Good New Restaurants

[Miesian Corners]

Had lunch today at Little Spoon.  Holy sh*t, that's some good food!  Who knew a turkey sandwich could taste that good? And the turkey itself was perfectly roasted--thick slices that reminded me of a really good Thanksgiving (my mom isn't the best cook, so her good turkeys have been few and far between, *bless her heart). 

 

*edit: forgot to be a good Southerner

Edited March 19, 2015 by Miesian Corners

[ES Charlotte]

Now if only you could say the same about 4th ward bread co does anyone have any news on that place?

I heard the bounced town. 

[CLTProductions]

I heard the bounced town. 

NO!! Really?? They just up and left the city?

[ES Charlotte]

NO!! Really?? They just up and left the city?

I suppose. Major bummer...  I haven't spoke with them, but that's what I was told. Makes sense. I haven't seen movement on the building in a couple months nor have I seen the owners (who I used to see around the hood all the time). Maybe their just testing dough in France and will show up outta the blue.

[CLTProductions]

I forgot to post this when this story broke (or maybe I did, don't know, search isn't working) but the Rusty Bucket is moving into the corner in the Solis complex in south park (across from Corkbuzz and Dogwood). There is one of these in my hometown in Cleveland and it's awesome. Fantastic food and bar atmosphere.

 

http://www.bizjournals.com/charlotte/news/2014/12/17/rusty-bucket-tavern-eyes-summer-opening-in.html

[grodney]

Ballantyne Midwood Smokehouse has been open a week and have had their ABC license since Monday.  We went 5:20pm Saturday and the wait was 30 minutes.  Probably no surprise, but the food was spectacular.  With apologies to Queen City Q and to Mac's, this is the best BBQ in Charlotte, and it's really not even close (pulled pork is pulled pork to some extent, but the brisket is where the real separation comes).  The place was good, the service was good.  Plenty of local beer on tap and in cans.

[CLTProductions]

Ballantyne Midwood Smokehouse has been open a week and have had their ABC license since Monday.  We went 5:20pm Saturday and the wait was 30 minutes.  Probably no surprise, but the food was spectacular.  With apologies to Queen City Q and to Mac's, this is the best BBQ in Charlotte, and it's really not even close (pulled pork is pulled pork to some extent, but the brisket is where the real separation comes).  The place was good, the service was good.  Plenty of local beer on tap and in cans.

I know I am in the minority, but I actually don't like Midwood smokehouse at all, I don't like the Carolina vinegar style to be honest though. But I am glad to see them expand!

 

In other news, went to Futo Buta and it was delicious. The steamed buns (small plate) were great and I could have had 100 of them. They will definitely do amazingly in that spot.

[ScottCLT]

I had lunch at Futo Buta today. They are still in their soft opening phase - not doing take-out and a limited menu. But the Miso ramen that I had today brought back memories of the ramen noodle shacks I've been to in Japan. FINALLY! Good ramen in Charlotte. Some may not understand because all they know of Ramen is the 60-cent/meal kind you eat a lot of in college. But this place has it down right - authentic noodle bowls just like in Japan. Their menu for now is limited, but still the selections are delicious. The Miso Ramen came with pork belly (a bit too fatty for me, but good nonetheless), veggies, and a poached egg. Throw on some of their house-made chili sauce and it may be my new addiction.

If I was able to make recommendations to the restaurant, my biggest thing would be to allow customers to customize the bowl rather that having set menu items. That's the way it works in Japan. I want spicy miso, ramen, seafood, an egg, and veggies. The only seafood offering was salmon, but I want to see a seafoof medley of white fish, scallops, shrimp, and calamari. That is what I fell in love with in Japan, and it might just be that way once they have their full-fledged opening.

I also has the flash-fried peppers. I don't recall the pepper's name, but they referred to it a the Russian roulette of peppers. Out of 15 or so, there might be one or two that will knock your socks off, but most of them are very mild. Another appetizer that they had run out of was the spicy tuna crispy rice squares. They compact rice into a square so that it can be picked up as one piece, then deep fry it. Then top with rare tuna and aioli. Sounded delicious, and I am sure it is!

Service was quick - I was in and out in 30 minutes. Only downside was the price - the noodle bowls were $10-$14. That's a bit pricey for a lunch in my opinion. Especially when it's essentially a bowl of soup. A very filling bowl of soup, but still - it's mostly noodles and broth. Throw in that seafood I mentioned earlier, and $14 would be the right price point, but with 2 or 3 pieces of pork belly in the whole bowl, I guess I felt like I paid too much. Some peppers and soup plus tip were $22, and I certainly can't spend that every day for lunch.

[metropolitan]

I also ate at Futo Buta today..love the space and the murals, had the miso as well. My preference was to try the tonkotsu, which was on the menu, but the server recommended against it and said "the chef is still perfecting it". The miso was good, as were the pork belly sliders, but I have to cast my vote firmly with Yama Izakaya having the best ramen in town. It's absolutely incredible! The 2 restaurants are very different and will appeal to your different moods, and offer different selections on the menus. I'm just glad we have 2 great new options in town!

[Higgs Boson]

Didn't someone mention that Toast Cafe or The Famous Toastery is adding an Uptown location?  I can't seem to find it / it wasn't mentioned in this thread.  Anyway, any word on that or did I just make that up?  They would KILL in Uptown.

[HopHead]

Not really new restaurant, but Cowfish closed again for the rest of the week because of more illnesses related to the norovirus. Love that place, but can't say that will help their business too much. 

[InSouthPark]

Not really new restaurant, but Cowfish closed again for the rest of the week because of more illnesses related to the norovirus. Love that place, but can't say that will help their business too much. 

