I first learned about Spero in April when the City Paper wrote an article titled “Spero May Be The Best Under-The-Radar Restaurant in Town.” I didn’t read any of the article (I have a bad habit of only reading headlines), but added Spero to my list of restaurants to try right then. On my first visit, in the spring, I went 3 friends, which was a great choice because we were all willing to share dishes, so I got a great variety of what Spero had to offer. We started with the “Pickles and Pate” (chicken liver, half sour pickles, bread and butter pickles, mustard, $5.5), which was pretty delicious if you like pate. I thought it was great with the buttery bread and vinegary pickles, with a little tanginess from the mustard. The pate itself was a great consistency and had a nice subtle smokiness to it.
Our second starter was the bread flight (yes, you read that right. A flight of bread). It consisted of the sourdough pretzel bread with ham and mustard butter, beef tallow biscuits with horseradish cream, and cornbread with burnt honey miso butter ($6.50). It was divine. Each bread had a totally different flavor profile and paired perfectly with the condiment to which they were assigned. I would go back for the bread alone.
We split a few of the small plates, including the Roasted Beet Salad (beets, berries, bleu cheese, buttermilk, battlestar galactica, $7.5), which was pretty good. Beets aren’t my favorite, so I only tried a bite, but it was absolutely gorgeous to look at!
I, of course, opted to try the Lamb Barbacoa Sammich (pulled lamb, lemon pickled jalapeno, mayo, queso fresco with a seasonal side, $9), which had my name all over it (not actually, but it may as well have). It was awesome. The lemon pickled jalapeno took away any gaminess the lamb might have had, leaving it perfectly tender and packed with flavor. The bread was nice and soft and the sandwich was a great size for sharing.
Someone lame at the table (whom we’ll call Voldemort) ordered the Red Russian Kale Salad (strawberry vinaigrette, candied local pecans, $6.50), which was tasty for a salad. I mostly just at the candied pecans.
Another person at the table ordered the Braised Beef Sammich (pickled carrots, whipped bleu cheese, $10), which was also really tasty. The beef was packed full of flavor that literally dripped down your chin after you took a bite (in a good way). The pickled carrots gave it almost a banh mi kind of flavor, and the whipped bleu cheese was creamy and a great complement to the beef & carrots.
We got 2 of the oatmeal cookies for dessert, which were served with ice cold glasses of milk. The cookies are baked to order, so they take about 12 minutes or so from when you order them. We were so enthralled with our company that we didn’t notice that our cookies were taking forever until the chef / owner came out to apologize to us for “technical difficulties.” I was confused because technical difficulties + cookies didn’t really equate for me. But he explained “first there were cookies on a tray, then there were cookies on the ground. But we’re starting all over… it just might take a few more minutes.” It was definitely worth the wait, as there are few things in this world better than a fresh baked cookie and ice cold glass of milk.
The second time I visited was in the summer (technically “sautumn” or “summer into Autumn” as they called it) with Lauren. We sat at the bar, which I highly recommend, because it gives you a much more inclusionary experience and makes you feel as if you’re a part of the restaurant (for example, they do their “safety meeting” at 9:30 every night, where the whole kitchen staff shotguns a beer together. I’ve never worked in food & bev, but if I did, I hope I would’ve worked in a place like this). We started with the Chilled Acorn Squash Soup (herbed goat cheese, pickled onions, $5.50). The goat cheese was amazing and totally sold the whole dish. It was velvety and smooth and super flavorful.
After the soup was the Marinated H2Omelon Salad (beef tataki, thai basil, mint, $6.25). Big, thick pieces of watermelon with a little spicy kick, served with thinly sliced steak. Looking at the description, I wasn’t sure how it was all going to come together and if the flavors were going to mesh well together, but after my first bite all my worries disappeared. I loved the contrast of the spicy watermelon with the mint and seared steak and would highly recommend it if it’s on the menu again.
Next, we got the Roasted Okra (jalapeno honey, bleu cheese, peanuts, $6.75
After the okra came the delicata squash (Vietnamese caramel, sour yellow curry, brown butter breadcrumbs, $7) which perfectly cooked and caramelized on one side, with a great mixture of spicy and sweet. Probably my favorite thing we ordered. Also, can I please get brown butter breadcrumbs on everything I order in the future? kthx.
To finish, we decided to go with 2 of their Pigerdoodle (I think that was the name) cookies (like snickerdoodles, but made with rendered pig fat). They were great. Super rich, and melty…just the way I like a cookie: “warm, sweet, and directly in front of my face.”
All in all, the prices for the small plates are more than reasonable, and if you haven’t stopped by this neighborhood gem yet, then I feel like you’re missing out on an essential part of Charleston. What are you even doing with your life.
