Oh…spicy…bring it on!

Chicken 65 Yum!

After a long day, I headed over for some food therapy! & Spice South Indian Cuisine was the spot for just that! Often I think I should’ve been born a South Indian since that’s my taste in food. (Though I’m very happy being a Sindhi)

Since I was craving a dosa…I knew exactly what to order. Though the restaurant carries everything from traditional vegetarian, non-veg, dishes and desserts.
Since I was super hungry, I wanted an appetizer to boot 😉

Spice South is hidden in a nice area on Ardery Kell Road, at Fountains Shopping center. Now don’t go in expecting some grand place… it’s not. A small but quant restaurant with minimal artwork & decor. Even the staff is minimal…only 1 person manning the floor. That was a little hard to understand because trying to handle just a few tables can be challenging. And such was the case on this weeknight. Many tables tried to get the waiter’s attention + the phone was ringing off the hook. Since one person was seating guests, taking orders, delivering the order, answering phone, helping To Go customers, clearing tables, etc he must have been tired.

I ordered Chicken 65 with extra spice. This equates to Chili Chicken at other restaurants. Chicken 65 is boneless chicken (the only way I will eat any meat) deep fried & served with an orange sauce with tomatoes, onions, bell peppers, yogurt, curry leaves, The chicken was cooked so well…nice & tender. Oh & the smell of it was just heaven….in fact, you smelled the dish even before you saw it! As it was very spicy & a large serving, I couldn’t finish it all…not eve 1/2. Leftovers are awesome ;). I would’ve liked it to be served as a true appetizer though..it was served minutes before my meal.

My entree was Pondicherry spicy Dosa. Dosas are a southern specialty…A thin rice crepe cooked with no fat! This one was cooked with red spices & stuffed with a potato filling served with sambar (curry) & coconut chutney. Again, a large plate but sooo good.
 
And what drink to enjoy all this spicy food with…a beer of course! The restaurant serves beer & wine and the selection of Indian beers is nice. I tried Maharaja…my first time. Good light beer that went well with my meal.

And the restaurant is not expensive like perhaps Blue Taj. Now I love Blue Taj but inexpensive it’s not. Prices here are reasonable. Dosas are $7-$9 while the entrees are $14-$20. And it’s definitely family style portions.

Go & try it out soon! & tell me what you think about it.

Italian with a new twist….I’ll pass!

If you’re in the Atlanta area and craving something new….please avoid this please!
As you may know now, I’m a foodie & I truly enjoy some good Italian food. So I was intrigued when my cousin suggested we try a new Italian place for dinner, Osteria del Figo. She’d heard great reviews from friends/co-workers so we decided to try it together.

As you may have read about another one of my reviews, Mirko, this restaurant has the same theme. In fact, I’m a little late in posting but this is the first restaurant we visited before heading to Mirko’s that night.

The restaurant, located at 1210 Howell Mill Rd NW, has an odd entrance but never the less, we made our way inside. Now the restaurant is small so if you have a large group, you may want to eat out on the patio. I did enjoy the look of the restaurant with the lights display, as if you were in a garden area.

When you enter the restaurant, you’re greeted at the door with the menus on the walls. There’s also a seasonal or specials menu posted & someone is waiting eagerly to get your order.

Now the twist, you select your meal and how it’s to be prepared! You have a number of pasta, proteins, & sauces to pick from and create your own meal! Sounds pretty cool. Since we had time to kill, we started with drinks only…seasonal drinks of course. We did order a bruschetta appetizer…mistake! The bread was so hard to bite into I thought I lost a tooth!

Now comes the part I didn’t like. While I enjoy sitting on the patio occasionally, the reason I don’t like to eat outside is because of the bugs, flies. Yes, I’m spoiled…if I wanted to eat with nature, I’d go back to India and not be here! So I prefer most of my meals inside as I did this day. However, it certainly didn’t feel like I was inside with the nats and creatures flying around! I’m sure the patio door being left open contributed to this lovely effect but when you look down and your food has a bug sitting on it, I’m turned off. So off we went elsewhere!

