First (Well...Second) Visit: Gusto!

The school year was winding down and one day we just needed to go out for a tapas and wine wind-down after work. Since I get off at 3:30, and my friend, a teacher, gets off at 4, it's a good time of day to hit a restaurant that will most likely be crowded a little later. We chose Gusto! in Ballantyne.

Bruschetta Barcelona-kale pesto, goat cheese, garbanzos, and tomatoes

My friend is not a fan of goat cheese, but she's willing to give things a try. I didn't push her. She kind of pushed it herself. I love all things goat cheese and she was willing to try it again, thinking she may not have had good applications. This was an excellent appetizer, and she definitely came over to the goat side. 

Let me say here that the most memorable part of this experience at Gusto! was NOT the food. It was the service. Actually no...not the service...which was excellent. It was the server himself. He brought the food, suggested the wine, gave us good ideas on the apps. All that was good. BUT HE WAS ANNOYING. He was a pure salesman. And it was not about what we were ordering. It was about what we were NOT ordering. Namely, the pasta. 

Gusto! prides itself on their house-made pasta. Every noodle, every sheet, rolled out by hand. The dough made from the finest semolina flour. "Have you tried it?" he asked. "Yes, I have," I said. "But today we are here for light appetizers and drinks. Thank you." 

He was relentless. 

Seared tuna crusted with sesame seeds. I am just now realizing the menu says there is avocado. Maybe they were out that day? No matter, because this was absolutely ravishing. It was all I could do stop myself from pulling the entire plate of tuna to my side of the table!

This was my second visit. I visited Gusto! one Saturday morning with another friend and we had an early lunch. My companion that day had a pasta dish. I don't remember what I had. We tasted each other's. Yes, the house made pasta is good. So is Oggi's. And so, for that matter, is mine. 

Stuffed zucchini with roasted veggies and orange almond sauce

We ordered our apps all at the same time, but they came in a succession. Which was fine. He paced them rather well. We were not quite done with the first when the tuna arrived, and then the third arrived as we were savoring the tuna. I thought it was cool, how he did that. I thought, "This is nice. Sort of a progression." But the problem is that, each time he came back to the table he would try again to get us to order a pasta entree. More rhapsodizing about their pasta. 

I was getting more and more dismissive. My friend was backing me up, but not quite as vocal. When he said, "Have you had homemade pasta before?" I said, "Yes." She said, "She makes it." He said, "Oh, but the semolina flour..." I cut him off and told him "I KNOW". 

As we wound down our visit, my friend looked at me and said, "Would you come back here again?" And I honestly can say I don't know. The food was delicious. Fresh and light. The wine was good, the time of day was wonderful for a sit-down after work. 

Maybe I should drink a glass before I go. Then maybe the hard-sales waiter might not bother me so much. 

First Visit: Sabor Latin Street Grill

We need to go back to Sabor. This food was good, but I think I made a mistake with my choice. I should have just had tacos. Instead I ordered Dominican Nachos and, while it tasted good, it really turned out to not be what I wanted. 

Sabor Latin Street Grill in the Elizabeth neighborhood, is very close to the Grady Cole Center, where we see the Charlotte Roller Girls. We love to eat in Elizabeth or Plaza Midwood after the bout. It also turns out that Saturday night around 7 or so, parking around Sabor kind of opens up a bit, and there are no long lines at the counter. There was a steady stream of customers, but they were not slammed.

We liked how approachable the staff are. They were patient with the people in front of us, who asked several questions about the menu. Even the bus people were friendly and eager and to help us be comfortable. 

Bob had an empanada and a ground beef taco. The empanada was huge, so he felt like he had plenty to eat. 

I had the Dominican Nachos. The nachos were well seasoned and there was a LOT. It didn't help that the nachos were made on yucca fries, rather than chips. The fries were large wedges. There was a ton of wonderfully seasoned chicken layered next, and then all the toppings...cabbage, onions, salsa, cotija cheese and rosada sauce. It was all very flavorful. Just too much food. And I think the yucca wedges added a sorty of mealy texture that I didn't really love. I think if I made something like myself, I'd make yucca chips, crisply fried, and serve them on the side. 

I think we'll try it again.