I thougt it fitting to write my last post before Thanksgiving on one of my last meals in Charlotte. I’m finding this bittersweet–sweet because Mario has now made a permanent move back to Atlanta, but bitter because I was actually kind of liking Charlotte and my monthly trips there. On this trip, Mario was being particularly generous in letting me pick restaurants I was interested in blogging about. After taking in a Bobcats game with friends, we decided to check out a new-ish addition to South End, The Liberty.

The Liberty

We decided to stop because of their sign outside the gastropub touting “Best Burger in Charlotte.” Aside from now-closed The Counter, we hadn’t found any much to go in Charlotte’s Best Burger category. Mario of course ordered The Liberty Pub Burger (natural beef, sweet grass cheddar, apple smoked bacon, herb aioli, hand cut fries), while I decided to order from the small plates menu and try the pork belly sliders (apple-vanilla butter, tomato jam, soy-ginger glaze, spicy slaw):

Liberty Pub Burger

Pork Belly Sliders

Mario decided his burger was good, but wouldn’t stand up to any of his favorites in Atlanta. The cool pretzel-shaped (but not pretzel-tasting) bun was a nice, buttery touch. While Mario’s burger was average, my pork belly sliders were heavenly. The pork belly was nicely done, retaining both its crispy skin and moist meat. When you read the ingredient list for the slider, one thing that stands out is the plethora of condiments. You would think it would be condiment overload…but their mixture is what took the sliders to another level. The hint of apple and vanilla mixed with the glaze on the pork belly was literally finger-lickin’ good. Mario even tried to dip his fries in the drippings. I’ve been thinking about those sliders since I visited and am quite sad I don’t have any scheduled trips back to Charlotte to taste them.

Aside from the two menu offerings we tried, The Liberty has a number of gastropub-style small plates and appetizers to choose from. Larger dishes like salmon and roast chicken are available, and they’re even now serving brunch. But I suggest you just get a few plates of sliders and call it a day.

www.thelibertycharlotte.com