For the last 15 years, I have been eating and writing my way through Charlotte. To most, it sounds like an enviable gig, and without hesitation — but marred by a case of food poisoning years ago (and yes, that place closed) — I enthusiastically agree. My singular regret, however, is I often do not have the time to revisit places or indulge in an admired chef's creations on a regular basis.
What is my favorite dish? I am frequently asked this question, yet coming up with an answer is akin to choosing a favorite among my children. I can understand why people want to bottom-line it. From my perspective, though, when I classify picks, I also conjure culinary spirits — the places and faces now missing from Charlotte: the sushi bar Tokyo Restaurant or Addie's excellent curries, among other spots.
We all know, however, that relationships are mutable. Sometimes the attraction fades and becomes no more than a passing fancy.
But I do have favorite dishes, both creative and humble. Glitz and glamour make places fun to eat; don't get me wrong — I appreciate artistic and creative interior design. But I am a food writer ... and ultimately it comes down to food. So I decided to write this — a guide to my favorite dishes at 54 local spots.
As I put this year's Food Issue together, I discovered a natural tendency to balance the fiscally prudent with the extravagantly sensational, Southern dishes with those from our immigrant population. I also found that certain local chefs can change menus, or venues, but I'll still take up residence on a bar stool in their restaurants whenever I can.
Strictly Southern
1 Fried is Southern cooking and there is no getting away from it. Local fish camps were created to celebrate fried foods and trendy gastro pubs allot a portion of their menus to fried items. Fried is part of our culinary landscape in Charlotte. Not surprisingly, then, Price's Chicken (1614 Camden Road, 704-333-9866, www.priceschickencoop.com) is located on the top of my list. If fried defines us, then Price's fried chicken is the defining dish. This eatery's chicken is exceptional; it reminds me of family dinners of fried chicken when I was a child. If I had grown up here, my family would have taken me to Price's.
2 Simple Southern fare is really just farm food, and necessity was more important than innovation. One last vestige of country cooking is fried green tomatoes. To be right, the tomatoes must be tart and the cornmeal casing crispy. Fried green tomatoes are easy to ruin if they are overcooked. I go to Jake's Good Eats (12721 Albemarle Road, 704-545-4741, www.jakesgoodeats.com) for my fix. Located on an isolated stretch of Albemarle Road beyond I-485, this eatery is contained in an old-styled gas station with a small number of seats and no alcohol.
3 The modern replacement for fried green tomatoes is fried pickles. Unless you just moved here, you know fried pickles are found on menus around town, but perhaps it wasn't until Snooki pondered fried pickles that the dish gained national attention. These days, local competition is cutthroat. Like all good Southern fried foods, the item must first be soaked; at the Penguin (1921 Commonwealth Ave., 704-375-6959), pickle chips bathe in buttermilk before being coated. The guys who revived The Penguin in 2001 will move around the corner by the end of October (taking over the Diamond) and the landlord of The Penguin has expansion plans. I doubt, however, that Charlotte's access to fried pickles is in any danger.
4 Any place that's courageous enough to have a collard dip on the menu is worthy of a go. Dish (1220 Thomas Ave., 704-344-0343, www.eatatdish.com) also features grilled chicken livers as an entrée. But I go for the beckoning sweetness and warm memories of the chicken and dumplings entrée.
5 Dropping by for a meal at Savor Café (1404 W. Morehead St. 704-334-0098, savoronmorehead.com) is kind of like showing up to someone else's Sunday family dinner — and these are the kind of people who will engulf you with hospitality and good food all at once. The dish to have is the exceptional coastal shrimp on velvety grits served at both lunch and dinner.
6 If you wanted to create a dinner to please your Southern grandparents, copy the menu at Simmons Soul Food Restaurant (516 N. Graham St., 704-334-6640, www.simmonssouldfoodrestaurant.com). I go for the hot cornbread, collard greens and baked chicken with cornbread stuffing.
7 At home, a quick sandwich of grilled Augusta's Original Pimento Cheese, a locally made product available at many area grocers, is perfect for a winter lunch.
