Yvonne Ackerman 3/5/19 Yvonne Ackerman 3/5/19

Flour Shop

Background:
Flour Shop opened early 2018 under Trey Wilson, the owner and chef of Customshop in Elizabeth. Jason and I are big fans of Customshop (although we haven’t been in forever), so we were super excited when Flour Shop came to the Backlot of Park Road Shopping Center. We like Flour Shop so much that it made our Top 25 Restaurants in Charlotte list last year, and we can’t believe we haven’t given you a more detailed run down before now! Read on to get the scoop on what we deem the best pasta in Charlotte.

Eat This:
The star of the show at Flour Shop is the house-made pasta, but the other offerings on the well-curated menu shouldn’t be ignored.

**House-made Foccacia**

**I wish they brought out this bread in unlimited quantities. That’s my only complaint.**

**Grilled UGF Mushrooms, January ‘19**

**Caesar-style, with radicchio**
**I love, loved the bitterness of the radicchio with the whole mushrooms. This version was better than the previous iteration below.**

**Grilled UGF Mushrooms, March ‘18**

**Caesar-style**
**Good last March, but definitely much improved in the latest version.**

**Barbecued Spanish Octopus**

**With stewed corona beans, house-made chorizo, & grilled ciabatta**
**So rich and savory. Perfect for a cold night.**

**House-made Burrata**

**Butternut squash and burnt-honey vinaigrette**
This dish has to be a top-seller for them––it’s all over Instagram, and I always see it at nearly every table. And for good reason: it’s fabulous. This one looks a bit different these days (this photo is also from the March visit), but I am confident it’s just as delicious.

**Butter Lettuce Salad**

**With Granny Smith apples & pickled onions**
**This salad inspired me to go out and buy butter lettuce. Why is butter lettuce so good? The most refreshing salad I’ve had in a while.**

**Benton’s Ham Croquettes**

**with Manchego fondue**
**These have been on the menu since the beginning, and we can see why. Whenever we see Benton’s ham, we go for it. And with hot cheese? Oh dang.**

**Ricotta Stuffed Ravioli**

**With mushrooms & squash**
**Little pillows of flavor perfection. The sweet squash purée added such a lovely dimension to the mushrooms and cream sauce.**

**Ricotta Ravioli**

**Red sauce, red peppercorns, Marcona almonds, crispy kale and pecorino Romano cheese**
I liked this red sauce version of the ricotta ravioli (from March), but I must say the above, more recent version is better. And that’s coming from a girl who nearly always goes red sauce over cream sauce.

**Prime Rib**

**On special, served with a baked potato**
**Jason’s order. His thoughts: well-cooked, but the sauce was far too sweet and spoiled the flavor of the meat.**

**Squid Ink linguine**

**With shrimp & chorizo**
**Wayne’s order! He said he liked it very much, and I can concur, since I ate his leftovers. Fabulous! Wayne isn’t always easy to please, so you know this one’s a keeper.**

Dessert:
The dessert offerings are slim. On our first visit, they didn’t have dessert yet, and the last time we were in they had cookies and a bread pudding.

**Bread Pudding**

**With ice cream**
**Good, not great. They need a more robust dessert menu, stat.**

Drink:
A great wine selection and fun cocktails. On our last visit, I saw a lot of people drinking their Blood Orange Spritz, which looked quite refreshing.

Atmosphere:
Flour Shop is super tiny. There are only about 15 tables, and you can also order the full menu from the bar. The bar is a great place to sit, since you can watch the chefs in action in the open kitchen. The feel is rather fancy and very Myers Park (in the Myahhs Pahhk way), and there are lots of couples on dates.

Image courtesy of Charlotte Agenda — Image courtesy of *Charlotte Agenda*

Backlot Hospitality:
Hm. We’ve had great service here, and rather rude service. As in, our server made us feel that our visit was a massive inconvenience. This was on our last visit, and truthfully, it has possibly put us off going back in for a while. As you know, service can make or a break a dining experience, and I hope that our bad one was an anomaly.

Frankie’s Notes:
The parking situation at Park Road Shopping Center is a literal hell on Earth, which is rather ironic considering the word “park” is right in the name; Myahhs Pahhk is a state of mind, not an area of Charlotte––if you know, you know; A dessert menu should not be an afterthought, in Scallionpancake’s opinion; Do you think Wilson would be willing to call his next restaurant Pug Shop?

Rating: 4 out of 5

Yvonne Ackerman 1/29/19 Yvonne Ackerman 1/29/19

Inizio Pizza Napoletano

Background:
Grant Arons opened Inizio in March 2016, and there are now two locations, the original in Ballantyne and one in Dilworth. Arons makes his pizza according to the strict standards set by the governing body of Neapolitan pizza. The flour, tomatoes—even the water used for the dough—are all imported from Italy. The pizzas cook for 90 seconds in a super-hot wood-fired oven, and they are best eaten immediately after cooking. Inizio recommends not getting the pizza cut into slices if you’re taking it to-go, as this can cause the crust to get soggy. However, we are bad pizza-eaters, and we usually get ours cut and to-go, because we don’t own a pizza cutter for some reason, and pizza is best eaten on the couch in front of the TV.

We have been to Inizio several times for blog promotions, but we are regularly there on our own dime as well. What is our go-to pizza? You’ll see below that we've pretty much tried the whole menu by now, but we certainly have our favorites!

Eat This:
Inizio is not a build-your-own pizza joint, rather they have some tried and tested flavor combinations you can get in a choice of two sizes. You can add or subtract toppings, but they recommend you go with one of their concoctions. We also think that you should trust their combinations, because they are darn good.

**PISTACCHIO**

**Rosemary, sea salt, ricotta, Buffalo Mozzarella, garlic, pistachio pesto sauce, pistachios**

**NAPOLETANA**

**Anchovy, Kalamata olives, San Marzano tomato sauce, Buffalo Mozzarella, basil**

**MARGHERITA**

**San Marzano tomato sauce, Buffalo Mozzarella, basil, garlic, Pecorino**

**CAPRICCIOSA**

**Artichoke, prosciutto ham, mushroom, San Marzano tomato sauce, Buffalo Mozzarella**

**DIAVOLA**

**Spicy salami, Calabrian pepper, San Marzano tomato sauce, Buffalo Mozzarella, Pecorino**

One of our favorite things about Inizio is their seasonal offerings. You never know what direction they’ll go in for the future, but here are the ones they’ve had in the past:

Spring Pizza

**Pizza Di Parma**

**Imported prosciutto, roasted asparagus, Buffalo Mozzarella, garlic, sea salt, & Pecorino**

Summer Pizza

**Limone Capra**

**Thinly sliced lemons, fig jam, goat cheese ricotta, Buffalo Mozzarella, & fresh thyme**

Autumn Pizza

**Pumpkin Pizza**

**Pumpkin, basil, Buffalo Mozzarella, ricotta**

Winter Pizza

**Pizza Toscana**

**Potato, sausage, & kale, with a creamy vegetable base**
**From Winter 2019**

**Patate al forno**

**Paper thin red skin potatoes, rosemary, sea salt, smoked mozzarella & Buffalo Mozzarella**
**From Winter 2018**

Dessert:
Cannoli and gelato from scratch--what more is there to say? In addition to the staple chocolate chip, pistachio, and lemon cannoli, Inizio offers a seasonal cannoli, too, and last summer had a v. v. special dessert pizza!

OG Cannoli

Spring Cannoli

**Oreo**

**Photo courtesy of** **Inizio’s Instagram page**

Summer Dessert Pizza

**summer PIzza**

**Nutella marshmallow s’mores pizza!**

Autumn Cannoli

**Pumpkin**

**with white chocolate chips**

Winter Cannoli

**Apple Crumb Pie**

**From Winter 2019**

**Peppermint Mocha**

**From Winter 2018**

Drink:
Inizio offers wine, beer, soft drinks and UpDog Kombucha, but they also have really fun house-made juices and teas, like peach iced tea, strawberry lemonade, and others.

Atmosphere:
Both locations have tall ceilings and a bustling atmosphere, since they are both constantly busy. They frequently host musicians and often hold events with the SPCA, which we think is so wonderful! There are lovely patios at both locations, too.

Napoletano Hospitality:
You order at the counter at Inizio and your order is brought out to your table. The service is quick and polite. You can also order online and your pizza will be ready when you arrive, if you’d rather eat your pie at home, like us!

The finished product of the above photo shoot!

Frankie’s Notes:
Frankie was always on Team Inizio during the Scallionpancake #pizzawars of 2017; Not sure what would be so hard about adding a pizza cutter to my next Amazon cart, but for some reason it just doesn’t happen; Inizio: we are sorry we get the pizza cut!! The Limone Capra is the best pizza we’ve had outside of Italy, no joke; Frankie loves that Inizio does pizza fundraisers in honor of pups like him––thanks, Inizio!

Rating: 4 out of 5

Yvonne Ackerman 1/15/19 Yvonne Ackerman 1/15/19

The Stanley

Background:
Paul Verica opened The Stanley in May 2018, after shutting down his popular Heritage Food + Drink in late 2017. The Stanley has a larger kitchen than Heritage, which allows Verica and his son and Sous Chef Alex to amp up their culinary greatness beyond what they’d already achieved in Waxhaw.

The pedigree behind the Vericas is no joke: The elder Verica was a James Beard semi-finalist for Best Chef in the Southeast in 2017, Heritage was named number one by Charlotte Magazine in 2015, and, ahem, The Stanley ranked at number three by yours truly in 2018. We think the dishes coming out of the kitchen at The Stanley are beyond exciting, and we also think it’s downright charming that they’re coming from a dynamic father/son team (Jason knows a thing or two about that magic).

Eat This:
The menu changes nearly daily; on our second visit in late December, they were already up to menu number 130 after only being open since May! The offerings are farm-driven, seasonal, and richly flavored. Recently, they started offering brunch from 11 a.m.-2 p.m. on the weekends, and burgers after 9 p.m. on Friday and Saturday nights. There is also a private dining area you can reserve for larger parties or events.

