Good New Restaurants

[videtur quam contuor]

I wish I were there when the inspector had to consider the restaurant with wood smokers indoors. Ash pan on the floor. Fire suppression system must be the biggest in town there.

Restaurant supply salesman met his bogey for the year with this one. CO2 systems, Fans SUPREME. Also the architect with his pages of piping drawings.

[CLTProductions]

Can confirm it’s the best bbq in town 

[KJHburg]

Noble Smoke finally open for full menu and I like how he pays homage to people who have great BBQ joints around the state including the Monks in Lexington.

https://www.bizjournals.com/charlotte/news/2019/07/25/photos-charlotte-restaurateur-jim-noble-dishes-on.html

[jtmonk]

15 hours ago, KJHburg said:

Noble Smoke finally open for full menu and I like how he pays homage to people who have great BBQ joints around the state including the Monks in Lexington.

https://www.bizjournals.com/charlotte/news/2019/07/25/photos-charlotte-restaurateur-jim-noble-dishes-on.html

Thanks again for pointing this out, I'll take my family down to try the place out.  We actually have had a few people from the Charlotte area come to our restaurant and work in the pits for a few days to learn how to smoke BBQ before opening their own restaurants.  It's always a pleasure seeing new BBQ restaurants open up in the area, especially when they want to cook the old fashion way using real pits and wood to smoke the BBQ.

[KJHburg]

 I would post this under GREAT new restaurants but such a thread does not exist.  Went to Noble Smoke at 4 pm today and by the time I left aroujnd 4.45 pm it was very full for a 2 day old restaurant.  Very good had the smoked brisket and smoked turkey (this takes me back to my Texas roots)  I will try the pork next time.   Even the parking lot has a great view of the skyline.  Check it out soon.  Lunch starting mid August they told me.    Last photo famous Barbecue family of Lexington! 

 

Edited July 26, 2019 by KJHburg

[Madison Parkitect]

Went by Flower Child, the new veggie-heavy place in South End last night. It was really good, I was expecting kind of generic health bowls but everything was cooked and seasoned really well. It definitely feels more like real food than, say, Luna's or a place like that. Salads, rice bowls, entree options where you pick a protein and two sides. Can add a protein to any bowl or salad. Also a small beer and wine selection. You order at the register and the kitchen is visible right there. They bring the food to your table.

Prices were 10-15 for every bowl, salad, or entree meal. Definitely a good spot for something healthier that still tastes good and is fairly filling. Pretty full but not packed last night, it's second night open; they'll do good business there I think. Probably because they're still working out their scheduling, but there were a LOT of employees there last night, it was really crowded behind the counter. Also really loud inside. Nice patio space outside.

[a2theb]

1 hour ago, Madison Parkitect said:

Went by Flower Child, the new veggie-heavy place in South End last night. It was really good, I was expecting kind of generic health bowls but everything was cooked and seasoned really well. It definitely feels more like real food than, say, Luna's or a place like that. Salads, rice bowls, entree options where you pick a protein and two sides. Can add a protein to any bowl or salad. Also a small beer and wine selection. You order at the register and the kitchen is visible right there. They bring the food to your table.

Prices were 10-15 for every bowl, salad, or entree meal. Definitely a good spot for something healthier that still tastes good and is fairly filling. Pretty full but not packed last night, it's second night open; they'll do good business there I think. Probably because they're still working out their scheduling, but there were a LOT of employees there last night, it was really crowded behind the counter. Also really loud inside. Nice patio space outside.

Did not realize Flower Child was a chain until searching for a menu online.

[Madison Parkitect]

2 minutes ago, a2theb said:

Did not realize Flower Child was a chain until searching for a menu online.

Yeah, I think this one is the first in the Carolinas and first in the southeast outside of Atlanta.

[CLT2014]

I truly admire these fast casual health chains getting $15 per plate. They could even source their ingredients directly from Whole Foods  and still keep the cost of ingredients under 25% of the sale price.

Edited August 1, 2019 by CLT2014

[KJHburg]

Lined up today for lunch at Flower Child. No wonder parking was crazy along Camden corridor.

 

[steve_o]

On 8/1/2019 at 10:48 AM, a2theb said:

Did not realize Flower Child was a chain until searching for a menu online.

And they are now owned by The Cheesecake Factory:

https://www.msn.com/en-us/foodanddrink/foodnews/cheesecake-factory-buys-phoenix-based-fox-restaurants-what-we-know/ar-AAF8Q4O

Edited August 4, 2019 by steve_o

[Matthew.Brendan]

^^^ Just made me realize how perfect a Cheesecake Factory would fit in one of the giant vacant spots in Epicenter

[Guest]

6 minutes ago, Matthew.Brendan said:

^^^ Just made me realize how perfect a Cheesecake Factory would fit in one of the giant vacant spots in Epicenter

why would anyone want that. lol

Edited August 5, 2019 by Guest

[Matthew.Brendan]

Dunno but people seem to love CF and it absolutely fits right in with the whole vibe of Epi, for tourists and anyone who considers that a fancy night out on the town. ¯\_(ツ)_/¯

[Guest]

13 minutes ago, Matthew.Brendan said:

Dunno but people seem to love CF and it absolutely fits right in with the whole vibe of Epi, for tourists and anyone who considers that a fancy night out on the town. ¯\_(ツ)_/¯

I wonder how many "non-mall" locations they have nation wide.

