Food
Most Recently Answered Questions
Questions 1 - 15 of 539 (Page 1 of 28)Submitted by Brian from Charlotte, NC
Q:Is the Wine Loft on South Blvd ever going to actually open? They've given me two different dates now and both have passed.
A: Well, Brian, owner Sam Kalioby says he ran into delays but is "99.9 percent sure" they'll be open Tuesday at 2201 South Blvd. There's also a Web site, though it's one of those interesting ones that is truly lovely and takes 15 minutes to load. But it will help you get a general idea of what to expect.
Submitted by Homer Gaddis from Charlotte, NC
Q:Are there any bakeries in the Charlotte area that make sugar free or no sugar added pastries, cakes and cookies.
A: Food editor Kathleen Purvis tells me Honeybyrd Sweets (which sells at farmers' markets) does sugarfree toffees and candies,and she thinks Jimmie's may do some sugarfree cakes, and that many bakeries are doing this now. So the best route is to call some in your vicinity and ask. Good luck!
Submitted by Matt from Charlotte, NC
Q:Hi Helen, can you tell me what is up with Harry and Jeans? Is it closed for good? Any reason?
A: The uptown Charlotte location is closed for good, the company confirms, but the Rock Hill one -- at 1940 Cinema Drive -- is still open. The economic crunch, particularly for banks (Wachovia ended corporate dinners there in the summer), has been cited as one reason for uptown restaurants' trouble.
Submitted by Susan Fox from Charlotte, NC
Q:Dear Ms. Schwab, I have just finished reading all the other questions readers have sent in. But my question is: is there a good Asian fusion restaurant around here? I looked at the websites for Yama Asian Fusion - which seems to be just Japanese, and Soho Bistro, which is mostly Chinese. But I have not found a true "fusion" restaurant. Do you know of any? Many thanks!
A: Susan, "fusion" is one of those terms that means different things to different people. For example, Fu Lin on Independence describes its fare as Indo-Chinese, which the owners define as using Chinese techniques and Indian ingredients. Other people think it's not fusion unless you're melding both ingredients and techniques; others think if you have a menu with some dishes of one cuisine and some of another, you've got fusion. Restaurant i in Dilworth uses Japanese and French ingredients and techniques; that may suit you, too. Let me know what you think....
Submitted by Britt from Charlotte, NC
Q:Hi Helen, do you have any suggestions for Thanksgiving in Hilton Head? We will be going there this year and haven't decided if we should eat out or try to prepare Thanksgiving in our rental condo kitchen. Thanks!
A: Britt, I'm afraid I'm not sufficiently up on Hilton Head to know what's possible there for Thanksgiving, which is a hard holiday to plan for. I always suggest checking the upscale hotel restaurants, which will certainly be serving, and calling an upscale restaurant or two that you like in the area and ask if they know anyone serving that meal. It looks, from a quick online perusal, that Red Fish is open that day, which I've heard good things about. I found opentable.com had listings of available reservations that day; that would be another place to try.
Submitted by Harry from Charlotte, NC
Q:Helen- Have you noticed a spate of restaurants increasing their menu prices - many of them adding ridculous increases for sodas, appetizers, etc? Just wanted to make sure I'm not the only one who has noticed that you can't sit down for lunch uptown anymore for less than $10 unless you go to Greens or Showmars
A: Good to hear from you, Harry. Perhaps because I don't do uptown lunch, I haven't noticed this in that particular area -- but I'm definitely aware of the general expensiveness of lunch, from simple sandwiches to entrees. I took a friend for lunch to a Phillips Place restaurant and there was virtually nothing under $12. As I just told a high school class, I try never to order soft drinks anywhere -- including McDonald's -- because I simply can't stomach the markup. Soft drinks provide some of the industry's highest profit margins, I'm told, and I believe it. Water -- yes, "just tap" -- is my beverage of choice, always. As far as appetizers go, I lean toward ordering one of these instead of an entree, even at lunch, since they tend to be more interesting -- and often have enough of a greens "garnish" to pass for a side salad. But again, you're right: The days of the $5 appetizer are fading fast...
Submitted by Tim from Atlanta GA
Q:We are coming to the Charlotte area (Matthews) for Thanksgiving. What is the best bakery for pies and desserts?
