Bistro 127

2039 North Center Street
Hickory, NC 28601
Signature Dishes: Donuts & Gnocchi
Menu Link:  Bistro 127 Menu


The Tapas menu is only served on Wednesday nights and includes foods with Spanish influence such as empanadas, crab and black bean tostadas, and coconut fried shrimp.


Mediterranean Spreads roasted red pepper hummus, tapenade, & herbed Chèvre, w/crostini 
Pesto Gnocchi w/ basil pesto, roasted red pepper
& grilled mushroom
Steak Au Poivre ·  Snyder Farms grass fed beef tenderloin w/ pepper crust, roasted potatoes,
braised organic spinach, & brandy-demiglace sauce 

Maggiano's Little Italy

4400 Sharon Rd
Charlotte, NC

Signature Dish:  Rigatoni "D"

Menu Link:  Maggiano's Little Italy Menu

Maggiano's is a national chain serving up Italian food for those looking for an upscale casual dining experiance.  The location we visited was attached to South Park Mall in Charlotte.  It had a fine, causal atmosphere with white and checkered tablecloths and well appointed wait staff.  The service was decent and they served many of the Italian dishes you would expect from an upscale chain.  But the food generally was nothing special, and it was hard to justify the prices based on other dining options in the Charlotte area.  Despite this, the dining experience lacked major disappointments and would surely be an enjoyable experience for many diners.

There is an interesting feature for larger groups.  They provide a "family style" dining option that allows choices of appetizers,salads, entrees and desserts to be shared amongst the diners.  There are three price points, depending on the choices made available.  Once the price point and choices are made, the fixed price with bottomless plates surely encourages overeating.  They will indeed bring out food as long as you ask.  Even the last order that barely gets a nibble from the party can then be boxed up for take home.  This can be appealing for big gatherings, but not so much for those who are looking for a truly fine dining experience.

The menu was filled with familiar items such as Lasagna, Chicken Parmesan, and Baked Ziti.  There were several seafood options, many of which I tried in search of that unique taste.  Although the crab cakes were very good, all of the appetizers and entrees left me underwhelmed.  The crab and shrimp canelloni was good, but swimming in a heavy cream sauce that was not for your "light eater".  The angel hair pasta with sausage tasted like...well, uh...angel hair pasta with sausage - and a little red sauce.  Mediocre at best.  In fact, all of the dishes were adequate and nothing to write home about.  The highlight of the evening for me was the chopped salad, an introductory dish with iceburg lettuce and a nice mix of blue cheese, tomatoes, prosciutto, and avocado.  It was a tasty, somewhat unique combination.  But the rest of the meal was made up of merely "solid" dishes that left me wondering about my other dining options.  Even the desserts (creme brulee and chocolate layer cake) were delivered with the same perfectly adequate taste.

I have to say, however, that nothing was poor - or even below average.  It was typical of all you would expect from a successful high-end chain.  So, if you're looking for a good, solid family-style Italian meal in Charlotte, be sure to consider Maggiano's Little Italy.  It may not have the most unique food, but it is likely to be a good, consistent dining experience short of any major pitfalls.

Tupelo Honey Cafe

Tupelo Honey Cafe in Downtown Asheville

12 College Street
Asheville, North Carolina
Signature Dish: Sweet Potato Pancakes
Menu Link: Tupelo Honey Cafe Menus

Tupelo Honey Cafe is a landmark restaurant in downtown Asheville. The restaurant prides itself on utilizing local farmers, organic vegetables, as well as hormone-free meats and dairy products. They also claim to engage in local tradition by exuding creativity and imagination throughout its menu. The southern comfort cuisine is heavy on the soul food, but does experiment with unique food combinations that can make southern cookin' traditionalists upset. The restaurant is ranked as the #1 location in Asheville by UrbanSpoon and #10 according to the TripAdvisor. Featured in Southern Living and the New York Times alike, this restaurant has a reputation to live up to.

Tupelo Honey has a casual atmosphere that is informal in attire, but has some formality to its dining experience. The downtown location takes no reservations, but its newly opened sister restaurant does. For the downtown staple there is typically a line outside the doors at opening time. In the back of the restaurant is a waiting area with bench seating and complementary coffee. When it is time to seat a small party, a spot at the bar may indeed be the next available seat. It is here that you are obligated to eat.

The wait staff was very knowledgeable and way, like...uh...casual. But they were also very curteous and helpful. They were quick to share their opinions and guide the ordering decision. We decided to start our lunch with the cheesy grit cakes. They were served with a chili sauce, salsa and sour cream - which all served to really spice up what would otherwise be a bland dish. The cakes were crispy on the outside and "gritty" in the middle - hitting the mark for texture. An excellent way to start a meal.

