I sent in this request, but since there was only one response I'll report back what my dining experiences were while in Charlotte for 5 days. I ate several times at Bistro 100 since it was across the street from my hotel. It has a nice ambiance and friendly staff. Dishes I had were: calamari with tapenade and tomato sauce had very tender calamari, though for my tastes the strong and salty tapenade was a little overpowering for the calamari; wood roasted striped bass, very well cooked, though some of the side veggies were not; Granny Smith apple pie had an excellent shortbread crust and was delicious; portobello sandwich on brioche was good; onion rings were very good, but julienne fries were limp; red snapper en papillotte was excellent; eggs sardou was reminiscent of New Orleans; and Lyonnaise potato cake was fair, seemed too salty. One night went to Cibi, which was a 5 minute cab ride from uptown center. It is in a beautifully restored home and features an Italian influenced menu. I had a shrimp and scallop salad, which was excellent. The shrimp were grilled just right and the flavors mingled well. For the entree I had a grilled Mahi Mahi with Samoriglia sauce and some vegetables. The fish was perfectly grilled and the sauce went well with it. Dessert was poached pears with a drizzle of chocolate sauce. This was my favorite dinner. The ambiance was excellent and service was friendly, but a little erratic. Went to Mimosa Grill one night and my starter was shrimp with Hoppin' John risotto. That might sound like a strange risotto, but it worked! It was delicious, the black-eyed peas gave it a creaminess I enjoyed. The entree was Mahi Mahi on a bed of mashed potato and green beans, which was good. Tasted some catfish nuggets someone at my table had and it was some of the best I've had. Service was friendly and efficient. Had a lunch at Atlantic Beverage and Ice and a grouper sandwich. It was good, though the bun was too soft. Fries were flabby. Good beer selection. Service was a little spaced out. Had another lunch at the Pine Room and fried shrimp with steak fries and cole slaw. Was OK and a good value for the price, friendly service, surroundings seemed pretty fancy for the cuisine. Summary: I liked Cibi the best, with Bistro 100 and Mimosa Grill being next.
Charlotte, NC