Zink replaces M5 at Southpark

One of the first restaurants I fell in love with in Charlotte was Zink. I loved the silent black & white films projected onto the red velvety curtains, the giant mirrors that made the place feel bigger yet somehow more intimate, the sweeping staircase in dark mahogany, and the 50s-era tiled floor of the bar. I loved the chef's Valentine's Day menu, featuring flavors from around the world adapted into comfort food, and I loved that we could have a 3-course dinner for two and a bottle of wine for under $100.

I also loved the recently replaced M5. Harper's Restaurant Group has added some talent to Charlotte's restaurant scene, and I really hope M5 will make a comeback as soon as the economy straightens out. Since I hope a lot of things make a comeback along with the economy and I've been hoping for a while, I don't imagine we'll be fortunate enough to get the duck and shallot flatbread, the PEI mussels in chorizo and garlic sauce, or the blue cheese croquettes that inspired these little bits of heaven any time soon.

Zink's new Southpark location has brought quite a few changes to their dining experience, and the atmosphere and decor has become unfortunately IKEA-esque, but the service is still good and the concept is strong. I do plan to give Zink's reincarnation a second chance, though, since they took my comment card seriously enough to send me a gift card in the mail with some menu suggestions.

I strongly recommend their fish entrees, cheese platters with local honey, and anything featured as a special, since they tend to give specials their undivided attention. Give them a try and see what you think.

My potted garden

Herbs are ridiculously easy to grow, and I've had great luck with rosemary and basil for the past 3 years. This year, my basil started showing signs of decline earlier than previous years, but I still had several good harvests for pesto, spaghetti sauce, pico de gallo and other miscellaneous recipes. Rosemary makes the porch smell so wonderful I bought two more recently and they're thriving. Once it gets too cold for all these beauties, I'm not too sure where their winter home will be, but I've got a sunny window in the office in mind...

Basil up top. Clockwise from bottom left: mixed lettuce, rosemary 1, rosemary 2, avocado tree, elephant ear, ponytail palm.

From left: kalanchoe, spearmint, Greek oregano, rosemary 3, hyacinth, mixed lettuce.

Mushroom and Gouda Risotto

The ultimate fall side dish. Enjoy!

Ingredients

6 cups chicken broth

3 Tbsp. olive oil

1/2 pound Portobello mushrooms, thinly sliced

1/4 pound white button mushrooms, thinly sliced

1/4 pound mixed wild mushrooms, thinly sliced

2 garlic cloves, diced

2 shallots, diced

1 1/2 cups Arborio rice

1/2 cup vermouth

sea salt

freshly ground black pepper

4 tablespoons butter

1/3 cup grated Gouda

Directions

- On med-high, heat 2 Tbsp. olive oil in large saucepan. Add mushrooms and cook until soft, about 3 minutes. Scrape contents of pan into bowl and set aside.

-  Add 1 Tbsp. olive oil, garlic and shallots to saucepan. Cook 1 minute. Add rice, stirring to coat with oil, about 2 minutes. When rice turns golden in color, add vermouth, stirring constantly until fully absorbed. Add broth to rice, 1/2 cup at a time, stirring each time until absorbed. Add broth until rice is al dente, 15-20 minutes.

- Remove from heat, stir in mushrooms and their juice, butter and Gouda. Add salt and pepper to taste.