Par-tay in the neighborhood!
Came home from work and cleaned up the house for tomorrow’s open house. SO glad we did it this afternoon and not tomorrow morning when we’re rushing around! Matt is working and I’m going running and we want to be able to sleep in and enjoy breakfast! The house is totally spick-n-span at the moment 
I wanted a snack at 4 but never got around to making one and before I knew it I was headed to dinner and my hunger had disappeared. Weird! Guess that means I didn’t need one in the first place.
We got to Big Daddy’s Burger Bar an hour early so we could put in a request for our table for 12. They don’t take reservations!
Matt and I put our name in and then went for a walk.
Not smart! The wind was killer. So we went back inside Big Daddy’s to warm back up after only 20 minutes. We waited at the bar for about an hour, but time went by fast and soon enough we were joined by our friends! Matt ordered a beer, but I was happy just standing and chatting.
We were finally seated (although since I was expecting a long wait it didn’t bother me at all tonight)
I couldn’t decide if I wanted a drink or not. I wanted to taste a beer, but I didn’t really want the alcohol. Esp. with my run tomorrow. So I settled for a compromise and ordered a beer sampler and gave two of them to Matt.
I kept the two dark ones – Brooklyn Brown and Sam Winter Warmer. I’m clearly a dark kinda girl.
Our friends ordered the fried pickles, which were AMAZING! Long strips!! They were nice and shared with the table and I had a few strips. Love pickles!
Friendzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz!
The birthday girl!!
For dinner I got non other than the infamous Big Daddy’s Black Bean Burger on top of a big salad. Perfection! My salad had romaine, spinach, bell peppers, cuc, corn, mushrooms, pineapple, blue cheese, a few scant walnuts and orange honey mustard on the side.
The burger was totally awesome!! Very doughy!!!! A little too oniony for me, but the texture won out.
I could have easily finished this salad, but the combination of thinking about saving some for leftovers and a trip to Tasty-Yo coming up made me put down my fork and stop eating.
Matt got a beef burger and shared a bite with me, along with some of his sweet patater fries.
But GET THIS: I took a bite of his burger and mmmmmed my way through chewing. Big Daddy’s serves grass-fed beef and I was excited to read that. Then Matt took a bite of MY burger and said "I wish I had gotten that black bean burger – so good!!’
Just a minute later our server came out with a tray with a burger on top – a beef burger – and apologized that Matt had gotten the black bean burger instead.
BOTH of us were fooled to think the black bean burger was beef!! That’s how good it was. We laughed hard.
No birthday occasion is complete without dessert, so we caravanned over to Tasty-Yo for a treat!
I am a plain kinda girl, but I decided to venture out of my comfort zone and get the Blueberry-Acai tonight. In swirl form. With blackberries, coconut and graham cracker (and a free wafer!)
It was good, but the blueberry reminded me of real flavored yogurt too much and I’m going back to plain! This size small was waaay too big and I really only wanted a few bites; However, when you have a froyo in your hands it is impossible not to keep spooning it into your mouth until it’s all gone!
Happy B-Day Emily!!
NITE!
Hillary [Nutrition Nut on the Run] says
I think my roomies & I are going to go out to fro-yo tonight too. Tasty-Yo looks always looks incredible. Have a great Saturday run!
Katie says
It definitely is impossible to NOT eat an entire thing of frozen yogurt once you buy it. 🙂
Jessica @ The Process of Healing says
That fro yo looks awesome!!! And what a funny story about the burger!! Just goes to show…. bean burger are awesome, when they are made right anyway haha sounds great! And orange honey mustard…yum!
Lauren @ eater not a runner says
That black bean burger and salad looks awesome. What a fun night!
Allie (Live Laugh Eat) says
So many cute faces 🙂 You make ze prettiest froyo combinations!
Gabriela says
Holy YUM!
*-*
Hahahaha.
Loved all your today´s eats – they made me quite hungry, actually! 😉
That black bean burguer sounded specially nice – plus that amazing Fro-Yo you´ve had 🙂
Have a great weekend, Kath!
Brazilian XOXO´s,
Gabriela
Stef says
cute pic, looks like you all had a great time! yum i love frozen yogurt, but i agree plain is best!
Mastering Public Health says
The burger looks delicious. But I want to ask, how do you feel about eating conventional produce (especially leafy greens) when dining out? As an educated person, I find it very hard to look past all the pesticides in those situations. 🙁 Of course, it’s nearly impossible to avoid! It sure would be nice not to have to think about those things and just enjoy the occasion, as you probably agree.
Kath says
It doesn’t bother me because I don’t eat it all the time. I put trust in the restaurant that they washed the greens properly, which should remove most of the residue, if any. I feel differently about meats though, and am finding myself more and more not wanting to eat meat in restaurants, mostly lower on the class chain ones, as I learn more about the food industry
Ally (Exercise and Pies) says
Black bean burgers when done well are the BEST things hands down. I had one in Asheville, NC last weekend at a place called Carmel’s and it was soooo amazing!
And I want some fro-yo ! last time I had frozen yogurt, I got pumpkin flavored TCBY 🙂
Heather (Heather's Dish) says
what a fun night! that must be a killer bean burger…and i gotta say, i’m really jealous of that froyo. it looks amazing!
Emily @ The Front Burner Blog says
THANK YOU for such a fun birthday dinner!! 🙂
Jules @ eatdrinklivelearn says
Looks like a fun evening! Those burgers look delish.
Jess says
I get the same thing at Big Daddy’s with a couple variations of salad toppings – but their black bean burger CANNOT be beat.
