Week 2 Results are In!

Since March Maddness is canceled, this is the ONLY worthwhile March bracket contest!😆  Here are the results from the Week 2 competition including Facebook and Twitter votes:

Davidson Pizza: FB 12 + T 1 =  13 votes  (WINNER) vs
Davino's Pizza: FB 4 + T 1 = 5 votes

Pie in the Sky: FB 50 + T 18 = 68 votes  vs.
Turn 4 Pizza: FB 33 + T 0 = 33 votes (WINNER)

The updated bracket is below.

Next week we'll feature Brixx Pizza vs. Slice House on Monday. Then on Wednesday it will be  Geppetto's Pizza vs. Joey's Pizza

Don't forget to vote on https://www.facebook.com/lakenormanfoodie/ and https://twitter.com/lknfoodie

The First Results Are In!!

Here are the results from this week's competition including Facebook and Twitter votes:
Pellegrino's Trattoria FB 28 + T 41 =  69 votes  (WINNER) vs
Sebastiano's FB 3 = T 10 = 13 votes

Brooklyn Boys FB 8 + T 6 = 14 votes  vs.
Tony's Big Pizza FB 14 + T 3 = 17 votes (WINNER)

The updated bracket is below.

Next week we'll feature Davidson Pizza Company vs. Davinos pizza on Monday. Then on Wednesday it will be Pie In The Sky Pizza vs. Turn 4 Pizza.

Don't forget to vote on https://www.facebook.com/lakenormanfoodie/ and https://twitter.com/lknfoodie

Who Makes the Best Pizza of Lake Norman?

From Troutman to Hunterville to Denver, we have a LOT of options for pizza. But, have you ever wondered which is the best? Well to try to answer that question, and to have a bit of fun, I've put together some brackets to help us answer that question. 

And here's the best part. YOU will decide the winner, via polls I'll set-up on Facebook:@lakenormanfoodie and Twitter: @lknfoodie. Voting will begin on my Facebook and Twitter pages on Monday March 2. Vote as often as you can. On Monday and Wednesday a head-to-head matchup will be listed. Totals and winners will be announced the following Friday.

Carolina Pie Company

When I told my friend that my family and I were moving from Huntersville to Mooresville, he said "There's this pie place you've gotta check out..."  I may have blacked-out at that point, because I don't remember anything else he said after that. A PIE PLACE?!?! Seriously?

As it turned out, that "Pie Place" is actually the Carolina Pie Company. And, as luck would have it, it's just a couple of minutes from my home -- which makes it a very dangerous location for my waist-line, indeed.

The Carolina Pie Company isn't easy to find. It's around a corner of a non-descript strip-mall. And it's toward the back, next to a side-exit of a salon. Aside from the green and white awning, it doesn't look like much from the outside. I mean, how can such a plain outside contain so much yummyness? But trust me, this place has amazing stuff.

Once you get inside, you can tell it's a legit bakery. There are trays, racks, stainless steel tables, and the sight & smell of  freshly baked pies. Often the pies are still cooling, so they haven't been boxed-up yet.

Click "Read More" for the full review:

Bad Daddy's Burger Bar, August 2015

Last night I had a hot date. She has curly blonde hair, big blue eyes and uses a high-chair. :)

For this this Daddy / Daughter date night, I chose Bad Daddy's for four major reasons.
1) The food/service is usually fast
2) The food is delicious.
3) They serve hot dogs -- my daughter LOVES hot dogs.
4) My wife is out of town and I was too lazy to cook.

Fortunately, it was a Monday night in Birkdale, so there was no line (if you go on a Friday night, you'll probably have to wait). After we were seated, and my daughter was given some crayons, the waitress asked if I'd like something to drink. Being unfamiliar with the beers on tap, I chose my old standby: a bottle of Sam Adams Boston Lager...

Perfect for Summer! No Churn Ice Cream Recipe

Last week I posted a link to this article on my Facebook Page. At first I just thought it was interesting. Then I realized that it might be the perfect solution to my dilemma.

