PCG Farm to Fork in the Garden

Background:
The Farm to Fork Picnic, put on by the Center for Environmental Farming Systems, has taken place for in Raleigh for many years. This year, the Piedmont Culinary Guild (PCG) brought the event to Charlotte on the stunning grounds of the Daniel Stowe Botanical Garden. PCG’s Executive Director Kris Reid brought together over twenty local chefs and purveyors to showcase our region’s unique ingredients and flavors. This year’s event was held on September 23rd, and tickets were $85 for adults, $50 for young adults (1-20), and children under 12 got in free. We were so excited to receive tickets in order to share the bounty with our readers. We are sure that Farm to Fork in the Garden will be held again next year due to its success, so read on to see what you can expect!

Eat This:
Everyone received the most adorable wooden spork upon arrival, and you were instructed to keep your fork for the entire event. This is the one thing we weren’t crazy about. Although we understood and appreciated it from a conservation standpoint, the fork got pretty dirty after a few dishes, and because of this, you wouldn’t want to throw it in your purse or your pocket, so it got a bit cumbersome to carry around a drink, the spork, the map, etc. Also, I threw mine away after the first dish, because I am terrible person and a creature of habit. Luckily, they gave me another one.

All of the chefs partnered with local farms for their dish’s main ingredient. Here are the dishes we sampled, though there were many more we didn’t get to try––we were positively stuffed!

Aux Bar

Steven Goff

Urban Gourmet mushroom fritters with smoked mushroom gravy

One of only a handful of vegetarian options. This dish was savory and tasty. We’ve not yet tried this restaurant, and this certainly made us interested to go check it out soon!

Upstream

Gene Kato

Spiced crispy shrimp with Barbee Farms tomato-melon curry

We loved this dish, and we are still mourning the loss of Gene Kato, who recently returned to Chicago.

Sante

Adam Reed

Kale-stuffed chicken breast medallion with fig jam, apple slaw, pickled radish, and shaved smoked egg yolk

The smoked egg yolk was awesome, but the chicken breast was a bit tough and bland, as chicken breast can tend to be, unfortunately.

Hello, Sailor

Mike Rozycki

Rocky River Farms conchiglie a la bolognese

This dish wasn’t a looker, but it was so freaking delicious.

Pine Island Country Club

Joy Turner

The farm at Flat Creek pork belly with Cheerwine, boiled peanut relish, pickled slaw, dry rub, garnish

We adored this pork belly. So flavorful!

The Yolk

Greg Collier

North Corner Haven West African chicken stew with crispy rice and mixed carrot slaw

Greg Collier can do no wrong, and this dish is no exception.

Fahrenheit

Dave Feimster

Clearview Farms fried chicken with charred chile jam and roasted Kabocha puree

This was a major crowd favorite. How could fried chicken be bad?

Southminster

Ryan Forte

Thai-pickled NC shrimp with Friendship Gardens baby bok choy, radish kimchi, and Asian-style boiled California runner peanut hummus

This was our favorite dish, and Southminster is actually a retirement home! Jason and I immediately inquired if we could get on the list. Hey, we’re getting very tired, and retirement is way too far away. Let’s all rest and eat Forte’s food for the rest of our days. Amen.

Queen City Market

Christopher Young

Smoked Underwood Farms mojo pork with arepa de choclo, housemade queso blanco, peach mostarda, tomato caramel

The pork was cooked perfectly, and the flavors were outstanding. Another big crowd hit.

Dessert:

Sweet Lew’s Barbecue

Lewis Donald

Smoked J&J Farms honey and Hickory Hills milk panna cotta with J&J lemongrass jam and farm flowers

This was my favorite dish of the event. They actually smoked the honey in a smoker! So cool.

Sweet Lew’s just opened the other week, and they have been regularly selling out of BBQ. We can’t wait to get out and try their meat offerings.

300 East

Ashley Boyd

Wild Hope Farm butternut squash blondie with goat yogurt, maple, vanilla, and toasted grains

Has Boyd ever done anything less than amazing with desserts? Answer: No.

Drink:

Bob Peters

Punch!

Peters himself was slinging punch, and we chatted with him about what he’s up to. He’s been consulting with restaurants all over the region on their cocktail programs, and he seems to be living his best life. He continues to make the best punch in the game.

UpDog Kombucha

Olivia Wolff & Lauren Miller

No picture of cute Olivia, who was serving up delicious kombucha. Did you listen to Olivia’s guest appearance on the Scallionpancake podcast?! She’s just the best human ever. The end.

Atmosphere:
Half of Scallionpancake had never visited Daniel Stowe Botanical Gardens, and the other half was their for Cousin Amy’s wedding! What an absolutely stunning venue for a wedding or a food event. It was a hot day, but we had some rain just before our arrival that cooled it off. There was live music, face painting for the kiddos, and, of course, so many beautiful flowers and plants!

