I dined at the Fig Tree this past weekend - my first visit. We opted to go there as I have heard many great things about this restaurant. We was able to get a 6PM reservation, which was fine as it was not overly crowded. Upon entering, I found the restaurant very warm and comfy. It is in an old house in the Elizabeth district and it is always nice to dine in a historic home (the Lucas House).
We were welcomed promptly by our server who took our wine order and presented us with warm bread slices (that kept coming) and a home-made rosemary olive oil and garlic pate for dipping. I ordered a glass of the Kangarilla Road Shiraz 2005 - which was nice and light.
For starters, I had the Bison Carpaccio. This dish had approximately six to eight thin slices of bison, which was dressed with some baby arugula, red onions, parmigiano-reggiano slices, and a horseradish vinaigrette. The appetizer was a perfect fit as we were both able to split this dish and did not make us too full. The bison was very thin and tender and adding a slice of the parm-reg and vinaigrette gave it a nice 'bite.' The bison was a nice subtle appetizer as it prepared us for the salad course.
Each main meal at the Fig Tree comes with a salad course which consists of mixed greens, carrots, cucumbers, croutons and tomatoes. You can upgrade to the Caesar or add gorgonzola, calamari, feta... and a few more options. I ordered the regular mixed greens, while my partner ordered the Caesar with calamari. My mixed green salad was nice and light and I enjoyed the vinaigrette and homemade croutons. I tasted of the calamari on the Caesar, which were delicately fried and tender. No grease and perfect seasoning. It made me jealous I did not order those as well.
As for the main course, I ordered the halibut - served with a lobster butter and asparagus. My partner ordered the lamb chops (medium) - served with a kalamata olive 'bread pudding' and asparagus. My halibut arrived at the perfect temperature and was a generous portion size. The fish was very tender and flaky as when I touched it with the forked, it melted on the plate. The lobster butter added a nice flavor against the tender fish. The fish was also topped with a lobster claw - and I wish there was more! The lamb chops were served with a red wine sauce, of which I also tasted. The lamb was cooked perfectly and very tender. The red wine sauce gave the proper balance on the plate. The bread pudding was also good, however, my partner commented it 'filled the stomach'.
We skipped dessert for Irish coffees as we were pleasantly full. Meal was also reasonable. For an appetizer, main dish, coffees, 4 glasses of wine (2 for the each of us), and tip - the meal was approximately $180.
I will start off this blog with a perfect 5 out of 5 ghosts. This was by far the best 'upscale' dinner I have had in the Charlotte area and the service was beyond excellent.
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