Facci

A few weekends ago, in between two weeks of work in DC, I spent the weekend at my parents’ house in Maryland and spent Saturday night out with my girlfriends and my best friend’s husband.  My best friend Alison is a hair stylist and had recently received a recommendation for a relatively new restaurant in Laurel, Maryland called Facci.  She knew that it had pizza and wine so we knew it would be a good choice!

When I arrived around 6:30, the rest of the group was running late.  It was okay, however, as there was about a half hour wait.  It’s important to note that Facci does not take reservations since they have so many walk ins.  The wait wasn’t bad and if my friends had been there, we may have hung out in the bar area and started on some wine.

I enjoyed the view, though, of the restaurant from the small waiting area.

My friend Carolyn was the first to arrive, moments after I was seated, so we decided to get drinks while we waited for Alison and her husband Chris.  I ordered a glass of Chardonnay and she had a Birra Morette (an Italian beer).

Our waitress, Rose, let us know that they had happy hour specials until 7pm and if we ordered before then, appetizers were half off!  First, we were way impressed that there were happy hour specials even on the weekend (they have them 7 days a week)! Second, we really appreciated the notice, with only 10 minutes till 7pm.  We quickly perused the menu and found two items we thought we would like.

Shortly after we ordered the apps, Alison and Chris arrived Alison ordered a Margarita on the rocks and Chris ordered a Sam Adams.

While we waited for the appetizers, a basket of warm crusty bread and a plate of olive oil was brought out.  Yum!

Then came the appetizers   First out was the Stuffed Eggplant.  It was stuffed with spinach, topped with marinara sauce, and a blend of three cheeses.  I can never remember if I like eggplant and I was pleased to find that I do.  This was flavorful.

Our second appetizer was the Panzarotti. It was potato croquettes stuffed with salamino, parmigiano, and fontina cheese. So yum!

You can find the menu online so I didn’t include it here.  However, I liked that they noted what body type of wines would go well with the different dishes.  These little glass symbols were found next to the the menu items and then the wines were divided accordingly on their menu.

On to the entrees!  I originally planned on pizza (it was to be a pizza and wine night!) but debated having pasta as I love italian food! However, once I really looked at the options, the pizzas looked amazing.  I went with the Bianca Neve.  It was a white pizza with ricotta, fresh mozzarella, fresh tomatoes, arugula, prosciutto, and shaved Parmigiano.  So good!  The pizza was a good size for sharing so since the Husband wasn’t with me, I had leftovers to take home

Alison ordered the Rizzo Flatbread. It included a lombardo marsala wine sauce, fresh mozarella, carmelized onions, mignon tips, and gorgonzola cheese.  She really enjoyed this dish.

Carolyn ordered the Salsiccia e Rapini.  It was a white pizza with fresh mozarella, parmigiano, italian sausage, broccoli rabe, and smoked mozarella. And then Chris decided to be different than us girls and went with pasta.  He ordered the lasagna.

Overall, we were impressed and glad Alison had received the recommendation to check out Facci.  The food was good, the prices were reasonable, and the service was friendly, personable, and timely.  Although I won’t be around to check out this restaurant again any time soon, I imagine my friends will!

Facci

7530 Montpelier Road (near Rt 29 and Johns Hopkins Rd)

Laurel, MD 20723

301.604.5555

Sonoma Modern American

Last week was Charlotte’s 2010 Queen’s Feast (or what they call their Restaurant Week).  It was originally scheduled from Friday, January 22th to Sunday, January 31st which seemed to be a great amount of time until a winter “storm” hit the Charlotte area and shut down the city during its final weekend.  While the Husband and I had reservations for Sonoma Modern American for Sunday the 31st, we were concerned about dealing with inexperienced drivers in this city.  Luckily, Sonoma (along with many other Queen’s Feast restaurants) extended their deals into this week.  Using OpenTable.com, the Husband and I easily changed our reservation for Monday night.

Upon arriving, we laughed at the fact we had a reservation as we were the only ones in the restaurant at 6:30 (Monday nights are traditionally slow nights at restaurants).  It was nice enjoying the generally empty restaurant at first as I took pictures from our table.  Unfortunately most of them didn’t turn out! Around 6:45 or 7, a handful of other tables arrived giving the restaurant a bit more energy.

