Product Review: Southern Breeze Sweet Tea

June 10, 2016

In honor of National Sweet Tea day, I decided to review a cool new product I was introduced to whilst shopping at my local Publix store (where I always spend too much money…that’s not just me, right?). I’m a Southerner at heart, but it took me well into my college years to finally develop a love for the South’s great nectar: sweet tea. Although I’ve never been able to brew my own version that tastes as good as Chick-fil-a, that doesn’t stop me from trying (although I never seem to be able to get the sugar ratio right).

Like this kid.

Which is why I was so intrigued when I learned about Southern Breeze Sweet Tea, which claims to “sweeten as you steep” so you don’t actually need any sugar. Even better, the teas are all zero calorie so I can drink as much as I want without worrying about breaking my diet! Excited, I bought all the flavors I saw to go home and try them. You start the same way you would with any other tea: boiling water.

I may not be a 5-star chef, but this I can do, no problem.

Once you boil your 2-quarts of water, you let 2 tea bags steep for about 3-5 minutes.

*turns on Gilmore Girls*

Then you remove the tea bags. I put mine in the fridge for a little while to cool down a bit so it didn’t get too watered down when I added the ice. Once it’s cool, just pour over ice like your normally do and enjoy!

Ahhh… tastes like home!

Here’s a rundown of the flavors, in order of my favorites:

Original Sweet Tea

There’s no beating a classic!

It has that classic flavor you look for in a sweet tea. Refreshing, cold, full bodied, and sweet enough to make you smile.

Raspberry

Fruity and delicious.

Raspberry tea is my guilty pleasure. I love the one that Turkey Hill makes because it has enough sugar in it to rot your teeth out immediately. This one has a similar flavor without me feeling like I need to brush my teeth immediately afterward.

Lemon

Think “Arnold Palmer”

I like this one because it packs a pretty strong lemon punch. It’s a little stronger than just squeezing a lemon into your tea, but not quite as strong as an Arnie Palmie is. If you’re not a fan of lemon with your tea, I’d try one of the other flavors.

Peach

Like the Mario character, Peach tends to be my least favorite.

To be fair, peaches are one of my least favorite fruits (betraying my southern roots again), so this shouldn’t really be a surprise. I also felt that this was the one that tasted the least authentic. But that may just be my peach bias.

So many flavors, so little time.

General comments: they use artificial sweetener, so your first sip has that tinniness that tends to come along with that (think about diet coke). Once you get past that, it’s delicious; you can’t even tell the difference. I’ll be bringing this along to Sean & Christine’s Annual Farmstravaganza Fourth of July party, so people can enjoy it regularly (or maybe with a little liquor mixed in).

Note: I received free product for this review, but all opinions are my own

Charleston, SC Restaurant Reviews

Wasabi Mt. Pleasant

June 6, 2016

If your only interaction with Wasabi was the former CofC hotspot on Market Street, then you haven’t really tried Wasabi. When someone first suggested dining at Wasabi in Mount Pleasant, I was a little hesitant, remembering back to my college days where the only real appeal was cheap drinks and half off rolls. The sushi at Wasabi downtown was nothing to write home about, but the experience I had at Wasabi Mount Pleasant–which is owned and operated by a different guy than the one downtown–quite literally changed the way I think about sushi. If I’m feeling melodramatic, I might even say it changed my life.

It’s quite a trek out to Mount Pleasant, but trust me, it’s completely worth it. I sat at the sushi counter (if you’ve never eaten sushi at a sushi counter, you need to change the way you’re living your life), and was feeling extra hungry and adventurous and decided to go with the Omakase selection, aka the Chef’s Choice (price varies from $20 – $35). Chef Johnny Chan, who was trained on the art of sushi in Japan, was working the sushi counter, so I knew I was in for a real treat. Watching him slice the cucumber with the precision of a surgeon was enchanting to watch, especially knowing that if I tried to replicate his technique at home, I’d end up needing stitches.

