The Common Market, Southend - Charlotte

Deli Counter

Last time I was in Charlotte I ventured into the Common Market's South End location for a quick lunch. What a great place! There are all sorts of goodies including beer/wine, prepared salads, soups, breakfast and lunch sandwiches and desserts and lots of specialty items including fresh pasta you could take home to cook for dinner. They also do Sunday brunch with a special menu. There are several tables for eating in and they do a large takeout business as well. Every week they have a wine tasting and a beer tasting and live music nights are not uncommon :)

After much deliberation I tried the Soup-O-Rama which includes grilled cheese made with your choice of cheeses and optional tomato and a large soup. The soup selections change frequently but were very impressive. I tried the red pepper gruyere (I think that was the name!) but they had so many tasty sounding options including Brunswick stew and chili. They always have at least one vegan or vegetarian soup. I also sprang for one of the giant chocolate sea salt cookies that are next to the register. Everything was delicious, especially that soup. I definitely look forward to trying more from Common Market soon. The original location is on Commonwealth Avenue in Plaza-Midwood.

Vietnam Grille - Charlotte

House Special Vermicelli.

Last time we were in Charlotte I dined with my parents at Vietnam Grille. We usually go to Saigon Palace, which is only a few blocks away, but this time we wanted to try something new. Vietnam Grille is fairly small and homey and is obviously family owned. It would be difficult to accommodate a very large group here but it is a nice and cozy place for a couple or family.

The menu is ranges from soups, noodles and rice dishes to traditional Vietnamese dishes and beverages. We tried the pictured house special vermicelli, which was very good - lots of picked carrots and radishes and tasty meat - as well as the seafood noodle soup (not pictured). The soup didn't stand out as much as the vermicelli, but the fresh spring rolls were very good - one of my favorite foods! I don't think Vietnam Grille has the yellow pancake (banh xeo) we like so much on the menu. For that (and for large groups) I will keep going to Saigon Palace - or back to Vietnam - I hope to finally put some food photos from my SE Asia trip up soon! If you are in Charlotte Vietnam Grille is a solid choice for reasonably priced tasty food. I look forward to trying additional menu items on future visits.

Shrimp and pork rolls.

The Original Italian Pie - Charlotte

During our last visit to Charlotte we tried The Original Italian Pie for pizza and salads. This is a franchise with a dozen outposts in Louisiana and one in Texas. This is the only location in North Carolina.

We split the Italian salad and the Caesar salad along with a large Roasted Eggplant pizza from the "Gourmet Pizza" section. The salads were pretty average, although fresh and the pizza was better than expected. This particular pizza is made with "zesty garlic sauce" and includes fresh mushroom, fresh tomato, sauteed onions and feta as well as mozzarella and the roasted eggplant. My dad previously ordered takeout here and was pleased, but for pizza it's best to eat it right out of the oven, of course. I look forward to trying the calzones and the oven-baked sandwiches here.

Pinky's Westside Grill - Charlotte

Right after our big honeymoon trip (more on that soon) and after a wonderful Thanksgiving dinner the day before, Calvin, my dad and I decided to check out Pinky's Westside Grill in Charlotte on West Morehead Avenue. This neighborhood is undergoing a pretty significant awakening and I'm excited to try some of the other newbies in the neighborhood also.

Pinky's serves a good burger and offers several eclectic twists, both on their burgers and other menu items that make it stand out as a causal dining joint. In addition to the tasty beef burgers, Pinky's serves hot dogs, falafel, veggie/turkey burgers and various baskets, salads and sandwiches as well. I look forward to returning to try the corn dog shrimp, the falafel and the "kinda fried turkey" sandwich.

