🍽️ Charlotte｜Eating Well Even in the "Food Desert" 🏜️✔️

People say Charlotte is a food desert – and they’re not entirely wrong. There are hidden gems, but you’ve gotta dig a little! 💎 Here’s my latest food journey: 🍖 MOA Korean BBQ 🌟🌟🌟🌟 💵 ~$100 per person Good meat quality and flavor – fair for the price. But the service? A bit attitude-heavy 😤… We went after Valentine’s and were still forced to order the Valentine set menu. 👍 Beef tartare, Ribeye, Beef short rib, Grilled short rib 👎 Brisket, and good luck calling them – they never pick up! 📞❌ 🥘 Lam's Kitchen 🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟 💵 $40+ per person Blind-order friendly – everything’s delicious and affordable! 👍 Curry beef brisket pot, Lamb with scallions, Couple’s beef slices, Rose soy sauce chicken 👎 Understaffed during peak hours – loooong waits for food and the bill 🕒… 🌶️ Lee Cafe 🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟 💵 $35+ per person A Sichuan spot rec’d by locals – tasty, cheap, and great service! Even non-spice lovers can enjoy here 🌶️❤️. (It’s actually in SC – 20 mins from Charlotte!) 👍 Boiled beef, Twice-cooked pork, Salted soft-shell crab, Cantonese seafood dishes 👎 No real cons – maybe just a bit far from downtown? 🚗 🥟 Open Rice Metropolitan 🌟🌟🌟 💵 $35+ per person Not my top choice for dim sum… Tastes like everything’s pre-made 🥲 👍 Roast duck was okay 👎 Shrimp dumplings & BBQ pork – hard pass ❌ 🍔 Optimist Hall 🌟🌟🌟🌟 💵 $30+ per person Like Pike Place (Seattle) or Ponce City (Atlanta) – a cool food hall with global bites and cute shops! 🌎🛍️ 👍 Undercurrent Coffee, gelato 👎 Depends on your taste – no major complaints! 🍗 Malaya Kitchen Malaysian food – was craving Hainanese chicken rice 😭 but they’re closed on Mondays! #FoodDiary #CharlotteEats #FoodReview #CLTfoodie #NorthCarolina #EatLikeALocal #FoodieReview#CharlotteNC #CharlotteFoodScene #Lamskitchen #LeeCafe #MOAKBBQ #OptimistHall