Places to eat in Charlotte

This restaurant is advertised as "Italian cuisine served by professional singing servers." You will see pictures in the hotel elevator showing servers dressed in Italian costumes and singing at the individual tables.

In reality, servers perform several numbers throughout the night, accompanied by a pianist. It's nice but may or may not be worth your time and money. We liked it and the food was great even though expensive.

Favorite Dish: I had Crostini (freshly baked Italian bread topped with tomato concasse', prosciutto and fresh basil) -- there are four slices, very good.

Next, I ordered Carolina's Seafood Cioppino -- morsels of seafood served in a saffron flavored broth; it was good as well.

For dessert, my friend and I ordered two desserts and shared: Triple Chocolate Torte (three layers of dense chocolate genoise filled with white and dark chocolate mousse, the finished with ganache) and Napoleon (crisp layers of pastry and creme patisserie, flavored with Amaretto and granny smith apples). Napoleon was my favorite -- it was delicious!

As Mark would say, this is a b1bob kind of place. It is a diner located a stone's throw from Mark's house. We ate here late one Saturday night after an edifying and full day in Columbia, South Carolina. One would think that after taking lunch at Maurice's Barbecue, that neither he nor I would be hungry. He wasn't so much, but round about 9pm, I was starting to get my appetite back. Because of the difference in appetites, the Knife & Fork was the best option. The service was professional, but not overly warm. In the waitress' defence, it was a full house even at that hour. The ambience was no-frills, just what you would expect for a diner.

Favorite Dish: I ordered a gyro and fries; Mark had corn chowder, sauteed zucchini and onion. Mark heartily recommends the corn chowder as fresh corn is used and is garnished with a biscuit floating therein. My gyro and fries were great, except most gyros I've ever had before were served with feta cheese. For further details on what Knife & Fork has to offer click on the menu.

Self claimed ‘famous for its rich and stylish ambiance.” Providing ‘European-inspired regional American cuisine”.

The deco generally speaking is contemporary, elegant and grand, however the flower arrangements dotted here and there gives an old country lady feeling, which is incompatible with the general atmosphere tries to provide.

The dining tables are of various interesting shapes and made of marble. Staff is well knowledge and professional.

Favorite Dish: - Portobello Mushroom Soup $4.95:
Cream based, rich and very tasty

- Halibut $ 23.95:
Artistically presented and layers of flavors.

See their menu: http://www.r-u-i.com/plo/menu.php

It is right cross the 6th St where Holiday Inn is located, thus a good choice to have a dinner after a late evening train.

What attracted me was the menu outside (not all restaurants post their menu outside in NC, unlike in NYC or many other places in the world).

This is what its own brochure says “ The heartbeat of uptown Charlotte (Mei’s note: uptown in Charlotte is the downtown of all other cities). This eclectic eatery offers nightly dinner features, mezes and tapas from around the world. Wood-fried pizzas, fresh sushi and delectable desserts are only a small part of the continental flair of this diverse menu. Peruse through the Microcosm Art Gallery or relax in the Thirsty camel Lounge, which showcases specialty martinis and fine cigars.”

The large dinning hall has two floors, at the tables upstairs, one can overlook the hall below (see the photo from the restaurant’s own postcard).

I was sitting at a small table at the window (per my request) watching people on the street (and being watched I guess!).

It is a very popular gathering place, especially it opens to 2 AM in the morning. But it was rather noisy.

Open time:
M-F: 11 AM – 2 AM
Sat: 5 PM – 2 AM

It provides a take-out menu which not designed well with lots of redundancies – but it does give you a glimpse of the food it serves.

Favorite Dish: The menu was rather interesting with some unique dishes. The restaurant serves from ordinary fare to Mezes and Tapas, as well as Sushi/sashimi etc.