Slicing Cucumber

After I ordered my drink (sake, because duh), I was handed a warm, wet towel with which to wipe my hands. Traditional Japanese sushi eating technique is to use your hands, rather than chopsticks, so this helps clean your mitts before you start manhandling all the delicious fish coming your way.

My first course was more of an amuse bouche, using the thinly sliced cucumber as a wrapper, with fresh snow crab legs and daikon sprouts with a rice vinegar sauce. If you are used to fake crab in your sushi, the flavor of real crab will blow your mind. It’s so much richer and more flavorful, and the texture is much more appealing. I also loved how beautiful this dish was. Chef Chan commented “Japanese and French cooking are very similar in that they both focus on presentation first.” One glance at this plate and you’ll know exactly what he means.

Next, Chef started preparing a plate of mixed Sashimi, which I usually tend to shy away from because I am lame. There’s really no excuse other than that I am one of those lame-o’s who’ve only ever really been exposed to Americanized sushi. Chef explained that when you go to Japan and order sushi, what you’ll be served is sashimi (sliced fish) or nigiri (sliced fish over molded rice), and that the rolls we know and love here are really not as popular. I watch, mesmerized, as Chef pulled out a little fire gun to char one of the fish he served me. Each fish got its own presentation and flavor accoutrements and were like little works of art.

First, hamachi (Yellowtail) with a slice of serrano pepper.

Hamachi

Then marinated salmon with fresh salmon roe.

Then Saba (Japanese mackerel) with a slice of lemon and pickled ginger

Followed by Bluefin tuna (imported from Japan) with soy sauce and pickled wasabi.

Finally, there was kanpachi (young yellowtail) with citrus sauce, flying fish eggs, green tea sea salt, and truffle oil. I think this is truly what it feels like to be royalty. Although they were all amazing and rich and full of depth, my favorite was the kanpachi, AKA young yellowtail, as it was unlike anything I’ve ever tasted before. It was creamy and buttery and practically melted in my mouth. The hint of truffle oil was just enough to complement the natural flavor of the fish, without going overboard. I was in heaven.

To complement the sushi, Chef also ground up some fresh wasabi root (which looks like it came from outer space). I’m not a fan of wasabi that typically comes with sushi. Chef informed me that this wasabi is usually made from a powder, with lots of flavorings, and that true wasabi doesn’t taste like that at all. And he was right! Yes, it does have a bit of that clear-your-sinuses feeling we all associate with the green condiment, but this wasabi was oaky and nutty, and it doesn’t linger. Now I’m a fan.

Since I’d never had uni (sea urchin) before, Chef suggested I give it a try. It was imported from Santa Barbara (Chef Chan says that the best Uni comes from Santa Barbara) and he was so excited that I was willing to try it. I went in very afraid, but his enthusiasm was intoxicating (or maybe it was the sake)… either way, I was pleasantly surprised. It was a very unique flavor; it’s sweet and creamy and salty all at the same time. I have to say…it’s definitely an acquired taste, though. The texture is not my favorite. It’s not quite a liquid, not quite a solid. It was very perplexing. I suggest you give it a try to understand it for yourself.

Chef had me try it again mixed with tuna and truffle soy sauce and a gold flake on a nori chip, “like a taco!” he said enthusiastically, and I was a much bigger fan of this presentation. The crunchiness of the nori chip softened the strange texture of the uni.

One of the things that really impressed me about Wasabi was the sushi rice. I’ve been to some places where the sushi rice is so dry that it sucks all the liquid out of your mouth, and you have to completely soak your sushi in soy sauce in order to palate it. Wasabi is not like that. Chef informed me that sushi rice is meant to be eaten at the same temperature as the interior of your mouth, so they keep it warm until it’s ready to be served. They also put a lot of work into flavoring the rice itself, since it is the base of pretty much every piece of sushi they serve, which I really appreciate. Chef demonstrated the importance of sushi rice by serving me a few pieces of nigiri, which I was really excited about because that meant I got to eat with my hands. First, madai, aka Japanese snapper.