I’m a little surprised at the reviews of this place. While it has a cool concept, it’s not put together very well. On a quite night, we should not have to keep asking for plates, napkins, etc. And as we sat at 4 top table, as I like my room , the waiter did not clean off the rest of the table’s silver way or glasses. The manager (I presume) came later to do so when he made his rounds.

Definitely a fail in my book!

Happy eating everyone!

Mirko- Benvenuti a casa

Decided to try a new Italian place with my sis recently with a new twist.  It’s a pasta place that allows you to create your own dish.  Kinda cool so off we went especially after the not so fun experience earlier.

 Mirko is located in a shopping center but don’t let that deter you.  It may look small from the outside but the dining area is quite large.  A small patio area is also available. 

We went on a Tuesday nite so the crowd consisted of families, couples, to college kids.  Attire is casual & the décor is quite nice though I could’ve done without the woven baskets on the walls.  Tuesday was also Ladies Nite with specials on drinks and a free dessert, said the sign outside.  Sadly, it was misleading as you needed to order 4 dinner entrees for the free dessert.

We were escorted quickly to a booth & our waiter, Nick, also arrived quickly.  Being our first time, Nick was happy to share the menu & concept with us.  An added bonus, he shared his favorite dishes too.  Check out his pic!

While waiting for our meals, we were treated to rolls and bean dip (white bean dip with celery and garlic).  Definitely a pass, bean dip was blah & very thick.  I would’ve been happy with butter for my rolls, they were good!

Being a cheese lover, of course I went for the 4 cheese ravioli with a pomodoro sauce (classic Italian tomato and basil sauce) and pesto sauce.  Sis tried the spinach ravioli & funghi sauce (Funghi wild mushrooms, cream and parmesan).  The ravioli dish arrived with 4 large raviolis with the pesto on the side.  At first bite, I got a cold and not quite finished piece of ravioli.  In trying the others though, they were much warmer though the edges felt like they weren’t cooked all the way.  By the way, the pastas are all made fresh every day at Mirko’s.   Once Nick arrived with extra cheese on top, the dish was even better.  If you are a mushroom lover, then definitely try the funghi sauce because it’s loaded with mushrooms.  Definitely a fulfilling dish. 

As the drinks go, be aware they serve beer and wine which was enough for me.  I tried the Labrochuse that was a special that nite.  In essence, a red wine with fizz.  Not bad. 

A place I’d definitely try again soon & maybe this time I’ll have enough room for dessert.

Go try it out soon & ask for Nick….he was awesome!  Then again, the customer service was phenomenal. 

 

 

 

Let’s go to India

In a lurch recently when I found this place Passage to India. I had no intention of eating there but considering it was lunch time & the group wanted Indian only, it became the go to place. After all, it was almost 2 & 4 hungry women can be dangerous 😉

Located in a small strip mall, you’d miss the place if you didn’t know about it. After an odd entrance, you are immediately seated. But don’t be too surprised, this place is very small & is often packed with students (UNCC is around the corner).

Lunch, as in most Indian restaurants, means buffet time. Though I did call ahead to see if ordering from the menu was allowed (sometimes it’s not). Yes was the response esp. for my fav Dosas. Imagine my surprise when we showed up & I tried to do just that but was told no 😦 except for 1-2 dishes). The staff really should know what is allowed.
We did order one dish from the menu that mom & I enjoy lots, idly sambar. Served with coconut chutney & sambar it’s a hit! The spice was just right in the sambar (lentils curry). The coconut chutney, which I normally like, had a tang that didn’t go well with the coconut. Ick!
The buffet was quite nice & large, from several desserts to veg & non veg dishes. Since it was a meat less day, I tried my go to anywhere, paneer. The dish is diced homemade cottage cheese cooked with tomato & almond cream sauce. It was OK with rice & nan. Nan is a staple at every Indian restaurant. The chana lentils weren’t that great…very bland with no seasoning and very runny. Definitely pass! The pakoras (fried critters with potatoes, peas, and peppers) was not the best. But my little niece, who loves any pakoras, ate em right up. Wish I could tell you all about the meat dishes , perhaps next time. However, looking around @ the other tables, must have been good. The others were devouring the meat dishes like it was on sale wait clearance haha The restaurant offers Indo Chinese…very nice! I’ll have to try the next time back. Dishes like GOBI MANCHURIAN[WITH , VEGETABLE CHOWMEIN, & CHICKEN FRIED RICE sound yummy!

