#27: 5 things I consumed last week in Charlotte (unabridged)

Hot dogs, restaurant dress codes, another giant pizza slice contender

Jul 08, 2025

Trying something a little kooky this week and expanding my usual condensed 5 things into the full newsletter. If you like the format, let me know. If you don’t like it, you’ll be hearing from my lawyer.

(1) Kimchi hot dog + natty wine ($18) at Hex.

Took advantage of Hex’s July 4th specials and snagged some hot dogs. My husband went for the classic chili dog and I ventured out with the kimchi dog, which came topped with local red kimchi, sriracha aioli and green onions. I’ve been really missing JJ’s Red Hots and this hot dog healed me.

I’m not ashamed to say I inhaled this. The combination of the spicy aioli and kimchi was absolute perfection and the fries were exactly the right amount of seasoned and crispy. The special was $12 for a hot dog, fries and Miller High Life but I personally subbed my High Life for a glass of natural wine (Hag husband did not make substitutions).

If you don’t follow Hex on Instagram, they’re putting out some quality content (and specials) these days. I have always loved their food (shout out to the spam musubis) but their marketing and aesthetic is always on point. One of the few spots in Charlotte that I think is nailing it in all the ways, along with their sister Stable Hand.

(2) Spicy pineapple daiquiri ($16), 23° freezer martini ($18) crispy brussels sprouts ($18), salmon crudo ($21), and country fried chicken ($25) at Dot Dot Dot.

I would like to preface this item with the note that my husband and I tried to get a drink here two weeks ago. We were turned away at the door because of our ATTIRE. The exact words were, “Sorry we just have a strict dress code. We’re looking for more business casual.” *insert me gasping and clutching my pearls here*

To be clear, we were dressed a TAD casual but also very normal and acceptable. My husband was wearing Birkenstocks, which aren’t cheap honey! I understand if I walked up wearing a string bikini top and jorts why maybe that wouldn’t be the vibe but I was floored. You are located in a strip mall behind a hardware store!

I really debated showing up in a full evening gown this time, just to prove a point, but we were going to a movie after. I went with black jeans, a nice t-shirt, and black sandals and I was finally (and miraculously) let into the building.

The place was virtually empty since it was only 6 pm, but the host sat us RIGHT beside the only other two people at the bar (and in the entire restaurant). This created a whole awkward exchange since these women were using one of the bar seats to store a birthday gift. One of the women said, “there are are like a thousand open seats in here,” to which the host said, “well we have a lot of people coming in tonight.” Kill me.

The drinks were okay, which is my problem with most Charlotte cocktail spots. Between the two, the martini was the better cocktail. The celery-infused gin was super interesting. It made the drink much more vegetal but it still felt very one note overall. I wanted a little more of a bite or salty brine to add another layer of flavor.

Of all the food, I surprisingly like the fried chicken the best. Was not expecting Dot Dot Dot to excel in this category but I enjoyed that it was extra crispy, with hits of Old Bay and a sort of Alabama white sauce served over top.

All in all, the experience was fine. I honestly never had a problem with Dot Dot Dot until they had a problem with me and my footwear. I’ll just say it seems ill advised to turn away people for not being business casual enough when you’ve got so many empty seats inside.

*The spicy pineapple daiquiri is not on their online menu so this price is a guess (give or a take a few bucks). Also, our chicken didn’t have caviar, which is listed on their online menu, so it was likely less expensive?

(3) NY-style slice of pepperoni pizza ($10) and diet coke ($3.50) at Pizza Baby East.

As a follow-up to my big ass slice rankings, I’ve been wanting to try Pizza Baby’s NY-style slices, which they only serve them on weekdays. I finally made it over there to get a slice of pepperoni for lunch and….*drum roll* my original rankings still stand.

The Pizza Baby slice comes in last. The pepperonis were far too large and not crispy at all. I actually ended up picking a few off because it was overwhelming. The pizza was well-cooked, not overly floppy. The crust was a bit heavy for me and I felt like I needed a dipping sauce for it. Overall flavor was bland, not offensive but nothing to write home about.

I know they were just named in Top 50 Pizza USA list but I can’t imagine it was for the NY-style slices. I’d like to go back and try the Roman-style pizzas because I think that’s more their specialty. I’d also try the West location next time. East was fine for popping in but it was small and the service was a bit chaotic aka it seemed like they just opened yesterday.

(4) Jurassic World Rebirth ($14.99), small popcorn ($9.29) and sparkling rosé (?) at AMC Park Terrace 6.

We actually saw, not one, but two movies at Park Terrace over the past week: Jurassic World Rebirth (date night) and How to Train Your Dragon (w/ the kids).

This is hands down my favorite movie theater in Charlotte, besides Independent Picture House. The seats recline and they’re heated, which is nice when they blast the A/C in the summer.

I’m also happy to report the McGuffins Bar was open both times! This has been extremely hit or miss in the past, so hopefully this means they’ve figured out the staffing situation. I could not tell you how much the sparkling rosè was but it was the Lamarca brand, so do with that what you will. I’ve found wine or beer is the way to go here, because the cocktails are suspiciously colorful (aka filled with sugar).

I know you didn’t come here for movie reviews but I’m going to give them. Jurassic World Rebirth was bleh. Even Jonathan Bailey’s slutty little glasses couldn’t save it. How to Train Your Dragon was honestly a banger. I was on the edge of my seat more than I was in Jurassic World and it almost made me cry at times. Idk what’s wrong with me.

(5) Dirty martini ($13), Straciatella ($11), Shrimp oreganata ($28) at Little Mama’s Italian.

I want to start this by saying I’m a fan of Mama Ricotta’s. I expected Little Mama’s to be similar. It was not.

At the start, I felt a hint of familiarity with the old school Italian family vibe and the very delicious bread. The meal went downhill from there. The Straciatella, which is a sort of fresh mozzarella spread, was shockingly underwhelming. Shocking because this is something they’re marketing as a specialty. It was basically a deconstructed caprese salad. The spread itself was virtually tasteless and all that saved it was the fresh tomatoes and basil.

The true disaster was shrimp and pasta dish. The shrimp was so overcooked, I could barely chew it. I ate three pieces, gave up, and pushed everything over to the side so it looked like I ate more. The fettuccine served alongside was identical in taste and composition to Lean Cuisine Fettuccine Alfredo. As someone who has eaten many Lean Cuisines in my lifetime (in my 20s to be fair), I unfortunately know what the fuck I’m talking about here.

I tried my husband’s pasta dish—the “Chicken Riggies” ($27) and I don’t know which was worse. His dish had raw mushrooms in it (seemingly not on purpose) and the pasta was starchy and overworked. The whole bowl looked and tasted like mush.

At the end of the meal, we decided to implement something we refer to as Dinner Theater™. This is where we pretend to be stuffed and ask for to-go boxes, which we promptly throw away upon leaving. Is it wasteful? Yes. Does it save us from uncomfortable conversations about not liking our food? Also, yes.

The real cherry on top of it all was the experience of multiple staff members randomly vacuuming the carpet near our table at different times. So I guess, in that way, it did make me feel like we were at an old Italian grandma’s house. I’m sorry (but also not sorry) to say, we will not be returning.

One thing I will be consuming nonstop this week is the new stock tank pool we had installed yesterday. Turns out buying an innocent little inflatable pool from Target is a gateway drug.

It was roughly the cost of joining a neighborhood swim club and we bought it through a company based in Atlanta called Stock Tank Life. I highly recommend them. Floated in it immediately upon installation and I have absolutely zero regrets.

Full review of Leluia Hall coming next week so get ready.

c u next tuesday,

the hag herself

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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.