From the Oven
8 If you have noticed a surge in the establishment of bakeries around town, you can thank Charlotte's Latino community. The concept of buying bread on a daily basis may not be convenient for our rushed lifestyles, but this is the tradition for many of our immigrant residents. Whenever I travel internationally, I frequent bakeries to get the bass note of the local foods. I hope that if visitors do the same here, they will stop in at Amélie's French Bakery and Café (2424 N. Davidson St. and 330 S. Tryon St., 704-376-1781, www.ameliesfrenchbakery.com). Amélie's is a growing phenomenon and is open 24/7. Recently they opened a store on South Tryon (ironically Amélie's started life downtown). Try the decadent and sinfully rich twice-baked almond croissants.
9 Cakes 'n' Flakes (2015 E. Arbors Drive, 704-688-7100, www.cakesnflakes.com) may specialize in celebration cakes, but this Indian bakery also offers a short list of chaats — aka Indian street food. My fork-driven lust demands that I order the pani puri filled with potatoes, tamarind chutney, and the bhelpuri — puffed rice with potatoes, onions and tomatoes.
10 An Italian pastry addiction can be a problem in Charlotte since we do not have Italian bakeries located within a few miles of each other as residents in the Northeast enjoy. But we do have Nona's Sweets, Bakery and Café (9331 JW Clay Blvd., 704-717-6144, www.nonassweets.com). One of the Neapolitan treats I enjoy is sfogliatelle, a flaky shell-shaped pastry enveloping a mixture of ricotta cheese, semolina and orange peel. If served warm, it tastes of Sunday baptisms.
11 Pandebono, or Colombian cheese bread, and arepas are made from in-house ground corn at Antojitos mi Colombia Bakery (4740 Old Pineville Road, 704-522-1211). The arepa de queso (arepas stuffed with mozzarella) is a soothing cold weather treat.
The Open Market
12 While I wait patiently for St. Sarkis Armenian Apostolic Church and St. Mark Coptic Orthodox Church to host Armenian and Egyptian festivals respectively — which might include such foods as basturma (a spicy Armenian sausage) and moloukhiya (an Egyptian soup) — I mark my calendar each year for the loukoumades at the Yiasou Greek Festival. The popular event is held each year from the Thursday through Sunday after Labor Day at the Holy Trinity Greek Orthodox Church. Although I haven't met a Greek pastry on their long dessert tables I didn't like, the galaktoboureko — a custard pastry — has become a favorite.
13 The Sweet Union Flea Market (4420 West Highway 74, 704-289-9414) in Monroe is still the place to go if you want to try excellent Latino truck food. While food trucks are now a dining category, with the slowdown in construction around town, these trucks are harder to locate. But each weekend at this market, hundreds of people order deliciously overstuffed sandwiches. From the red truck parked parallel to Highway 74, I order the lamb barbecue, listed as barbacoa de borrego torta and is enough to feed two. The sandwich is made on a long and wide white flour hoagie roll to which tender lamb, shredded iceberg lettuce, slices of avocado and tomatoes, pickled jalapeños and crumbed white farmers cheese is added. Then the sandwich is slathered with crema. It's a messy affair; pick up a stack of napkins.
14 While the conversation rages about whether a locavore can also be a cheapavor, I have always supported local farming and local farmers. For years I have belonged to a CSA (Community Supported Agriculture). My farmer is Sammy Koenigsberg. He and his family have New Town Farms in Waxhaw. Produce from this farm is sold through the CSA, to local restaurants and at the Matthews Farmers Market. The best part of being in this CSA, though, is going out to the farm at Thanksgiving and picking up a turkey.
15 I would be remiss not to mention local crops. Years ago, I found my favorite heritage apple at a farm stand in the mountains. The farmer told me all the apples in the bin I spotted were spoken for, but I talked him into selling me one. These tart crisp apples were Grimes Golden, an excellent cooking apple, perfect to bake with cinnamon and vanilla and then topped with a cloud of freshly whipped cream. From time to time, I have found Grimes Golden at our local farmers markets in the fall.
