The Bistro at Just Baked-Topsail Island, NC

Friends, I apologize for being MIA the last few weeks.  It was my birthday, and between my new hubby, my family, my in-laws, and my friends, I ended up having a birthday month that has finally ended!   I am not complaining.  I had an amazing birthday, but I shamefully got caught up in all the fun and neglected my blog.  

I am back with a vengeance; however!  The beauty of a birthday and of getting out of town is all the restaurant visiting you get to do.  I have several reviews underway, the first one being of The Bistro at Just Baked in Topsail Island. 

My husband took me to Topsail for the weekend leading up to my birthday, and to be honest, there aren’t a whole lot of restaurant options on the island.  Whenever we go, we visit the Deli everyday (look for their upcoming review) and then we usually cook the rest of the time because the majority of the restaurants there aren’t worth your money.  They’re either dingy or afflicted with average food. 

The Bistro; however, has changed that.  Sporting a farm-to-table philosophy, the restaurant owners run a farm where they grow over 60 different types of fruit, vegetables, and herbs, all organically grown without chemicals or pesticides.  Bistro is closed on Mondays and Tuesdays, and the place gets packed on the days it is open, so I strongly suggest that you make a reservation. 

When I walked in with my husband, I noticed the restaurant was small, but the owners managed to get creative with the space they had and provide plenty of seating.  The lighting was slightly dim, generating a cozy ambiance.  The hostesses were very pleasant and welcoming, and although the bistro was full of people, we managed to get a table nestled behind a mini sheer curtain which separated our table from the one next to us.  It added a little romance to the experience, which is why I think it’s a great place for a couple looking to have a nice night out while they’re in Topsail.

We started with an appetizer, the Crab Dip with Herb Crostini.  I always get a little nervous when I order crab dip because a lot of times you get too much breading or too much mayo, and not enough lump crab.  The Bistro did not disappoint me though.  The dip was full of crab, and the artichoke mixed in added a tangy flavor that also cut through the cream cheese, allowing the dip to maintain it’s seafood taste.  There were thick bread crumbs and parmesan sprinkled on top, and just a little bit of green onion which gave the appetizer a delightful, yet subtle kick.  Personally, I prefer my crab dip on pita bread simply because of the softness of the bread.  The crostini worked just fine; however, and I believe that this really comes down to preference.  The crostini was crunchy and buttery and complimented the dip nicely.  I was completely satisfied with the crab dip, and I would suggest it to anyone on the island who’s in the mood for some “crabby” crab dip.

The special for the day was Blackened Grouper served on a bed of Rice and Asparagus, with a Goat Cheese-Avocado Polenta.  As soon as the words came out of our waitress’ mouth, my husband turned to me and said “that’s all you baby.”  I love blackened fish, I love goat cheese, and avocado was a staple in my house growing up.  Naturally, I ordered the special and the hubby ordered the 14 Spice Crusted Rib-eye with mixed seasonal vegetables and garlic mashed potatoes. 

My grouper was great.  It was soft, it was flakey, and it was completely encrusted in pepper which had me on Cloud 9.  The real star of the show; however, was the polenta.  My gosh, the polenta!  The goat cheese gave it a pungent flavor that was completely balanced out and sweetened by the avocado.  Every now and then I would get a few bites of roasted red pepper whose smoky flavor added a great deal of depth to the blackened fish.  At first I was combining the polenta with the rice, but then I started pouring the polenta on the grouper, and that’s when the meal went from enjoyable to scrumptious.  

 

 I took a break to have a few bites of Carney’s dish.  The garlic mashed potatoes were perfect, they were fluffy and oozing of nothing but garlic.  Simply put, the mashed potatoes were delicious.  I wasn’t impressed by the steak.  The 14 Spice Crusted Rib-eye lacked about 13 of those spices.  There was nothing outstanding in the flavor profile or in the way it was cooked.  If you're looking for a good steak, Bistro is not the place to go for it.  

