Beer here (Charlotte) ...

On the way: Gastropub Draught Charlotte in the former Hartigan's spot at 601 S. Cedar St. near the stadium, from owner Jason Astephen, who has Prohibition in Charlotte and Craft Tap House in New York. Look for 34 craft beers on tap (about half from Charlotte and nearby N.C.), says the place's Maura Howe, plus "mason jar cocktails" and two bars.
As for the food, exec chef Tony Maiolo and sous Bruce Florio, both Johnson & Wales graduates, plan such items as pimento cheese fritters with crusted red honey; fried green tomatoes with goat cheese and roasted red pepper aioli; beer-braised pork "wings" with sweet chile Cheerwine barbecue sauce; Korean-style bulgogi lettuce wraps; and a smoked duck French dip sandwich, dubbed the Third Ward Sandwich.

Grand opening target date is Aug. 8. The website's in progress; Facebook page is here.

Tacos/tequila coming into former tacos/beer spot on East Boulevard

Going into the former Longboards tacos and beer spot on East Boulevard is Bakersfield. A tacos/tequila/whiskey chain, it serves Mexican food, is based in Cincinnati (with locations in Columbus and Indianapolis), is named for the California city of Bakersfield, and says on its websites that it's evoking the "Bakersfield Sound" (the music of Buck Owens, Merle Haggard and Johnny Cash, which was a reaction to the Nashville sound of the time).

Target opening is the last week of August, says the company's Lauren Altman, in town Wednesday to help local partner Brian Riggenbach finalize some things. The menu will be "very similar" to other locations, she said. And what will distinguish these tacos from the ones that just vacated the premises? Tortillas made in-house daily, for one thing, she said -- and "the food and service will speak for themselves."

The space has been "completely gutted; we even moved the bar" and Altman dubbed it a neighborhood bar, "with outstanding bar food." 1301 East Blvd.

Young chef competition call: ment'or

Are you, or do you know, a chef 22-27 interested in recognition and some bucks to go with it?

What used to be called the Bocuse d'Or Foundation -- a nonprofit aimed at preserving classic cuisine in America -- became the ment'or BKB Foundation (with board members Thomas Keller, Daniel Boulud and Jérôme Bocuse, son of the more famous Paul), and it's now holding its first "ment'or Young Chef Competition Series."

Chefs apply between now and Sept. 4 to compete in one of four two-hour cooking contests, set for October and November in New Orleans, Los Angeles, Miami and New York (four chefs will compete in each city). Winners and second-place finishers in each city get three- and two-month stagiaires (essentially internships) in what the competition's press release calls "some of the nation's most well respected restaurants."

“We have so many excellent young cooks in this country who are eager to learn, grow, and advance their careers, as well as cook on a national stage,” Boulud says in the release. “This competition is a celebration of the younger generation of aspiring, talented chefs. It doesn’t matter if you’re a self-taught line cook, a culinary school graduate, a second-career cook or came from another country. Let the best chef win!”

Of course, diners are invited to go, watch and eat at the "host venues" (not announced yet).

For applications and more info: www.mentorbkb.org.

Links for a Thursday

Call me when you start garnishing like this. Anyone. (Zagat's listed eight "over the top" cocktails, here.)

Actual state fair food, or made-up silliness? (I whiffed on the quiz.)

Well played, Eater, especially the "unconventional riff on brussels sprouts" here.

National Tequila Day (although: Isn't every day?): July 24

Vida uptown features Casamigos tequila for the day: Buy a shot or a drink made with it and $1 goes to Second String Santa, and Vida matches the overall donation. Come for a tasting at 7 p.m. for $25, and Vida donates $5 to SSS, which raises money and delivers gifts and school supplies to kids who need them.

'Dog days' at BLT Steak; actual dogs at JJ's

BLT Steak offers a "Dog Days of Summer" blackboard menu from chef Ben Miles through July. Among the items: heirloom tomato salad with olive oil croutons and burrata (that's mozzarella cheese, encasing more mozzarella and cream) drizzled with Vincotto vinaigrette; tempura squash blossoms topped with ricotta and tomato-tarragon jam; and New Town Farms baby squash sprinkled with basil and Parmesan. Entree options include diver scallops with chanterelles, corn and smoked bacon, and a double-cut pork chop with Mission figs and pancetta; dessert's Georgia peach tart with almond filling and a scoop of vanilla gelato. The lineup can be ordered individually, or as a $60 fixed-price menu (for wine pairings, add $35). 110 N. College St. in the Ritz-Carlton; 704-972-4380.

