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charlotte’s best bites: kayla’s picks

Kayla, the foodie behind local Charlotte food Instagram account The Food Savant, takes us on her best of Charlotte restaurant tour with stops for ramen, grilled cheese, mac n cheese, seafood and barbecue in this month’s Charlotte’s Best Bites.

futo buta

Are you a Charlottean interested in sharing your favorite Charlotte restaurants with my audience? I’d love for you to write a Charlotte’s Best Bites guest post! If you’re interested, please email me at offtheeatenpathclt@gmail.com.

Greetings!

I am Kayla Jackson. I am originally from Long Island, New York, but, have lived in North Carolina full-time since 2011.

I moved from Greensboro, to Charlotte in 2014 after graduating college, and have made it my business to eat my way through the city.

I’ve grown to love Charlotte, as it is very similar to suburban New York give or take the distance to get around.

There are so many different places to eat which is one of my favorite things about Charlotte, the other being that I feel it’s a place you can really flourish as a twenty-something year old.

Best for Noods: Futo Buta

charlotte's best bites futo buta

Who doesn’t love noods? (Pun intended.)

I have a serious obsession with the Shoyu Bowl from Futo Buta. The Shoyu bowl is a flavorful combination of chicken and dashi broth, pork belly (which I often sub for poached chicken), a delicious gooey egg, bamboo, wakame, leek and scallion.

The best part has got to be the broth. I am a lover a broth, and will take lift the bowl, cereal-milk style…in public, with no regrets.

The vibe at Futo Buta is extremely casual and their patio makes for a great spring-time lunch spot.

If you’re really feeling sassy, add some sweet yellow corn to your Shoyu bowl, the sweet crispness really does something.

Best Food Truck: Papi Queso

If you’ve ever been to Food Truck Fridays at Sycamore Brewing when Papi Queso was present, you probably recall a short, angry woman complaining about the line, and the wait for deliciousness.

Guilty!

It was me!

At no fault to Papi Queso (besides undeniable deliciousness), there is always a wait for the delicious PIG MAC.

I’m not sure who’s idea it was to place, pulled pork, grilled onions and macaroni and cheese on a buttery grilled cheese, but they are my HERO!

They have a variety of other delicious sandwiches that I have devoured but The Pig Mac is my favorite.

It’s Something in The Sauce: C-Port Platter from Seafood Connection

charlottes best bites seafood connection 

I know the title says “seafood,” but butter is definitely one of my guilty pleasures!

If you consider butter one of your dietary needs that you have got to try Seafood Connection. Their slogan says “It’s something in the sauce,” and their right there is something—deliciousness!

If you’ve ever been to Seafood Connection you’ve probably encountered their lengthy wait, but in the end, it’s well worth it! They pile the seafood high, and drown it in a buttery, garlic-y, finger licking good, sauce.

Yes, the seafood is fresh and to die for, but my favorite part is after you devour all of the seafood, and you get to the bottom of the dish, where the excess butter and boiled potatoes lie. THE BEST!

Macaroni You’ll Fall in Love With: Cuzzo’s Cuisine 

Macaroni is an American staple.

Everyone loves the gooey side dish, but I don’t think people really understand the capacity of love they’ll feel for macaroni, until they’ve had the Lobster Mac from Cuzzo’s Cuisine.

First and foremost, macaroni and cheese has to have certain qualities to qualify as the best. The cheesiness and seasoning of the overall dish are at the top of the list. (Yes, Macaroni and Cheese needs seasonings!)

Cuzzo’s Mac and Cheese definitely is seasoned to perfection, loaded with cheese and an even distribution of lobster pieces. It’s truly mouthwatering!

Best Barbecue: Midwood Smokehouse

midwood smokehouse

I may be biased in terms of BBQ because I’ll admit, I am not a natural-born southerner.

BBQ for me has to have a balance of specific random qualities that my taste buds crave.

For example, I love Pulled Pork, and I love barbecue sauce, but I prefer sweet and savory sauces over the vinegary kind.

My collard greens can have vinegary notes, but NOT my barbecue sauce.

And I’m sure at this point you guys understand my mac and cheese preferences.

The mac and cheese and collard greens at Midwood Smokehouse give me a “home-cooked meal” vibe.  The pulled pork is well seasoned and juicy! You’ve got to try it!

Kayla Jackson is an English teacher by day and a foodie by night. She’s truly a lover of all food, and craft beer. Kayla spends much of her time dragging her fiancé around to try new foods. It’s a date night favorite for her. To document her food experiences, wherever they may take her, she runs the Instagram, account, @thefoodsavant.

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