Intermezzo Pizzeria & Cafe

Meal: Grabbed a couple drinks later in the evening

I have not done an 'official' review of Intermezzo yet. However, I have eaten here a couple times and I enjoy the atmosphere, so I stopped in for drinks Thursday night.

Restaurant: Intermezzo Pizzeria & Cafe
Location: 1427 E. 10th Street, Charlotte, NC 28204
Click here for Google Maps (simply fill in your address)
Website: Link
Telephone: 704.347.2626
Food Selection: Pizza and ethnic Serbian dishes. (weird combo, but good)
Health Score; Didn't see
Hours: Mon-Sat: 11:00-2:00am Sun: 12:00pm-2:00am (full menu until midnight)

Drink: Blue Moon 20 oz.

Atmosphere: Intermezzo is right at, as their website says, "Charlotte's five points intersection in Elizabeth neighborhood." Their patio faces the street and is covered. It is occasionally loud when a big truck or a "suped up" Civic drives past (the muffler costs more than the car, yea those ones), but aside from that is relaxing. The music variety varies from clubish to acoustic to abstract (nice way of putting weird). It is nice to sip on a beer and watch traffic go by and carry on conversations with your table mates. Inside is a bar and booths and tables, which is dimly lit, but warm feeling. I like this place.

Server: Trey was our server. For simply ordering drinks he did a good job. He checked on us periodically.

Bill: $10 (two drinks)

I look forward to doing a complete review in the future.

~the RESTAURANT GUY

Nikko Japanese Restaurant / Sushi Bar

Restaurant: Nikko Restaurant
Locations:
SOUTHEND • (Factory South)
Intersection of South Blvd & Arlington Avenue (Pink Building)
1300-F South Blvd. • Charlotte, NC 28203 • 704.370.0100

BALLANTYNE • (Ballantyne Commons East Shopping Center)
15105 John J. Delaney Dr. • Charlotte, NC 28277 • 704.341.5550

Click here for South Blvd Google Maps (simply fill in your address)
Click here for Ballantyne Commons Google Maps
Website: Official Web Site
Telephone: See above
Food Selection: Japanese Sushi and complete meals
Health Score; Didn't see
Hours:
Lunch: Monday - Friday: 11:30am – 2:30pm

Dinner: Sunday - Tuesday: 5:00pm – 10:00pm, Wednesday - Saturday: 5:00pm – 12:00am

The Initial Walk-In:

As we drove up the maze of a parking garage on the cusp of Uptown, I did not know what to expect. We took the elevator down to the main floor and it appeared to be an office building. We approached the double glass doors with a water fountain in plain sight and I knew this place was going to be wicked awesome. Nikko's is the epitome of a very chic, posh, and contemporary hot spot.... and I thought this during the lunch hour!

Course of Meals:

We were seated immediately.

Main Meal: Alaskan Roll. It consisted of smoked salmon, tempura asparagus, avocado, cream chess, crab, scallion, topped with masago.

All I can say is, wow. Delicious!!

My rolls were very thick and ample. The cream chess was very apparent, but it was not overpowering. The sushi was warm, not cool like other places I have eaten at. It was crunchy. The Alaskan rolls left me wanting more, but I felt full. I just wanted to keep eating them! The only bad thing was I had to put each sushi roll entirely in my mouth as it was hard to break them apart with my chop-sticks. Regardless, great sushi with a good portion size.


Atmosphere/Ambiance:

This place has a great atmosphere. My peers have told me Nikko's is basically a club during the weekends with pumping music. I can believe it as the layout and design is, as I wrote earlier, very chic, posh, and contemporary.

The color theme is predominately white, black, and mahogany. It provides a very crisp feel. The bar is wicked cool. It is sleek and has the alcoholic bottles lined up nicely, which is followed by a frosted background.

The patio runs along South Boulevard and is nicely laid out.

The music is jazz, R&B, and lounge.

The light fixtures are contemporary and I bet Nikko Japanese Restaurant and Bar is very sleek at night. They also have a couple flat screens. Right when you enter, there is a wine room to your right. The bar is L-shaped. They have booths, standard tables, and a few high-rise tables. I think it would be great to lounge here.

Server/Staff:
For the lunch hour, she did her job well. A little slow at times, but no big deal.