We all tried the basic burger (the Pterodactyl), which is only available one temperature (per NC law a burger cannot be prepared rare anyway). At $3.75 (without a side but including generous toppings) it is a good value. We each tried a different topping style. Topping styles include Everything (mayo, lettuce, tomato, onion & dill pickle), Westside (mustard, chili, slaw and onion) and Ding-Dong Style (crunchy peanut butter, honey-cilantro slaw and hot sriracha sauce). I tried the Ding-Dong Style and loved it! Of course, having come from Thailand it was rather ironic that the waiter described it as their "Thai style" burger. We also shared some crab puppies as an appetizer - sweet crabmeat folded into large hush puppies and side orders of southern slaw, onion rings (more like straws) and fried squash. The sides didn't really stand out - the onion rings and squash were sliced too thin for my taste but maybe others like them this way. I preferred the cilantro-honey slaw on the burger to the southern style slaw. The only other negative is that the place is rather loud, although not as bad as some. I look forward to dining here again on the patio when the weather warms up in the spring!

Twin Tops Fish Camp: Belmont, NC

Shrimp scampi and fried clam strips.

On one of our many trips to Charlotte we stopped for dinner at Twin Tops Fish Camp in Belmont. In addition to very tasty seafood - the fish and fried oysters were my favorite, this place also has a neat candy shop that will make you nostalgic for your favorite treats. I got a Charleston Chew.

Included with all meals is a generous portion of hush puppies and a salad bar. I was impressed that they even had gourmet toppings like Craisins (which, as an aside, are apparently extremely difficult to find in countries like Chile, where my cousin is currently studying; we got her a bag at Costco when she came to be in the wedding!) for the salad bar. The food is plentiful - next time we decided we only needed one plate! Fish camps are abundant in some parts of the NC Piedmont. There are several on the way to this place from the highway. I'm really glad this authentic kind of local food still exists.

Platter that included everything - deviled crab, flounder, catfish and oysters with hush puppies.

Barking Dog Chocolatiers

Rare Breeds Grand Sampler.

Barking Dog Chocolatiers is a non-profit small artisinal chocolate company founded by husband and wife team Joal Fischer and Deborah Langsam. The chocolates are handmade and all profits are donated to local charities including Supportworks (founded by Fischer), Friendship Trays and NC MedAssist. In addition to working on a volunteer basis for these worthy causes, the chocolates are top notch, creative and addictive! I was lucky enough to be provided with samples of the new rare breeds line as well as the classics. In addition, because the owners are also personal friends of my family (I was actually the flower girl in their wedding many years ago!), I've also tasted the St. Bernard collection and the chocolate Pop Rocks treats.

My personal favorites from the new Rare Breeds Collection include:

Linzer truffle: raspberry pate de fruit over a layer of spiced milk chocolate hazelnut ganache. Very unique and tasty.

Earl Grey tea: dark chocolate ganache infused with Earl Grey tea with a beautiful patter on top.

"hot chocolate": truffle with pineapple ganache infused with a hint of habenero.

Paws-a-poppin - Dark chocolate with Pop Rocks candy inside - a deliciously surprising party in your mouth. Also available in heart shapes.

The Classics Grand Sampler.

Really want to impress? Have the chocolatiers at Barking Dog create an all chocolate chess set.

St. Bernard Petite Sampler.

Also available, a variety of barks. These are SO GOOD. My favorite: the dark pecan-cherry.

To order, call 704-333-1595 between 9 AM and 5 PM EST or email using the form here. In addition to all the tasty items mentioned, there are a few more delicious treats available and favors and custom flavors can also be created.

www.woofwoofwoof.org

Fran's Filling Station - Charlotte

Huge salad with grilled salmon.

Fran's Filling Station is a relatively new addition to the Dilworth dining scene. Located on Park Road across the street from the American Red Cross, Fran's functions as a place nice enough to take company but inexpensive enough for a casual dinner anytime. Restauranteur and owner Fran Scibelli serves a varied, tasty menu including soups, sandwiches and salads as well as some heavier entrees. Having dined here twice recently, the second time indulging in dessert, I recommend Fran's wholeheartedly. Try the grapenut pudding if it is offered - a real New England treat not usually found down south.

Special fries plain and (back) with blue cheese.



Chicken sandwich - I can't remember which variety!



Greek salad with seared tuna.




Eggplant parmesan.



Burger with fries.

The Liberty - another Charlotte post

Angry mussels and calamari "fries".

