Saturday, June 26, 2010
Tactful ranting.
In this time of economic uncertainty we are seeing restaurants open and close just as quickly. Last night Jamie and I were discussing the most recent closings and not jinxing but observing what may be the next ones up. Everyone knows that we are scouting spots for our beloved Fatty Proper, which is why I personally find it important to keep my ears open. Service industry folks never like to see one of their own go down, no pun intended, but sometimes the warning signs were always there and it's only a matter of time. Constantly baffled by Charlotte's standard of what good food is I am confident that we will do more than please your palate, we'd like to start a trend.
Monday, June 21, 2010
Recent Yummy's
Our last date night was a couple weeks ago when Jamie took me to Carpe Diem here in town on a Friday eve which is rare. Let me begin by saying, if you have never ventured to Carpe Diem, you should, if only to just look at the design of this restaurant. Jamie and I both agree it is easily the most stunningly designed restaurant in Charlotte. I kicked myself the moment we walked in for never have even mentioned coming here before, it's location is prime but has been in the midst of nasty street construction for two years or so. All the streets have been repaved and if I were the owner of this restaurant I'd never let the space go. Onto it already!
We walk in and the first thing I notice is the perfect dim lighting which most places miss the mark either putting you under dressing room lighting (ugh) or making it hard to see your food (suspect)! Not Carpe, it was oozing with romance the moment we walked in. We sat at the bar for a bit of pre-gaming and people watching, another of our favorite past times. That's when the hand carved wooden floral wine wall caught my eye; no kidding it was amazing. The entire wall behind the bar area is whimsical design carved wood with unsuspecting cubby holes to hold all the vino. Immediately it became something neither one of us is willing to live without once we win the lottery. We were happy with the selection of wine and found the drink list to be interesting, so far this place is ringing my bells!
I continue to look around and then up to the crown molding that circles around dome cathedral like ceilings, incredible!
I decided that it was time to taste and we were guided through the enormous dining room to the back which had at least 40 or 50 seats. Our table was by the window, lit with candles and a great thunderstorm brewing outside... Dear Buddha please don't let this be the climax, everything was so perfect I was waiting for the storm to knock out the power. I have to add that Jamie and I are now on our second beverage of the night and are starting to get relaxed when all of a sudden our server walks over and says, " Good evening, can I get you something to fucking drink?" The night just got better when I saw it was our friend Paige who would be directing us through our culinary experience! It is agreed by Jamie and myself that we love all the aspects of fine dining, especially the good service but it's always so stiff you feel you're going to get kicked out for having a bit of fun, so seeing Paige was a great surprise. Bells still ringing! We had beef carpaccio to start and if you can please Chef Jamie with the carpaccio we are off on a good foot. Following we had mushroom bolognese which happens to be one of Jamies specialties and still is! We had pork cooked perfectly and scallops which were the same, the sides were equally as delicious but begin to run together since we ordered enough food for 4 people.
As we came up for air I once again began to look around noticing all the detail of the metal work which was draped all around the room below the crown molding.
If you know us then you have already noticed that I have yet to say anything about the restrooms which to me can make or break the deal. I excused myself and left Jamie to scour the dessert menu while I did field research.
Wouldn't you know it, I was greeted with an aged copper sink that had been hammered and set in stone, marble perhaps. Beautiful from floor to ceiling, clean, modern and again dimly lit. The toilet paper wasn't folded but I didn't need that reassurance, no Carpe had done it and done it well!
I floated back to the table and Jamie could tell I was pleased only because he knows that I appreciate the complete experience, which this was.
Enough with the romantics let's get to my new favorite obsession: Midnight sushi! I always bitch about the lack of late night dining and how even when it is attempted it's so half ass I end up feeling tricked. Well we were turned onto Pisces, a new spot in mid-town by Trader Joes that stays open Thursday, Friday and Saturday until 2a.m. When you walk in at 1:30a.m, you don't even get the stink eye!!! You're in fact greeted by Bryan, the owner who is a young guy with a lot of experience in restaurant business and is eager to please you properly! The fish has always been fresh and the sushi menu is creative with some familiar rolls leaving the only downfall in my opinion to be that you can only order sushi late night, no noodles or spring rolls, etc. BUT, you get great sushi late night so who cares!?
