So I read the same article that you probably read, calling Little Jack’s burger one of the best in the US and I’m here to tell you: The hype is real! They love the burger so much, in fact, that you can order it as an appetizer, an entree, or dessert, because it’s on all 3 menus!

I opted for the appetizer size of the Single Tavern Burger (American cheese, tavern sauce, sesame bun, $8) because I was told that the bun-to-meat ratio was better with a single than a double. I’ve eaten a lot of burgers in my life, so it would be hard to definitively say whether or not this was the best, but it was damn good.

The bun-to-meat ratio is very important.

We also split an order of Garlic & Herb Fries (sauce gribiche, $7), because you can’t order a burger without fries! The herbs were very strong on these fries, and it took me a few bites before I got used to the strong flavors. It was a lot of flavor on their own.

Although it takes a lot for me to *not* eat potatoes.

We also tried an order of the Baked Egg (celery root cream, peas, prosciutto, crusty bread, $12), and let me tell you: what a revelation! The sauce was fantastic (I think it would be amaaaazing over some pasta), and the soft cooked egg was so rich and decadent, it felt almost sinful. My one complaint is that they really need to give you more bread (or the option to have it over pasta, because dayum).

Seriously, give me this sauce on everything.

On a previous visit at lunch, I tried the Jack’s Chopped Salad with shrimp (kale, romaine, lots of vegetables, pickled onion, avocado ranch, $13. Add chicken $5, add shrimp $6 and crab $9). The salad was super fresh and really was packed full of veggies. The dressing was delicious and I loved it with the shrimp. What I didn’t love is that this salad cost me over $22 with tax and tip.

Then again, any salad that costs more than “free” is too expensive, IMO.

All in all, I’ve really enjoyed the food at Little Jack’s. The burger and the baked egg are the 2 “must-try” items on the menu. Have you tried it? Let me know what you think!

After the announcement that The Gin Joint had been bought by longtime bartender James Bolt, I was worried that the old Gin Joint I knew and loved would become unrecognizable (kind of like what’s happening to Blue Rose Cafe right now). But my fears have been proven completely unfounded. The Gin Joint has maintained its commitment to handmade cocktails and delicious food in a way that’s still familiar (but even better than it used to be).

gin-joint-boomerang from Sydney Gallimore on Vimeo.

My first visit to the new version of The Gin Joint was in December when they transformed into the Christmas bar “Miracle.” Lala and her husband Matt were in town, and whilst giving Matt a tour of downtown Charleston (his first visit!) we decided to rest our feet and give some cocktails a try.

Christmas bars, like theme parties, are my favorite.

There were Christmas lights ev. ery. where. and it was super festive, with all the staff in cute costumes and a special Christmas-themed cocktail menu.

Mo lights, mo betta’

Being a lover of gin, I of course opted to try the aptly named Fa La La La La La La La La (Gin, aquavit, hazelnut liqueur, cardamom, vanilla, lemon, egg white, club soda, $14), which was as much fun to order as it was to drink. It was a perfect balance of tart and sweet, and I found myself with a happy little buzz after just 1 cocktail.

Christmas + cocktails… what could be better?!

Lala ordered the Run Run Rudolph (blanco tequila, coffee liqueur, iced hot chocolate, Mexican spices, $14). It was very sweet, and perfect for those of you who like liquor with their coffee / hot cocoa. I’m not usually a fan, but I enjoyed this.

Lala makes such a good hand model.

We also paired our drinks with their Pimento Cheese (House Made Lavash, Quick Pickles, $6), as Matt hadn’t tried pimento cheese before (something which I find incredibly hard to believe). Their version was very cheese-heavy, but lacked some of the depth and sharpness I come to expect from pimento cheese. The quick pickles were crispy and sweet.

But all cheese is good cheese.

Most recently, I attended for a #TastemakersCHS dinner, where we were able to try a number of cocktails and some of the new bar snacks on the menu. I started with the Fortune Cat (Tom Cat Gin, ginger, sesame, caramel, lemon, $12), which will come as no surprise to anyone who knows how much I love cats. The drink was gorgeous to look at (in fact, my drink was stolen for multiple people to photograph at the table before I was able to even taste it). It was nice and refreshing with a nice level of tartness from the ginger + lemon.

It’s extra appropriate because last time I went to a fortune teller, all she saw for me was cats, too.

To pair with the cocktails, we also tried some of their charcuterie, which comes as part of the Chef’s Snack Board (You Pick Three Cheeses, Chef’s Selection of Meats, Grilled Bread, House Made Jam, House, Spiced Nuts, $32). I saw salami on the board and was immediately happy, as it’s my favorite cured meat. If you have a few friends, this is a great deal and perfect for an after work snack!

Charcuterie is bae.

Also part of the chef’s snack board, we were able to try a sampling of their cheeses (although they brought us all 4 instead of the 3 you’re limited to in the snack board). The options were black & bleu, Flory’s truckle, Mountaineer, and Rockets Robiola (which all sounded like names of Harry Potter dragons IMO). My favorite was the black and bleu, because as a blue cheese, it was super creamy and not as pungent as you usually find.

Actually, cheese boards are bae.

Additionally, they also brought out the House Made Soft Pretzels (Sriracha Cheese Sauce, Maldon’s Sea Salt, $8). I love soft pretzels, and these were no exception. They were nice and fluffy and glutinous, and I really enjoyed the sriracha cheese sauce.

