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| - Tucked off the beaten path in Ballentyne is this little gem. Would never have known about it had it not been for the Charlotte Citipass coupon...this little book has been a harbinger to many a great dining experience.
One of the few fine dining restaurants in Charlotte that attempts to step outside the boundaries of normal gastronomy. The words "safe, unambitious" will not appear as adjectives to describe any of the three dishes I consumed during my wife's birthday dinner. I began the adventure with the chefs soup Du jour, Braised Boar and Rice Soup. Fantastic starter, if a bit on the salty side. I've never been afraid of a little sodium, so I consumed every last drop.
For a main course, I again chose one of the chefs specials; Duck Breast, with a cauliflower puree, bean puree, broccoli rabe, finished with a honey gelee (read: honey jello). Now, I'm not usually one to fall all over themselves for kitchen gimmickry (i.e. honey jello squares garnishing the plate, purees of this and that, finished with an emulsion of blah blah, etc.); I prefer to let the locally grown ingredients (which this place boasts) speak for themselves. However, in this instance, I was pleasantly surprised at how all the flavors played off one another. The insanely bitter-but-delicious Broccoli rabe, paired with the sweet honey and savory fatty duck, was sublime. My only critique would be the two purees on the plate (albeit very delicious purees). Fortunately, the crunch of the lightly sauteed broccoli and crispy skin of the duck breast swooped to the rescue with just enough texture to save the dish from becoming a plate of baby food accoutrement.
For desert, I always play it safe. If a menu declares creme brulee, then creme brulee I do order. I don't know what it is about this simple, delicious vanilla custard that commands my attention. Being a purist, I prefer the vanilla bean creme brulee over other variations, but Global forced me outside of my traditional boundaries (just as they had with the two previous courses) by serving me a trio of brulees; a mocha and a chocolate brulee accompanied my vanilla go-to. And I was happy to have the experience! Chef Bernard came out at the conclusion of the meal to make sure everything was to our liking. This little touch is lost in today's culinary world, but greatly appreciated by myself and my fellow diners.
I hope this place makes it; an odd location in a seemingly abandoned business park, coupled with the menu being prohibitively expensive for many a dining budget, will make it challenging. Fortunately, I believe that Chef Bernard (executive chef) and his wife Shannon (front of the house) are up to the challenge!
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