#13: Say "Hello Uncle"🥢
Hot new pop-up x wine bar collabs, a Capri Sun with lunch, street tacos in Plaza
Hello Uncle is one of the newest and buzziest editions to the Charlotte pop-up food scene. They serve up South East Asian cuisine and they’re known to draw big crowds and sell out fast. Over the last week, they announced a “Spring Residency” at Bar à Vins in April and May, plus a “Wine Night” collab with Substrate and Stable Hand in April.
I’ve now been to a Hello Uncle pop-up twice and I feel that I can speak with authority: They are serving up some exciting and hella tasty food.
My first Hello Uncle experience was at a Bar à Vins pop-up back in February. I hadn’t heard much about them yet but I’ll use any excuse to go to Bar à Vins on a weeknight—the best and coolest wine bar in Charlotte and I will fight anyone who tries to tell me otherwise.
When we arrived that night it was already a madhouse. We ordered oysters (both raw and grilled) and the beef tartare. Despite the absolute craziness of the event, I was blown away by the food. The highlights for me that night were the raw oysters, served with some sort of mignonette atop each half shell that had this wild umami, miso flavor (flavor I’ve never experienced with a raw oyster and I’ve eaten many), and the beef tartare, served in a sesame leaf and topped with crispy shallots (like a classy taco).
When they announced they’d be doing another Bar à Vins pop-up at the end of March, I knew we had to go.
Round two was last week, so here’s everything we tried:
Khor Moo Yang ($18) - marinated grilled pork, coriander, tamarind, lettuce
QCH take: I’m not big on pork but damn if this wasn’t cooked to perfection. The little bits of char. Yes. The marinade and spices on the pork gave me huge hits of flavor with each bite and that dipping sauce was bomb. It’s unclear if I ate this dish as intended because it did come with lettuce, which I did not utilize, but enjoyed it either way!
Tartare ($18) - Australian Waygu, lime leaf, shallot, lemon balm, sesame leaf
QCH take: I’ll admit to being scared and intimidated by raw beef. It’s not something I order often but this tartare is truly delicious. The beef itself is beautiful and it made me consider getting into the beef tallow game (whatever that is). I’m also obsessed with the serving vessel of the sesame leaf. It adds an unexpected dimension and slight bitterness to the dish. The crispy shallots give it texture and crunch. I searched for every last piece of those shallots to top each bite. Blew my mind the first time I tried it and it was just as good the second time.
Crudo ($16) - coconut vin, lime leaf oil, chili oil, Hokkaido scallop
QCH take: The scallop crudo was served in these cute little crunchy cups. The flavor was not what I was expecting. It almost tasted like the milk after you’ve finished your Lucky Charms but in a good way and with a hint of coconut? I sprinkled some of the peanuts on top to go with the cilantro and it was a bright, lovely bite.
Dessert ($8) - pandan cheesecake, white chocolate
QCH take: I’m not a dessert girlie but I do love cheesecake every now and then, so I popped on this bright green slice. The actual cake part was soft and fluffy and melted in your mouth. The chocolate drizzled on top gave it a hard shell to add some texture. It’s really everything you want in a cheesecake. I also ate it with chopsticks, which was a thrilling adventure.
It’s rare that you’ll catch me at not one but two food pop-ups. I actually kind of loathe them. They come with crowds (see above) and lines and, more often than not, it’s a ton of hype for food that’s pretty mid (see this recent SNL sketch). I’m also kind of fundamentally against this collective obsession we seem to have with new, limited time only things. It’s like the IRL equivalent of “going viral”. It captures our attention for a moment and then we move on to the next trending thing.
I do think humans are hardwired to enjoy the novelty of newness, so I understand the appeal. Additionally, I realize that, for some small business owners, pop-ups are one of the only ways they can get off the ground. It’s a lower barrier to entry and I very much respect the hustle of it. It cannot be easy showing up to new places and preparing food in borrowed or makeshift kitchens.
What feels different about the Hello Uncle pop-up is that Chef Michael Le genuinely seems like he’s having fun. It’s not about catering to what could go viral, it’s about sharing food he’s passionate about making. You can tell he’s putting a ton of craft and care into his dishes. And while there’s already some South East Asian cuisine in Charlotte, it’s a space that could use more players, especially ones that are getting creative with it like Le.
You have to wonder, if he can do all this on a folding table and grill in the back of a wine bar, what could he do in his own kitchen? I hope we get to find out.
And my hope is that the crowds flocking to Hello Uncle’s pop-ups are just as eager to support them if and when they have a more permanent spot. So far, that seems true for Trope, the new romance bookstore that was once a pop-up store on a bus. But, as we see more and more closures announced, steady traffic is hard to come by in a city always looking for the new, shiny thing.
5 things I consumed this week in Charlotte
A slice of “Shroom City” pizza ($16), the “Honey Ricotta” sandwich ($13) and a Capri Sun from Gravity Sourdough Pizza. Perfect level of crispiness in the pizza crust. I dipped it with a heavy hand in the hot honey ranch. The sandwich was like an elevated version of stromboli or a calzone? Also they serve Capri Suns and you KNOW I downed a Pacific Cooler. 10/10 honestly.
A few random vintage tchotchkes ($46) from Sunlit Sundries. Speaking of pop-ups, I stopped by this little vintage pop-up in Plaza over the weekend. Bought a brass turtle whose shell opens up to hold small trinkets (incredible) and a cool handmade vase that I’m now using to hold long fireplace matches.
The perfect black leather purse ($188) from Betty by Moxie Merchantile. I’ve been searching for seemingly forever for a small black purse. Betty’s carries a brand called Minor History and they had exactly what I was looking for. Love popping into this store. It’s therapeutic to shop IRL instead of online.
“One of Us Will Have to Bury the Other” beer ($6) from Burial. Had to enjoy the weather this weekend on one of my patios of choice. Not pictured: Me sneezing my ass off from all the disgusting pollen. Pure hell.
Two tacos ($3-5/ea), chips and salsa ($3.30), and a margarita ($14) from El Malo Tacos. First time trying out El Malo and I gotta be honest, it’s a no for me. It had all the components of an ideal lunch but they didn’t come together. The margarita was overpriced and had no salt (strike one). They don’t serve queso (strike two). My shrimp taco had two shrimps on it (strike three).
This week I snagged a Resy for Restaurant Constance (it’s actually happening) and I’m simultaneously plotting a trip to IKEA for meatballs (and a few house things). I know their meatballs are objectively not good but there’s something hauntingly seductive about cafeteria-style food. I still occasionally crave a slice of my elementary school’s flimsy salisbury “steak” (probably ground beef molded to look like steak) with gravy over rice. Does this mean I shouldn’t be trusted? Maybe.
c u next tuesday,
the hag herself
All of the food and drinks reviewed in QCH are paid for by the author. This newsletter does not feature any ads or sponsored content.