Friday, July 9, 2010
SHRIMP SCAMPI RECIPE
Friday, April 2, 2010
Aria Tuscan Grill CHARLOTTE 94
8pm on a Thursday, I found myself Uptown; the light rain coming down was no match for my growling stomach as my boyfriend David and I tried to decide where would dine that evening. Our first thought was Sonoma so we headed over to Tryon St where we were happy to take advantage of the valet. Unfortunately Sonoma was having a private party, so we found ourselves back to square one. That’s when it dawned on us that Aria is owned by the same restaurant group and literally around the corner from Sonoma.
Thursday, March 11, 2010
Coco Osteria CHARLOTTE 92

Hunger struck around 9:30pm last Friday night as I battled through the usual Uptown traffic. By the time I settled for a spot in Hearst Tower’s parking garage one thing was for certain; I was now starving. Lucky for me, Charlotte is full of great restaurants that stay open later on the weekends. I was immediately drawn to a small Italian place in front of Hearst Tower called Coco Osteria. Let me reiterate that this place is small, perfect for escaping with a couple of people before facing the bar crowd. As my eyes darted over the menu, I realized it was going to be a hard decision; Coco features authentic Italian cuisine including homemade pastas. After careful deliberation I decided that I would have to start with the bruschetta and have the pan seared salmon as my main. The bruschetta came out quickly and did not disappoint. The bread, a Tuscan style baguette, was grilled to perfection topped with cherry tomatoes, olive oil, and a balsamic reduction, which was simple and delicious. Just as the bruschetta was nearing its end my salmon came out to keep me going. At first glance I could tell my salmon had a lot going on: olives, capers, tomatoes and garlic in white wine over jasmine rice, but as I began eating I realized that all of the ingredients were essential to the dish. I ended up overeating, and being stuffed yet satisfied. The smaller environment also made for a cozy, well looked after restaurant. The staff gave off a genuine vibe and never left me wanting for anything. If the food isn’t enough to get you down to Coco then you should also know that they have awesome drink specials all week, including half priced martinis on Fridays and half priced select bottles of wine on Saturdays. I’ll definitely be back for more!
Friday, January 22, 2010
Dolce Vita Wine Bar CHARLOTTE 94


My girlfriend had been hounding me about trying Dolce Vita (in Noda) after trying it for the first time last weekend... Now it's me that will be hounding YOU to go and check this place out! I decided to go in with said girlfriend for a late lunch yesterday afternoon a little after 2pm. We had the whole place to ourselves which was awesome, but at the same time unfortunate that everyone else in CLT was missing out! The restaurant itself is small, comfortable and inviting... perfect for a casual hangout with friends or a romantic date. I absolutely fell in love with the warm colors and cozy tables. I browsed the lunch menu despite the fact that I knew what I wanted: a personal pepperoni pizza with fresh mozzarella (top left). The lunch menu also offers tasty sounding sandwiches and a personal pizza sans meat. After I ordered I realized that I also had to have the baked brie appetizer(top right). If you like brie you MUST try this appetizer.. even if you don't like brie I still think you should try it. It was simply phenomenal!! The brie was perfect and warm inside a bread shell (croissant like, flakey and delicious) drizzled with a little honey and balsamic and served with pita chips and crackers. I will probably order this appetizer every time I go back. Even still, the main star was the pizza which is the best I've had since I moved to Charlotte in August. It wasn't soaked through with grease like most pizza, and everything about it screamed fresh. The mozzarella really makes the pizza, and the thin but tasty crust makes it very easy to polish off the whole thing. It was so good that I had to force myself to save a piece to bring home to the bf (which he scarfed down as soon as I returned). I didn't look through wine racks, but I could tell they had a great selection including my favorite champagne. Dolce Vita also offers a nice selection of wine by the glass. I really appreciated how each glass of wine had a small description under it because I'm always looking to expand my basic wine knowledge. The owner took care of us, and she was nothing short of sweet, friendly, and genuine which completed a wonderful meal. I gave Dolce Vita a 94 because I simply can not wait to go back for more!!