Since we live in America and love over consumption they do offer a $9 all you can eat sushi during the week. It's made to order so not great for the quick lunch break, but still not a bad deal if you have time. I love that on the bottom of the lunch menu it asks that you be mindful of how much you order so as to not waste food. It's something I would do! Pisces is a great alternative to late night greasy spoons that you settle for or may I say your stomach unsettles for.
I'd also like to tell you about a dinner that Jamie and I participated in for the 2nd year that was an experience of its own. It was a farm dinner held at New town farms belonging to a friend of ours Sammy Koenigsberg and his family. Not only is this farm the source of some of the best vegetables I have ever eaten, the chickens in our backyard, the majority of the produce you'll find in Barrington's restaurant and other in the know small restaurants in town but everything is grown and raised with pure love and adoration for the earth and it's gifts.
Sammy hosted wine maker Tony Coturri and his seasonal wines for a culinary knock out. There are usually about 5-10 different chefs hand chosen from around town and given their options of wine to pair with their dish of choice and only 130 tickets are offered and sold promptly. Sammy and other local farmers supply all the produce and meats, you could easily call this a family affair.
The farmhouse where the dinner is held is breathtaking, sprawled out over acres of green grass, enormous old trees that have stories to tell and has been in Sammy's family for generations. The first thing you see when walking up to the house is the wooden front porch that wraps around the entire front of the house, it's the kind of porch you see in movies that makes you want to fall asleep in rocking chairs while the sun goes down.
Tables are set up on each corner of the porch giving each chef their own personal space and an amazing view. The kitchen in this house always inspires me with it's 6 eye gas stove and counter space for days which is always filled with chefs, different smells and unique ideas! There is a courtyard in the back where the other chefs set up their tables, lights are hung and dining tables are placed for people who want to sit. This event was truly the first time I had been exposed to people who all share the same desire to be conscious of their food and it's origin, appreciation for the people who grow it and how important it is to support our local farmers. All in attendance are so grateful and appreciative for the part everyone plays in this event that the night is spent meeting new people, trying interesting food and drinking wine which was as carefully grown and produced as the food itself. Jamie and I always leave with an enormous sense of accomplishment and responsibility to never compromise our beliefs on food.
We walk in and the first thing I notice is the perfect dim lighting which most places miss the mark either putting you under dressing room lighting (ugh) or making it hard to see your food (suspect)! Not Carpe, it was oozing with romance the moment we walked in. We sat at the bar for a bit of pre-gaming and people watching, another of our favorite past times. That's when the hand carved wooden floral wine wall caught my eye; no kidding it was amazing. The entire wall behind the bar area is whimsical design carved wood with unsuspecting cubby holes to hold all the vino. Immediately it became something neither one of us is willing to live without once we win the lottery. We were happy with the selection of wine and found the drink list to be interesting, so far this place is ringing my bells!
I continue to look around and then up to the crown molding that circles around dome cathedral like ceilings, incredible!
I decided that it was time to taste and we were guided through the enormous dining room to the back which had at least 40 or 50 seats. Our table was by the window, lit with candles and a great thunderstorm brewing outside... Dear Buddha please don't let this be the climax, everything was so perfect I was waiting for the storm to knock out the power. I have to add that Jamie and I are now on our second beverage of the night and are starting to get relaxed when all of a sudden our server walks over and says, " Good evening, can I get you something to fucking drink?" The night just got better when I saw it was our friend Paige who would be directing us through our culinary experience! It is agreed by Jamie and myself that we love all the aspects of fine dining, especially the good service but it's always so stiff you feel you're going to get kicked out for having a bit of fun, so seeing Paige was a great surprise. Bells still ringing! We had beef carpaccio to start and if you can please Chef Jamie with the carpaccio we are off on a good foot. Following we had mushroom bolognese which happens to be one of Jamies specialties and still is! We had pork cooked perfectly and scallops which were the same, the sides were equally as delicious but begin to run together since we ordered enough food for 4 people.
