Dining Detectives-Blue Restaurant & Bar

We were in Charlotte, NC. for the first time and asked friends to recommend a restaurant with great food and a vibrant bar scene where we could both dine and soak up the local color. Blue Restaurant & Bar was their first choice! On the night that we dined, the restaurant and bar were packed. We enjoyed a drink at the bar and spoke with both locals and visitors who were attending a conference at the nearby convention center.

Blue Restaurant & Bar Salad with goat cheese boursin

We began our dinner with a piping hot Lobster Bisque. Next, we enjoyed the Tega Hills Mixed Green Salad which had a pistachio tuile with goat cheese boursin, roasted tomatoes, and banyuls vinaigrette. The entrée that we loved was the Niman Ranch Pork Osso Bucco. It was slow braised with red wine and orange zest and served over ricotta ravioli, cippolini onions and cremini mushrooms. The 2007 St. Francis Sonoma County Cabernet paired perfectly. Dessert was also excellent.

Blue Restaurant & Bar Osso Bucco

The Crème Catalina garnished with fresh fruit was the perfect finish to our dinner. Executive Chef Gene Biggs created delicious cuisine, the service was crisp and the active bar scene added to the experience.