Worst Ice Cream Ever

The Dilemma: My wife loves peach ice cream. This is not actually a problem -- I like it too. However, I've had a VERY hard time finding it. So, when I found the Harris Teeter brand Summer Peach ice cream, I thought I was in heaven.  Unfortunately, it was the WORST ICE CREAM  I EVER HAD. It was icy. It was chalky. It was so bad, I actually stopped eating it and threw it out.

Solution: When you can't find what you want, you've gotta do it yourself. So, I followed the simple ingredient list (only 3!) and directions. Then I added chopped frozen peaches.

The Verdict: ABSOLUTE YUM!  The ice cream is very smooth and creamy. It is a little soft, and melts a little faster than "real" ice cream. But trust me, it won't be in your bowl long enough to melt.

Ingredients:
2 cups of heavy whipping cream
14 oz can of sweetened condensed milk
2 teaspoons of good vanilla extract
A container for freezing. I used a loaf pan.

I'm Baaaack!!!

Did you miss me?  Yeah, I missed you too, my valued readers. It's good to be back!

This blog has been on a hiatus the past few years. Work, family and even a brief relocation, contributed to my absence. However, I've been enjoying some of the new(ish) restaurants in the area during the past few weeks, and will soon begin posting reviews of Verde (Huntersville), Kindred and Toast (both in Davidson).

Over the coming weeks, I'll be bringing everything back up-to-speed, so you can expect restaurant reviews, wine ratings and recipes. Also, now that I'm a dad, you can expect a little more emphasis on the child friendliness of a restaurant. :)

Do you have any suggestions of new restaurants that I shouldn't miss? Are there some old standards that I need to revisit?  Let me know!

-LKN Foodie

Recipe of the Week: French Bread

While growing up, my family wasn't very excited about cooking. But every now and then, the smell of cooking food would permeate every room of the home and send me running into the kitchen. Often, this smell would come from my father making bread.

He tried various recipes, and at one point even had some sourdough starter taking-up a semi-permanent residence in our refrigerator. But usually the bread had a hard crunchy crust, with a warm soft interior that just called for gobs of butter.

These memories have stayed with me. And late last year, I found myself trying to bake bread for the first time. It took a few tries before I was happy with the result. After all, getting a crunchy crust on a french bread is hard unless you have a professional-grade oven with steam injectors!  But the recipe below resulted in a tasty and tender bread that wasn't overly dense, and it had an almost perfect crust.

Make perfect bread with a pizza stone like this from Sur La Table.


First, there are some tips you should be aware of:

#1) If you want an awesome crunchy crust, steam is your friend. If placing the loaf on a pizza stone, or an upside down cast-iron skillet or baking  sheet, you'll want to place 1/2 cup of water in an open oven-safe container (i.e. pie tin) AND throw 1/2 cup of water onto the bottom of the oven once the bread is in the oven.  The water thrown into the oven flash-steams, while the water in the container evaporates over time keeping the oven more humid.

#2) Use a pizza stone, cast iron dutch or an upside-down cast iron skillet.You want something that is thick, retains and radiates heat. If you don’t have one of these, don’t worry, just use a good-quality, thick baking sheet -- upside down

Click "read more" to get the recipe

Cafe 100

About a week ago, on a Saturday morning, my wife and I wanted a big breakfast. But we REALLY didn't want to do any dishes. In addition, we wanted something closer to our house than Davidson or Mooresville. So, we decided to finally try Cafe 100.

On the former location on Toast, Cafe 100 has never been among my top "must-eats" of the area. I loved the Huntersville location of TOAST, and I really didn't like seeing it go. So I held onto the grudge for as long as possible, but eventually my tummy won the debate, and I found peace with trying this restaurant.

The inside still looks almost identical to Toast: wood paneling, tables, chairs, counter near the kitchen; it's all still there. However, now there is artwork on the walls (for sale), and some of it is pretty good. Once we arrived, a waitress told us to grab any seat we wanted. So we chose a table for two against a wall in the back room.

Shortly thereafter, our waitress asked for our drink orders. We begged for coffee, and it was brought out shortly along with some slices of pound/coffee cake. That was good!

The coffee was never refilled. That was bad.