My Complaints:

*NONE

What's Special about Nikko's:

*Atmosphere
*Delicious Sushi
*Design

Closing Everything Out:

My sushi was $10.80 and it was filling and delicious. I was extremely impressed with the lay-out and overall feel of Nikko's. I will most certainly be going back here. I want to check this place out during the weekend to see the night time crowd. I highly recommend this place. Even if it is just to grab a drink and relax in a classy atmosphere.

~the RESTAURANT GUY

Dragon Fly Cuisine

Restaurant: Dragon Fly Cuisine
Location: 5110 Park Road, Unit 1G, Charlotte, NC 28209
Click here for Google Maps (simply fill in your address)
Website: n/a
Telephone:704.527.3868
Food Selection: Chinese Food / Take-Out
Health Score; Didn't see it
Dress Code: Wear what you want
Hours: Sun-Thu 11am-10pm, Fri-Sat 11am-11pm


The Initial Walk-In:

I had just finished having some pants tailored (waist taken in, not out!) and saw this place and thought why not? I need to keep my followerss abreast of places in Charlotte. Dragon Fly is tucked away in this Park Road shopping center (near the smaller Harris Teeter store) next to 1900 Mexican Grill (review here). Inside, there is a very small bar right when you walk in and then the rest of the restaurant is the standard table set up with a outdoor patio.

Course of Meals:

Shortly after Lunch Time: Seat yourself (on a Saturday)

Appetizers: They provide, what I assume to be, Chinese bread sticks with both a sweet and sour sauce and a hot mustard sauce. It was a nice little combination. The spicy sauce, while spicy, did taste watered-down, but it could have been because it was supposed to be light and not heavy. It was not heavy enough for me, even though it was an appetizer.

Main Meal: Four Happiness (one of the Chef Specialties)

This is a tasty dish. It consists of broccoli, red bell peppers, shrimp, chicken, beef, pork, baby corn, water chestnuts, green beans, and a spicy brown sauce. Served with a side of white rice.

When it comes to Chinese food, I thought this dish was nicely prepared. It was not too salty, it was smooth, and it had a variety of meats. The broccoli, red bell peppers, corn, and green beans were all very fresh, light, and crisp to eat. The pork dissolved in my mouth and was easy to chew. It was not at all rubbery or gristly, which was a major plus. The chef's special sauce was not at all over saturated with sodium as so many dishes typically are. My only mild complaint was the shrimp was not as fresh as I would have liked. Compared to everything else it was not crisp nor fresh as the other ingredients. Other than that, I had no qualms. It was a filling dish that allowed me to have left overs and enjoy them for dinner.

Atmosphere/Ambiance:

Dragon Fly's atmosphere is simple. Of course they have a Chinese-theme to the restaurant, but it is not overdone. They keep it very straight forward. I did find the music selection odd. At times they had Johnny Mathis playing, then some weird stuff, then some classic jazz. Very "interesting" fluctuations to say the least. Aside from the music, it has a calm vibe to it. I would take a date here, not on a first date, but I would take one here. As it is right next to 1900 Mexican Grill, it does have a patio as well.

Server/Staff:
My server was okay. He got the job done, but he really did not want engage in any conversations with me. There were only two other people in the place so I know he was not busy. Even when I was complimenting the food he did not seem all to interested. Regardless, he kept my water full and served me my food.

My Complaints:

*Music selection
*The floor was a little dirty in places

What's Special about Dragon Fly Cuisine:

*Not "cheap" Chinese food -- pretty good quality food
*Fresh ingredients
*Nicer than typically take-out/sit down Chinese restaurants I have been to

Closing Everything Out:

My total bill, including tip was $14.95 and I had some left overs. However, I did not have any alcohol nor anything else. I found my dish to be good, crisp, fresh, and filling. Aside from being distracted sometimes by the music and the somewhat non-talkative server, I was happy with the overall dining experience. It was nice to go to a Chinese restaurant that had a nice sit-down area to enjoy their food.

~the RESTAURANT GUY

Big Daddy's Burger Bar

Restaurant: Big Daddy's Burger Bar
Location: 1626 East Blvd, Charlotte, NC 28203
Click here for Google Maps (simply fill in your address)
Website: Official Web Site
Telephone: 704.714.4888
Food Selection: Burgers and its close relatives

Because sometimes I have to put the cycling food regime on hold and enjoy myself!

