A generous heap of fresh pasta and a glass of red wine, or a thoughtfully topped pizza and a chilled beer – this, for many, is the definition of comfort food; the team behind Indaco, a new Italian restaurant at Atherton Mill, knows this well and embraces their role as the purveyor of carbs and comfort.
Note: As of the week of June 1, 2020, Indaco’s in-person dining room has reopened at half-capacity in compliance with Phase 2. Reservations are your best bet at getting a spot inside or at the bar.
Take a peek at Indaco’s menu. You’ll immediately see that this restaurant isn’t trafficking in your mom’s spaghetti and meatballs. No, here you’ll find squid ink orecchiette tossed with North Carolina shrimp and San Marzano tomato, plus hints of saffron. You’ll also discover agnolotti stuffed with smoked mozzarella and braised pork shoulder, topped with tomato, hazelnuts, and pecorino. Or, perhaps you won’t make it passed the antipasti menu. There, crunchy fried artichokes tossed in walnut anchovy vinaigrette, and other wonders tempt any eater.
The menu spans regions of Italy, while also incorporating flairs of local cuisine. “We are trying to strike a balance between a traditional Italian eater and the foodie who’s looking for something a little more progressive,” says Justin Shoener, the Charlotte Operations Director for The Indigo Road.
Revamping classic cuisine is a tall order, but not too tall for Executive Chef Matt Hoang. “When it came to naming a chef, we wanted someone that had previous experience with fresh Italian cuisine, but we also wanted someone that had a passion for using local ingredients,” explains Justin. “Chef Matt not only has worked with Italian cuisine in the past, but he has existing relationships with farms in the area, as well as has a farm himself.”
Drink and Dine
Drink pairings for Hoang’s dishes are crafted under the watchful eye of bar manager Larisa Yanicak. Yanicak, like Hoang, switches the menu to spotlight local, seasonal ingredients as well as new trends in the industry. Offerings include Italian wines and local beers, as well as gin and tonic on tap. Cocktails also feature predominantly on the drink menu. Standouts include Irre-Zest-Able—a concoction of Ketel One Oranje, charred grapefruit, rosemary, pink peppercorn, citrus. And don’t miss The Count of Montenegro, which is a blend of Monkey Shoulder Scotch, Amaro Montenegro, fig, cinnamon, citrus, and Tiki Bitters.
The Charlotte location will be the second for Indaco, which also exists in Charleston under the Indigo Road Hospitality Group management. Some of the more popular dishes from Charleston have traveled to the Charlotte menu. However, the head chefs at each location have considerable autonomy over the menus, which will rotate with the seasons.
Indaco occupies a gorgeous space in South End with large windows and a spacious patio. An open kitchen allows guests to witness the care that goes into the cr eation of their meals. Wood accents pervade the interior. The bar top, in particular, is breathtaking – constructed from wood reclaimed from an oak tree on the Atherton property.
The decor is as top quality as the food and beverage program. This is just what you’d expect from the group that brought Charlotte O-Ku and Sukoshi. Whether enjoying lunch with friends or a dinner date night, Indaco is the perfect place to indulge in elevated carb comfort.