Sweet Potato Pancakes with Coffee

The veggie bowl was a meal-sized entree with pinto beans, goat cheese grits, sautéed greens, fried okra and some more of that Sunshot Farm salsa. The combination of textures and tastes made this a hit. Scooping up the grits and poking a few pieces of fried okra while toping it all with the mild salsa made my taste buds sing. I also had to try the "famous" sweet potato pancakes. It was a huge pancake that miniaturized the plate upon which it was served. It was served with a wipped peach butter, but all of the flavors were understated. There is no doubt that it was a nice twist on the traditional buttermilk pancake, but did not venture too far from the traditional tastes to warrant the fame. I added some brussel sprouts and homestype squash casserole to my meal, which were all perfectly adequate.

Overall, the meal was excellent, but I felt as though we only touched on the unique flavors that the restaurant can provide. Perhaps a trip at dinnertime to try the other "main courses" is necessary to find those entrees that really tickle the palette. The dining experience was good enough to make a solid recommendation: when in Asheville, be sure to visit the local favorite, Tupelo Honey Cafe. You'll find the whole dining experience to be very Asheville.

Croissant D'Or Patisserie

617 Ursulines Avenue
New Orleans, Louisiana
Signature Dish: Croissants

Located in the northern part of New Orleans' French Quarter, this little bakery provides pastries, quiche, king cake, and a variety of coffee products. When we arrived on a Saturday morning at 8:30am, the line was starting to go out the door. The clientele seemed to be primarily locals but there was a spattering of dorky camera-packin' tourists like us. The croissant selection included plain, apple, cherry, raspberry, chocolate, and almond. There was ample indoor seating but the dining preference was in the interior patio. This is where a fountain could be found, highlighted by a statue of child urinating with a steady adult-sized, post-beer-drinking stream. 

The baked goods were indeed savory.  Urban Spoon had this place listed among the top bakeries in New Orleans.  Frommers says it is "highly recommended".  Most ratings had this at four-and-a-half out of five stars and it was sometimes noted as the best bakery in the area.  Although the service was merely average (something I had come to expect from most French Quarter dives) the croissants were flaky and tasty beyond what is expected from such a simple pastry.  We tried the plain, apple and almond.  Almond was my favorite.  But don't be shy about trying some of the other treats.  The spinach quiche was great, with a rich, crunchy crust and perfectly contrasting fluffy egg filling.  The cafe au lait was among the best in New Orleans - and among the best values at the price.  We have to say, when you're in New Orleans, be sure to stop by Croissant D'Or for a quick breakfast with one of their famed croissants and a locally famous cafe au lait.

Mr. B's Bistro

201 Royal Street
New Orleans, Louisiana
Signature Dish:  Barbecued Shrimp

We flew into New Orleans on a Friday evening and immediately began execution of the weekend dining plans that were made on the flight. Our first taste of NOLA cuisine was at Mr B's, part of the local Brennan restaurant dynasty. Gumbo and tomato bisque were the soup selections chosen to preempt the main course. Delectable on their own right, the soups were also excellent partners for the hard crusted French bread that seemed to provide never-ending crumbs on my lap (if only I had a mini dust buster).

The entrees included Mr. B's signature dish, barbecued shrimp, as well as a red snapper with jumbo sea scallops. Prior to serving the shrimp, the waiter donned the shrimp partaker with a bib to facilitate the necessary shucking. The shrimp were served in the shell - head and all - and matched the size of Brandi's palm. Coming from North Carolina, the BBQ sauce was unlike anything that graced our pork. Instead, the shrimp was swimming in a runny, buttery sauce that was as sinful as any club on Bourbon Street. The sauce was so tasty that it seemed a waste not to soak up every drop with the provided bread. Although the BBQ shrimp may have been the most scrumptious dinner item we had in the Big Easy, the red snapper was almost as tasty. The snapper was accompanied by an orange fennel butter sauce that was such a pleasure to the palette that the fork was assured a slow withdraw from my mouth with each savory bite.

The meal ended with our favorite bread pudding in New Orleans. This Bennan family recipe had all of the sinful ingredients such as eggs, cream, butter, and a warm Irish whiskey sauce. Unlike the mushy, condensed texture of most local bread puddings, this one had just enough of a more fluffy yet whiskey-soaked feel that was the most pleasant to the mouth. An unsweetened cafe au lait was served up as a perfect compliment to the dessert.

Overall the dining experience was tops for us throughout the entire weekend. I told Brandi that if we never had a meal as good as this one, I would not be disappointed. The food was so good, that failure to meet the taste "high" was merely the expectation. But don't let me take away from the service and friendliness. This was among our top service experiences as well. The result is our highest rating - and highest recommendation of any food establishment in the city.  When in New Orleans, be sure to dine at Mr. B's Bistro and feast on the barbecued shrimp and finish with best bread pudding around.