**Foie Gras**

**Pecans, apples, ginger, butternut**
**The creamy foie gras on the toasted brioche was a revelation. Our favorite dish out of both visits.**

**Surf & Turf**

**Veggie slaw, beef tartare, fried oysters, truffle aioli**
**We were fighting over every bite of this one. And that presentation!**

**Beef Tartare**

**Radishes, greens, egg, capers, and flat bread**
**Can you ever go wrong with tartare? They let the flavor of the meat shine through with simple seasoning and accoutrements. A+.**

**Asparagus**

**“As many ways as we could think of”**
**The compressed asparagus on the bottom layer had a great texture and was loaded with fresh, green flavor.**

Sunchoke Chips

**Spicy mayo**
**This is one of the dishes they’ve brought over from Heritage, and we can see why. Ultra-snackable.**

**Scallop**

**Butternut, curry, carrots, sesame, pea shoots, mustard greens, ginger**
**We were huge fans of the light broth and added vegetables that highlighted the melt-in-your-mouth scallop.**

**Trout**

**Risotto, beets, spinach, red wine**
**The trout was prepared perfectly, and the risotto was a big hit with our table. Also dug the bright beet color of the risotto.**

**Raviolo**

**Short ribs, goat cheese, truffle, arugula, shrooms, broth**
**This dish wasn’t a looker, but the flavors were multi-layered and the broth added a rich umami.**

**Quail**

**Chicken-fried, cheddar grits, collards, gravy**
**I don’t eat corn (hey grits), but Jason and Olivia (of UpDog Kombucha!) described it as juicy, tender, and well-seasoned.**

**Duck Breast**

**Rutabaga, turnips, carrots, swiss chard, demi-glace**
**Jason says: carrot & duck is the new Starsky & Hutch. Is there anything else you need to know? This duck did not die in vain.**

**Steam Buns**

**Fried chicken, kimchi, Alex’s glaze**
**These put all other steam buns in our city to shame. You know who I’m talking about. Or do you?**

**Beets**

**Blue cheese, herbs, and “stuff”**
**Presentation is perhaps the best I’ve seen in Charlotte. This is the most beautiful palette of beets ever created. It tasted light and spring-like, which was perfect when we had it back in May.**

**Foie Gras Funnel Cake**

**WIth strawberries a few ways**
**This was the dish that first got us in the door back in May. You had us at foie gras. Very tasty, and obviously very fun to look at and eat!**
Also, someone commented on our Instagram that we shouldn’t be eating foie gras and that we were inhumane. We’ll tell you what’s inhumane: passing up foie gras when you have the chance to eat it. Especially in a funnel cake. Good day.

**Arancini**

**Pork belly, blue cheese, cider**
**These were a bit underwhelming, but we admittedly aren’t the biggest fans of arancini to begin with.**
**Also, who’s that pug in the background?! It’s UpDog Kombucha Olivia! YAY.**

Dessert:
The wonderful Ashley Boyd was in charge of the pastry program at Heritage, and at The Stanley, that honor goes to Morgan Romeo. Her treats are next-level delicious and innovative. Whatever you do, don’t skip dessert at The Stanley.

**Peanut Butter Cup**

**Powdered peanut butter on top and mouthwatering chocolate on the bottom. They should have this one on the menu permanently.**

**Swiss Roll**

**White chocolate, pistachio, cranberry**
**A flashback to childhood, only a million times better. Those tiny meringues!**

Drink:
Our BFF Larry Suggs helped The Stanley start their cocktail program, and boy, did he ever get things off on the right foot. Some of the most Instagram-worthy drinks in the city are served with a strong pour. Drink up.

**Honey Mocktail**

**Mr. Suggs made Jason this honey mocktail that he hasn’t stopped raving about since.**

**Queen City Duchess**

**Casamigos Reposado, cranberry cordial, Cocchi Americano Apertif, lime**
I could have had four of these, and the one I did have went down in five minutes flat. Casamigos tequila is the greatest thing George Clooney ever put his beautiful hands on. Also, can I be the Queen City Duchess? Please?

Atmosphere:
The interior is perhaps one of our favorite parts, and that’s saying something. It’s warm and inviting, and it feels like you are in your rich neighbor’s library. We’re talking carpet, strategically-placed books, and rich wood accents. Carpet in a restaurant is an unexpected surprise these days, and we really dig it. Coziness plus. The bar has a fun vibe, and we’ve seen people chilling here for hours. Bottom line: it’s the kind of place you want to linger.

Verica Dynasty Hospitality:
Not hyperbole––the service at The Stanley is some of the best we’ve had in the city. The waiters take their time explaining each dish and we’ve always felt exceedingly well taken care of.

Frankies Notes:
What happens when you drop some aioli on that carpet, though?; I want a Romeo-made version of all of my favorite childhood desserts, like the brownie that came inside of my frozen Kid Cuisine TV dinner; Great father/son duos: Paul & Alex, Bernie & Jason, Marlin & Nemo, Jason & Frankie; When they’re taking votes for Queen City Duchess, please keep me and Frankie at top of mind.

Rating: 5 out of 5

Jason Ackerman 9/25/18 Jason Ackerman 9/25/18

The Truth is Out There: Siggy's Good Food

Background:
When we first heard of Siggy’s, we weren’t sure what to expect. The name and logo came off as a bit kitschy, and the alien theme threw us off a bit. But we had heard good things, especially from New Yorkers who went to the original locations in Brooklyn Heights and the Village. And if a New Yorker says something is good, we always believe them. So we headed on over to Belmont, an up and coming neighborhood in Charlotte in between NoDa and Plaza Midwood, to see if the alien hype was to be believed. Whether you believe in aliens or not, Siggy’s Good Food does indeed have good food, and it’s worth a visit.

Siggy’s is owned by Siggy Solitto, a feisty Israeli who isn’t afraid to tell you how it is, like that Charlotte needs some good bakeries, or that the NYC restaurant scene is becoming too expensive for small restaurants like hers to survive. Her restaurant is 100% organic, and she doesn’t accept crappy produce. Quality shines through in her simple and thoughtfully prepared menu. You think you’ve had a good beet and goat cheese salad? Wait until you’ve tried Siggy’s. The flavors and textures of her dishes are outstanding, craveable, and left us wanting more days later.

Eat This:
Siggy opened up her first restaurant in Brooklyn in 2005, her second in lower Manhattan in 2012, and she decided to move south in 2018 for a better lifestyle. In Belmont, she is recreating the neighborhood feel of her first location in Brooklyn. Her menu has changed somewhat from its NYC iteration, most notably missing is her famous Happy Burger, which she says she might reprise once the restaurant settles in.

The current menu is broken up into three main sections: Salads, Sandwiches, and Bountiful Earth Sides. We haven’t tried everything on the yet, but what we’ve tried has been great.

**Artichokes**

**Siggy serves baby artichokes with the stems intact. These were tender and simply flavored with oil oil and salt.**

**Red Beets, almonds, & Goat Cheese Salad**

**tender beets, sliced almonds, baby greens, creamy goat cheese, in lemon vinaigrette**
**The beets were perfectly al-dente. The combination of the crunchy almonds, creamy goat cheese, and earthy beets made for a healthy and delicious combination.**

**All Mighty Tuna - Wild caught**

**in olive oil, lemon & paprika, clover sprouts, tomatoes, baby greens, and vegan mayo.**
**This is not your average tuna sandwich. We’ve all had crappy canned tuna, and I wouldn’t wish that upon my worst enemy.**

**Organic steak sandwich grass fed**

**Marinated in rosemary, sautéed mushrooms, onions, baby greens, and herbs vegan mayo**
**Try and find a better $12 steak sandwich, I dare you. The magic here? It’s the marinade, which makes the steak so juicy.**

Drink:
Siggy’s is known for their organic smoothies and juices, which range from Jason (all fruit) to Yvonne (all vegetables). All are made right in front of you with all natural, organic ingredients.

**Raw Almond Protein Shake & Flu Shot**

I tried the Raw Almond Smoothie, which had raw almond butter, dates, banana, and almond milk. It was delicious, and a meal in itself. Yvonne tried a Flu Shot juice, which contained greens, lemon, ginger, cayenne pepper, and echinacea. Yvonne had one sip of my Raw Almond Smoothie and claims she has been thinking about it since.

Atmosphere:
Siggy’s designed the restaurant herself, and the vibe is very relaxed and inviting. There are floor to ceiling windows and a very large patio. You order at the counter, and you can sit and relax or take your order to go. Siggy told us she’s happy when people hang out, and she’d love it if people would treat Siggy’s as the neighborhood hangout. Of course, keep an eye out for all the aliens—they’re everywhere.

Alien Hospitality:
Siggy, her niece, and the rest of the alien crew are fantastic. They treat you like family from the moment you walk in and remember you the next time you show up. What more do you want from a neighborhood spot?

Frankie’s Notes:
Belmont is up and coming, but definitely not quite there yet; Make sure you stop and look both ways at the stop sign in front, because it’s not a four-way stop sign, and we almost killed ourselves twice; We are 100% Ancient Astronaut Theorists, I mean, how were the pyramids built?; We didn’t even talk about the parsley hummus, but that stuff is good, too; Never mess with an Israeli, because they can kill you in less than seconds.

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

Jason Ackerman 9/18/18 Jason Ackerman 9/18/18

Bardo Ushers in New Era of Fine Dining in Charlotte

Background:
We often ask ourselves why Charlotte isn’t a culinary destination like Charleston or Asheville. There are a lot of theories: as Mrs. Purvis posits, we are a business town that caters to national chain steakhouses, people are too conservative to try fancy new things, etc. This is all part of the story, but the Scallionpancake theory goes something like this: each city needs one great chef who leads the way, and then that greatness has a trickle down effect on others, who are then moved to create their own food legacy. Slowly and steadily, the right chef can lead a food renaissance in a city and put a location on the culinary map.

Take Copenhagen for example. Copenhagen was not a food town 20 years ago. In fact, most of the good seafood and ingredients were being exported to Southern Europe for Italian and Spanish consumption. It took a great chef, Rene Redzepi, to show Copenhagen and the world what great Danish food can be. Now, everywhere you go in Copenhagen, there is a restaurant opened by a former Noma employee who has helped turn the Danish capital into the best food city in the world. Why can’t Charlotte turn into the next Copenhagen?