16 Bursting with flavor, local peaches make the heat of the summer bearable. If you have lived in Charlotte for at least one summer and have not gone down the road to South Carolina to buy White Lady or Red Haven, you are missing out.
17 Even if your name doesn't end in a vowel, watching pasta sail by on a zip line will bring you closer to all things Italian. Tommy George's Pasta & Provisions (1528 Providence Road, 704-364-2622, www.pastaprovisions.com) has been a stop of mine for a dozen years. In addition to the fresh pasta and raviolis, I also go for the Italian flour.
18 Making Indian food at home — and not just opening the jars of masala sauce from Trader Joe's — can become reality with the premade dosa mix from India Grocers (509 N. Polk St., Pineville, 704-889-2210). The mix is located in the refrigerated dairy case near the yogurt. One container makes about a dozen large dosas.
More Than a Sandwich
19, 20, 21 My favorite burgers in town are from Mueller Sandwich & Salad (119 Huntley Place, 704-940-6880), and Arthur's. Here's why: Although I know many people who like that edge-to-edge, gigantic burger, I don't. I like a balance of meat, bun and condiments. Dave Mueller makes the burger you would expect to find at a neighborhood cookout. Arthur's, on the other hand, is a family tradition. Located in the basement of Belk SouthPark (4400 Sharon Road, 704-366-8610), Arthur's is one of the last vestiges of department store food. For bison burgers, though, Big Daddy's Burger Bar (all locations, www.bigdaddysburgerbar.com) is the place.
22 In late spring, I thought I might be addicted to the bánh mì (sub) sandwiches at Zen International Market and Tea (10225 Park Road, 704-541-4748). The menu at its small deli includes French cold cuts, barbeque pork, grilled pork and a Vietnamese pork poll. All are made on crusty French baguettes and layered with meats; pickled daikon radishes and carrots; slices of jalapeño; and sprigs of cilantro (or sometimes mint).
23 Lee Katz offers a bit of the Big Apple metro area at Katz New York Deli & Restaurant (8045 Providence Road, 704-543-4666). It's a place for people who love deli foods and monstrous stack sandwiches ... and miss New Jersey.
24 For gyros, I go to the Little Village Grill (710 W. Trade St., 704-347-2184), which usually has a line out the door at lunchtime. While it is true Little Village uses that processed, but popular, gyro meat for their sandwich, I like the authentic touch of adding a few French fries.
25 Barbecue is a serious business in Charlotte — even though we do not have a preponderance of barbecue places. My favorite spot is Old Hickory House (6538 N. Tryon St., 704-596-8014), which has undergone some subtle changes in the years since Gene Carter passed. I like its meat-smoked-over-wood style barbecue. I order an outside brown cut; if you know what that means, eat here.
26, 27 Barbecue as a fundraiser is common. Two of these events are ones you should note on your calendar. The first is the barbecue cooked by BSA Troop 33 across the street from Sardis Presbyterian Church (6100 Sardis Road). This event is scheduled the Friday and Saturday before the Super Bowl. If you ever want to witness part of North Carolina culinary history, show up the day before while the scout leaders tend the fire — a 24-hours-a-day job. Another troop that sells outstanding barbecue is Troop 355 at Sharon United Methodist Church (4411 Sharon Road) in January. I buy several bottles of their homemade vinegar based sauce.
28 Cocina Latino (5135 Albemarle Road, 704-531-5757) offers Mexican dishes of auténtico sabor casero, or authentic homemade flavor. On Saturdays, barbacoa de Borrego (lamb barbecue) is available and sells out quickly. This barbecue is made in the traditional Mexican way over a wood-burning fire. The meat is covered with maguey cactus leaves that slowly release the juices from the leaves and keeps the lamb tender. The meat is served with tortillas and salsas.
Dinner
29 Seats are a premium at Barrington's Restaurant (7822 Fairview Road, 704-364-5755, www.barringtonsrestaurant.com) and in roughly 10 years of dining at this grand food emporium, I have only tasted excellent meals by chef and owner Bruce Moffit. While other restaurants had to rein in their entrée prices, most of the prices here have climbed to the $30-plus range. On the menu now is the beautifully prepared citrus glazed duck with confit stuffed won tons — worth every penny.
