Halcyon, Flavors From The Earth

Maria and I attempted to go to Halcyon on a cold rainy night last fall. I was rocking crutches at the time and it was a bit of a pain to get around, but I was excited to try a restaurant that has been on my list for a long time. We didn’t make reservations because we were having a major storm in the city that night and didn’t expect there to be much of a crowd. Unfortunately that wasn’t the case. We arrived at the restaurant and were immediately asked if we had reservations and upon us saying that we did not, we were told that they were booked the whole night. They did have some visibly open tables while we stood at the hostess podium but I can only assumed that they were reserved for a customer that had yet to arrive. I hobbled outside to the lobby to figure out our next move. We were limited in options at this end of Uptown Charlotte, by the weather, and my crutches limited us even more. I pulled up my handy dandy OpenTable app to look for options and lo and behold Halcyon had open tables listed in the next 15 mins. We stood there scratching our heads when one of the hostesses came out to ask if we were waiting for a table (funny considering this same person just turned us away). At this point I shared my app results and the hostess ran back in to talk to the manager. She comes out a few minutes later and apologizes that ‘my’ app was wrong and wishes us a goodnight. And that ladies and gents was my first experience with Halcyon. But one thing I must admit is that a foodie on a mission never gives up.

Lovely meal on the terrace. We ate lunch at Halcyon on the outside terrace before visiting the Mint Museum. The terrace is far above the traffic and provides a nice view of the city. I had the ribeye steak sandwich special. It was very tasty. My husband had the PoBoy special made with skate, which he also enjoyed. My mother had the Seafood Bouillon and she raved about it. I also had the chocolate mousse cake with blackberries. Good service, nice ambience outside and in. We will be back!

I enjoyed a delightful lunch before my visit to the Mint Museum. The restaurant boasts a fantastic view of the tall downtown buildings and has a chic atmosphere. When the chef presented the bread selection of the day, it was popcorn seasoned with Turkish spices, which was quite intriguing. The waiter was both knowledgeable and efficient. The lunch menu featured a variety of interesting options, though the prices seemed a bit high for a regular weekday meal. One highlight was the dessert option—a truffle served with two raspberries and a mint leaf. It was a wonderful idea, providing just a taste of something sweet.

As someone who works with wine, cheese, and beer, I was tempted to order a bottle of wine. However, upon seeing the prices, I thought twice—some of the wines were marked up to double what I pay at my store. While I appreciate the art of mixology, cocktails weren’t really calling to me, as I’m not a fan of mixing food with my drinks. But let me tell you, the food was absolutely incredible. I ordered the Choucroute, and it made me so happy! My boyfriend chose the soup and the chèvre ravioli. Having spent time as an exchange student in Auvergne, France, I could tell the chef has a deep understanding of that region’s cuisine. Everything was cooked to perfection—the duck was especially delightful! My boyfriend, who claims he doesn’t like duck, tried it and ended up loving it. The dish was hearty, with ample meat and carbs, accompanied by cornichons, Dijon mustard, and pickled red onions, truly bringing me back to my time in Auvergne. I was pleasantly surprised to receive a Laguiole knife to slice my game sausage. I was so full that I didn’t have room for dessert, even though I was curious about their options, as they don’t have a dessert menu available online. Instead, I finished off the meal with a single shot of espresso. Next time I visit, I think I’ll just sample various appetizers and share them with a friend. Overall, this is definitely a fantastic spot for a date night, a girls’ night out, or a meeting—just don’t bring the kids. Dress up a bit; otherwise, you might feel out of place!

This is a fantastic spot with a wonderful atmosphere. I usually wouldn't be attracted to a place like this, as I assumed it might feel a bit too formal for my liking. However, I was pleasantly surprised—it turned out to be a beautiful restaurant with delicious food. The service was excellent as well. I tried the chicken salad sandwich, which was delightful. The burgers also looked really tempting!