Ok, wait… maybe soft pretzels are bae?! WHY ARE ALL MY BAES FOOD

For my second cocktail, I opted to do the Bartender’s Choice ($12), where you pick 2 adjectives from a predetermined list and the bartender makes you a custom drink based on your choices. I went for “refreshing” and “vegetal” and ended up with this cucumber and gin cocktail that is my new favorite drink. It’s just a shame I don’t actually know what’s in it.

“S” for Sydney… right?!

Our final bar snack was the Cola-Braised Ham Slider (Mornay, Brown’s Court Benne Seed Bun, $9) which were probably my favorite snack of the night. I don’t usually like ham, but the ham in these sliders was super thick (more like a slab of pork) and had just a touch of sweetness from the cola. The mornay sauce was nice and creamy, and altogether, this slider was perfection.

Miguel also makes a good hand model.

Before we left, they also gave us one of their signature desserts, a housemade Old Fashioned Lollipop (Whiskey, Angostura Bitters, Orange Zest, $1.50). It didn’t really taste like an old fashioned to me, but it was still really yummy!

It also made me feel 12 years old.

If you haven’t been to The Gin Joint lately, you need to give them a try! The improvements they’ve made have been fantastic, and they’re really in a league above when it comes to handmade cocktails (did I mention that they make their own ice? They use the same 300lb blocks of ice that ice sculptors use and cut it down for each cocktail). They have a lot more than just gin (except there’s no vodka, so don’t bother asking), and if you come in with an open mind, you’re likely to leave with a new favorite drink!

Also, they’ve started serving brunch, too!

The Gin Joint
182 East Bay Street
Charleston, SC 29401
(843) 577-6111

Being half Italian (I know I don’t look it, but trust me, it’s there), I am pretty particular when it comes to Italian food, so despite having heard great things about Le Farfalle when it first opened, I was still skeptical. However, after having eaten there more times than I care to admit now, I can happily say that Le Farfalle is definitely one of the best Italian restaurants in Charleston.

Let’s start with the appetizers. All the apps I’ve had have been delicious. My favorite is probably the Ceci in Umido (Umbrian-style stewed chickpeas, preserved lemon, Aleppo Pepper, baguette, $9), which is essentially like an Italian hummus. The olive oil (which is amazing on its own, btw) mixed with the chickpea spread is light and bright and savory with just a little bit of bite from the Aleppo pepper. I order it pretty much every time I go.

I have been known to lick the bowl.

I also love the Whipped Ricotta (Honey, Black pepper, Extra Virgin Olive Oil, Baguette, $10)… even typing that sentence makes my mouth water. It’s super creamy with just a little sweetness from the honey to balance out the creamy saltiness of the ricotta. It’s so light and refreshing, you forget you’re basically just eating straight cheese.

I have also been known to lick this bowl.

Also, if you love bread, you absolutely cannot miss the Warm Rosemary Focaccia ($6). If I baked bread, this is the only bread I’d ever bake. Plus it comes with their red sauce, their awesome olive oil, and the whipped ricotta I was bragging about earlier (sans honey).

If this bread came in a bowl, you bet I’d lick that, too.

Also if you’re there during happy hour (or apertivo hour, as they call it), I really enjoyed the Fried Mozzarella Sticks ($5), which are simple and just like you remembered them as a kid, but better. I think it’s because their marinara sauce is so much better than what you find elsewhere. Either way, it’s delicious.

Then again, I am just an adult toddler, so it makes sense.

For entrees, I’m absolutely in love with all of their pastas. I tend to opt for the Fusilli Lunghi (black pepper, pecorino romano, $15), which is their version of cacio e pepe. It’s really buttery and cheesy, and a definite crowd pleaser.

The butter at bottom of this bowl, I did not lick. 

I was also a big fan of the Fried Chicken Piccata (mustard greens, potato puree, lemon-caper sauce, $24), which is battered instead of breaded, so it comes out looking like fish & chips. It threw me a bit when we ordered it, and I usually don’t care for battered foods, but this dish was actually delicious! The batter was still light enough that it didn’t overpower the chicken, and the lemon-caper sauce is the perfect balance of tart and creamy. The potato puree and mustard greens really weren’t anything special, but the chicken was good enough that I was able to overlook that.

Piccata dish you like and we’ll split it.

For dessert, I really love their Olive Oil Cake (Olive Oil-Basil Gelato, Candied Almonds, Macerated Blackberries, $8), which sounds weird but isn’t. It’s kind of like a less sweet pound cake with creamy gelato and delicious berries. I like that it isn’t too sweet (most of the sweetness comes from the berries, actually), which was a nice way to end the meal.

(provided by the restaurant… I’m still working on my photography skills).

If you’re thirsty, like I usually am when I go out, I recommend the Swizzle Negroni (Plantation 3 Star Rum, Carpano Bianco, Coconut-Washed Galliano L’Aperitivo, Pineapple, Lime, $11), which tastes like summertime in a glass. It’s very tropical and ice cold (literally overflowing with ice), and if you close your eyes when you drink it, you can pretend you’re in the Caribbean.

Then again, I usually close my eyes and pretend I’m somewhere else.

All in all, if you like Italian food, you should definitely consider giving Le Farfalle a try!

But come hungry!

Le Farfalle
15 Beaufain Street
Charleston, SC 29401
843-212-0920