131 Main Restaurant-- Mooresville

So here I am again on the road. This time my work has brought me to Mooresville, North Carolina. I'm here with several colleagues, and I have had each evening free for dinner-- which is rarely the case when I am working. I am also fortunate that my lovely cousin Becky lives near by and I have been able to enjoy several meals with her. I know I have said it before, but I come from a long line of Foodies, and Becky is no exception. You know, some people fawn over rock stars, some people get excited over celebrities, I get thrilled when I am in the company of a foodie. The whole time I have been here I have been looking for a place to blog about. Last night Dorothy (another foodie), a friend I am working with here, visited a restaurant that came highly recommended, but failed to inspire me.

Dorothy and I enjoying a drink the night before.

Tonight Becky recommended 131 Main Restaurant in located in the Lake Norman area. She emailed me a copy of their menu. Stated on the bottom was what convinced me this was the place to go. 
"At 131 MAIN, we take freshness so seriously that we don’t even have a freezer for our food! All of our fish and steaks are cut in-house daily and our recipes are made from scratch. " 


Who wouldn't be inspired by that declaration? I'm all in!


Becky picked me up and along with her lovely daughter Emily we made our way to the restaurant. Becky accidentally gave me a little tour of a quaint town nearby called Davidson, NC. For those of you who have never visited North Carolina, this is a gorgeous state, so I didn't mind our detour.  =-)
We finally made it to the restaurant and were quickly seated. After a few questions we quickly placed a order for an appetizer. The server recommended the Double Dip. He said it was the most popular appetizer on the menu. It sounded delicious- homemade guacamole, queso, and salsa. This queso is not what most people think of when they hear queso. 

From what I could taste it was a mixture of shredded cheddar, mayonnaise, jalapenos, cilantro, and worcestershire sauce. It was incredibly delicious. It was spicy, tangy, and creamy. I am not a huge fan of mayonnaise, but the chef created a masterpiece. Try it. You'll like it. The guacamole was great, and the salsa was tasty. 

I ordered a locally brewed beer Olde Mecklenburg “Copper". Hmmm. Beer. This is an excellent beer, and the story behind it is an  interesting bit of trivia. Learn more about it at:
http://www.oldemeckbrew.com/Beer/index.php 


Beer is good, especially when it is accompanied by chips and salsa. But I digress. Let me move on to our main courses. 


Two items caught my eye on the menu when Becky first sent it to me. It just so happened that the server recommended the one I ordered, and Becky ordered the second. Perfect!! Have I mentioned how smart Becky is? 

I ordered the Grilled NC Trout. It was served with a wild rice salad and an herbed aioli. 
The wild rice salad was something totally new to me. It was a mix of wild rice, pecans, and golden raisins and tossed in a vinaigrette. Now, for all those that know me, you know I am not a fan of raisins. So, of course I went around them to taste the salad. It was excellent. This is the kind of item that could easily go wrong, but the fresh ingredients and care with which it was made created blend of textures and flavors that danced over the tongue. The trout was lightly seasoned, fresh and flaky. The aioli was the perfect compliment to the fish. It was garlicky and creamy and all around yum, but to be honest, the fish was so good it didn't need anything extra.


Another creative salad that drew Becky to the restaurant is the P&G Cole Slaw. 

It is a unique cole slaw with a Thai flare. The cole slaw looks like the typical dish except it is garnished with peanuts. But one bite has flavor exploding. It has a strong ginger flavor that is complimented by the creaminess of the dressing. I can see why this one item would have you coming back over and over.




In addition to the Cole Slaw Becky ordered the Roasted Chicken for her and Precious Emily. 

The chicken is a half chicken that is roasted in herbs and served in its own juices. Because my cousin loves me, she let me try her chicken. It was juicy, a perfect blend of herbs and spices, and all around wonderful. 


I must say this restaurant was the highlight of my trip. I'm not saying the other places weren't good, they were, it is just that this place really shined. Fresh ingredients really do make a difference. You can tell a lot of love was put into the preparation of this food. 
Thank you Becky for treating me to such a wonderful meal! And thank you Emily for being the best dinner companion EVER!!!! xxoo


I must take a moment to mention the waitstaff. The service wasn't perfect, but everything was brought out in a timely manner. They all seemed to work together as a team to bring the dinner the best experience. They were knowledgeable about the menu and happy to answer any questions. Several different servers brought out our food or beverages to us, some tried to bring things we didn't order, but all in all it was good service. =-) 
This is going on my "Must Visit Again List."


131 Main has four locations in North Carolina. You can find out more about it at http://www.131-main.com.