I ended the meal with Gulab Jamun dessert. (fried cheese balls soaked in flavored sugar syrup). What a sugar rush & nice, warm.

Prices are good. Buffet is $6.99 during wkdays & 9.99 on wknds.

Defiantly worth a try!

9510 University City Blvd Charlotte, NC 28213(704) 549-1886

The Ultimate Dining Experience – The Blue Taj

Having visited The Blue Taj in the past, I know of its reputation, food, & ambiance so I was happy to revisit.  While it was not the restaurant we intended to dine at, it is where we ended up & I’m so glad.

Hidden in the back, behind Terrace Café, the restaurant is clearly in a great local…Ballantyne Village.  It has a large indoor and outdoor seating area that gets filled quickly, especially the night we dined.

They say the sign of a really good Indian restaurant is to see non Indian diners & that’s exactly the case when we ate there recently. 

With no reservations, we popped in right before the rush hour traffic that starts at 6:30 & were quickly seated.  While we wanted to start with drinks on the patio & then venture in, our host was quick to tell us that the restaurant fills up quickly so in we stayed.

From the minute you walk up to the entrance, you can tell this place has a great vibe & that the decorator painstaking was involved in selecting every detail of the place.  From the entrance door, to the floor to ceiling wine cellar, to the lights, & curtains….you feel you have arrived in India, chic India that is.  From the colorful etchings on the walls that break up the restaurant into two, to the tin looking ceiling and chandeliers…you know that everything was handpicked & certainly not cheap! 

And this carries over to the table ware &  chairs…though I must admit the chairs were a little heavy to moveJ  From red or blue appetizer plates to the colorful chairs, there is an explosion of color…red or mehndi color as we say everywhere.  In addition, certain areas have been adorned with subtle blue lighting peeping in the corners making it look almost clubesqe.

The menu is large but includes everything you may want to feast on…from vegetarian to all types of proteins.   

 We started off with drinks of course 😉  The drink menu has certainly changed since the last time I dined in.  Gone were the regular old plain jane drinks replaced with authentic Indian spiced drinks like Spice Village Chai, Merry Berry, Dizzy Mumbai, Kolkata relapse…just to name a few.  All made with some great smelling & tasting spices.  We sampled the Merry Berry (light & sweet), Dizzy Mumbai (strong whiskey & great tasting cumin), Spice Village Chai (vanilla vodka with all the spices & chai taste), and Mumbai Margarita (little sweet for me but so different than regular margarita).  The rest will have to be sampled at another time….epically the Kolkata relapse…only one of those and you’re done for the night!

The list of appetizers made it hard to pick just one so we went for the platter.  Moments later a hot dish arrived with 8 items to choose from….paneer/chutney fried pakoras, samosas, onion pakoras, raga petis, all served with a sweet tamarind chutney.  Yum…it was fully devoured!

And we had trouble determining entrees too….as there were 3 pages to choose from:  Vegetarian, Seafood/Chicken/Lamb classics, & Tawa/Roasted/Tandoori selections.  But this is where a great host/waiter becomes very important.  True restaurant workers sample the drinks and foods & are very well versed in the ingredients of a dish.  A Great restaurant worker can ask you what types of dishes you like & recommend something based on that & sometimes a dish completely off the menu!  And that’s exactly what happened with us….I wanted chicken but not the usual chicken tikka masala but I do like its gravy.  And a recommendation is made, chicken with a smooth sauce in methi & hot spices…sold!  And what’s your hot level I’m asked from scale of 1 to 5…..4 please!  And keep that water coming:)  My friend liked lamb & coconut….so the recommendation was finely cut lamb in a coconut gravy.    We also learned that our waiter helped create the drinks that ultimately made it onto the menu…bonus!

