L'Ostrica — Restaurant in Charlotte

Last night I finally got to try the abbreviated tasting menu at L’Ostrica with a couple of friends, and I’m still thinking about it today… which is always a good sign. The menu changes often, and Chef Eric sources his produce from the Charlotte Regional and Uptown Farmers Markets. You can tell. Every plate felt focused, balanced, and made with intention.

The space is relaxed but refined. Service was sharp without being stuffy. Jenny was our server and might’ve been the quiet MVP of the night. She told stories like a pro and explained the wine pairings like a sommelier. I stuck with a Diet Coke and water, but my friends did both the alcoholic and non-alcoholic pairings and loved them.

Courses came out one at a time with perfect pacing. The whole staff moved like they were choreographed. First up: a squash blossom stuffed with shrimp mousseline on a spinach cream, topped with crispy pearls. Delicate and fresh… like the edible version of walking barefoot through a garden.

Next was crab risotto. Rich, loaded with Dungeness crab, buttery but not heavy, with short-grain Koshihikari rice that clung to every bite. It had ramp oil and fresh herbs to keep it bright. Deeply satisfying.

Then came my favorite: cappelletti fiore. Pillowy pasta filled with Oregon chanterelles in a warm corn cream. No knife came with it and I wanted to savor every bite… but I caved and popped the whole thing in my mouth. The fresh-baked bread and salted butter helped me clean the plate like I hadn’t eaten all day.

The chicken dish surprised me. A Poulet Rouge medallion wrapped in crispy skin, sitting on kohlrabi purée with black truffle jus. Chef Eric brought out a whole black truffle and shaved it tableside like it was nothing… but it was everything. The aroma hit instantly and tied the whole dish together. This is how you do chicken right.

Course five was “Beef Two Ways.” A sous vide NY strip cooked medium, then seared, paired with a crispy beef belly terrine that was basically a joyful little puck of meat. I could’ve eaten four more. The onion purée and bordelaise sauce brought it all together.

Dessert was citrus olive oil cake with passionfruit crémeux, watermelon, bee pollen dust, and black pepper meringue. Bright, floral, and just sweet enough. Summer in a bowl. Then we were surprised with bonus sweets from Pastry Chef Sam Ward: a strawberry pop tart, chocolate truffle, and chewy fruit gummy. She may have closed her shop, but her talent’s still showing up strong.

One thing I appreciated was the come-as-you-are vibe. Some guests were in shorts and t-shirts, others dressed up. I wore a polo and jeans and felt totally comfortable. Chef Eric told us he wants guests to feel like they’re dining at home.

This was one of the best meals I’ve had in Charlotte. Nothing felt fussy or over-the-top, but it was clear how much thought went into every part of it. I’ll be back for the full Signature Tasting next time. And if Jenny’s working, I’m definitely asking for her...

Recently visited L’Ostrica for my anniversary and had high expectations. Unfortunately, they were not met. The good: -The vibe is casual, not stuffy, which I appreciated for a restaurant offering a fine dining tasting menu. -The food was excellent. I appreciated the technique used, and the flavors and textures all came together for a pleasant bite, which unfortunately brings me to my main negative.

The bad: The portions are just way too small. I know it’s a tasting menu, but some of these courses disappeared in a bite or two. There really wasn’t enough there to fully savor all the goodness. It definitely left you wanting more in a good and bad way. I’ve been to a few fine dining restaurants and I believe L’Ostrica had the smallest portions I’ve seen to date. Maybe you get more in the signature tasting, but unfortunately, I left still hungry and my husband was practically starving.

A couple more notes: We had a reservation, but waited 30 mins to be seated. We were offered a couple free drinks, which were appreciated, but our reservation was already pretty late in the evening, and it put a slight damper on the special occasion.

For the price, I think a little more could be offered in terms of experience and...

We took the tasting menu and it was delicious! The dishes did range from ‘meh’ to ‘amazing’ for me (pretty typical of most longer tasting menus), but the vast majority were at least ‘very tasty’ so I’d give it high marks. I will say that the scallop and corn dish was one of my top dishes ever, so that alone would be worth 5 stars! The biggest reason I’m writing this review (which I don’t do often) is because I don’t drink alcohol. My partner got the wine pairing and when I declined any alcoholic beverages and explained that I simply don’t enjoy the taste, an extremely talented man came and asked about general taste preferences. All I gave him was 1) not overly minty 2) I like fruity drinks. I don’t generally like mocktails since they often try to emulate cocktails, but I decided to give it a try due to their reputation for cocktails. This absolute wizard brought me not one, but two incredible drinks that he seemed to have made up on the spot! I think I’ll be trying to recreate the first one for the...