The Initial Walk-In:

As you approach the restaurant, there is a patio outside that runs along East Blvd for people to sit. As you walk into the restaurant, watch your step as there is a slight step. Aside from that, it is a bar/burger joint. The middle is high-rise tables (girls, I wouldn't suggest wearing a skirt) and outlined by booths.

Course of Meals:

Sunday Drink Specials:
$4 Bloody Mary's
$4 Mimosas
$4 Champagne

Main Meal: Western Burger with french fries.
Burger: Cooked Medium. Topped with monterrey jack cheese and fried onion rings. There was BBQ sauce already on the bun and I asked for the chipotle ranch on the side.

This burger was AWESOME! Despite not being able to have it medium rare, I could sink my teeth into it and the flavor was fantastic. The onion rings were excellent as well. They had a slight kick to them. Not to be forgotten, the chipotle ranch was delicious too.

Atmosphere/Ambiance:

The atmosphere is great! Daddy's has a very laid back feel and design. It has vintage signs plastered everywhere. Like I said earlier, booths, high tables, and a bar. The space is somewhat cramped.

Server/Staff:
Our server was prompt and cute.

My Complaints:

*The one pesky fly that would not leave me alone.

What's Special about Big Daddy's:

*The outside patio.
*Location/area (on East Blvd).
*Atmosphere is relaxed/fun.

Closing Everything Out:

It was a great Sunday afternoon. This is a fantastic place to go for burgers. I would highly recommend eating at Big Daddy's. The service was fine, atmosphere relaxed, and it was not expensive. My burger was around $8 and I had a couple beers, so it was a round $17.


~the RESTAURANT GUY

1900 Mexican Grill

Restaurant: 1900 Mexican Grill
Location: 5110 Park Rd, Charlotte, NC 28209
Click here for Google Maps (simply fill in your address)
Website: n/a
Telephone: 704.523.1554
Food Selection: Mexican

I decided to venture away from my go-to-place in Charlotte when it comes to Mexican food to see what else is out there. My peers and I went to the 1900 Mexican Grill on Park Road.

The Initial Walk-In:

We walked into the restaurant on a Friday night and were immediately seated. We were also met by an unpleasant odor inside the restaurant. As we were led to our table, I noticed that the lay-out is compact and tight. Given that 1900 is in a little complex of shops, the tight fit is understandable.

The Seating:

We chose to sit outside where they have a patio over looking Park Road. There are a couple fountains going and the tables/chair are the standard iron. Since I did not sit inside, I cannot give an accurate feel of the inside.

Course of Meals:

Chips/Salsa: Right as we sat down, the typical chips and salsa were immediately placed in front of us. The salsa is not as watered down as some other restaurants, but it was nothing out of this world. I did notice that these chips and salsa are rather filling.

Drinks: The special on Friday night was Bud Light and Dos Equis for $2.00/glass. I went with the margarita first and really wish I had not. I thought I was drinking sweet and sour water. If there was any alcohol in the drink, they had me fooled. I proceeded to have a Dos Equis after the flavored water.

Main Meal: I had the combo #1. It consisted of a beef enchilada, guacamole, sour cream, refried beans, and rice. There were other options as well. (Such as hard/soft tacos).

My companions had quesadillas and tacos.

The enchilada was pretty good. However, as I reflected on my experience, nothing really stood out to me.

Atmosphere/Ambiance:

Very relaxing. Sitting outside is very nice as the complex area is fairly upscale and it is not too loud. As a result, my party and I could carry on our conversations without shouting. The one bad thing I must say, and it is not 1900's fault, is the sewer smell in the area due to the waste treatment plant a half-mile down the road really hurt the environment. Hopefully that will be rectified in the upcoming months.

Server/Staff:
Our server was fairly prompt.

My Complaints:

*The margaritas. Well, really, flavored water called a margarita.
*The odor in the air due to the sewage treament plant, which isn't 1900's fault.

What's Special about 1900:

*The outside patio.
*Location/area (near South Park).
*Being outside and hearing fountains running.

Closing Everything Out:

It was a very inexpensive night. I enjoyed the company of friends and lounging outside, but for the restaurant itself, nothing really excited me. Especially since the margaritas had no alcohol.

I spent a total of $17. My combo #1, 1/3 of a Margarita pitcher, 1 Dos Equis. All in all, an inexpensive meal. In my opinion, this is the kind of restaurant you go to when you want to hang out with friends. Thus, I will only go back if I'm with a group of friends. I would most certainly not take a date here.

~the RESTAURANT GUY