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Thursday, August 13, 2009
Food News Food tidbits: Aug. 13
Posted By Tricia Childress on Thu, Aug 13, 2009 at 10:23 AM
• Tom Sasser, President and Owner of the Harper’s Restaurant Group (which includes M5, Upstream, Zink, and Mimosa Grill) said of his former Corporate Executive Chef Tom Condron leaving to opening his own eatery, “We encourage our people to pursue their dreams.” He laughed and continued, “We do, however, hope it’s with us . . . Luckily Tom had done his job well and developed chefs in each location and we have strong chefs in all our restaurants." Sasser further noted that they are not currently looking to replace the Corporate Executive Chef position, but rather they will focus on hiring within their catering arm.
• Eat Charlotte, a consortium of 28 locally owned and operated restaurants, is featuring $25 for Two during the week of Aug. 14 through Aug. 22. For the restaurant list (ranging from Andrew Blair’s to Zink) and additional details visit: eatcharlotte.net.
• Harper's Restaurant at Carolina Place Mall is hosting a Samuel Adams Brewery five-course dinner paired with award-winning lagers and beers on Friday, August 21, 2009, at 7 p.m. Cost is $30 per person. 704-541-5255.
Food News LaTorre's restaurant to close, club to move
Posted By Tricia Childress on Thu, Aug 13, 2009 at 9:52 AM
General Manager Adam Corkhill has confirmed that LaTorre’s Latin Inspired Cuisine, 118 West 5th Street, will close after service on Saturday night. He said the company focus will be on their upscale LaTorre’s Latin dance club which will reopen (and continue giving free salsa dance lessons) on the third floor of the former HOM next door. Owner Stephan LaTorres owns the business and the property. For more information about the events and salsa lessons at LaTorre’s nightclub call Corkhill at 704-377-4450.
Wednesday, August 12, 2009
Three-Course Spiel Mr. K's Soft Serve Ice Cream hasn't changed much since 1967
Posted By Christian Yoder on Wed, Aug 12, 2009 at 10:41 AM
When Ted Karres first started up his soft serve ice cream business in 1967, it was nothing more than a single 500-square-foot room that served cones from a single window. With one ice cream machine and a hot dog roller, Karres managed to turn Mr. K’s into a full-fledge diner. Now, over 40 years later, the restaurant off South Boulevard is still a family business run by Karres’ son-in-law, George Dizes. Dizes has since expanded the menu and put his own mark on the establishment. A die-hard Panthers fan, Dizes decorates Mr. K’s with original Panther paraphernalia that adds flair to the home-grown business. Although a lot has changed at Mr. K’s over the years, its philosophy of keeping an intimate, friendly atmosphere hasn’t.
Creative Loafing: What’s your busiest time?
George Dizes: Definitely lunch time, but we’re open until nine every night of the work week. We close on Saturdays at four and we don’t open on Sunday. But our lunch crowd comes from all over, from downtown, neighborhoods, factories. You see just as many suits in here as you do construction workers. It has an appeal to everybody. As far as value is concerned, we’re just about the least expensive place to eat on South Boulevard. You can get out of here fully fed for about five, six bucks. At our competitors you’re looking from about eight to 12 dollars.
How are things different from when Mr K’s first started?
This building was erected in '71. After four years at the corner, Mr. K decided that he needed more space. This building was exactly as you see it since '71. You know, a few changes have been made. I’ve been the biggest change-maker here since I’m a die-hard Panthers fan. I’m kind of making a Panthers theme here.
What’s it like having restaurant right next to a strip joint [Leather & Lace]?
To be perfectly honest, we’ve never had a problem with it. Once in a blue moon we’ll have something happen. But it’s usually out of their control. They can’t be responsible for everyone that walks in their door. But on the whole it hasn’t been a problem.
Mr. K's Soft Serve Ice Cream & Drive is located at 2107 South Blvd. 704-375-4318
Food News Upcoming: Wine dinner at Firenze Ristorante
Posted By Tricia Childress on Wed, Aug 12, 2009 at 9:29 AM
Today at 7 p.m., Firenze Ristorante, 6414 Rea Road, 704-544-4949 is hosting a wine dinner with Marco Branchini owner and distributor of the Branchini wines from Italy from the Emilia-Romagna region. Cost is $39 per person with tax and gratuity excluded. 704-544-4949.
Tuesday, August 11, 2009
free food TODAY: Free tacos from Jack in the Box
Posted By Priscilla Tsai on Tue, Aug 11, 2009 at 4:19 PM
free food Free shake from Steak 'n Shake
Posted By Priscilla Tsai on Tue, Aug 11, 2009 at 4:14 PM
Get a free Mint Cookies 'n Cream milkshake from Steak 'n Shake with this coupon. Offer good until Wednesday, Aug. 12.