A: Tim, food editor Kathi Purvis has raved about Down Home Baking Company (www.downhomebakingcompany.com), which sells products at the Matthews farmers market, along with Jimmie's Sweets in Matthews and Suarez Bakery in Park Road Shopping Center. I'm a fan of Amelie's (www.ameliesfrenchbakery.com) for French items, from chocolates to puff pastry. Hope this helps.
Submitted by Pat from Asheville, NC
Q:My husband and I ate at a small Asian restaurant in downtown Charlotte last year. The food was wonderful. We cannot remember the name of it. We are coming back to Charlotte soon, but staying in Concord. My husband says it is near the Bobcat's arena. I have searched the internet without any success.
A: Pat, I suspect you went to Soho Bistro; it's at 214 N Tryon St. uptown and its phone number is 704-333-5189.
Submitted by Brian from Charlotte, NC
Q:I had heard a Common Market was going to open in South End, is this true?
A: Yes, Brian, it's true. The latest I've heard is "late November" -- since they're rehabbing an older space, at 1515 S. Tryon St., it's a challenge and everything is taking longer than anticipated.
Submitted by Brian from Fort Mill, SC
Q:The Derby Diner closed. It is now Royal Buffet, a mostly Chinese Buffet offering some Japanese food including sushi. There is also a menu to order from. It opened Monday and is much better than most Asian buffets in the area. Fishbone Grille in Fort Mill also recently closed.
A: Thanks for the update, Brian!
Submitted by Don Sell from concord,nc
Q:The observer recently reviewed a new burger place in downtown Charlotte, believe it was owned by another upscale restaurant, what is the name??
A: Don, I think you're thinking of Nix, which is restaurateur Nick LaVecchia's burger concept; it was slated to go in at Fifth and Tryon, next to Capital Grille in late fall.
Submitted by Jackson from Charlotte, NC
Q:In response to the quest for vegetarian lunch, I recommend Meskerem Ethiopian. They have a lunchtime vegetarian buffet Tuesday through Thursday. It is delicious and fulfilling. A lot of the Chinese restaurants have added vegetarian tofu dishes to their lunch menus. Several places make their own veggie/bean burgers like the Penguin, Mac's, and Big Daddy's. Berrybrook Farm is good for grab-n-go. Also keep in mind places like Roly Poly and Pita Pit for convenience. The food is out there, but it might take some experimenting to find what you like.
A: I'm a fan of Meskerem, too, Jackson; great idea. And you're exactly right: The food IS out there, but it may take a little more experimentation to find what works for you than is required in a classic vegetarian restaurant.
Submitted by from Charlotte, NC
Q:I LOVED Kelly's Cafe way back when and miss the convenience of Talley's Grocery. Any good ideas on vegetarian lunch options?
A: If you loved Talley's, I'm guessing you're not averse to ethnic foods. Which is good, since the only completely vegetarian spots I know of are Woodlands (on Albemarle) and Udipi (University City), both Indian and both delicious. I don't know where you need to be for lunch, but you can also find vegetarian items on just about every ethnic menu in town from Mexican to Vietnamese to Italian, and eclectic spots like South End's Pewter Rose keep some dishes on their menus routinely. But if you're picky about the entire kitchen being vegetarian, your options are slim, I'm afraid.
Submitted by Chris from Charlotte, NC
Q:Due to recent illness, we will be unable to cook our traditional thanksgiving fare. We are looking for a nice venue that may be open and having a thanksgiving day menu. Can you help with some suggestions? Thank you
A: Chris, check lower in this Q&A for some suggestions; not many restaurants serve this meal, and tend to decide closer to the date, but hotel restaurants are a good bet.
Submitted by Charlotte, NC from Charlotte, NC
Q:Do you know of anywhere in the Charlotte area that serves Coquilles St. Jacques? There was an Italian Restaurant on 49 N that used to have it as well as Crabmeat Parmesan but it closed years ago and I haven't been able to find either dish since.
A: The last place I've seen offering this was Sante in Matthews. It's not on the current menu, but you might ask chef-owner Adam Reed about making it; sometimes chefs are willing to concoct something just for you if you give them plenty of lead time. (That would mean days, not minutes.) Interestingly, coquilles St. Jacques were on the menu of several places that have closed in the past few years. I wonder if that means these were places with insufficiently modern menus, or that there just isn't a widespread appetite for rich classics like that these days...