Click "read more" to get the full review and score of Cafe 100

Recipe Wednesday: Grilled Cheddar Eggs

As you may know, I LOVE grilling over charcoal. The flavors and the aroma of food that's grilled this way just can't be beat. So, when I ran across this article about using a grill to cook eggs, I snapped to attention.

Just a quick FYI, the eggs in this recipe are more like a quiche. And red bell peppers are used like a pie tin.  But that's the beauty of this recipe, by using the pepper, your minimizing your dishes and maximizing your flavor.

Speaking of maximizing flavor, I added some pre-cooked chorizo to the recipe below. Feel free to add whatever pre-cooked meat you like (bacon, ham, sausage, etc.) or none at all. What's important is that you like it.

If you're using charcoal or wood, the trick to this recipe will be keeping the temperature on the grill low enough so that you don't destroy the pepper. While keeping the temperature high and consistent enough to thoroughly cook the egg mixture. If you're using a gas grill (ACK!), use a medium-low heat.

Advertisement: Get a great charcoal grill, at an amazing price, from SamsClub.com


Click read more to get the ingredients, directions and wine pairings.

Bad Daddy's Burger Bar

After reviewing all the new choices in Birkdale, I was left wondering, "What do I feel like eating?" There are just SOOOO many tasty options to try in Birkdale. So, I did what any destiny-defying, independent, alpha-male would do.

I asked my wife.

Surprisingly, she was in the mood for burgers. And off we went to Bad Daddy's.

We arrived on a Saturday afternoon, just a few minutes after 12 p.m. The place was already packed and I figured that we'd have to wait. Fortunately, there was one table left and we grabbed a seat about half way back, along the window.

Continue reading for the summary, score and restaurant info:

The Birkdale Renaissance

A while ago, I was starting to lose faith in the Birkdale restaurant scene.  Several restaurants had closed, and the others had been there for a while.  It seemed as if, Birkdale was starting to get stale.

Sure, there were the nicer restaurants with American fare, Red Rocks and Dressler's, and eeZ has always had great Asian food. Then for quick meals, you had Qdoba (burritos) and JD Rockers (sandwiches). For family friendly pizza, there's Brixx. And if you want to drink like a frat guy while watching a game, there's always Fox & Hound.

However, this limited choice was leaving me uninspired. After visiting these places time and time again, my taste-buds were starting to get bored.

Fortunately, things have changed, and in case you haven't noticed, over the past year or so Birkdale undergone a restaurant Renaissance.

The new kids on the block: Zoe's,Which Which, Baja Soul, Bad Daddy's Burger Bar and Bonefish Grille have all added some much needed flare to the Birkdale menu.

Zoe's Mediterranean inspired menu offers a healthier menu than most casual fast restaurants. Which Which offers a great sandwich selection that Quizno's (located in the same location) could never match.  Baja Soul offers a much nicer atmosphere than Qdoba -- and the food goes FAR beyond burritos.  Bad Daddy's offers a wide variety of burger selections, and Bonefish brings a formal(ish) flare while specializing in seafood dishes.

Between all these restaurants, what am I to do??  Why eat at all of them of course!

So, what do you think of the Birkdale restaurants? If so, VOTE below! Got a favorite dish?  Leave a comment, and let me know!

Also, I'm trying to get back into writing reviews.  So, check back here, or on my Facebook Page, to see my upcoming reviews.

Bon Appetit!

What's your favorite Birkdale Restaurant?

Restaurant Review: The Nook

Score:
Atmosphere: 4/5
Food: 4/5
Service: 4.5/5
Total: 12.5/15

Summary: Better than average food, great service and a cozy atmosphere make this one of my favorite coffee shops in the area.

For the full review, hit the jump!

Restaurants hit hard by increasing food prices

Here's a great article from Business Today (a local and monthly publication) about how Lake Norman restaurants are handling the increases in food prices. Are they passing along the increased prices to the customer? Are they taking losses on some dishes? Read on to find out!

