Good New Restaurants

[archiham04]

^I went googling last week for this... found nothing.

[tozmervo]

9 minutes ago, jjwilli said:

Anyone have a picture of this original Bojangles?

https://www.bojangles.com/40-years-of-memories/

[KJHburg]

1 hour ago, jjwilli said:

Anyone have a picture of this original Bojangles?

They have long since torn it down maybe 2x since 1977 but there is a location in that same spot at West Blvd and S Tryon 

[KJHburg]

Tacos 4 Life will open in Concord for a cause (feeding children is the charity 22 cents from every taco, item sold) Near Concord Mills. http://www.independenttribune.com/news/tacos-life-is-coming-to-concord/article_53339924-6d8d-11e7-b7d8-7b0870427fb7.html

[ScottCLT]

SouthEnd/Dilworth Pizza Report:

Inizio is outstanding. Probably the best pizza in Charlotte. Amazingly high quality indregients make for a better pie. I need to give Desano another shot, but first impression is that Inizio wins, hands down.

I went to Your Pie yesterday for their opening. Pretty much standard for build-you-own-pizza joints, but they also have chopped salads, paninis, and local beers on draft. $7.99 for a personal pizza (yesterday it was $3.14 for opening day). Nice choice of toppings, but not sure it tops Blaze or Zablong overall. More along the lines of Maddio's. Good pizza, but it would be a tough call to go back with Blaze so close by.

[kermit]

3 hours ago, ScottCLT said:

SouthEnd/Dilworth Pizza Report:

Inizio is outstanding. Probably the best pizza in Charlotte. Amazingly high quality indregients make for a better pie. I need to give Desano another shot, but first impression is that Inizio wins, hands down.

I was in there yesterday as well and agree that the pizza is great. They have 10 (ish) set pizzas, but their menu makes clear they are not interested in ingredient substitutions, half-pizzas or other custom work. Salads are OK, cannolis are good but overpriced at $4.50 each.  It was insanely chaotic inside at 6pm, but I still had my complicated go order in hand within 10 minutes.

[ScottCLT]

2 hours ago, kermit said:

I was in there yesterday as well and agree that the pizza is great. They have 10 (ish) set pizzas, but their menu makes clear they are not interested in ingredient substitutions, half-pizzas or other custom work. Salads are OK, cannolis are good but overpriced at $4.50 each.  It was insanely chaotic inside at 6pm, but I still had my complicated go order in hand within 10 minutes.

No subs, but they don't discourage adding toppings. I just started with a margherita and added pepperoni (sliced the length of the sausage) and Italian sausage. I'm pretty basic when it comes to pizza.

[nonillogical]

I tried Loft & Cellar on Friday. I'll be back, but it was definitely a mixed bag. The food is generally outstanding - (one of the more creative small plates menus in town) - but on the expensive side. Drinks are great except for one that we all agreed was way too sweet. However I have to say the interior is...boring. They made no effort to make a unique or intimate space, which is disappointing given the name and the influx of competition in this category. There were TVs playing sports and an acoustic cover band playing 90's alt covers, piped through speakers throughout the 2nd floor so sitting away from it did not help us. Just not the vibe I'd hoped for.

 

[CLTProductions]

1 hour ago, nonillogical said:

I tried Loft & Cellar on Friday. I'll be back, but it was definitely a mixed bag. The food is generally outstanding - (one of the more creative small plates menus in town) - but on the expensive side. Drinks are great except for one that we all agreed was way too sweet. However I have to say the interior is...boring. They made no effort to make a unique or intimate space, which is disappointing given the name and the influx of competition in this category. There were TVs playing sports and an acoustic cover band playing 90's alt covers, piped through speakers throughout the 2nd floor so sitting away from it did not help us. Just not the vibe I'd hoped for.

 

I think they have a lot to work on but the potential is there. Agreed the decor is lacking, but they were delayed for like 2 years and just needed to get open to start making some cash. They'll add and improve over time. 

I agree upstairs is WAYYYYYY too loud and they're having AC issues. But I think they got the most important part right: the product. Food and drink menus are expansive and the quality is excellent. Once they fix the kinks it'll be much better 

[KJHburg]

Cantina 1511 is going in the old Blue space in Hearst Plaza. https://www.bizjournals.com/charlotte/news/2017/08/01/cantina-1511-snags-uptown-location.html

[tozmervo]

4 hours ago, KJHburg said:

Cantina 1511 is going in the old Blue space in Hearst Plaza. https://www.bizjournals.com/charlotte/news/2017/08/01/cantina-1511-snags-uptown-location.html

I hope it's East Blvd cantina and not Park road cantina. Since they moved that restaurant has become terrible. I know many people that have stopped going entirely.

[JoshuaDrown]

9 hours ago, tozmervo said:

I hope it's East Blvd cantina and not Park road cantina. Since they moved that restaurant has become terrible. I know many people that have stopped going entirely.

