Roving Palate
Passion8 Bistro serves South Carolina poussin with coconut jasmine rice, wine-poached pear, local broccoli and pecan, rosemary and orange reduction.
come from the extensive experience of the Annunziatas as much as local ingredients. For example, an old Neopolitan recipe of Jessica’s grandmother is the inspiration behind zucchini blossom appetizers. “They’re made from the flower of the zucchini plant, which is normally thrown out because nobody knows how to prepare them,” she says. “It’s a big flower stuffed with something different every day. Today’s, it’s parmesan cheese, caramelized onions, basil, ricotta cheese and sweet Italian cheese that’s tempura battered and very lightly fried. It’s served with a fondue of zucchini that’s almost like a cheesy spread. For the longest time, I thought everyone ate them. It was normal fare for me.” Passion8 Bistro also offers chef tastings, cooking classes, wine dinners, movie nights, karaoke and a book club. “We want people to feel very welcome, like they’re having dinner with us in our living room,” says Jessica. “This isn’t a chain. And it isn’t what we do. It’s who we are. It’s our dream come true.”
<PM >QTTIOM +MTTIZ
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Café 49
For folks around Lake Wylie, Café 49 and its extensive menu of vegetables is another dream come true. Popular with seniors, families and people picking up an order from work, veggie plates are a mainstay for the casual café. Veggie plates are $5.50 for three vegetables, $6.95 for four with corn bread or dinner rolls, and $1.95 per side item. “We’ve got 37 different items on our vegetable menu,” says manager Lamar Shaw. “Veggie plates are a huge seller for us every day. People are trying to eat lighter and healthier. Plus it helps people’s budgets and it comes out fast. You can order and be out the door with a veggie plate in 10 minutes.” Stewed squash made with onions, garlic, salt, pepper and butter is a must-have for many customers. Others favor black-eyed peas, candied yams and the three greens: collards, turnips and spinach. “We’ve been open three years, but our sister restaurant, the original Charlotte Café, has been in business since ’72,” says Shaw. “So our menu was great the day we opened.” Café 49 also utilizes locally grown produce, particularly in summer. “We use Tim Reid, a local farmer who has a fruit stand near Pole Branch Road,” says Shaw. “For sure, he has the prettiest tomatoes in town. He also has brothers in the mountains, and when he runs out, he takes a flatbed truck up there to get me more. Having fresh tomatoes in season keeps me in business. Customers can see the difference and taste the difference.” Reid also supplies the restaurant with squash, cucumbers and okra. “We like to use fresh vegetables and recipes that you can’t get just anywhere,” says Shaw. “The odd ones we sell a ton of are pickled beets and cucumbers and onions, both of which are cold dishes. What we serve depends on what we can get in season. If we could, we’d use all local farmers.”
Christopher’s Bar & Grill
Just down the road on Highway 49 in Lake Wylie, Christopher’s Bar & Grill is a popular casual eatery with an extensive menu of salads, sandwiches and dinner plates featuring seafood, chicken, pasta and steak. Owner Chris Earle opened the restaurant in 2001. “Salads are great sellers for us,” says manager Ashley Miller. “We have nine options