Pik n' Pig - Carthage, NC

Although this restaurant is not in the area I usually review, I felt it was worth reviewing in case anyone is looking for somewhere else to go. This restaurant is located on the airfield in Carthage, NC and we were lucky enough to be able to fly in and eat. Most people there had driven in from the local area and a long line was forming before the restaurant actually opened for Sunday lunch.

This restaurant serves Southern BBQ dishes, all meats smoked on site. I ordered the chicken and dumplings plate that came with a choice of two sides - I chose hush puppies and cabbage which was the vegetable of the day. The chicken and dumplings were delicious in a light broth and perfectly tender. The cabbage was just right and the hush puppies were crunchy on the outside and soft in the middle.

My husband ordered the pork chop plate, with the pork chop having also been smoked that morning. The chop was at least an inch thick (no exaggeration!) and was flavored very well with no overpowering smoke taste which can sometimes occur.

I shared a strawberry shortcake afterward for dessert. This is just one of a number of fresh desserts available on the menu. The fresh strawberries were delicious and the cake was certainly decadent.

This restaurant receives 5 stars out of 5 because of it's amazing food and personal service. Be warned though, they only accept cash or checks - no cards.

Viet-Thai, Pineville, NC

Viet-Thai is a large Thai restaurant located off of Pineville-Matthews road in Pineville, NC. When you first walk in, the smells of delicious food overwhelm you and your mouth can't help but water. We visited on a Sunday lunch time which was a fairly busy time and took a booth on the far wall.

We started by sharing the summer roll appetizer which comprised of two fresh rice paper rolls stuffed with small shrimp, lettuce, cilantro and rice noodles. The peanut sauce that accompanied the rolls was so delicious, a mix of sweet and salty that I could literally just eat it straight off the spoon!

We decided to get two entrees and split them which our waiter was happy to do. We order a medium size chicken Pho soup with came in a huge bowl (you wouldn't need a size bigger than medium). Pho soup is a clear broth with, in this case, chicken, rice noodles and onion in it. It comes with a side plate with cilatro, a jalipino pepper, lime wedges and bean sprouts that you can add to your taste.

We also added a Thai salad with chicken and shrimp. The salad came with rice noodles, lettice, crunchy vegetables and a vinegar sauce to pour over the top. The chicken flavoring was beautiful and strong. The shrimp had a nice grilled texture. I think it would have benefited from more of both as there was a lot of vegetables which became a little monotimous after a while.

The service at Viet-Thai was impectable and they were very friendly. I would give this restaurant 4 out of 5 stars.

Ming Fu, Waxhaw, NC

If you have read my previous posts, you will know that I am a beginner sushi fan. As long as my trusty friends are with me who are much more familiar with this cuisine, I am happy to try anything. Recently they took me to Ming Fu, located in the new shopping center in Waxhaw, NC, a modern Asian restaurant serving both Chinese and Japanese food.

We sat in the back of the large sized restaurant and ordered a variety of sushi rolls including a Dragon roll, Tiger roll, Volcano roll, Spider roll and many others. Because we sat in the back of the restaurant, alone for the most part, our servers seemed to forget about us. Our drinks order took a while to come and the food the same.

The food itself was beautiful presented with attention to detail and creatively. The fish was very fresh and the flavors of some of the sauces were out of this world. The rice was a little underdone for my liking but not so much as to ruin the food.

While I cannot fault the food, the service was not as prompt as it could have been and therefore Ming Fu receives 4 out of 5 stars.

Bo-Thai, Lancaster, SC

If you are ever in Lancaster, SC, you can't help but notice that it's culinary landscape is dominated by fast food chains and franchise restaurants but hidden in a small strip mall on Highway 9 is Bo-Thai. This restaurant is family owned and has been established for about 2 years serving authentic Thai food.

The lunch menu is great value with each plate coming with a drink, spring roll and a bowl of soup included in the price. Each dish gives you the option of which meat or fish you want to add to it, making it flexible.

