Several dishes on the tasting menu are inspired by the indigenous peoples of North Carolina. Kristen Wile/UP

Counter-, a tasting menu concept that pairs small plates with music, opens to diners tonight in West Charlotte. The venture is the passion project of chef Sam Hart, who brings one of the most ambitious restaurants to the city with Counter-.

The first course is called Texture, something Hart says is a playful nod to dishes of fine dining chefs. Justin Burke/UP

Named because the restaurant’s way of doing things fits with the prefix, Counter- puts its chefs on display. Diners are seated in a u-shape around a prep table, and each course has a table-side touch. Hart wears a microphone, and explains the dishes as well as why they’re paired with the songs that are playing, noting how the color, texture, and flavor of music and food can be harmonious. Timing of service is key to the concept. In fact, music dictates the speed of your meal — if you don’t eat fast enough, you might notice your plates stacking up.

“We will bring your next course even if you’re not ready for it,” Hart tells diners with a laugh as he introduces the concept.

We didn’t ever feel rushed, however, as the courses are sized well for eating in 14 minutes — one of the most notable improvements over Hart’s pop-up series, Anomaly, where we found the portions to be inconsistent. 

Walking into a media preview of the concept, I was anxious for Hart and his staff. The concept felt so wildly ambitious, I couldn’t see it going smoothly. Aside from a few moments where the music seemed to be getting off-pace, the meal was extremely impressive.

The 10-course meal is meant to tell a story, with the theme changing seasonally. The debut menu is called Terroir, and features dishes that show off the terroir of North Carolina. Several take inspiration from the state’s indigenous residents, while others highlight formative experiences in Hart’s life. There were a few small hiccups — a dish entitled Warmth, for example, was lukewarm by the time it had its final touch — but no course fell flat. 

Each course is inspired by the geography of North Carolina. Justin Burke/UP

With the music playing loudly and frequent narration from the kitchen, Counter- is not a passive dining experience. It is almost dinner and a show, where the show is a live cooking one. Conversation is often interrupted, so this is a reservation best left for a fun night out, not serious discussion. 

After Hart’s debut Anomaly menu, some guests were disappointed by his sophomore effort — something Hart admits was warranted. We’ll be closely watching how he handles Counter-‘s second menu, but were impressed by the honesty and sincerity with which he approached Terroir. That same level of thought permeates through the space, including the art for sale on the walls by ArtPop artists. The restaurant is uniquely suited to dining in the Covid-19 era, with room for just 20 guests per seating in the space in front of The City Kitch’s commissary building. For now, they’re limiting that number even further to 16 to ensure social distancing. 

Counter- is meant to be “counter-culture, counter-intuitive, and counter-balanced,” Hart says. And while it might be all of those things now, we could get used to the interactive dining the restaurant offers. Reservations are sold out for opening weekend, but are available next week.