I’ve never heard of Tasty-Yo, but I think next time I’m in the area, I’ll be stopping in! 🙂
(Just found your blog today and am loving it – it’s nice to read a food blog from a local writer so there’s no “oh, but I can’t get that HERE” excuses!)
Kath says
Thanks for stopping by!
Monica @ Musings of the Granola Girl says
The only frozen yogurt place I’ve been to was Pink Berry in NYC & it was amazing (and expensive), I wish there was one by me! Yours looked great!
[email protected] says
I did not even know something like fried pickles existed. I guess Paula Dean taught us that you can truly fry EVERYTHING.
Wow, I really need to try that black bean burger. Any chance they give away the recipe? Do they take bribes? If anybody else has a great recipe, I would love it if you could send it to me.
– Christina
Ameena says
Fried pickles? Where have I been all this time because I have never heard of them. Now I need to find them for sure!
Heather @ Health, Happiness, and Hope says
What a fun evening! Your bean burger looks delicious, and that’s so great that even the beef there is grass-fed. Every little bit makes a difference!
Ashley says
Oh no you didn’t go to Big Daddy’s!!! Waaaaah..so unfair..I definitely miss that place and the black bean burger was my FAV!!! Your tastyo is sooo purdy..yumm..i’m hungry, thanks lol 😉
[email protected] lady says
Thats too funny about the burger! Your dinner looked amazing. I love black bean burgers and graham crackers with frozen yogurt. Great choices 🙂
Jenn (www. j3nn.net ) says
That burger place looks AWESOME! I’ve never been to a place that offers a BEAN burger atop a salad. It doesn’t get much cooler than that. 🙂
OMG, that froyo !! 😮 Swooooooooooooooooooooooon
Jenn
lynn (The Actors Diet) says
wow that’s pretty amazing about the black bean burger! love fried pickles!!!
Emily Eats and Exercises says
I’ve never had fried pickles before but they look great. I’m jealous of the black bean burger (still want a good recipe to make one of those at home.) Sounds like it was a great birthday celebration.
Emily Eats and Exercises says
I’ve never had fried pickles before but they look great. I’m jealous of the black bean burger (still want a good recipe to make one of those at home.) Sounds like it was a great birthday celebration.
Freya @ foodfitnessandfreya.wordpress.com says
Awh seems like you had a great night! The Fro-Yo looks awesome; I don’t know what it is about Fro-Yo or ice cream, but once you start, you just can’t stop…
Laura says
Enjoy your lie-in, that is what weekends were made for surely?! Ah if only there wasn’t that huge great ocean in between, a little package might be winging its way to you- or rather Matt- I found an ‘interesting’ new beer- HEMP beer! I wonder if you have come across that before?
Kath says
Oh wow! He said he has not heard of a hemp beer before!
christie @ honoring health says
Too funny about the black bean burger mix up! I am planning to make some black bean burgers this weekend. I make a ton of them and then freeze them for quick weeknight meals (or midweek breakfast).
GurlOnA"Diet" says
i think that proves the hypothesis that we taste what we WANT to taste LOL
Anna @ Newlywed, Newly Veg says
How funny that you mistook the beans for beef!!! As a vegetarian, I’m proud of that burger 🙂
Jessica @ How Sweet It Is says
I just had fried pickles for the first time a few weeks ago. They were so amazing.
Sarah (Running to Slow Things Down) says
I am definitely a dark ale kind of girl too. I think the flavor is so much more pronounced then the lighter versions, although it definitely depends on what meal I’m drinking it with.
Everything looks delicious and it looks like you guys had such a blast! 😀
Kelly says
I had no idea that Big Daddy’s has two locations! When I saw your photos I thought, “That’s not Big Daddy’s on East Blvd,” (where we frequent). Good to know there’s another location on the South Side, as google maps tells me. Their black bean burgers are so delicious!
Kath says
Yep! Right in Ballantyne. You’ll have to join us for dinner sometime! I have more and more Charlotte readers I need to meet!
Heather @ Side of Sneakers says
That fro yo is beautiful!!! I love beer samplers- it’s an awesome way to try new beers without having to drink umpteen billion 😉
Kath says
My black bean burger isn’t as good as Big Daddy’s, but it’s certainly easy and delicious!
https://www.katheats.com/favorite-foods/homemade-bean-burgers/
Erica says
What a great night out! You looked adorable! The food looks amazing…I totally should’ve hit that place up when I was in Charlotte (but I was just too tired every night after pump training!). Loving the froyo too. We’re going to a beer fest today in Charleston and I’m hoping to find a way to froyo afterwards
emily says
I absolutely LOVE big daddys! I ALWAYS get their 1511 black bean burger and have never tried it over a salad…. will definitely do this next time i am there! And I can’t believe you got a huge table to yourselves! That place is always packed!
Hannah says
That’s hilarious about the burger! And I so wish we had ANY frozen yogurt places in my area of Australia. (I don’t even know if there are any frozen yogurt stores in Australia at all!)
The Wife of a Dairyman says
Fried pickles…..I must try! Sounds tasty!
So glad to hear more and more restaurants are serving Grass-fed Beef (we raise grass-fed beef)
Have a great run!
[email protected]://stacey-healthylife.blogspot.com/ says
That’s such a great combo of the black bean burger on the salad.
Kristilyn (My 29th Year) says
Your black bean burger looked delicious – too funny that you were both fooled about Matt’s burger!
K
Caitlin @ Right Foot Forward says
Wow, that fro-yo looks amazing! Way fancier than what I usually get.