Link & Pin
Link & Pin has been on my “Charlotte restaurants to try” list for quite some time. As I always do, I checked the place out online, and the food looked great, as did the vibe, so I had to go see (and taste) it for myself.
A welcoming atmosphere
The interior is decorated in a rustic-meets-midcentury modern-style. A mixture of colors and different materials achieve a high end, yet trendy café vibe. I’m here for it.
Excellent service
We walked in, and surprisingly, it wasn’t very busy. The restaurant is a good size; however, there were only about five other tables seated — not what I expected for prime time (6:30PM). The service was excellent. Who knows if they can maintain it when they are busy… but the wait staff was friendly and highly attentive for my experience.
Our feast
We ordered a ton of food — as always.
Mini Ahi Tuna Tacos. #1 Grade Ahi tuna, brussels sprouts, apple slaw, and avocado crema. There are four in an order, all of which have a tasty, crispy taco shell. They were good but very heavy on the garlic. I love garlic, so I had no issue. But if you don’t like it (my friend doesn’t), be warned that garlic is very forward in the flavor, which then melts into the avocado crema and tuna flavors, with ginger and sesame in the finish.
Mexican Street Corn. Smoked paprika aioli and cotija cheese. There’s a nice char on the corn, which pairs nicely with the paprika's smokiness. But the cheese paired with the char adds a sharp, almost bitter flavor to the dish. Overall, it was OK, but I wouldn’t rush back to eat this.
Brussels Sprouts. Orange caramel glaze, red onions, and toasted almonds. BEST THING ON THE MENU. OMG YUM! The brussels sprouts were perfectly roasted. There’s a nice little bite from the onion, a toasted nature from the almonds, and a slight acid from the orange. The dish was then rounded out with a sweet finish from the caramel glaze. DO NOT MISS THESE.
Chicken and waffles. Crispy chicken tenders, sticky bun bourbon maple syrup, and mint watermelon. The waffles were thin but delicious. They don’t look incredibly unique… I’d say they’re slightly better than an Eggo waffle — but the flavor is top-notch. Slightly sweet with the lightest crispness on the exterior and a fluffy interior. It was complemented perfectly with lightly battered, peppery chicken tenders. The flavors were perfection; however, the chicken was a little dry. Still worth trying — I’d order it again.
Scallops. Parsnip puree, braised fennel, cauliflower, and smoky dijon. What an utter disappointment. The photos of the scallops looks fantastic — they appear perfectly seared. The reality is they are saltier than the fries at McDonald’s. I couldn’t eat this dish. The manager came over and offered to have them remade, but the salt lingered on my palate and ruined it for me. Given that I opted not to have it remade, I was surprised to see it on my bill. I don’t mind paying since I ordered the dish, but I do think it’s good customer service to take poorly made items off the bill.
Burger. Black garlic aioli, pickled green tomatoes, sunny side up egg served with hand-cut fries. The burger was cooked to a perfect medium, per my request. The egg was a great addition (I always love a runny egg on my burger — it adds additional depth and richness). What was surprising, but I LOVED, was that maple bacon on the burger. It took if from a good burger to a GREAT burger. As for the fries, I upgraded to the truffle fries, which are nothing special, so I’ll probably stick to the regular fries on my next visit.
And the verdict is…
6/10. Would I go back? Yes, but with caveats. Stick to the “pub” style food — brussels sprouts, burgers, fries, chicken and waffles, steak, etc. The “fancier” items like the scallops, lobster roll, etc. are a bit of a miss.
