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| - I flew out to visit my family for the holidays and as soon as I saw the offerings of this delightful little restaurant I knew I had to visit. The way that the menu was structured reminded me very much of my home base in the Bay Area and lo and behold, the owners worked in San Francisco for a time.
I was eager to see how they were showcasing local traditions and seasonal ingredients and I was not disappointed.
Our party ordered the following:
House cured ham and gruyere sandwich with arugula, pickled onion and mustard.
NC shrimp roll with meyer lemon and tarragon
Buttermilk fried chicken salad with heirloom carrot, bacon, cucumber radish
Kale and green curry spiced cashew salad with cilantro buttermilk dressing. (as a side)
Frites with aioli (side)
Everything was absolutely delicious. I had the house cured ham sandwich and kale salad side. The ham was shaved at a medium thickness, a bit sweet, not too salty, super flavorful and warmed through before it was added to the sandwich. It was a decadent sandwich but the pickled onion and arugula brightened everything up and serving size was such that it was just enough. They also bake their own breads and the baguette was wonderful.
With it's light dressing and crunchy, slightly spiced cashews, the kale salad was the perfect accompaniment to the ham, as well as my mom's shrimp roll.
While I didn't get to try it, and unfortunately didn't get a picture, the fried chicken salad looked amazing as well and my Uncle was quite happy with it.
I did take advantage of the bartenders choice cocktail, however, which is always a lot of fun. It's like a choose your adventure game for grown ups. I asked for a spirit forward, gin based drink and received a light, refreshing lime-scented concoction that was perfect for lunchtime.
My uncle tried the Pen and Paper, a rum cocktail with a frothy layer on top that was flawless.
Service was knowledgeable, friendly and prompt without being rushed and the ambiance of both the restaurant and the surrounding area of Davidson is absolutely charming. Plenty of parking in the lot right behind, as well.
Kindred really strikes a lovely balance of casual and refined and I'm quite sure if I lived in the area I would be stopping in regularly. Next time I'm out for a visit, I'm definitely going back for dinner. Two thumbs up!
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