According to the article at Charlotte Five, Gene Briggs, the former executive chef from Blue will now be the executive chef over all three Cantina 1511 locations and reshape the contemporary Mexican menu, "without the higher prices that tend to define dining in uptown.”

http://www.charlottefive.com/mexican-spot-uptown/

For my part, I'm game... I love traditional Mexican, contemporary Mexican, Tex Mex. Bring it on. 

[Desert Power]

12 hours ago, tozmervo said:

I hope it's East Blvd cantina and not Park road cantina. Since they moved that restaurant has become terrible. I know many people that have stopped going entirely.

Same thing with the Ballentyne location

[hambone931]

15 hours ago, tozmervo said:

I hope it's East Blvd cantina and not Park road cantina. Since they moved that restaurant has become terrible. I know many people that have stopped going entirely.

The large selection of burgers didn't win you over? /s

[KJHburg]

Heritage of Waxhaw opening farm to table restaurant in Elizabeth in old Crisp space. https://www.bizjournals.com/charlotte/news/2017/08/11/chef-paul-verica-talks-800k-restaurant-plans-for.html?ana=e_ae_set1&s=scroll&ed=2017-08-11&u=oAaDx%2B74FoP4qOJ%2By4AU6dhJPpc&t=1502483053&j=78685651

[tozmervo]

11 minutes ago, KJHburg said:

Heritage of Waxhaw opening farm to table restaurant in Elizabeth in old Crisp space. https://www.bizjournals.com/charlotte/news/2017/08/11/chef-paul-verica-talks-800k-restaurant-plans-for.html?ana=e_ae_set1&s=scroll&ed=2017-08-11&u=oAaDx%2B74FoP4qOJ%2By4AU6dhJPpc&t=1502483053&j=78685651

That's awesome... but for some reason I though the old Crisp building was getting 'dozed soon?

[KJHburg]

Just now, tozmervo said:

That's awesome... but for some reason I though the old Crisp building was getting 'dozed soon?

It sounds like Asana owns it maybe someone else knows. 

[Owenorange]

6 hours ago, KJHburg said:

It sounds like Asana owns it maybe someone else knows. 

Yes Asana. Not dozed. Redeveloped, along with Starbucks, Comic Store and Roy White Flowers. Per Agenda, may also get an upscale bar outpost from Chapel Hill (Crunkleton)

http://www.charlottefive.com/charlottes-elizabeth-neighborhood-may-get-two-food-stars/

How is Heritage? What would you compare it to?

[KJHburg]

8 hours ago, Owenorange said:

Yes Asana. Not dozed. Redeveloped, along with Starbucks, Comic Store and Roy White Flowers. Per Agenda, may also get an upscale bar outpost from Chapel Hill (Crunkleton)

http://www.charlottefive.com/charlottes-elizabeth-neighborhood-may-get-two-food-stars/

How is Heritage? What would you compare it to?

Have not been there to Heritage in Waxhaw but I know it was pretty well received with reviews on Yelp and TripAdvisor. 

[Guest]

Yes Asana. Not dozed. Redeveloped, along with Starbucks, Comic Store and Roy White Flowers. Per Agenda, may also get an upscale bar outpost from Chapel Hill (Crunkleton)

http://www.charlottefive.com/charlottes-elizabeth-neighborhood-may-get-two-food-stars/

How is Heritage? What would you compare it to?

It's not really comparable. It's inventive fine dining. The kind of food you find in Portland, NYC, Charleston, really pretty unique for Charlotte, a great addition.

 

 

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[ScottCLT]

I've been in a mood to check out some new restaurant additions lately...

I tried both Packhouse and Joe and Nosh on Morehead. Packhouse has a great rustic vibe. I got The Packhouse's chicken tenders for lunch. They cook them the same way as their fried chicken at dinner, brined first in a sweet tea brine. Probably the best chicken fingers I have ever had, along with four awesome house-made sauces (they don't make you choose - you get all four). I know chicken tenders are not exactly hard to do or all that exciting, but these were *really* frickin' good!

At Joe and Nosh, I got their French Dip sandwich and a side of pasta salad. While good, I thought it was a bit overpriced. Ended up being $17 for a sandwich, cold side, and an Arranciata to drink. I'm a bit of a French Dip aficionado, and it was kind of middle of the pack good. The atmosphere of the place is great, nice and modern and open. I like the place, just feel it's too expensive for what it is.

I also went to SouthPark Grill for a French Dip last week. The sandwich was $17, but the shaved prime rib was overcooked. It was one of the better French Dips in town, still. But the interior was just missing something. It's nice and chic, but it felt incomplete. Like they tried really hard, and just stopped. It was dead at lunchtime - maybe 2 or 3 other tables eating. Not sure they will make it unless the dinner crowd is better.