30, 31 Just down the road is Georges Brasserie (4620 Piedmont Row Drive, 980-219-7409, www.georgesbrasserie.com). This menu does not deviate much from the grand French brasserie canon. Memorable are the generous pots of mussels, the frisée salad studded with lardoons and a poached egg, and the meltingly delicious goat cheese and onion tart. Also in SouthPark is Chef Scott Wallen. I've been a fan of his Alaskan halibut for years. Now he's the executive chef at Zink American Kitchen (in its new SouthPark location, 4310 Sharon Road, 704-909-5500). On the new menu at Zink, he pairs the halibut with sweet pea risotto.
32, 33 Lamb is one of my favorite dishes, but good lamb dishes are hard to find. Frequently the flavor is obscured with too-heavy sauces, or the meat is overcooked; however, the Lamb Wellington starter at Bistro La Bon (1322 Central Ave., 704-333-4646) is quite lovely and inventive with its finely grained lamb infused with mint. At Global Restaurant (3520 Toringdon Way, 704-248-0866, www.global-restaurant.com), artistry with lamb is one of Chef Bernard Brunet's signature dishes, featuring both pulled shank and loin in a dish.
Cultural Exchange
My favorite spots are definitely ethnic, and if your palate has been desensitized by sanitized ethnic foods, read on, but please note: Many ethnic restaurants will ratchet down the flavor unless you talk to your server.
34 Blue Taj (14815 Ballantyne Village Way, 704-369-5777 www.thebluetaj.com) sets lamb into orbit with a number of its dishes. Leg of lamb is marinated in yogurt and fenugreek and then cooked on the tandoor, while grilled lamb chops, lamb Rogan Josh, and lamb curry are other stars. These are recipes from the creative mind of restaurant consultant and partner Mel Oza, a graduate of what he terms "the CIA (Culinary Institute of America) of India."
35 It's always a toss-up at Ilios Noches (11508 Providence Road, 704-814-9882, www.iliosnoche.com): Do I have the wood-oven roasted octopus, which reminds me of the summer I spent in Greece? Or do I order the transcendently tender lamb souvlaki?
36, 37 The hearty beef rendang entrée and roti starter at Cuisine Malaya (1411 Elizabeth Ave., 704-372-0766) are perennial favorites, and I could eat at Ben Thanh (4900 Central Ave., 704-566-1088, www.benthancharlotte.com) every week and never tire of their food. What to get? Bun tom thit nuong cha gio — pork and shrimp on vermicelli with iceberg lettuce, slices of cucumber, bean sprouts and mint — is a sparkling summer dish. In winter, I order banh xeo — a large yellow pancake filled with shrimp and pork and mint. In any season, the crispy quail appetizer fits the bill.
38 Thai Orchid (4223 Providence Road, 704-364-1134, www.thaiorchidcharlotte.com) is a place with a changing history and will change again soon as one owner retires to Thailand to open a B&B next year. This successful Thai restaurant offers a superlative roasted duck in a red curry sauce that will satisfy even the feistiest desire.
39, 40 The lunch buffet at Meskerem Ethiopian Cuisine (601 S. Kings Drive, 704-335-1197) shows how much fun finger food can be. I am not a fan of buffets, but here the selection is small and limited to a "best of" menu. Nearby is Austin's Caribbean Cuisine (345 S. Kings Drive, 704-331-8778), which has brilliant Jamaican dishes — including an appropriately dense and spicy goat curry. But show up early for the coco bread.
41 Although I like to sit on the patio overlooking downtown during spring and fall evenings, the burek stuffed with ground meat and the shopska (tomato, cucumber, pepper, feta cheese salad) is what I usually order at Intermezzo Pizzeria & Café (1427 E. 10th St., 704-347-2626).
42, 43 The parade of rolls offered at Cyros (6601 Morrison Blvd., 704-919-1881, www.cyrossushi.com) are innovative and pack a punch. At Mai Japanese Restaurant (7731 Colony Road, 704-542-4222, www.maicharlotte.com) I get the classics: katsudon and tempura; I've have trusted Master Itamae Yoshi to make sushi for me since he was at Tokyo Restaurant in the late 1990s.