Next, chef got out the blowtorch again to sear a scallop (hotategai) for scallop nigiri. Scallops aren’t always my favorite, but these Japanese scallops were amazing. Plus, I like it when they’re a little more on the raw side, and the char from the blowtorch gave it a nice smokiness.

Perhaps one of my favorite things Chef made for me, was the salmon belly. It was sinfully rich and flavorful. I wanted to cry when I was eating it, it was so good. It doesn’t have that typical salmon flavor, it was something else entirely. I’m getting wistful just thinking about it.

Salmon Belly Nigiri. My new favorite thing!

The kanpachi, aka young yellowtail, was equally delicious over rice, and still rich and flavorful, just not as flavorful as the salmon belly.

Since he knew my obsession with tuna, he also threw in a piece of bluefin tuna nigiri. Blue fin tuna is a classic. You can’t go wrong.

To continue my tuna education, Chef excitedly prepared two versions of the same piece of fish, Toro, the belly of the bluefin tuna. The first was prepared normally, with just a little soy sauce, which just melted in your mouth. It was fantastic.

The second, however, was served with black charcoal soy sauce and chef seared the fish with the blowtorch. There was a little more bitterness from the charcoal, but it paired extremely well with the smoky flavor left from the fire gun. Even though it was cooked a bit more, it was still very tender and delicious.

To give me a taste of what Wasabi has to offer outside of the sushi realm, Chef prepared his Seabass Saikyoyaki, a roasted Chilean Seabass, marinated in a sweet miso sauce, accompanied by grilled veggies ($28). The fish was cooked perfectly, and the miso sauce was very unique.

My final course was a brand new American-style sushi roll that Chef wanted me to try, since he knows I love sushi rolls (so for those of you not brave enough to try nigiri, this might be more your style). It was a tempura lobster roll with snow crab, pineapple, and asparagus inside. The whole roll was then tempura fried and served over a bowl of red curry sauce. I’m pretty sure they tapped into my brain to create this roll because it was basically all of my favorite things. It was bursting with flavor, and the hint of pineapple made it taste just like summertime. It didn’t have a name as of my visit, but I really hope they named it The Queen roll in honor of me and my giant ego. Time will tell.

If you haven’t been to Wasabi Mount Pleasant or Wasabi Daniel Island (both of which are owned and operated by Chef Chan and his awesome staff), you’re really missing out. Get out there and eat some sushi!

*Note: This is not the typical amount of food you receive when ordering omakase. I received a lot more variety for review purposes*

Wasabi Mt. Pleasant
1121 Oakland Market Rd
Mount Pleasant, SC 29466
843-284-8337

1 Comments

Random Fodder Recipes

Molli Sauces Review

June 2, 2016

One of our goals for the summer is to try and cook more & post more recipes on the blog. We’ve been practicing honing our cooking skills by ordering Blue Apron to learn to cook with new techniques and styles. So when we were offered an opportunity to try Molli, a new brand of authentic Mexican cooking sauces available at Southern Season, we jumped at the chance to try cooking something new! We both tried the sauces and are offering our take below:

Yucatan Mojo Marinade

All of my favorite carbs.

Dish: Grilled Pork with Fried Yucca, Tostones, and Rice & Beans

The Yucatan Mojo Marinade was described as being a “unqiue medley of European, Mexican, and Caribbean flavors.” The ingredients were simple, “Water, Fresh Garlic, Lime Juice, Orange Juice, Salt, Cinnamon, and Spices.” Although the website has a number of recipes available, I was really craving fried yucca, so we decided to create our own recipe. We marinated the pork overnight in the Yucutan Mojo Marinade and then put it out on the grill.

Big grill, little pork.

I followed a few recipes I found on Pinterest for the Fried Yucca and Tostones, put rice in the rice cooker, and opened up a can of black beans (which I added a few spices to in order to make it feel more homemade). It’s the easiest dinner I’ve ever made.

