Ratcliffe on the Green

Elegant, intimate and relaxed describe Ratcliffe on the Green, one of Uptown’s fine-dining destinations, located in the former home of Ratcliffe Florist. The original neon sign, first erected when the flower shop opened in 1928, hangs over the building’s façade.
For more than 60 years, the space was home to the flower shop owned and operated by several generations of the Ratcliffe family.
In the early 1990s, the flower shop closed and the restaurant Carpe Diem bloomed, enjoying 10 years of success in the space. Carpe Diem vacated the premises when construction began on the adjacent Three Wachovia building and Ratcliffe Towers, home to several floors of luxury condominiums.
When construction ended in 2004, a restaurant called Irish Blessings filled the space. After a short-lived tenure, Irish Blessings closed. The search for a new tenant was on and bank officials sought an experienced restaurateur to take over the space. They went to John (J.D.) Duncan, owner of Bonterra Dining and Wine Room in historic SouthEnd. Duncan teamed with Ashli Nixon, former beverage director for the Harper’s Group. Blake Hartwick, executive chef at Bonterra, reworked the menu and the kitchen. Ratcliffe on the Green opened in February 2004. After a slow and slightly shaky start, the establishment has finally found its niche.
“Running a successful restaurant in Uptown is harder than a lot of people think,” said Hartwick. “You’d think people would just walk over after work (for drinks and dinner); and while some do, most people go home for the evening and then don’t want to head back into town.”
Duncan concurs, saying his team opened Ratcliffe based on the proposed development of more residential communities Uptown. “That hasn’t quite happened yet, but it’s coming.”
Nixon, Duncan and Hartwick expect that Ratcliffe on the Green will fill the void for a relaxing neighborhood place to enjoy great wine and superb cuisine.
“The concept here is hospitality,” said Nixon. “Food and wine may be the conduit, but our philosophy is about taking care of our customers, making them feel welcome, relaxed and at home.”

If walls could talk
The interiors of Ratcliffe on the Green are as historic as they are intimate. The bright, floral-designed Tiffany stained-glass windows on the Tryon Street side of the dining room are original to the 1928 flower shop, as are the columns that line the sides of the dining room. The stained-glass lamps that rest atop each column are some of Charlotte’s original gas streetlights.
Candlelight, fresh flowers and white tablecloths make the dining room intimate. A semiprivate table for four sits in the front bay window and is separated from the rest of the dining room by a heavy velvet drape, which adds to the elegance and romance of the space. Likewise, an intimate table for two overlooks the larger dining room from a small balcony, nestled above the back of the room.
The small and cozy bar at Ratcliffe is just inside the front entrance. For nonsmokers, there is one detracter from a practically perfect dining experience: the impending pleasure of great food and wine is immediately dampened by walking through the occasionally smoky bar to get to the dining room.

Wining and dining
Food and service echo Ratcliffe’s predominant elegance. Hartwick serves a seasonal menu featuring grain-fed proteins and certified organically grown vegetables, most of which are locally raised by New Town Farms.
A selection of cheeses, spreads, charcuterie and cured olives is offered at the top of the menu as a precursor to the starters, if you would like.
Then, at dinner, start with the tuna poki, a light stacking of raw, cubed, sushi- quality tuna and pastry with a ponzu marinade and wasabi aioli. A bit of seaweed salad tops the dish. For a heartier start, don’t miss the homemade mascarpone and butternut squash ravioli served in a shallow bowl with a creamy, savory sage velouté, or infused cream sauce.
There are several salads from which to choose – and all are good – but a pair of favorites dominates the list of selections. The crispy Parmesan and arugula salad is perfect for fall. The peppery greens are dressed in a wildflower honey dressing and then scattered with toasted pine nuts. Slices of prosciutto and Parmesan crisps round out the plate. If you like figs, you’ll love the frisée and black Mission fig salad. It’s served with Cabrales blue cheese and a cabernet vinaigrette. It is a salad full of flavor.
Eight different entrées plus the occasional special or two grace the dinner menu. The rack of lamb, served with a feta and arugula orzo that will leave you craving more, is always good and ranks among the favorites with many Ratcliffe regulars.
Don’t skip the rich, buttery diver scallops, direct from Maine, seared then served with a creamy leek-and-truffle ragout. The sauce is rich enough to stand on its own merits but just understated enough to allow the subtle taste of the scallops to remain the star of the plate.
The seared corvina, a meaty white fish from the Gulf Coast, is on the menu when available; supply is rather elusive due to Hurricane Katrina. The boneless fillet is pan-seared and served atop a bed of Tuscan white beans and tomato confit. A light Parmesan sauce encircles the plate, and locally grown micro greens sit atop the fillet for a triumphant finish. Other fall favorites include Ashley Farms roasted chicken, Niman Ranch pork tenderloin, wood-grilled New York strip, grilled maple leaf duck breast and a fabulous ahi tuna au poivre.
If you can’t decide from among the entrées, order a tasting menu for the table. Hartwick will create a multicourse menu of small plates suited to your specifications and featuring a taste of several great flavors.
Wines to match dinner are plentiful. The ever-changing list currently includes 92 selections, each available by the glass or the bottle. If you have trouble pairing the food and the wine, Ratcliffe’s knowledgeable wait staff, guided by Nixon, will not steer you wrong.
Like the menu, desserts change seasonally. It’s hard to go wrong with the warm chocolate cake or the cheesecake or tart de jour. If you’d just like a little something to soothe your sweet tooth, choose the selection of handmade chocolates by Charlotte’s own artisan, Barking Dog Chocolatiers.

All in the family
Ratcliffe on the Green is the younger sibling of Bonterra Dining and Wine Room and the more sophisticated big sister to Mac’s Bar and Barbeque on South Boulevard, all owned by John Duncan. In spring 2006, a fourth restaurant will be welcomed into the family as Duncan opens a Spanish tapas bar to be called Las Ramblas. The name means “the place to gather” and comes from the famous open-air craft and food market in Barcelona. Las Ramblas will make its home in the former South Boulevard location of Patou French Bistro. Hartwick, who will remain the executive chef at Bonterra and Ratcliffe, will create the menu this spring after a two-week stint cooking at several restaurants with noted Spanish chefs in Barcelona.