01/25/09

"Carpe Diem did not seize the day" follow up

by thetruth777

This is a follow up to my previous review "Carpe Diem did not sieze the day." While our experiences here were not what I had hoped, I was pleased to receive an e-mail of apology from one of the owners. This is definitely service at a high level. Most places would have let this go and figured it was just one customer lost. It also leads me to believe that our night may have been an isolated experience and would be willing to possibly come back in the future.

• Pros: food
• Cons: service

03/11/08

Never Disappointed

by VegDiner

I have been going to Carpe Diem for years but only since it arrived at its current location on Elizabeth. It is my favorite birthday and New Year's Eve restaurant and that is saying something because I have eaten just about everywhere. I am a vegetarian, my husband is a meat eater and we both love the food. I always have plenty of menu options and that is rare for a vegetarian! It is a little more expensive that Pewter Rose but definitely along the same theme. They have one of the coolest bars in Charlotte but you will only find adults drinking here. If the idea of another boring steakhouse puts you to sleep and you are ready to spend $100+ for a dinner for two, don't hesitate to try it!

In its new Uptown location, this restaurant shows diners what seizing the day is all about.

by Contributor

The Scene
Once located inside a historic florist's shop, this new location has come together just as beautifully. Photos of the former restaurant adorn "The Living Room," where clusters of sage-colored settees and ottomans sit around the curved bar among exposed brick walls, oak floors and textured cream walls. The nearly floor-to-ceiling windows along Trade Street are nothing less than stunning.

The Food
Entrees can be as light or as filling as you wish; try the inventive Peking Pancake or a special tuna salad made with grilled tuna steak. Other smart choices include warm beef and marinated chicken sandwiches or Asian soba noodles with shrimp, although the peanut sauce is just a tad overwhelming. Diners will enjoy beef tenderloin encrusted in Japanese breadcrumbs and Gorgonzola. Still have room? Try the raspberry creme brulee or the super-rich chocolate ganache.

07/10/06

casually elegant and never stuffy

by chow10006

We have followed this restaurant from one location to another for almost a decade. It is still one of my all time favorites. The menu is always interesting and the service is friendly and professional. The food is always prepared well and presentations are lovely without being over-wrought with trendiness. The little sorbet palate cleanser is a nice touch ignored by every other restaurant of this caliber in town.