Even though deep frying things terrifies me.

The pork was really juicy and flavorful and I liked that there was a nice hint of cinnamon and lime juice without being overpowering. Overall, I thought it was a perfect complement to our dinner menu, and since it was extremely easy to make, I can see myself making this a lot more over the summer.

-Gallimore

Morelos Cooking Sauce

Why is Mexican food so hard to look pretty?

I cannot tell you how refreshing it is to read the ingredients of something and not see it wrap around the entire package. I’m excited that Molli is not only using natural ingredients, but they are also trying to stay as true to the authentic recipes. I love that each sauce/marinade comes from a certain region/area of Mexico and highlights a recipe from the area.

Dish: Beef Picadillo with Quinoa and Avocado

I cooked with the Mölli Morelos Cooking Sauce that’s based off of the State of Morelos, Mexico. The recipe I made was beef picadillo and was SO easy. I used a recipe that they suggested, but I modified it a bit (I didn’t have a potato and I cut it in half since I was just feeding me instead of 6).

Does anything smell better than cooking onions and garlic? No.

I had it with quinoa because I didn’t have any rice and I had a side of avocado because, AVOCA-DUH.

Beef. It’s what’s for dinner.

The ease of this dish alone would make me make it again. But the flavor was great, not too spicy even though it has chipotles in it. I think this dish would be great in a taco or with some eggs over it. One of the other recipes they suggest is Huevos Rancheros, which I bet would be delicious. I only used half of the bottle in this recipe, so I will definitely be using it in another recipe.

Flavorful without being too spicy!

-Turnquist

Mexico City Cooking Sauce

Get in mah belly.

Dish: Chicken Grillers with Spanish Rice

The Mexico City Cooking Sauce, made with Arbol chile and tomatilla was marketed as being “full of fire & spice,” much like Mexico City itself. Since I was really craving a wet burrito-type dish, and I had a lot of flour tortillas that I needed to use, this seemed like a match made in heaven. We sautéed chicken and onions in a pan and then simmered them with the Mexico City Cooking Sauce for about half an hour.

Simmering things is my favorite cooking method, because it is super easy and 100% effective.

Once that was done, we divvied up the chicken/onion mixture into flour tortillas, folded them up, and put them on a hot cast iron skillet and used a grill press to keep them together while it grilled. We took them off after a few minutes and topped with some of the leftover sauce from the pan, along with some cheese, sour cream, and a squeeze of lime juice. We cooked the rice in the rice maker with a jar of salsa so that it got a pretty red-orange color. I had been a little worried about how spicy the sauce was going to be, but it ended up being very mild. I actually put a little hot sauce on the burrito to spice it up a bit. Although not as spicy as I thought it was going to be, the tomatillos gave the sauce a nice citrusy and sweet flavor which worked really well with the chicken.

-Gallimore

All in all, we thought these sauces were a good find for making some easy and flavorful dinners. Using them as a base is a great start for a homecooked, Mexican-inspired meal. Check ’em out!

Note: We received free product and compensation to try this product, but that does not impact the integrity of this review

1 Comments

Charleston Restaurant News Charleston, SC

Cypress Introduces New Bar Menu

May 19, 2016

Cypress is excited to launch a new bar menu from James Beard Award nominated chef Craig Deihl. Offering guests an innovative take on traditional bar fare, Cypress’ latest selections include something for all palates. New items include Fried Apalachicola Oysters, Chicken Fried Steak, Smoked Chicken with Alabama white sauce, and the Big Dog—Chef Deihl’s creative take on a hot dog.

For those looking for an after-work snack, the bar at the East Bay Street restaurant— which recently celebrated its 15th anniversary—also showcases a selection of specialty offerings Sunday through Thursday from 5 p.m. to 7 p.m. With items such as Charcuterie & Wine (chef’s selection of cooked, cured and smoked meats with a choice of select wines – $35) and a Shellfish Platter and Wine (raw oysters, cocktail shrimp, tuna tonnato and ceviche with a choice of select wines – $45), 5p.m. never sounded so good!

