food

Excited about Eating by Ernie Hiers

/ Dora Hiers / 4 Comments

This edition of Excited about Eating takes us to Island Hub Restaurant & Lounge located in Charlotte on Monroe Road a couple blocks from Independence Blvd and Wendover Road.

Excited about Eating by Ernie Hiers

Island Hub Restaurant & Lounge Don’t let the exterior deceive you!

This Caribbean restaurant specializes in Haitian Cuisine including jerks, curries, and other island dishes.

Dora here. Don’t let the rather plain outside deter you from giving Island Hub a try. The interior was nice and clean. But empty!?

Excited about Eating by Ernie Hiers Island Hub Restaurant

Granted, it’s new, but this place should be jammed!

Where is everybody? Granted this eatery just opened in March, but this place should be jammed! Maybe the lack of patrons has something to do with the neighborhood, which looked a bit…tired. Or it could be that Yelp indicated they open at 11:30 on Sunday, but the sign on the door showed noon. Oops. Whatever, they were accommodating and friendly by letting us in early. Thank you, Island Hub! 

After living most of my life in Florida, I have tasted a wide variety of island foods prepared many different ways, so I was optimistic going into this restaurant. For my lunch, I chose my absolute favorite, Griot, fried pork chunks marinated with a seasoning blend along with sides of cabbage and collard greens. This dish was outstanding; the pork was well seasoned, fried to perfection and served with an equally good dipping sauce. The cabbage was great, cooked al dente, with just the right amount of bite and as a twist, included thinly sliced carrots. The collard greens were full of flavor and delish. This place is a gem that’s waiting to be discovered. And we did.

Excited about Eating by Ernie Hiers

Griot, fried pork chunks with cabbage and greens. Delish!

Dora here. Somehow I knew Ernie wouldn’t share his fried pork chunks. But take a look at that serving size! Sheesh, I only managed to snag a tiny bite. 🙂 So I settled for the Curry Chicken, Mac & Cheese, and Fried Plantains. lol. Just kidding, no settling involved. With a bold, hearty flavor, the chicken curry teased my palate but didn’t burn my mouth. The Mac & Cheese was just the right texture, firm and cheesy, and soooo good. Be aware, though, that the chicken comes on the bone. Doesn’t this picture make you want some? Drooling again…

Excited about Eating by Ernie Hiers Island Hub Restaurant

Curry Chicken with Mac & Cheese and Fried Sweet Plantains. Huge portions. Bold, hearty flavors without burning my mouth. YUM!

Giant portions, great value, and friendly service. Let’s fill this place!

What’s your spice level? Chicken, on bone or off bone?

We rate this restaurant 5 forks out of 5 for a family friendly restaurant serving outstanding food.

Island Hub Menu, Reviews, Photos, Location and Info - Zomato

Excited about Eating by Ernie Hiers

/ Dora Hiers / 5 Comments

Welcome to our second edition of Excited about Eating located on our new site! Thanks for sticking with us during our “moving” phase.

This week we’re featuring Flatiron Kitchen and Taphouse in Davidson, NC.

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This neighborhood eatery, located at the fork on Main, offers a variety of salads, sandwiches, and entrees, and a daily special.

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For our starter, we chose the Taphouse Pretzel, served with white cheddar fondue and house mustard. The pretzel was outstanding,  and when dipped in the white cheddar fondue, I just don’t see how it could be any better.

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Taphouse Pretzel – Oh. My. YUM!

Dora here. I agree.  I love pretzels with the traditional mustard accompaniment, but I could’ve chowed down on five of these smothered in the white cheddar BY MYSELF. Yum!

I chose the Fish & Chips, beer-battered haddock, remoulade and malt vinegar served with fries. Unlike other fish with heavy batter, this fish was lightly battered so the taste of the fish shined through. The fish was tender and flaky, and the fries were fresh, crispy, and shoestring, my favorite. Great!

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Fish & Chips, light batter, tender & flaky. Great!

Dora here. The BBQ Blue Cheese Burger looked so pretty, I almost hesitated to dig in. But I was anxious to try the Wagyu beef, supposedly “the finest quality of beef available in the United States” and “highly prized for their rich flavor,” according to the American Wagyu Association. The burger sported a nice char, but it wasn’t packed with flavor like I expected. Overall, nothing extraordinary. A bit of a letdown considering the pretzel. 🙂

Great vibe in the restaurant, though, and such a friendly waitstaff. We’ll definitely be back to try out some of the other items calling our names from the menu. 

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BBQ Blue Cheese Burger, nothing extraordinary.

We rate this restaurant 4 forks out of 5 for a family friendly restaurant serving great food.

Are you a pretzel fan? What’s your favorite dipping sauce?

Flatiron Menu, Reviews, Photos, Location and Info - Zomato

Around the World in Food

/ Dora Hiers
Pizza in Belfast, Northern Ireland
Greek Salad in Santorini, Greece
Fish Soup in Bergen, Norway

Which of these dishes would you try? I used to be somewhat finicky in my eating choices, but since hubby and I have started traveling abroad every year, now I’m fairly open to trying most dishes. What about you? Are you adventurous or stick to the tried-and-true?