In Food Lately…

Video Collab Dinner Party

I recently did a fun little collab dinner party with Mark from @clt.motion, Kate from Roast ‘n Relish. and Christine from 704.Food. Kate and I cooked. Well, if I’m being technical Kate cooked (an impressive Lamb Ragu!) and I just assembled cheese 🤗Mark shot video of the whole thing and it’s below!

The wines we drank are below, some of my favorites!

Schramsburg Mirabell Brut Rose

This is a sparkling rosé from one of my favorite producers, made of Pinot Noir and Chardonnay grapes. It’s a beautiful light pink color as you would expect, with tasting notes of strawberries and currants, a fresh, lively zesty style and medium body. I love to start a meal off with sparkling wine, and for $25 this is a great buy!

The Investor by Stag’s Leap

The Investor is a Bordeaux-style wine made of Malbec, Merlot, Petite Sirah, and Cabernet Sauvignon. Tasting notes include red, blue and black fruits, and a savory and herbal flavor with hints of oak. This is an investment bottle at $60, and the wine will age well if you can hang onto it and let it mature. The Stag’s Leap District is the most prestigious winemaking area of Napa Valley, and this winery is right in the heart of it.

Andrew Murray Syrah Tous les Jours

A quintessential Santa Ynez Valley Syrah from Santa Barbara County, California, and another great deal at just under $20. It is bold but balanced, rich, dark and fruit forward. You’ll taste black cherry, raspberry, white pepper, forest floor and toasty oak in this, and Syrah is another varietal that complements the richness of the lamb ragu.

Kingstree Cabernet

This is a big bold Napa California Cabernet that’s a great deal under $20! I buy this wine at Winestore in Charlotte — it’s one of the proprietary bottles they offer that you can’t find many other places! The structure and tannin in a cab holds up nicely to the rich tastes in the lamb ragu we ate.

Brunch Happy @ Bistro La Bon 2

I also tried a couple of new Charlotte restaurants releases lately and enjoyed them, so I thought I’d share!

Weekends can’t happen without brunch. Bistro La Bon 2 is the second location of the classic Bistro La Bon and it’s such a great brunch experience. So many good dishes (a few pictured below) and the best part – you CAN’T beat $3 mimosas!!!

So many Benedict options – choose from Crab Cake, Salmon, Spinach or Brisket

My personal favorite – the Chai French Toast

African-Inspired Southern @ Loft & Cellar

Loft & Cellar recently recently released a new menu and I attended the media night. This spot was new to me and I was really excited to discover it because it’s so unique. Executive Chef Greg Collier and Bar Chef Stephen Marshall created some awesome things for us to try.