Good New Restaurants

[palmetto75]

I ate at Eggheads on Saturday morning. It's a nice place to eat for breakfast with good prices. Menu is what anyone would pretty much expect out of a Breakfast/Lunch spot. They have very good breakfast potatoes

The owner said they have had decent business on the wknds so far. I could tell it was a reach for them staying open then and business will have to be strong for them to maintain the wknd hrs. The 10% discount for Catalyst residents is nice.

[Niner National]

It was pretty busy when I was there. There were probably 15+ in there eating. Right as I was leaving, a group of 11 came in. I hope they survive. I don't know of anyone else that serves cheap breakfast in uptown on the weekends.

[peaceloveunderstanding]

BLT is great; I've been there 5 times so far.

I typically get the 28 day dry aged rib eye, the Foie Gras, and the Crepe Souffle. Fantastic.

The breakfast is also very good; the French Toast is amazing.

[nonillogical]

^on business expense, i hope? isn't their cheapest steak $50 with the most expensive being upwards of $100?

[tozmervo]

I made it over to Zoe's at Midtown recently. Delicious food (much better than Panera, IMO) at pretty reasonable prices (again, better than Panera). The atmosphere is not really to my liking, though - the music blows, among other things. Next time I'm going to get my order to go and go eat on the newly paved Little Sugar Creek greenway, which has lots of inviting benches and views.

[ScottCLT]

I checked out the Liberty last night. I loved the decor, though I'd imagine it isn't for everyone - stacked beer kegs for columns, pilsener glass chandelier, a wall of beer foam, and old slats of wood on the wall with an orange light shining from behind them. Unique spot as far as decor goes for sure.

I got a wedge salad and a burger, which were both amazing. The burger was cooked perfectly - medium rare with a taleggio and cheddar cheese, bacon and an aioli sauce. The parmesan fries on the side were a perfect addition to it, and full of flavor without needing ketchup on the side. And the presentation...I don't think I've ever seen a more beautiful burger and fries in my life. I had a couple pints of Old Mecklenburg Amber, and there were 73 other beers to choose from (only 20 on tap).

My only problem with the place was the lack of more casual food in such a casual environment. The burger was the only "laid back" option on the menu, and I wasn't in the mood for anything fancy, so that's what I got. I would love to see a few more sandwiches/bar food on the menu. And I know it's a "gastropub" which means that it's a pub with high-quality food, but that doesn't mean that they can't do gourmet bar food, which is what I'd expect.

[nonillogical]

Vivace is now open at the Metropolitan. i'm excited because this is by the same group that owns my friend's restaurant in Raleigh, and since i've eaten there a few times i definitely believe his guarantee of the quality here. i might get a chance to go next weekend.

Vivace Charlotte

Edited November 7, 2009 by nonillogical

[nyxmike]

Vivace is now open at the Metropolitan. i'm excited because this is by the same group that owns my friend's restaurant in Raleigh, and since i've eaten there a few times i definitely believe his guarantee of the quality here. i might get a chance to go next weekend.

Vivace Charlotte

It looks really good. I think I might have my graduation dinner there in December.

[Spartan]

Not new, but East Blvd Bar & Grill has opened in their new location next to 131 Main.

I finally got around to going to the new location. The food is the same as it ever was. The location has a very different vibe. Kinda shiny and new like everything else in this town. But it's well laid out, it has a real bar and a separated dining area. When the weather is nice and they open up the "garage" doors it will be awesome, and it's a good addition to Picasso's on that block.

[swampfox43]

I finally got around to going to the new location. The food is the same as it ever was. The location has a very different vibe. Kinda shiny and new like everything else in this town. But it's well laid out, it has a real bar and a separated dining area. When the weather is nice and they open up the "garage" doors it will be awesome, and it's a good addition to Picasso's on that block.

I ate there Sunday and they had the garage doors up. The inside tables sit about 3ft below the sidewalk so feet of people walking by are about even with the table. When the garage doors are up, you get the feeling of being outside. One of my friends said this reminded him of a places he ate in Montreal. I like the new East Blvd Grill. I will miss the big outdoor patio. The musty "old house" smell is gone, but that's not necessarily a bad thing.

[Forrest]

Checked out Deejai Thai this weekend. It's a fairly new restaurant next to the Manor theater in Myers Park. We had pad thai,chicken curry and beef satay. The food was good, not really exceptional. Thai Taste does it better in my opinion and their prices are lower. Would go back but not my first choice for Thai in this town.

[nonillogical]

i tried Vivace at the Metropolitan Friday night and had a great experience.

its a 2-story unit at the far end of the building, and looks like it has LOTS of outdoor seating (with heaters) on both the first floor patio and the second floor balcony. i did not see the second floor, though the ceilings in the main dining area go full-height. it may be a private party-only area. the main dining area where we ate has some impressive wood walls, funky red modern chandeliers, a huge wall of wines, and a partially exposed kitchen which i thought was very cool. the decor was great overall and it feels extremely upscale, but in a lively, loud, not-stuffy sort of way. prices were pretty reasonable, with my girlfriend and i getting $17 entrees and $6 appetizers (i had the scallop risotto, very good but my gf's simpler-sounding, but actually quite fancy chicken and spinach ravioli dish was even better). it looked like they range from $14-26 or so.

the quality of the food, knowledgeable service, and atmosphere was really, really great for the price. they were very busy too, which made service a little slow but we weren't there to hurry anyway. sorry for the long-winded post but this one is definitely worth checking out.

