Taste of the Nation is a good taste of Charlotte

Who can keep up with all the great restaurants opening up around town? The annual April fundraiser Taste of the Nation is like a big crib sheet, a chance to get a taste and a feel for a place.

I've been one of the judges wandering around with clipboards several times over the years and it's always an eye-opener to see which young chef really puts in an effort and takes chances. If there's a new ingredient or a new method, somebody will try it. I had my first bite of seared pork belly and my first sous vide egg there.

Of course, that makes it sound more high-faluting than it is. If you just want to get a couple of drinks, eat some good bites of food and hang out with friends, you can do that too.

And the ultimate reason, either way, is to raise money to raise money for Share Our Strength and the fight against childhood hunger. That's really what Taste of the Nation is about.

This year's Charlotte edition of Taste of the Nation is 7-10 p.m. next Wednesday (April 11) at the Wells Fargo atrium. Regular tickets are $85, although if crowds aren't your thing, you can get a VIP ticket for $100 that gives you entry into a quieter seating area and an hour to peruse the food before the main doors open.

This year's restaurants: Amelie's, American Roadside Burgers, Brixx, Central Piedmont Community College (they always do something over the top for their chocolate display), Chima, E2, Electrolux, Enso, Fern, Flatiron, Gallery at Ballantyne, Halcyon, LaVecchia's, Mama Ricotta's, Mert's, Mimosa Grill, Queen City Q, Rocky River Grille, Savannah Red, Upstream, Vida Cantina, Village Tavern, Vivace, Whole Foods, Wolfgang Puck's Pizza Bar, and Zink American Kitchen.

Need details or tickets? www.charlottetasteofthenation.com or call 704-376-1785.

Garden & Gun gets taste of Charlotte

If you haven't encountered the excellent Charleston-based magazine Garden & Gun (yes, Trad, that's the name), you might want to make a point of tracking down the October/November issue:

Not only does it focus on great food finds all over the South, but Southern food expert John T Edge took a close look at food here in the Queen City. Edge came through for several days earlier in the summer and I was one of his guides for a couple of mealtimes. The boy moves fast. It took several of us, including Tom Hanchett, to keep up with his dining schedule. The article includes King's Kitchen, Brook's Sandwich House, Halcyon, Reids, Harvest Moon and a bunch of other places.

The final article is a thoughtful picture of cuisine as it exists right here, right now. And speaking of pictures, yes, that's me, in my kitchen with the red cabinets. Photographer Squire Fox (yes, Trad, that's his real name) was very kind and only used the flattering lens, as promised.

They keep most of the current issue off the web site until the print issue has been out for a while, so you'll need to look for it on news stands for the time being. Otherwise, the web site is www.gardenandgun.com.