Meanwhile, JJ’s Red Hots (with locations in Dilworth and Ballantyne) looked at sales and feedback and social media for the past year and declared its "Top Ten Most Outrageous (and Best Selling) Hot Dog Toppings," all from its "dog of the week" program, in which it lets businesses and others dictate the dog of their dreams. (Some of these people need to adjust whatever they're doing before bedtime.) They are:

• Mac & cheese (on the "Mac Daddy")
• Sweet potato hash (on the "Yam I Am")
• Peanut butter (on the "Weiner the Pooh")
• Scrambled eggs (on the Breakfast Dog)
• Smoked jalapeno ketchup (on the "Put That In Your Pipe")
• Pineapple salsa (on the "Maui Gold")
• Sage and andouille stuffing (on the "Franksgiving")
• Smoked amber barbecue sauce (on the "Beer B Q," a collaboration with Triple C Brewing)
• Jalapeno corn salsa (on the "Maized and Confused")
• Housemade pimento cheese (on the "Big Cheesy")

Now open: littleSpoon in Myers Park

The long-delayed Selwyn Avenue spot called littleSpoon opened Monday with what it calls a "locally driven" breakfast/brunch/lunch lineup.

Breakfast ranges from corn tortillas with egg white, kale, red quinoa and salsa to soft-boiled egg with toast sticks and flake salt to quinoa "porridge" with blueberries, pecans, brown sugar and cinnamon (prices about $5-$9.50).

For midday, look for heirloom tomato with anchovy-butter croutons, fennel and parsley; lamb pastrami on rye; shrimp and horseradish on a soft roll with lemon, celery and onion (prices about $8-$11).

Chef Miles Payne will make adjustments in the first month or so, said partner Alesha Sin Vinata.

2820 Selwyn Ave.; 704-496-9908; website's not up yet, but the Facebook page is (above photo's from the Twitter feed: @littlespoonCLT). Hours now are 7 a.m.-4 p.m. weekdays, 8 a.m.-4 p.m. Saturday, 9 to 3 Sunday.

Dine out, spot Gatsby, do good later

He'll look so cool.
He always looks so cool.

The '20s-themed Great Gatsby Gala will be Aug. 23, raising money for the National Multiple Sclerosis Society, and you can win tickets for two by finding Gatsby a little early.

He, Daisy and Nick (the main characters in F. Scott Fitzgerald's novel to which this yearly fundraiser alludes) will be dining in a Charlotte Restaurant Week restaurant July 24, sometime between 7 and 8:30 p.m. Hints will be posted on the Great Gatsby Gala's Facebook page, which you must Like to enter this contest. Figure out where he'll be, find him, snap a photo of yourself at his table and post to Facebook or Twitter with the hashtag #IFoundGatsby and you'll get a gift. One person will win two Gala tickets. The Gala will be at the Wells Fargo Atrium, and has food from area restaurants, an open bar for beer and wine, a silent auction, Big Band dancing and a best-dressed contest. Info and ticket sales: www.gatsbygala.org.

P.S.: A first clue for you: The city seen from near Discovery Place and Spirit Square is always the city seen for the first time.
P.P.S.: No, I don't know the answer.

Dine out, do good: Theater edition

The Storefront Theatre of Waxhaw will benefit from an Aug. 3 fundraiser called "Delicious!" Chef Jason Ziobrowski (Jay-Z, see?) will do a tasting menu, and will be using artisan grains, rices and legumes (he's Eastern Region corporate chef for InHarvest, which specializes in those). There'll also be a "Chopped"-style cooking challenge, and guests will bid on two opportunities: To serve as a sous chef in the challenge, or to get to choose (from a group of designated items) what ingredient the chef will need to incorporate in the challenge.

The theater company, which hopes to gain seed money for a facility, will announce its upcoming season at the event.

Tickets: $75 (limited to 50); www.thestorefronttheatre.org.

Mellow Mushroom set to open in Rock Hill

A Mellow Mushroom is slated to open July 21 in Rock Hill, with a decor "inspired by classic sci-fi writers Jules Vern and H.G. Wells": That means a giant metallic octopus at the entry, wall sculpture made with reclaimed organ pipes, a bar styled like an engine room, "a large dirigible airship" blowing "a jet stream of top hats" into a private dining room and, on the veranda, "oil panels that offer a glimpse into the world of a secret society of inventors, while overhead marches a procession of their inventions for time travel." Wow.
1940 Cinema Drive, across from the Regal Manchester Cinema in Manchester Village; www.facebook.com/MMRockhill

Dine out, do good

Which Wich has opened at Blakeney, the fifth area store for franchisee Grant Alexander, who plans 11. The national chain does customizable sandwiches of many stripes, and begins in July something called "Project PB&J": Like the TOMS shoes concept of buy-one-give-one, for every peanut butter and jelly sandwich someone buys, one will be donated to a local charity. In Charlotte, that's the Alexander Youth Foundation (alexanderyouthnetwork.org) and The Relatives (therelatives.org).

