Stereotype

Background:
We were so honored to receive an invite to Unpretentious Palate’s Meat & Potatoes Dinner back in February. At the time of the dinner, we had just recently heard about the fabulous Kristen Wile on NPR, and we were so intrigued by this amazing rockstar food journalist who had just struck out on her own. Of course, now we are BFFs with Wile, who recently joined us on the Scallionpancake podcast!

Wile held this event at Uptown’s Stoke, one of our favorite places, which only made us more excited. However, this day we had TWO other food events, so by the time we got to this one we felt as though we were taking part in an extreme eating competition.

The premise of the event was simple and brilliant: to redefine Charlotte’s stereotype as a “meat and potatoes” town by creating dishes with unusual preparations of meat and potatoes, and also to showcase different cuts and varieties of meat in an effort to build a more sustainable dining scene. We ate beef tongue, liver, venison, and more – and we loved every second. Wile invited our city’s premier culinary minds to each create a dish for the event, and the menu showcased a true “who’s who” in the Charlotte food scene. We got to geek out over Chef Alyssa, Chef Jamie Barnes, and other chefs we got to know by name after sampling the evening’s delicacies.

Eat This:

**Off-Cut Grillade**

**With a sweet potato grit cake**
**Chef Matthew Krenz**
This was our “opening bite,” and it really started the night off strong with bright flavors and a richness that didn’t translate into heaviness. The grillade in this instance was made from beef brisket, which is one of Jason’s favorites. Krenz was the Executive Chef at The Asbury until November, and as of right now he is a stay-at-home dad, so we were lucky to taste his food at this event! Krenz also emceed the event along with Wile, and we enjoyed his humor and personality just as much as the food.

**Venison Tartare**

**With coriander, gin gastrique, and potatoes**
**Chef Ben Philpott**
Chef Philpott is from The Stanley, and if you’re familiar with Paul Verica’s restaurant, you know that this dish’s artistic style has The Stanley written all over it. We loved the color and the flavor the romanesco brought, and we’re always game (get it) for a tartare. I’d never tried venison tartare, and it was at once lean and full of flavor.

**Beef Tongue Marmalade**

**With tallow and potato biscuits and potato peel “cracklin’”**
**Chef Jamie Barnes**
We hadn’t actually tried Chef Barnes’ popular *What the Fries* food truck until after this event (Jason has gone since!), but we were already huge fans of him on Instagram (welcome to modernity, am I right?). This dish was hands-down my favorite of the night, and I have that opinion in common with our recent podcast guest, Ashley Boyd, who sat next to me at this event. #blessed #touchedbyanangel
I had seen Barnes post about these biscuits on social media prior to the event, and I was drooling. Anything made with potato and beef fat and I am SO there. I had never had beef tongue anything, but spooning the sweet and savory mix on top of the biscuits just made my night, honestly. The crispy potato on top was the icing on the proverbial cake.

**Chicken-Fried Liver**

**With potato crust, marinated fennel salad, oxtail and mushroom gravy, and potato puree**
**Chef Alyssa Wilen**
**Chef Alyssa, as she’s known in Charlotte, is just that: *known* in Charlotte.** **Everyone loves this fabulous lady’s brunch** and cooking classes, and she is a Queen City staple. Everyone at our table, us included, just lost it over this dish. Who knew liver could be such a hit? I found out this night that Jason apparently grew up eating liver, but this was another first for me. I don’t know that I’d love just anyone’s preparation of liver, but the potato crust and fennel salad on top made this liver-nirvana. I’ll eat liver every night if Chef Alyssa is making it.

**Smoked & Braised Goat**

**With whipped chèvre, spiced crispy boniato sweet potato, herb verde, and petite greens**
**Chef Chris Coleman**
To quote my husband and Borat: “GOAT.” We are huge goat fans, so its deliciousness wasn’t new to us, but man – the spices in this dish were so unreal. Very Mediterranean-inspired, and the texture of the potatoes and greens with the tender meat just blended together perfectly.
Chef Coleman works at Stoke, so it’s no surprise that we were fans of his dish. He has a way with making just a few ingredients pop. I also loved the plating on this one – it was even prettier in person.

Dessert:

**Potato Truffle Tart**

**Porter & pork fat butterscotch, banana crémeux, hazelnut crumble, potato crisps**
**Chef Sam Allen**
Meat and potatoes in the dessert? To quote our lord and savior Sarah Palin: You betcha. We had somehow made it to this event without hearing about Chef Allen, who formerly worked as the pastry chef at The Fig Tree and is now full time at her own business, a **“dessert camper”** **named Wentworth + Fenn.**
**This dessert was not only a chocolate vision, it tasted heavenly, too. The butterscotch was richly complex with the added pork fat, and I loved the crunchy potato chip on top.**

**Mignardise**

**Pine nut tassie with foie jam**
**Chef Sam Allen**
Chef Allen: I love you, can I purchase 1000 of these from you? I actually liked these bites more than the main dessert, because I am just a foie gras monster, I guess (according to some overzealous PETA Instagram ambassadors who like to follow Scallionpancake, ahem). The buttery cookie with the jammy sweetness of the foie jam? HEAVEN.