Business Today talked to three of my favorite places: Alton's, Galway Hooker and Ferrucci's Deli. If you like food in the LKN area -- this is a must read!

http://www.businesstodaync.com/Wholesale_food_prices_pinch_bottom_line_at_local_eateries-a-1535.html

Restaurant Review: Mint (Mooresville)

It's been a while since I had the chance to review a new restaurant in the Lake Norman area.  Backed up by projects and travel, my taste buds have been screaming for something new.  So, I did what any other Foodie would do -- I traveled up the road to try a place that I've been wanting to visit.  This day I wanted to visit Mint Indian Cuisine.

Found in the large strip-mall that houses Best Buy in Mooresville, Mint is relatively easy to get to.  However, if you take 150, be ready for a long drive.  With all the lights and traffic, the short distance can feel like an eternity.

I walked into Mint and was immediately seated.  Since I was there for the lunch buffet, I gave my drink order to the host (who also was the bus-buy and waiter) and headed to the prominent buffet tables found in the back corner of this small restaurant.  To my surprise, the selection was larger than I was expecting.

I'm having a hard time remembering the extensive array of foods, but it included a chicken curry (Chicken Tikka?), rice, coconut rice, a spinach curry, tomato soup (I was a little surprised about that selection), onion salad, pickled vegetables, Naan (lots of it!) and many other selections.

I helped myself to many of the items listed above and took my seat where my soda was waiting.  But before I took a bite I decided to take a look at the place.  The restaurant is clean but it gives a clinical vibe.  Unlike many of the Indian restaurants I've before, there is very little clutter and the restaurant feels just, well, clinical.  I probably got this feeling from the bare walls.  But, aside from a few things near the cash register, there is nothing that distinguishes the interior of the restaurant. 

But enough with the atmosphere -- let's munch!

Since I'm not a big fan of vegetarian curries, I went straight for the chicken curry that I believe was Chicken Tikka.  The chicken was plentiful, moist and tender, while the curry sauce was nice and thick. But the flavor was a little lacking.

** WARNING -- RANT AHEAD ** Unfortunately, this lack of flavor is something that I've noticed in many of the ethnic restaurants of the area.  It's like the restaurants are trying hard to appeal to such a broad spectrum of people, they choose to make the food on the blander (is that a word?) side.  This is just a bad idea all the way around.  If you're new to the cuisine, you're not actually getting a chance to experience all the flavors.  And if you're experienced at eating this type of food, all you're left with is an empty feeling where the taste is supposed to be.  Come on restaurants of Lake Norman, don't tone down the food!  I'm an adult, I can handle the flavor -- I promise. Rant over.

Aside from the previous rant, the food was good.  Nothing was over-cooked.  Nothing was under-cooked.  There was plenty of food, a large selection of food, and the different sauces and desserts were the Indian standards and perfectly good.  In addition, I'm a huge fan of Naan, and I just couldn't stop eating the stuff.

Score:
Atmosphere: 2.5
Food: 3
Service: 3
Total: 8.5/15

Kid Friendly? Yes.  High Chairs are available, and the linoleum floor will take whatever your kids can throw at it.
Price: $

Conclusion: It's one of the few Indian restaurants we have in the area, and the lunch buffet has something for everybody.  If it's your first time trying Indian food, give it a shot.  But if you're experienced with Indian cuisine and not there for the buffet, make sure they know it. I'm sure they'll be able to kick the flavor up a notch.
Restaurant Info:
Mint Indian Cuisine
591-N River Highway
Mooresville, NC 28117
p) (704) 660-8899
e) mintindiancuisine@gmail.com
http://www.mintindiancuisine.com/mooresville

Another Wine Bar Opens!

Observer Columnist Joe Marusak had a nice blurb about Mooresville's newest wine bar, The Wine Dive. 

The owner, Thor Chitow, describes The Wine Dive as a "wine saloon," as it offers 40 wines by the glass -- but also has an extensive selection of beer on tap.

The Wine Dive already has some stiff competition in the Lake Norman Area.  At my last count (let me know if any of these have closed -- or if I'm missing any) other wine bars in the area include: Corkscrew, XO Tapas and Wine Bar, The Wine Cellar, The Wine Loft and 202 North Main Street.  It's sorta a crowded field, but I wish them luck -- as far as I'm concerned you can't have too much wine in ANY area! 