I’m not saying chef/co-owner of Bardo Mike Noll is going to create the number one restaurant in the world like Rene Redzepi, but he’s creating flavors, textures, and “aha” moments like we’ve never had in Charlotte. He is gambling that Charlotte is ready for a 44 seat restaurant with $20 small plates. Really, really great plates, that is. Is Charlotte ready? I sure hope so. It’s not every day a chef like Noll comes on the Charlotte scene.

Eat This:
Bardo has 13 savory and 3 sweet dishes on its menu, ranging in price from $9 charred shishito peppers to $23 dry aged ribeye. The dishes are small and meant to be shared between a few people. Jayson Whiteside, co-owner and proprietor of the front of the house, tells us that there will soon be larger family style dishes as well.

**Oysters**

**yuzu, grains of paradise, oyster leaf**
**Small oysters pack a lot of flavor, especially when you add yuzu and sprinkle on some grains for texture.**

**Tempura Maitake**

**fermented black bean, brown butter, mushroom sponge**
**This reminded us of a dish in Copenhagen at** **108. The mushroom here is so meaty, and the acidic fermented mushrooms and black bean sauce are a nice contrast.**

**Dry Aged Ribeye**

**kimchi butter, carolina gold rice, wakame**
**The kimchi Carolina gold rice with wakame cracker makes this dish special and adds a local touch to the ribeye, which was perfectly seasoned and cooked.**

**egg and grains**

**poached egg, kale, escabeche**
Per Whiteside, this is the most underrated dish on the menu, and I’m sure most people don’t order it because it doesn’t contain a meat and doesn’t sound sexy. Well let me tell you people, this dish is as sexy as it gets. Mix the grains in with the poached egg and take a wild euphoric ride on a rainbow of flavor.

FySJLKG%SOC8tvRuBHebYQ.jpg — **Lamb Belly**

**carrot, mustard, cocoa nib, rhubarb**
**We’ve only seen lamb belly at one other place around town, and that was at** **Global Restaurant** in Pineville. In Scallionpancake’s opinion, lamb belly puts pork belly to shame. The combination of flavors and textures here is next level. The grainy mustard seed with the crunchy and bittersweet cocoa creates such a perfect earthiness with the carrot and gamey flavor of the lamb. If you have the willpower to not order a second serving, god bless you

beef tartare.jpg — **Beef Tartare**

**egg yolk jam, radish, togarashi**
This was a texture dish through and through. The beef is seasoned with a nice togarashi spice that adds a kick. The crispy dehydrated mushrooms on top added to the complex texture, as well as the egg yolk jam.

**Diver Scallops**

**Japanese cucumber, chicken skin, fermented hot sauce**
**I watched Chef plate this dish, and it had so many levels of complexity that the picture doesn’t do it justice.**
**The first level is the fermented hot sauce, then the chicken skins, then the Japanese cucumber and scallops. The scallops are sliced thin so you get the seared taste on most of the bites.**
**This was so spectacular, that it wouldn’t have been out of place on the seafood menu at** **Noma**.

**Cobia**

**dashi, mustard greens, smoked trout roe**
**This was my favorite dish. I loved the flavor of mustard leaves combined with the most well-cooked, meaty Cobia I’ve ever had.**

**Ricotta Tortellini**

**green curry, coconut, cauliflower, peanut**
**Italian pasta meets Thai flavors in this dish. It’s not often you get to experience stuffed pasta with crunchy coconut flakes and and curry sauce. The flavor here was amazing.**

Desserts:

**Chocolate**

**banana, horchata, lime**
Crunchy banana flakes with bendy chocolate and horchata ice cream? That’s right: bendy.chocolate. This was one you didn’t want to share with others, but had to, for fear of retaliation and/or divorce.

**Charred Peach**

**miso, elderflower, white chocolate**
Visually one of the coolest dishes. The peaches were stacked on top of miso shortbread cookie crumbles with white chocolate pearls. Do you a see a theme with graininess? Chef seems to love the texture of crunchy bites played against softer main ingredients.

Drink:
Amanda Britton leads the cocktail program at Bardo. Britton was at 204 North before moving to Bardo, and was a part of designing Zeppelin’s beverage program, headed by Larry Suggs. Her cocktails are inventive, tasty, and dare we say, magical. Her use of house-made salts, dehydrated fruits, and creative spirit combinations really wowed us. Also, Kathleen Purvis specifically shouted out her talents on the Scallionpancake podcast, and a vote of confidence from Mrs. Purvis is worth 2,345 Scallionpancake reviews.

**Cruel Summer**

**Sailor Jerry, banana, Cynar, Licor 43, cinnamon, lime**

WhQam2tsRmeUAEt0eL+Yww.jpg — **Cool Beans**

**Fernet Branca, Flor de Caña Grand Reserve Rum, Pure Intentions cold brew, housemade horchata, vanilla, Mexican cinnamon**

Atmosphere:
Bardo is small, with only 44 seats, including bar seating. The decor is sophisticated and understated, and the moss boxes by the entrance are were a DIY project that Whiteside & Noll created using wooden boxes, chicken wire, and moss purchased from Amazon! Can you believe these two are crafty, too?! Such gifts!

The focal point of the restaurant is the kitchen, which is in the back, where guests can watch the chefs plating the dishes. You can sit at the bar and have a drink and some bites with friends, or you can have a more traditional dining experience at the tables.

Chef Noll plating the Diver Scallop dish

Gold District Hospitality:
The restaurant is run like a high end restaurant in New York or San Francisco. Everyone who works at the restaurant is familiar with all of the dishes and can answer any questions you might have on any part of the menu. Whiteside is constantly walking around and checking with guests to make sure everyone is enjoying themselves. When something does go wrong (one of our dishes was brought to the wrong table and we had to wait longer in result), it is swiftly corrected (we were comped drinks in return). More importantly, all of the employees seem happy to be there, which is often not the case.

Frankie’s Notes:
The Yume/Bardo building might be the most exciting block in Charlotte right now; Amanda showed us spicy salt she uses on the rim of a glass, and we just decided to eat it with our hands, because if Amanda made it, it must be good; We want Whiteside & Noll to come over a Martha Stewart the heck out of our foyer; The math equation that relates Scallionpancake reviews to Purvis compliments is complex and can only be solved by the gnomes that live in the Bardo moss.

Rating: 5 out of 5 with 1 Michigan Pug
We’ve been waiting a long time to give a Michigan Pug to a Charlotte restaurant, and we’re delighted that we finally found one we deem worthy. Bardo is a special place for Charlotte, and we hope that it is the beginning of many more high end, chef-driven restaurants to open in our area.

Disclaimer: We went to Bardo twice. Once, the meal was provided free of charge, and the second time we went on our own to try additional dishes for a better review. We normally don’t give out ratings for free meals, but we feel it is appropriate to give a rating since we went back and paid for our meal ourselves the second time. All opinions are our own, and we were not compensated for this review.

Yvonne Ackerman 9/11/18 Yvonne Ackerman 9/11/18

Gene Kato Infuses New Life Into SouthPark's Upstream

Background:
Upstream in Phillip's Place shopping center has been a SouthPark staple for some time, but the restaurant ushered in a new era this year with the arrival of Gene Kato as Partner and Executive Chef. This is a coming home for Kato, a native Charlottean who began his restaurant career at Upstream 15 years ago. He has spent the bulk of his career prior to this point working in renowned Chicago restaurants like Ohba, Japonais, and Sumi, the final two of which he opened.

Kato's return to Charlotte as Upstream's Chef has significantly changed the traditional American-style seafood menu the restaurant has maintained for years. The seafood is just as fresh, but now the menu has a Pacific Rim flare, and includes robata dishes, ramen, and a full sushi menu.

We were invited out for a tasting back in May, and we were absolutely blown away by everything we tasted.

Eat This:

**Kato's Tofu**

**Soymilk, pickled shimeji mushrooms, ikura & fried ginger**

**Tuna Escabeche**

**Tomato, pickled onion, & smoked soy**

**Angry Crab**

**Baked King Crab Gunkan**

**"The Rock"**

**Ginger-marinated NY strip**
Photo courtesy of Upstream

**Seabass**

**Banana-leaf wrapped, tomato chutney, & mango papaya**

IMG_3954 (1).jpg — **Pork Belly Ssam**

**Roasted pork belly, pickled daikon, kimchi, Thai chili salt**

Dessert:

**Strawberry Sorbet**

**Strawberry jelly, freeze dried strawberry, & strawberry puree**

**Doughnuts**

**Chocolate-filled donuts with green tea semi-freddo mousse**

Upstream recently rolled out a weekend brunch menu, which we can't wait to check out.

Drink:
Check out their wide variety of sake, wine, beers, and cocktails. The world is your oyster when it comes to drinks at Upstream.

Atmosphere:
The interior remains unchanged from recent years. Some of the decor is slightly dated, but the dining room is large, and there is a nice patio for cooler days.

Fusion Hospitality:
On this visit and on previous visits, we have always received great service at Upstream. Zero complaints.

Frankie's Notes:
Pugs love cooking on a hot rock; All tofu should be as delicious at Kato's homemade tofu; We once saw Riverboat Ron dining with Pat McCrory at Upstream during restaurant week, and we may or may not have geeked out a little; The pork belly reminded us of David Chang, and we love to be reminded of Chang at all times; I want to buy 50 of those sorbet cups for my personal use.

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 9/4/18 Yvonne Ackerman 9/4/18

Hi Tide Poke & Raw Bar Offers a Fresh Take on Charlotte's Poke Scene

Background:
Hi Tide opened in Dilworth in late 2017 during a poke explosion in the Charlotte area. However, Hi Tide stands apart, as it is owned by Meat & Fish Co. founder Michel LaVecchia. LaVecchia teamed up with Jeff Van Dyke, Jeffery Schreiber, and Raquel Arreola to bring high end meat and fish to the poke scene. Meat & Fish Co. used to be in the spot where Hi Tide is now, but it has moved upstairs. This proximity ensures that all of the fish used at Hi Tide is ridiculously fresh. We have visited Hi Tide on our own and, more recently, as part of a blogger event in mid-August. Below is a combination of items from both visits.

Eat This:

**Oysters**

Oyster Happy Hour runs every Monday-Friday from 4pm-7pm

**Lobster Lollipop**

Insert praise emoji here

**Lobster Avocado Toast**

Millenials everywhere are crying tears of joy

**Hi-Tide Lobster Roll**

Served with seasoned chips or fries. Lobster rolls are only $15.99 all day on Mondays.

