My First Time: Pinky's Westside Grill

I ate at Pinky's Westside Grill yesterday, the new restaurant on the corner of Freedom Drive and Morehead Street in Wesley Heights. Open since November, the restaurant built a cult following before it even served its first meal. The two-year process to open Pinky's came with a lot of hurdles, including the owners' fight to keep the iconic 1966 Volkswagen Beetle on the roof, which it inherited from the building's former home as Triple G Automotive. Now Pinky's is open and it's poised to become Charlotte's next dining institution.

Andrea and I had an early New Year's Day dinner there. I ordered hushpuppies as an appetizer, which not only were scrumptious but came in a dozen (take that all you other restaurants with your small appetizers). For my entree, I ordered the Mammoth Westside Burger, which is two five-ounce patties served with mustard, chili, slaw (and onion but I had it without). And I ordered the waffle fries as the side--I haven't seen these on many menus outside of Chick-fil-A. The burger was good, tender, and juicy though I needed to add a little salt to the patties. And I now wish more restaurants served waffle fries.

Pinky's Westside Grill (1600 W. Morehead St.) is a cozy and hip neighborhood bar and restaurant that I'm sure will attract people from all over for years to come. It serves lunch and dinner, and is open till 11 p.m. Monday-Thursday, till midnight Friday and Saturday, and till 10 p.m. Sunday. Visit eatatpinkys.com.