 

 Overall, our experience at The Bistro on TOPSAIL ISLAND was excellent.  I emphasize the name of the island because if you have frequented this island, or if you live on it, you know how hard it is to find a satisfying place to eat.  The Bistro is a little pricier than one would normally expect to pay in Topsail, but if you’re looking for a nice night out and for a meal that isn’t underwhelming, this is definitely the place to visit.  Try and stick with their seafood dishes, and if any entree comes with the Goat Cheese-Avocado Polenta, order it immediately.  

 Visit The Bistro's page! 

Food Truck Friday-Charlotte, NC: MASTER BACON

Food Truck Fridays have become a staple in South End Charlotte during its short existence.  Every Friday at 5, about a dozen food trucks park themselves on a large grassy field in South End to satisfy the hunger of hundreds of people celebrating the arrival of the weekend.  The first time I went, I actually wasn’t able to eat.  I went around 7:45 when the lines were at their longest.  Most of the food trucks stop serving at 9, and believe it or not, we were in line for almost two hours, at which point we were told the trucks were closing.  Lesson learned, my husband and I decided the next time we went, we would go around 5:30. 

So, we go at 5:30, and the lines are still ridiculously long.  I had no idea what an event these Food Truck Fridays had turned into.  There is limited seating, so people bring their own chairs, blankets, tables, coolers, beer, etc.  Everyone is happy, having a good time, enjoying the warm weather that is about to become an every day occurrence.  Once again, we were reminded of our amateur status, not knowing that in order to do this right and not have to wait in line forever, we would have to be there before the trucks open, possibly an hour earlier, and bring our own chairs to stake our claim on a seating area. 

Despite the long line, we managed to eat at one of the trucks with the shortest line.  I really wanted to try the Maryland Seafood truck, but that line was endless.  We ended up ordering from the Master Bacon truck.  The line wasn’t too long which may be telling in and of itself.  Bacon is a staple in my household.  Growing up, my baby sister and I would always have to split the last piece of bacon, and our mom would inevitably end up having to make more because we couldn’t get enough.  One of the earliest bonding moments I had with my husband was before we were dating.  We were at a breakfast buffet and my plate was 90% bacon, 10% all other breakfast items.  I looked away to answer my phone, and two minutes later, I look back down and the bacon is gone.  Carney, my husband whom I call by his last name, had eaten all my bacon.  He didn’t know I was such an enthusiast.  He thought I had brought that plate of bacon for him.  That was the moment I knew we were meant to be…

Four years later, it’s no surprise that Carney and I are standing in the Master Bacon line completely excited about the impending pork feast.  The menu was hard to see.  It’s hanging inside the front window which is tinted, so you can’t really read it while you’re standing in line.  We had to wait until we got up close, at which point we felt rushed to order since there was a sizeable line behind us. 

I was disappointed by the menu.  Bacon became a food fad last year.  Trendy restaurants and catering companies were offering items such as bacon topped ice cream or bacon rose bouquets, and this was a trend I was happy to accept.  For this reason, I was slightly shocked that Master Bacon didn’t offer more innovative dishes.  For example, they offered a bacon cheeseburger.  Bacon cheeseburgers have been around for as long as I can remember.  I used to order a junior bacon cheeseburger from Wendy’s when I was in high school because it was $1.07 and it was across the street from school.  There’s nothing creative about this dish.  It’s classic, something you would find on the menu of a regular burger joint.  If you’re claiming to be the Bacon Master, you’re indicating that there’s some level of ingenuity in how you use the ingredient.  When I saw they had a burger on the menu, I was expecting to read that the bacon was mixed into the ground meat prior to cooking, or that the burger was wrapped in bacon, or even that the special sauce to top the burger was a bacon aioli or something along those lines.  Not too long ago on Pinterest, I saw bacon tacos, where the actual taco shell was pure bacon.  I half expected to see that on the menu.  There was a bacon wrapped hot dog, and that was the extent of the creativity. 

We ended up ordering the pork rinds and the bacon cheeseburger sliders.  The sliders weren’t bad, but they weren’t great either.  The burger had that charred flavor that I love so much and the bacon was crisp.  It could’ve used more cheese and the burger itself was a little under seasoned.  There’s nothing that turns my taste buds off more than bland meat, but the grill flavor saved the sliders from being completely insipid.