**Ahi Tuna Burger**

Served with seasoned chips or fries

**Rainbow Poke Bowl**

Salmon, Hamachi, Ahi Tuna, Scallions, Pickled Red Onion, Red Cabbage, Sweet Corn, Cucumber, Limu/Ogo, Carrots, Mandarin Orange, Jalapeno/Serrano Salad, Shuyu Sesame Oil, Seasoned Milky Queen Rice

**Build-Your-Own Poke Bowl**

All sorts of goodness in this bowl

**Poke Nachos**

Crispy wontons, Ahi Tuna, Avocado, Scallions, Crispy garlic, Cucumber, Seaweed Salad, Hawaiian Sea Salt, tomato, pickled red onion, Creamy Togarashi & Unagi Sauce

Dessert:
There is only one dessert option, a white chocolate macadamia nut cookie. It is dang good, though. Cookie is not pictured since I ate it faster than the speed of light.

Drink:
Hi Tide has tons of canned beer options, plus wine. Our favorite drinks are the non-alcoholic drinks on tap--specifically the coconut milk cold brew. They also offer a POG (pineapple, orange, guava) juice, a peach honey green tea, and a strawberry and candied lime juice.

**HAWAIIAN cold brew with COCONUT milk**

Life-giving

Atmosphere:
At Hi Tide, you order at the counter and they bring your food out to your table when it's ready. There is not a huge amount of seating, but I think you will likely be able to avoid a wait, as a large portion of their business seems to be carry out orders.

Raw Hospitality:
The team at Hi Tide obviously takes great pride in each dish they serve, and it's clear they aren't solely trying to get people in and out quickly, but rather their focus in on serving a quality product to each customer. We have received impeccable service on every visit.

Frankie's Notes:
They have a POG juice, but why don't they have a PUG juice?; That cold brew coffee has gotten me through a lot of sleepy afternoons; There is nothing more exciting to a millennial gremlin than lobster and avocado toast, and when you put those items together, you create a hole in the universe that is a portal to a world where 90s Nickelodeon shows play all day and the skies rain with Fruit by the Foot & Surge; I brought home this tuna burger to Jason for dinner, and that earned me 33 Wife Points. When you reach 75 Wife Points, you get a dinner out and a pedicure.

Yvonne Ackerman 8/28/18 Yvonne Ackerman 8/28/18

Experience Authentic Italian in Ballantyne with Zinicola

Background:
Richard Cranmer and his wife Najiya opened Zinicola in Ballantyne in 2017. The name Zinicola is taken from Chef Cranmer's mother's maiden name, and family heritage is central to the restaurant's mission. Growing up, Cranmer would take summer trips to visit his Nonna in Italy, and she continues to inspire his cuisine today. We were invited out in earlier in August to sample their menu and hear more about their commitment to chef-driven and authentic Italian cuisine.

Eat This:
All of Zinicola's food is made fresh and in-house, including their pasta and pizzas. We particularly loved the Parmesan basket that the risotto was served in, and the creativity that went into the heirloom tomato salad.

**Beef Carpaccio**

*tomato jam, parmigiana gel, arugula*

**Heirloom Tomato Salad**

*tomato cannellini, black tomato sauce, basil*
**The cannellini was made with a tomato gel instead of pasta--so cool!**

IMG_6351 (1).jpg — **Roasted OCTOPUS**

*black risotto, saffron emulsion*
**Perfectly cooked.**

FullSizeRender (2).jpg — **FETTUCCINE**

*swordfish, mint, garlic, tomato, white wine*

**Risotto**

*parmigiana basket, Italian sausage, mushrooms*
**Rice in a Parmesean basket? Sign us up.**

FullSizeRender (1).jpg — **Ravioli**

*beef mushroom ricotta, wrapped in duck prosciutto, sage butter sauce*
**Hands down, our favorite pasta of the night.**

**Eggplant Wrapped Grouper**

*cannellini bean sauce, clams*

**Lamb Loin**

*eggplant puree, rosemary potato cake, zucchini, mint gel*
**The lamb was tender and flavorful, and the potato cake cured any lingering carb needs that remained after all that pasta!**

Dessert:
Do not sleep on Zinicola's dessert. This baby was my favorite dish of the evening.

**Pistachio Nutella Mascarpone**

**Bonus: this was gluten-free!**

Drink:
The wine menu and creative cocktail selection are finely curated. As your server for pairing suggestions.

FullSizeRender (3).jpg — **Strawberry Martini**

**Drunk.**

Atmosphere:
Zinicola is upscale, and the white tablecloths and candles will elevate your night out into a special occasion. There were plenty of couples on dates when we dined, but there were also a lot of families. The patio is busy on cooler nights, and this is where to sit for a more casual vibe. The bar is open to both the inside of the restaurant and the outside patio, so you have easy access to the fabulous cocktails pictured above.

Hospitality:
The Cranmers are such a fun couple, and they provide fine dining in an atmosphere that makes you feel right at home. We were well-fed and provided with everything we needed on this visit, and we can't wait to go back on our own soon.

Frankie's Notes:
Even a pug would drive to Ballantyne for food this good; They served us so many drinks that we needed a DD at the end of the night; All carbs should come in a cheese basket; Jason claims to not like cheesecake or cream cheese, but when it comes to dessert, he abandons all previously professed reservations; Chef Cranmer and his wife are pod listeners who say they bicker as much as we do--should we have a kvetch off?!

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 7/17/18 Yvonne Ackerman 7/17/18

Sea Level: Making Lobster Rolls Cool in the Queen City

Background:
Sea Level was opened by Paul Manley in February 2016, and is the destination for Seafood Uptown ($1 oysters, anyone?). We have been to (and enjoyed) Sea Level several times on our own, and we were invited out a couple of times in the past two months to check everything out again, and we sampled their summer menu on our most recent visit. Check out everything we ordered below!

Eat This:

**Sea Level Oysters**

**From Sea Level, NC**

Did you know there is an actual Sea Level, North Carolina? It's true, and that's where these oysters are from! Manley routinely takes his staff there so they can see the oysters being caught! All of the oysters and seafood served are sourced from North Carolina, and are all sustainable.

**Barrel Ceviche**

**citrus marinade, fresh strawberry apple salsa, house made chips**

**Fried Springer Mountain Chicken Sandwich**

**greens, chorizo gravy, ranch**

Jason's favorite. This sandwich was a winner: perfectly crispy and well seasoned. Special cameo by Chrissie Beth's hand!

**Sea Level Salad**

**fried oysters, romaine, cabbage, radish, corn, pickled shallots, white balsamic vinaigrette, horseradish aioli**

IMG_3061 (1).jpg — **Maine Style Lobster Roll**

**lobster lightly coated in mayo, greens**

This roll is heavy on the lobster and light on mayo. Perfect. The Parmesan tater tots that came with it were just okay--nothing offensive, but not very flavorful.

**Connecticut Style Lobster Roll**

**lobster lightly coated in butter, greens**

The Connecticut style roll just debuted on Sea Level's summer menu, and this was the hand's down crowd favorite at the media event. I prefer this one to the Maine style, but it's a close race. Definitely go for the fries over the tater tots.

**Fried Chicken Bao Bun**

**with honey BBQ & slaw**

Dessert:
Sea Level regularly rotates their dessert menu, and they are currently working on adding some fun and creative options to their sweet menu items. On our last visit, we tried the chocolate spoon cake, which was simply divine.

**Chocolate fudge Spoon Cake**

***with whipped icing***

Drink:
Sea Level has a full bar and some fun cocktail offerings, and they recently started venturing into the world of mocktails. The Nada Colada mocktail below is a revelation. Here a fun story on this episode of the pod regarding this particularly drink.

**Summer G & T**

**Sutler's gin, house-made tonic, apricot, basil, lime**

**Nada Colada**

***pineapple, coconut, almond, lime***

Atmosphere:
Sea Level has a fantastic dining room and outdoor patio. It is formal enough for business folks to take clients ("professionals," as we termed them on the pod), but you don't feel as though you need to get dressed up, which we love. Everyone in the restaurant seemed to be having a great time, and there were good vibes all around.

Also! Charlotte needs to prepare for more fresh seafood, because Manley's next venture, The Waterman, is opening in South End in early fall. Diners should anticipate a slightly more casual vibe and a rooftop patio. Heck yeah.

Under the Sea Hospitality:
We have always received top notch service, even when we dined incognito.

Frankie's Notes:
Here we go, here we go, now let me see your lobster roll; Chrissie Beth & I scared everyone when we walked outside with all of our food when we visited on our friend date; It's all about the lighting, people; Ollie is originally from Sea Level, NC, where we plucked him out of the sea like a beautiful mermaid; Jason wishes that The Waterman were called The Merman; When I posted the Nada Colada on Instagram, I got asked if I was pregnant; I am not pregnant.

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 7/3/18 Yvonne Ackerman 7/3/18

Ollie's Bites: Charlotte's Donut Fix

This article first appeared on Localeur's website--check them out for travel recommendations! Localeur features in-the-know locals giving food, drink, and recreation recommendations from all over the world!

**Reigning Donuts**

**"Crispy & poppable"**

NoDa’s Reigning Donuts is the hot new player on the Charlotte donut scene, and we could not be more obsessed with them. They describe themselves as a “food truck that’s not going anywhere,” and we love this description of their walk-up window set-up. What sets Reigning Donuts apart is that each donut is fried and topped to order, and you just can’t get any fresher than that. The mainstay toppings include powdered sugar, cinnamon sugar, honey, and vanilla or chocolate frosting. However, we are partial to the rotating daily specials--you can usually find us there on matcha coconut Tuesdays and S’mores Thursdays.

**Your Mom’s Donuts**

**"The square one"**
**Image courtesy of Your Mom's Donuts Instagram page**

If you want your donut large, square-shaped, and made with all local ingredients, Your Mom’s Donuts is where it’s at. These donuts are at once hefty and fluffy, and the flavor profile is so pure--you can taste the tanginess of the fresh eggs and milk, and the toppings only elevate the experience. Their salted caramel and dark chocolate ganache donuts are heaven, and look for seasonally rotating favorites like maple bacon and strawberry preserves. My only caveat is that I preferred these donuts when they were fried in lard, and they are now fried in coconut oil. Still delicious, though.