I had the red curry which was served following a bowl of delicious egg drop soup. The curry was served in a bowl with the rice on the side, an interesting presentation that allowed for the rice to remain sticky and fluffy. The curry itself was creamy with the flavors of coconut milk and heat from the chillis coming through but not overpowering. This curry came with a variety of vegetables which was refreshing and allowed for some extra textures.

My husband ordered a dish of vegetables, chicken in a black pepper flavored sauce. All of the vegetable were fresh and remained slightly crunchy which enhanced the flavor.

The decoration of Bo-Thai is beautiful with elegant colors on the wall and flowers scattered around. I particularly appreciated that they give real napkins, not paper, which always goes down well with me.

I cannot find anything significant to fault Bo-Thai on so it gets 5 stars out of 5.

Akropolis Cafe - Ballantyne, Charlotte, NC

This small greek restaurant is located in Ballantyne, tucked away in a business park. Though quaint, it has an extensive menu of greek favorites including kid friendly options.

I ordered the souvlaki chicken pita with french fries. This pita comes with lettice, tomato, tzadziki sauce and onion as standard ( I had mine without onions). My husband ordered the souvlaki chicken platter that came with french fries, a greek salad and a small order of tzadziki with pita chips on the side.

The service was standard with the food arriving within about 10 minutes. Our water was served in take out cups which annoyed me some as we were eating in but the waitress made sure to refill them frequently so it was ok.

My pita was certainly full with a great flavor on the chicken, if a little salty. The lettice was a little sparse but on the whole not bad. The french fries were hot, straight from the fryer which I liked but lacked the crunchiness of perfectly cooked ones. I think they could have done with a few more seconds in the fryer.

My husband's platter was pleasing to the eye, though his fries were in the same condition as mine. The dressing came already poured on the salad which was a bit of a shame as there was way too much and he mentioned it was quite salty.

Overall, the Akropolis Cafe is not a bad restaurant but if it is this kind of food you are craving, there are better alternatives.

I give this restaurant 3 out of 5 stars.

Mariachis Mexican Restaurant - Lancaster, SC

Mariachis in one of a handful of Mexican restaurants in Lancaster, SC but is by far the biggest located right on the bypass. Entering Mariachis we were greeted by a hostess who escorted us to our table on the large patio that sits at the front of the restaurant while she spoke into a hand held radio to the other staff. As soon as we had taken our seats we had chips, salsa and some fresh cut slaw dish to nibble on. We asked for a pitcher of margaritas which was a good size and not overly sweet.

I ordered the combination plate of an enchilada and a burrito from their extensive menu. The food was a little late in arriving but it was getting near to closing time so perhaps the kitchen had to make it from scratch. It certainly tasted so. All of my food was piping hot with tortillas that we not overcooked which often happens when they are left under a hot lamp for an extended period.

One thing that let this place down was that we ordered some waters which never arrived. Normally I can excuse this but because all of the waiters have these radios and ear pieces I assumed that they would be more efficient delivering our order.

I give Mariachis 4 out of 5 stars.

The Glass Onion - Charleston, SC

This post is for a restaurant further afield than the usual but I thought would still be worthy of a review. The Glass Onion is located in the West Ashley area of Charleston and although is not one of the more glamorous looking buildings, is certainly worth a try. The set is up is casual with the menu written on the wall and a staff member waiting to take your order at the counter. The menu is varied and exciting with starters such as local beet salad with pecans and blue cheese or turnip soup. I opted for the lamb, stewed in a light tomato sauce served over pasta. It was absolutely delicious, the lamb just falling apart and the pasta dense enough to absorb the rich sauce. Other people I went with had the shrimp and grits, which I sampled and concluded that they were divine as well as a deep fried quail which was great.
This restaurant has a fun feel with a casual atmosphere but with great quality food. Almost forgot, the bread and butter pudding is to die for!
5 Stars out of 5