Click here for the nearest store locations.
Food News Gastropub Liberty opens soon
Posted By Tricia Childress on Tue, Aug 11, 2009 at 2:29 PM
Chef Tom Condron and Matthew Pera, both formerly of the Harper's Restaurant Group, will open The Liberty, an American gastropub, 1812 South Blvd. (formerly McIntosh), in early October. The Liberty will offer a “progressive American version of the UK-born gastropub concept.” Entrées will be priced between $14 and $22. Liberty will also offer more than 20 hand-crafted beers on tap, 50 beers by the bottle, 60 wines with an extensive wines-by-the-glass program, and a creative cocktail list. The 206-seat pub has a patio and 50-seat bar. Private dining for guests up to 50 is also available. Hours will be 11 a.m. until 1 a.m. daily.
Food News New on the menu at Bonterra and 300 East
Posted By Tricia Childress on Tue, Aug 11, 2009 at 9:28 AM
• New items on the menu at Bonterra Dining & Wine Room, 1829 Cleveland Avenue, include Cheeses and Charcuterie; Escargot de Bourgogne; Chilled Shrimp Cocktail; Beef Carpaccio; and a New Town Farm Heirloom Tomato Salad. Sibling restaurant Las Ramblas, 2400 Park Road, has added more salads, pastas, a new paella, and the Las Ramblas Panini with Lomo, Serrano, Chorizo, Drunken Goat Cheese with Apricot Mustard.
• New on the menu at 300 East (located at 300 East Boulevard) Grilled Pizza with Fig and Prosciutto, Cyprus Pizza, Farmers Market Tomato Salad,=2 0Ahi Tuna Burger with Seaweed Salad, Pepper Crusted Beef Tenderloin Sandwich, Lettuce Wraps with Curried Mango Chicken Salad, Chilled Asian Noodles, Grateful Growers Pork Loin with Melon and Cucumber Salsa, Smoked Mozzarella Ravioli with Roasted Tomato Basil Sauce, and Chicken Paillard with Grilled Tomatoes and Artichokes. The summer dessert menu features Blueberry Crostata with Lemon Curd; Peach Cobbler with House-Made Buttermilk Ice Cream; White Chocolate Panna Cotta and Fresh Fruit; House-Made Peanut Butter Ice Cream Sandwich with Chocolate Sauce; Coconut Cream Angel Food Cake with Lime Syrup; and Callebaut Chocolate Brownie with Vanilla Ice Cream and Caramel Sauce.
Monday, August 10, 2009
Food News Recent openings and closings
Posted By Tricia Childress on Mon, Aug 10, 2009 at 9:28 AM
• Salara Lounge Bistro, 14825 John J. Delancey Drive (in Ballantyne), has closed. [that is confirmed with the owners]
• Bar Management Group is opening Town Tavern on Friday, August 21 on the corner of North Tryon and 5th Street. Joining forces with Bar Management Group (BMG) is Charlotte resident, Andrew Reid, a St. Bonaventure University of New York graduate, who is “eager to establish Town Tavern as the Buffalo Bills headquarters”. Hours are 3 p.m. until 2 a.m. daily. www.TownTavernCharlotte.com.
• A Cuban restaurant will be opening soon in the former Suruchi’s (129 West Trade with an entrance on Church Street).
Friday, August 7, 2009
Food News Sadly, another one bites the dust
Posted By Priscilla Tsai on Fri, Aug 7, 2009 at 10:03 AM
Jimmy Buffett's restaurant Cheeseburger in Paradise in Lake Norman has closed. Friends visited this past weekend to find the restaurant completely boarded up.
Cheeseburger in Paradise, founded in August 2002, is owned by Outback Steakhouse, under a license from Buffett.
The restaurant closest to Charlotte now is the one in Myrtle Beach.
MYRTLE BEACH
7211 North Kings Highway
Myrtle Beach, SC 29572
Phone: 843-497-3891
Fax: 843-692-7079
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Recipe: Rose Water Tea Cookies 1
Cookies, tea and shouting. In that order. Ascending order.
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Dish on this: Charlotte-based chefs join ACF Culinary Team USA 2016
As fall approaches, local chefs prepare for a culinary battle in Germany.
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Recipe: Pomegranate Gingerbread Granola
Breakfast logic: Things that are crunchy are good. Granola is crunchy. Therefore, it is good.