We spent a good amount of time exploring the menu.  As the Husband mentioned in a previous post, Queen’s Feast has local restaurants provide (generally) a 3-course meal for $30.  Some menus have limited items, but Sonoma offered their entire menu.  Included in the meal would be a Conversation item (appetizer), an entree, a side dish, and a dessert.  So much to choose from!

Something fun about their menu – they actually offer 3 for $30 more often than Queen’s Feast.  Being close to the theatre (they’re at Trade and Tryon Streets in Uptown), you can have a similar meal.  On that menu, they have smiley faces next to each item eligible for this deal.

To start, we both decided we’d like a glass of wine.  The Husband ordered a pinot noir, but unfortunately they were out Our waiter brought him a Merlot to try and he enjoyed it and kept it.  (Unfortunately we don’t remember the name.)

I ordered a glass of the Santa Ema Chardonnay.  It went quite well with my meal

After we ordered, we received a complimentary basket of bread.  The Husband dug right in as he had had a small lunch.  I enjoyed a piece as well.  The bread was crusty on the outside and warm and soft in the middle.

For our courses, I insisted that we order all different items to ensure we’d each get to try 8 items instead of 4.  Boy am I glad I did! (The Husband and I have an uncanny similar taste and often end up ordering the same thing so planning in advance here was important!)

To start, I ordered the Escargot with Chorizo, Mushrooms, Butternut Squash Puree & White Truffle Oil. What a great way to kick things off! All of the ingredients went so well together and nothing was masked by another.  I’ve had escargot a handful of times in the past and they’re usually coated in butter.  Not that I dislike butter, but this was so much better!

The Husband ordered the Kobe Beef Sliders with Gruyere, Bacon, & Pommes Frites. The beef was flavorful and fries crispy and salty.  The buns were a bit stiffer than we would have liked (potato rolls would have been awesome!), but not a bad start on his side of the table.

For my entree, I went with the Grilled Atlantic Salmon, Citrus Peppercorn Sauce, Fennel & Orange Salad. I liked the citrus and peppery combination with the salmon along with the crunch of the fennel and orange salad.

As my side, I ordered the Creamy Herbed Risotto. Yum! This was SO very good.

The Husband had the Pan Seared Sea Scallops, Olive Oil Béarnaise & Tega Hill Micro Greens.  The bernaise was unlike anything I’ve had before and I liked it.

We heart scallops…

And of course, mac and cheese! This was the Husband’s side and we made the declaration that we believe this is the best mac and cheese we’ve had in a restaurant in a long time (if ever)! The cheese was flavorful, but not overpowering.  The cheese to pasta ratio = perfect.  And then the bit of baked crispiness on top – wow!

Last but not least, the dessert course.  I ordered the Pear Tart with Vanilla ice cream.  I was excited at the idea of trying a pear tart, but it was just okay.  Perhaps my taste buds were pushed to a higher standard with the earlier courses.  It might also be that I’m a savory versus a sweet person so the earlier courses provided more pleasure

The Husband ordered the Pecan Pie with Vanilla Ice Cream.  He loved it!

I have wanted to check out Sonoma Modern American ever since our friend Kath recommended it nearly two years ago! I am so glad that we finally made it there before our big move.  Perhaps we’ll be able to sneak in one more visit for their mac and cheese before we head west?!?!

Oh, can’t forget to mention – we were quite impressed with the staff.  They were all so friendly, gave us the appropriate amount of space (didn’t come to our table too often but were always available when needed), and made our dining experience quite enjoyable.  Our waiter Allen was great!

Sonoma Modern American

100 N. Tryon Street

Charlotte, NC 28202

Big Daddy’s Burger – Dilworth

A few weeks ago, I was craving a burger and the Husband and I had plans to go out to dinner with some of his coworkers that were visiting from out of town.  They ended up bailing on us, but some friends quickly filled their spots! I had heard lots of good things about Big Daddy’s Burger Bar and immediately chose them as where I would get my burger fix.  They have two locations, one in Dilworth on East Blvd and one in Ballantyne.  We didn’t coordinate ahead of time, but luckily we all showed up at the same one!

We were surprised and impressed that there was a wait on a Tuesday night.  We hung out outside for a short bit until our table was ready and enjoyed the energy inside.

