Good New Restaurants

[HopHead]

Ok, so I'm a little peeved that after typing a long review that I received a network error and my submission was ignored Anyways, here's the cliff notes version... I went to The Cowfish recently and absolutely loved it. It was probably the best dining experience I've had in a while. I had chicken satay app and one of their "Burgerushis". The one I had was Ahi tuna, jalapeños, tomato salsa and slaw on a rice/kani roll. I will say that I ate every bit of it... The restaurant had great ambiance and great service. I definitely thought the burger/sushi combo was odd at first but after eating there definitely liked it a lot. Will definitely be going back... soon.

[Boricua]

If yall are looking for some excellent seafood, especially crab, get to The Hole in the Wall Crab Shack, off of Wendover and Monroe Rds. The food was Excellent! My friend and I had the crab cakes combo. Hands down the best crab cakes ive had here in the States! They had to be close to 100% lump crab no filler, yummy. The guys behind the counter are super friendly too. Their lemonade is OFF THE HOOK, LOL. FYI its take out only. I cant wait to go back and try their garlic crabs

[atlrvr]

I took my family to Cowfish as well this past weekend. Great food, and everyone wants to go back soon. I had a burger, my wife a Tuna Burger, and my older son sushi, and I even had to still some terriaki chicken nuggets off my younger sons plate. Fries and fried pickles were both excellent.

I disagree on the ambience, as I didn't care for the high loft ceilings, and the booth tables were too narrow (which the manager even acknowledged without me mentioning it). Sitting at the bar would definitely be the way to go.

[tozmervo]

Are there any updates on the Diamond restaurant?

[Urbanity]

Went to City Diner on 5th street (btween Nix and Dandelion) twice this weekend. It was ok but nothing great. The lunch items (reuben) was pretty good, but the breakfast was pretty bland. It's still in a soft opening right now so I hope it's just trying to get into a groove in the kitchen.

Thrilled to have a 24/7 diner now in the heart of the city. Staff btw are great and friendly.

[New Name]

I got a burger at Jack Beagles in NoDa this weekend. They opened in the small gray building next to Salvador Deli. They're the first tenant in that building in years (as long as I can remember), and I know they had to do a complete upfit including ceilings, walls and floors. I love to see old buildings get rebuilt!

Jack Beagles is a small diner/bartop - very straight forward for NoDa and not that different than Solstice Tavern on a smaller scale. The owner tells me their angle is that they will be open for post-2am-bar-crowd. Good stuff.

[SmellyCat]

I went to pinkys with a friend on saturday. Thought parking would be an issue but they were not that busy which was surprising @ 830. Had the vegan chili which I liked and a fish sandwich it was ok but it's hard to make that too memorable. My friend had a burger which he said was good but not great. The service was fine and the interior is cool.

Overall it was an average experience, but I was not expecting a great meal to begin with. The place seems geared to provide decent grub and a place to watch a game. Nothing more nothing less and it accomplishes the goal.

Went to Pinky's last night but disappointed to say the place was so darn packed around 6pm that I didn't even try to wait around to be served. I guess that's a good sign!!

[ScottCLT]

We went out to Big Ben tonight. My fiancé and I both had the haddock and chips (which we doused with malt vinegar and used plenty of HP Sauce for dipping!), and started out with the Welsh rarebit. Both were quite tasty, and the fish was as good as I've had in any pub in Britain. The Welsh rarebit, which is basically cheesy bread, was a bit overpriced at $8, but it was just $5 tonight because of their opening celebration (and probably a better price point than $8 for the everyday menu).! They had a couple different musicians playing tonight - both were great, but not sure if music will be a normal thing as there wasn't a specific stage area.. The new spot isn't as "homey" as the old one, but I honestly can't be happier to have this place in my neighborhood. Great experience, and I am looking forward to going back.

[nonillogical]

saw this somewhat cryptic post on Creative Loafing today: http://blogs.creativeloafing.com/eatmycharlotte/2011/01/21/bluprint-restaurant-opening-uptown/

anyone know more about it? speculation on which spot on trade street they're actually referring to?

[go_vertical]

Heard from a reliable source today that Taco Mac has picked out the two new locations for the Charlotte area and that they are pushing for a late April opening. Supposedly they are to open at the same time or at least very close to one another. I tried my best to pull the actual locations out of him, but it was futile.