 

All three of us got sick when we ate there on the 31st. My wife was really sick and myself and kiddo more or less just had the stomach cramps w/o the "other" stuff. Bummer they didn't get it cleaned fully the first time. Norovirus shuts down the cruise ships for weeks while they clean it...one day to scrub the whole restaurant apparently wasn't enough.

 

Wont stop us from going back...it wasn't food poisoning or anything. But yeah, not good to be in the press twice for it.  Maybe now I will be able to get a table on Friday? Hahaha 

[HopHead]

All three of us got sick when we ate there on the 31st. My wife was really sick and myself and kiddo more or less just had the stomach cramps w/o the "other" stuff. Bummer they didn't get it cleaned fully the first time. Norovirus shuts down the cruise ships for weeks while they clean it...one day to scrub the whole restaurant apparently wasn't enough.

 

Wont stop us from going back...it wasn't food poisoning or anything. But yeah, not good to be in the press twice for it.  Maybe now I will be able to get a table on Friday? Hahaha 

 

Ugh, that sucks... Sorry to hear that. 

 

I will be going back for sure too, though I may wait a little while now, lol. 

Edited June 11, 2015 by wend28

[ah59396]

That's going to be a really tough thing to come from for them.  I have always enjoyed Cowfish, so I hate it for them.  But man, talk about the worst PR imaginable.

[InSouthPark]

That's going to be a really tough thing to come from for them.  I have always enjoyed Cowfish, so I hate it for them.  But man, talk about the worst PR imaginable.

 

Food poisoning is one thing, norovirus is another. All you need is one infected person to come into the restaurant and touch anything. Then the server touches it. And another server. Then the bus boys. Then a cook. 

 

When I contacted Cowfish about us getting sick, they said the Heath Dept believed the virus came from an outside source because their employees got the symptoms the same time as customers (June 1-2).

 

No, it doesn't look good but it isn't like they were serving salmonella crusted tuna!

[CLTProductions]

I'll be honest.....people have REALLY short attention spans and memories. This is a popular enough place that once this leaves the news cycle, it'll never be mentioned again. They will be just fine, I'd imagine.

[ah59396]

I hope so.  I'd still eat at Cowfish.  I love that place.  But hell, I got e.coli from a damn IKEA meatball once and I still eat there.  Mostly because of my self loathing hatred for my general health.  But those meatballs are the bomb and my standards are clearly low.

[CLTProductions]

Everyone I've talked to has basically said the same thing: gross, but I'll still eat there.

[tozmervo]

This thread has done nothing but make me crave IKEA meatballs. Does that still count as a good new restaurant?

[DMann]

Don't you have to assemble those yourself?

[tozmervo]

It's minimal assembly, but you do have to watch out for stray allen wrenches in the meat. I got one stuck in my teeth for days.

[ScottCLT]

We got a take out pizza tonight from Benny Pennelo's in NoDa (in the same building as Heist). They sell two things there - gigantic slices of pizza, and gigantic whole pizzas. There is only one size - 28". Takes about 45 minute if you call one in, but the pizza is top notch. NY style, though they call it "Home of the Virginia Slice" (the semi-chain, where every location has a different name, started in VA). The amazing thing is the size of the pie. I has to move to passenger seat in my car all the way forward just to fit it in the back seat. And I drive a full-size sedan. Getting the pizza through our back door was also a challenge - had to turn the box on an angle to get it in the house. These pizzas are simply enormous. 28" is enough to fill 8 people. But it's a great pie!

My wife and I thoroughly enjoyed our one slice before we were full. I guess we are having pizza for every meal this weekend now. Seriously - I had quite an appetite after eating only a seal pack of tuna and a few crackers for lunch - but one slice it all it takes from this place to fill you. They are way larger than any plate you could put them on. If you order a single slice to go, it comes in a box about the size of a regular medium pizza. Though we loved the pie, I would find it hard to order an entire pie from this place again unless we had a get-together. I just had to do it once, though. $38 for a take-out pizza (tax included, luckily). But keep in mind than you don't have to order the whole pie - you can just order a slice for everyone that needs to be fed and that should be enough ($5 each).

But I have to say that if you are having a get-together, walking through the door with a 28" pizza will blow people's minds - the surprise of the insanely large pie is almost as good as the pizza itself. Benny's doesn't have beer yet, but will soon, and they are on planning having local selections (I wonder if Heist will give them a tap or two since they are right next door, even though they don't normally sell their beer outside of the brewpub).

[Matthew.Brendan]

Good pie but yes the price is ridiculous, even for the size. There are other pizza joints around CLT that match on quality for less $$.

[Niner National]

Good pie but yes the price is ridiculous, even for the size. There are other pizza joints around CLT that match on quality for less $$.

yeah 38 dollars for a pizza with toppings is ridiculous, even if it is big.

It is very good though. I'll frequent the place, but only for a quick slice.

[ScottCLT]

Not new, but has anyone been to Thai Orchid on Providence beside the Fresh Market? I have never eaten there - only gotten delivery from Foodie Call. But damn, it has to be by far the best Thai I have had in the states. Not that I have explored Thai food outside of Charlotte very much except for when I have actually been in Asia (though not Thailand yet), but this place comes as close as I have ever experienced to true Thai food. The Thom Yum soup with seafood combo was simply incredible - mussels, scallops, clam, calamari, and large shrimp in a wonderful lemongrass and chili veggie broth. I just can't get enough of it. And the Pad Krapraw is just one of the most delicious dishes (Thai or otherwise) that I have ever put in my mouth. Even though this place isn't new, I wanted to spread the word. It is legit! Not your typical Thai joint!