Perfect for stopping in for a snack or a casual dinner, other exciting bar menu options include:

Oysters

Raw Oysters – Half Dozen 13 | Dozen 26
green tomato-wasabi cocktail, horseradish-lemon mignonette
BROILED OYSTERS, XO sauce – 15
FRIED APALACHICOLA OYSTERS, corn chow-chow, Red Clay mayo – 14

Antipasti

CRACKED OLIVES & PEPPADEWS, Red Clay mash, ricotta, grilled focaccia – 8
HONEY GLAZED HAM, culatello, local honey, black pepper – 15
TUNA TONNATO, lemon, tomatoes, capers, arugula, cornbread croutons – 9

Meat & Bun

BIG DOG, housemade hot dog, pretzel bun, b&b pickles, ballpark mustard – 8
DOUBLE PATTY BURGER, bacon jam, pimiento cheese, butter lettuce, yeast roll – 11
LAMB GYRO, black olives, tomatoes, cucumber, onion, yogurt, mint, lemon, rye pita – 11
PORK BELLY STEAMED BUN, spicy hoisin, pickled peppers, butter lettuce -12

Plates

FOCACCIA PIZZA, cured meats, tomato purée, provolone -12
SMOKED CHICKEN, Alabama white sauce, baked peanuts, pickles -14
CHICKEN FRIED STEAK, Amish Swiss potato purée, cracked peppercorn cream -16
FISH STICKS, crushed peas, dill pickle tartar sauce -14
BAKED SHRIMP & GRITS, ‘nduja, lobster glaçage -16
MEATBALLS, tomato-orange marmalade, ricotta gnocchi -16

With a menu complemented by an array of interesting cocktails, beers and wines, the bar at Cypress is the ideal gathering spot, no matter what the occasion.

For information, please visit www.cypresscharleston.com or call the restaurant at (843) 727-0111.

Charleston Restaurant News Charleston, SC

Mercantile & Mash Announces New Executive Pastry Chef

May 18, 2016

Mercantile and Mash, a gourmet food emporium located on East Bay Street, welcomes Baltimore native, Charles Talucci, as executive pastry chef. With more than 12 years in the baking industry, Talucci brings extensive experience and an impressive skillset to the culinary and catering programs at Cigar Factory.

Prior to moving to Charleston, Talucci was the executive pastry chef at Woodholme Country Club in Pikesville, M.D., where he managed the production of all desserts, pastries, candies, cakes and breads for five years. He also served as pastry chef at Patisserie Poupon in Baltimore M.D., during his career. Inspired by his father, an acclaimed chef and personal mentor, Talucci initially began his pastry career at Baltimore International Culinary College where he pursued a degree in baking and pastries in 2006.

Photo by Andrew Cebulka

“It’s no secret that I have a serious sweet tooth, so needless to say I am excited about Talucci’s arrival to the team,” said Steve Palmer, managing partner at The Indigo Road Restaurant Group. “Talucci is extremely talented, and his past culinary experience will give Mercantile and Mash many new capabilities in baking and pastry.”

In his new role at Mercantile and Mash, Talucci will oversee the pastry production with creative freedom to introduce his concept to the menu. Talucci will also cater for events hosted at The Cedar Room, as well as contribute to the pastry programs at Indigo Road’s Charleston restaurants.

1 Comments

Charleston Restaurant News Charleston, SC

Southern Season Expands to Market Street

May 17, 2016

Southern Season announced that it is expanding in the Charleston market with a new smaller-format Taste of Southern Season store. The 2,000-square-foot shop is planned to open in late May at 139 Market Street. It will be managed through the existing full-service store in Mount Pleasant.