[ScottCLT]

I had lunch at The Cowfish today. It had to be one of the best restaurant experiences I have had in a long time. We sat at the back sushi bar, and they had giant touchscreen monitors built into the bar that you could use for ordering sushi and drinks as well as playing games or browsing the web. Very cool! They are only the back bar, though. We just lucked out. I can't believe how large the place is. It seems like at least double the size that The Counter was.

I had a new menu item that was not yet listed (by recommendation of my server) - the crab Rangoon burger. It had fried wonton crisps, sweet chili sauce, jalapeño bacon, and crab Rangoon spread complete with lots of stringy crab meat. It was one of the best and certainly most unique burgers I have ever had - perfectly cooked and the flavors all just worked together so well. And for what it's worth, I usually don't like unusual toppings on burgers - I typically stick to a regular cheeseburger. It was wonderful, though, and I would recommend anyone going there to try it. My fiancé got a bento box with sushi, fries, edamame, cucumber salad, and a slider. A nice taste of everything. She was overly pleased with everything and said this is probably her new favorite restaurant.

And in the bathrooms, a comedic touch - an English to Indonesian to redneck translation recording. It was playing things like "I think I've had a few too many," then translated to Indonesian, and then "I'm more tore up than a cricket in a hubcap!" I actually stood in the bathroom for a few minutes to hear more.

The service was excellent, too. And you can tell this place is already a hit when there is a 35-45-minute wait for a table at 3:00 in the afternoon (especially given the size of the place). I can't wait to go back and try something else on the menu (if I can get my mind off of that crab Rangoon burger long enough to do so).

Heard from a reliable source today that Taco Mac has picked out the two new locations for the Charlotte area and that they are pushing for a late April opening. Supposedly they are to open at the same time or at least very close to one another. I tried my best to pull the actual locations out of him, but it was futile.

Hmm...I could see a Taco Mac in the old Jillian's location in Southend.

[go_vertical]

Drove by the Diamond yesterday and there were a few cars parked in the front. As I was getting close I saw a woman exit so I pulled in to check it out. False alarm, the front door was opened but work is still going on inside. They are VERY close to completion though and it is looking quite nice. Definite diner feel without being too over done. Looks like it will be comfy and cozy.

After this I had built up a hunger so I gave the new Penguin a shot. Although I am still pretty soured on how that whole thing went down I still would hate to see this place fail. Still looks like the old Penguin inside. All of the clutter that was against the window near the bar/kitchen is gone and the place went through a serious cleaning and polishing. The food wasn't too bad (I tried a chicken tender sandwich, no fried pickles), certainly nothing to write home about. That thing that was always in the air that made The Penguin "The Penguin" is clearly not there now. Doubt I will go back very often.

Also, I got a little more info on the Taco Mac developments. Still couldn't get specific sites, but I was told that "one location is an obvious for a sports bar" and the other is "near uptown". From this I am guessing University area and South End or possibly Midtown. I also discovered that the company is bullish on Charlotte and they are ultimately planning for a total of five or six locations here. One or two of their executives have essentially relocated to Charlotte to oversee this location getting planted firmly on its feet and I would expect them to stay at least until these two new spots open.

[tozmervo]

^ The other night I walked past Jillians and there was definitely work going on inside. I'd lay money that it's the new Taco Mac location

[New Name]

There is a Leveccia's sign on the Hearst Tower now. Does this mean they are moving from their space in 7th Street Station to the Hearst? Does this have anything to do with the "City Market" concept for the old Reid's space?

[DMann]

There is a Leveccia's sign on the Hearst Tower now. Does this mean they are moving from their space in 7th Street Station to the Hearst? Does this have anything to do with the "City Market" concept for the old Reid's space?

Yes, and maybe. The old Leveccia's would be ideally suited to be the "diner" for the Public Market. Expect to see things heat up about the Public Market real soon.

[Urbanity]

Went to Halycon and Urban Sip last night and loved both!

[ScottCLT]

Went to Halycon and Urban Sip last night and loved both!

Urban Sip seemed like an afterthought to me...like The Ritz had an unused conference room and one day just decided to turn it into a bar. But the presentation of my bourbon on the rocks was awesome! Separate containers for the bourbon, 2 large ice cubes with tongs, and Voss water - all presented on a wooden plank. Very snazzy!

