Brunch at the Mellow Mushroom in Charlotte

Brunch pizzas! I was invited to try both of the brunch pizzas that are offered on Sundays at the Mellow Mushroom. Both the Morning Glory (left), a vegetarian pizza with egg base, spinach, mushroom, onion, green peppers, mozzarella and diced tomatoes, and the Rising Sun (right), a meaty pie with egg base, sausage, bacon, ham, onion, green pepper, mozzarella and cheddar were very tasty. The superior crust really lends itself to combine with the egg base and other ingredients for a different, fun weekend breakfast choice. As always Mellow Mushroom was very accommodating to us as a family. They even brought out some avocado for my little one - one of his first foods! If you haven't tried fresh pizza for breakfast, it's time you took the plunge!

Stuffed Portobello Mushroom with artichokes, sun dried tomatoes and feta - delicious!

The awesome bus in the Mellow Mushroom - you can even sit inside!

Shrimp Hoag-boy - grilled jerk shrimp with pesto mayo, grilled mushrooms and carmelized onions - one of my favorite hoagies!

Half Thai Dye (left) and half Mellowterranean (right), served with a side of tzatziki sauce - yum! I really liked the spice and the addition of cucumbers to the Thai Dye. The sauce was great with the cheesy Mellowterranean.

Key Lime Pie - a sweet ending with lots of tasty whipped cream.

Disclosure: The meal described in this review was complimentary.

300 East

The Usual: chicken salad, asparagus, mushrooms and cheddar baked open-faced.

300 East is a classic Dilworth establishment that has been open over 25 years. Many of the menu items have endured such as the Sonoma salad - one of my favorites and the Usual (above). They used to have an "Unusual" but it looks like that one is no longer regularly available. The setting is quaint and charming in a renovated old house and you must check out the cute signs that mark the bathrooms. A cozy full bar with a generous wine list is downstairs and there is seating upstairs, downstairs and on the patio out front. Lunch, dinner and brunch are served and a kids menu is available as well.

I recently enjoyed the homemade pimento cheese dip as well as a crab cake sandwich. I tried the gazpacho, which was more of a tomato soup with chunks of veggies rather than the blended variety that I like better. On another visit I tried the goat cheese appetizer - delicious with sun dried tomatoes and roasted garlic - and the aforementioned Sonoma salad with chicken - love the Dijon mustard dressing and the inclusion of red potatoes. Desserts are also tasty including the peach cobbler with ice cream that I sampled. 300 East truly has an eclectic menu with several unique salads, pizzas and Mexican inspired options as well as a full sandwich and entree menu. Vegetarians will find plenty including black eyed pea falafel and farro saute. Definitely a fun and different place to dine in Charlotte.

Pimento Cheese appetizer.



Gazpacho.



Crab cake sandwich with rice.



Peach cobbler.

Mellow Mushroom

The Black and Blue (left) and the Umami - my favorite - (right).

I was recently invited to check out Mellow Mushroom at its Selwyn Avenue location in Charlotte. Although I have seen Mellow Mushroom locations in both Charlotte and Atlanta, somehow I had never before tried it. There are actually locations in more than 15 states including another Charlotte location in Ballantyne. The Selwyn location of Mellow Mushroom boasts a large bar and plenty of indoor and outdoor seating including a groovy decked out school bus with booths inside! Although the focus is on pizza, the menu varies including Greek, Caesar and Chef salads as well as an option to create your own salad with all sorts of protein and topping additions. Additionally, a large number of hoagies are offered such as jerk chicken, mushroom club, spiked sausage and shrimp hoag'boy. Vegetarians will find plenty of options including 5 veggie hoagies - the tempeh came highly recommended - and lots of salad and pizza options. Munchies such as the famous pretzels, stuffed portobello mushroom, meatballs, wings, hummus and Muffuletta cheese bread round out the mix. Pizza and calzones are offered in specialty varieties and their is an option to build your own as well.

We started with bruschetta, a nicely executed version with basil and feta served on crisp garlic toast points with balsamic glaze, definitely a solid choice. Our wonderful waitress also recommended the stuffed portobello mushroom, which I will have to try next time. For pizza we opted to try 4 different specialty varieties by ordering half and half on 2 10" pies. The pizza is not too thin or too thick - a nice medium body crust - and you can tell it is fresh. I also enjoyed the addition of cheese around the crust's edge.

At this location only, there are three location-specific specialty pizzas available. We tried both the Black and Blue: olive oil and garlic based pie topped with blackened steak, crumbled bleu cheese, mushrooms and onions and the Umami (my personal favorite): candied jalepeno slices, pineapple, Applewood smoked bacon, fresh mozzarella, feta and caramelized onion, topped with basil. Wow, need I say more? Umami is considered to be the fifth taste - savory - which includes such a good combination of the four other tastes (sweet, sour, salty and bitter) that it requires its own unique name. The word comes from Japanese and means "pleasant savory taste".

