Location: 4725 Piedmont Row Dr. Ste 170, Charlotte, NC 28210
The Good: Wine was flowing and seafood and meat were plentiful that night. I felt like a fat Roman senator stuffing my face with whatever happened to be in my immediate vicinity. I justified the pounds of food I consumed by telling myself that it was low carb (with the exception of the lobster macaroni and cheese, two types of potatoes, and all of the mixed drinks I had).
Given the fact that I ate so heavily, you would think I wouldn’t have much to complain about, and really you would be mostly correct. The food was delicious, except for one key item…the main course. We started off with a seafood platter (pictured above) and it was purely gluttonous. The seafood feast was joined by even more appetizers; additional oysters and shrimp were served along with a Thick Cut Bacon Au Poivre to supplement our excessive consumption…. The appetizer course was superb, but the bacon was particularly tasty, an ample starter with a perfectly sweet glaze. The entire platter of seafood was amazing as seafood should be, with the exception of a last minute swap of one of the types of crab legs with an underwhelming lobster. I realize that there are worse things that can happen to you then receiving bad lobster (see first world problems..), but it was disappointing. The lobster was overcooked, which made it entirely too chewy to enjoy. Everything else on the platter was extraordinary, tasted fresh and delicious, and I would still highly recommend the plate.
The highlight of the meal was the service, which was some of the best (if not the best) in Charlotte. The entire staff moved like a well-oiled machine, when plates need cleaning or items were being served they brought a team and things appeared or disappeared in a instant. Our head waiter was attentive and personable, he managed the table nicely; he also took the time to show us around the restaurant after the meal. All and all you can’t ask for better service; you can tell they had experience with large groups by the way they handled the table.
The Bad: I already mentioned the mishap with the seafood platter, so I will omit any further complaints about that. One thing that I wasn’t crazy about was the layout of the restaurant, the place is crowded and a bit loud. It isn’t a location I would choose for a quite dinner, or a romantic dinner for that matter. I personally think that if you are planning on a date The Fig Tree would be a better option due to the more subdued environment.
The Ugly: Del Frisco’s, as expected, wasn’t cheap, and with that you would expect their steaks to be done perfectly. My steak, as well as several others in my party, was cold. This is a complaint, about this restaurant, that I have heard from others, and now I have experienced it firsthand. Cold food in a restaurant, especially a high end steak restaurant, is a HUGE pet peeve of mine. Additionally, to make matters worse, I think I heard the cow cry when I cut into it, since it was so underdone. I ordered my steak medium rare, not “still grazing,” the inside gave the appearance that I would have to lasso my own dinner. Even the presentation of the dish wasn’t appetizing (see below), maybe it was the fact that there was nothing else on the plate (except the oil), but visually it wasn’t too appealing. The cook and chill on the meat made it so I didn’t enjoy the steak itself, but the side dishes and seafood had adequately filled me so I overlooked this more then I normally would have.
