New Restaurant To Open In Plaza Midwood's Former Penguin Drive-In

CHARLOTTE, NC — A new eatery blending southern fare and northeastern style seafood will soon fill the former Penguin Drive-In in Plaza Midwood, according to Charlotte-based Moffett Restaurant Group.

The new restaurant, N.C. Red, will breathe new life into the former Queen City burger joint that shut down abruptly in 2014 due to financial issues after about 60 years of business.

Moffett Restaurant Group is owned by Chef Bruce Moffett, the culinary force behind Barrington’s, Good Food on Montford, and Stagioni.

Here’s what the company says about it’s fourth Charlotte restaurant, N.C. Red:

"Stemming from Moffett’s upbringing along the New England seashore, the restaurant is a nod to both his past and present. The name N.C Red combines his love for his adopted home of North Carolina with Rhode Island’s state bird, the Rhode Island Red Rooster, and will feature a menu that perfectly blends classic Southern cuisine with Northeastern style seafood. Signature dishes will include fried chicken, lobster rolls, clams and more."

“N.C. Red is a physical embodiment of my history, from the building materials, to the décor, to the menu,” Moffett said in a statement.

Chef Andrew Dodd, who is currently the executive chef at Stagioni, has been named the executive chef of N.C. Red. The official opening date was not released by the company.

The company plans to open a fifth restaurant location, called Bao + Broth, in Charlotte later this spring in the Optimist Hall, a mixed-used space of retail, office space and food hall opening this year.

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