Brunching in Hickory, North Carolina: Josh's On Union Square

When I was single, brunch was one of my favorite events of the week. I lived in Columbia, South Carolina and there were endless places to eat and sip on a mimosa or two with friends. When I moved up to Hickory, North Carolina after getting married I was sad to see that most brunch places were closed on Sundays. I love that places close for church for their employees but man oh man did I miss a good omelet and community after service.

We celebrated our anniversary June 1st (our first one!) and I was going to find a brunch place for Josh and I to eat. This was going to happen. And Josh’s turned out to be our brunch hero, not my husband (though he did pay for the meal, so in that aspect he was) but Josh’s On Union Square, had a delicious 3 course brunch for a great deal (13 dollars!!!). We called ahead for seating, because we were meeting friends but we didn’t really need to. The place was busy but not slammed.

I got Caesar salad, an omelet full of bacon, spinach and cheddar cheese (these daily omelets change weekly) and blueberry cheese cake (and of course a mimosa to wash it down). Everything was excellent. The portions were perfect, my husband initially thought he would be hungry, but when he finished all three servings of his banana foster pancakes, shrimp and grits and banana pudding he was rubbing his stomach in agreement.

Price-$ (for brunch and lunch) $$ (for dinner)

Kid friendly- Yep! They have high chairs, and wait staff is very accommodating to small children. They don’t have a kid’s menu online but it doesn’t hurt to ask.

Parking- Union Square has plenty of free parking available.

Outdoor Seating- Yes

Location: 206 Union Square NW, Hickory, NC 28601

What are your favorite places to brunch in the South?

You can read more restaurant reviews by Lauren on her personal blog here .

Asheville Restaurant Review: Mela

My husband Josh and I love to eat, but let’s be real, who doesn’t??? We got married almost a year ago and we probably eat out 4 days a week… I know, I know, I am not going to be winning any Wife Of The Year awards anytime soon. But the bright side is we know some pretty dang good places to eat in a 90 mile radius. (Yes we will drive an hour and a half for some grub.)

One of our favorite places is Asheville. Seriously, this city is a foodie heaven. While we love trying new places, it is hard to tear Josh away from Mela, an Indian restaurant in the heart of downtown. So I thought it would be an appropriate spot to talk about for my first post.

Josh and I usually try to make it for the lunch buffet, from 11:30 to 2:30 every day and we always leave stuffed. Not only is it delicious, but it is a great bargain. Sometimes they even have a special for a buffet lunch and a local beer (they have Highland on tap) for only 12 dollars. I know what you are thinking, because I think it too… a buffet, seriously? But this buffet is constantly replenished with Chicken Masala, Tandoori chicken, chickpeas, Kheer and more. It is definitely the best bang for your buck.

But if you want a more romantic, less hurried atmosphere, going at dinner time is the way to go.

I got the Seafood Aviyal, which was on special, and I was not disappointed. It had just the right amount of spices and it was full of shrimp, scallops and Mahi Mahi. I could have had leftovers if it wasn’t so good. Josh usually gets the Chicken Korma, but he’s also a fan of Chicken Vindaloo (if you don’t like spicey, stay away from the Vindaloo). Check out their daily menu here.

For dessert I had Gulab Jamun, which is deep fried cheese in a rich syrup: a perfect cap for a delicious meal. We usually end the night at the used bookstore across the street, or at the Lab to grab a brew and listen to some local music.

Price- $$

Kid Friendly- While they don’t have a kid’s menu, we have been there during lunch and  the child we were dining with had a great time.

Parking- Street (Sunday: meters are free or there are parking structures, specifically on Rankin Avenue that give you the first hour free)

Outdoor Seating- None

Location- 70 North Lexington Avenue, Asheville, NC

Much Thanks to Erin over at The Cornwell Fam for this review-be sure to check back for her June restaurant review!

Meet our Contributors: Lauren of The Cornwell Fam

blog: The Cornwell Fam

How long have you lived in the Carolinas and where are you from originally from?

I have lived in the Carolinas for about 7 years. I originally moved to South Carolina to be closer to my parents and finish school at the University of South Carolina. I most recently moved to North Carolina after getting married. My dad was in the Navy so as a child I moved around a lot but the majority of my life we lived in Coronado, California, a small beach town in San Diego.

What is your favorite thing about the Carolinas?

I love everything about the Carolinas.  I love that you can spend one day hiking a waterfall and the next meandering down a cobblestone street rich with history. I love that everyone dresses up for football games. I love the food, especially oyster roasts and barbeque. I love that you can dip your toes in the Atlantic and it’s warm (something California beaches are missing).

How long have you been blogging?

I have been blogging for about a year and a half now, I can’t believe how time flies.

What is your favorite thing about blogging?

As sappy as it sounds, the community. I love meeting people with similar and not so similar lives. I am constantly finding inspiration from other bloggers about faith, marriage, teaching and fashion. I love that I have found such an uplifting little pocket of the internet and am always so excited to read, laugh and learn from others on this blogging adventure.

Tell us a little about your blog.

 My blog originally started as a way to share information with our (my husband was actually the one who started it, being the computer savvy man he is) wedding. It has since morphed into a place that is reflective of who I am. A place where I talk about date nights with the hubster, Art Education, Jesus, clothes I wear (mostly thrifted), and projects I make.

Seeking monthly contributors!

Well hello!
Long time, no post, I know!

As you can see, spring is peeking in on Charleston and the next few weeks are sure to be gorgeous! Charleston is sort of known for it's gardens so spring is a pretty big deal around here.

I assure you we have been working hard behind the scenes to get this blogger network up.
Starting a project like this from scratch has proven to be more tedious than I ever imagined.  The technical side of blogging and websites is something that stretches my patience on a daily basis.  I'm a long term thinker; people like me are called dreamers.  Justin (my husband) is a short term thinker; we tend to refer to people like him as detail oriented.  Thank God we are opposites in that sense because without him, this network would still be a dream bouncing around in my head!

I wrote a post a couple of months ago about what this network will offer here .
We are excited to announce that we are now looking for monthly contributors to showcase this coveted region of the world!  At this time, we are not offering compensation, however you will receive free sidebar advertising for 3 months.
If you would like to contribute on a monthly basis for any of the following areas, please contact us at admin@sincerelycarolinas.com.  We would love to work with you!

• Travel (within North Carolina and South Carolina)
• Lifestyle
• Family
• Photography
• Food
• Blogging (tips and information)
• Fashion

Never give up on the dream just because it will take time to accomplish it.  The time will pass away.  -Earl Nightingale