300 East CHARLOTTE (brunch review)

I often look forward to Sundays solely because of brunch. Late afternoon breakfast accompanied with socially acceptable mimosas and bloody marys? Yes please! This past Sunday I was in the mood to try out a new place, and found myself at 300 East. It wasn't until I was seated at a table on their cute outside area that I realized I had indeed eaten brunch there before! I immediately became excited as I remembered how great their shrimp and grits were. I browsed over the menu anyways and found myself in conflict over a variety of other brunch items such as crab cake benedict, a personal favorite, and french toast. One thing was for certain; I needed a bloody mary. Drink in hand I made up my mind and went with my original order: cajun shrimp over cheesy beer grits with fried eggs (pictured above). As I waited for my food I noticed that my bloody mary was not particularly good. It was a bit watery, pretty bland, and lacking any sort of spice. Bloody mary aside, 300 East is a great place to sit outside when the weather is nice, and I enjoyed relaxing in the shade while listening to Bob Dylan over their speakers. The service was good, but a little on the slow side which was understandable considering how busy they were. When the food arrived I was a little disappointed. While it was good, it wasn't as great as I remembered. The shrimp had a nice cajun flavor, but were definitely overdone. The eggs were verging on perfection and the grits were amazing, more cheesy then beer-y, and anything but plain which made the dish overall okay. My girlfriend had ordered the crab cake benedict and reported that the eggs were nicely cooked, but the dish needed more sauce. My overall brunch experience was great, however the food and beverages were lacking in areas. I gave 300 East's brunch an 81... I won't be racing back next week, but I'll definitely go again.

Soul Gastro Lounge CHARLOTTE 86

I was very excited to check out Soul the other night because it's walking distance from my apartment, and I've heard great things. If you're planning on going over the weekend for dinner; plan on waiting. Soul is always packed with people dining and drinking alike on Friday and Saturday night. While we were told there was an hour wait (for two) the bf and I were seated on their small upper deck within 20 minutes; which is great if you don't mind cigarette smoke, and has a pretty sweet view of the city. Soul is the perfect place for different tastes because their menu includes sandwiches, salads, tapas, and sushi. The bf and I decided to try the sashimi tacos, curried lamb skewers and a couple sushi rolls. The sashimi tacos were a-ma-zing!! Three homemade wontons made into little taco shells stuffed with tuna and drizzled with a spicy sauce (pretty sure it was wasabi aioli). The sushi was also dynamite, we both loved the soul roll (pictured above), which was perfected by jalapenos. The sushi is cut pretty big, and can be hard to eat, but it's so good it doesn't really matter (unless you're on a first date maybe). The only disappointment was the curried lamb skewers. The bf had tried out Soul the week before and had been raving over how great the lamb was. Unfortunately the night we ordered it the lamb was way overdone, making it EXTREMELY chewy and hard to eat.. it was also pretty bland. I was told that the past order had been perfect with a stronger curry flavor so I'm definitely interested in giving the lamb a second chance, and with everything else I tried that night I'm sure it was a minor glitch. The sake selection was small yet foolproof. We tried the "g" sake which we both loved! Aside from that, they have a good selection of beer and liquor. The service was okay but not really noteworthy, maybe even slightly chaotic. It's definitely a fun and cool atmosphere, but it can also be loud (there's a DJ inside) and dark. Go for a good time and great sushi (although the tapas are definitely worth checking out as well). I will definitely be going back to try more. Overall I gave Soul an 86.

Gourmet Shop COLUMBIA 93

The Gourmet Shop is located in 5 points and offers more then a kick ass wine and cheese selection along with endless, fun kitchen necessities. They also serve lunch as well as coffee and a few pastries. This might be one of my favorite lunch spots in Columbia; their fresh ingredients always guarantee satisfaction. They offer soups, wraps, and different salads, but I almost always end up ordering a panini. It's hard for me to order anything other then the "Turkey Panini" (pictured above), made with turkey, avocado, tomato, and goat cheese. The sides are difficult to choose between as well, but the different pastas are the best. I usually get the pesto pasta (pictured above), which goes great with any of the sandwiches. They offer tables outside in the shade, which is great if you want to bring your dog, and a few tables inside as well. The service is always good and it's an ideal spot for a quick lunch or a long coffee. Overall I gave Gourmet Shop a 93. The food is definitely crave worthy and the service is great.