Farm to Table Hospitality:
The hospitality was extra great, as in most cases it was the actual chefs who were serving up their dishes! That personal touch made the event extra special and more than worth the cost of admission.

Frankie’s Notes:
We hope that our unabashed love of Kato didn’t scare him back to Illinois; I cannot be trusted to re-use a spork 20+ times; I wonder what Winnie the Pooh would think about smoked honey; I wish that I could have attended Cousin Amy’s wedding, but I was just a glimmer in Jason’s eye then; If you think we wouldn’t move into a retirement home just for the food at age 32, then you clearly don’t know us at all.

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.

 

Chef Alyssa's Kitchen

Stuffed Babka French Toast

Background:
Most of us in Charlotte know Chef Alyssa for her popular cooking classes, which used to be held in Atherton Mill. Last year, Chef Alyssa and her co-owner and husband Andrew Wilen moved to Bowers Mill on Yancey Road, near Olde Mecklenburg Brewery. Chef Alyssa’s cooking classes are wildly popular and often sell out, and the catering and prepared meal side of their business has also been very well received by Charlotteans. Taking all of these successes into account, opening a restaurant was the next logical step for this dynamic foodie duo.

Chef Alyssa on the right!

Last Saturday, Chef Alyssa’s Kitchen opened to the public for brunch from 10 a.m. until 3 p.m., and we got to come out the weekend before to get a sneak peek at the menu and try a few things.

Eat This:

Stuffed French Toast

Cinnamon Babka French Toast stuffed with an over-easy egg, topped with berries and pecan maple syrup

Chef Alyssa is our Jewish soul sister, and she and Jason went to the same temple growing up! So, this babka French toast is a nod to one of the best Jewish culinary creations there is. If you’ve never had babka, you’re missing out. And babka a la French toast is a great way to enjoy this classic.

Pancake Tacos

Fluffy pancakes filled with house bacon and scrambled eggs with spiced maple syrup to dip

Pancake. Tacos. Is there anything else to say?

Vegetable Knish

Root vegetables, fennel, and potato wrapped in soft crust, served with a side salad

Ah! More Jew food! A knish is basically a dough ball filled with meat, potatoes, sauerkraut, cheese, or, in this case, vegetables!

The Latin TBD

Mixed potatoes, over-easy egg, adobo chicken or tempeh sausage, spicy cream, avocado

Put an egg on it + put an avocado on it = winning.

Modern Southern

Mixed potatoes, brussels sprout and apple hash, house bacon or tempeh sausage, fried egg

Have you ever seen a fried egg so perfect?

The Ron Swanson

Eggs your way... but Ron would have them scrambled... bacon and toast

A legend and a classic walk into a bar…

Andrew’s Breakfast Sandwich

House English muffin, omelet with Ashe county sharp cheddar and choice of house bacon, sausage, or tempeh sausage

House-made English muffins are the stuff of life.

Breakfast Burrito

Scrambled eggs, local chorizo or tempeh sausage, Ashe county sharp cheddar, potatoes, peppers and onions, tomato jam

Jason will be getting this on the reg.

Stone Cut Oats, Buckwheat and Rice Grits

Finished with your choice of sweet or savory toppings. Shown here with the sweet version: almond butter, maple glazed local fruit, coconut cream, cinnamon crumble

All the toppings! We’d like to try the savory version next, which comes with sautéed local maitake and oyster mushrooms, kale, sesame, chili oil, fried egg

Dessert:

Sorghum Blueberry Muffin

No photo of this because we ate it so fast. But isn’t Papa Jason cute with his pug sons on Hanukkah?

There is also a fruit and yogurt parfait and an apple crisp on the menu, too!

Atmosphere:
Chef Alyssa’s Kitchen is a large space, because it has to accommodate her cooking classes. The vibe is casual, and you order at the counter.

Jewish Soul Sister Hospitality:
Chef Alyssa and Andrew are total mensches, and it’s no wonder they’ve had such success considering their hard work and friendliness. You won’t be disappointed with any service you get from Chef Alyssa, whether it’s a class, prepared meal, or a lovely Saturday brunch.

Frankie’s Notes:
Brunching is to millennials what Netflix is to a snow day; We don’t take cooking classes because we are more eaters than chefs, but we would make an exception for a Chef Alyssa class; The pugs love Hanukkah because they get eight nights of peanut butter biscuits; Ron Swanson can teach us all a lot about life and brunch; sometimes we fail at food blogging when it’s too delicious and we can’t wait to take a picture before diving in.

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.