The food arrived quickly & was just magnificent!  The chicken dish was marvelous….and hot!  I was sweating into my third bite…just the way I like it 😉  The jasmine & cardamom rice were fluffy & tasteful…the aroma itself was delish.  And of course, you can’t eat Indian food without a basket full of Nan.  The proteins were both very tender & prepared carefully and the sauces were a flavorful explosion!  Not one dish was seen going back to the kitchen!   Oh…back to my food.  I really liked my hot chicken sauce a little better than the lamb sauce just because it was so spicy.  In fact, yogurt was needed to put out the fire in my mouth.  And authentic homemade yogurt it was….ahhh!

During the entire time at the restaurant, we had waiters check on us constantly, filling our water glass as soon as it was ½ empty or sooner.  And everything was brought out quickly…even when the restaurant was totally full. 

While we wanted dessert, there was just no space left in us….on the next visit we shall try!  On the way out, we dropped in to visit the Bubble Bar….a nicely displayed bar with its special Bubble Bar seat (see the pic).

Cost is a concern as it can be pricey but if you want everything perfect, it will cost you.  This is not your average Indian place….their food is truly a work of Art!

I can’t say enough good things about this place….wonderful service, great ambience/décor, phenomenal food, & truly a great dining experience worth having!

 Definitely check them out & make reservations if visiting on the weekends!

Address:        14815 Ballantyne Village Way, Charlotte, NC 28277

Phone:           (704) 369-5777

Hours:           Friday hours 11:30 am–2:30 pm, 5:00 pm–10:30 pm

Terrace Café…oh what a let down!

 Located in Piedmont Row in the heart of Southpark, I’ve often walked by the restaurant wondering what they served.  Can’t say it’s in the best location, to the side of the parking garage & looks like a hole in the wall.

But we girls thought we’d try something new for lunch & walked over for a quick bite.  And when you walk in, you’re pleasantly surprised at the size of the place – large open bar area with a 2^nd floor for seating as well. 

We dined in the main dining room, on the 1^st floor, which was a little small.  Numerous small tables placed everywhere so close that you could hear the other table’s conversation but you didn’t rub elbows …Thank Goodness!

Lunch was definitely crowed & as I looked around, all seemed to business professionals in the area chatting about work or working over lunch – the theme in the area.  The seating felt a little cool & odd at the same time.  Apparently the restaurant is built on a split level so when you’re dining in the main room, the side walk is on another level.  With large windows above, you get to see all the people walking by…like I said cool & a little odd too!

Service was certainly lacking but I can sympathize.  The waiter had lots of tables to cover.  The menu was a little lacking too even though it was my “meat” day.  I went with a chicken pasta dish:   Vegetarian Mushroom Pasta, minus the mushrooms with chicken tossed with mixed, asparagus tips, roasted red pepper, gruyere cheese, sherry wine and fresh thyme.  Gotta say it was sooo not worth the $15!  I even asked for hot sauce, which arrived by the time lunch was finished, to help it but no luck.  The whole dish was just so bland.  No amount of hot sauce or black peppers seemed to bring it to life L

Again, service was slow from getting our food to the check.  Note to self:  If I come here again, be ready for a long 2 hr meal.

 

The dinner & drinks menu definitely looked better!  And certainly the happy hour specials…that night was Martini Night – all Martinis for $5.  We’ll have to try that next time. 

Also, due to the location, no patio seating which is the best part about Piedmont Row restaurants.

They have another location in Ballantyne that has outdoor seating & larger menu and bar area.  While it’s in a good location in the middle of Ballantyne Village, it’s cursed by the building it’s in.  Many restaurants have come & gone in that place…let’s hope they survive!

