So, I have said forever that I was going to write a blog. I have never been able to focus in on what I was going to write on. Therefore in the past, other blogs that I started were inevitably dead as soon as they started. Food is that something to write about that I was looking for so with all of that being said, I want to talk about what I had for dinner tonight.
Rooster's Wood-Fired Kitchen is one of my favorite places to eat in Charlotte. I have been there for lunch, after-work cocktails with appetizers and dinner and I must say, I have yet to eat anything that is less than fantastic. Tonight was no exception.
The restaurant's interior is unexpected from the shopping center exterior that see when you first drive up. Once inside, the decor is very warm and comforting from their use of wood and warm color in their design. You are immediately greeted by the open kitchen where you can watch the chefs buzz around the stations and namesake wood-fired oven. If you are looking for a place to host a party, try and get the wine bar, you will not be disappointed. I will say that the stuffed roosters on the wall of the main dining area are a little odd at first, but being a South Carolina Gamecock fan, I give it two thumbs up. But that's enough about the look of the place, the food is really what is fantastic about Rooster's.
My roommate and I started our meal today with the zucchini fries with a garlic/lemon/thyme aioli and the Lady Chevre goat cheese plate. The zucchini fries are not on the normal menu and were a special today, but I have had them a few times I've visited Rooster's so I think it is pretty easy to catch these when you visit. They were perfectly floured, seasoned and fried so that each bite was a perfect combination of the crispy coating and tender, but not soggy zucchini. These things are so good that dipping is not necessary, but if you choose to dip, you are in for a treat. The citrus in the aioli really pairs well with the fries.
Rooster's menu is setup a la carte, so dining there really lends well to the family style dinner. If you go there with friends, seriously consider ordering several sides to pass around the table. This evening, we had the gnocchi in a cream sauce with garden peas, macaroni and cheese, wood-fired asparagus and the pan-fried corn. All of these sides were fantastic and expertly cooked, but I want to focus on the macaroni and cheese. Being a good Southern girl (yes, I know I am Korean) and a preacher's daughter, I have had my fair share of macaroni and cheese, from the crock pot to the casserole, but barring my mother's macaroni and cheese, I think Rooster's might be my favorite. When it first arrives at the table, it comes in an unsuspecting short square dish, looking as though it is your standard, medium to sharp cheddar, run-of-the-mill macaroni and cheese, but once you have that first bite, you know you are tasting something that could never be described as run-of-the-mill. Rooster's is able to combine several cheeses to create an amalgamation of saucy goodness that surround perfectly al dente elbow macaroni. If I were to take a wild guess, I would have to say that they use sharp cheddar, goat cheese, parmesean and maybe something else in their blend of cheeses, but this is all speculation. Either way, no matter what the cheeses, the dish is DELICIOUS and must be ordered!
Now for the main proteins, due to my Lenten sacrafice (ie. no red meat, poultry, pork, or anything else other than seafood), I had the scallops. My roommate had the braised short ribs, which I had the last time I ate at Rooster's. Both dishes are so good. They are slap me silly good. The short ribs are so tender, there is no need for the steak knife stealthfully placed on the table by the server. The delectable morsels of beef are cooked perfectly. They are tender enough to be pulled from the bone by a fork, but are not so tender that you miss out on that chew and mouth-feel that you expect from beef. My mouth was enviously watering across the table as I watched my roomate dig into the beefy awesomeness that I was going to be missing out on. The coveting of my neighbor's dinner only lasted as long as it took me to have my first bite of scallop. Rooster's is known for a lot of things, their smoked chicken and wings, their short ribs, their macaroni and cheese, but whoever is cooking the scallops should be taken and kissed full on the mouth. These scallops were velvety tender bites of heaven. Cooked absolutely perfectly, seared on the outside and just barely warmed through on the inside, the scallops made me happy about the fact that I had given up all other meats except for seafood for Lent.
To cap this already fantastic meal off, dessert was a scoop of pistachio and a scoop of chocolate gelato served with white chocolate dipped pistachio biscotti. It was grand finale to a fantastic meal.
Seriously guys, I know I gush about food, but if you are looking for somewhere delicious, go to Rooster's. Go now. Do it. You will thank me.
No comments:
Post a Comment