Q: Great food! They make it very fast aslo.

A: positive

Q: Here in barbecucentric Charlotte, California cuisine is practically nonexistent. That is, until Napa on Providence opened in November 2012, taking over the space that Providence Cafe occupied for twenty plus years, and infusing the Charlotte food scene with a little spice of the northern California countryside. The vibe inside the remodeled restaurant is polished, warm, and inviting with a large bar area plus an attractive patio. As the name suggests, Napa on Providence specializes in Californian cuisine, the root of which is fresh ingredients, simply prepared. Napa takes this tenet seriously-all dishes are made to order, from the sauce for the macaroni and cheese to the outstanding white beans with house-made sausage, which taste like they've simmered together for hours. Everything is thoughtfully executed, all the way down to the drinking water they distill in-house and the hammered copper drinking glasses they serve it in. Even the house bread is special. The rolls are handmade by a retired Navy baker. They are dense and chewy and served in recycled cork baskets along with pomegranate honey butter. Once in season, the pomegranates will be harvested from a hundred year old tree at the foot of Napa's patio. Dinner at Napa starts with small plates, and sharing is encouraged. The food arrives at the table in rustic cast iron skillets perched upon stark white dishes, and each selection is beautifully composed. The small plate offerings include charcuterie, both grilled and raw oysters, and several salads. The meatballs are my personal favorite. Made from a mix of beef and pork, they are studded with small chunks of carrot, stuffed with house-made mozzarella, and served perched upon polenta cakes with homemade tomato pomodoro sauce. The steamed clams with homemade sausage are very popular, and are served in a delicious salty white wine sauce with roasted garlic, fennel, and slices of charred crostini. Napa also offers a handful of pizzas, served on house-made dough and topped with fresh mozzarella. John, the bartender, raved about the pork pizza. It features porchetta with white cheddar, caramelized onions, and roasted red peppers. Speaking of John, I couldn't ask for a friendlier more attentive bartender. His genuine excitement for the food and spirits was contagious. There are several large plate offerings, each masterfully crafted: grilled swordfish, halibut, hanger steak, and even a Carolina cheeseburger. There are two pasta dishes: the popular lobster macaroni that's made with Velveeta and beer and the bucatini featuring the homemade pomodoro, roasted garlic, and grape tomatoes (which I am dying to try). A house favorite (as well as one on my personal top picks) is the poulet rouge. It's a roasted half chicken with a horseradish pan gravy served with roasted root veggies. Simple, rustic, and delightful. Each night, there are chef's specials available. I recently tried the roasted duck with cherry glaze, and as a person who doesn't often favor game, I was very impressed. The risotto served alongside was fantastic. It had baby bella mushrooms and whole cherry tomatoes that added little pops of sweetness to the creamy rice. Of course, Napa is known for its wine, and there is an abundance at the restaurant. There are nearly 80 varieties available, with bottle prices ranging from $33 to $175, and approximately twenty varieties available by the glass. At Napa on Providence, the drink specialties encompass more than vino-they also barrel-infuse several liquors, which are featured in handcrafted cocktails. I tried and thoroughly enjoyed the Napa Manhattan infusion: Woodford bourbon lightly infused with cherries, vanilla bean, and sweet vermouth. There are also specialty brunch cocktails, my favorite being the Napa Mimosa, complete with plump pomegranate seeds floating around in the bubbly champagne. Napa rounds out the beverage offerings with pod espresso beverages and loose leaf tea. All great meals should end on a sweet note, and the dessert options are quite enticing. Currently, you can choose between a trio of creme brulee, lemon tart pie, a chocolate duo of lava cake and chocolate pot de creme, or follow my lead and get the warm caramel apple bread pudding, which I somehow managed to devour every last bite of.

A: positive

Q: This buffet is so good. Everything I tried was amazing. The crepes and smoked salmon were my favorites. We went for breakfast and it was only $19.99.

A: positive

Q: I have been going to Metro Pizza since I was a wee young foodie, and I have always loved the food and the service. There is no question why their pizza wins Best of Las Vegas nearly every year. Having said that, the family and I went to try the newest edition located in the northwest off the 95 between the 215 exit and Durango. The experience was less than stellar overall. The ambiance and the appearance of the new Metro is wonderful. It is very open and inviting, and the seating is well spaced. The decor is great, with a mix of old-world Italy and sports banners hanging in the bar area. After being seated, we were greeted in a fairly good amount of time (within about 5 minutes) and the server started out on point. That is where the point became a jagged line. After our drink orders were in, we asked for a kid's cup for our son, and never saw it (after asking two additional times for it). The lack of attention continued for us throughout the meal. I did run to the restroom to verify that I was, in fact, still visible to the human eye just in case there was an anomaly, but alas I was not transparent. The orders were finally taken and the food did arrive to the table in a more than reasonable timeframe. The food is still exceptional, and even though this is a new location the quality is still very much the same as I would expect from Metro. The service, on the other hand, continued to deteriorate at an alarming rate. After receiving our food. We did not see our server again until nearly 20 minutes later. We had to ask another server for a refill of our beverages, and there was never a follow-up from our server until that 20 minute mark. When she did finally show up, my wife asked for to-go containers and a slice of their carrot cake for our son. The boxes did show up, but we never saw the carrot cake, or even the check for that matter! 20 more minutes passed and the server was seen checking on other tables and completely ignored us. This was the final straw. We called the manager over to express our frustration and concern over the missing cake that our son was now asking every 3 seconds for (never keep a 5-year-old away from his dessert). The manager was very courteous and did state that he had noticed the poor service (which is the first concern I have. If he is aware of the poor service, why wasn't he out there to begin with?) and wanted to make sure that we were taken care of. This was a very disappointing trip and one that I will have to think hard about returning to this location for. This restaurant's only saving grace is the food is fantastic and well worth a normal wait. I hope that they are able to correct their poor service issues.

A:
negative