M Cafe COLUMBIA 82

This past weekend I decided to venture to Columbia to visit some girl friends. As I was heading that way on Friday afternoon, my friend called me and made me promise we'd have sushi for dinner at M Cafe. We originally set off to M Vista (which is the newest M Cafe location, near Wild Wings) around 8 pm, but after finding no remotely close parking spots and noticing how packed the restaurant was, we decided to try the location on Sumter st. After a quick drive we found a spot out front and plenty of tables available. We were seated right away and everyone quickly fell in love with the lychee martinis. We all agreed to split appetizers so we started with edamame, meat filled dumplings, and rock shrimp in a spicy sauce. Edamame is always a safe bet and everyone enjoyed the dumplings. I liked the rock shrimp a lot, but both of my friends had to stop eating them because they thought they were to spicy. Our dinners followed shortly after; once again we had decided to split three sushi rolls and chicken teriyaki. The "Volcano" (the top roll pictured above) roll was the favorite, probably because it was deep fried. M Cafe's menu is big without being to overwhelming. They have plenty of interesting specialty rolls which are hard to decide between, and also offer entrees other then sushi. The chicken teriyaki was pretty good, but the sushi was definitely better. It's a really good spot for a date or a girl's night. We left dinner with to go boxes, full, and ready to go downtown. I rated M Cafe and 82 and definitely plan on going back.

Cabo Fish Taco CHARLOTTE 87

Cabo Fish Taco has quickly become one of my favorite places to grab lunch or dinner. Decorated with interesting artwork and bright colors, this little restaurant on N Davidson fits in perfectly with Noda. I've eaten at Cabo Fish Taco a handful of times since I moved to Charlotte and it never disappoints. The bf and I almost always get seated right away, and are promptly greeted with their fresh corn salsa made daily. On our most recent trip I decided to order something other then their amazing tacos. I settled on trying the "Epic Tuna Burrito" (pictured above) made with grilled tuna, avocado, rice, cheese and a cilantro white sauce (I opted for no beans). The bf decided to stick with tacos but mixed it up by ordering the "Serrano Chicken", something neither of us had yet to try. Our food came out fairly quickly, and while everything was good, we both agreed that we had ordered better in the past. The tuna in my burrito was grilled perfectly and the flavors were nice, but their fish tacos are definitely better. The chicken tacos were good, but the chicken was a little bit over cooked. Even though it was our least favorite trip, we still enjoyed ourselves and felt satisfied. Whenever I think of Cabo Fish Taco a few things come to mind: 1. Everything I've ever eaten there has always tasted super fresh. 2. They have a great range of different specialty margaritas and beer. 3. They have great prices, $15 and less for entrees (though most range around $10) and $4 and up for margaritas. Overall I gave them an 87.. definitely a place I'll be going back to.

Solé CHARLOTTE 81

Saturday was the beginning of my Mexican food binge. It all started at the Spanish influenced restaurant, Solé. The weather was great so the bf and I decided to sit on their charming outside patio which was definitely on the romantic side. They had a medium to small wine list which contained quite a few good bottles. We went for the Marques De Caceres Reserva Rioja '05 and we both loved it. The bf started with the Gazpacho (pictured above) and while he was a little disappointed, I thought it was good. I started with a house salad which was great with their blueberry balsamic. For my entree I went with honey mustard glazed shrimp skewers over rice. There were two skewers containing three large shrimp which were cooked almost perfectly. The flavors were good but the dish just seemed a little bit on the dry side. The bf decided to get the "Mejilloes Diablo", mussels in a mildly spiced tomato sauce, and the Empanadas. The mussels were okay, but we both agreed that they had no spice to them. The Empanadas were a-ma-zing. They were some of the best Empanadas either of us had ever had the pleasure of trying. We left dinner happy and satisfied. Overall Solé got an 81, we'll definitely be going back.

Cantina 1511 CHARLOTTE 74

After a long and lazy labor day weekend the bf and I decided to keep our "mexican food streak" going by trying out Cantina 1511 on East Blvd. It was a good experience, but the food was just okay. There was a 10-15 min wait for a table for two so the bf and I bellied up to the bar to try out a cocktail before dinner. I was a little disappointed with their specialty margaritas. They had an interesting selection, but most seemed fruity and sweet. I must say that their actual tequila selection was off the chain, in fact, it took up a full page on their large cocktail menu. The bf was not feeling tequila shots so I went with a patron cosmo, which was simply perfect. Our table was ready pretty fast, but they wouldn't transfer our drinks to our tab and the bartender was busy so we had to wait to tab out. We made it to our table and our friendly server came to us promptly. We decided to start out with the shrimp and crab ceviche and the top shelf guacamole. The guacamole was made fresh at our table with avocados, salt, and some pico de gallo, and it was my favorite thing ordered. I did not care for the shrimp and crab ceviche... It was served in a small glass with shredded crab and whole shrimp drowned in a sauce that tasted pickle-ish. I hate pickles, and that seemed to be the dominating flavor. For dinner I decided to try out the "Pescado Yucatan"(pictured above), grilled fish of the day (mahi) with spicy habanero pico de gallo, pickled red onions, and black bean and plantain mash, served with corn tortillas. It also came with a corn salsa, and it was pretty much a "build your own taco" set up. The fish was cooked nicely, but there was no "wow" factor. It was good, but not amazing. The bf decided to try out three different tacos; they have seven you can mix and match from. He tried the "al pastor" (slow cooked pork), "guadalajara shrimp", and "carne asada steak". The steak was a little on the greasy side, however the pork and shrimp were pretty good. Nothing was terrible, except for the ceviche but that's my opinion. I would definitely go back and try out some more tacos, but probably wouldn't make this a regular spot. Overall I gave Cantina 1511 a 74.

