Igloo Food Fight - The Plaid Penguin vs. Papi Queso Food Truck

I'm ONLY almost 30 but I have an old soul. I'm tired by 9pm every night. Binge watching Netflix with Mark and Watson is more exciting than going out. I already talk about what technologies (or lack there of) "youths" will never experience. I don't understand most social media platforms except for Facebook. I haven't made much of an effort to engage in the Twitter, Tumblr and Vine communities.

Over the past several weeks I have become more of an avid Instagram user though. Since we are new to the Charlotte area I have found it to be a useful tool in learning about local businesses and events. I search for posts with hashtags such as #clt, #queencity, #qc, etc and browse through different photos and profiles.

Recently I discovered The Plaid Penguin, a consultant group for the food and drink industry. They posted a contest to submit a photo of your interpretation of penguins and sandwiches. Winners of the challenge would serve as a sandwich judge between The Plaid Penguin staff and the Papi Queso Food Truck. I searched for the #igloofoodfight hashtag and only a few people had entered. Many of entrees were photos from Google searches or paintings/drawings, so I was inspired to submit my entree using food. I made my penguin using manchego cheese, an olive and pieces of a carrot.

Since I am still job searching I have to make more of an effort to fill up my schedule during the week. I saw this as a great opportunity to meet people and network while eating free food. Fortunately for me my photo was selected (YAY!) and I served as a judge.

For the competition we judged two Cubano sandwiches. If you are not familiar with a Cubano it is a grilled sandwich with ham, pork, cheese, mustard, and pickles. The movie "Chef" has a good representation of how it is made. We were given a scorecard and Sandwich A and Sandwich B. We did not know which team made each sandwich to remain impartial. Bribery was on the table though.

(A bribe)

Sandwich A was served in a cigar box and wrapped in parchment to keep the sandwich together. The bread was PERFECT and there was a good balance of the ingredients. The sandwich was served with rice and beans and thick cut fries.

Sandwich B was also served in a cigar box and with a flag (nice touch). The sandwich was a bit heavy on the pickles and was messy to eat. Herbed potato chips were served on the side.

Both sandwiches were great and the decision was very hard. If the sandwiches were part of a menu, I would order them, rave about them and recommend them to everyone I know. There had to be a winner though. I voted for Sandwich A which was the overall winner of the competition. Sandwich A was created by the Papi Queso Food Truck.

The event was a great time and I am glad I was able to participate. This was one of many Igloo Food Fights to come so follow The Plaid Penguin on Instagram to learn more!

-Michelle

Rooster's Southpark - Vive la Charlotte

The idea of moving is exciting to me. It is an opportunity to explore a new city with fresh faces and different things to do. Everything is new (and shiny). The act of actually moving is less than thrilling though. You have to pack and unpack, update your address for every bill, online store, subscription, etc., and learn your way around a new poorly mapped city.

For several months Mark and I discussed moving in 2015. We wanted to move to a city that was more culturally and ethnically diverse with a growing population, that was WARMER, and was within a reasonable travel distance to our families. Mark had been job searching nationally but we were unsure of where we were more likely to relocate. In December of last year Mark accepted a new job hundreds of miles from Pittsburgh. We sold our house and packed up our 10ft U-Haul truck rental, which was too small by the way, and moved our lives to Charlotte.

I believe it's important to note that I had been very skeptical about the food scene in our new city. Pittsburgh has a diverse and eclectic array of dining options and new restaurants were opening every month. We had our favorite restaurants for specific cuisines, occasions, and moods. Charlotte is a city of transplants and I have been trying to determine what is authentic to the city and what it is known for. Soul food? Barbecue? My new esthetician, who was an army brat as well, recommended Rooster's as an introduction to Charlotte cuisine.

Rooster's Southpark is one of the four restaurants owned by Jim Noble. There is a seasonal menu with ingredients from local farms and sources. Farm to table is popular in Charlotte as there are several farms in the surrounding area. From reviews, the menu is described as southern food with a European influence.We were able to make a same day reservation using OpenTable.

The dining area is large with an open kitchen. There is stool seating around the kitchen and bar areas and high top tables for walk-ins. The restaurant is decorated with an array of roosters on the walls; a taxidermist's heaven. We were immediately seated upon our arrival and promptly greeted by our waiter Sean. He was extremely attentive and personable but he didn't hoover like he was trying to turn over the table. He was very knowledgeable about the food and offered us two tastings of local beers they had on tap.

We started our dinner with the fried oysters per the recommendation of our waiter. The oysters were lightly breaded, tender and not greasy. They were served with a freshly made cocktail sauce. Mark isn't normally a fan of oysters but we both enjoyed the appetizer. The oysters weren't too heavy but left us satisfied until our dinner arrived. For drinks, we ordered Old Fashions to start and then beer with our entrees.

 Mark had the smoked chicken wings as his entree. The wings were smokey (obviously) and crispy and the meat fell off the bone. I had the duck breast which is one of my favorite dishes. The cut was perfect with good meat to fat ratio. The seasoning was very basic which accentuated the natural duck flavor.

The sides are sold separately and are intended to be shared by the table. We ordered the mac and cheese and the butter wilted spinach. The spinach was from Rooster's garden but I thought it was a poor substitute for collard greens. I grew up eating Southern food and collard greens was a staple in my house. The mac and cheese was served very hot and was creamy and savory. Probably the best restaurant mac and cheese I've ever had. EVER.

 For dessert we had a peanut butter cheesecake which wasn't worth having again (or discussing in much detail). The cheesecake had a metallic flavor and was too stiff.

Rooster's is a dining experience rather than just a restaurant to get food. The food is well priced for the quality and how it is prepared. We thoroughly enjoyed our meal though next time we will go with the waiter's recommendation for dessert.

-Michelle

Did You Miss Us?

And we're BACK after a short hiatus. It's been an overwhelming few months so we do hope that you excuse us for our absence. We got married, we ate our way through Spain, Mark accepted a new job, we sold our house, and we moved to Charlotte (wipe your brow)! Now that we are settled in our new city, we are excited to explore the food scene and share our thoughts with those who are willing to read our nonsense. We are expanding our reviews to include our own cooking failures and successes and the over abundance of breweries in Charlotte and the surrounding area. We've already planned a trip to Asheville, so be on the lookout for a post about Beer City.

-Michelle