Dogwood on the way near SouthPark

Look for Dogwood Southern Table & Bar in November at Ashley Square near SouthPark, from Jon and Kim Dressler (of Dressler's in Birkdale and the Metropolitan), general manager Tim Buchanan, bar manager Brian Lorusso and chef Scott Hollingsworth.

Jon Dressler says the plan is to stay local: N.C. and S.C. products, from partner farms and growers, and regional breweries and distilleries. The working menu offers classics with a twist or two: roasted tomato and goat cheese fondue; sauteed N.C. flounder with Anson Mills farro; Charleston-style shrimp and grits; smoked prime rib and more, with appetizers going for about $5-$14 and entrees $15-$25 or so.

“House Hooch” (the place itself was almost called “Hominy & Hooch”) will range from barrel-aged Negronis to Hot Yam! (Covington’s sweet potato vodka and house-smoked jalapeno).

Fire in the City competition gets cooking

The chefs that will go head-to-head in Fire in the City – the Charlotte branch of the Got to Be NC competition dining series – were just announced: 16 interesting choices that will do battle in eight initial dinners.

Each pair of chefs finds out, one hour before actually cooking, what N.C. ingredient they will need to feature for that night, and must prepare three courses using it. Diners get to try the six courses but don’t know who cooked what. They rate the dishes, as do judges, and one chef advances. A total of 15 “dinner experiences,” in four rounds, yields one winner, who goes on to compete in November against the regional winners from Fire on the Rock (the Asheville area), on the Dock (around Wilmington), in the Triangle (Raleigh) and in the Triad (Greensboro).

Chefs apply and were chosen by the organizers, based on “culinary talent, menu development experience, training, personality, proven creativity and more.” Preliminary matchups were based on last year's rankings, according to founder Jimmy Crippen.

The initial Charlotte battles (with bios, here):

Aug. 18: Luca Annunziata of Passion8 vs. Clark Barlowe of Heirloom.

Aug. 19: Tom Dyrness of Mama Ricotta’s vs. Brian Mottola (no, not chef-owner Emeril Lagasse) of e2 Emeril’s Eatery.

Aug. 20: David Feimster (no, not chef-owner Rocco Whalen) of Fahrenheit vs. David Quintana of Southminster (a retirement community, not a restaurant).

Aug. 25: David Moore of Gallery vs. Ben Philpott of Block & Grinder.

Aug. 26: Brent Martin of The Summit Room vs. Jon Spencer of Epic Chophouse and Chillfire Bar & Grill.

Aug. 27: Chris Coleman of The Asbury (at the Dunhill) vs. Brian Williams of Upstream.

Sept. 2: Nicolas Daniels of The Wooden Vine vs. Paul Ketterhagen of Carpe Diem.

Sept. 3: Jon Fortes of Mimosa Grill (last year’s City champ) vs. David Sullivan of Fish Market Bar and Grill.

The whole schedule’s set. Quarterfinals pit the first two winners Sept. 8, the next Sept. 9, the next Sept. 15, the last Sept. 16. Semifinals (which could pit two Harper’s Group chefs against each other) are Sept. 22 and Sept. 23, and the final will be Sept. 29.

Tickets to dinners, all at Bonterra (1829 Cleveland Ave. in Dilworth), are available now online at www.competitiondining.com/events/fire-in-the-city.

Dine out, do good for Booty

Brio Tuscan Grill at Piedmont Town Center and Bravo! Cucina Italiana at Blakeney will donate 20 percent of July 22 food sales, if diners mention 24 Hours of Booty, to that organization. It's a 24-hour cycling event, supporting cancer research and survivors, and promoting awareness. The 2014 24 Hours begins July 25; last year's raised $1.4 million, says a group spokesperson.

Trying to avoid Restaurant Week?

Some people usually are. Fran Scibelli of Fran's Filling Station notes that the restaurant isn't part of the Week, but is doing a celebration of produce: corn and tomatoes this week, with local and smoked mozzarellas from Alta Volta with the vegetables, plus mussels specials (she mentioned jalapeno bacon with grilled corn and chipotle cream for this), and more. 2410 Park Road; 704-372-2009.