Terrace offers an awesome Breakfast menu & serves until 2:30 – which is not common at restaurants other than IHOP or one of those places.  In fact, many people had ordered breakfast dishes for lunch the day we dined.  I may be talked into trying breakfast there again if I have 2 hrs to kill & ok with spending lots of $

 

 

 

 

 

 

Italian food inspired by Tuscany

A little late in posting the newest place I enjoyed but it’s been a hectic week.  So let’s get to it.

If you know me or have been reading my blog, you must know a few things about me by now:  Picky eater, cheese lover, & enjoys Italian food.  Well, Brio was a great fit for me!

Having been at Brio’s near Southpark in the past, I know of its reputation & atmosphere just had forgotten about it.  I’ve normally visited the bar area on a weekend for drinks before heading out somewhere else so getting to dine in the main room was nice.

I headed over with a friend for lunch just to relax & have a little fun.  And fun we had & enjoyed some great food/service too!

When you walk in, the hostess is friendly & ensures you’re seated immediately.  While there was only the two of us, we were treated to a spacious booth.  Great because we like our space J 

When you walk into the dining room,  you notice the warm colors & low lighting immediately.  As we walked to our booth, we passed a wonderful area we’ll try next time.  Bar style seating overlooking the kitchen…interesting!  And with enough distance from the wood fried oven so you don’t miss any eyebrows J

The seating is great & the room is spacious with booths and tables alike.  Our waiter, Robbie, arrived immediately & was happy to tell us all about the specials and the lunch lites. 

And when it came to ordering, it was tough I admit.  So much great stuff to choose from!  While my friend enjoyed the flatbread/salad combo, I went straight for carbs….Pasta Alla Vodka.  Oh my it was sooo good!  You can have it with pancetta but I did without as the only meats I like are chicken and lamb.  The pasta was authentic & handmade…so tender and delicious.  The ricotta cheese was just right…not too much not too little.  The sauce is delish…yes by the name you guessed it’s a vodka sauce with garlic, basil, parmesan, and tomatoes with a little spice!  Yum!  While the plate looks smaller than some restaurants, don’t worry, it’s more than enough to fill you up.  I even ended up with leftovers.  Oh & a side note, ask for a small side of pesto sauce.  The mix with the tomato spicy sauce makes the sauce even better!

Wish we had space for dessert…maybe next time.

Now it’s a great place for food, service, great atmosphere but with all that you’ll pay a little for the food too.  Though some of the lunch specials were $8.95 with entrée and salad.  My dish was $16 but so worth it for me.  Though for lunch, maybe a bit more than I’d spend every day.

Now go and enjoy & try out their Bellini Brunch on the weekends!

 

A new place…Delta’s

After a tough few weeks, I had a friend get me out after a long business meeting in uptown. We tried a new place neither of us had heard of or tried called Delta’s.

Delta’s, on Tryon Street, was packed at 5:30 pm. When we ventured in we realized quickly it was due to a Bank of America event. Maneuvering among the crowd, we found an empty bar table and planted ourselves. We were quickly informed by the waiter & hostess of the food that would be served soon, spicy wings for all! Unfortunately, it was my meatless day & I couldn’t enjoy Though I quickly learned I wouldn’t try since they weren’t boneless :0

The drink menu was very elaborate & we learned about their specials from a cute & flirtatious bartender:
Monday: All beers are $3, complimentary wings of the world buffet
“Tini” Tuesday: $5 specialty cocktails, $5 select appetizers
Wine Down Wednesday: 1/2 priced Glasses of Wine
“Champagne Room” Thursday: $5 Champagne Cocktails
Sunday: $5 Mimosas, Bellinis, & Bloody Marys

While it was Monday, neither of us was up for beer so cocktails were on the menu! The bartender was great in asking what we normally like & picked out a few drinks we may enjoy. And boy was he right on the $! Mine was on fire before the rest of the drink was strategically poured into the martini glass…oh my was it good! & Strong!