We also tried the Holy Shiitake Pie, which includes Shiitake, button and portobello mushrooms, caramelized onions, mozzarella and Montamore cheeses with garlic aioli and black truffle oil on top. This was a close second for me - definitely a lot of great mushroom flavor and the aioli really adds an extra special touch. The Red Skin Potato pie, our final pizza selection was tasty although I would ask for the sour cream and spicy ranch on the side next time as I felt they overpowered the delicious potato flavor. This pie also has bacon, caramelized onions, cheddar and mozzarella - yum!

We tried a salad as well - the Enlightened Spinach Salad, which includes feta, dried cherries, apples and pecans. The homemade signature Esparanza dressing was delicious - definitely a must try and also good with pizza crust! We also tried the tempeh hoagie - a good flavor and lots of veggies make this a wise choice for the non-meat eating crowd.

For dessert we ordered the pretzels with honey/cinnamon sugar and the chocolate chip cookie. The pretzels (also available as a starter with garlic butter and parmesan or with butter, salt and mustard) are made from the pizza dough and are absolutely delicious. I had to get these and the cookie to go since I was already stuffed but I'm glad I tried them - definitely a treat.

Mellow Mushroom is a fun place for the entire family. Live music and trivia are offered weekly and the patio will be perfect for the upcoming fall weather. I suggest you give Mellow Mushroom a try. Let me know what you think!

Holy Shiitake Pie (left) and Red Skin Potato Pie (right).

Groovy bus complete with seating.



Bruschetta - love the balsamic glaze and the use of feta cheese!



Enter here.



Tempeh hoagie (half size).



Dessert pretzels packed "to-go". Usually they are served with the toppings already on.



Chocolate chip cookie.

Disclosure: The meal described in this review was complimentary.

Toast Cafe - Dilworth

Lobster Roll with pesto pasta salad - love this!

Toast Cafe in Dilworth is one of my new favorite spots for breakfast, lunch or brunch. I have enjoyed 4 meals here recently with tasty food and superior service. The prices aren't bad either. Toast also has a location in Davidson and a new Toast is set to open soon in Ballantyne. The menu is diverse yet simple, creative but not fussy. I really like the lobster roll - above - which is not something easy to find in the south. I also dig the omelets including the avocado (not pictured) omelet with bacon and parmesan - so delicious - and the complimentary cornbread and apple butter served during weekend brunch. I love that I can walk to Toast and that they are so busy - we recently waited about 30 minutes for brunch - hopefully this is a sign they will be around for a long time. I look forward to returning again soon to try even more items - if I can bear not to have my favorites!

Delicious quiche of the day with bacon - another favorite.



Portobello mushroom sandwich.



Tofu Fresca salad with blue cheese, apples, walnuts and cranberries.



Veggie wrap with pesto pasta salad.




Egg white omelet with hash browns.

Watermelon gazpacho - great special for a hot day.

Pizza Peel & Tap Room

The "No Apologies Pizza" from the Secret Menu - available if you ask for it and online here.

I recently had the chance to try The Pizza Peel and Tap Room on Colwick Road near Cotswold. The Pizza Peel turns out custom and specialty pizzas, pastas, sandwiches and salads and boasts an impressive beer menu. I like that pizzas are available in personal size portions and you can make even a personal size half and half - fun! There is also a Secret Menu. Ask for it.

I tried the above "No Apologies Pizza" from the Secret Menu which has chipotle hot tomato sauce, mozzarella cheese, pepperoni, goat cheese, roasted red peppers, chorizo sausage, spinach, red onion and whole roasted garlic - whew, that was one fully loaded and tasty pizza! The Roasted Veggie (available on the regular menu) was also very good. The dough on both pizzas tasted fresh and well cooked. I also really enjoyed the curry rolls: although not what you might expect at a pizza place, the fried curry spring rolls with chicken, carrots, onions and cabbage got my taste buds going and offered an excellent start to the meal. Other starters include garlic knots, bruschetta, nachos and even house made potato chips. The house salad I sampled was also top-notch and other salads are available as well. I love salads with fruit, nuts and cheese and this house salad fit that bill with cranberries, bleu cheese and walnuts - yum! Pastas like beer & four cheese lasagna and eggplant parm are on my list to try another time and the fish tacos have received accolades as well. The Pizza Peel definitely offers a diverse menu with something for everyone. Every week there are lunch specials and every day there are events like trivia, live music and pint night. Check the calendar here.

In celebration of National IPA Day on August 2, 2012 The Pizza Peel and Tap Room will host Taylor from Natty Greene's Brewing Company for a complimentary tasting and beer education at 6 PM. There will be 6 different 2 ounce samples: Highland Kashmir, Stone IPA, Natty Greene's Freedom IPA, Loose Cannon IPA, He'Brew Hop Manna and Terrapin Hopsecutioner. A $5 appetizer buffet including stout meatballs, bruschetta and flatbreads will be avilable for those attending the tasting. Additionally, all IPAs will be $4 all day and Pizza Peel staff can recommend the best pizza to go with your IPA. Check it out!