[Urbanity]

^^^ I think you are right about the space probably being a conference or function room and converted to the bar. That said, loved it all the same - particularly the view from my table which was pressed against the window! I agree about the presentation which they also did for my Macallan 18!

[ScottCLT]

My fiancé and I ate as Bask last night at the Music Factory for Valentine's Day. We were both thoroughly impressed! We did not opt for the Valentines Day prix-fixe menu, but instead ordered from the regular menu.

We had some wonderful spicy crab dip with house-made potato chips and split a Caesar salad to start. The salad came complete with sliced anchovies (a big plus for me...not so much for my fiancé). I had the hangar steak, and it was truly done right. You don't always get a perfectly cooked and seasoned steak when you order a hangar, but this one was perfect. I haven't had a hangar steak this good for several years...since it disappeared off of a menu at my favorite restaurant in Houston (I used to only be able to get my fill there when I visited for business). I had a hangar steak the other week at BLT steak, and it was no comparison. So the steak was a great find for me. It came with a potato caserole - not what I expected from the menu, but delicious nevertheless. My fiancé had salmon with a bacon beurre blanc and thinly sliced fingerling potatoes. Also amazing. We wrapped up the meal with creme brûlée for me and a flourless chocolate cake for her. Again, both delicious. The food was quite near perfect from beginning to end.

The restaurant wasn't busy even if it were a non-Valentine's Day night. I think they still need to get the word out a bit. The interior is gorgeous - a converted warehouse with exposed brick walls, big windows, and giant sconces on the wall. Service-wise, I thought it was a bit of a miss but that may improve with time. Though the food and drinks came in a very timely manner, it seemed that the staff wasn't as familiar with a fine-dining experience as the menu prices, food quality, and atmosphere would suggest. We were rushed a bit through the appetizer with our salads being delivered only a couple minutes later, and our appetizer plates were removed from the table before we even finished the crab dip. We weren't offered any coffee/cappucino, and basically had to ask for dessert. The bill was delivered while we were still eating. Not that I was offended, nor am I that uptight to really care, but I can see this rubbing some people the wrong way if they are paying $150 for a meal for 2 (and might I add that I thought it was worth every bit of that)

Overall, great experience. I would recommend this place to anyone. I just hope business picks up for them so that they can stay there for a very long time. Now that I've found another good hangar steak, I've got to have a spot to go to to get my fill!!!

[tozmervo]

^ Well, that's the second glowing review I've heard of Bask. Believe I might have to go check it out.

[go_vertical]

I found out that Hickory Tavern will be greatly expanding their craft beer selection at all of their locations. Some will have upwards of 60 to 70 beers. No doubt this is a response to Taco Mac and other bars that have contributed to the growth of independent breweries. And supposedly they will carry brews from multiple North Carolina companies. I was also told that they are in the process of opening a location in Midtown.

[Dilworthy]

The rehabbed Diamond is open, under the ownership of the former management from The Penguin. Going to try and make it there this wkd. Anyone been yet?

Looked packed as I have gone by during peak times.

By contrast Penguin Corp has looked much less busy.

Edited February 21, 2011 by Dilworthy

[kermit]

The rehabbed Diamond is open, under the ownership of the former management from The Penguin. Going to try and make it there this wkd. Anyone been yet?

Looked packed as I have gone by during peak times.

By contrast Penguin Corp has looked much less busy.

Friday night (opening night) had a 2 hour wait (I didn't). The penguin had open tables.....

[swampfox43]

Friday night (opening night) had a 2 hour wait (I didn't). The penguin had open tables.....

Ate lunch at The Diamond today. I've been a patron of The Diamond since the 1970's and was very glad they reopened. I would give it an overall rating of a C+. I ordered marinated beef tips over rice with vinegar slaw and fries. My friend ordered a sloppy joe with onion rings. The beef tips were OK, but basically rare, blood pouring out. The fries were cold and limp, but the vinegar slaw was yummy. My friend says the sloppy joe had no flavor, very bland. The onion rings, which I tried, were very good.

This won't keep me from going back though. I'm always willing to give places with potential another try. I will say the service was excellent and the staff was very friendly.

Don't order the fries!

Edited February 28, 2011 by swampfox43

[Spartan]

I've heard La Paz is moving from South End to Midtown. I'm indifferent about this move because I think La Paz's food is average for mexican.