Month: January 2024

Big Ben Pub – Charlotte, NC

If you are looking for a fun place to watch football or soccer, Big Ben Pub in Charlotte is the perfect place. They have several TV’s and a bar upfront and in the back.

On the weekends they have drink specials. When I recently visited, they had a $18 carafe Mimosa special. It was a bottle of champagne and a carafe of orange juice. It was a great deal.

They offer all the classic English pub fair like fish and chips, bangers and mash, and chicken pot pie. They also had some unique dishes on the menu that sounded absolutely delicious.

We started with the Sausage Rolls. These were a classic English sausage that were wrapped in puff pastry and baked until the pastry was crispy. They served mustard on the side along with a homemade relish. Their relish is apparently pretty famous. It had carrots in it along with what tasted like apples. It was tasty on it’s own, but really paired well with the sausage. I felt that it brought out the flavor in the sausage. These sausage rolls were perfect for sharing.

The Steak and Mushroom Pie came highly recommended. We decided to share this dish because we knew we wanted to order something else off the menu a little later. When you order this dish you have to give it 15-20 minutes to cook because they make them to order. They used tender pieces of steak and mushrooms with a savory brown gravy. Then they placed this mixture into a puff pastry and baked it till it was golden brown. They served creamy mashed potatoes and gravy on the side, along with seasoned mixed vegetables. This dish was savory and was perfect comfort food on a cold winter afternoon.

We also ordered the Cottage Pie. They used fresh ground beef, peas, carrots, and onions and mixed it with some beef gravy. Then they smothered this mixture with cream mashed potatoes. They sprinkled a generous amount of cheese on top and then baked it. The cheese melted and came out slightly crispy. The meat and vegetable mixture was savory and creamy. I could not get enough of it. The mashed potatoes were extremely fresh and it help make this dish stand out.

The food was amazing at Big Ben Pub. The staff was very friendly and always checking on us. I would highly recommend this restaurant if you are in the Charlotte area. Check out their menu at www.BigBenPub.com

Enjoy!

T

Barn 8 – Goshen, KY

Barn 8 is a beautiful old horse barn that has been converted into a Farm-to-Table restaurant.

It is located at Hermitage Farm just outside of Louisville, Kentucky.

The interior of the restaurant is unique. You can still see the stalls that were used for the horses. Some have been converted into gift shops and tables have been set up in others for a more intimate dinner setting.

The walls are decorated with barrels from all the great Kentucky distilleries.

Towards the back of the barn is where you will find the bar. This quiet spot is great for enjoying a glass of wine or a glass of bourbon before dinner.

As soon as we sat down, we ordered the Cast Iron Cornbread. This is because it takes about 15 minutes for it to be made. When it came out it was so hot, the brown butter melted instantly as it was placed on a piece. The corn bread was sweet, and the butter added a nice salty element.

The Burrata and Prosciutto was ordered as an appetizer for the table. When the burrata mozzarella was cut into, the soft curd and cream just poured out.  The thinly sliced prosciutto had a salty taste that paired well with the creamy burrata.

I ordered the Spaghetti Limone for my dinner. The homemade pasta was tender and cooked perfectly. It was tossed with preserved lemon, shallots, black lemon, garlic, and parmigiano. I never had black lemon before. It offered a sweet and tart flavor. The garlic aroma shined through each bite of pasta. Overall, the dish felt light and fresh.

I also got to try the Tortellini. This was a homemade spinach pasta that was stuffed with cheese. They served it with a butter sauce and peas. It was a simple sauce, but it was rich in flavor.

For dessert we started with the Banana Cheesecake. This cheesecake was served in a peanut-cashew crust, with cherry Chantilly cream, and a peanut-cashew crunch. There was cherry ice cream along with cherry coulis and ruby chocolate.  The cheesecake was very soft, not the firm NY style that I am used to. I really enjoyed the cherry ice cream that was homemade and extremely creamy.

The other dessert we ordered was the Tiramisu. This lady fingers were soaked with coffee and chocolate. They were layered with chocolate and raspberry mascarpone filling, and raspberry shrub caramel. This had an amazing flavor of coffee with a hint of richness from the chocolate. The mascarpone filling was extremely creamy.

Once you have finished dinner, take a stroll on the grounds of the farm. They have a wonder Art Walk that follows along the Little Sinking Creek behind the garden. Walk on a boardwalk through trees that are completely lite up and have video projections shining on them. There is music playing that helps to make this a tranquil experience. The photos do not do this luminescent art justice. It is a must see in person.

If you are in the Louisville area, take a drive over to Barn 8 for a fantastic meal. They will not be disappointed. Check them out at www.hermitagefarm.com/food-bourbon/barn8-restaurant

Enjoy!

T