Pho from Lang Van, a Vietnamese restaurant in east Charlotte. Kristen Wile/UP

Q: Where do you like to go for pho?
UP: Our pho allegiance is with Lang Van. There are a lot of great Vietnamese spots in Charlotte, but we love Lang Van because the staff is incredibly attentive and enjoyable. The last time I was there, the owner held my baby so I could eat my pho. They walked around the restaurant together greeting people. There’s service, and then there’s that: pure kindness.

Q: Do you know of any trendy restaurants that offer Instagram-free sections? 
UP: Ha! No, I don’t. If you’re looking to steer clear of Instagram, I’d check out some dimly lit restaurants, like Beef ‘N Bottle, Stagioni, or O-Ku. When the lighting isn’t good, you can’t get a good gram. You might enjoy reading this old story from the New York Daily News about why food photos are ruining service.

Q: King cakes in the QC? Suarez is the only place I know of. 
UP: Surprisingly, there are very few people inside the city selling them. Aside from Suarez, you’ll find them at Renaissance Patisserie in SouthPark. The staff their says they’ll have some for sale on Mardi Gras, but it’s best to pre-order one. Bonjour, Y’all will be making them, and serving an entire Mardi Gras menu on Fat Tuesday. That menu will include king cake croissants! You can also find king cakes — as well as some incredible chocolates — at Chocolatier Barrucand in downtown Concord on Feb. 24 and 25. In Mooresville, CynTucci’s makes them each year, but they must be pre-ordered.

Q: Best food with a short wait? 
UP: For lunch or dinner? I’ll answer for each! I really like Aria’s three-course lunch special. You get a salad, pasta, and dessert all served on one plate with three sections, so you can eat as quickly as you’d like, and leave when you need to. For dinner, I’d say look for restaurants that don’t have too much seating, like The Asbury, or ones with pre-theater dinner menus, like Angeline’s. Most restaurants, though, are able to get you in and out if you let them know you’ve got a time crunch as soon as you sit down.

Have a question for us? Send it to editor@unpretentiouspalate.com and we’ll answer it next week!