As we came up for air I once again began to look around noticing all the detail of the metal work which was draped all around the room below the crown molding.
If you know us then you have already noticed that I have yet to say anything about the restrooms which to me can make or break the deal. I excused myself and left Jamie to scour the dessert menu while I did field research.
Wouldn't you know it, I was greeted with an aged copper sink that had been hammered and set in stone, marble perhaps. Beautiful from floor to ceiling, clean, modern and again dimly lit. The toilet paper wasn't folded but I didn't need that reassurance, no Carpe had done it and done it well!
I floated back to the table and Jamie could tell I was pleased only because he knows that I appreciate the complete experience, which this was.
Enough with the romantics let's get to my new favorite obsession: Midnight sushi! I always bitch about the lack of late night dining and how even when it is attempted it's so half ass I end up feeling tricked. Well we were turned onto Pisces, a new spot in mid-town by Trader Joes that stays open Thursday, Friday and Saturday until 2a.m. When you walk in at 1:30a.m, you don't even get the stink eye!!! You're in fact greeted by Bryan, the owner who is a young guy with a lot of experience in restaurant business and is eager to please you properly! The fish has always been fresh and the sushi menu is creative with some familiar rolls leaving the only downfall in my opinion to be that you can only order sushi late night, no noodles or spring rolls, etc. BUT, you get great sushi late night so who cares!?
Since we live in America and love over consumption they do offer a $9 all you can eat sushi during the week. It's made to order so not great for the quick lunch break, but still not a bad deal if you have time. I love that on the bottom of the lunch menu it asks that you be mindful of how much you order so as to not waste food. It's something I would do! Pisces is a great alternative to late night greasy spoons that you settle for or may I say your stomach unsettles for.
I'd also like to tell you about a dinner that Jamie and I participated in for the 2nd year that was an experience of its own. It was a farm dinner held at New town farms belonging to a friend of ours Sammy Koenigsberg and his family. Not only is this farm the source of some of the best vegetables I have ever eaten, the chickens in our backyard, the majority of the produce you'll find in Barrington's restaurant and other in the know small restaurants in town but everything is grown and raised with pure love and adoration for the earth and it's gifts.
Sammy hosted wine maker Tony Coturri and his seasonal wines for a culinary knock out. There are usually about 5-10 different chefs hand chosen from around town and given their options of wine to pair with their dish of choice and only 130 tickets are offered and sold promptly. Sammy and other local farmers supply all the produce and meats, you could easily call this a family affair.
The farmhouse where the dinner is held is breathtaking, sprawled out over acres of green grass, enormous old trees that have stories to tell and has been in Sammy's family for generations. The first thing you see when walking up to the house is the wooden front porch that wraps around the entire front of the house, it's the kind of porch you see in movies that makes you want to fall asleep in rocking chairs while the sun goes down.
Tables are set up on each corner of the porch giving each chef their own personal space and an amazing view. The kitchen in this house always inspires me with it's 6 eye gas stove and counter space for days which is always filled with chefs, different smells and unique ideas! There is a courtyard in the back where the other chefs set up their tables, lights are hung and dining tables are placed for people who want to sit. This event was truly the first time I had been exposed to people who all share the same desire to be conscious of their food and it's origin, appreciation for the people who grow it and how important it is to support our local farmers. All in attendance are so grateful and appreciative for the part everyone plays in this event that the night is spent meeting new people, trying interesting food and drinking wine which was as carefully grown and produced as the food itself. Jamie and I always leave with an enormous sense of accomplishment and responsibility to never compromise our beliefs on food.
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