Midtown Sundries (Denver, NC)

At least once a week I take the short-ish drive to Denver. It's not too far away, and it's the home of my favorite locally-owned Coffeehouse. And every time I get a coffee there I drive past Midtown Sundries.

This Midtown Sundries is very new and the interior looks it. Don't get me wrong, it still the dark wood, dark ceiling, with green accents that you've come to know from the other Midtown Sundries restaurants. But the wood, tables, chairs, and carpet are all new looking, and minus the wear and tear that I normally associate with the Lake Norman Location.

The menu has many (if not all) of the same items that I've seen at the LKN location. Because of this, once I was seated and I looked over the menu, I was ready to place an order. My waitress -- who was awesome -- had already delivered my diet coke, and was ready to take my order of the Chicken Melt Sandwich with fries.

She was gone in a flash, and I settled in to read the paper. I had barely made it half way through the Editorial section of the Observer (Yes, I keep up with world events -- don't be THAT shocked!), and my sandwich arrived. The sandwich consists of tuna salad and Swiss cheese, on grilled sourdough bread. The chicken salad consists of chunks of white-meat chicken and is mayonnaise based. It was a little saucier than I typically like my chicken salad, and made for a messy sandwich, but it was good -- it had been a long time since I last had chicken salad.

Next came the crinkle-fries -- the bane of my existence. Every time I've had a crinkle cut fry it has always been soft and somewhat soggy. And since I like my fries crunchy, I was worried about this portion of the meal. But these fries were GREAT! REALLY! Cooked to a nice golden-brown, these fries were deep fried to perfection. Crunchy and still hot, I couldn't stop eating these things!

The only complaint I had about the meal was that the sandwich was still cold in the middle. The chicken salad was good, but a toasted sandwich should be warm throughout, and this took the experience down a notch.

Score:
Atmosphere: 3.5
Food: 3
Service: 4.5
Total:11/15

Price: $$ (With tip, under $15)
Kid Friendly: Yes, high chairs and children's menus available.

Conclusion:
Midtown Sundries is sorta your typical restaurant/bar combo. It has decent food for a good price, and if you want to watch the game, they've got HDTVs strategically placed.

Restaurant Info:
Midtown Sundries
7296 Highway 73
Denver, NC 28037-9187
http://www.midtownsundries.com

XO Tapas Wine Bar (Cornelius)

The other night while my wife was traveling, I decided to hit the other nearby wine bar, XO. Located just off of the recently completed W. Catawba Ave. (YAAY!), it's easy to get to. And since I'd been hearing good things, I thought I'd check it out.

The second I walked into XO, I felt more like I was in Manhattan than in Cornelius. The furniture was black lacquer, the bar was stainless steel, and the vibe was hip and trendy. I had to do a double take. I was in Cornelius... RIGHT?? (I personally lean away from the hip and trendy, and tend to like a laid-back atmosphere. But they succeeded in creating an intimate lounge feel.)

However, it's not the style that sets XO apart, it's the menu. They have a full menu that features tapas, but also has some entrees thrown in too. The chef has a creative streak that produces some interesting and adventurous food. From their Andouille Sausage pizza that features peaches, champagne gastrique, robiola, and cinnamon basil; to their Caprese Salad that highlights a balsamic-injected cherry tomato wrapped in mozzarella, Chef Kyle Schutte is trying new things.

Unfortunately I already had dinner before I arrived. So, I enjoyed only a glass of wine and the Sweetbread Corndogs. These are not the dogs you ordinarily enjoy at the county fair. Stuffed with ground veal, these corndogs are very different indeed. They have a rich and savory flavor that just can't be beat. Served with spicy mustard, these corndogs were a treat to be enjoyed.

I wish I would have had room in my stomach to try more of their food selection. It was very unique, and that's something which is hard to come by.

Score:
Atmosphere: 4/5
Food: 4.5/5
Service: 4.5/5
Total: 13/15

Price: $$ (one glass of wine, one tapas plate, and tip came to almost $15)
Kid Friendly: Not really.

Conclusion: The only wine bar in the area to have such a large and unique menu. This place has more formal vibe to it, but it works. Definitely worth giving this place a try, for their menu if nothing else.

Restaurant Info:
XO Tapas Wine Bar
19701 Bethel Church Rd.
Cornelius NC 28031
p) 704-896-9255
http://www.xotapaswinebar.com