We tried another "new to us" restaurant while in Charlotte. The Liberty (in the old McIntosh's Steakhouse space) is an interesting blend of gastro-pub and gourmet. The angry mussels a friend of ours described as unbeatable were very tasty, but the calamari "fries" our waiter pushed were overbattered, oversauced and tasteless (other than the sauce).

I really did enjoy the seared tuna entree - it contained both soba noodles and wasabi - two of my favorites. The portions are quite large for the prices, making for a stark comparison with Good Food on Montford (see previous post). Calvin seemed to enjoy his Calabash plate - fried shrimp and fish with fries and hush puppies. I was surprised at the size of the shrimp, having actually eaten shrimp in Calabash, NC where they are tiny and nothing like these large ones. The fish tacos and the trout, two other good choices my parents enjoyed, were also tasty. The Liberty seems to do quite a few things well and boasts an eclectic menu. With tons of beer choices, it's bound to be a South End hit. While I do miss McIntosh's - one of the few steakhouses I really enjoyed, Liberty is a fine choice for a good meal at a good value.

Seared tuna with soba noodles and a wasabi sauce.



Trout with green beans.



Calabash fish and shrimp basket with hush puppies.



Fish tacos.

Good Food on Montford - Another Charlotte Post

Fried Oysters - yum!

Several weeks ago while in Charlotte for some wedding planning, we dined at Good Food on Montford for the first time. Montford Drive is a street with a long culinary history for me, with such favorites as The Ole Smokehouse, the Roasting Company and Luisa's Pizza. In contrast to those places, Good Food on Montford is more upscale, serving mostly small plates at fairly high prices. Several of the plates we tried were outstanding, including the ceviche, the mushrooms, the lamb tangine and the fried oysters. We also really enjoyed dessert, especially the cherry cobbler with ice cream.

My complaints about this place include the noise - so loud we could not hear each other despite being at a table for six closest to the front window - and the prices. Even my dad's "large plate" of fish was quite small and at $17, not exactly inexpensive. I am glad that Charlotte's restaurant selection is growing so rapidly, and certainly the food here shows a sophistication never before seen on Montford Drive. Although it's not a restaurant for everyday dining, I'd definitely return here for another tasty meal.

Excellent ceviche.

Foskoskie's on Shamrock in Charlotte

Apple Butterscotch Cake.

On a recent trip to Charlotte my dad and I enjoyed a quiet dinner at Foskoskies on Shamrock, a family owned neighborhood cafe with roots dating back to 1947. This place reminded me of Cheers and it was clear that many patrons are frequent customers. The food was spot on, too. I had a nice, basic spinach salad with goat cheese, candied pecans and dried cranberries. My dad went for the fish and chips, a worthy rendition. For dessert we could not help trying the above cake, which was delicious. Even if you don't live in the neighborhood, it's worth making a trek over to try this place.

Kabob Grill - Charlotte

Kabob Grill's wonderful "Hommos dip".

Kabob Grill is one of my Charlotte mainstays. I enjoy the freshness and quality of the ingredients as well as the causal, laid-back atmosphere. The hummus (hommos) is really excellent here. My other favorite dish is the lamb kabob wrap - really tasty. Over Thanksgiving I returned here with Calvin, my dad and a family friend - a great lunch choice!

Daily special - ground lamb with potatoes and rice in a tomato sauce.



Stuffed grape leaves.



Lamb and falafel wraps.

Portofinos - Eastway in Charlotte

Perfect calamari.

Bruschetta - delicious and full of garlic.



Shrimp Fradiavolo - my standby.

My favorite Italian place in Charlotte is Portofino. They have several locations including in east Charlotte and in south Charlotte on Park Road. The Eastway location is nostalgic for me as I went there on occasion as a youngster. The bread is fabulous - served warm with real butter. I also really like the orange colored dressing that they serve with their salads. If you're ever in the mood for Italian in Charlotte, you should definitely give this a try.

Eggplant Parmigian.



Salmon Mediterraneo - I was a bit disappointed with this - not sure what the bits of meat all over the dish are.



Grilled salmon salad with the delicious house dressing.