![]() Same goes for the hummus, but it's hard to screw up hummus (thanks, tahini!). The tartare is served with guacamole and wonton crisps, and it's a well-done take on a favorite. Conversely, we would recommend the Dried Garbanzo Bean Hummus and the Tuna Tartare for being consistently on-point. Even after our first visit, we would have told you to beware the House Made Waffle Cones (Ponzu Poke Tuna Coconut Shrimp Chicken Sriracha Honey)-the sweet/savory combination they are aiming for is lost in overly sugary cones and lackluster fillings. After our first visit, we would have recommended the Saffron Fettuccine heartily after our third visit we would have told you to skip it (gummy pasta, overcooked octopus, blah). We first visited The Cellar right after their opening in July, and we have been several times since. Order This: As The Cellar is close to Scallionpancake headquarters, this review has been a while in the making. The Cellar is located in the basement of the Tryon Duckworth's and has a walk-in beer cooler and a separate kitchen from the upstairs restaurant. My rating is 2 bites out of 4 because the steak and the truffle fries shakedown left a bad taste.Background: Rob Duckworth expanded his Charlotte empire of Duckworth's to include a new concept: craft beers, cocktails, and more upscale cuisine from the usual bar fare. They card everyone, which seemed strange based on the ages of the people they asked. Just be wary of selecting a steak, and bring your ID if you plan to drink. If you make the right menu choices, it can be an enjoyable experience. It’s worth a visit for the interesting setting alone. Great dish for the price and a generous portion. The kimchi kicked the spice level up a notch. It would have been nice to let me know there was a surcharge since she asked. They seemed to be missing the truffle flavor this time, and I was missing an additional $2.50 when I received the bill. Since my dish came with fries, my server asked if I wanted truffle fries. The burger was cooked perfectly and was probably the best burger I have eaten thus far in Charlotte. I ordered the cellar burger medium rare for $15, and my wife had the kimchi gnocchi and Heritage Farms pork ragu for $14. We sat at the bar this time since the restaurant was packed on a Saturday night. I thought it only fair to give the restaurant a second chance. When I have birthday leftovers, I normally look forward to reliving the meal the next day, but my doggy bag sat in the fridge for a week until my wife reminded me about it. ![]() We finished up with the campfire almond s’more for dessert. After a bite, I thought it was a good dish. The shrimp were perfectly cooked, spicy and came with a 6-minute egg. She told me that they don’t age the steaks “because they’re that good.” They’re not - or at least mine wasn’t. I asked my server if the steak was aged, already knowing the answer. It was very chewy and lacked the mineral tang that resonates with quality meat. I had never tasted a steak so salty in my life. Advertised as certified angus beef and cooked at 1800 degrees, I admired the char on the outside, but after taking a bite, I got the feeling that it was marinated in the Great Salt Lake before being thrown on the grill. They were salty good and didn’t need the aioli that came with. My fries came before the main course, which was surprising. They liked the dish, but since they were already sharing, they didn’t share with me. The parents went with the black grouper with Anson Mills Carolina gold pesto rice, artichokes, candied carrots and leeks for $22. I ordered the truffle fries to accompany my steak. When I ordered my entrée, I was assured by the young lady serving me that “these were the best steaks in town.” I went with a Kansas City strip for $47 and my wife chose the shrimp and grits that ran us 18 bucks. It wasn’t a bad dish, but didn’t go snap, crackle and pop with flavor, either. It had a salty cheese flavor when melded with the butter. It included five mollusks with creole butter and pecorino. ![]() I opted for the char-grilled oysters for $16. The chicken had a sweet-spicy thing going on and the marinated tuna had a fresh, crisp taste. The in-laws started with the house-made waffle cone that included poke tuna, coconut shrimp and Sriracha chicken each in their own cone for $15. It was a good choice, and The Cellar has an interesting cocktail program. It had a spicy little kick to it and was served in a unique bottle with a cork. Starting the party with a drink, I ordered the Mezcal Thymencello.
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