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.

Zoe's Kitchen - Metropolitan

The Tossed Greek salad.

I was recently provided with a coupon to sample the menu at Zoes Kitchen. This fast casual concept delivers with fresh, tasty food in an upbeat pleasant setting. The patio at the Metropolitan location was particularly lovely last week when we had a bit of cool weather. You go inside and order and pay at the counter, then a runner brings your meal to the table.

The menu focuses on Greek cuisine, with lots of fresh salads, sandwiches and signature "roll-ups". I tried the tossed Greek salad, which was delicious with the right combination of chicken, olives, red onion, cucumber, feta and caramelized onions. I appreciated that the salad was not drenched in dressing - you can add more of the Greek dressing if you like since it sits on every table. Zoes also offers online ordering and you can pick up a grab and go meal for 4. With offerings like kabobs, Greek chicken and the roll-ups, this sounds like a great idea for those times you just don't feel like cooking or going out. Zoes makes its own limeade, which I sampled and enjoyed as well as desserts which I will have to try next time. I look forward to returning here again to try more of the menu!

Outdoor seating.

Disclosure: The meal described in this review was complimentary.

Broadway Cafe

Pesto pasta with feta - delish.

One cold wet evening we were looking for a quick bite and decided to try Broadway Cafe, a Kosher dairy restaurant at the corner of LaVista and Briarcliff. The menu is varied and includes some faux meat dishes as well as pastas, salads and pizzas. From what we could tell the pastas are really a great way to go and I enjoyed the below Middle Eastern platter as well. The pesto pasta is very creamy, made even more delicious by the addition of sun dried tomatoes and feta cheese. We tried the garlic knots to start and although we enjoyed them, they did not have enough real garlic for my taste. Definitely a good place for vegetarians and for those who are open to a meatless meal once in awhile.

Mediterranean sampler - they forgot to bring the hummus but once I asked some was brought out quickly.



Garlic knots - more buttery than garlicky but satisfyingly chewy.

Tantra Restaurant & Lounge

Signature dish - seared ostrich with mushrooms and onions. This is one tasty steak, and healthier for you than beef too.

I was invited to try Tantra back in May. Located on Peachtree Road, next door to Imperial Fez, Tantra is a real treat. Calvin and I enjoyed a spectacular meal with great ambiance and service. The hummus with lamb and the scallops were my favorite dishes and the desserts were awesome too. They also offer an ostrich filet, which is very tender and delicious - something different is always fun too. This is a great special occasion place and with the lovely bar, also a nice place for drinks and appetizers or dessert!

Tasty, although a bit salty, flat bread provided at the beginning of the meal with a tasty herb butter - we liked the butter so much we had to ask for more!



Lamb tartar with shallot butter on matzah - very tasty and unique, but not as much lamb flavor as the hummus with lamb, below.



Hummus tahini with sauteed lamb - one of my favorite dishes of the evening. Absolutely delicious!



Mussels with red bell pepper coconut broth - also outstanding.



Basil Caramelized Scallops - another winner. I love this dish. Basil, scallops, whipped potatoes and greens. Yum.



Tantra has several inventive cocktails including the Tantric, left, which includes fresh thyme and Elderflower liquor.



Lemon scented Italian doughnuts + warm white chocolate cake with vanilla-lavender ice cream and berries. Both of these are wonderful and unique. I was already full when I got to the dessert course but I had to taste these anyway - so glad I did!



Espresso and Sambuca drink - great way to end the evening.



The dining room is dark, romantic and sensual - as it should be at a place called Tantra!



Nicely decorated bar area.

Sonny's Place

Turkey Sharma.

Soon after Sonny's Place opened, we tried it for lunch on a weekday, looking forward to a great spread of a Middle Eastern buffet - boy do I miss the Cedars which used to be on Lenox! The place was almost empty and we enjoyed talking with the manager, who was very friendly. The food we tried was good, although I was a bit disappointed with the falafel, which was rather dry to me. Also, it was disappointing that the lunch buffet had very recently been discontinued before our visit. Still, I really enjoyed the hummus and the turkey "sharma" - which must be akin to the usual lamb/been "schwarma" as well as the fresh tasting salad. I'd like to go back and try more here although I was also very excited about the fact that Sonny's originally offered breakfast all day. According to their website, that seems to have changed and salads, sandwiches and Middle Eastern specialties dominate the menu.

Sampler Patter.

Ziba's Restaurant and Wine Bar in Grant Park

Olive and nut plate - the olives were outstanding.

Back in October I met up with my book club at Ziba's Restaurant and Wine Bar. I'd heard about Ziba's for some time but this group meeting made for the perfect opportunity to check it out. The funniest part was that another book club was meeting there on the same night!

The menu.



The inviting patio.



Yucca Frites.



Crispy Artichoke.

Our group enjoyed sharing several small plates and entrees. After finding out about my food blog the owner graciously sent over some freebies from the kitchen. I really enjoyed the clams with sausage and the quail. The atmosphere was perfect for our group meeting - not too loud and very inviting. As we were leaving, they were gearing up for some dance lessons.

Stuffed dates - I love this presentation!



Persian Meatballs.



Citrus braised baby octopus with clams.



Crabcake entree.



Clams and Merguez Sausage - a surprise highlight of the meal.



Grilled quail (back) and grilled calamari with artichokes (front). The quail was very tasty and the calamari definitely had a unique preparation.

Overall I was a bit disappointed with the food. For example, the meatballs were dry and there was something off about the octopus, which I was so excited about when I ordered it. I think it would work better with sliced octopus rather than small baby octopus, which dried out easily. I would give Ziba's another try sometime, though, as I don't like to judge a place based solely on one visit. There were also several dishes I liked a lot, as indicated above.

Sheik Burritos n Kabobs

Camelback on Persian flatbread and shrimp tacos.

Sheik Burritos n Kabobs is a relatively new and very unique dining establishment on Piedmont, not far from the Cheshire Bridge split. The concept combines Southwest with Middle Eastern, an interesting combination to say the least! What I like: owner Jahan Ostad's laid back, jovial personality, the feast-n-june sauce - composed of slightly sweet pomegranate and ground walnuts with julienned carrots, the Chic eggplant dip and the use of organic and local meat. I also really loved the Persian flat bread on my first visit, but the second time around it tasted too chewy and not so fresh. I am also not really digging the chips with hummus and would prefer something more like pita bread be served with the dips. Still, this place is definitely worth checking out; I understand they do a steady lunch and takeout business as well. Catering is also available.

Hummus & chips.

Kabob Grill - Charlotte

Kabob Grill's wonderful "Hommos dip".

Kabob Grill is one of my Charlotte mainstays. I enjoy the freshness and quality of the ingredients as well as the causal, laid-back atmosphere. The hummus (hommos) is really excellent here. My other favorite dish is the lamb kabob wrap - really tasty. Over Thanksgiving I returned here with Calvin, my dad and a family friend - a great lunch choice!

Daily special - ground lamb with potatoes and rice in a tomato sauce.



Stuffed grape leaves.



Lamb and falafel wraps.