Weekend in Charlotte

Captain Morgan


BBuster,  if you have more pics like these,

GET TO WORK! 

Aye, aye Captain!!!

Cliff, that BBQ sandwich at Bridges looks like a real winner. I've been meaning to get over there for years, but after seeing your photos, a visit to Bridges just took a big leap priority-wise. Great trip report.  

The next stop was at Daniel Stowe Botanical Gardens.

I read good things about this place in my guide book and it turned out to be a really nice stop.  Certainly, late March isn't the best time to see everything in full bloom, but there was still lots of things to look at.  I like the photo of this little girl,

who is is really excited to see what's ahead.  The prettiest part was inside the orchid conservatory.


 
They had several topiary sculptures, like the small dinosaur

and the dog,

who apparently has mange.
 
But my favorite part of DSBG was an innocent looking little pathway.  There are two little ponds, with water spouts pointing at the pathway that divides them.  At random times, they start shooting water.  You have to decide to walk through it or walk around it.  I walked through it and didn't get wet.  But the two women and their kids right behind me

didn't get as lucky.  Actually, the kids enjoyed it so much, they ran back through the water.  While walking around the gardens, I saw several people get soaked.
 
I spent a couple of hours here and enjoyed it thoroughly.
 
http://www.dsbg.org/%3C/a...ont%3E%3C/a%3E%3C/a%3E
 
Next, I spent about an hour exploring the Mint Museum of Art.

Unfortunately, it has been so long since my visit, I can't remember too many of the details.  While I was driving around, I also went to see the original location of that old Roadfood classic place, Coffee Cup. 

Somehow, I managed to never eat here, which is a disappointment.  As far as I know, the second location is also closed now.
 
After all of this, I was finally ready for one more meal before I left town.....

BB,

While I like Bridge's (like you I dig the "frozen in time" feel and the very friendly staff) I have never really found the food to be near the level of Lexington #1. Since a meal at Bridge's is stylistically a carbon copy of a meal at Lexington #1 I always find myself somewhat disappointed.

More great photos, the orchid conservatory looks gorgeous, I would love to visit there.

i recently moved to oklahoma from the shelby area and love this thread featuring shelby and gastonia. add the shelby cafe and the clock to your to-visit list.

on the difference between braunschweiger and livermush, i love braunschweiger and am indifferent about liver mush. braunschweiger has a silky texture with a slightly sweet note and rich mouth feel. livermush has a much stronger liver taste with a grainy texture from the cornmeal. think the texture of an unsweetened southern-style cornbread that the liver and other ground pig bits hold together. you know if it was just the bits and pieces (minus the liver) ground up and mixed with the cornmeal i'd probably love it. go sweet or savory with it by choosing your condiment: grape jelly or yellow mustard.

BB: there is a new location of Coffee Cup somewhat north of town

http://www.wsoctv.com/news/18986155/detail.html

appy, that's a nice summary.  You gotta love something that'll stand up to both grape jelly and mustard.  :)

Howard Baratz


BB,

While I like Bridge's (like you I dig the "frozen in time" feel and the very friendly staff) I have never really found the food to be near the level of Lexington #1. Since a meal at Bridge's is stylistically a carbon copy of a meal at Lexington #1 I always find myself somewhat disappointed.

I wholeheartedly agree about the comparison between Bridge's Barbecue Lodge and Lexington #1.  As much as I like BBR (I give it about a 7 1/2), Lexington #1 might be my all-time favorite bbq joint.  Still, as someone who lives in a bbq deprived area, I will take good 'que anytime I can get it! 

appycamper


i recently moved to oklahoma from the shelby area and love this thread featuring shelby and gastonia. add the shelby cafe and the clock to your to-visit list.

Please tell us more about the Shelby Cafe! 
 
TJ-
I do remember the Coffee Cup reopening, but I thought I read that it has closed again.  If I had known it was open, at any location, I would have definitely stopped in.

As always, a report well worth reading. See you later this month.

buffetbuster


I do remember the Coffee Cup reopening, but I thought I read that it has closed again.  If I had known it was open, at any location, I would have definitely stopped in.

I got "Traveling Manned" last December at the first re-opened Coffee Cup but, according to the article, this is a re-re-opening. If it is near as good as the original it is definitely worth a stop.   

shelby cafe is on south lafayette southwest of the town square. they serve a good breakfast (including livermush) and if i recall correctly will serve it all day for a $1 premium after breakfast hours. good burgers and fries and sandwich offerings. the club is great and they may still do the burger club.

they rotate a pick-a-meat plus veggies special daily (usually like 5 meats daily): roast turkey, stew, country steak and the like with good sides of mac and cheese, dressing, rice, mashed potatoes, fried okra, the stewed squash mentioned earlier in this thread, potato salad, sliced tomatoes, peas*, greenbeans, pinto beans, greens. with cornbread (southern unsweetened) or a roll.  

*in the south we'll differentiate between peas. they come in english or green and field peas. for field peas think black-eyed peas but a bit less earthy in flavor.

they do their own baked goods. and everything is good. check out the chocolate cake with a tall glass of cold milk.

in shelby, add alston bridges bbq to the list as well. 620 east grover. i don't know what if any connection to bridges bbq there might be. the "q" is equally as good. i actually liked it a bit better because their chop was a little coarser. and if you like a bit of bark added order it "brown."

Last stop in town was Chicken Box Cafe,

a soul food restaurant in an African-American neighborhood.  The shape of the building

made me think it used to be a fast food joint.  Even though we were past the usual lunch time rush, they were still very crowded.  You place your order at the counter, have a seat in the waiting area, until they call you to let you know the food is ready.  Honestly, the scene is chaotic and disorganized and it seemed to me that the food took a really long time. 
 
With a name like Chicken Box, of course I had to get the fried chicken. 

Unfortunately, I didn't care for it.  The skin was so brittle,

it just fell away when touched.  And the meat was rather dry to my taste.  The sides of fried okra

and macaroni and cheese

(which was nice and creamy) were better, but still nothing special.  I also ordered a dessert of the banana pudding, which they forgot and I had to go back up with my receipt to get.  Does this look like homemade banana pudding to you? 

Me neither.  I only ate a couple of bites and threw the rest out.
 
From here, I drove to the Charlotte airport for my flight home.

Only the M&C looks appetizing...that looks like a sad meal...too bad.