Here's the info:
The Wine Dive
807 Williamson Road, Suite 101
Mooresville, NC
http://www.ncwinedive.com/

El Paraiso (Cornelius)

A couple of weeks ago I finally got around to visiting El Paraiso Restaurant. Located in the Chair Factory in Cornelius, El Paraiso is the only restaurant in this small complex.

I parked the car then walked to the restaurant's entrance. While walking, I noticed a few Fire Trucks and Police cars. What the heck is going on? Did somebody choke on a chalupa? Did somebody rob the place? Did somebody rob the place AND choke on a chalupa? I had to investigate.

I made my way inside and noticed no visible commotion. Just a lot of firefighters and cops no excitement -- DARN!

The bartender told me to pick a table, and I grabbed an empty booth along a wall. The booths were black and red, and really didn't seem to match the rest of the restaurant. But hey, I was there for the food anyway.

After a few minutes, the waitress came by and took my drink order. It took me a few more minutes to look over the menu and make my decision. Hmm, I was really in the mood for chile rellenos. But I wanted to try at least one other meal -- so I did what any indecisive Foodie would do -- I ordered a combination plate!

I went with #96 (their menu is quite large). What is #96? I'm glad you asked! It's a Chile relleno and a crispy taco; I chose beef. I've gotta hand it to El Paraiso, the menu is extensive, and they offer things not usually seen in Mexican Style restaurants. Grilled Salmon and Catfish both make appearances on the menu.

My chips arrived after my drink, and were pretty good. The salsa is prepared at the restaurant, and it was nicely chilled -- I'd rather have my salsa refrigerated than just sitting around at room temperature all day. The salsa had a good consistency, and some nice chunks of tomato, onion, and cilantro. It was a little late to the table, but it was darn good.

Next came the meal. The chile relleno was huge and it was stuffed with beef, not cheese. A little different, but good! Next I tried the crispy taco. It was a standard taco shell filled with ground beef, cheese, fresh lettuce and tomato. Overall pretty good. The ground beef in both the chili relleno and taco was good, but slightly lacking in flavor -- something I've noticed with many of the Mexican Style restaurants in the area. It's like they're scared of oregano and cumin!

But that's not to slam El Paraiso. The food was perfectly acceptable and the lunch special was a deal at $6.25.

It was a good meal at a good price. If you're nearby, it's worth a try.

Score:
Atmosphere: 3/5
Food: 3.5 / 5
Service: 4/5
Total: 10.5 / 15

Kid Friendly: Yes. Kids menu and high chairs available.
Price: $ (Tax & Tip just under $10)

Conclusion: Good food at a good price make this a worthwhile visit. The wait staff was a little overwhelmed during lunch due to limited staff and a full room. But they still got me out in about 40 mins.

Restaurant Info:
El Paraiso Restaurant
20700 N. Main Street
Suite 124
Cornelius, NC 28031
p) 704-896-6064

Who Has the Best Fries?

Today Helen Schwab anounced that the "Best Fries in Charlotte" come from Frans Filling Station. I've never been there and know nothing about their fries.

BUT, I do know something about Lake Norman french fries!

For me, I happen to love the Tenders fries and the Matt's Chicago Dog fries. Both are different styles and both are delicious!

The Tenders fry is a thicker cut which leaves it tender, and is fried without the skins. They have an almost robust potato flavor.

While the Matt's Chicago Dog fries are thinner, greasier, a littke crispier, and the skins are left on.

But enough about what I like and don't like -- what are YOUR favorite fries in the Lake Norman area? Leave a comment below!

Yet Another New Restaurant

In what seems like a recent flood of openings and announcements, Red Eye Grill and Lounge has recently opened in Mooresville.

From what I can tell, it looks like the owner of Indigo Joe's wanted more flexibility with his menu and seating, so he closed down Indigo Joe's, and has opened Red Eye Grill and Lounge in the same place.

He has added customer suggestions to the menu including tuna steak, chicken fried steak, a Red Eye Spicy Club sandwich, and some specialty pizzas.