Spero
616 Meeting St,
Charleston, SC 29403
(843) 203-3255
My favorite restaurant in Charleston, Persimmon Cafe, is launching beer and wine sales starting Monday Oct. 5, 2015 from 4pm to 9pm with a special date night menu, and gift card contest.
Date night is normally held on the 3rd Thursday of each Month, but they’re bringing it to Monday this week for the launch of beer and wine sales.
The $20 special menu includes:
- 2 drinks (Can be a beer or wine of your choice)
- 2 sides
- 2 sandwiches
- & 1 custard to share (BEER CUSTARD PERHAPS? Hey, Persimmon. You can have that idea for free, I won’t even charge you for it, you’re welcome).
Persimmon is also hosting a social media contest with the hashtag #DrinkAtPersimmon. Regram the attached picture using #DrinkAtPersimmon and tag @persimmoncafe for a chance to win a $25 gift card!
Ok, now who wants to be my date??
Last year’s Food Film Festival was one of the coolest events I’ve ever experienced, and this year is bound to be even better! For those of you not in “the know,” the Food Film Festival is a multi-city (Charleston, NYC, and Chicago), “multisensory food and film experience,” that allows viewers to actually taste the foods they’re watching on screen. This year’s event will take place from November 11-13 at the new Cedar Room at the Cigar Factory, which I’m super pumped about. Use code QUEEN15 to save 15% on your tickets!
The 3-day festival kicks off with an exclusive opening night world premiere screening of the Anthony Bourdain: Parts Unknown – Charleston, presented by CNN. There will also be films featuring Summerville’s Perfectly Franks and the Holy City’s exploding brewery scene. The full schedule of events and ticket information will be announced soon, but in the meantime here’s a look at the films expected to be be screened during the festival:
The Events
Wednesday – 11/11 – 7pm
The World Premiere of Anthony Bourdain: Parts Unknown – Charleston, SC
Presented by CNN
The Food Film Festival and CNN invite you to come taste what you see in this special World Premiere of the Charleston episode of Anthony Bourdain: Parts Unknown before it airs on tv. From Rodney Scott’s whole hog to Sean Brock’s personal Waffle House tasting menu, this is an evening you won’t want to miss.
Film: Anthony Bourdain: Parts Unknown – Charleston, SC
After-party featuring a whole-hog roast by Rodney Scott of Scott’s BBQ, a special tasting menu from Waffle House and more!
Tickets & Info – Use code QUEEN15 to save 15%!
Thursday – 11/12 – 7pm
Edible Adventure #014
The 14th installment of the Edible Adventure series includes films about the Charleston Craft Beer scene, free-range pig farming in Italy, Spanish Caviar and everything in between.
Films: Ca’lumaco, Cuda, Cultured Craft Beer, Growing Local: Seeding a Dream, Sollo.
After-party featuring Perry Cuda’s famous hot dogs from Perfectly Franks, locally crafted brews from Coast, Homegrown Brewhouse with Frothy Beard Brewhouse Company, Holy City Brewery, Edmund’s Oast, and Palmetto, paired with select dishes by Home Team BBQ, Closed 4 Business, Craftsmen Tap House, and Edmund’s Oast.
Tickets & Info – Use code QUEEN15 to save 15%!
Friday – 11/13 – 7pm
The Food Porn Party
Presented by In The Raw
The Food Porn Party returns for another steamy night of Extreme Eats and Culinary Close-Ups.
VIP party by Tavern & Table.
Films: Balls, Choco Thriller, Food, Friends, and Family, Fork and Beans: Gluten-Free Moon Pie, Gin Tonic Black, La Botanique des Amours, Pasta with Ratatouille, Rosemary Gin Smash, Slowberry, The Cut, The Spalding Oyster.
After-party featuring sweet and savory treats from The Lot, Vanilla Bean, Warehouse, and Mirabelle Bakery.
Tickets & Info – Use code QUEEN15 to save 15%!
For more information and to purchase tickets, visit the official website.
One of Charleston’s famous treats can now be found in Mount Pleasant. Belgian Gelato opened its doors last week to its third location in the Lowcountry, with a café style twist at 776 South Shelmore Boulevard.
Belgian Gelato Café, a family owned and run business, was created around a passion for gelato, and inspired by Belgian Chocolates. The cafe has elements of an old fashioned ice cream/soda fountain shop from the‘50s while incorporating an entirely new concept- Gelato on Draft. This Gelato Draft technique is the absolute freshest most flavorful way to serve gelato. Guests have described the atmosphere as reminiscent of “the good old days.”