Ready for some alpaca, possum and black chicken?

Look for a dinner July 31 that's off the beaten path at Passion8: Chef Luca Annunziata says his "Exotic Elements Dinner" will feature alpaca, possum, black chicken (the Silkie breed, which has black skin, as shown in a New York Times photo above), a cake made with cricket meal, and Rocky Mountain oysters. (I hate to ruin the surprise, but these are calf testicles.) Chef de cuisine Evan Micek emailed: “Some of the proteins may change, but this is the course in which we are headed now. It will be prepared in a modern eclectic style showcasing the main exotic item!”

Five courses for $62; 803-802-7455; 3415 Highway 51 N, Fort Mill.

Wines and beers and wines

Reid's Wine Shop hosts a Spanish and French wine dinner July 31, with wines from importer Kysela Pere et Fils and food pairings. 2823 Selwyn Ave.; 704-377-1312.

The Palm hosts a Triple C Brewery beer dinner Aug. 1, with Triple C brewmaster Chris Harker on hand. Three courses include baby arugula salad with watermelon and Hyzer Hefeweizen; burger with bacon, caramelized onion and Gouda or pesto-rubbed salmon, with Smoked Amber and 3C India Pale Ale; and sour-cream-Triple C-chocolate cake with peanut butter gelato and Road to Nowhere Porter. $55; 6705 Phillips Place; reservations lwhicker@thepalm.com or 704-552-7450.

The Wine Vault and Aria offer five pasta courses and six wines -- five reds and one dessert wine -- for $65 Aug. 5. Among the lineup: foie gras ravioli with duck confit and Cantine Valpane Barbera; shrimp risotto with sunchoke puree and Eloro Spaccaforno Nero d' Avola; lamb Bolognese with fresh ricotta and mint with Speri Amarone Classico; and more. 100 N. Tryon St.; 704-548-9463.

Free chicken "McBites"

Charlotte-area McDonald's will give customers a free snack-size package of Chicken McBites from 5 to 8 p.m. July 17 -- no purchase necessary, and you don't need a coupon. There are 133 in the "Charlotte area," including some S.C. locations, say McDonald's PR folks; if you're not sure about whether your local one is included, give the place a call.

'Generous Pour' at Capital Grille

Through Aug. 31, the Capital Grille's "Generous Pour" means you can get pours of any of seven "world-class wine varietals" for $25 when you buy dinner. That means you can start with one and end with a different one as your meal progresses. The wines, chosen by the chain's master sommelier, George Miliotes:
Atalon Sauvignon Blanc
Byron Chardonnay
Carmel Road "Liberated" Riesling
Freemark Abbey Merlot
Arrowood "Catchwire" Bordeaux Blend
Kendall-Jackson "Winemaker Selection" Cabernet
La Crema Pinot Noir

Dine out, do good: For people and dogs

Rooster's at SouthPark hosts "Wine & Wags" July 31, a fundraiser for paws4people. That's a nonprofit aimed at getting canine companionship and service to active-duty service members and veterans, inmates, kids and senior citizens. It places highly trained "Assistance Dogs" and does therapeutic and visitation programs, too.

There's a personal side here: Rooster's chef-owner Jim Noble's daughter, Olivia, 21, recently got a dog named Bragg from the organization. A recent high school graduate, she's had troubles related to encephalitis that she developed as a baby, and Bragg has helped her gain independence.

Tickets to the event are $15, and there'll be wine flights, appetizers, raffles and wine education from the chef. 6601 Morrison Blvd., 704-366-8688.

Dine out, do good for vets

The next "Walk off the War" Birdsong beer dinner at the Cotswold Pizza Peel is coming up July 22.

"Walk off the War" (WarriorHike.com) was founded by U.S. Marine Corps veteran Sean Gobin, who "thru-hiked" the Appalachian Trail after three deployments in Iraq and Afghanistan -- meaning he hiked the whole thing. It helped, and he wanted other vets to have the experience. As he told the Washington Post here: “You’re not in front of a computer, you’re not in front of a TV, your brain has no choice but to process all those experiences. By the time you get to the end of the thru-hike, you’ve really worked out those emotions. . . . You’ve been reminded that there are so many people out there who are inherently good, and you’re really in the right place to start the next chapter of your life.”

Warrior Hike supports vets with supplies and other resources, and donations go through nonprofit partner Operation Military Embrace.

