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Eating at LDR Char Pit, near the Port of Rochester in Charlotte, is an annual tradition in my family, right before our first yearly visit to Abbott's Frozen Custard stand up the street. Open since 1945, the long and lean restaurant — in appearance, not in menu offerings — is a throwback whose name references the first initials of the owner's three children.
The mood
It's like a blast from the past, with an oft-busy lunch counter and black pleather booths that my husband, Patrick, says look like "the back seat of Howard Cunningham's De Soto." There also are lots of interesting pictures and memorabilia that capture old Charlotte.
The food
Cheap, fast grub. (Orders usually arrive in less than five minutes.) I always get a cheeseburger and onion rings when I come here, so when we walked in and I heard an employee shout "grilled cheese and tomato on rye" ($2.25) to the kitchen, I figured I should switch things up a bit. (It didn't hurt that I typically leave the place too full to truly enjoy my frozen custard, and this seemed like a lighter choice.) Glad I did — the sandwich was grilled just long enough, and the cook wasn't chintzy with the fresh tomatoes. I was unable to resist a last-minute request for a side of onion rings ($3), made with thick onion strips and an appropriate amount of batter (too many places use too much).
My mother-in-law, Attracta (it's Irish), got the cheeseburger ($3.55) — our server didn't ask how she wanted it cooked — and macaroni salad ($1.50). She thought the burger tasted all right, but it was a bit too well done for her taste. The macaroni salad earned much higher praise for its nice blend of finely chopped or shredded carrots, onions and celery.
LDR serves other hot and cold sandwiches, and breakfast is offered all day. The condiments bar includes the restaurant's "famous hot sauce."
The drinks
The restaurant offers Pepsi products (a small soda is $1; a large is $1.50). Attracta ordered a large Pepsi, and I had a large root beer. Root beer floats and milkshakes also are available for $3.25.
The damage: $17.36
Next time ... Aw, heck. I'll probably go back to my standard cheeseburger and onion rings. Tradition is tradition.
