Countdown To Grand Prix Charlotte: 1 Day Out - Food!

Welcome back to the Grand Prix Charlotte countdown blog! Yesterday, I showed you your travel options and places to stay this weekend at Grand Prix Charlotte. Whether you’re flying into Charlotte Douglas International Airport or packing five deep into your friend’s Honda Civic, you’re one step closer to getting to the Charlotte Convention Center for all of the festivities at Grand Prix Charlotte!

When I’m at any Magic tournament, one of my favorite things to do is try out the local cuisine. Yes, in theory, you could eat convention center delicacies all day, but why do that when Charlotte has such a bustling food scene? So today, I’ll be going over a few awesome restaurant options while you’re in The Queen City.

Hazelnuts Creperie

Per Wikipedia, a crepe is a type of very thin pancake, usually made from wheat flour or buckwheat flour. The word is of French origin, deriving from the Latin crispa, meaning “curled”.

Per Cedric Phillips, a crepe is a really delicious pancake thingy that you can put stuff on or in. It’s probably made with a certain type of flour but I don’t care as long as it always tastes good.

If you like crepes as much as Wikipedia and I do, I recommend stopping by Hazelnuts Creperie. They’ve got sweet crepes (Nutella Banana), breakfast crepes (The Maple Dream), savory crepes (The Catalina), and even vegetarian crepes (Swiss & Delish). And if you’re in a rush between rounds? You can call your order in and pick it up!

View the Hazelnuts Creperie menu here.

The Cowfish Sushi Burger Bar

Back in 2014, the Season One Invitational of the SCG Tour^® was held in Charlotte. That’s where we watched Derrick Sheets earn the right to have his likeness on a Swan Song token and marveled as some kid named Michael Majors won a marathon affair against Phillip Braverman to close out the weekend. Those are two moments I’ll never forget from that weekend. The third? My trip to The Cowfish Sushi Burger Bar. I could try to explain what this place is all about, but they do it far better than I can:

The Cowfish brings to the world the first restaurant focusing on offering both the best sushi AND the best burger in town. Fresh, innovative and delicious, the sushi segment of the menu is a unique balance of traditional and unconventional. All natural, creative and hearty, the burgers entice with fresh ingredients and bold flavors. Spiked hand-spun milkshakes, premium sakes, craft beers, wine and 10oz exotic martinis round out a huge bar menu that is sure to please. The Cowfish aims to offer something for the entire family. Scrumptious appetizers for sharing, entree-sized salads, homemade desserts and a fun kid’s menu are joined by our signature creations that we call “Burgushi”! A cutting edge fusion of burger and sushi, burgushi items include sushi rolls created using burger components, and pick-up style sandwiches created using sushi components. If you can’t make up your mind, try a bento box to sample a mini-burger along with your choice of sushi roll and three tasty side items!

View The Cowfish Sushi Burger Bar menu here.

Rooster’s Wood-Fired Kitchen

Most don’t know this, but during my teenage years, my goal was to get two college degrees – one in restaurant management and one in culinary arts. I worked as a cook for a little under ten years before learning that Magic was something I was incredibly passionate about. Simple food is my favorite type of food, which makes me very excited to try Rooster’s during my stay in Charlotte:

Simple food is harder to execute; there’s nowhere to hide the flaws. So, we go to great lengths to source quality ingredients from local farmers and purveyors. We take all the time necessary to develop their flavor and showcase their unique characteristics—using both European and modern techniques—and always working from scratch. And then we present them to you at the table with an equal amount of care, because the biggest difference between eating out and dining is the service.

View Rooster’s Wood-Fired Kitchen menu here.

Chima Brazilian Steakhouse

Meat on sticks has always been and will always be a winning strategy. So what makes Chima Brazilian Steakhouse different from some of the other Brazilian steakhouses you’ve been to?

Chima Steakhouse, named after chimarrao, a traditional drink of Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil, that symbolizes hospitality and friendship-certainly lives up to its name. Legend has it that, in South Brazil traditional gauchos (cowboys) would consume a diet that consisted almost entirely of beef. The meat was seasoned, placed on skewers, and slow cooked over a wood burning flame. Historically, gauchos were known for their generosity and hospitality.

The first Chima restaurant originated in Uberlandia, Brazil located in the state of Minas Gerais. In 2004, the Silva family introduced a new style of dining and superior service to Fort Lauderdale, Florida. Chima combined traditional Brazilian rodizio and excellent service with an elegant setting.

Gauchos roam the dining room continuously offering exquisite churrasco of over 15 rotisserie meats including top sirloin, filet, ribs, lamb, pork, chicken, sausage and fish. Chima’s sumptuous salad bar blends Brazilian and American favorites from salads, cold cuts, cheeses, soup and traditional Brazilian hot.

View Chima Brazilian Steakhouse’s menu here.

Crave Dessert Bar

With a focus on providing decadent desserts, sensational cocktails, and savory small bites, Crave Dessert Bar aspires to be the Queen City’s guilty pleasure of choice. Crave is open until 2:00am, so if you’ve got a late night sweet tooth like yours truly, this is absolutely the place to go. You’ll be able to find traditional things like cupcakes and cheesecakes or the more obscure like a Candied Bacon Ice Cream Cookie, a Double Decker Strawberry Shortcake, or a Lemon Raspberry Charlotte Torte!

View Crave Dessert Bar’s menu here.

What Tomorrow Brings

Now that you know more about how to make your belly happy, you’re all set for Grand Prix Charlotte! Tomorrow’s final entry into the Grand Prix Charlotte countdown blog will have a few miscellaneous news and notes to help prepare you for one heck of a weekend. See ya then!

Countdown To Grand Prix Charlotte: 1 Day Out – Food!