**Duck Donuts**

**"Customizable, fresh"**
**Image courtesy of Duck Donuts Instagram page**

Duck Donuts is a quickly growing chain that started in the Outer Banks of North Carolina, and Charlotte is lucky to have their own location in Dilworth. The best thing about Duck Donuts is the level of customization--donuts are fried to order, and you can design them with any combination of coatings and toppings. These donuts are light and airy old fashioned style, and the coatings span a wide range: blueberry, strawberry, lemon, maple, and peanut butter in addition to classic glaze and cinnamon or powdered sugar. Toppings include sprinkles, coconut, peanuts, oreos, graham crackers, and...wait for it: bacon. My favorite is a piping hot chocolate frosting with coconut!

**Foxcroft Wine Co.**

**"Pairs with girls' night & a glass of wine"**

Foxcroft Wine Co. is the best place to go for a wine night with your friends, and a sleeper hit for some of the best donuts in town. Their crispy fried donut holes are a must order when you are dining at this popular Dilworth spot. You can get them with powdered sugar or cinnamon sugar, (or both!), and they come with the most life-altering chocolate and caramel dipping sauces. Wash these babies down with a glass of prosecco, and you will be winning at life.

**Stoke**

**"The mother of all donuts"**

Want a nighttime donut that will impress your friends and family and blow up your Instagram feed? Sounds like a job for a giant donut. Stoke’s one pound donut is filled with diplomat cream and a crumbled up Heath bar. I know--catch your breath. It’s that life altering. I have finished this bad boy with three other dining companions, so I know it can be done (don’t be a quitter!), but they are more than happy to box up what you can’t finish, so you can have epic leftovers for breakfast the next day.

**Sugarrmann’s Kronuts**

**"50% donut, 100% delcious"**

Okay, okay, so a cronut is not 100% donut, but this local croissant-donut hybrid deserves a mention. Sugarrmann Kronut’s does not have a brick and mortar, but they have a food truck and host pop-up events around town. For more of a sure thing, they also sell their cronuts in Coco & the Director, a hip coffee shop located inside the Uptown Marriott. Their cronuts come in ridiculously good flavors like coffee, matcha, and nutella, and each one has about one thousand buttery layers of goodness. Get you one.

Yvonne Ackerman 6/19/18 Yvonne Ackerman 6/19/18

Global Restaurant

Background:
Global Restaurant has been a part of the Charlotte dining scene for over ten years--first in Ballantyne, and now in their Pineville location. Owners and husband and wife team Bernard & Shannon Brunet came from opposite corners of the world (Bernard is from Nice, France and Shannon is from Boone, NC), and met on a cruise ship where he was the Executive Chef and she was a performer. I don't know about you, but I would certainly love to see the movie version of that--très romantique! It sounds like Dirty Dancing at sea, but with more calories. I can dig it.

Chef Bernard & Shannon are passionate about bringing high quality, international cuisine to Charlotte, and after a recent visit, we can certainly confirm that they are delivering on that goal. Global is essentially two restaurants in one, in that there is an upscale, white tablecloth dining area upstairs, and a more casual "Bar Bites" menu downstairs. On our visit, we tasted items from their fine dining menu, but we are looking forward to going back soon to try their grass-fed burgers and chicken wings.

Eat This:

**Ahi Tuna Crudo**

***yucca crisp, cucumber, compressed cantelope***

**Pickled Farm Deviled Eggs**

***beet pickled eggs, Benton's candied bacon***

**Tega Hills Farm Squash Blossom**

***Peruvian cherry pepper filling, Chipotle buttermilk***
**Flash fried, finished in the oven**

**Rosen Lamb Belly**

***24 hours braised, ramp pesto risotto, aubergine two ways***
***Chef Bernard creates this glorious dish by stacking up three pieces of lamb belly to recreate the thickness of pork belly***

**SC Mahi**

***summer squash salad with strawberry pesto***

**Angus Strip Block**

***corn creamed succotash, Guajilo ketchup***

Dessert:

**Milk Chocolate "Pot De Cremachino"**

***with NC strawberry***

Drink:
Not only is Shannon the front of the house expert, she is also in charge of creating Global's cocktail menu and curating their listed-by-country wine list, which she calls her "first baby" (their second baby is their sweet son Xavier, whom we briefly met at dinner!). Shannon changes the cocktail menu seasonally, and we got to try a flight of three cocktails on our visit. Our trio included: Pineville Punch with rum, rock candy syrup, jalapeno, and Amarena cherries; Lombardi's Limoncello with limoncello, gin, fresh lemon juice, and club soda; and a Drunken Strawberry Margarita with tequila, drunken strawberries, rock candy syrup, and a salted rim. My favorite was the Pineville Punch, because I am a sucker for anything with cherries. These went down way too easily!

**Cocktail Flight**

***from left to right: Pineville Punch, Lombardi's Limoncello & Drunken Strawberry Margarita***

Atmosphere:
We ate our meal in the downstairs area (even though it was from the upstairs menu), so we can't speak to the ambiance of the upstairs area, but the downstairs was warm and inviting. There is also a lovely (and dog friendly!) patio that would be perfect in the cooler months. Jason and I will not be dining outside until around December, as it is currently the temperature of the surface of the sun in Charlotte. To quote Fitzgerald in the form of Daisy Buchanan: "It's too hot to fuss." Indeed, Daisy.

**Chef Bernard spitting truth about farm to table cuisine while Heidi takes notes**

Pineville Hospitality:
Chef Bernard and Shannon were our main servers for this meal, so to say we had impeccable treatment is an understatement. Service was smooth and the pacing and the tempertaure of all dishes was on point.

**Bonus: Chef Bernard even gave Chrissie Beth and the bloggers photography tips**

Frankie's Notes:
Lamb bellies are similar to pork bellies in that if you rub them three times, you will be granted a magic wish; Frankie had dreams of starring in the stage version of Dirty Dancing at Sea until he broke his paw and couldn't perform; Jason loved that squash blossom until we told him it had cream cheese; The moral of the story is that Jason really does like cream cheese, deep down; It's too hot to fuss until it's time for the Ren Fest, which everyone knows is the unofficial official start of fall; Chef Bernard's photography classes are only offered by appointment only, so don't try to order them from the Bar Bites menu.

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 6/12/18 Yvonne Ackerman 6/12/18

Fleming's Prime Steakhouse

Background:
Fleming's Prime Steakhouse & Wine Bar was opened in 1998 by Paul Fleming and Bill Allen in Newport Beach, California. Now, Fleming's boasts 69 locations and is owned by the restaurant group that owns Outback Steakhouse and Carrabba's Italian Grill. Last Friday night, Fleming's invited us out to try their delicious offerings for the first time, and we were more than impressed with every moment of our experience, from the hostess stand to dessert! Everyone was so welcoming, and the food was fabulous.

Eat This:
Although Fleming's makes a mean steak, their menu offerings are broad. What sets Fleming's apart from other chain restaurants is their inclusion of a Chef's Table menu. Each location's head chef gets to curate a menu that changes monthly and is unique to the chef and location. Charlotte is lucky enough to have Chef Rigoberto Castillo creating some standout menu options in addition to the items available at all locations.

Also, if you have never tried Fleming's, this weekend is the time! Fleming's is only open for brunch/lunch four days a year: Thanksgiving, Easter, Mother's Day, and Father's Day. And Father's Day has to be the best option of all--who has a father who doesn't appreciate a good steak? If you are saying no, we need names, people. Beginning on Friday the 15th and throughout Father's Day weekend, Fleming's is offering a three-course menu featuring a 35 ounce Prime Tomahawk steak and a very special bourbon tasting including Basil Hayden’s, Buffalo Trace and Knob Creek. If you are looking for brunch, Fleming's will open at 10am and offer Eggs Benedict and other morning favorites!

**Oysters on the Half Shell**

***red wine mignonette, cocktail sauce***
**The oysters were part of Chef Rigo's menu, and this is the first time Fleming's has offered oysters!**

**SWEET CHILE CALAMARI**

**Jason's perennial favorite--we ate all of this!**

**MAPLE GLAZED SLAB-CUT BACON**

**I mean...can you go wrong with a bacon slab?**

**PRIME DRY-AGED RIBEYE**

**Our waiter, Gene, said this was his absolute favorite steak on the menu, and he didn't leave us astray. The meat melted in our mouths!**

**Stuffed Pork Chop**

**This was an item from Chef Rigo's upcoming menu (yet to be published!), and we got a sneak peek! This was so tender and flavorful.**

**Fleming's POtatoes**

**The best scalloped potatoes of life.**

**SAUTÉED MUSHROOMS**

**These were so buttery and perfect.**

**CRISPY BRUSSELS SPROUTS & BACON**

**I love having crispy brussels with a steak, and these hit the spot!**

Dessert:
How could we fit in more food after all of that for two people? I dunno, man. But somehow, some way, we made it work.

**Walnut Turtle Pie**

**a la mode**
**So good.**

Drink:
Fleming's is known for having an epic wine menu, and while they have recently paired down their options (from 100!) to provide a more streamlined list, they still offer the best of the best when it comes to wine and cocktails. I enjoyed a couple of glasses of the Mas Fi Cava Brut sparkling wine--one of my favorites!

Atmosphere:
The vibe at Fleming's is classic American steakhouse. The hardwood details and carpet merge upscale and comfortable perfectly. There were many people here for special occasions, but no one felt the need to whisper--everyone was enjoying themselves.

Carnivorous Hospitality:
Our server Gene has worked at Fleming's for over ten years! He was a consummate professional, and we felt so well taken care of all night. The Operating Partner, Clinton Geiger, was very hospitable and came around and checked on all of the tables and ensured every aspect of the dining experience was up to snuff. We felt very fancy dining at Fleming's, and it's a place I would love to take our parents or Jason's grandma for a special occasion. There is something for everyone to enjoy on the menu, and the food and service combine to provide an experience that is delightfully out of the ordinary.

Frankie's Notes:
Jason had a total Chima experience at Fleming's (ie, he ate way too much meat and needed to lie down immediately); Our eyes were definitely bigger than our stomachs at this meal, and we are pretty much still full five days later; Aging meat is the new black; When I have two glasses of alcohol, I like to talk a lot; Sorry, Jason; How did we fit in that turtle pie after everything else? Magic, I tell you. And a second stomach for dessert, of course.

