Mister Jiu's

All at once imperial, classic, and modern

Background:
Mister Jiu's opened in April 2016 after a three year renovation of the iconic Four Seas building in Chinatown. The space, built in 1880, has had only three occupants since its original construction, with Mister Jiu's being the current standard bearer. The owner, head chef, and mastermind is Brandon Jew, who worked all over San Francisco and the world, before opening up his dream restaurant in the same space he grew up going as a child (the Four Seas building used to be a banquet hall). Mister Jiu's has received numerous awards and recognition since it opened, including the number three spot on Bon Appetit's Best New Restaurant list for 2017. The restaurant earned one Michelin Star within its first year, and has maintained the star ever since. 

Eat This:
Mister Jiu's menu is traditional Cantonese mixed with San Francisco's obsession with local and fresh ingredients. The menu looks familiar and exotic all at the same time and includes dishes you've heard of, like hot & sour soup, wontons, and fried rice, paired with ingredients you've never thought to combine them with, like Dungeness crab, Monterrey squid, and Wagyu beef. Our suggestion: go with as many people as possible so you can try as much as you can. 

Sea Urchin

Cheong Fun

You've probably had Cheong Fun before, but you probably have never had it with sea urchin on top. The noodles here were P.E.R.F.E.C.T. So soft, but not too chewy. The mixture of the sea urchin with the delicious sauce and the noodles made this one of the best dishes of the night.

Tendrils, Greens and Stems

meyer lemon, roasted garlic, sea urchin

We ordered all of our dishes and then our waiter, (who Yvonne said looks like Clark Gable), told us we should order a vegetable, because you can't just order meat for everything #whoknew. He led us to the tendrils with a Meyer lemon sauce. The tendrils were sautéed and crispy. The acidity of the meyer lemon sauced mixed nicely with the salty, crunchy tendrils.

Wontons

pork, sichuan peppercorn, Monterey squid

The standout dish of the night. The squid, spicy sichuan peppercorn sauce, and the pork wontons were so good. This is a must get on any visit.

Steak Fried Rice

wagyu skirt, crispy garlic, cured tuna heart

We saw this dish on the Fried Rice episode of Ugly Delicious, and we knew we had to try it. The Wagyu beef was amazing, but the rest of the dish we thought could have had a little more flavor.

Liberty Farm Roast Duck

pancakes, peanut butter hoisin, cucumbers

We were told to get the duck by the Internet, and everyone knows that the Internet is never wrong. The duck was served two ways: a traditional Peking style and confit. We ordered a half, which could have fed approximately 1 million people. Of course, we finished about 2/3 of it. because we are champions The winner for me on this dish was the peanut butter Hoisin sauce.

Dessert:
All of Mister Jiu's desserts sounded and looked incredible, and normally we would have ordered three desserts, but we had already had roughly 18 meals this day, so we only ordered their most famous dessert, the Black Sesame Cake. Clark Gable did recommend we get the Frozen Whipped Honey, but sorry, Mr. Gable,  we just couldn't do it.  

Black Sesame Cake

black sesame crémeux, ginger mousse, peanut, tamarind caramel

The key to this dessert was the peanut, which provided a crunch to go with the soft cake and all the other magical ingredients of this dish.

 Drink:
Mister Jiu's has a great cocktail menu, with most of their cocktails containing some form of tea and all of them having fortune cookie-esk names, like Clarity, Tranquility, and Luck. They also have a house made Root Beer, Oolong Kombucha, which we tried but was way too vinegary for our tastes.

Prosperity

vodka, lotus, lemongrass, passion fruit, egg white

Mister Jiu's signature cocktail. How cool is that ying yang design? This baby was smooth and refreshing.

Atmosphere:
As soon as you walk into Mister Jiu's you know you're in a cool place. It reminded me a lot of the rooftop restaurant of the Peninsula Hotel in Hong Kong, with a traditional imperial, yet modern vibe. The restaurant is situated two stories up from Grant Street, the main street of San Francisco's Chinatown. You enter from an almost secret street a block up, so you feel as if you are floating over Chinatown and overlooking the Transamerica building. But the real show is the open kitchen, where you can watch Jew and the rest of the chefs work their magic. 

The bar up front

The open kitchen

San Franciscan Cantonese Hospitality
Clark Gable was the best waiter we had all trip. He was nice, informative, and answered all the questions we had. The maître d was wearing a blue suit with a Kevin Durant Warriors jersey underneath, which was pretty sweet. It seemed like everyone really enjoyed working there, and it showed through with the great service.

Frankie's Notes:
Whenever there is a fish tank in a restaurant, I want to jump in and save all the fish; I definitely don't have enough tattoos to work or live in San Francisco; For our millennial followers, Clark Gable is a reference to an actor who died in 1960; Yvonne wanted the potstickers so bad since they were on the cover of Bon Appetit, but we went with the wontons and I think we made the right choice. Sorry Bae.

Rating:

5 out of 5 + One Michigan Pug

 

Global Restaurant

Have you ever had lamb belly? 

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.

 

Fleming's Prime Steakhouse

Are you drooling yet?

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.

 

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. 

Crisp interior 

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

Cauliflower

gratin with gruyere

Fried Oysters

giardiniera, house tartar

 Dessert: 

Olive Oil cake

Chocolate Tart

 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. 

Cheers!

Mocktail

in a fun tiki guy

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. 

Check out that oyster chandelier!

Where the magic happens

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