This is a story as much about a section of town as the restaurant. Plaza Midwood is a fiercely loyal neighborhood that actively keeps attracting local entrepreneurs. Unlike many other areas of town that have been experiencing the vanilla-ization of neighborhoods by a massive influx of corporate restaurants and franchises, Plaza Midwood is an outpost of creative individualism.
So it wasn’t surprising when I entered the recently opened 60-seat Creation: Food Beverage Zen that I saw a mix of Plaza Midwood residents. This is a crew that ranges from twentysomethings who recently moved to the area to people who have spent their lives in the area, working, raising kids and retiring in the same house.
By seven o’clock, Creation was jumping. The crowd came fully loaded with energy, optimism and a sense of fun — which may be the reasons they choose to live in this part of town. In any case, the patrons’ buzz bounced from table to table.
Creation is the result of the combined talents of three local entrepreneurs: co-owners Chris Boone, Stacey Leaver, and Kelly Cole. Boone and Leaver converted an old warehouse which once housed Porter Paints into a funky relaxed eatery. In the back of the warehouse, facing the patio of Thomas Street Tavern, is a space Creation’s owners leased to a dance studio.
Boone, a musician who also worked at Penguin for its opening, is better known as a member of Spite, a band that broke up in 2000. Leaver, credited with much of Creation’s design work, is also an area musician. The third owner, Kelly Cole, is an entrepreneur who once owned Kelly’s Cafe, a celebrated vegetarian spot in NoDa which for many years garnered armloads of CL best-of awards. After Cole sold her NoDa property a few years ago, she took time off and traveled. Former customers of Kelly’s Café give Cole hugs, proclaiming their delight that she has opened in Plaza Midwood.
The idea for Creation came to Boone while he was in the mountains. He enjoyed an eatery up there called Doc Chase, a “new little house type of deal.” Boone explained, “It’s like Mama Fu’s, but not that corporate. I wanted a restaurant which served the food I enjoy at Lang Van and King & I. But I wanted the kitchen to be as creative as possible.” Hence the name Creation.
The interior is a large expanse of concrete floor broken up by two wooden platforms offering seating in front of the storefront windows overlooking The Plaza. Vibrant and subtle art highlights the walls. The fervor of activity in the open kitchen can be seen throughout the restaurant. Chairs are not the comfortable, sit-all-night seats one might expect; some tables even have benches.
Boone is in charge of the kitchen, but with him are Eric Peterson, a graduate of Pennsylvania Culinary in Pittsburgh and trained culinarian Bart Bejarano. The menu offers simple-to-read and affordable Asian-inspired dishes: noodle bowls, salads, and dishes from the grill. Although most of the noodle dishes and curries can be made vegetarian, this is not a “vegetarian only” place. Next week Kobe beef is being added.
Wine is served in the Italian trattoria-styled small stemless glasses. The wine list is short and has excessive markup over wholesale prices. It always grates me to see bottles that list for ten bucks wholesale appear on a wine list with a 400 percent markup. Come on. This isn’t, say, gas. I wouldn’t accept that kind of markup in a place with a sommelier, Riedel wineglasses and Thomas Keller behind the line. Well, maybe if Keller were behind the line. So we had beer instead.
First out were the sesame tuna and potato crab cakes. Here, creativity and practicality clashed. The expertly seared tuna, paired with a ponzu dipping sauce, was not thinly sliced and it presented a challenge when trying to dunk. Small pieces go together well with chopsticks. A large piece, such as this tuna or a crab cake, does not. Forks, please. The curried mussel appetizer featured the large New Zealand kind which tend to be chewier than the smaller PEI mussels. And these were.
Grilled dishes are the strength of the kitchen, especially the seared meaty sea scallops, a brash coupling of sweetness from the sea creatures and jasmine rice and acidity from a citrusy beurre blanc sauce. The pesto soba noodle bowl seemed too mellow for such a vibrant room.
A pot de crème, an elegant and simple dessert once popular decades ago, makes a creative reappearance baked in a clear tea cup and accompanied by crispy wings.
It may take time for Creation to hit its stride, so like any other creative venture in its infancy, sometimes it works, sometimes it doesn’t. However, I would rather try a creative dish than a formulaic recipe any day. Then again, being in a spirited neighborhood among such convivial neighbors, one might be up for trying just about anything.
Eaters’ Digest
Yes, it is true, alas. ONEO Bistro & Wine Bar, 7725 Colony Road, has closed. It’s always sad to say adieu to an award-winning locally-owned restaurant with a talented kitchen crew. Once again, Charlotte loses a member of its culinary community that made the city unique.
Have a restaurant tip, compliment, complaint? Do you know of a restaurant that has opened, closed, or should be reviewed? Does your restaurant or shop have news, menu changes, new additions to staff or building, upcoming cuisine or wine events? Note: We need events at least 12 days in advance. Fax information to Eaters’ Digest: 704-944-3605, or leave voice mail: 704-522-8334, ext. 136. To contact Tricia via email: tricia.childress@creativeloafing.com.
This article appears in Aug 31 – Sep 6, 2005.