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 6/5/18 Yvonne Ackerman 6/5/18

Fin & Fino

Background:
Fin & Fino opened in April 2018 in Uptown Charlotte in the same building as the Mint Museum, in the space formerly occupied by E2. We checked it out in early May with Rachel, an old Page friend of Jason's and her husband David (yes, Jason was a page, and he did meet Mark Foley, but he was never the recipient of, uh, inappropriate text messages). Rachel and David even brought their sweet baby, Aaron. He was a darling angel, and he enjoyed some fruit and vegetable purrees. I found out that I am not ready to be a mom, though, as I do not own a label maker. Babies require lots of labels, it turns out.

Baby Aaron + co. and Scallionpancake were thoroughly impressed with the food, service, and atmosphere at Fin & Fino. Read on to see what we ordered!

Eat This:

**Sherry & Olives**

an amuse-bouche for every table

**Scallops & Latke**

orange conserva, creme fraiche, caviar, radish, onion

**Arctic Char Ceviche**

cukes, radish, cilantro, popped sorghum

**Lobster & Truffles**

celery root brandade, basil shells, shaved truffle

**Blistered Tomatoes**

mint gnocchi, spinach, mozzarella, lemon

**Grilled Tuna**

ramp chimichurri, radish, jalapeno-strawberry relish

**Fried Oysters**

giardiniera, house tartar

Dessert:

Drink:

The drink selection is on point. The bar is covered by a beautiful oyster shell chandelier, and the bartenders have their own Instagram account, BK & The Clams. You definitely want to follow them. One of the beverage selections is a mystery drink where they don't tell you the ingredients, and I (clam) dig that.

**Adventures in Paradise**

plantation rum, amaro, coconut

Atmosphere:

Loved it all. Fin & Fino is clean, white, spacious, and upscale enough to feel appropriate for a special occasion. However, I wouldn’t feel underdressed coming for drinks after work or a casual family dinner. It checks all the boxes.

BK & The Clams Hospitality:
Our server was the cutest human of all time. She was very attentive, explained everything on the menu well, and she was a new mom, so she loved bonding with baby Aaron.

Frankie's Notes:
Baby Aaron gave his purees a 5/5; Real men drink out of pineapples; Jason and I are also not ready to be parents because we are selfish people who like sleeping until 9am on the weekends; Okay, fine, we sleep until 10am; Frankie built that oyster chandelier with his bare pug hands, I'll have you know; We are starting a mixology Instagram account called "Frankie & The Jellyfish;" Ollie is not allowed behind a bar, as he is not yet 21.

Rating: 4 out of 5

Yvonne Ackerman 5/30/18 Yvonne Ackerman 5/30/18

The Daily

Background:
The Daily, located in Uptown's Fourth Ward, is owned by the same local restaurant group that owns Prohibition, Connolly's, Dandelion Market, Tyber Creek Pub, and The Workman's Friend. Dandelion and The Workman's Friend both have fantastic food, and The Daily is no exception. This casual American taproom has a wide selection of menu items, many of which are made in-house. Check out what we have tried below!

Eat This:

**White Cheddar Biscuits**

honey butter, pepper jelly

**Chop CHop Salad**

Chopped lettuce, cherry tomatoes, cucumbers, blue cheese, bacon, pickled peppers, pepitas, buttermilk herb dressing

**Avocado Toast**

Avocado, pepper flakes, bacon, egg, toast

Dessert:
We have yet to try dessert, but the item that catches our eye every time is the Carolina Beach Pie, made with a lemon custard and a saltine cracker crust. They also offer a chocolate mousse.

Drink:
The Daily has a huge selection of beers on tap, as well as lots of canned beers and wine. Their cocktail list is highly creative, and the one that remains on my must-try list is the Mexican Mocha, made with mezcal, homemade cayenne cocoa syrup, local iced coffee and topped with fresh cream and star anise. Yum!

Atmosphere:
The inside of The Daily is a cozy and dimly lit pub, and the covered patio is a light and breezy option when the weather is nice. We always feel very comfortable here--it's not too "bar like" to come and enjoy a nice meal, but it is not stuffy, either.

Uptown Funk You Up Hospitality:
We have received incredible and friendly service on all of our visits. A lovely bonus is that all of the food comes out super quickly!

Frankie's Notes:
The white cheddar biscuits are a cure for loneliness, heartbreak, and the common cold; Jason used to spend many wild nights at Prohibition in his drunken youth; Desserts made with saltine crackers make my heart skip a beat; Frankie used to make homemade beef jerky, but now he mostly focuses on bath bombs.

Rating:

3 out of 5

Yvonne Ackerman 5/22/18 Yvonne Ackerman 5/22/18

Brunch at Haberdish

Background:
We reviewed Haberdish ages ago ( back when we were apparently taking photos with a disposable underwater camera...sorry about that), but it has remained a major part of our lives. In fact, we currently agree that it ranks as our number one favorite restaurant in Charlotte. Haberdish is owned by Jeff & Jamie Tonidandel (more on their background here), and they recently introduced weekday brunch. We were invited out to check out the menu, and we were just as impressed with brunch as we are with their dinner, which is to say: we freaking loved it. Keep reading to check out what we ordered!

Eat This:

**Smoked Trout DEVILED Eggs**

**smoked whites, smoked trout, chives, paprika**

**Biscuit with Gravy**

**house-made sausage milk gravy**

Close up on the "best biscuits & gravy" my 74 year-old father had ever tasted

**Waffles with Fruit**

**two waffles, fruit compote, whip**

**brûléed Grapefruit**

**with pink Himalayan salt**

Dessert:
Ain't nothin' like that brunch dessert, and you had better not skip this option at Haberdish!

**Cinnmon Roll**

**fresh baked, cinnamon, sugar, served with milk caramel (image courtesy of Haberdish)**

43E62AEA-83A2-478F-9FEC-39C0828F3672 (1).JPG — **Waffle**

**pearl sugar waffle, house buttermilk ice cream, pecan caramel**

Drink:
Mimosas, various cocktails, or coffee in an adorable thermos! It's like camping, except way better, because: you're not camping! And who doesn't like not camping? Just us? Ah, gotcha. #notoutdoorsy

Atmosphere:
Haberdish is versatile, as there are many different vibes depending on the area of the restaurant. The bar is hip and lively, a back corner is intimate and cozy, and the front or side porch is bright and airy. You can have whatever you like (cue the T.I. music).

Brunching Hospitality:
The service is generally great at Haberdish. We have not had any bad experiences thus far.

Frankie's Notes:
Weekday brunch is for lovers and stay-at-home moms; We promise to stop using cameras enrobed in cardboard; The only thing better than brunch dessert is dessert dessert: think about that; Coffee in a thermos is as outdoorsy as we get; I've never seen T.I. while brunching at Haberdish, but I certainly would like to.

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 5/14/18 Yvonne Ackerman 5/14/18

Seafood Connection

Background:
Seafood connection, owned by Chef Jamie Walker, started as a pop-up in Dublin, Georgia. When Walker moved, he moved his pop-up with him to Charlotte, and he operated mainly out of Indian restaurant King of Spicy. Last year, the owners of King of Spicy decided to close up shop, and Walker purchased their space, and he is now operating full time in the Albemarle road location.

Walker and his team of chefs pride themselves on only cooking fresh food (never frozen), and making all of their sauces from scratch.

We were invited out a few weeks ago to check out Seafood Connection, but it seems as though much of Charlotte already knows about this spot--the restaurant has 45k+ Instagram followers, and Walker and his girlfriend, Yashica Russell, said that they regularly see wait times over one hour. They are open Thursday-Sunday only, and they serve a brunch menu from 11-3 on Sundays.

Eat This:

Everyone at the table loved this dish. A winner.

**Chicken & Waffles**

fried chicken tenders & red velvet waffle

Another solid option. The chicken was spicy and a certain someone at my table said the waffles tasted like "cupcakes."

Simple, but flavorful. I liked these tacos quite a bit. They could have used some hot sauce, however.

**Seafood Mac & Cheese**

the winner of the night

My hands-down favorite thing we tried. It was rich and cheesy, and it had lobster, shrimp, and crab mixed in.

**C-Port Platter**

lobster, crab, shrimp, potatoes, corn, & sausage

Honestly, although Chef Walker is known for his sauce, I am not quite sure why anyone would put this much butter all over seafood. And I love butter. This actually tasted like margarine to me, and it completely overpowered the taste of the seafood. I don't mind it, but next time I would ask for it on the side.

Dessert:
No dessert, but if you go for Sunday brunch, that red velvet waffle could certainly function as a dessert.

Drink:
Seafood Connection has a full bar and a wide selection of soft drinks.

Atmosphere:
There is not much going on here in the way of atmosphere. It is a very large space with lots of windows, which was perfect for bloggers trying to get that Insta-worthy shot. My one complaint was an overwhelming smell of cleaning solution throughout the entire restaurant, which decreased my appetite somewhat. I am glad it was clean, but a harsh bleach smell certainly adversely impacts the dining experience.

Crustacean Hospitality:
The service, while friendly, is slow. This is more of a function of the food coming out slowly, rather than the servers themselves. Do not come here if you are in a hurry. Diners order at the counter and then receive full service at their table. Russell said to expect an hour to wait and an hour to receive food, at the bare minimum.

Frankie's Notes:
I was at this event for four hours without cell reception, and Jason thought I was dead; The fun doesn't start until you put on a crab bib; Chrissie Beth can crack crab legs with her bare hands, and she taught us how to be cool like her; Bloggers flock to a window seat like moths to a flame; Jason and I take a long restaurant wait time about as well as Frankie takes bath time, which is to say: not well.

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 5/8/18 Yvonne Ackerman 5/8/18

Omaggio Pizzeria

Background:
Omaggio means "tribute" in Italian, and Omaggio Pizzeria in the Metropolitan Center in Midtown, Charlotte is just that--a tribute to the simple and flavorful cuisine of Rome. Owner Daniel Siragusa moved from Rome with his family when he was three, and he has maintained a strong connection to his family's roots ever since.

