Located at 1422 S Tryon St Suite 130, Charlotte, NC 28203
Who doesn’t want delicious celebratory drinks on their birthday?! Do you know what makes a cocktail taste even better? …the correct type of ice. After visiting STIR I believe this now more than ever (I’ll tell you why further into the post). Of course we indulged in their tasty menu that oozed fresh ingredients from their oyster bar, to ceviche, chopped salads and more!
...it's all about the ice, ice, baby...
This craft cocktail lounge isn’t just shaking up delicious drinks, it is also known for its artisanal ice. As you can see on the front page of their drink menu, they offer seven different ‘types’ of ice (ex shaved, pebbled, sphere, crushed and more). Usually the decision is just ‘what’ type of drink you want… now STIR has added an extra fun yet frozen element.
Each mixologist works incredibly hard to produce the perfect cocktail. The ice that is served with each drink absolutely plays an integral role. Pair the wrong two together and you end up with a watered down drink… nobody wants that. Not to worry, as you flip further into their menu, next to each cocktail they provide not only its correlating list of ingredients BUT the type of ice too.
Drink(s) :
- Whiskey Bramble (pictured top) – with each sip of this delicious cocktail you will experience rich floral notes, bourbon and a hint of lemon. Served in a frosted silver cup with crushed ice.
- Wild Moon Child (pictured center) – this cocktail might as well be the drink of summer (words I literally said out loud). Each sip is light, refreshing and balanced with the perfect mix of tequila, sweet (strawberry) and sour (lime). Served in a tall glass with crushed ice.
- Viva La Astral (pictured bottom) – looking to spice it up? This tequila based cocktail is for you. You’ll enjoy the tart grapefruit flavor on the front end with peppery ginger notes on the back. Served in a low ball glass with a 2” rock of ice.
- Whiskey Bramble (pictured left, on top) – with each sip of this delicious cocktail you will experience rich floral notes, bourbon and a hint of lemon. Served in a frosted silver cup with crushed ice.
- Wild Moon Child (pictured left, on bottom) – this cocktail might as well be the drink of summer (words I literally said out loud). Each sip is light, refreshing and balanced with the perfect mix of tequila, sweet (strawberry) and sour (lime). Served in a tall glass with crushed ice.
- Viva La Astral (pictured right) – looking to spice it up? This tequila based cocktail is for you. You’ll enjoy the tart grapefruit flavor on the front end with peppery ginger notes on the back. Served in a low ball glass with a 2” rock of ice.
Appetizer(s) : Sautéed Salmon Cakes
Do not sleep on this appetizer. It’s beautiful presentation is matched equally in taste. The salmon cakes are packed full with fish and cooked wonderfully (with the perfect outside sear). Each rich bite of salmon cake is balanced with a dollop of citrus dill yogurt and possibly my favorite garnish, pickled red onions.
Oyster Bar :
Are you an Oyster lover? If you know anything about our family we certainly are, so any chance we get to indulge in a raw bar, the answer is always YES. This visit I had to reign in temptation though, as I wanted to leave room for the rest of the menu. Regardless, the taste of James River’s on the half shell can never disappoint.
Entree(s) : Tuna Poke Bowl
This Tuna Poke Bowl has a unique spin, it is almost ‘deconstructed’ as the ingredients are placed in a circle along the outer ring of the dish (as you can see in the photo). In the center you will find fresh sushi rice topped with raw tuna. Clearly the benefit of this particular dish is you get to drive what your taste buds experience with each bite; if you’re not a fan of a particular ingredient you can just leave it to the side.
Entree(s) : STIR Chicken Chopped Salad
This salad hit the spot. I LOVE it when the ingredients are ‘chopped’ so that each bite can include a variety of flavor versus just a mouth full of lettuce (haha). The salami, grilled chicken and mozzarella cheese brought savory and salty flavors yet were balanced by the garbanzo beans, fresh lettuce and tomatoes. To finish it off, the salad is tossed in red wine vinaigrette to pack a punch of acidity.
Atmosphere :
As you walk up to STIR you come across a complex mixed with restaurants, coworking spaces (more commonly referred to as WeWork), and an outdoor courtyard. Located on the corner, STIRs atmosphere instantly offers a great balance of corporate vs personal AND indoor vs outdoor. Whether you’re meeting for a work lunch, having fun with friends or taking advantage of their awesome patio bar you can’t go wrong.
Want to make a reservation?
- This restaurant is a part of the OpenTable network. Click here to book a reservation.
- Call STIR directly at (980) 209-0277
- Visit their website by clicking here (or the title of this post at the top of the page).
For more local drink flavors, click here.
For more Good Food restaurants, click here.