Fat Heads Brewery & Saloon

24581 Lorain Road
North Olmsted, Ohio
Signature Dish:  The South Side Slopes

This microbrew pub is located just outside of Cleveland.  It has a big chain feel to it, but only has two locations:  Cleveland and Pittsburgh.  They tout headwiches, which are sandwiches the size of your head. They claim they are large - and they mean it!  The signature South Side Slopes is filled with Kielbasa, sauteed pierogies, onions, cheese, and their horsey sauce.  A bargain at under 10 bucks, this huge sandwich is a heart attack in the making.  It was voted the #5 Best Sandwich in the USA by Maxim Magazine.

The restaurant is ranked as the #1 best casual dining in Cleveland by Urban Spoon.  Some of the microbrew beers are the most decorated beers around.  The 'Head Hunter' has won six awards from events such as the 2010 Great American Beer Fest, the IPA Festival, and Cleveland's Oktoberfest.  Up in Smoke, Gudenhoppy, Bumble Berry, and Goggle Fogger have all won awards, too.

They have traditional fried wings, but they also have smoke house wings that are dry rubbed and slow cooked using their original "slowpoke" cooking method.  They have sauces ranging in heat from mild to 4x.  But those were not good enough for me.  I had to try the 5x "killer" sauce on the smoke house wings.  This cleared my sinuses as well as my pours as sweat covered my forehead.  But it wasn't just hot.  It was tasty, too.  Great, great wings!

Although I was tempted, I avoided the South Side Slopes and ordered a Divine Swine.  The pulled pork was incredible.  Fries accompany any burger, fried fish or tuna steak sandwich, while homemade chips partner any other sandwich.  And they are sticklers about not making substitutions.  But both are sinfully good - and come in large portions.  I don't care if you have not eaten in a week, you will not go away hungry.  This well decorated establishment met all of the hype it gets.  It is one of the most unique brewpubs I have ever stepped foot in. When in Cleveland, be sure to visit Fat Head's for a headwich of your choice to complement the tasty Head Hunter brew.

George

111C Queen Street East

Toronto, Ontario
Signature Dish:  Lightly smoked fillet of fresh sable fish over tiny pastina grains cooked with porcini mushroom and aged-cheddar foam garnished with some 'cute' mirin candied garlic
Menu Link:  George Menus

George is located in the downtown/university area of Toronto. It has a white tablecloth atmosphere in a historic building.  The restaurant has a beautiful courtyard that really steps up the experience.  The food at George is described as Continental, International, or simply Canadian.  According to 10Best, George is ranked as the #1 Canadian Restaurant in Toronto.  It is ranked as the 8th Best Continental Restaurant in Toronto according to Urban Spoon.  Finally, George is listed in Zagat's book of the "World's Top Restaurants 2009/2010".

The meals at George are served in a series of small courses that mimic several mini-entrees followed by a cheese plate and dessert dish.  A full meal includes as few as five - but as many as ten courses.  Choices for each course can be made independently, but we chose to put ourselves in the hands of Chef Lorezo Loseto and ordered the surprise tasting menu.  We noted any exclusions we preferred (such as red meat or raw fish, etc.) and let the chef decide what we should try.  Each person at the table received their own selection of food, so each course required a lengthy introduced by the waiter.  I can imagine that having to provide full descriptions that change by the minute would be a daunting task for the wait staff.  Nonetheless, he did a great job.  Through the use of the successive serving method, each flavor-packed course could be savored on its own merit.  Of course, you get exposed to a variety of vegetables, meats, and potatoes - and eventually form your own list of favorites.  You typically will get some beef, chicken, and fish, but will also be exposed to shellfish, rabbit, duck, venison and other assorted meats.  Each dish was complemented with sauces or sides befitting of the course.  It was a unique and highly valued experience.  Here is just a sampling:

• Nova Scotia Lobster, Saffron Couscous, Rapini Salad
• Whey Fed Pork Belly, Ricotta Cavatelli, Matsutake Mushroom
• Duck Confit and Breast, Orange Salad, Barley Risotto
• Bison Ribeye, Thai Curry Lentils Pie, Parsnip Purée
• Wild Sea Bass, Red Rice Pomme Anna, Lobster Hollandaise
• Rack of Venison, Potato Perogies, Mint Yoghurt

The food was outstanding.  The chef took risks with the variety and combination of foods and the diner was typically rewarded.  With such a variety, you may find some favorite tastes as well as some foods that don't turn your crank.  But a restaurant such as this is best experienced through exposure to the diversity it has to offer. And what better way to experience that diversity than to let the chef make your dining selections?  If you're ever in Toronto looking for an upscale meal, be sure to visit George and give the surprise tasting menu a try.  If you're the least bit adventuresome with your food, your palette will be rewarded.