Leah and Louise
Cheeseburger and house-made chips
Leah and Louise is a small, little restaurant located at Camp North in Charlotte. It was opened by James Beard-nominated Chef Greg Collier and his wife and focuses on modern interpretations of Southern classics. After hearing rave reviews, I had to check it out.
Libations to start
To kick off the meal, I ordered the Zodiac punch. It’s a seasonal drink, so depending on when you go, this particular drink may or may not be available. It was crisp, sweet, and completely delicious. It could easily make for a messy night… it went down very easily. I’d order it again.
We waaaaay over-ordered
Decision-making in restaurants doesn’t come easy to me; I always want to try everything! My eyes were bigger than my stomach. Here’s what we tried:
Rich Boys: The oyster sliders were salty, tender, and crisp. I enjoyed the great crunch from the pickle and was pleasantly surprised that I could still taste the oyster itself. They could have used a little more sauce (per my friend), but I enjoyed them.
Shrimp: The shrimp was flavored with a beautiful citrus & smokey concoction. They were super tender. I’m here for it! And loved soaking up that sauce with the bread.
Roll up: Just “ok.” They were a little dry. The garlic butter was nice, but I would have preferred cinnamon, honey, or maple butter.
Wit Cheese: The burger had an incredible char-grill and was cooked to a solid medium. It was messy but in a good way. I have to say, the pickles (bread and butter) were incredible. I don’t know what the sauce was... but I’m a fan. It comes with a deliciously seasoned chip — not with salt, but rather onion, garlic, and thyme… yup. (This dish reminds me of East Tennessee and the brown sugar-based flavor.)
Bird is the Word: A perfectly cooked chicken sandwich. Juicy, smokey, and with a chipotle flavor. I would have preferred a more subtle smoke, though, as that’s all I could taste. I loved the b&b pickle again with this one!
Arthur Lou: Marshmallow tang cream with light ginger milk. I have to say, this was a very odd combo, and I’m not sure how I feel. The tang really threw me off.
Fig and Brown Butter Cake: The cake had a good brown butter flavor, but it was dry. It needs the marmalade and had a nice chestnut meringue, which melts in your mouth. Overall, though… meh.
Leah and Louise seemed to be very hit or miss with their food. I rate it 7/10. Some items were good, some not as much. With that said, some of the standout dishes would absolutely get me to go back (burger, shrimp, and zodiac punch).
