Charlotte NC

[BORK]

Is anyone here familiar with the Charlotte, NC area restaurants? I will be taking several business trips there over the next few months and I would love to find a great place to eat! Thanks!

[Charlottecritic]

I think you will find alot of top notch Mexican Restaurants

Charanda mexican grill if you like spicy authentic Mexican, as everything had me near sweating but I couldnt stop, could taste the lime juice in the meats and peppers in everythig else. Thats in the heavy Franchised Concord Area.

Charanda

Otherwise get top notch Pizza from a sicilian Family that has opened up more than a few non franchise style brick oven places From NY to Charlotte at DiVincis Pizza Davis Lake.

Head to the south side of town if you like Parsley and big bills at the end of the meal.

When you get back let me know what you tried and write a review for our Charlotte Restaurant site Charlottecritic.com which only uses custom patron reviews.

[jacksina]

Euro-bistro, Southern drawlHELEN SCHWABThe Charlotte ObserverFirst Bite offers an opinionated peek at, not a full-fledged review of, a restaurant that opened in the past month or so, based on one meal.
THE FOOD: A charming combination of progressive and classic -- though the best thing may be the names: Luluabaisse (lobster, cod, mussels, shrimp and calamari with a tomato broth) and Duck Duck Jus (sliced breast over sweet potato risotto with "pulled" duck barbecue on top; say "juice" and you'll get it), for example. Escargot and olives and calamari strips fried and served over apple-celery slaw and notable starters; a pimento cheese burger with fried green tomato and sweet jalapeño relish on a challah roll and "knuckle sandwich" (lobster salad on brioche) are among lighter options. Brunch on Saturday and Sunday brings eggs (Greens, Eggs & Ham anyone? It's a fritatta), country ham sandwiches, "Warm Toasted Lulu" (toasted white bread stuffed with country ham with Gruyere sauce). Consider it, as the chef does (see below), a French-Mediterranean bistro with a Southern twist.
THE LOOK: Simple, clean lines and colors make this renovation of a smallish Central Avenue house stylish (it was once a Fatt Willy's Rib Shack).
THE SERVERS: Ours was supremely warm and still learning the ropes. Clad in jeans, servers encourage a relaxed feel.
WHO'S THERE AND WHAT THEY'RE WEARING: The usual, reasonably diverse Plaza-Midwood crowd.
QUIRKS OF NOTE: Owners Marc Jacksina (also executive chef) and Fabrice DiNonno (general manager) both came from New York, worked other restaurants in Charlotte and, says Jacksina, had sworn off partnerships before Lulu (named after Lucy, DiNonno's first-born daughter, and Lucas, Jacksina's first-born son).
DETAILS: Lulu, 1911 Central Ave.; (704) 376-2242. 10 a.m. to 10 p.m. Monday-Wednesday, to 11 Thursday-Friday; 10 a.m. to 2-ish for brunch

[BORK]

Thanks so much for the replies! However, the conference host has been changed to Greensboro, NC! Typical! Sounds like I need to take a drive over to Charlotte anyway! You guys got me hungry! FWIW, I appreciate your input. Now, how about Greensboro ideas, anyone?

[Charlottecritic]

Well while this thread is bumped to the top.

Anyone else with opinions on good places to eat in the Charlotte to Lake Norman area we are looking for skilled contributors to our site.

Hoping to get a few people in other parts of the city of Charlotte to join our site and shoot us a review of their own when they try someplace new.

http://www.charlottecritic.com

We DONT do exclusively upscale mammas-boy restaurants, since more often than not someone is simply looking for real NY style pizza, good mexican food, or just an idea of something new to try.

Anyone wishing to help us out or join up, we can set them up a persona on our about page, get an icon for their reviews, and publish to our site any reviews of any level of restaurant in their area of Charlotte.

Our goal is to get about 4 more contributors, and whenever restaurant owners kick us gift certificates to come out and try them out we will pass them to whomever is closest.

Again, this was a hobby site and we now get hundreds of uniques a day and our first few contacts from owners looking to get exposure on our site.

Its just as a hobby, but a nice way to show appreciation for a place that makes a great meal, or warn others of a place that didnt.

contact me through PM here, or shoot an email with a review and a "ill help sentence or two. http://www.charlottecritic.com/becom...od-critic.html