Tennessee basketball coach Rick Barnes grew up in Hickory, an hour drive from Charlotte, and made frequent trips to the Queen City — sometimes in an attempt to impress a date.

Barnes revealed before the NCAA Tournament that features his Vols playing their first two games in Charlotte that he would take dates to the restaurant 'Open Kitchen' in an attempt to prove his seriousness.

"I tell everybody when you grow up in Hickory and you really wanted to impress a girl, you drove her to Charlotte and took her to the Open Kitchen, and I think it's still there," said Barnes. "If you did that, the girls knew you were serious."

VolReport staff Ryan Sylvia and Noah Taylor tried Barnes' date night spot of choice during our trip to Charlotte.

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Ryan — 9/10: Barnes' old joint looks the part of a hole in the wall that has stood the test of time. From the brick layering the walls, to the old college pennants, to newspaper clippings on display, it had the feel of an old local staple.

There were Italian trinkets set out and the red and white picnic table design tied it all together.

Noah — 9/10: When you walk through the door, For just a moment you could almost see a young Barnes sitting at a corner table with a young lady he was keen on impressing. You could also picture Michael Corleone talking to Virgil Sollozzo before excusing himself to the bathroom (Godfather reference).

It looks like there hasn't been a lot of changes in the 70 years or so it has been open, but that was part of the charm. Frank Sinatra makes for a nice serenade and black-and-white autographed photographs from celebrities and politicians above the cash register immediately make you feel like it's a place you're glad to at least give a try.

Ryan — 7/10: It was mostly basic, but it got the job done. Any great Italian restaurant has elite bread and Open House passed the test. It was by no means hot off the press but it was soft and paired well with a classic combination of butter.

Noah — 9/10: The bread made for a good starter and it came out fast. There was plenty of it, too with at least once piece left over among four hungry sports writers by the time the entrees came.

Ryan — 10/10: The mozzarella sticks were easily the best thing I've eaten in my limited Charlotte experiences. The patented cheese pull was there on every bite and the crunchy breading was perfectly done. You know its special when even a sub-par marinara sauce doesn't knock down the ranking.

Noah — 10/10: I almost passed up on the mozzarella sticks because I had already had a couple of pieces of bread and had a pizza on the way--a rare show of dinner table restraint from me. I'm glad I snatched one up before it was too late. They were seasoned well, crunchy and the cheese pull was borderline erotic.

Ryan — 7/10: I am a big proponent of Caesar salads and this one was fine. Certainly above average, but nothing to write home about. The sauce was serviceable but the lack of croutons knocks the whole thing down a peg.

Ryan — 9/10: Hard to complain about a well-made pasta dish from an Italian restaurant. Open Kitchen's alfredo sauce was all you'd want from a texture and taste standpoint. Clearly freshly made and with added garnish, it stands as one of the better pasta meals I've had.

Noah— 8/10: The talk of the table. Both Ryan and the waitress winced when I decided to add anchovies as a topping to the Mama "K" Supreme pizza, which already included a variety of classic toppings. I admit, the anchovies were an interesting choice. On our trip to New York during Tennessee's run to the Sweet 16 a year ago, I tried anchovies on my pizza for the first time and loved it. Given the authentic Italian feel of Open Kitchen, I decided to try it again. It may not have been the best decision and I don't know if I would do it again, but that is in no way an indictment on the restaurant. The rest of the toppings made up for my questionable choices and the crust had a nice crunch to it. It was good enough to finish four of six pieces before asking for a box.

Ryan — 10/10: No complaints here about the coffee. Added two creamers and the taste was perfect. Freshly brewed batch and quick on the refills.

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