The Bottle Tree
I'm not gonna lie; sometimes, Instagram influences my restaurant choices. It's how I discovered The Bottle Tree. I'm a sucker for excellent food photography; this one doesn't disappoint. I checked out the menu and was happy to find out that it's inventive and unlike anything else in Charlotte. It's traditional Southern food with a heavily pan Asian (and some Mexican) influence.
Brunch: Best meal of the day
Not surprisingly, I went for brunch (I was super excited!), and it did not disappoint me. Here’s what I tried:
Vietnamese Iced Coffee. They were out of sweetened condensed milk, so they initially told me they couldn’t make this coffee. Luckily, the team hunted high and low for a can of it so they could make this for me. It was a little watery compared to what I’ve had in Vietnam, but it was still delicious. I think they tried to stretch the can so both my friend and I could get the coffee. I really appreciate them working so hard to make it happen. I’ll try it again next time I’m there to compare.
Bottle Tree Breakfast: Add the Ribeye. The ribeye is smoked and AMAZING! Cooked to a perfect medium-rare with a nice little char on the outside, it has the exact right amount of smokiness. Honestly, say "yes" to this dish. It was served with a peanut romesco, an excellent complement to the ribeye, and paired well with the rest of the dish. The eggs were served sunny side up (which generally, I'm not a fan of), but the whites were fluffy and cooked all the way through, so no issue with them here. It was all served on top of fluffy johnnycakes with my favorite crispy edges! A pile of breakfast potatoes accompanied the dish. There was nothing inventive or nonstandard about them, but they were very well executed.
Omelet Fried Rice. Not what I was expecting. In my head, this was the Omu-Rice (fried rice topped with a gooey omelet that’s further cooked by the steam of the rice). Instead, this was more of a play on fried rice, but the egg was an omelet on the side rather than scrambled in with the rice. Regardless of my perception, the dish did not disappoint! It had a slight sweetness, which complemented the delicate crab flavor. It faded into the saltiness given off by ham, then finished with a maple-like flavor. The texture was amazing too. It was perfectly cooked rice with one of the best socarrat (crispy caramelized bottom layer of rice) I’ve had.
Fried Chicken and Waffles. My least favorite dish that we tried, yet it was still excellent. (You certainly wouldn't hear me complain about eating it!) This dish started with a dense waffle, crispy fried chicken, avocado crema, bacon, cojita cheese, and corn. The chicken was excellent — juicy and tender with a light but crunchy coating. The bacon added a nice, unexpected flavor. The corn, cheese, and avocado crema brought a nice brightness to the dish while also giving a unique Mexican twist on a classic Southern dish.
Coconut French Toast. The French toast was solid. Made with fluffy brioche bread, it had a very subtle and mild toasted coconut flavor. They smothered it with maple syrup and a heaping pile of whipped cream. Delicious.
Miso Blackberry Cheesecake. This one's not on the brunch menu, but they informed us of the special and that it was a must-order. I agree. This cheesecake was beautiful! It had a bit of toasted coconut on top, and the cake itself was the perfect texture — smooth and creamy, and not too light nor too dense. The miso mellowed the sharp, tanginess that cheesecake usually has. It finished with an ever so slightest berry flavor. Truly a phenomenal dessert.
Digging the vibe
If the incredible food isn't enough reason to go, go for the vibe — it adds to the experience. The restaurant is a house converted into a restaurant with a super cute, fun interior and HUGE backyard. There are multiple tables out back, string lighting, a fireplace, and a tiki bar. It's pretty awesome. Now stack some awesome music on top of that — old school hits from artists like the Beach Boys and the Bangles? There's literally nothing not to love.
Final verdict
In my opinion, this one gets an 8/10. It was a very solid meal, and very interesting — different from the standard that you find all over Charlotte. Now I need to go back and try dinner sometime.