Chicken Curry Rolls.



House salad includes dried cranberries, blue cheese and walnuts.



Roasted veggie pizza.



Lunch buffet - so many pizzas to choose from!







Taps galore!

Disclosure: The meal described in this review was complimentary.

Harvest Moon Grille - Apparently you have to wait for the Harvest...

Catfish and eggs with grits.

My second time dining at Harvest Moon Grille was on June 24, 2012 for brunch. My mom had friends visiting from out of town and she made a reservation for 5 of us at 11 AM. The first bad sign came as the host greeted us: "The kitchen is running about 30-45 minutes behind and your table isn't ready yet." Our friends were running a bit late themselves so we thought this would be OK. They arrived about quarter after 11 and we waited quite a bit longer before being seated around 11:45. The host also promised "As soon as you sit down we'll bring you some biscuits and jam." That sounded promising. Unfortunately only after 4 requests to 4 different staff members and about an hour later did said biscuits and jam appear. They were delicious - actually the best part of the meal - hot with fresh raspberry jam. I could have eaten 3 by that point but settled for 1.5.

But the late-arriving biscuits could only do so much. For a party with a reservation, the wait time we endured is totally unacceptable anywhere. I was literally about to walk out. Two couples did. One had to be at the airport and they had waited over an hour for breakfast. I was embarrassed for the city of Charlotte as many of the waiting patrons were tourists. To think this might be their lasting impression of our fair city! Very unfortunate. I advised one couple to visit Queen City Q since it was past noon. I seriously considered getting up and going elsewhere again. I felt bad for the Dunhill, an excellent hotel, that its reputation may be scarred from its proximity to the restaurant. The front of the house staff could not have been nicer although our waiter seemed overworked and was probably avoiding us because he could not bring us anything to eat.

We finally got our food just after 1 PM - yes, two hours after our reservation time. The catfish and eggs with grits is a unique and very tasty dish. Everything else was nothing special, similar to the previous brunch I had here. So disappointing. The concept of farm to table cuisine is admirable but based on my experience, this place does not yield satisfactory results. Harvest Moon Grille seriously needs to take a look at its business operations and be sure they have backup. And about those biscuits: they should come out gratis to every table as soon as folks are seated, even if the kitchen is running on schedule.

Another negative note: parking is supposed to be free in the Dunhill deck when you eat at Harvest Moon. When we exited, it showed a balance of $2. Although this is not a big deal in theory, considering the strife we went through just to eat, this was the last straw. We went inside and someone had the audacity to tell us that it was $2 "because we were there too long". No kidding. They finally gave us the $2 in cash to use at the machine after a lot of argument. I'm not sure if this was the hotel or the restaurant but either way, the restaurant needs to figure out how to handle this issue as well. Good thing there are more and more places to eat downtown. Some advice: find another one.

Harvest Moon Eggs Benedict with pulled pork.



Pulled pork sandwich with potato salad. Pork and potato salad were bland and the sauce (I had to ask for it) was sadly not much help.

Cluck 'N Cup - South End

Cluck 'N Cup is a cute breakfast and lunch spot where I enjoyed a delightful lunch several weeks ago. I dined at the Southend location just off South Blvd. but there are locations uptown and in north Charlotte as well. The chicken pot pie is very good - I look forward to having this again over the winter. I also sampled the broccoli casserole - also very tasty. Cluck 'N Cup serves a full breakfast menu including breakfast sandwiches (toast, croissants and bagels available), yogurt, oatmeal, muffins and frittatas. A full coffee selection including espresso drinks is also available - yay for serving my favorite, the mocha. Lunch brings several salads, wraps, sandwiches and entrees like the pot pie, lasagna and quesadillas. Lots of chicken is on the menu - hence the "cluck". Every day there is a lunch special including a drink for around $5 - $6 - a nice deal - on Wednesday you can get the pot pie, a side and a drink for $5.99. Also, you can purchase pot pie, broccoli casserole and more to take and bake a home - a nice option. I can walk here from home so I look forward to returning to Cluck 'N Cup soon to try the mocha and more of the menu.

Famous chicken pot pie with fruit salad.



Chicken salad wrap with broccoli casserole.

Pike's Soda Shop

Pike's Soda Shop is a fun dining destination located in Southend right on the light rail line between Tremont and West Boulevard. I recently enjoyed a tasty lunch here and look forward to returning for brunch and to sample the famous ice cream, especially the milkshakes! Service was professional and efficient and the chicken quiche (below) made for a satisfying lunch with the accompanying side salad and muffin. I didn't taste the reuben but it also looked great. Kids will enjoy sitting at the old-fashioned ice cream soda fountain counter and the lovely patio is available for outdoor dining. On Sunday Pike's is open earlier for breakfast and brunch.

Quiche of the day (chicken) served with side salad (not pictured) and a muffin.



Reuben with fruit.