Drink:
There were amazing cocktail and wine pairings provided by Stoke’s sommelier Todd Brinkman. We didn’t get the pairing, because they are usually lost on us because we can’t keep up with the pace of one drink every one to two dishes without vomiting (not great etiquette, vomiting at the table), so I stuck with a glass of “Pink Belly” rosé (the wine paired with the venison) and Jason had unsweet tea. However, I fell in deep, deep love with Brinkman, who came around and poured me a second glass when he had just enough left for one glass in his bottle after everyone who had the pairing had been served. He came around and simply said: “Because I can” and poured me another. Hat’s off to you, Brinkman. A gentleman and a scholar.

Atmosphere:
We have waxed poetic about Stoke and its interior on another blog post, but this was really just a perfect spot for this event with the open kitchen and abundance of family style tables. It also has a great warm, glowy light that I think makes any evening that much more special.

**Forever rapt when it comes to food slash SITTING NEXT TO ASHLEY BOYD**

Meat & Potatoes Hospitality:
The night could not have been lovelier or filled with better vibes. Being in a room of people who care about food and sustainability is like Disney World for Jason and me. Being hosted by Wile and Krenz provided a great mix of friendliness, humor, and information that made this more than a meal – it was a well-rounded culinary experience. We can’t wait to go to more events hosted by Wile and Unpretentious Palate. We highly recommend that everyone reading signs up to become an Unpretentious Palate member. You’ll get access to unbiased food reviews, breaking culinary news, and VIP invites to great events like this one.

Frankie’s Notes:
Going to three food events in one day is a sure-fire recipe from a stomach ache, FYI; I am going to start making beef fat arts and crafts: beef fat caftans, beef fat paintings, etc.; You do not want to get too wild at an event and throw up on Ashley Boyd; Mr. Brinkman is the magical wine genie we all need but don’t deserve; I also have a “dessert camper,” but it’s just me eating Trader Joe’s snacks in my Toyota Corolla – does that count?; If you haven’t already signed up to be a UP member, Frankie wants you to know he isn’t angry, but he’s certainly disappointed.

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.

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Background:

Background:

Eat This:

Welcome Home

Milpa Alta

Mone with Wild Mushrooms & Blue Crab

Lobster Cocktail with guava & Coconut Foam

Cured Trout from

Zitácuaro in Yuzu “Aquachile,” infused Oil of flowers & horseradish and an emulsion of oysters

Charred Mamey Tartare with “escamoles” and “crema De Rancho” infused in Melipona Bee Honey

Fish “A La Tumbada”

Atocpan-Style & a Selection of Wild Mushrooms in an Emulsion of Butter & Pitiona

Roasted Cabbage, Scallops, & Artichoke Cream with “Chile Ancho”

“Pibil” Duck “Panucho,” Oven-Baked Onions, & Fried Almond Puree

Dessert:

CACTUS SORBET

Jerusalem Artichoke

Drink:

Jason’s Single Drink

Drink #1

Drink #2

What’s My Name Again?

Atmosphere:

Two Tasting Meals in One Day Hospitality:

Frankie’s Notes:

Rating: 5 out of 5 with 2 Michigan Pugs

Background:

Eat This:

BELT

Reuben

Avocado Toast

Potato latke

Drink:

Iced Coffee

Frankie’s Notes:

Pimento Cheese Scones

Vadouvan Cauliflower

Tuna Tartare

Shrimp & Grits

“Fried Chicken”

Carbonara

Halibut

48-Hour Short Rib “Pastrami”

Cherry Dessert

Peach Cobbler

Vanilla Cake

S’mores

Rating: 5 out of 5

Dish

Soul GastrolOunge

Cilantro Noodle

The Diamond

YAFO Kitchen

Grilled Peaches

Pimento CHeese Beignets

Shrimp Cocktail

Filet Mignon

RIBEYE

SCALLOPS

Halibut

DUCK

Cowboy RIBEYE Filet

Scallops

Lobster Mac & Cheese

Bucatini

Gnocchi

Ice Cream Trio

Dessert Trio

Mel’s Campfire

Rating: 5 out of 5

Rating: 4 out of 5

Undercurrent Coffee

The Batch House

Lincoln’s Haberdashery

Coco & The Director

Hex Coffee

Eat This:

Magnify

Roses are red

Mole