January 4, 2024

Q&A: Constance dressings, Dry January, Mano Bella

Each week, we answer reader questions about food and drink in Charlotte

Q: Are Chef Sam Diminich’s sauces and dressings for sale at any retail outlet? My household was gifted the black bean barbeque sauce and now can’t get enough of it.
Tom: I agree. They are quite tasty. At this time, you can only get the Constance-at-Home retail items via online ordering, with pickup at the restaurant at 2200 Thrift Road. You can also ask for a bottle or two (or three) the next time you are dining there.

Q: I’m doing Dry January. Where are your go-to spots for NA cocktails?
Tom: The good news is most top-notch bars and restaurants in Charlotte offer at least a couple of well-crafted, no-alcohol cocktails for you to enjoy without feeling you are sitting at the kid’s table. To call out a few, you can NA in style from high atop Uptown’s Ritz-Carlton at The Punch Room. Kel Minton has compiled an impressive full nonalcoholic back bar there. The Bar at Supperland typically has some good ones. Check out its “Spirit Free G&T” — as does its sister restaurant, Haberdish. Justin Hazelton’s new Lorem Ipsum also has you covered. Chapter 6 in South End offers a nice selection (ask for a Laconian Breeze), as does its Uptown sibling Fin & Fino. Also in South End, Link & Pin has rolled out a series of NA cocktails for Dry January. And back to Restaurant Constance; they don’t have a bar, but its NA beverage program complements the restaurant’s outstanding food beautifully.

Q: What’s the word on Mano Bella’s SouthPark restaurant? We’re big fans!
Tom: Word is you shouldn’t have long to wait. All signs point to the trattoria / Italian grocery opening in about three to four weeks.