Salsa Recipe

I always make this salsa when I make fish tacos. It goes with them perfectly and it's so easy to make!

6-7 vine ripe tomatoes chopped

1/2 medium red onion chopped

2 cloves of garlic minced

1 jalapeno (seeded) and diced

2 tablespoons of chopped cilantro

1 tablespoons of chopped parsley

1 1/4 teaspoon of cumin powder

1/2 teaspoon salt

1 cup of frozen corn cooked and chilled

1/2 of a lime juiced

Mix everything and enjoy! It has a medium heat, but you can make it a little hotter if you add a few of the jalapeno seeds.

Cajun Queen CHARLOTTE 78

Last night I was starving and craving some New Orleans style cuisine. The bf and I decided to try out Cajun Queen off of E 7th St. It was pretty good, but not great. We decided to start out with the "Cajun popcorn" (pictured left) which was lightly fried pieces of crawfish tale in a light and tasty sherry remoulade sauce. It was our favorite dish of the night. I was worried that the crawfish would be overly fried and overcooked, but this wasn't the case at all. The lemon wedges that came with the appetizer made it the perfect dish. The bf decided to try the shrimp and crawfish etouffee for his main course, while I opted for the blackened mahi mahi with a crawfish and tasso sauce. The etouffee was definitely the tastier choice, even though the shrimp wasn't seasoned and was pretty bland. The mahi was okay but the mashed potatoes it came with tasted old and dry (reminiscent of fast food KFC mashed potatoes). They had an almost overwhelming cocktail selection, which is cool because it caters to many tastes. I had a cadillac margarita which, if you like grand marnier in your margs, was awesome. I also tried a tornado (rum, banana liquor and OJ) and it was very very sweet. The meal was satisfying for my craving, but I feel as if I could find a better Cajun restaurant. Overall I gave Cajun Queen a 78; I'll go back, but not very often.

Enso CHARLOTTE 88

I was very excited to try out Enso, the new sushi place at the Epicenter. It definitely lived up to its hype. The decor was well thought out and sleek, and the whole place managed to give off a hip vibe. The bf and I decided to sit right away at the sushi bar instead of waiting 15 minutes for a table (a little odd because the restaurant was only half full). We went at 8:00 pm planning to catch a 9:30 movie, but the service was so slow that it was impossible. Plan on spending your time and some money if you come here, you won't be disappointed. The restaurant is designed to be the kind of place where you can order as you eat. The menu is pretty big and ranges from dim sum to specialty rolls to asian fusion entrees such as a duo of king crab. Everything on the menu sounded good, but the bf and I had our hearts set on trying out the sushi-and some appetizers of course. We started with the "New style sashimi" (pictured above left) which was a beautiful presentation of salmon, yellow tail, and tuna thinly sliced and stacked on each other to make the perfect bite size. We also tried the Wagyu beef carpaccio which was simple but fantastic. We tried four different specialty rolls, but two really stole the show. The king crab roll (pictured on the top to the right) consisted of mostly king crab on top with more crab and some avocado inside. It was probably my favorite roll, the flavor was really concise with a slight sweetness. The shrimp mania roll (pictured at the top on the left)was interesting and pretty good, but the other roll that really won us over was the fire roll. It had sliced scallop on top and had the perfect amount of spice. There was a nice size saki menu, unfortunately they were out of almost everything due to their grand opening this past weekend. All of the cocktails were very sweet and uninspired. Another cool thing worth mentioning is that Enso serves off their sushi menu late on weeknights (I believe until 12:30 or 1:00 am) which makes it the only late night sushi place I've found thus far. I will definitely be going back to Enso to try some of their unique entrees and more of their fantastic sushi! Overall an 88.