The dinner is four courses, including chilled melon soup with Higher Ground IPA; rosemary pepper chicken with Jalapeno Pale Ale; and Eat a Peach chocolate cake, with Eat a Peach Ale. Some items from area outdoor retailers will be raffled off, too.

$60; 4422 Colwick Road; 704-714-8808.

A real nice clambake

Deep Sea Seafood Market does the occasional clam bake, and the next is July 19: Everyone's seated at one table and the menu goes like this:
Assorted hors d'oeuvres
New England clam chowder
1 1/2 pound lobster
Shrimp, clams, mussels
Andouille sausage
Corn on the cob
Dessert (TBA)

The event is BYOB and costs $49.99 per person. 7:30-10 p.m., 10020 Monroe Road, Matthews. Register here.

Coming soon(ish): Earl's, from the Carpe Diem folks

Catching up on the upcoming Earl's Grocery, from Carpe Diem's Bonnie Warford and Tricia Maddrey:

The new place should be open by July 21, if things fall into place, says Warford. That means lots afoot at 1609 Elizabeth Ave., which has 50 seats and will offer foodstuffs and prepared foods for takeout dinners as well:

• A food-truck-concept lunch menu 11 a.m.-2:30 p.m. from Marc Jacksina: Look for such things as a dog of the day (like merguez sausage with green tomato chow-chow and toasted cumin mustard on brioche bun); grilled cheese (hoop cheddar with pickled peaches and arugula on sourdough with preserved lemon butter); kimchi cabbage stuffed with smoked tofu and rice; and banh mi (lemongrass pulled pork with daikon and carrot pickles). Plans call for lunch only, Monday-Saturday, “then we’ll figure it out” as business goes along, says Warford.

• A pickle bar! Yes, think pickles and olives. Then think garnishes for cocktails: cippollini in balsamic, specialty bitters and syrups, preserved lemon.

• A coffee bar (Boquete Mountain coffee, in NoDa), plus fresh juices.

• Soft-serve Greek yogurt (tart and a rotating something-else, such as almond butter) with toppings such as chipotle-infused maple syrup with pepito granola and balsamic strawberries. ( “We will have a party mix for kids,” Warford hastens to add, with Gummi bears and marshmallows, “so they don’t cry.”) Also in the sweet line: muffins, cookies, pies, cakes, and a donut fryer on the way.

• Prepared foods for takeout only (at least at first), some with a twist and some without: Roasted filet of beef; Cheerwine short ribs with cucumber and boiled peanut gremolata; Southern pickled shrimp with white lightning cocktail sauce (green tomato ketchup with moonshine, y’all). Sides will range from grilled potato salad and kale slaw to truffled cauliflower puree and tomato cobbler, and cheese and charcuterie plates will be available all the time.

• Condiments, sauces, pastas and more (nothing with high fructose corn syrup or hydrogenated oils; “call us the mayor of New York”), much from artisans who don’t have distributors, says Warford. Indian chutneys and achaars (relishes), jams, jellies, mustards, mayos, and a special effort on finding gluten-free and vegan products with excellent flavors. North Carolina, yes, but also “from everywhere.” Beer and wine, too.

“We’re trying to please a little bit of everybody,” says Warford.

OMB opening delayed

The new Olde Mecklenburg Brewery facility -- 8.5 acres, with a brewhouse four times the size of the old one, an expanded taproom/restaurant designed to look like a German bierhall, an outdoor biergarten and an event space that can hold nearly 500 -- won't hold its public grand opening until Aug. 15, rescheduling from the original July 19 date.

The site, at 4150 Yancey Road, has had construction delays. The rescheduled opening, promises founder John Marrino, will include food, live music and brewery tours, giveaways and the serving of OMB brews such as Copper, Captain Jack, Southside Weiss, Hornets Nest, Dunkelweizen, Yule Bock, Bauern Bock, Fat Boy, Fruh Bock and Unfiltered Anny Alt.

More at www.facebook.com/OldeMeckBrewery.

Open now; opening soon

Uncle Maddio’s, a fast-casual pizza chain, opened the second of eight planned Charlotte-area locations this week in Huntersville's NorthCross Shopping Center, and will do a grand opening July 12, with free pizza (one 9-inch three-topping pizza to everyone in line 11 a.m.-2 p.m.) and someone winning pizza for a year. 10009 NorthCross Center Court; in the NorthCross Shopping Center.

