Feature

Is the Diamond taking over Plaza Midwood’s restaurant scene?

Posted on 25 Feb 2011 by Adam Williams

Adam Williams is Editor of Restaurant Traffic, one of Charlotte’s leading local food blogs. Adam posts regular updates to CLT Blog featuring select local food information and recommendations, of which you’ll find immensely more of on his blog and on Twitter at @RestauranTrafic.

I’ve been given a lot of grief over the past month for posting Diamond vs. Penguin stories on RestaurantTraffic.com. The comments have been flying back and forth, and I’ve been staying on the sidelines preferring to let readers enter the fray.

Well, tonight I wanted to go into Plaza Midwood for dinner. I also wanted to check out the Diamond since I was out of town for the opening.

Not so fast…

I walked up to the hostess and inquired about a table. 45 minutes to an hour was the reply.
A friend was waiting for a table in order to celebrate his birthday. I wished him well and headed for the Dish for a quick dinner.

On my walk, I peeked into the window of the Penguin to check out the comparison …

I have lived in and around Plaza Midwood for the better part of a decade now, and I’ve never seen the place that empty at 8pm on a Thursday night. Now I don’t wish anyone harm in business, especially not in a great neighborhood like Plaza Midwood. That said, this is not a great sign.

I walked back past the Penguin at 9:30 and the employees were closing up and doing their nightly clean up. I walked back past the Diamond and they were still on a 35 minute wait. Seems like the first round of the Plaza Midwood Restaurant War goes to the Diamond.