Cafe Strudel COLUMBIA 70

After a late night in Columbia on Friday me and a couple friends decided to try out Cafe Strudel on State St for a late Saturday lunch. The first appeal was that they served breakfast all day and were pretty cheap. The food was decent, nothing special or amazing. I opted for their buffalo grilled chicken salad served over fresh romaine lettuce (pictured left). The chicken was okay but a little dry. Cheap, bland, and slightly off the mark are the best descriptions for the sandwiches and salads. I would go back to try their breakfast, but probably wouldn't try anything else. Overall Cafe Strudel is rated at a 70 for a cheap decent meal.

Taqueria Jalisco Mexican Restaurant COLUMBIA 89

Jaliscos is in my top 5 favorite Mexican restaurants of all time. I must admit that this isn't my first time dining at Jaliscos; when I lived in Columbia I made sure to eat there a couple times a month. It's by far the best Mexican restaurant you'll find in Columbia. Located off St. Andrew's road, Jaliscos offers amazing and authentic micheladas (Michelada - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia), ceviche, and tortilla soup. The ceviche (top right) is $3.95 and comes on a tostada with avocado slices on top. I have compared many ceviches, and Jalisco's version always comes out on top. The tortilla soup or their sausage and potato tacos are just the thing for a cold day. My personal favorite entree would have to be the Camarones a la diabla (bottom left). The delicious, spicy orange sauce tastes good on everything! Jaliscos is in no way expensive or gourmet, but the food is wonderful. The only thing that Jaliscos doesn't bring to the table are their margaritas. I personally don't care for them, they're very sweet. However, their pina colladas and beer selection are great! Just on the cusp of a 90, Jaliscos comes in at an 89 making it worthy of returning to.

Something Classic CHARLOTTE 20

Today me and the bf were in the mood to try out a place in our neighborhood, plaza midwood. We decided to try Something Classic on Central Ave. The place looked like a cute catering business and deli, however it was our worst dining experience in Charlotte up to date. They had more catering options then lunch items, but they seemed to have a decent selection of sandwiches and salads. The bf decided to try their cuban but with out pickles. I opted for a California wrap (pictured above): turkey, avocado, lettuce, tomatoes, and a cucumber mayo. The cucumber mayo made me hesitant because when I do eat mayo I like it minimally, but I decided to try it on the wrap anyways. They had some outside tables so we decided to walk there with our dog; I waited outside while the bf went in to place our order. He came back 12 minutes later, which was odd because there were 3 people working, and only 2 other costumers who had already ordered and had just gotten their food. The bf seemed frustrated and told me that he was completely unacknowledged for 10 minutes, they acted like he wasn't there... We then waited almost another 10 minutes for our sandwiches, also odd because they didn't have other costumers... As soon as we unwrapped our sandwiches I realized that the cucumber mayo was pretty much just plain mayo and was slathered on in a disgusting way, and the bf realized that his "cuban" was on a baguette and loaded with pickles. We were both grossed out and turned off by the food we got. I tried a bite of each sandwich which was, just as one would think at this point, not good. We both lost our appetites and walked home with out eating. Horrible service and lousy food. It was a complete fail- a 20, and once was definitely to much!

Phat Burrito CHARLOTTE 81

Phat burrito was a small interesting place with a lot of character (and I don't mean that in a bad way). Located on Camden street, it seemed to be the ideal place for a quick but good mexican meal. The menu is very simple, burrito, tacos, taco salad, or a quesadilla with your choice of meat. Their home made salsa bar was decent, but a bit disappointing. I tried a burrito with fish and without the beans. The fish had a lot of flavor and was really nice, but there was some sort of chutney (you can see it on the tacos above) that I wasn't aware would be in it. I think it was pineapple but I couldn't quite place it because it was thick and had an odd taste and flavor... I didn't care for it, but it didn't ruin my burrito experience. The bf got the fish tacos (pictured above) with no cabbage (he hates veggies) and was thrown off by the chutney as well; he easily scraped it off, and enjoyed the tacos even though they put cabbage on them anyways. Not the best mexican food in Charlotte, but the simplicity of the place makes the food well executed and fast.. great for someone who's on the go! Overall I gave it an 81 a bit over average and worth going back!

Amelie's French Bakery CHARLOTTE 90

I had the pleasure of trying Amelie's French Bakery on North Davidson for brunch the other day. I opted for their special, an egg sandwich on a croissant with asiago and spinach.. It was delicious, and while it looked small it filled me up. The bf tried out the soup special, a tomato and crab bisque (pictured right) and it was beyond words. We both agreed that it was the best soup we've found in Charlotte thus far. We didn't try any of the pastries, but they had a huge fresh baked selection which surely included something for everyone. In fact, they all looked so mouth watering it would be hard to choose just one. One of the coolest thing about this particular bakery is that it's open 24 hours, and has a relaxed coffee house vibe. There were quite a few people working on laptops and enjoying coffee under the many quirky chandeliers throughout the place. Definitely a cool laid back joint that one could easily wind up at at any time. Definitely crave worthy (rated 90) if you're in the mood for fresh baked treats!