 

Bulla Gastrobar

Ham croquettes equal money

Background:
Bulla is a small, Florida-based chain that specializes in tapas. From the original Coral Gables location, Bulla now has eight restaurants, including one in Charlotte. We have visited this South Park eatery several times over the past six months since their opening, and we wanted to share our thoughts with you, dear readers. First, and most importantly, perhaps, Bulla is pronounced “boo-ya” and not “bull-ah,” so now you won’t have to feel silly when you are chatting about the Charlotte restaurant scene with your coworkers. Although Bulla is a chain, it’s still small enough that there is a level of integrity to their food and service that you don’t see at larger chains, and we hope it stays that way.

Interior of Bulla Charlotte

Exterior of Bulla Charlotte

Bulla is right next to Cowfish. And this giant cowfish!

Eat This:
Bulla is strongest on their tapas and starters. We have yet to be as impressed by the larger dishes. Read on for the details.

Charcuterie Board

Acorn fed pure Iberian ham, Manchego, assorted crackers, caramelized walnuts

We thought the accouterments served with the charcuterie was a little lame. While the selection of meats and cheeses is strong, the bread could have been better, and we like a little dried fruit/honey. Skip, unless you have to taste that sweet, sweet Iberian ham––which we totally get.

HAM CROQUETTES

Serrano ham, fig jelly

Order these. Two pug thumbs up.

PATATAS BRAVAS

Crispy potato cubes, spicy brava sauce, aioli

Basic, but delicious.

ALBÓNDIGAS

Veal and pork meatballs, Manchego, tomate frito

Pretty good, though not mind-blowing. We probably wouldn’t get these again.

HUEVOS ‘BULLA’

Eggs, homemade potato chips, Serrano ham, potato foam, truffle oil

The best thing on the menu. We come here basically just for this. Worth it. They bring this dish out in a cast iron pan with everything layered, and then they mix it all up tableside. Fun and super, super tasty.

HUEVOS ‘BULLA’

The premix

GRILLED OCTOPUS SALAD

Grilled octopus, roma tomatoes, cucumber

One of my personal favorites. Very fresh, and lots of different textures that play together nicely.

MONTADITOS

Brisket, tomato marmalade, guindilla, tetilla cheese

Super delicious little bites. We would order these again.

PAN DE CRISTAL CON TOMATE

Toasted crispy ethereal bread brushed with fresh tomato

I had high hopes for this, but it didn’t quite live up to the flavor I envisioned.

Bistro Fillet

Spanish paprika rub, Mahón cheese grits, sautéed vegetables, whipped serrano butter

The entrees at Bulla are just not as impressive as the small plates. Take this steak––overcooked and blah.

Summer salmon Ceviche

Roasted red pepper, jalapeños, carrots

This was a dish from their summer menu, and you should be glad it’s gone––at least the version we had. The salmon was not fresh, to the point that I wouldn’t eat more than the first bite for fear of getting ill. We sent this one back. Our server was very understanding, and we didn’t let this one mishap sour us on Bulla as a whole. These things happen. We felt that this dish would have been good with fresh fish. However, anything less than fresh raw fish is muy mal.

Dessert:
Bulla’s dessert menu is perhaps their best work, so definitely don’t skip it.

TORRIJA

Caramelized brioche, turrón ice cream, honey

Turron is made with honey, eggs, and almonds, and Scallionpancake loves almonds. We get the torrija every time, and this and the Huevos Bulla, are more than worth our while. ORDER THIS!

CREMOSO DE CHOCOLATE

Three layer chocolate genoise, vanilla ice cream, olive oil, Maldon salt

Smeh. Get the torrija instead.

Drink:
Bulla pushes their red, white, and rosé sangrias heavily. You can get the red version without Sprite added, so it’s less sweet and more wine-forward, which we appreciate. The margarita wasn’t strong and was far too sweet. Pass.

SANGRÍA & SPANISH MARGARITA

Red wine, brandy, triple sec, sprite, chopped orange

Jimador Reposado, Grand Marnier, Lustau Amontillado sherry, lime juice, agave nectar

Atmosphere:
The atmosphere is lively, the acoustics are not great (read: it’s loud), and the decor is richly colored with deep blues and dark wood paneling throughout. The kitchen is partially open, so from some seats you can get a glimpse of the culinary action.

BOOYA Hospitality:
On our visits, we have had great service. If there has been a mistake (like with the above ceviche dish), it has been quickly and politely resolved. However, some friends of ours experienced horrible service, so your mileage may vary.

Frankie’s Notes:
Frankie’s best work is also his dessert; Whatcha gonna whatcha gonna do with that DESSERT; Frankie wrote that song; You should probably keep mispronouncing Bulla like we did on our podcast for the first few weeks, because that’s super entertaining for everyone; Everyone should get a chance to ride a cowfish at least once in their lives, and we are lucky enough here in Charlotte to live that dream as often as our hearts desire; Ceviche with bad fish is like a bank holiday where you still have to go to work; BOOYA, bishes.

Bulla has a few standout dishes that keep us coming back for more, but a few items still need work. A fun date night atmosphere helps push Bulla Charlotte to a:

Rating: 3 out of 5