“The downtown Charleston store will allow us to make shopping even more convenient for our customers,” says CEO Clay Hamner, who last month announced that a Taste of Southern Season store will open in July in Asheville, North Carolina’s Biltmore Village. “Charleston has demonstrated tremendous support for our brand, and we are excited to bring our new concept to King Street.”

The store will be modeled on the successful debut Taste store, which opened May 23, 2015, in Raleigh, North Carolina’s Cameron Village. By eliminating excess space and focusing on the most popular local and regional products, it quickly achieved success in a highly competitive area. The Charleston store will focus on best-selling items from the Mount Pleasant store, such as Lowcountry specialties, premium grocery (including coffee, candy, wine and beer), house & home, and gift items. Catering and other services from Mount Pleasant will be available.

Taste stores will vary from around 2,000 to 7,000 square feet, depending on location. Additional Taste stores are set to open before Christmas 2016 in Wilmington and Southern Pines, North Carolina; Charlottesville, Virginia; Savannah, Georgia; and Birmingham, Alabama.

Southern Season President Dave Herman says the company intends to build 30 Taste stores over the next three years. “I have never seen a retail concept with more potential or customer acceptance,” says Herman, who has more than 30 years experience with premium retail brands. “We will feature more local and regional products alongside the best international culinary options. And we’ll do this with the passion and service customers demand and expect from Southern Season.”

Southern Season’s full-service Buckhead store will open in September in Atlanta. The 25,000 square foot store will feature an open concept dining area, offering both casual and premium options, as well as a cooking school. In North Carolina, the Raleigh store will expand to a full-service model in 2017, with another large store to follow in Charlotte in 2018.

Enhancing the success of all brick-and-mortar sites is a significant investment this year to build an online digital store to allow customers to select from more than 80,000 items by phone or tablet. “We expect that our new digital store will be live by early fall, bringing the excitement of our offerings to new markets,” says CFO Brian Fauver. “This robust system also will benefit shoppers at physical stores, enabling them to order products not found on shelves for prompt home delivery.”

Charleston Restaurant News Events

Kentucky Derby Round Up

May 3, 2016

Grab your big floppy hats and Lilly Pulitzer dresses: it’s the Kentucky Derby! Here’s where to catch all the action in the Holy City.

[We’ll be updating this list as more events are added]

Downtown

The Alley

May 7, 5 – 9 pm

Race fans can enjoy a bourbon tasting for featuring Bulleit Bourbon, and a special Derby inspired menu for hungry viewers while listening to live music by The Bluestone Ramblers Bluegrass Band. Live music starts at 5:30pm.

There will even be a FREE Sports Book /horse contest. Guests can enter their name and email and select a horse they believe will win. Everyone who picked the winning horse will be in a raffle to win a custom Affordabike.

Admission is free for this event and guests are strongly encouraged to get in the derby spirit by wearing traditional adornments like big derby hats, seersucker and bow ties.

Special Kentucky Derby inspired food menu:

Hot Brown Sandwich
Triple Crown Burger
Fried Catfish Deviled Eggs
Country Ham Biscuit Sliders
Country Fried Chicken

Bay Street Biergarten

May 7, 5 – 8 pm

Bay St Biergarten will be turning their popular biergarten into a giant Infield for their Kentucky Derby Tailgate Party on Saturday May 7th from 5pm – 8pm complete with Woodford Mint Juleps and New Belgium bier specials.

Since the infield at Churchill Downs take life a lot less seriously, ladies and gentlemen are encouraged to dust off their old big hats for a Most Creative Hat Contest: Decorate a big floppy hat from the inspiration of their favorite drink/bier name (example: Holy City Washout Wheat maybe a hat with waves and wheat attached to it). The most creative hat will win Bier Bucks.

Guests should also ride their bikes to the party and enter the New Belgium Brewery Slow Ride competition. At 5pm be the LAST person to cross the finish line without letting their feet touch the ground and win a custom New Belgium bike.