Omaggio has pizza, pasta, sandwiches, salads, and homemade soups. Recently, Siragusa invited us out to try some menu items, including their seasonal spring pizza. We liked it so much, that we came back the following week with Jason's grandma! At 96, she is the toughest critic we know, and we were sure that Omaggio would pass her strict muster. We were right--she loved it!

On our two visits, we have tried a couple of appetizers, pizza, and pasta. Their pizza is now one of our Charlotte favorites. The thin Roman-style crust is a welcome change from all of the Neapolitan pizza we have had in our lives lately. Check out all of the delicious things we tried below!

Eat This:

**Proscuitto San Daniele & Burrata**

up close & personal

IMG_1630 (1).jpg — **Bruschette**

originale & truffle

**Parmigiana**

tomato sauce, homemade Italian sausage, fior di latte (fresh mozzarella), roasted eggplant, shaved parmigiano reggiano

**Fior di Zucca**

whole milk mozzarella, ricotta, zucchini, zucchini flower, salt, pepper, EVOO

**Pepperoni**

tomato sauce, whole milk mozzarella, pepperoni (delicious baby pepperoni!)

**Ortolana**

tomato sauce, whole milk mozzarela, roasted red peppers, eggplant, zuucchini

**Bolognese**

with spaghetti (sub for rigatoni)

Dessert:
The tiramisu and cannolis are made in-house, and we tried the tiramisu on our first visit. It was the fluffiest and most flavorful we have had this side of the Atlantic. We also tried their peach and lemon sorbets, and those were also fabulous.

**House-made Tiramisu**

as fluffy as a cloud

**Peach Sorbet**

with house-made whipped cream

Drink:
Omaggio offers soft drinks, beer, wine, and really good Illy brand coffee and espresso.

Atmosphere:
Casual, light, bright, and clean. There is also a lovely patio dining area.

Roman Hospitality:
Siragusa and his staff provide top notch service, and this is one of the biggest draws. You are treated like family at Omaggio, and that's a rare and precious thing in our city's rapidly growing restaurant scene.

Frankie's Notes:
When Grandma likes a restaurant, you know it is top notch; I didn't share even a bite of those garlic rolls with anyone; We love all of the decorative bikes at Charlotte restaurants; The tiramisu at Omaggio is so good it will make your forget your own name; We are starting a petition for more flowers on pizza; Does Omaggio get the baby pepperoni from miniature pigs?

Disclaimer: [Some of these] meal[s] were 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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Yvonne Ackerman 5/1/18 Yvonne Ackerman 5/1/18

Crepe Cellar

Background:
Husband and wife co-owners Jamie Brown & Jeff Tonidandel opened Crepe Cellar in 2009 after quitting their jobs and traveling around the world for about a year. I know what you're thinking: these sound like the coolest people ever--and that couldn't be more factual. Brown & Tonidandel have transformed NoDa with Crepe Cellar, Growler's Pourhouse, Haberdish, and Reigning Donuts. They are the queen and king of NoDa (as proclaimed by Scallionpancake), and all of their restaurants provide consistently good food and service.

After meeting Brown recently at an event for Charleston Wine & Food Festival, she invited us out to try some new menu items at Crepe Cellar. We hadn't visited Crepe Cellar in nearly three years, so we were excited to get back in and see what was new. We dined at Crepe Cellar on April 18th to celebrate the end of a grueling tax season for Jason, so this was a long overdue date night for us, and we loved every second. Read on to see what we tried!

Eat This:

**Burrata**

housemade burrata with olive oil, smoked salt, brûléed lemon, lemon zest & grilled bread (add proscuitto)

**Scallops Pastis**

ricard pastis beurre blanc, fennel pollen

**Duck Fregola**

cured confit duck leg, tomato-parmesan fregola sarda, sunny side egg, beet-stained pickled turnips

**Pasta Carbonara**

fresh pasta, egg yolk, pancetta, grilled asparagus, parmesan, black pepper

On a previous visit, we tried their a savory crepe, mussels, and their pesto brie fries, all of which we thoroughly enjoyed.

The pesto brie fries are perhaps the Crepe Cellar's most famous dish, and we have enjoyed them on our past visits. These are a must order if you are a first-timer!

FullSizeRender (4).jpg — **Pesto Brie Fries**

hand-cut, twice-fried with pine nut basil pesto, melted brie, tomatoes

Dessert:
We were blown away by the creativity of the dessert options--a house-made miso chocolate ice cream and a poblano porcini ice cream?! Toto, we're not in Charlotte anymore! We got the poblano porcini ice cream, and not only was the flavor perfect--earthy, slightly spicy, sweet yet savory--the texture was on point. It was smooth and creamy, and not at all icy like some homemade ice creams.

Our server also generously sent out a strawberry cheesecake parfait, but we weren't wowed by that one in the same way. However, one thing I really appreciated about it was that it was not at all overly sweet like you would expect in a dessert of this style.

They are obviously known for their dessert crepes, but we didn't have room for one on this visit. However, in the past we have enjoyed several, particularly the classic Crepe Suzette and the Nutella and bananas.

Drink:
Crepe Cellar has an awesome drink menu, as Colleen Hughes is in charge of the cocktail menu both here and at Haberdish. I enjoyed a perfectly dry glass of sparkling wine on our most recent trip, but I had some regret I didn't go for a cocktail!

A picture of the bar in the absence of a picture of my bubbly

Atmosphere:
Crepe Cellar is such a chill date night spot--it's classy and romantically lit without being fancy. We felt perfectly comfortable in jeans on a Wednesday night, but the mood lighting and cozy alcoves of the tables and booths made us feel like we were enjoying a special and intimate dining experience.

French Pancake Hospitality:
On all of our visits, we have received top notch service at Crepe Cellar. This is the type of restaurant where you want to linger over a glass of wine, and the servers are incredibly patient and allow you to enjoy your evening without feeling rushed.

Frankie's Notes:
There is no people watching like NoDa people watching; Why aren't more Charlotte restaurants incorporating mushrooms into their desserts?; Ms. Hughes is one of Charlotte's greatest treasures; Do you think that Jamie & Jeff will adopt us?; Tax season Jason only eats Chipotle, so this was a real treat for him; Tax season Jason looks at you like this from January-April 15th.

Tax season Jason sees you, and he says no, you can't deduct that.

Disclaimer: [Some of these] meal[s] were 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 4/24/18 Yvonne Ackerman 4/24/18

Dot Dot Dot

Background:
Dot Dot Dot opened in July 2017 in the Backlot of Park Road Shopping Center under Stefan Huebner and Conrad Hunter, who were already players in the Charlotte bar and restaurant community prior to this much anticipated opening (Huebner was a mixologist at Heist and Hunter also owns Foxcroft Wine Co.). Although technically a private club due to state regulations regarding maintaining a certain ratio of food to beverage sales, Dot Dot Dot boasts an insanely delicious food menu. However, the club aspect means you need to pay a $10 membership fee (per year), though each member may bring up to three guests at a time. Signing up online is highly encouraged in order to cut down on wait times at the door.

This spot has such heavy speakeasy vibes that I had a hard time finding it when I visited on a warm spring night with Allie from EatDrinkCLT to sample some new menu items. Prohibition style: on point.

Eat This:
Chef David Quintana has a culinary pedigree from Johnson & Wales and worked at Wylie's Dufresne's wd~50 in NYC and Four Moons in South Carolina. He joined Dot Dot Dot just after they opened, and he has built the menu into one that reflects his focus on fresh ingredients and artistic plating.

**Crab Cake**

scallop mousseline, lump crab, mache, blood orange, nasturtium crumble

**Sea Scallop**

morel mushroom, asparagus, fava bean, artichoke, Iberico lardo de bellota, vanilla olive oil

**Burrata**

strawberry, roasted beet, arugula, black pepper, pedro ximenez sherry vinegar, black garlic molassses, crustini

**Garganelli with veal meatballs**

pecorino, peas, light cream, pea tendrils, mint

**Pate en croute**

moulard duck, pork, smoked duck ham, pistachio, savory pastry dough, pickled vegetables, dijon mustard, cumberland sauce

**American wagyu flat iron**

truffle veal glace, pickled mustard seed, cripsy trumpet mushrooms, creamed spinach

**Cold-smoked fried chicken**

celeriac puree, house-made sorghum hot sauce, petite braising greens

Dessert:
It appears that Dot Dot Dot does not have any dessert offerings. Gasp! You could always go to Va da Vie gelato in the front of Park Road Shopping Center, or even swing by Amelie's in the Backlot for a pastry or two.

**Va da vie gelato**

We love this place, but prepare yourself to spend 10 minutes hearing about the integrity of the gelato

Drink:
As you can imagine from a speakeasy style bar, the drink game is on point. Like the food menu, the drink selection changes seasonally. Huebner really knocks it out of the park, and I was especially digging on the creative names of the cocktails, like the "Lily Wants a Pony" and the "Boulevardier of Broken Dreams."

**French-75**

Sutler's gin, lemon juice, simple syrup, champagne, served up

**Local gin**

Used in the above cocktail--local & made in small batches. And check out that bottle!

**The Queen City Swizzle**

Dragon Moonshine rum, green chartreuse, mint, sugar, angostura bitters, served over crushed ice

**Mint Julep**

Maker's Mark bourbon, simple syrup, mint, served over crushed ice

**The Anchorage**

Aviation gin, yellow chartreuse, lemon juice, simple syrup

**Lover, Dreamer, & me**

Plantation 5-year rum, orange curacao, raspberry syrup, lemon juice, served over ice

**Pepper le Pew**

Lunazul Primero tequila, black peppercorn-honey syrup, lime juice, cardamaro, egg white, served up

Atmosphere:
Dot Dot Dot is housed in a former storage room, and the feel is cozy and old school class. I was geeking out over the bookshelves and the art deco divider between the bar and dining area. Dot Dot Dot is not huge, and I can imagine that it gets incredibly packed on weekends (we visited on a Tuesday night, so the crowds were light).

Speakeasy Hospitality:
Since I was joining Allie for a media preview, it is hard to give an unbiased review of the service. We were treated like queens on this particular visit, however. I can't wait to go back incognito with Jason.

