#18: A star-studded reckoning 😮💨
More about Michelin, a Negroni that's "phony", chicken pita tacos
Last week my husband traveled to San Francisco for work and he had the chance to try not one, but THREE Michelin star restaurants (RIP to our bank account). After my recent semi-scathing, Michelin-themed newsletter, I was a little nervous to hear about his experiences. Would he tell me my take was way off? Would I be forced to eat my words? Would we have to get divorced?
Lots of questions swirling around as I nursed some Trader Joe’s frozen mac and cheese on my couch alone.
For this week’s newsletter, I asked if he would write about his Michelin experiences and how they compared to his dining experiences in Charlotte. I wanted to know honestly if Timothy DePeugh’s Charlotte Observer take was right. Should Michelin stay away from Charlotte? Are we way out of our depth? And, most importantly, am I an insufferable idiot?
We have similar taste when it comes to food and drinks, so I trusted his take on the matter. I also knew he’d be honest in his assessment. Without further adieu, here’s what Michelin dining is like and what that could mean for Charlotte.
Hag Husband here. Long time caller, first time listener.
Any time the mysterious and important work of corporate product design demands I fly to another city to attend some extremely consequential meeting or summit, my first question is “where are the good bars and restaurants?” The pickings were sometimes slim in places the likes of Detroit or Lewisville, TX (though I can tell you both are extremely underrated, my publicist can pass along recommendations). But when I find myself with a boarding pass for San Francisco, the question is “how many places can I go?”
After enduring a 5.5 hour marathon of cruel and unusual punishment at the hands of American Airlines, and a little bit too much social interaction at the hands of my coworkers, the real work began. Dining my way through three back-to-back nights at Michelin star restaurants:
Saison (Two stars)
State Bird Provisions (One star)
Nisei (One star)
Now, I care deeply about the craft of the food and bev industry, so it pains me greatly to admit that this was my first time at a Michelin star restaurant.
As I made reservations for the next three nights, I found myself imagining scenes from “The Menu”, a perfectly choreographed orchestra, servers like apparitions appearing to conjure a single bite of food nestled in a delicate diorama, disappearing just as silently as they’re judging you in the background. It was intimidating, but my curiosity overcame my impostor syndrome and I was committed.
I’ve been instructed by my editor not to wax poetic for hours, though I could. But I do want to talk about some of the main themes I saw across these restaurants. As Charlotteans wait with bated breath to find out if that puffy tire man will descend and deign to dole out his precious stars on our humble little town, I wanted to know, what does it take? How do we measure up?
A quick rundown of the three nights:
Night one, Saison for a tasting menu and wine pairing.
My god. The excellence. Just the absolute technical perfection of these dishes can’t be overstated. After a ceremonial tea of regional flowers and herbs, the opening course was a quartet of single bites presented in themed displays; white sturgeon caviar, oyster, crab, and a tiny duck liver ice cream cone. I’m simplifying, but it was truly stunning.
Second course, delta asparagus with beef heart, ramp and a cured farm egg. I have never loved an asparagus like this asparagus and I will never love again. I won’t go down the whole list, but most notably were pork with morels, wagyu with fava greens, antelope, and a sea urchin on sourdough that I can only describe as fellatory.
Night two, State Bird Provisions.
A refreshingly chill vibe after night one, but still incredible. I’m sitting at the chef’s counter, ordering scallion pancakes and halibut crudo, and in the middle of a sip of sake, a server taps my shoulder holding a tray of dim sum, offering me oyster remoulade with kimchi, pork ribs with lilikoi-chili bbq and mint, or the most incredible wedge with artichoke cream cheese aioli. It felt like an attempted murder by gastrointestinal explosion, but honestly, what a way to go. It was a chaotic free-for-all in the best way.
Night three, tasting menu at Nisei with a wine pairing.
This one was an audible I called after only seeing the cocktail menu at their sister bar, Bar Iris. If the drinks are this good, the food has to be incredible. My vibes meter proved to still be in working order. Nisei had a special AAPI menu for Spring 2025, so I regret to inform you that because of my extremely white heritage I can’t really begin to describe most of the things I ate, but the standouts were oh so special.
After another ceremonial tea, the first course was a salad that was essentially a bouquet of lettuce and flowers standing in the middle of a dish of vinaigrette with tiny orange flower petals swimming around like it was a koi pond.
We’re talking oyster. Firefly squid. Jellyfish noodles. Unagi. Duck. Wagyu. But the highlight for me was when a smoldering tray of pine needles and pinecones arrived with a ceramic cup full of pine nut miso soup with pickled pine nuts. Ooh-mommy (umame). It felt like being curled up next to a campfire in a pine forest. The dessert courses by pastry chef Ellie Estrada were childhood snacks and candies translated into deconstructed aesthetic, like the cotton candy tree reminiscent of cherry blossom season in Japan. This cotton candy tasted like cherry blossom. I’ll never get it out of my head.
