Ethan's of Elizabeth
Charlotte, North Carolina
Chef Mark Martin should feel right at home in the neighborhood of Elizabeth, considering he was born just blocks away. After earning a degree from the University of North Carolina Chapel Hill, he relocated to Santa Fe where he worked under world-renowned restaurateur Mark Miller at Coyote Café. He subsequently earned a degree from the New England Culinary School in Vermont, eventually becoming the institution's instructor of fine dining. He returned to his native Charlotte and, after serving as chef at Pastis Restaurant, opened Ethan's of Elizabeth.
Martin and his wife spent months finding just the right location for the restaurant. The neighborhood of Elizabeth felt "right" to the couple. And the name "Ethan" refers to Martin's son. The chef's current menu reflects the New American cooking style - a type of melting pot cuisine that suits him perfectly. Many dishes reflect his culinary travels, and he brings it all together with patchwork magnificence.
ETHAN'S OF ELIZABETH
366 North Caswell Road;
Charlotte, North Carolina
Chef Mark Martin has fine-tuned this neighborhood bistro into a lean, mean New American machine and one of Charlotte's few hidden gems. The menu, which changes seasonally, covers all the bases and contains many surprises and delights. Located in an expansive, charming gray-shingled house, Ethan's radiates old-world charm. It has both the feel of a well-loved afghan and a spirited neighborhood hangout.
Large windows, wood floors and white linen topped with butcher paper are the backdrop for conversation. The hip-looking bar is in the center of the old house, with tables and windows all around. A private dining room upstairs seats 50, with the entire house radiating familiarity. Ethan's is the gastronomic equivalent of business casual - professional yet relaxed and exquisite in a buttoned-down manner. (Citysearch, Creative Loafing, Charlotte Magazine)