The Rooftop at Vendue

May 7, 3 – 7 pm

Join The Rooftop at Vendue for Derby Day, for live music from The Lowhills, and a “Best Dressed” & “Best Hat” Contest

Derby Cocktail Specials: $9 Mint Juleps

Mount Pleasant

Tavern & Table

May 7, 5 – 8 pm

Guests can enjoy live music from The Moonshiners while sipping on mint juleps, and enjoy a hot brown from Chef Katie and all while experiencing the best two minutes in sports.

Guests that think they know which horse will win can enter the free horse picking contest. If their horse wins, they could walk away with $100 house cash.

The party is free to attend, but guests are encouraged to sport their best Derby attire.

Charleston Restaurant News Events

Cinco de Mayo Round Up

May 2, 2016

Everyone’s favorite excuse to drink margaritas and eat guacamole is finally here! We’ve got the scoop on where to go this May 5th.

[This list will be updated as more events are added]

Downtown Charleston

Bar Mash

May 5, 4 pm – until

Featuring live music, games, and more!

Drink specials: tequila specials will be available

Bay St. Biergarten

May 5, 11 am – 11 pm

Bay St Biergarten will be serving up nacho specials, a special tequila cocktail, and even a taco eating challenge.

Whoever can eat 10 soft tacos the fastest will be heading home with a Bay Street Biergarten Gift Basket (worth up to $150 value). $10 to enter, and it all goes down at 8pm.

Charleston Cinco de Mayo Festival

Charleston Visitor Center Bus Shed, May 7, 7 – 11 pm

Featuring live music, a Zumba exhibition, tequila tasting, and more!

Tickets are $10

Grand Bohemian Rooftop

May 7, 6 pm – until

Relax with ritas on the rooftop. They’ll also be offering taco specials the whole night to keep you in the festive spirit!

Drink specials: margaritas are $7 per glass or $30 to share by the bowl.

Taco Boy

May 5, 11 am – 11 pm

The Green Thieves will pumping out the musica downtown from 5PM-8PM, and Taco Boy will be handing out plenty of sombreros and mustaches for everyone!

They’ll also have a photo booth with C.Tan Photography for you to get a little loco, and special margaritas featuring Casa Noble Tequila!

James Island

SIP Tap Room

May 5, 5 pm – until

Listen to live music and sip on $2 Mexican beers. Enjoy the outdoor patio and bring your dogs if you’d like.

Drink specials: $2 Corona, Corona Light, Tecate, Dos Equis; $12 Margartia Pitchers; $20 All you can drink Margaritas

Mount Pleasant

FILL Restaurant & Piano Bar

May 5, 4 pm – 10 pm

Fill Restaurant & Piano Bar invites guests to join them this Thursday night for a Cinco de Mayo celebration. Guests will enjoy Mexican food specials, margarita specials, cervezas and a dueling piano show.

Thursday night’s dueling piano show will start at 8pm with pianists Dave D and Johnny K. To make your reservation and to learn more about Cinco de Mayo Fill Restaurant & Piano Bar, please visit FillBar.com or find them on Facebook at Fill Restaurant & Piano Bar.

SIP Tap Room

May 5, 5 pm – until

Listen to live music and sip on $2 Mexican beers. Enjoy the outdoor patio and bring your dogs if you’d like.

Drink specials: $2 Corona, Corona Light, Tecate, Dos Equis; $12 Margartia Pitchers; $20 All you can drink Margaritas

North Charleston

Básico

May 5, 5 – 10 pm

Featuring live bossa nova and choro music from local Brazilian band Porto Seguro, a mechanical bull, and the full menu will be available for purchase.

Drink specials: $3 margaritas

Summerville

Charleston Sports Pub

May 5, 4 pm – until

Featuring live music and party favors galore.

Drink specials: $3 Espolón, house margaritas, coronas, tacos.

West Ashley

Charleston Sports Pub

May 5, 4 pm – until

Featuring live music and party favors galore.

Drink specials: $3 Espolón, house margaritas, coronas, tacos.