44, 45 When it gets cold, I can think of no better way to get warm than to have cider with a spinach and wild mushroom crepe at the Crêpe Cellar Kitchen & Pub (3116 N. Davidson St., 704-910-6543, www.crepecellar.com), or a bowl of vegetarian chili at Lupie's Café (2718 Monroe Road, 704-374-1232, www.lupiscafe.com). While I can't really get my mind around the Skyline-esque Cincinnati-styled chili on pasta and with cinnamon on the menu, the vegetarian chili is a standout.
Green Stuff
46, 47 Salads are possibly the perfect food. Two of my favorite places for salads are Luna and Crisp. Luna's Living Kitchen (2102 South Blvd., 704-333-0008, www.lunaslivingkitchen.com) makes the most gorgeous salads, which taste even better than they look. The micro greens are from Tega Hills Farms in Fort Mill, and salads are lightly dressed, dotted with nuts and slices of fruit. At Crisp (1961 E. 7th St., 704-333-9515, www.crispfoods.com), one the specialty salads mixes cranberries, slices of pear and apple, bits of blue cheese, walnuts, and micro greens and is then tossed with a lemon vinaigrette. In the colder months, I order the flank steak with romaine, sliced portobello mushrooms and blue cheese.
Early Mornings
48, 49 Surprisingly, finding a good biscuit — a good Southern biscuit — has not always been easy. I like the ones served at Terrace Café (4625 Piedmont Row, 704-554-6177, www.terracecafecharlotte.com). A biscuit with honey is hard to beat with a good cup of coffee. In the spirit of a true neighborhood place, biscuits are offered all day at The Flying Biscuit (Park Road and Stonecrest Shopping Centers, (704) 714-3400 on Park Road and (704) 295-4440 in the Stonecrest Shopping center, www.flyingbiscuit.com), and these are accompanied by cranberry apple butter.
Sweet Spots
50 In August, when we were all sweating and the days did not dip below 90 degrees, I found the mango frozen yogurt at SouthPark's Pinkberry (6908-C Phillips Place Court, 704-552-8552 www.pinkberry.com). Soon after opening this summer, the line was out the door — actually out both doors, front and back.
51 Chef Kristin Bou Zeidan trained at Le Cordon Bleu in Paris and is now making artisanal chocolates in a small strip shopping center in Cornelius. All the spectacular chocolates in the case at her La Parisienne Fine Chocolate (20700 N. Main Street, 704-892-8070) are made by hand and are quite good. Some flavors are wildly inventive. My favorites include the hot chocolate and the Lebanese mint.
52 The recipe for baklava varies throughout the Middle East and Mediterranean area. Most people in Charlotte associate baklava with Greek style, which has a solid dose of syrup. The Lebanese baklava (or baklawa since Arabic does not have the letter "V") is the quintessential treat. To be clear, baklawa in Lebanon refers to an entire family of pastries. For a few years many types of Lebanese pastries, including bird's nests and nammoura, have been made in-house at Cedarland (4832 Central Ave., 704-535-9662), a Middle Eastern grocery store and deli. Check out the trays to the left of the front door.
53 For high-end Greek pastries and any dessert for that matter, I rely on Chef Frank Kaltsounis. I think it started with baklava at Ilios Noches, but then I found loukoumades and apple pie at Big View Diner (16637 Lancaster Highway, 704-544-0313, www.bigviewdiner.com).
Drinks
54 Finally, while I could write at length about my favorite wines, space is limited. But if you have not tried locally made — OK, regionally made — cider, you must. A girl's drink? Maybe, but cider has a higher alcohol content than beer, so what does that say? I enjoy the local cider that winemaker Sean McRitchie makes at McRitchie Winery & Ciderworks (336-874-3003 www.mcritchiewine.com), in North Carolina's Yadkin Valley AVA (American Viticultural Area). His dry cider has a clean, fruit-forward taste profile that goes well with most comfort foods.