So we have developed a new system!
1.) Order drinks while perusing the menu (aka do not order right away!)
2.) Order an appetizer or small plate to share while we wait for our entrees
3.) Leave and head to a new cafe or bakery for dessert, thus prolonging date night
This obviously is not a new idea or anything all that creative, but it nearly doubles or even triples the duration of our date night! Just throwin’ it out there for those of you who polish off food at an alarming rate like we do!
5Church
Saturday’s date night took us to 5Church, one of your Charlotte restaurant recommendations!
5Church is a contemporary restaurant that is obviously quite popular and decorated with trendy touches, including hand-painted quotes on the ceiling and feathery lighting fixtures over the bar.
I began my meal with some fresh bread topped with herbed jalapeño butter and a glass of the William Hill cabernet. Ryan ordered the rosemary gin fizz.
I loved my wine, but Ryan’s cocktail stole the show.
Ryan first fell in love with gin fizzes during our dinner at Woodfire Grill in Atlanta. I loved his rosemary gin fizz so much that I ended up ordering one myself after I was done with my wine.
While we sipped our drinks, we looked over the menu. We initially planned on participating in the Charlotte Restaurant Week promotion where guests order a three-course meal for $30 each, but opted out when we did a little price comparison and realized the three courses I would’ve selected would not have added up to $30 if I ordered them separately.
To begin, we shared the pork belly snack plate which was basically a teeny appetizer.
For my main meal, I selected the crispy marinated tofu entree.
It came with buttery green beans, kimchi, sautéed spinach and a teriyaki sauce.
Ryan ordered the cornmeal fried Carolina catfish which I’m pretty sure he did so he wouldn’t have to share with me.
Catfish gives me the heebie jeebies. It’s basically the only fish out there I won’t eat. The whiskers… The fact that catfish grunt… The way they lurk at the bottom of the lake… I can’t handle it. Ryan said his meal was good and I just took his word for it. (By the way, if catfish creep you out, NEVER Google “giant catfish.” The images will haunt your dreams forever.)
Once our meal was done and we paid the bill, we decided to walk around the city for a little while before we were ready for dessert.
Lots of people were out and about and it was nice to stroll around without feeling like the heat might make us keel over at any minute. (I think Ryan and I talk about how much we are loving the “hot” Charlotte weather every day here. It’s definitely toasty but nothing compared to summertime in Florida where you just want to be at the pool or the beach if you’re outside. Floridians, remind me of these comments in the winter when I’m shivering every day.)
Bar Cocoa
Pretty soon my sweet tooth told me it was time for dessert, so we popped into Bar Cocoa for some gelato and macarons.
Ryan and I selected the s’mores, coconut, orange and honey macarons to share. The s’mores macaron just tasted like chocolate which was a little disappointing, but the other three flavors were fantastic. The honey flavor surprised us by being our favorite. The filling reminded me of a honey-flavored buttercream icing.
I also ordered a small cup of caramel and honey pecan gelato which Ryan convinced me into sharing with him after I let him have a bite.
It was a pretty sweet way to end date night! (And that was a cheesy little pun for ya to end this blog post!)
Questions of the Morning
- Are you a super-fast eater?
- Do you have any tips or tricks to help fast-eaters slow down and enjoy their meals?
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Ok, here’s one thing to be grateful about in NC compared to Florida: At least there are cute winter outfits, like boots and scarves and sweaters, while being drenched in sweat with frizzed out hair (a permanent look in a Florida summer) is never EVER cute. Maybe a little better?
I am a really slow eater since I grew up an only child and never had to compete with siblings for food. However, my main squeeze shovels down a plate of food faster than I can chew my first bite. We definitely do the appetizer-drink-entree deal, and I also find that he eats at a more reasonable pace when his food is insanely spicy. Like that one time we had Thai in Charlotte and they gave him “Thai spice” instead of “Level 5 spice”. Probably the only time I finished my food before he did, ever.
I eat really fast too and so does my boyfriend! I love your idea of splitting up the night with different eateries 🙂
Great date night! I love your outfit, will you share the details?
I love that idea about going to a new place for dessert. We are quick eaters too. 🙂
My husband and I have the same problem! We scarf our food down and date night ends early.
My boyfriend and I had the problem of eating too quickly, too! Date night would take us 45 minutes and we would be left saying “soooo….what now?” a lot. Now, we head to a brewery (even if it’s a drive away) and share a beer flight and an appetizer. When we’re done with the appetizer, we order entrees. About halfway through dinner, we order a pint to split (or wait and have dessert instead). Date night is so much more enjoyable when you slow down and spread out your food a bit 🙂
Macarons are the best! Those look awesome!
I’m a complete speed eater! My friends all laugh at me. What I do, especially in more professional settings, is set down my fork in between bites. It’s definitely something I have to tell myself to do, but it does help me slow down a bit 🙂
That’s a great idea! I’m a food-scarfer also, so I will have to store this for the future 🙂 Also, I am loving your hair! It looks gooood! 🙂
I had the exact same dinner and dessert with my girl friends a few months back while visiting Charlotte! Glad you enjoyed it!
Cute outfit!!
Cutest couple ever!! Lol I used to be an incredibly slow eater (like boyfriend on his third plate while I’m still eating firsts kind of slow). But I’ve noticed that I’ve definitely sped up! I guess >5.5 years of dating will do that to ya 😉
Hahhaha I say the same thing about giant catfish, they creep me out and can get HUGE!
Lol, I obviously HAD to google “Giant Catfish” now! I’m kinda happy that we don’t have them over here, they are a bit freaky, alright 😉
My husband and I are really, really fast eaters, too. Dates in a restaurant are usually over before they really started 😉 We always go for a walk afterwards. I love your idea of moving on to a different place for desserts. Will try that one next time 🙂
Obviously I googled Giant Catfish…those things are huge! I stupidly searched for Malawian Spiders on Youtube before I spent a month sleeping in Malawi, Africa. Literally freaked out for the rest of the week about my trip, but thankfully didn’t see a single one while I was over there!
I like the tip to go somewhere else for dessert. Will have to use that as we’re both super quick eaters as well.
I tried 5 Church last night with a girlfriend. Everyone I know had talked it up and I was so excited to try. To say I was underwhelmed is an understatement! The food was great (I had the jerk chicken appetizer & monkfish as an entree) but the service was some of the worst I have had in awhile! Kind of soured the whole dining experience. I want to try again, though, and see if it can be different!
My mom is going hiking at Roan Mountain today with a dog she is sitting. I love it up there and if my schedule wasn’t so packed for this week I’d be hiking with her!
Thank you for sharing your thoughts about 5Church. I went with a group of friends to celebrate my fiancé’s 30th birthday. We had such a delightful meal & a really great time. Don’t think we would’ve gone without me reading about it on your blog. So thanks again!
So happy to hear this!! 🙂