Smashburger opens July 16 at Cotswold, its second Charlotte-area location (the other's at Ballantyne), with a complimentary burger to diners from 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. that day. It'll also donate a dollar from every burger sold through Aug. 13 to Ace & TJ's Grin Kids, which serves kids who are terminally ill or chronically handicapped. The Cotswold location will feature the chain's Carolina Chili burger and a chicken sandwich topped with melted American cheese, beef chili, chopped yellow onion, Duke’s mayo and coleslaw on a pretzel bun. The chain uses Certified Angus beef for burgers that are "smashed" on a 400-degree flat grill.

Chicken Salad Chick, a fast-casual chain that began in Alabama, is slated to open a location Aug. 5 at Carmel Commons (7617-C Pineville-Matthews Road), and the owners plan 10 Charlotte-area sites. The press release calls it a "unique concept" (please see The Mayobird, already in Charlotte) with 15 flavors of chicken salad: 85 franchises have been sold across the south, according to the release.

Miro returning?

Partner Phong Luong says Miro Spanish Grille, slated to close after July 11 at StoneCrest, will be moving to Toringdon Market Shopping Center, into the spot vacated by Brig's (about 2.5 miles away). He estimates the renovation will take not very long, and that Miro will be open in "early fall." Expect 70 percent of the menu to be the same as at the original, with more of what Luong calls "Modern Spanish and Steakhouse" with more healthy options, plus a kids' menu.

Pancakes, Bastille Day and a speakeasy dinner

7th Street Public Market hosts the 10th annual Firefighters' Pancake Breakfast July 12, benefitting the group's Burned Children Fund. Firefighters will be cooking plain and blueberry pancakes 8:30-11:30 a.m. for a $5 suggested donation per plate ($3 for kids). Yes, you can get them to-go, and parking for up to 90 minutes at the 7th Street Station deck can be validated at the market. 224 E. 7th St.; www.7thStreetPublicMarket.com

Lulu will offer a three-course Bastille Day deal for $30 5-10 p.m. July 14. (Regular dinner will be available, too.) 1911 Central Ave.; 704-376-2242.

Bonterra will do "all things French" for Bastille Day dinner with assorted specials. On the menu: bouillabaise (a seafood stew); foie gras with local peaches; beef tenderloin with haricots verts; and more, from exec chef Bill Schutz. 1829 Cleveland Ave.; 704-333-9463.

The July 15 "High Summer Wine Dinner" at the Wine Shop at Foxcroft brings a menu from chef Justin Solomon that ranges from foie gras with port-poached fig and local honey to steak tartare with quail egg and 2013 Domaine du Pavillon de Chavannes Cote du Brouilly to coriander-dusted lamb chops with 2006 Poliziano Vino Nobile di Montepulciano Asinone, and more. $75; 7824 Fairview Road; 704-365-6550.

Fleming’s plans a five-course, speakeasy-themed dinner July 18, and diners are encouraged to "dress the part" -- they'll get an access code when they reserve that they'll need to cough up to get in. On the menu: scallop carpaccio served with a Milagro Silver cilantro Collins; porcini-crusted filet with a New York sour; and more. $85; 219 W. Trade St.; 704-333-4266.

Chef shakeups at the Moffett group

Longtime Charlotte chef Kerry Moffett is moving to Dallas, to be closer to family and to, potentially, open his own restaurant. That means Bruce Moffett's restaurant group is playing a bit of musical (chef) chairs:

Replacing Kerry at Good Food on Montford starting in mid-July is Larry Schreiber, who's currently executive chef at sibling Stagioni. Schreiber had worked at Good Food, as well as at Bruce's original, Barrington's, as sous chef.

Replacing Schreiber at Stagioni is Ashley Quick (shown), who's originally from Charlotte (and was, we're told, among the first customers at Barrington's back in 2001), but has a resume that includes time as a line cook at London-area (fixed: thanks, commenter!) Fat Duck and as executive chef at Flyte in Nashville.

Details on all three Moffett restaurants are here.

Bits and crumbs

Sullivan's Steakhouse starts a social hour 5-11 p.m. each Wednesday and Thursday with a new bar menu (ahi tuna nachos with avocado habanero salsa; kale and artichoke dip; sriracha-glazed shrimp), live music and $7 "signature drinks," such as the Knockout Martini (Svedka clementine vodka infused with pineapple). (Drinks are discounted all day, for those of you who worry about state happy hour laws.) 1928 South Blvd.; 704-335-8228.

July equals "31 Days of German Riesling," we are told, and Charlotte wine shop Vin Master will comply, with a tasting 6-9 p.m. July 17. 2000 South Blvd.; 704-307-5565.