You can’t blame me for waxing poetic, but a few overall takeaways:
Obviously, there’s a high level of execution. Every single dish was a combination of concept, technique, local ingredients and flavors, usually combined in an unexpected yet beautifully balanced way.
But I think the main thing I came away feeling from every single one of these restaurants was “holy shit this was just really really fun.” I’ve been called a hater by many, and there aren’t many things that can warm my cold, dead, hag husband heart, but with every single dish, I’d taste a bite, settle back into my chair with a big dumb smile on my face and without the aid of hallucinogens or meditation, be truly in the moment. Thomas Keller, chef at the famed French Laundry and Per Se, and the high priest of the Michelin starred world is famously quoted as saying “Food should be fun” and that’s what eating at a starred restaurant is. It’s not stuffy or stuck up, it’s not too good for you, it’s just really fucking fun.
Another thing I found was that almost every dish was reminiscent of a feeling or a place from the Chef’s past, specifically childhood. They’re making food they grew up with, elevating it, playing with it in new ways. But if you dig past all the high concept and perfect technique, they’re really just bringing you along to what makes them feel like home. It comes through in the vinaigrette koi pond, the smoldering pine embers, or the cotton candy cherry blossom tree. Anyone can eat this food and think “oh, I remember a place like this.”
My mind was in Charlotte while I was eating all this great food, mostly because I knew the Hag was in her Hag hole, missing out. But also because I was trying to imagine what it would be like for Michelin to come through Charlotte. I had a chance to chat with Chef Rich of Saison about this in the kitchen after service, and my thoughts align with his.
If you’re a chef and want to advance your career or gain recognition, there’s a pull to take your talents and your concept to cities like New York, San Francisco, or LA, or otherwise languish in relative obscurity. Michelin isn’t an end to itself. It’s a validation of a place. It’s a pin on the map that says “you don’t have to leave home to be great at what you do.” We have great chefs here who love this town, who love their local farmers and suppliers, and are executing well. And they bring that sense of home and place to the dishes they create, just like any of the starred restaurants I visited in San Francisco.
I also got the sense from talking to both Chef Rich and Chef David at Nisei that they’re just having a lot of fun doing what they’re doing. Sure, they’re in the weeds most of the time. But at the end of the day, they’re making food that matters to them and creating an experience that’s really fucking fun. At the end of the day, isn’t that really what it’s about?
My ice cold hater heart freezes over at the sight of every AI-generated “mumblecore bubble pop tuesday night cocktail bar” that comes through our city. But even this grinch can appreciate the great wealth of great chefs we’ve got in Charlotte, and I think we’re definitely ready for some recognition.
Hag husband, signing off.
5 things I consumed this week in Charlotte
“Phony Negroni” ($13) from Culture Shop. In an effort to be a “responsible adult” and consume less alcohol during the week, I tried this bottled N/A version of a Negroni. I poured it in a cocktail glass over ice (fancy) and it was surprisingly pretty close to the real thing. A slightly weird aftertaste but I liked the effervescence.
50-minute massage ($75) at Mood House. Cannot recommend enough. I’ve had a founding membership since the Dilworth location first opened (hence the lower price) and it’s a game changer when I manage to fit it into my schedule. Went for the “Calm” mood that day. The Oakhurst location is lovely too.
Selfie roll ($14.95) and house ginger salad ($5) from Ru San’s. I know some people would fight to the death over this being the best sushi spot in Charlotte, but it’s simply not true. I’m not a Ru San’s hater, though. It’s still a solid spot. The Selfie roll, Kiss of Fire roll, and Cowboy Maki roll are my usual rotation.
Musakhan Chicken Pita Tacos ($11) from Yafo Kitchen. Tried these to-go on Cinco De Mayo for lunch. I think I expected like mini chicken gyros? The reality was different. The flavors were decent but the overall consistency was mushy, minus the random bone I almost swallowed. The side of Turkish Street Corn with Feta was fire though.
Blood pressure spike (Free) from Reclectic. After letting some of the initial buzz dissipate, I finally ventured out to this Pineville spot. This place is overwhelming AF. It feels like a giant thrift store and there are no dressing rooms. I didn’t buy anything so I think it’s more accurate to say Reclectic consumed me.
Later this month we have reservations at Omakase Experience by Prime Fish, which has been thrown around as a potential contender for a Michelin star. The price tag for two seats was shocking (like wow), so we’ll see if it lives up to the hype.
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.
Loved the guest post and v jealous of the HH’s culinary travels!