I had was going to try their daily dinner special of red snapper, but they were out of it since ‘it was so popular’. So instead, I had the following:
- Brie en Croute $8.95
“Soft rippened cheese wrapped in oven baked flaky puff pastry, served with a pomegranate syrup and crusty French bread”. I love brie (such as Brie with pear salad etc). The pastry was excellent, the pomegranate syrup was good but a bit too sweet to me, as a matter of fact, it was so sweet it was hard to tell if it was made of pomegranate or raspberries.

- Roasted duck Pierogis $7.50
“Three homemade Polish style dumplings stuffed with potato, ***ake mushrooms and roasted duck, topped with a caramelized onion and sherry sauce.”
Believe or not, one can actually taste the fillings with mushroom and duck, they were not purred as in many restaurant (for this reason, I have been very cautious trying any ravioli kind of fare in many restaurants), instead, chopped to the point that one can still identify the flavor. I am no expert to tell if it is an authentic Polish dish, but the dough was thick and heavy and not much flavor. The sauce was nice (means, I do not have any special memory of it!)

Will post more dishes after I try in the future.

Price varies depends upon what you eat, a heavy dinner or a light one.

Kabuto has four Charlotte area locations, but I've only been to the one in South Charlotte on Pineville-Matthews Road (Highway 51). I don't think it's particularly great food, but people seem to love it here. Don't get me wrong, the food's not bad, it's just nothing you'll remember forever. It is, however, a great place to go for the spectacle of having a guy prepare the food in front of you with all kinds of flair and excitement and this makes it especially fun to go with a large group. The chef will come to your table and put on a show complete with juggling knives and flames as you can see from the picture.

If you make a reservation, note that they'll only hold your reservation for ten minutes after the scheduled time and everyone in your party must be there before you'll be seated.

Favorite Dish: Get something from the hibachi grill menu. It's a lot of food for somewhere between $16-$30 a person. You get a salad with either a ginger or a ranch dressing, then a soup with scallions and mushrooms and of course, the main course, which includes, rice, noodles and the meats you've ordered (there are vegetarian options too).

I recommended La Gran Havana earlier because I like the food, but Siboney is even better and from what my Cuban friend tells me, it's more authentic. I went there for dinner and the owner was walking around the whole night talking with customers like they were good friends. He's quite a character and his joy and pride in his restaurant is contagious. He can tell you some good stories about his native Cuba.

Favorite Dish: Yucas Fritas (Fried Cassava) and Filetes de Pargo Amontillado (Red snapper with a Sherry sauce).

Ever been to England? Didn't you just love the pubs. There are a few places in Charlotte that fancy themselves as pubs but I have not found one that even dents my admiration for the British variety. There is a relatively new one in NoDa (near where I grew up in a lower middle class community but which is now one of the hottest and hippest real estate markets in Charlotte) which provides an interesting blend of attractions: crepes and a pub.
The food is more European than the beverages. This quaint gastropub serves up savory and sweet crêpes, sandwiches, soups, pints, and French-bread pizzas. Critics and customers alike enjoy their pesto brie French fries and classic fish and chips. Or, try their ham and Gruyère crêpe, served with maple dijon glaze and bechamel. Wash it all down with a European brew or French press coffee. While it fits into a commoner's budget, this meal will treat your taste buds like royalty.

Favorite Dish: The ham and Gruyere crepe reminded me of one of the best meals which I ever had while visiting Bosnia.

So, you figure oysters are an aphrodisiac, and therefore a naturally brilliant choice for a dinner with your sweetheart, but the ones sitting out in the grocery store might give you and your sweetie more of a negative reaction than you're hoping for. Get a romantically raw deal at Vinnie's Sardine Grill & Raw Bar. Pull up a chair at any of their three locations (two in Charlotte and one in Mooresville) to break in your sea legs with a plate full of deep-sea delicacies like crab legs, seafood platters, and raw oysters. Or, if you prefer landlubber fare, opt for goodies like the chicken club or the steak sandwich (order it grilled or blackened), or a plate of wings. This is one pearl of wisdom you'll want to take all the way... home.
am a bit concerned, however, that Vinnie used to have several locations in Charlotte but is now down to only two.