Copper CHARLOTTE 91

If you're a fan of Indian food you must must MUST try copper off of East Blvd. I must admit that I had my reservations when I first found out that it was a "modern" themed Indian restaurant. Ultimately I decided it was either going to be great or disappointing, but my expectations were blown away by the awesomeness that is copper. Located in a charming house, the decor was softly lit and inviting... maybe a little on the dim side. They had a great wine selection and an interesting, yet tasty cocktail menu. I liked the Agni (bicardi 151, absolut peppar, and guava) because it was a little fruity, but still had that warm liquor taste going down. More importantly, the food was kick ass from start to finish. The bf and I started with the Tava Scallops and lobster with a ginger kick. The scallops were decent, but could have been seared better; they paired nicely with the avocado lychee emulsion found rimming the plate. The lobster tail was the big hit of the appetizers, and was cooked faultlessly. The flavor combination was refreshing and well thought out with a nice spice. When it comes to entrees the menu is split into a small list of traditional and modern main courses. I decided to go with a traditional dish, jumbo shrimp in a Goan Curry sauce, while the bf decided to go modern with a Masala duck leg confit. They were both perfect, but I must admit that the bf out ordered me. The shrimp and curry were wonderful and I couldn't stop myself from licking the sauce even as I was stuffed, but the duck had it going on.. not in the least bit gamey, and perfect with a pomegranate-syrah jus. Against my protests the bf went on to order dessert- something I wasn't even thinking about touching at this point because I was beyond full. The bf ordered the Sorbets & Gelatos which came with four cute little samples of different flavors. There was a raspberry and mango sorbet (the raspberry was awesome and was reminiscent of a flinstones push up) and a caramel and pistachio gelato. We left copper full, happy, and ready to go out for the night. Overall a 91- crave worthy!!

Tilapia Mediterranean style

Just finished eating dinner and it was f***ing great with out too much work!! The dish is a mediterranean style tilapia with spinach in a light, spicy, tomato garlic sauce.. over pasta of course! It took about 30 minutes and was hit with the bf too! (original recipe can be found on prevention.com)

What you'll need: (dinner for 2)

2 boneless skinless tilapia filets

1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil

3 cloves of garlic (minced)

1 14oz. can of diced tomatoes with juice

3-4 basil leaves (minced)

1 tablespoon oregano (minced)

1 cup of chicken stock

1 teaspoon of red-paper flakes (this is a pretty mild to medium heat.. to make spicier add more)

1 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon pepper

8 oz of baby spinach

parmesan to grate (optional)

pasta (your choice but I used capellini)

Heat olive oil and minced garlic over medium heat for 3 minutes in a medium to large skillet with sides. Add tomatoes with juice, basil, oregano, chicken stock, red pepper, salt, and pepper and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to a medium simmer and cook for about 8-10 minutes to thicken. Add the tilapia and submerge in sauce. Cover and cook for 8-10 minutes (flipping the tilapia over halfway through and covering again). Once the tilapia is fully cooked (it will get flaky), remove and set aside. Add the spinach and turn the heat up high, cooking and stirring for two minutes. Put the tilapia over pasta, add the sauce, and enjoy!! (parmesan can be grated on top).

The pasta I used only took two minutes to cook, so I put a big pot on to boil as a started cooking, and the pasta was done 5 minutes before the dish was ready... Also, I put in about 2 tablespoons of red pepper flakes and it was still a medium spice... My bf didn't care for parmesan (as he's not a big cheese fan to begin with) but I loved it!

Big Daddy's Burgers CHARLOTTE 84

Just got done eating at Big Daddy's off East Blvd. and it was quite a success. Me and the bf started with the atomic nachos (pictured left) which were ideal for anyone who enjoys spicy food. I opted to create my own burger using swiss, avocados, and jalapeno bacon.. A little on the greasy side, but cooked perfectly.. The onion strings were lacking though. My bf got the steakhouse burger which was an interesting and tasty combination of jumbo Guinness battered onion rings, monterey jack cheese, and a chopped wedge salad.. He scraped off the salad, but the burger seemed fitted for his manly needs. The service was good, but not great. Spiked milkshakes and a good selection of draught beers made for the perfect late lunch. Overall a score of 84 which makes it worth going back to.