Frankie's Notes:
When the speakeasy vibe is so authentic that it takes you ten minutes and asking for directions to find it = good thing it's not actually prohibition days; Not sure why they aren't using bathtub gin for that 1920s real feel; What about getting raided by the cops to add an extra level of excitement?; Park Road Backlot is a nation unto itself; Going out with EatDrinkCLT is dining with Charlotte food royalty, and I was honored; We love Va da Vie’s gelato and all, but we have to block off half a day to in order to hear about the authentic Italian spoons.

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

Jason Ackerman 4/17/18 Jason Ackerman 4/17/18

DeSano Pizzeria

Background:
DeSano Pizzeria is a small chain with locations in California, Texas, Tennessee, and North Carolina. All DeSano locations adhere to the strict guidelines required to be called Napoletana pizza. There are specifics on crust, type/temperature of ovens, tomatoes, cheese; the process to be a certified Napoletana pizza is intense, and for a good reason: the pizzas are delicious. They are so delicious, in fact, that Tom Brady and Gisele are known to break their strict diets in order to enjoy a pie every now and again.

There are two DeSano locations in Charlotte, one in Midtown and one in Waverly. We have been to the Midtown location several times, on one occasion we went as part of a blog even hosted by our favorite, Stephanie from LifebyChipsahoyt.

Eat This:
Well, you gotta get the pizza, obviously. Our favorites are the lasagna pizza and the classic marghertia.

Lasagna

San Marzano tomato sauce, meatballs, ricotta, garlic, scamorza, mozzarella di bufala, pecorino romano

IMG_6814 (1).JPG — VERDURA

Broccoli rabe, mushrooms, Vesuvian cherry tomatoes, garlic, scamorza, mozzarella di bufala, pecorino romano

NAPOLETANA

Broccoli rabe, sausage, scamorza, mozzarella di bufala, pecorino romano

One of the best parts about DeSano is that you can order any pie Carnevale style, which means they bake ricotta into the crust for a classy stuffed-crust experience. It's only fifty cents, so we can't see any reason why you would not take this option. Also, it turns your pizza into an infinitely Instagrammable star shape.

In addition to pizzas, DeSano also has incredible meatballs, calzones, and salads. I often see people grabbing meatballs to take home to add to a pasta, but when we order them, I usually just eat them straight up as a side.

The Midtown location also offers a weekend brunch special where you can get cold pizza and a Bloody Mary bar. If you are not into cold pizza, then they will also heat it up for you, but we think this is such a cool and unique offering!

Cold pizza and a bloody mary

For what ails you on Sunday mornigns

Dessert:
Okay, ya'll. Here is our favorite thing about DeSano. They will serve you cannoli filling in a bowl. This is ostensibly a gluten-free option, but we really just dig cannoli filling. Proceed with caution, however. As this is an off-menu item, we have found what we get to be rather inconsistent (a giant bowl compared to a small bowl, chocolate chips mixed in compared to on top, cashiers not knowing how to ring this up, etc.), however, it is worth the gamble, because when it's good, it's good. Seriously, we fight one another over these bowls, so I recommend getting two.

You can also go classic, in a shell cannoli, if you're into that sort of thing.

Classic cannoli

Image courtesy of *Roamilicious*

One thing we haven't tried, and we have major FOMO, is DeSano's dessert pizza. Look at this beauty!

Drink:
DeSano Midtown has a full bar, as well as fun specialty drinks like Mexican coke and San Pellegrino sparkling fruit beverages. Molto Italiano!

Atmosphere:
The DeSano in Midtown is huge. The kitchen is open, and there is a bar and an enclosed patio. You order at the counter. The one in Midtown is not usually very full, as it seems most of their business is from take-out orders.

Italiano Hospitality:
The counter service is very friendly, and the pizza makers work quickly to get you eating in no time.

Frankie's Notes:
If Tom Brady deigns to get off of his pretentious throne to grab carry out pizza, then you know it's got to be good; We like to get pizza two or three times a week, which inspired our Pizza Wars podcast episode; There are no losers in the game of pizza; Why don't they bake Nutella into the crust of the dessert pizza?!; Why don't we bake Nutella into everything and thus create world peace in our time?

Disclaimer: [Some of these] meal[s] were 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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May 2017
- May 31, 2017 Yamazaru May 31, 2017
- May 24, 2017 Firestorm Pizza May 24, 2017
- May 17, 2017 Animal May 17, 2017
- May 10, 2017 Kato May 10, 2017
- May 3, 2017 Here's Looking at You May 3, 2017
April 2017
- Apr 26, 2017 Yafo Kitchen Apr 26, 2017
- Apr 20, 2017 Ivan Ramen Apr 20, 2017
- Apr 12, 2017 Tavolo Apr 12, 2017
- Apr 5, 2017 Momofuku Ko Apr 5, 2017
March 2017
- Mar 28, 2017 Evoke at Le Meridien Mar 28, 2017
- Mar 22, 2017 Haberdish Mar 22, 2017
- Mar 14, 2017 Good Food on Montford Mar 14, 2017
- Mar 8, 2017 Nomad.pdx Mar 8, 2017
- Mar 1, 2017 Stoke Mar 1, 2017
February 2017
- Feb 16, 2017 Buxton Hall Feb 16, 2017
- Feb 8, 2017 In Situ Feb 8, 2017
- Feb 2, 2017 Saison Feb 2, 2017
January 2017
- Jan 29, 2017 Eat Globally; Dine Locally Jan 29, 2017
- Jan 1, 2017 Top Five Restaurants of 2016 Jan 1, 2017
December 2016
- Dec 26, 2016 State Bird Provisions Dec 26, 2016
September 2016
- Sep 24, 2016 The French Laundry, part 2 Sep 24, 2016
- Sep 18, 2016 The French Laundry, part 1 Sep 18, 2016
August 2016
- Aug 29, 2016 Icy Margaritas & Hot Salsa: Mexican Eats in the Queen City Aug 29, 2016
- Aug 22, 2016 Best Places to Eat in San Francisco Aug 22, 2016
- Aug 5, 2016 The Flipside Aug 5, 2016
July 2016
- Jul 25, 2016 Babalu Jul 25, 2016
- Jul 14, 2016 Best Restaurants in Charlotte - Summer 2016 Edition Jul 14, 2016
- Jul 5, 2016 Comida Jul 5, 2016
June 2016
- Jun 27, 2016 Batch Craft Jun 27, 2016
- Jun 19, 2016 Asolare Jun 19, 2016
- Jun 5, 2016 The Longboard Jun 5, 2016
May 2016
- May 12, 2016 Momofuku Noodle Bar May 12, 2016
- May 2, 2016 Toro May 2, 2016
April 2016
- Apr 24, 2016 The Mandrake Apr 24, 2016
- Apr 18, 2016 Evoke Redux Apr 18, 2016
- Apr 15, 2016 Freud Apr 15, 2016
March 2016
- Mar 13, 2016 Ru Sans Mar 13, 2016
- Mar 9, 2016 The Pump House Mar 9, 2016
February 2016
- Feb 24, 2016 Seoul Food Meat Co Feb 24, 2016
- Feb 22, 2016 Kid Cashew Feb 22, 2016
- Feb 12, 2016 Kindred Feb 12, 2016
January 2016
- Jan 21, 2016 FIG Jan 21, 2016
- Jan 3, 2016 Top Five Restaurants of 2015 Jan 3, 2016
- Jan 2, 2016 Rose's Luxury Jan 2, 2016
November 2015
- Nov 29, 2015 Funky Gourmet Nov 29, 2015
- Nov 4, 2015 Rhubarb Nov 4, 2015
October 2015
- Oct 26, 2015 Lexington Barbecue Oct 26, 2015
- Oct 19, 2015 The Cellar at Duckworth's Oct 19, 2015
- Oct 14, 2015 Danny's Midwood Challenge Oct 14, 2015
- Oct 12, 2015 Founding Farmers Oct 12, 2015
- Oct 4, 2015 Shake Shack Oct 4, 2015
September 2015
- Sep 27, 2015 King Daddy's Sep 27, 2015
- Sep 20, 2015 The Summit Room Sep 20, 2015
- Sep 14, 2015 BLT Sep 14, 2015
- Sep 6, 2015 Ajbani Sep 6, 2015
August 2015
- Aug 30, 2015 Biscuit Head Aug 30, 2015
- Aug 23, 2015 White Duck Taco Aug 23, 2015
- Aug 17, 2015 Evoke Aug 17, 2015
- Aug 14, 2015 Customshop Aug 14, 2015
- Aug 13, 2015 Local Loaf Aug 13, 2015
- Aug 12, 2015 Futo Buta Aug 12, 2015

House-made Foccacia

Grilled UGF Mushrooms, January ‘19

Grilled UGF Mushrooms, March ‘18

Barbecued Spanish Octopus

House-made Burrata

Butter Lettuce Salad

Benton’s Ham Croquettes

Ricotta Stuffed Ravioli

Ricotta Ravioli

Prime Rib

Squid Ink linguine

Bread Pudding

Rating: 4 out of 5

PISTACCHIO

NAPOLETANA

MARGHERITA

CAPRICCIOSA

DIAVOLA

Spring Pizza

Pizza Di Parma

Summer Pizza

Limone Capra

Autumn Pizza

Pumpkin Pizza

Winter Pizza

Pizza Toscana

Patate al forno

OG Cannoli

Pistachio & Chocolate Chip

Spring Cannoli

Oreo

Summer Dessert Pizza

summer PIzza

Autumn Cannoli

Pumpkin

Winter Cannoli

Apple Crumb Pie

Peppermint Mocha

Rating: 4 out of 5

Foie Gras

Surf & Turf

Beef Tartare

Asparagus

Sunchoke Chips

Scallop

Trout

Raviolo

Quail

Duck Breast

Steam Buns

Beets

Foie Gras Funnel Cake

Arancini

Peanut Butter Cup

Swiss Roll

Honey Mocktail

Queen City Duchess

Rating: 5 out of 5

Artichokes

Red Beets, almonds, & Goat Cheese Salad

All Mighty Tuna - Wild caught

Organic steak sandwich grass fed

Raw Almond Protein Shake & Flu Shot

Oysters

Tempura Maitake

Dry Aged Ribeye

egg and grains

Lamb Belly

Beef Tartare

Diver Scallops

Cobia

Ricotta Tortellini

Chocolate

Charred Peach

Cruel Summer

Cool Beans

Kato's Tofu

Tuna Escabeche

Angry Crab

"The Rock"