[Madison Parkitect]

Went by Eight & Sand yesterday for dinner. It's definitely more of a breakfast/lunch place but the food is LEGIT. I had the chicken sandwich and the ricotta toast, which was probably the standout part. The bread for the toast was as perfect as you'd expect from a place that is built around quality bread. Cocktails were really good too, although the drink menu is tailored for warmer weather for sure. All pretty light cocktails with summery ingredients; I'll be interested to see if they change it up seasonally. Wife had a salad she said was really good. We spent about $35 on food and another $25 or so on drinks. Portions are probably more appropriate for lunch but there was enough food.

 

[CLTProductions]

1 hour ago, Madison Parkitect said:

Went by Eight & Sand yesterday for dinner. It's definitely more of a breakfast/lunch place but the food is LEGIT. I had the chicken sandwich and the ricotta toast, which was probably the standout part. The bread for the toast was as perfect as you'd expect from a place that is built around quality bread. Cocktails were really good too, although the drink menu is tailored for warmer weather for sure. All pretty light cocktails with summery ingredients; I'll be interested to see if they change it up seasonally. Wife had a salad she said was really good. We spent about $35 on food and another $25 or so on drinks. Portions are probably more appropriate for lunch but there was enough food.

 

They will change it up seasonally. Also don’t sleep on it being a dinner spot! I think it’s great for any meal of the day

[Madison Parkitect]

38 minutes ago, Jayvee said:

They will change it up seasonally. Also don’t sleep on it being a dinner spot! I think it’s great for any meal of the day

I do think it's good for dinner too! But I personally associate sandwiches and salads with lunch more than dinner, and I tend to like a large amount of food for dinner. The chicken sandwich I had is a solid dinner sandwich though, for sure.

[cltcane]

12 hours ago, Madison Parkitect said:

Went by Eight & Sand yesterday for dinner. It's definitely more of a breakfast/lunch place but the food is LEGIT. I had the chicken sandwich and the ricotta toast, which was probably the standout part. The bread for the toast was as perfect as you'd expect from a place that is built around quality bread. Cocktails were really good too, although the drink menu is tailored for warmer weather for sure. All pretty light cocktails with summery ingredients; I'll be interested to see if they change it up seasonally. Wife had a salad she said was really good. We spent about $35 on food and another $25 or so on drinks. Portions are probably more appropriate for lunch but there was enough food.

 

$35 for a chicken sandwich, fancy toast and a salad??  No, thanks.  Pass.

[Guest]

11 hours ago, cltcane said:

$35 for a chicken sandwich, fancy toast and a salad??  No, thanks.  Pass.

for made in house daily, not made in a factory bread, yes please.

Edited September 6, 2019 by Guest

[Madison Parkitect]

4 hours ago, ricky_davis_fan_21 said:

for made in house daily, not made in a factory bread, yes please.

Even if it wasn't such amazing bread, I feel like $35 after tax for two people for dinner is... not bad? I spent $25 after tax last night for two people at Panda Express.

Edited September 6, 2019 by Madison Parkitect

[CLTProductions]

4 minutes ago, Madison Parkitect said:

Even if it wasn't such amazing bread, I feel like $35 after tax for two people for dinner is... not bad? I spent $30 after tax last night for two people at Panda Express.

It’s not bad at all 

[cltcane]

3 hours ago, Jayvee said:

It’s not bad at all 

I guess I just don’t have the food budget y’all do.  I take my lunch to work and cook almost every night.  I could eat well for a week on $35.

[11 HouseBZ]

8 hours ago, cltcane said:

I guess I just don’t have the food budget y’all do.  I take my lunch to work and cook almost every night.  I could eat well for a week on $35.

Oh I agree, nearly every meal I eat is home cooked, even my work meals are bought at the store and cooked at work. I average out to $3-5 a meal for me. Buuuut... $35 for 2 eating out, that isn't fast food(Micky D's, BK, Taco Hell, Kentucky Fried Yard Bird, etc.) aint too shabby. For me though, the price is always higher cause the babies are either with us or we're paying a babysitter on top of our meal price. Soooooo, that's life. 

[kermit]

Had breakfast at Eight and Sand this morning. Outdoor seating is very pleasant in the morning thanks to shade from the building. The interior is pretty nice, although a little loud for this old guy. 

Got the bacon egg and cheese sandwich -- it was a solid 'meh.' The brioche they used was an awful choice for the sandwich, it would be better on less sweet bread.

My wife and I split the lemon custard donut, it was very good.