The bar at Yume Bistro shows the restaurant’s sophisticated interior. Kristen Wile/UP

Q: A friend and I have a rare Sunday girls’ night. What’s good and open on Sunday?
UP: Have you been to the new Yume Bistro on Mint yet? They have great ramen, and the dining room is really well decorated, with lots of windows and crisp, modern design that still manages to be warm. Dogwood Southern Table & Bar is open on Sundays, and their small plates make for a delicious meal that you can stretch out over as much time as you have. There’s also the old reliable Soul Gastrolounge. If you can’t tell, I’m a fan of small plates on girls’ night! The more you order, the more time you have to talk. We also have girls’ night as an option in our restaurant finder!

Q: Hey, love your questions and answers. We just got back from Munich where we attended Oktoberfest. The beer was good but the brats and schnitzels were as good, if not better. What does Charlotte have to offer?
UP: Thanks! That’s very kind. Have y’all heard me talk about Intermezzo enough yet? No? Good, because they have some really great schnitzel! As for brats, you’ll find some great ones at local farmers’ markets. I’m a fan of the brats from Windy Hill Farm. If you’re passing through Uptown, stop at Vic the Chili Man‘s cart. You’ll get a brat and a comedy show. Olde Mecklenburg Brewery‘s menu is getting a revamp soon to use more local products, so we’ll keep you posted on that, too, but since German is their thing, we’re guessing they’ll be a place to visit. 

Q: Did you really eat ants?
UP: I did! It was a little weird in my head, but it tasted good. I try to never say no to eating things just because Americans haven’t traditionally viewed them as a food. I tried a kangaroo burger at the now-closed Block & Grinder; that was probably the toughest because in my head I kept seeing the Pooh characters. Plus, no good chef would add an ingredient to a dish solely for shock value; it has to add something. Though I’m not quite sure The Punch Room‘s new mixologist actually thought I would eat the coconut meat dipped in ants. I’m not saying if you don’t like something, you should eat it anywhere; I’m just saying you shouldn’t say you don’t like something without trying it first.