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.

We walked into Aria and were told there would be about a 30minute wait. Despite being busy, we were able to snag a couple seats at the bar. The bar itself is not to be missed, featuring a huge glass encased wine rack which shows off over 100 bottles from Aria’s impressive wine list. The restaurant had a modern décor, but managed to be cozy and comfortable at the same time. We had to start with their limoncello, which is house made, and definitely my new favorite drink for the summer: a lemon liqueur, sweet and refreshing.

We were excited when we were seated earlier then expected, within 10 minutes of being at the bar. It was time to get down to business. Aria’s menu is described as old world comfort food featuring simple, classic, Italian, and served in a contemporary atmosphere. All of their appetizers sounded amazing, and it was hard to choose just one to start with. I decided on the steamed mussels (bottom left), and when they came out I was glad I had only ordered one. There was a large portion of mussels served in a huge bowl with a plum tomato sauce, sambuca, fennel and herbs. The mussels themselves were really nicely done, not chewy in the slightest, and the sauce they were served in had a hint of sweetness to it. The tomato sauce was great for dipping bread in as well. Even with Dave’s help we didn’t finish all of the mussels for fear of being to full for our entrees.

It didn’t take long for our main courses to come out. I had gone with the Veal Scallopini, while Dave went with their Wild Boar Pappardelle (top left) special. My scallopini was awesome, two thin and tender pieces of veal served in a lemon butter sauce with capers, parsley, and broccoli rabe. The lemon butter sauce covered the bottom of the plate, which I was thankful for because it was delicious even on the broccoli. The real showstopper, however, was the special Dave ordered. Pappardelle is an egg noodle comparable to a broader fettuccini. It was served in an amazing tomato sauce with shredded wild boar meat throughout. It was an adventurous dish, executed perfectly, and my favorite thing that we had.

At the end of the meal I was beyond stuffed, but I felt great. My only regret? Not having enough room to try one of their desserts. I gave Aria a 94; the service, food, and atmosphere made for a wonderful experience, and I can’t wait to go back in and try more.

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!