Ballantyne Magazine covers news, events, real estate, restaurants, shopping, health, schools and business in the upscale Ballantyne Area of Charlotte, NC.
Issue link: https://ballantynemagazine.epubxp.com/i/420621
Neighborhood Fave Blackthorne Rapidly Gains Loyal Following By Amy Rogers Photos by Ray Sepesy TO START YOUR OWN RESTAURANT AND MAKE IT A SUCCESS, you've got to do three things: spend years learning the business, pick a high-traffic location and rely on experts to guide your decisions until you get on your feet. Brothers Tim and Jay Duffy did none of those things. And yet their restaurant, Blackthorne Restaurant & Bar, has become a favorite dining destination in Ballantyne — one that appeals equally to customers who want to enjoy a casual cocktail and those seeking an inspired menu for a special occasion. The Connecticut natives relocated to the growing Charlotte region, Jay in the late '90s and Tim in 2002, where their parents had put down roots a few years earlier. Both men were working in the paper and printing business when their talks about opening a restaurant of their own became serious. Their primary "research" was gustatory: "We ate in hundreds of good restaurants," Tim remembers. Opened in 2012 They roughed out a plan for a menu, looked at possible locations for their eatery and trusted their intuition to lead them in the right direction. In 2012, they opened in a cozy space tucked away on North Community House Road. And in that short time, Blackthorne has become a popular gathering spot for neighborhood regulars and the larger community alike. Executive chef Mathew Bauwin works with the owners to offer a menu that evolves with the calendar of seasonal ingredients that can be sourced locally; though, many of the most well-liked dishes are available year-round. The restaurant's pear pecan salad combines the sweetness of poached pears and candied pecans with the tartness of dried cranberries and the bite of blue cheese. The iconic shrimp and grits dish native to the Carolina Lowcountry gets extra elegance with the addition of briny scallops that complement an earthy, house-made sausage. Especially in chilly weather, an Angus center-cut filet mignon is a hearty and satisfying choice, and so is the succulent split chicken breast from Poultry Junction, a farm in nearby Stanley, N.C. Peppery The Duffys roughed out a plan for a menu, looked at possible locations and trusted their intuition. The pear pecan salad combines sweet, tart and other favors. The Angus center-cut flet mignon is a hearty and satisfying choice. The restaurant's daily lunch menu is available for Sunday brunch. BALLANTYNE MAGAZINE 69 WINTER 2014-2015