Q:  There are many Chinese restaurants in Charlotte. Many that serve genuine Szechuan, etc. However many of us transplants from the Northeast (NYC/Boston/DC) are having a difficult time finding the kind of Chinese food we enjoy-like Shrimp Egg Foo Yung. Have you found any of this style Chinese food restaurants that you would recommend?
Tom: I get you. The trend for “authentic” or artisanal Chinese restaurants on the rise here, as it is in the rest of the U.S., and I like them a lot. But sometimes you just want to dig into a good ol’ old-school, strip-mall, won ton soup, combo-plate, fried rice + egg roll, bunch-of-fortune-cookies-in-the-bag takeout. Charlotte has many. My particular favorite is Ho Ho Cherry House on 7th Street in Elizabeth. All the dishes you remember from those days you lived in a four-story walk up. I would also check out China Bowl on The Plaza, Lai Lai Express on Montford Drive, Hunan Express on North Wendover, Shun Lee Palace in Cotswold, Best China in North Charlotte, and Taipei Express in Eastover/Myers Park. Don’t forget to make sure they put in those hot mustard packets!

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Q:  We’re going to see 90-degree+ temperatures this weekend. What are your favorite at-home or restaurant patio sippers?
Tom: Love your timing. I would start with the cocktail recipe we just published this morning in our Behind-The-Stick piece on Dana Jordan at Seaboy. Her Dockside Daydream is a refreshing combination of gin, Aperol, elderflower liqueur, lemon juice, and simple syrup. You can enjoy it straight up or on the rocks. You can even top it off with seltzer, club soda, or prosecco to make it more of a relaxing summertime sipper. It’s simple, yet brilliant. Click here for the recipe. After that, nothing too fancy: a classic gin & tonic, Aperol or Elderflower spritz, rum and Coke (the lime here is important), or a highball using the light Japanese Toki whiskey. Highball note: use club soda or seltzer, no syrupy lemon-lime sodas here. Cheers!

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