Next door you'll still find Red Eye Martini Bar. Which has an airplane theme (the owner is an air traffic controller), and of course martinis.

Restaurant Info:
Red Eye Grill and Lounge
279 Williamson Road
p) 704-799-4690

NOTE: I can't find a website, but I found this $5 coupon with a $20 purchase from Valpak. Enjoy! http://www.valpak.com/coupons/syndicate?act=print&vpref=rmn&cpn=893981&addr=1329178

Thanks to the Charlotte Observer for information that led to this post.

Alton's Kitchen & Cocktails

After hearing about Chef Sean Dowling from a friend, I decided to hit his restaurant, Alton's. Alton's is located in Cornelius, at the Crossroads of Jetton and W. Catawba in the the Jetton III complex (the one with the Harris Teeter). It's kinda hard to find, but apparently it's where Mia Famiglia was originally located -- sorta behind the Chinese restaurant.

When I walked in I was surprised to see that Alton's has two levels. The main dining level has the dining room and bar. While the upstairs looks over the dining level, and is presumably above the kitchen -- would probably be a great place to hold a private party.

I approached the hostess and was immediately seated. The tables are covered with black and white tablecloths, and the chairs are a dark wood. Chandeliers provide the light, which was kept to a minimum. This is good when having a romantic dinner -- bad when trying to read the editorial section of the Observer (as I was trying to do).

I looked over the menu, and noticed some of the usual things. Meats, fish, salads were all there, and then something caught my eye... a New England Lobster Roll. A New England Lobster Roll?? In Cornelius???? It's so crazy it just might work!

So, I asked my waitress about it. (FYI, if you go, ask for Brittany -- she was awesome.) She informed me that it was a mayo-based lobster salad with tarragon. The lobster is fresh; imported live from New England, the lobster is cooked on the premises.

In the mood for something different, I placed my order for the Lobster Roll, and decided to treat myself to the Tangle Oaks Chardonnay. Brittany informed me that if I like my Chardonnay oaky, this was the one for me. Fortunately, I like my Chards oaky, so I took her recommendation.

The wine list is good, with many offered by the glass. And I've gotta say, the Tangle Oaks Chardonnay from Santa Barbara was amazing. Smooth and oaky with a great nose, there was little acidic kick to this wine. Not only was the wine great, but it was a perfect compliment to the Lobster Roll -- who woulda thought?

The Lobster Roll consisted of large chunks of lobster that, surprisingly, weren't rubbery. The lobster came lightly coated with a mayo (and possibly sour cream) based sauce, and had the usual veggies (onions, celery, etc.) and spices.

The truth is, this was my first Lobster Roll, and I didn't know what to expect. But it was delicious.

I was a little taken aback by the large slice of folded bread that held the lobster salad. Buttered and lightly toasted on both sides, it looked more like Texas Toast than a bun. But when I talked to Chef Sean, I was informed that it is indeed a roll that they import from New England just for this sandwich. Even though it wasn't what I was expecting, it was still good.

The sides for this meal almost over shadowed the entree. The Kettle Chips were salty, crunchy, and delicious, while the coleslaw was amazing. Simply put, it may be the best coleslaw that I've ever had. EVER! Crunchy and tangy, this was a great compliment to the creamy and not-so-crunchy Lobster Roll.

At the end I was feeling slightly peckish, and decided on a slice of the Tiramisu Cheesecake. Topped with a layer of chocolate and home-made whipped cream, this was a decadent dessert. It melted in my mouth, and I wanted to take an entire cake home with me.

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

Price: $$$$ (including wine, dessert and tip, it was almost $40)
Kid Friendly: Yes. They have a small kids menu, and several families were dining there.

Conclusion: The prices and decadent food make this restaurant less likely to be an every-day hangout and more of a special occasion restaurant. But the food was amazing and the service was fantastic. I highly recommend you give it a try.

Restaurant Info:
Alton's Kitchen and Cocktails
19918 North Cove Road
Cornelius, NC 28031
p) 704-655-2727
f) 704-655-2726
http://www.altonskitchen.com/ (not yet working)