So many of our customers know that we at Katalyst like to eat and drink. We typically stick to our tried and true places.
I recently took my wife to a new speakeasy called DotDotDot. It is run in partnership with Conrad James Hunter, owner of Foxcroft Wine Co, and Stefan Huebner, a master mixologist. This new establishment creates a unique experience that you wont be able to find anywhere else in Charlotte.
Here are the details:
V E N U E
The owners were looking for a venue with an authentic speakeasy feel. The Landlord tried selling them on a new, upscale space, but the owners of DotDotDot fell in love with an old storage area across the parking lot UNDER Blackhawk Hardware in the Park Road Shopping Center. How they saw the vision come together is beyond me, the atmosphere is low-lit with no windows, and really makes you feel tucked away from the rest of the world.
D R I N K S
Next, let's talk about the clear focus of the bar... the drinks.
Huebner has extensive experience. My wife and I spent our entire night appreciating his craft and talking to the folks making our cocktails. There were five bartenders on staff and we had a drink made from each of them. The consistency was stellar and they seemed to have the mixology down to a science. We tried to make our way as far down the menu as possible, but, as we get older it's becoming increasingly more difficult.
Here are a few of our favorites:
Old Fashioned: Not too sweet, but a classic well-crafted, old fashioned. This won't blow your socks off, and that’s the purpose. It's crafted with Elijah Craig 12 year bourbon of which they have their own barrel.
Truffle New York Sour: This was a favorite among anyone sitting at the bar. It has a velvety
taste to it and they finish off the drink with a spray of port in the design of the logo.
Thai Basil Smash: Another very interesting taste here, but nothing earth shattering. I started
to find a theme.
Strawberry Fizz: Only my wife had this because I didn’t have a chance to try it. She loved it
and said that I would as well, but never stood a chance at a taste.
Front Porch Punch: A little sweeter, but not too bad. Refreshing, which was nice because
most of the other drinks were purpose built on a different platform.
Modern Royalty: This follows the theme of the sour. It was velvety and smooth. A very distinct
taste.
Bourbon: They feature an exhaustive bourbon list, that you definitely need to experiment with. I finished my night with a glass of Elmer T. Lee.
All the cocktails were extremely well-crafted so that the ingredients blended well together and were distinct, but never over the top.
F O O D
The food is fabulous! We weren’t intending on eating, but just started ordering. We started with a normal cheese and charcuterie plate while debating on where to go next, but then the food started to flow.
Oysters: Blue points with their own blend of horseradish sauce and mignonette. As you know from our last food blog post, we at Katalyst are oyster snobs and this place definitely passes the test.
Bone Marrow: You need to want this. I always associate it to meat butter. Delicious.
Steak Tartare: This was fun because it was served with a quail egg you poured over and
mixed in with a variety of included ingredients to your liking.
Beef Kafta Skewer: Not over the top, but a needed meat.
Drunken Chicken: Really great, but a little salty. The soy marinade was not low sodium.
So while the menu isn't very long, it is filled with food that can be paired well with just about any drink. The Truffle Sour was easily paired with anything on the menu.
DotDotDot is a great new spot in Charlotte, and I would recommend it to anyone wanting a unique experience. Be careful though, you need to purchase a membership PRIOR to walking in the door (they serve more alcohol than food, ABC regulations), and there will likely be a waitlist. The membership is only $10 and you can bring three additional people with you. I would hurry as I wouldn't be surprised if they increase the fee slightly as they have already sold close to 3,000 memberships in their opening week.