The pork rinds were not good.  They were home made, so I applaud the effort, but they were dull and lacked any flavor.  The rinds were sprinkled with some paprika based seasoning which is a good idea in theory, but personally, if you don’t season the skins prior to frying them, no amount of seasoning post-fry is going to mask the flavorless rinds when you bite into them.  The pork rinds were crunchy, so the texture was acceptable, and you get a good amount of rinds with your purchase so you don’t feel cheated.  The problem is neither one of us wanted to eat more than one. 

The two items we purchased cost us $13, so it wasn’t cheap considering that it’s a food truck, and it was even more disappointing because we weren’t pleased with the food.  Due to the mediocrity of the food and the lack of originality this Bacon Master exemplified, I would not go back to this particular food truck.  Food Truck Friday as an experience; however, is fun, and there are several food trucks I want to try, meaning I will have to arrive earlier to avoid a long wait in line.  There’s also a cupcake truck that I am eager to try, so look forward to reviews on more of these food trucks in the upcoming weeks.  Food Truck Friday is definitely something worth going to if you do it right.  Turn it into a mini-tailgate with your friends and family and arrive early, just stay away from Master Bacon. 

Tavern on the Tracks-Charlotte, NC

Back in 2009 when I started law school, my friends and I were constantly looking for a place to escape the grind and intensity that is a legal education.  Considering we were in Charlotte, this wasn’t a difficult feat.  We wanted something laid back, where we could unwind and vent, and sit outside and enjoy the sunshine that we were so rarely experiencing behind the stale walls of a law school library.  We were broke grad students, so we needed something cheap and unpretentious, and that’s exactly what we found.  Tavern on the Tracks in South End, a place that became so dear to us that we began referring to it as Old Faithful.  After about a month of hanging out there, the waitresses and bartenders would get us our drinks before we even ordered them.  It was nice to feel some warmth and familiarity during such a grueling time. 

Tavern is cheap.  At the time, my husband and I were just friends who studied together, and his favorite night was Thursdays because it was Jack Daniels night.  Combine that with $3 beer specials and you have a fantastic, yet cheap, night out.  Tavern provides a comfortable atmosphere with pleasant servers and a rather large menu considering that it’s a sports bar. 

While the food isn’t the best, Tavern does sell my favorite queso of all time.  I am a queso fiend.  If it’s on the menu, I will order it.  Tavern has ruined me.  Rarely am I not disappointed these days after trying another restaurant’s queso.  Tavern’s Espinaca Queso is FANTASTIC.  It’s spicy, and they serve it with tri-colored tortilla chips that make for such a lovely plating. 

Although the chips can be overly salty and I wish they would change that, the queso is so good that it almost doesn’t even matter.  It’s spicy and the little bites of sautéed pepper create a satisfying texture.  The dip is smooth and they serve it with a spoon so you can mix the queso occasionally to keep it from hardening.  This appetizer obviously does not promote good health, but it’s delicious and I always find myself eating the queso, even after I’m full.  It’s just that good.  I can be hard to please when it comes to food, and I don’t take the “Best Queso Ever” title lightly, but I have yet to be introduced to a queso that tops this one.  It’s so amazing, on my 24^th birthday I asked my best friend, now husband, to take me for Tavern queso for my birthday.  Crazy, I know.  Just try it and you’ll understand. 

Tavern on the Tracks earned its Old Faithful title.  You can’t go there expecting great food because the majority of the food is mediocre.  The best items to order on their menu are the queso, the chicken tenders, the fries, the steak salad, and the quesadillas.  The rest of the menu isn’t bad for a sports bar, but it’s also not the best.  You go to Tavern for the atmosphere.  The outdoor area is awesome.  It’s spacious and calm, perfect for Sunday Funday or a nice Thursday evening in the Spring.  The location is so accessible, close enough to walk Uptown, and it’s right next to Gin Mill if you suddenly get in the mood to play some darts or listen to a live band.  The drinks are cheap, the food is cheap, the staff is friendly, and the people who frequent the establishment create the relaxed ambiance that is so cathartic. 

Visit Old Faithful's Webpage!