Bulla joined The Village at SouthPark earlier this year, bringing with it an extensive Spanish-Mediterranean menu for the southern part of the city’s food scene. Bulla (no “L”-sound, it’s “BOO-ya”) began as the brainchild of Carlos Centurion, of Centurion Restaurant Group, in Coral Gables, Florida.
Charlotte is the seventh Bulla to open between here and Florida, yet it manages to be unlike anything else in the area. The modern restaurant, spacious with its distinctive blue and tan accents, is open and inviting with a large wrap-around bar and a private dining room. The food is best eaten family-style, all-hands-in, with as many sharing options spread across your table as possible.
Bulla’s small plate, tapas-style comes out in generous portions (more medium-plate than it is legitimately small, really) and you can order your dinner alongside hand-crafted cocktails and an impressive wine list. Expect traditional tapas classics like charcuterie, grilled octopus, paella, and patatas bravas, alongside more creative, chef-driven takes on Mediterranean fare like the Huevos ‘Bulla’ with eggs, homemade potato chips, Serrano ham, potato foam, and truffle oil.
“The Bulla team typically opts for growing communities because our mission is to nurture the communities we join, from providing employment opportunities to sharing our passion for hospitality and amazing food,” Charlotte head chef Matthew Turney tells us. “In addition, we noticed there wasn’t much Spanish cuisine in the area, so we jumped on the opportunity.”
Turney, the Executive Chef of River Run Country Club for two years before joining Bulla, crafts seasonally-driven menus at his newest kitchen. Additionally, he’s made sure to make the restaurant his own, adapting the Bulla menu with some unique-to-Charlotte options like the jalapeno ceviche and crispy calamari.
Bulla plans to continue to spread the brand, but for now, we’re excited for the evolution of the Charlotte location. Lunch and dinner is offered seven days a week, and there is a full brunch menu on the weekends.