And finally, I listened to the Agenda's recommendation of Jasmine Grill on South Blvd near Seneca. The unadvertised $6.99 lunch special (it's not on their menu and I couldn't find any signs about it) is incredible - a delicious Mediterranean salad, bowl of lentil soup, and chicken kebabs and yellow rice with veggies. It is insanely good, all of it. And I don't know of many places that can fill you up like that for $6.99. Just make sure and request their hot chili sauce for dipping (it comes with garlic sauce, which is also very good, but I need both). It's becoming a weekly thing for me now.

[ah59396]

23 hours ago, ScottCLT said:

I've been in a mood to check out some new restaurant additions lately...

I tried both Packhouse and Joe and Nosh on Morehead. Packhouse has a great rustic vibe. I got The Packhouse's chicken tenders for lunch. They cook them the same way as their fried chicken at dinner, brined first in a sweet tea brine. Probably the best chicken fingers I have ever had, along with four awesome house-made sauces (they don't make you choose - you get all four). I know chicken tenders are not exactly hard to do or all that exciting, but these were *really* frickin' good!

At Joe and Nosh, I got their French Dip sandwich and a side of pasta salad. While good, I thought it was a bit overpriced. Ended up being $17 for a sandwich, cold side, and an Arranciata to drink. I'm a bit of a French Dip aficionado, and it was kind of middle of the pack good. The atmosphere of the place is great, nice and modern and open. I like the place, just feel it's too expensive for what it is.

I also went to SouthPark Grill for a French Dip last week. The sandwich was $17, but the shaved prime rib was overcooked. It was one of the better French Dips in town, still. But the interior was just missing something. It's nice and chic, but it felt incomplete. Like they tried really hard, and just stopped. It was dead at lunchtime - maybe 2 or 3 other tables eating. Not sure they will make it unless the dinner crowd is better.

And finally, I listened to the Agenda's recommendation of Jasmine Grill on South Blvd near Seneca. The unadvertised $6.99 lunch special (it's not on their menu and I couldn't find any signs about it) is incredible - a delicious Mediterranean salad, bowl of lentil soup, and chicken kebabs and yellow rice with veggies. It is insanely good, all of it. And I don't know of many places that can fill you up like that for $6.99. Just make sure and request their hot chili sauce for dipping (it comes with garlic sauce, which is also very good, but I need both). It's becoming a weekly thing for me now.

I assume Jasmine Grill doesn't have a French Dip?!

[Guest]

30 minutes ago, ah59396 said:

I assume Jasmine Grill doesn't have a French Dip?!

Scott does love his French Dips.

[Temeteron]

On 8/21/2017 at 6:42 PM, ScottCLT said:

I've been in a mood to check out some new restaurant additions lately...

I tried both Packhouse and Joe and Nosh on Morehead. Packhouse has a great rustic vibe. I got The Packhouse's chicken tenders for lunch. They cook them the same way as their fried chicken at dinner, brined first in a sweet tea brine. Probably the best chicken fingers I have ever had, along with four awesome house-made sauces (they don't make you choose - you get all four). I know chicken tenders are not exactly hard to do or all that exciting, but these were *really* frickin' good!

At Joe and Nosh, I got their French Dip sandwich and a side of pasta salad. While good, I thought it was a bit overpriced. Ended up being $17 for a sandwich, cold side, and an Arranciata to drink. I'm a bit of a French Dip aficionado, and it was kind of middle of the pack good. The atmosphere of the place is great, nice and modern and open. I like the place, just feel it's too expensive for what it is.

I also went to SouthPark Grill for a French Dip last week. The sandwich was $17, but the shaved prime rib was overcooked. It was one of the better French Dips in town, still. But the interior was just missing something. It's nice and chic, but it felt incomplete. Like they tried really hard, and just stopped. It was dead at lunchtime - maybe 2 or 3 other tables eating. Not sure they will make it unless the dinner crowd is better.

And finally, I listened to the Agenda's recommendation of Jasmine Grill on South Blvd near Seneca. The unadvertised $6.99 lunch special (it's not on their menu and I couldn't find any signs about it) is incredible - a delicious Mediterranean salad, bowl of lentil soup, and chicken kebabs and yellow rice with veggies. It is insanely good, all of it. And I don't know of many places that can fill you up like that for $6.99. Just make sure and request their hot chili sauce for dipping (it comes with garlic sauce, which is also very good, but I need both). It's becoming a weekly thing for me now.

Eh, Jasmine Grill is ok....you haven't lived until you've tried Kabob Je Rotisserie and also Pita Kabob, both in Matthews. They both make their own pita and let me tell you it's to die for. They are both Lebanese owned spots.  I'm Greek and my Lebanese friend also approves  

[wilmore]

3 hours ago, Temeteron said:

Eh, Jasmine Grill is ok....you haven't lived until you've tried Kabob Je Rotisserie and also Pita Kabob, both in Matthews. They both make their own pita and let me tell you it's to die for. They are both Lebanese owned spots.  I'm Greek and my Lebanese friend also approves  

Kabob Je is outstanding (Lebanese here)