While perusing the menu, I enjoyed the simplicity of the place settings.

The menu was amazing – it took me forever to decide.  I ended up choosing the White Hut which was two 100% grass fed hormone-free beef patties (Underwood Farms, which I love, was listed for at least one of the burgers), carmelized onions, American cheese, cheddar cheese, and a steamed bun.  This burger melted in my mouth! It hit the spot perfectly.  I really do believe that 100% grass fed beef is better than any other type of beef and there’s a distinct taste difference – if you haven’t tried it, you must!

With the burger, we got a choice of french fries, sweet potato fries, house slaw, onion straws, tater tots, housemade potato chips, or macaroni and cheese.  (The mac n cheese is special right now and not on the menu – if it hadn’t been there, I would have gone with the tater tots!).  The mac n cheese was not one of my favorites.  Too much cheese in relation to the pasta.  It didn’t stop me from finishing the plate though! (Warning – it’s a large side! Definitely shareable!)

The Husband ordered the Blue Cheese, Bacon, and Tomato Stack which was two beef patties (he actually asked for one beef patty and one portabella mushroom), blue cheese spread, tomatoes, and bacon.  He ordered the housemade chips with pimento cheese dip (we really have fallen in love with pimento cheese – thank you the South!).

All put together… look how tall it is!

I had to take a picture of the Husband attempting it

He really enjoyed this burger, but wishes he hadn’t gone with the beef/mushroom swap.  His recommendation – if you order this, go with both beef patties!

I’m not totally sure why, but we decided to go with dessert and I’m glad we did!  The Husband ordered a Cookies & Cream Milkshake.

I decided to try the Banana Pudding.  I think I’ve only had banana pudding once or twice before and never in a restaurant.  This stuff was amazing! It was made with real bananas (I’ve imagined banana pudding as mostly smooth, like chocolate pudding).  I was very impressed and took half home to enjoy the next day.  Yum!

I can’t believe we waited this long to check out Big Daddy’s Burger Bar! If you’re vegetarian or don’t eat red meat, don’t think you need to steer clear.  They have lots of options for all eating types and we recommend you check them out.

Big Daddy’s Burger Bar

1626 East Blvd

Charlotte, NC 28203

Early January views on the Strip

Las Vegas has a bad rap for being a place for only gambling.  For those of you who have avoided it because of this, you’re missing out on so much! Aside from the great food and shows, the Husband and I love simply walking up and down the strip and exploring the hotels.  This post is a simple one… some of my favorite pictures from my most recent visit… hope you enjoy!

A view of Monte Carlo from the Strip

New York New York from the Monte Carlo

The Strip from the 50-something floor of Aria

Excalibur

The Luxor from the tram station

New York New York

Construction on the seasonal Bellagio indoor gardens

Bellagio’s beautiful glass ceiling

Paris (as seen from the Bellagio)

Planet Hollywood from the Bellagio

Bellagio Fountain Show

Smaller fountain at the Bellagio

Caesar’s ceiling

And the Bellagio itself

With that, we leave you with an announcement… the Husband and I are moving to Las Vegas! While we don’t talk much about our personal and professional lives on this blog, you’d figure it out anyway when all of our posts were about Las Vegas and not Charlotte We’ll be transferring for work and expect to arrive in May! We are looking forward to this new adventure and look forward to bringing you along with us!

Titanic at the Luxor

During both of my last visits to Las Vegas, I didn’t make time to go to any shows unfortunately.  One night, however, a small group of us randomly decided to see Titanic: The Artifact Exhibition.  It was about $30 per person which normally I’d consider to be high for essentially a short museum visit, but (1) I love the Titanic story and (2) it’s Vegas so it’s what I expect for prices.

The tour was very well put together.  There were lots of artifacts from the Titanic wreckage and they displayed what it was like on the many areas of the ship.  I think it was very well put together and I am glad I took the time to see it.  One of the most impressive portions, which they pride themselves in, is a very large portion of the ship itself which was salvaged a handful of years ago.

The other cute item is that when you first enter, they give you a card with a passenger’s name and information on it which symbolized the passenger’s boarding pass.  Upon reaching the end, you would find out if your passenger made it safely to the United States.  Unfortunately, mine had been lost at sea while my colleagues’ passengers had all lived.  Oh well…