[HopHead]

^I second your review on Vivace. I went there Thursday night last week. Loved the atmosphere there. My buddy and I ate at the bar downstairs and then had another drink on the second floor bar. It's a little cozy up there with circular tables and chairs. More of a social setting but it was neat. I can see spring and summer nights out on the patio there along the greenway for sure. And I agree that the chicken and spinach ravioli was excellent. Very reasonably price meal as well. Most entrees were in the $16-$22 range. Also liked their selection of Italian beers. My wife already has me committed to taking her there next time we go out to eat

[nonillogical]

this is way in advance but I have some inside info that I'm now allowed to share.

Mellow Mushroom will be returning to Charlotte (finally!). the new store will be in Myer's Park, taking a space on the first floor of an apartment/condo project already under construction at Selywn & (I think) Tranquil. I don't know much about the condos and haven't been down there to check it out yet, but knowing that its on Selwyn in that area, I'm assuming that must be the site. They are hoping to open in May.

I'm pretty excited since Mellow has been my favorite pizza for a long time, but Myer's Park is the last place in the whole city I'd expect to see them in. I think they'll do fine, but might not get as much bar activity as they would have elsewhere. I REALLY wanted to see them come to either West Morehead or fill one of the vacancies uptown near Graham & 5th/6th. It's franchise-based though, and since they've been working on drumming up interest in the city lately we're still likely to see a 2nd location eventually.

[atlrvr]

I thought they would do well taking a ground floor spot at Catalyst.....I'm glad to hear they are returning. I liked them, though there was a lack of consistency among the former franchisees locations, though come to find out he lost his franchise license by using un-approved ingrediants.

[Forrest]

I think it's a good location for MM. Selwyn Pub and Nolen Kitchen are both popular and they will benefit from spillover from those patrons. And have a natural base of customers from the surrounding condos.

[nonillogical]

there's a new place called Metropolitan Cafe in the middle of brevard court. it wasn't open today when i went to check it out but they had hookahs in the window and some tables outside. i'll be back to check it out. Eggheads seems to be doing pretty well and its good to see some life around there.

http://www.cafemetropolitan.com/

[Niner National]

The restaurant portion has been open for quite a while. I ate there a couple of months ago. The hookah lounge and coffeehouse is new however. I no longer remember exactly what I had when I ate there, but it was very good.

[Miesian Corners]

So I tried the Whiskey Whse last night in PM (old Creation space on The Plaza). Food was OK, but the vibe (IMO) is way off for the neighborhood. It looks like a chain restaurant. WAY too button-down for the location and the douchey factor was high. It belongs in Myers Park or South Park. Probably won't be going back.

[Forrest]

I have not been yet but driving by I also got a generic feeling. What makes PM so great is the quirky nature of each establishment. This place seems like it would fit better in Ballanytne. I seem to be one of the few people who liked Creation. Many people seemed to take issue with the service or food but the staff and clientele reflected the neighborhood's alt side. I don't like seeing that diminished. We don't have much of it to begin with in this town.

[nonillogical]

^ well i don't think PM will have a problem with letting it die if it needs to...most residents won't pay it more than a first curiosity visit if it comes across as inauthentic. whats the menu like? the idea of a saloon sounded really interesting on paper.

i did loathe creation though. it was a cool enough place, but i thought the food was inexcusably bland. too bad the rumors of Lang Van moving there didn't come true!

[plaza-midwood]

Disagree wholeheartedly about Whiskey Warehouse. I was there the other day and loved everything about it. It's a large space (for Plaza Midwood), the food was well-prepared, the menu was interesting, the setup was very modern yet unique (far from a chain restaurant), and it is more than likely going to be the #1 Sports Bar in Plaza Midwood (10 large plasmas throughout).

Whiskey Warehouse is obviously more bar than restaurant...but the food looks to be very good as well. I only had an appetizer (steak kabobs) but it was very good. Fresh, quality cut of meat, fresh veggies, tasty tangy/spicy sauce, with sticky rice. The menu looked very interesting (I found 4-5 things that I wanted to try) and everything that I saw come out looked delicious.

This place is far from a chain. It will be a huge hit in PM, I have no doubt about that. I only ate at Creation once, and immediately told my freind that that place wouldn't last. I've now eaten at Whiskey Warehouse once, and I am completely confident that it will succeed.

Hell....having Jack Daniels *on tap*...and Jack & Coke Slurpee machines...that alone will keep me coming back!

If you haven't been to this place yet, try it. It's a perfect fit for Plaza Midwood, IMO. No, it doesn't have that 'hole in the wall charm' that other places in PM have. But that's why it's a great. It's got a more modern feel that you'd get in a Ballantyne bar... except it's a local, unique, sports bar/restuarant/bar crawl type of place that PM sorely needs.

Love it.

[nonillogical]

well that sounds reassuring, i do intend to give it a chance. a modern sports bar feel may have turned some people off in PM, but i think there's room for that as long as its a good one.

[Miesian Corners]

Disagree wholeheartedly about Whiskey Warehouse. I was there the other day and loved everything about it. It's a large space (for Plaza Midwood), the food was well-prepared, the menu was interesting, the setup was very modern yet unique (far from a chain restaurant), and it is more than likely going to be the #1 Sports Bar in Plaza Midwood (10 large plasmas throughout).

I guess that was my point--Plaza Midwood isn't really a sports-bar kinda neighborhood (or so it's always appeared to me). There was not one pierced or tattooed person in the place the night I was there (disappointing in a city with so few colorful people). Instead, I found a place that could have been a suburban sports bar in any city in America.

[teeg]

I guess that was my point--Plaza Midwood isn't really a sports-bar kinda neighborhood (or so it's always appeared to me). There was not one pierced or tattooed person in the place the night I was there (disappointing in a city with so few colorful people). Instead, I found a place that could have been a suburban sports bar in any city in America.

Not a "sports-bar kind of neighborhood"? What does that mean? We don't like sports? All authentic Plaza-Midwood people must have visible tattoos and piercings?