For Valentine’s Day, Qnotes asked local Charlotte couple Brad Gorman and Trevor Hoppe to tell us about their date night out as inspiration for those in search of an interesting and entertaining way to share the annual celebration of romance with someone special.
Here’s what they had to say…
Qnotes: Tell us what restaurant you selected, and why.
Trevor Hoppe: Everybody always talks about the hot new and usually very expensive restaurants opening in Charlotte. But sometimes an old standard just slaps. That was Alexander Michael’s for our date night. The Cajun fries were yummy and my creamy pasta with blackened chicken (“What It Is”) was super flavorful.
Brad Gorman: We barely ever get to uptown, so we checked out Alexander Michael’s in Fourth Ward. The interior was beautiful with charming wood accents; our server Lilly was lovely; and the menu was simple southern and sweet. I got the catfish and Trevor had the pasta, which was delicious, so I stole some bites. Also, after 10 years together and five years married, we have to spice things up a little bit, so we got the Cajun Fries as an appetizer. They were so good! Plus the bill was only $60 for dinner for two and one libation.
Qnotes: In addition to a nice dinner, what else is on your calendar for a perfect Valentine date night?
Trevor: Did you know Valentine’s Day is on a Wednesday this year? Did you know the Mint Museum has free admission Wednesday evenings? Need we say more.
Brad: Who doesn’t love free art? When we learned Mint Museum is free on Wednesday nights, we simply could not pass that up. It was busy! The five floors of art were stunning and we were surprised and delighted to come around a corner and see a small sculpture by Keith Haring, our favorite beloved departed queer artist.
Qnotes: Traditionally, most couples wrap up their Valentine’s night out at a special place that involves something sweet. If that’s the case for you guys, where did you go for dessert?
Brad: Amelie’s. [It’s] like going to Paris without even booking a flight. I’m [describing] it as inventive and confident. I ordered some chocolate cake, which was meh, but Trevor ordered better, so I ate half of his caramel treat.
Trevor: I ordered right because I did the only sensible thing when entering a dining establishment [for the first time]. I asked the person working there what was the most delicious thing on offer. My caramel brownie confection was insanely good!
Trevor Hoppe and Brad Gorman love exploring local dishes and trying all the top restaurants they can handle. They live in Plaza Midwood with an adorable old cat named Nomi.