Mex 1 Coastal Cantina

May 5, 5 – until

Featuring live music from The Dubplates, Big Hair Productions, and more, the event will also feature Samba Dancing Girls, Fire Hula Hoopers, a Photo Booth, Modelo Girls and Milagro Ladies, a taco eating contest, giveaways, and more!

Drink specials: $3 Modelo Especial Cans, Drafts: Corona Lt, Dos Equis, Negra Modelo, Pacifico, $5 Milagro Blanco Shots, $6 Milagro Cocktail

Charleston Restaurant News

Home Team BBQ Downtown Introduces Late Night Cocktail & Bar Menu

April 30, 2016

Executive Chef Taylor Garrigan and Beverage Director Adam Rothstein have launched a new late night menu at their downtown location. The menu is available seven days a week from 10:00 p.m. to 2:00 a.m. (food offered until 1:00 a.m.).

Some items from the menu include:

Drinks

Seasonal “pickled” back: a rotating shrub or drinking vinegar made with seasonal produce and paired with an appropriate spirit. Currently on the menu, Altos Blanco tequila with local strawberry shrub
Rotating Nightly Boilermaker: a curated beer and a shot special. Currently on menu, Illegal Joven Mezcal with Anderson Valley Blood Orange Goes
“After School Special’: take on a boozy ice cream float. Jaegermeister, Green Chartreuse, Crème de Cacao, Pluff Mud Porter, and Vanilla Ice Cream
Market Daiquiri: pickled local strawberry, thyme, Plantation 3 Star Rum, Fresh Lime, Cane Sugar

Snacks (changes daily)

Smoked chicken wings, dry rubber, with Alabama white sauce
Home Team Salad, garden mix, grilled corn, tomatoes, cucumbers, toasted pepitas, smoked poblano vinaigrette
Double Stack Burger, 2-4oz. patties, American cheese, lettuce, tomato, onion, pickle, brioche bun
Sliders, topped with slaw, pickles, onions
Rueben, house smoked pastrami, house made sauerkraut, 1000 island dressing, swiss cheese on marble rye
Fried Mac and Cheese Balls

Events

Cowboy Charcoal’s 1st Annual “Fire & Ice Women’s Championship”

April 28, 2016

Cowboy Charcoal, maker of top selling, all-natural hardwood lump charcoal, wood chips and chunks, recently announced the first ever Cowboy Charcoal Fire and Ice Women’s Championship Barbeque Series to celebrate female barbeque competitors across the United States.

Cowboy Charcoal, in partnership with the Kansas City Barbeque Society (KCBS), kicks off the 2016 barbeque season with the new competition series, looking for the best female pitmasters to be judged on taste, appearance and texture in the following categories: chicken, ribs, pork and brisket.

“We are excited to announce our first women’s competition series with KCBS,” said Chris Caron, Vice President, General Manager for Duraflame, Inc. “We’re inspired by women in the BBQ industry who are making a mark on the scene. We wanted to create a platform to celebrate the trend-setting women in the industry and recognize these talented pitmasters among their peers.”

To qualify for the series, teams must be pre-registered with KCBS and have a designated female pitmaster. Teams accrue points at KCBS-sanctioned events from January 2016 through The American Royal competition later in the calendar year. The top ten women’s teams will win a spot to compete at the World Barbecue Championship in Orange Beach, Ala. November 9-13, 2016, where they will vie for $15,000 in diamond jewelry in the Fire & Ice Finals Competition.

“We are so thrilled to have a focused and fun program this year — thanks to Cowboy Charcoal — that celebrates the female pitmaster,” commented Carolyn Wells, Executive Director of KCBS. “Our community of passionate BBQ enthusiasts is anchored by both men and women, so I applaud Cowboy’s efforts to shine a well-deserving light on the females who are excelling in professional barbeque.”

For more information about the competition and how to register, please visit www.CowboyFireAndIce.com. For competitors not registered with KCBS, please visit http://www.kcbs.us/join.php.