Cocktail bar Orosoko brings a multisensory dining experience to South End.
by Cathy Martin | photographs by Justin Driscoll
Amid the ubiquitous mid-rise apartment and office buildings in South End, Orosoko Sound Bar stands out, precisely, by not standing out. Even the sign is enigmatic, a simple script “O” on the corner of the small one-story building at the corner of Bland and Winnifred streets.
It’s only when you notice an identical “O” forming the handle of the oversized mahogany door, handcrafted in Southeast Asia (and inspired by Elvis and Priscilla Presley’s famed Palm Springs “honeymoon” house), that you begin to wonder what’s inside. That anonymity suggests an exciting air of exclusivity — like back in the pre-smartphone days when word of mouth was the only way to find out about that hot new restaurant or club.
While local culinary standouts like Vana and Futo Buta have shuttered, upscale chains continue to pour into South End. Not that there’s anything wrong with that — there’s just nothing distinctly Charlotte about it either: Places like North Italia, Flower Child and Ruby Sunshine have dozens of similar locations across the U.S.
South End’s allure as an entertainment district is strong. But as the area matures, residents are increasingly looking for more sophisticated options — and alternatives to breweries and their predictable pretzels-and-wings fare.
At least that’s what Orosoko owner Greg Pappanastos thinks, and he should know.
Left: Orosoko’s take on the Pornstar Martini. Top right: Interior photo courtesy Orosoko. Below right: Hamachi with a smoked shoyu glaze over black sesame sticky rice
FILLING A VOID
Pappanastos, who bought the building in 2009 and quietly opened Orosoko last spring with partners Nick Spain and Jay Pound, has worked in commercial real estate since 1997. His first job was with a firm that did business in South End. He also lived in the neighborhood until he had kids and decided condo life wasn’t ideal for his young family.
He sees former South End residents like himself who have grown up, started families and moved toward the suburbs but still want to enjoy a night out in a lively atmosphere that doesn’t shut down at 9 p.m. What they don’t want is to stand in a long line or fight a rowdy crowd for a drink at the bar.
“When I was a kid, it didn’t bother me, because I had all the time in the world, but now I don’t,” Pappanastos says. At Orosoko, he says, “You can still come in and feel as though you’re part of the collective soul of the city, but not have to sell your soul to do it.”
Pappanastos also sees a trend of new-to-Charlotte residents who are accustomed to a broader array of entertainment options. “The number of people moving into Charlotte is just unfathomable,” he says, “and many of these people are coming from larger, older, more established cosmopolitan areas where they have a wealth of opportunity in terms of their entertainment and hospitality choices.”
Left: Steamed BBQ Chicken Dumplings with a spicy Asian dipping sauce and scallions. Right: Exterior photo courtesy Orosoko.
EAST VS. WEST
A more discriminating clientele expects top-notch food and drinks, and to carry out that Pappanastos brought in Pound to develop Orosoko’s menu. Pound is a veteran of the local food scene, most recently at Soul Gastrolounge. (Longtime Charlotteans might also recall his time at uptown’s Latorre’s and Aquavina.)
At Orosoko, Pound created an East vs. West menu — Pappanastos calls it “anti-fusion” — to complement the sleek design of the 40-seat restaurant.
“I wanted to do small plates in a way that had something interesting to say, rather than just small plates to have with your cocktails,” Pound says. The idea is to offer one dish with two different perspectives. For example, guests might find a smoked-chili duck confit taco on the “west” side of the menu vs. a Vietnamese duck confit summer roll on the “east” side; street corn fritters with lime crema and cojita cheese vs. a Japanese-style okonomiyaki pancake; or a fried hen-of-the-woods taco vs. a shiitake steam bun.
“It’s two different plays on the same ideology of the dish,” Pound says. It’s clever, for sure, but the execution of dishes like Pound’s seared Cherry Blossom Sea Scallops and the delicate Hamachi over black sesame sticky rice transcends ingenuity.
The right-sized drink menu offers a selection of sakes along with 10 signature cocktails, ranging from a Lychee Martini to the Sakejito (sake, mint cordial, ginger-turmeric tea and lime) to the Kill Guillermo (mezcal, Liquor 43, spicy Thai coconut cordial, passion fruit and lime).
The kitchen at Orosoko stays open till midnight, offering a rare upscale alternative to late-night diners and fast-food outlets.
Left: The Latin Cheese Plate combines whipped chili-spiked queso, pepper jack, jicama, tomato and radish, served with tortilla and smoked cheddar chips.
A LOUNGE VIBE
There’s a DJ most nights at Orosoko, and relaxed leather banquettes modeled after LA’s Sheats-Goldstein House (best known from The Big Lebowski), swivel club chairs and a linear fireplace create a lounge feel. The “Shiki” booth, a semi-private area that seats six, sits tucked discreetly behind the DJ booth and is slightly elevated with optional curtains to discourage onlookers.
Pappanastos, a former DJ who can talk endlessly about acoustics, admits he just came up with the term “sound bar.” He likens the concept to listening rooms in the sense that music is a defined part of the concept. “But we’re not just about listening to the music — it’s about the whole experience.”
To achieve the desired acoustics at Orosoko, the roof was insulated with a special material to dampen the sound, then walnut diffusers were added “to randomize the reflection pattern so that everything consistently, inconsistently hits you.”
Huh? Pappanastos clarifies: By deleting the frame of reference of the sound, “it feels like a big blanket just kind of washing over you.”
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The combination of craft cocktails, Pound’s savory bites and the emphasis on acoustics creates an immersive, multisensory experience that’s unique in Charlotte.
And, along with new nearby spots like Folia, a cocktail bar aimed at a more mature clientele, and Muraya, a Colombian restaurant and bar with live music, Orosoko is part of a new crop of locally owned businesses bringing diversity to this neighborhood that’s slowly growing up.
Orosoko opened quietly, but the buzz is growing — the restaurant recently expanded its hours and is now open seven days a week, including Sunday brunch from 11 a.m.-3 p.m. SP
Orosoko Sound Bar is located at 130 W. Bland St. Reservations are encouraged.