The drinks ordered for the evening:

The Cheetah:
Sweet, refreshing, with a hint of spice to keep you sipping.
Vanilla vodka, ginger root, fresh lime juice, pineapple juice, Domaine de Canton ginger liqueur, aromatics & black pepper
Yum if you’re into sweet drinks!

Delta’s Sunshine 2:
There’s fire involved, which is always a good thing.
Light Rum with fresh raspberries, mint, orange, house-made grenadine, and a dash of angostura
Served in a martini glass with flaming Sambuca

Great presentation & will knock you off your rocker!

Being the carb lover that I am, I of course had to order some sides: fried mac & cheese & mashed potatoes topped with hot sauce. Oh my…authentic southern style & presented in sophisticated dinner ware. Finger licking good!

The atmosphere was great…the who’s of who of Charlotte were mingling & a great place for singles! In addition, jazz is played on several nights during the week and weekends.
A great place I hope to try again for fun/dinner soon!

Pizza….ummm not today

Feeling a little blah today so decided to head out & eat badly. So the car headed to California Pizza at the Mall. Since it was a nice/sunny day out, I decided to dine outside. And did I mention I needed some me time….

Arriving at the ideal lunch time, the hostess stand was empty. A few people were also ahead of me waiting. Not a good sign during your busiest time….Perhaps there should be 2 hostesses? I did finally get seated outside. With a great view of the fountain & the little kids playing around, I was set.

A waiter quickly came to get my drink order & returned promptly but without the normal bread & oil. It was provided when asked & a very small portion at that. Guess they thought one person deserved very little oh but they haven’t met me!
Rather than a pizza, I decided on a pasta…my other vice. So four cheese ravioli in a pomodoro sauce was ordered. Now I must warn you, if you like sauce order extra on this dish as it came with very little. In addition, it wasn’t a true pomodoro sauce. This sauce is different than its cousin marinara by being a thicker & chopped tomatoes sauce. With that, it’s usually a darker sauce as well. However, this is a light, thin colored sauce with a little parsley served on top. My plate arrived a little warm rather than hot but I still decided to go for it.

Now if you know me or have even read my blog, you know I love cheese! When I’m stressed or feeling blah, I load up on cheese. But so not the case with this dish. It had little cheese, little sauce and no heat. A shame cause of the price. For $2 more at Maggigano’s I would get more cheese + another take home pasta dish. But it was worth a try.

I’ll stick to the pizza next time here! Oh & make sure to download the app on your phones for great discounts!

Finally a great Calzone!

 When I’m stressed, I eat, as many of us do.  But on really stressful days all I want is cheese & so I turned to my fav cheese calzone!

Portofino’s, on Park Road in Charlotte, NC, has the best calzone I’ve had in a very long time!  And it definitely hit the spot.  I’ve visited other Portofino’s in the past so I know their food & service is top notch.  However, I may have dined on one of their bad days L

The hostess, a young college girl, seemed very confused when I asked for a large table, though I was dining alone.  In fact, she left me to take care of the other customers.  Hmmm….not a good impression and I could tell from there it maybe an off day.

I was finally seated in the large back dining area at a large table…yay!  I’m a woman and I just need my space J  There were a few customers in the area so there was an abundance of waiters/waitresses in around however, not one of them showed up to serve me.  I tried the make eye contact strategy to get their attention but nothing.  Finally, I caught up to one of the waiters and he apologized for not being waited on.  The food came out pretty fast, served by another waiter.  Apparently 3 different staff members were servicing the entire area so one would think I’d have someone check on me periodically…nope! 

Now the food was great.  Love me some cheese calzones and it’s been ages since I found a great place for them.  But there’s plenty more they offer like authentic Italian pizzas, pastas, and sandwiches.  On another occasion I dined, my lunch friend ordered cheese ravioli…yum!  While it was a small plate it still looked good!  And the customer service was much better!  Guess if you’re a loner you Do get treated differently :0

The meals are moderately priced at about $8-10 per dish except salads. 

Definitely worth a try if you’re into Italian food….I plan on visiting it again!