Super Saturday!

The whole thing started with a hat. I had been looking at hats online, but I really wanted to try them on in person. I wanted to make a trip to Bass Pro ! But to get my husband to go along with it, I was going to have to make a trip out of it! I was trying to talk him into the possibility of heading off to Charlotte. When he mentioned that he had been reading an article in Our State magazine about the best hamburger places in the state, the trip was on!

The very next day was a beautiful Saturday and perfect for the trip! Turning up the music, enjoying the weather, and settling in for the ride, we were officially on another food adventure! Headed south on I-85, we were off!

Before we hit Concord Mills, there was a side trip to the Harley store for Mike. And guess what's beside the Harley store? The Beef Jerky Outlet!! Oh yeah! That's all North Cakalakie for you! I had to check it! Hot sauces, barrels full of jerky, and a tasting bar! It was even better than I had even hoped!

An island in the center of the store served as the tasting station. Numbered and labeled, the samples were waiting for perusal. The form available for marking your selections reminded me of the one at the sushi bar. Complete with tiny pencils! Cherry Maple Turkey Jerky was my immediate fave! It tasted just like bacon! Mmmmm! Bacon as a snack food!

I tried several others, and, just so you know, blazin' really does mean super hot!! I made my final selection, purchased a coke in the bottle for washing down the dried meat treats, and made my way on to our next stop.

Concord Mills was our next stop and Part I of our mission was accomplished. Lots of people were watched, shoes were tried on, and pretzels were eaten. And finally, at Bass Pro, the perfect hat was found! I might add that there was an awesome fishing demonstration, and we even climbed on board a pontoon "party" boat in the middle of the store.

Hungry, we headed off to our next destination! We were off to check out South 21 Drive-In ! An old-school drive-in restaurant, this place is a throwback in all the best possible ways! Serving Charlotte since 1955, this place is the real thing! The menu, the location, and the curb service all combine to take you way back!

Pulling up to a spot under the cover of some shade, the first surprise was the variety on the menu. Golden fried chicken, chopped barbecue, and fish-o-burgers were options that we hadn't even considered. Cherry flavor to add to your soda and milkshakes were sweet treats to add indeed.

The specialty, the Super Boy hamburger, two beef patties, mustard, onions, lettuce and tomatoes, is described as a "meal in itself" and they're not kidding. Mike and I both opted for the Jumbo Cheeseburger, a Super Boy with two slices of cheese. Mike got the plate with fries and I went for the onion rings. We were ready to dig in!

His

Hers

Deeeeelicious! This burger delivered on every promise! Tender, juicy patties cooked to perfection... I was sold! And there wasn't a single misstep, my onion rings were perfectly crisp and Mike's cherry milkshake was especially tasty!

Fresh strawberry pie finished me off! Whipped cream, strawberry filling, whole strawberries, and a great crust, this pie seemed bottomless after the Jumbo Cheeseburger! Super sweet but very fresh, this was a treat to share with my sweetie!

With our bellies full, but not quite ready to head home, we decided to add another stop. Plaza Midwood was not too far to drive, so we headed out. We decided to go by Ace Custom Tattoo to see a friend, but were disappointed to find that he was out having dinner too! Since we were already there, we took a stroll through the neighborhood. There were several funky stores and restaurants nearby and soon we found ourselves at Rodney Raines' latest endeavor, Twenty-Two. "An art gallery with a retail wine shop and bar serving a wide selection of beverages," does not adequately describe this fabulous place! We got the chance to enjoy an outstanding exhibit of the photography of Chris Radok and we were thrilled to find ourselves there on a beautiful Saturday evening.

We still didn't get to see our friend, but we did get to see even more of what Charlotte had to offer.

A Super Saturday and definitely worth the trip!

Thanks, Mom!

For our fifth wedding anniversary, my mom gave us a very generous sum of money and told us "to do something nice for ourselves..." We decided to go to our favorite restaurant for a romantic dinner... Table 16 (600 S. Elm Street Greensboro, NC 27406). It has been our choice for recent Valentine's and birthday dinners. So, given the option, we decided to splurge!

And splurge we did! We tried everything!

While my sweetheart got the angus rib eye and sugar snaps with patty pan squash and garlic potato, I opted for the "careful, appreciative tasting of various foods!" The real splurge was my dinner! I had wondered every time we had been to the restaurant about the Table 16 tasting menu. It had always seemed extravagant and maybe a little beyond our means...

But Mom said "do something nice for yourself," so I did!

I had no idea what I was getting myself into, but I couldn't wait! It was recommended that most customers took five courses. Our waitress inquired about any dietary restrictions or taste preferences and off she went!

We started with the Table 16 cheese service. A fabulous combination of local cheeses and pickled vegetables! This could be a meal by itself!

 

After enjoying our appetizer,  my first course arrived and the tasting adventure began! Sweet corn-yukon vichyssoise speck-cebollita salsa summer truffle was what they called it. Chilled and delicious, this was a wonderful summer soup with a prize inside! Candied bacon! Salty and sweet made this soup especially enjoyable!

And the good stuff was just getting started! Hilltop Farms Ostrich with a jicama-beet slaw and red curry sauce looked and tasted amazingly good!

Locally grown produce and multi-ethnic cuisine, there was reason to believe that each course was definitely going to be different! And they weren't kidding! Pork tenderloin and fava beans and a sauce with a kick! This course was both Southern and something out of this world!

Suspense was starting to build! There was one thing that I had noticed on the menu that I had thought about getting... but not knowing how this tasting thing worked, I didn't even know if there was the possibility...

I nearly cheered when the prawn corn dog with kim chee and chinese mustard was put down in front of me! In fact, I may have been so excited that I was actually clapping... But not loud enough to disrupt the place, I promise! And it was everything I could have hoped! The prawn was meaty, sweet and delicious! The kim chee was an excellent companion and the mustard was that extra kick in the butt! "Pow! You really like me!" and I did!

What could possibly be left up Chef Graham Heaton's sleeve? Another course? Why yes, I think I will!

Wow! And it just kept getting better! Currituck soft shell crab and lemon peel with watermelon-avocado terrine and arugula dressing was the best yet! So many tastes! So many sensations! An exclamation point on an outstanding dining experience! And we know I love exclamation points!

There was one thing left to do. Dinner was delicious, but now it was time for dessert! Yes, as a matter of fact, we do want to see the dessert menu!

White chocolate bread pudding, fresh berries and Chantilly cream... good gracious! Enjoying each other's company and an extraordinary meal, this was definitely a celebration of our anniversary and our marriage! 

Thanks again, Mom! We love you!

Day-Glo Desserts



It's a sweet Saturday afternoon with my husband. We've got a to-do list and we're getting stuff done. I've got a gift certificate for a place I've never been, so we decide to check it out.

Maxie B's (2403-7 Battleground Ave., Greensboro, NC 27408)
It's kind of funky and kind of fancy and it all looks very delicious!

Cakes, cupcakes, and ice cream look really, really good. Lots of cakes... hummingbird, carrot, german chocolate, pineapple layer and oh, so many cupcakes... pink lemonade, red velvet, and key lime... and oh, so many more! We consider our options and go for the Day-Glo desserts... A slice of Orange Dreamsicle cake and that 7 Up cupcake and we're ready to dig in!



 
Mmmmm! Good Stuff! And there's still something left on the gift certificate! Can't wait!