The owner Hugo Heule has put his heart and soul into Belgian Gelato Cafe. He
has stated, “the style and amenities of this location, will be exclusively offered in
Mount Pleasant.” Hugo’s goal is that Mount Pleasant residents will enjoy this
unique neighborhood spot. Hugo spent considerable time in the gourmet food
service industry throughout Europe and studying the art of gelato making in Italy.
Hugo and his family relocated from Belgium to Charleston for the sole purpose of
opening Belgian Gelato.
Starting bright and early each morning, the café opens with a breakfast menu that
features Brussels Waffles, Breakfast Crepes, Craft Coffee, and Freshly Squeezed
Orange Juice. Family Happy Hour is 5pm – 7pm with specials for both kids and
adults. Snacks such as Belgian Toasti Sandwiches, Sweet and Savory Crepes,
and Kids Size Gelato are on special. Adults can enjoy beer, wine, and alcoholic
beverages combined with fresh gelato for extraordinary desserts. Belgian Gelato
Café is both easy take-out and full-service with lots of seating inside and a large
shady (dog friendly) patio outside. This new exciting spot is open:
Monday – Thursday 7:30am – 9:00pm
Friday – Saturday 7:30am – 11:00pm
Sunday 9:00am – 9:00pm.
Since opening Belgian Gelato Café has received a warm welcome from locals,
with rave reviews from customers. Belgian Gelato Café is an expanded concept
from the two Belgian Gelato Shops downtown, which have been popular spots for
tourists and locals since opening in 2011. The Heule Family welcomes the people
of Mount Pleasant and all visitors to enjoy this new Cafe concept by Belgian
Gelato.
Charleston Hospitality Group has announced plans to open Cove Oyster Bar & Grille Sept. 29, 2015. Offering a casual, family-friendly dining experience, the restaurant will take up residence in North Charleston, featuring live entertainment and Lowcountry cuisine served with a New Orleans flair for dinner, weekend lunches and Sunday brunch.
Chef Keith Haynes, who moved to Charleston and gained experience in a number of prominent New Orleans restaurants, has created a Cajun-inspired menu of fresh-caught seafood, hand-cut steaks and signature nightly specials. In addition to a bounty of oysters prepared over a half a dozen different ways including Rockefeller, Bienville and Hot Shucks, Cove Oyster Bar & Grille will offer menu favorites like Dynamite Shrimp, Charleston She Crab Soup, Cajun Catfish, Crab Cakes, Alligator Tail, Filet Mignon, Ribeye and classic Beignets for dessert.
Chef Haynes will also feature special nightly promotions such as All You Can Eat Crab Legs and bar snacks for Monday Night football, a Lowcountry Boil on Thursdays and Sea Bass and Red Fish on the weekends. Sunday Brunch diners can satisfy morning cravings with hearty offerings like Seafood Crepes, Eggs Benedict, Steak & Eggs and Country Ham and Biscuits with house-made gravy. Cove Oyster Bar & Grille will also be the premier spot for friends and families to relax on the weekends for game day, with six large-screen TVs and a bar menu complete with frozen drinks, martinis, mimosa pitchers and Bloody Mary’s.
Cove Oyster Bar & Grille will be open Monday – Friday from 4 – 10 p.m., Saturday from 11 a.m. – 10 p.m. and Sunday from 10 a.m. – 10 p.m.
If you know nothing else about me, know that my true passion is for mac and cheese. So simple in theory, the reality is that there are thousands of different noodle + cheese(s) combinations throughout Charleston. But not all mac and cheese is created equal.
Here are the Queen’s picks for best Mac & Cheese in Charleston:
Crave
The mac at Crave has been called “Most Life-Changing Mac and Cheese” by Esquire magazine and they’ve won the People’s Choice award at the Charleston Mac Off for the past 5 years, so they’re definitely on to something. It’s creamy and parmesan-y (like Alfredo sauce, but not really). You need to try it to believe it!
Rarebit
The thing I love about Rarebit’s mac is that it’s more like a classic baked mac and cheese with plenty of melted shredded cheddar on top. The sauce is much thicker and it pairs perfectly with a country fried steak or Rarebit burger.
Swig & Swine
This is the perfect mac and cheese to eat with barbecue. It’s nice and peppery and creamy which helps to balance out the vinegar of BBQ sauce. Plus, they use shells, which make me feel like I’m a kid again.
Graze
Graze is the only restaurant on the list who really explores the use of southern ingredients within the dish itself. It’s made with crispy pork rinds, pulled pork, and collard greens. It’s basically the most southern dish I can think of.
Cru Cafe
The mac at Cru Cafe is made with generous amounts of 4 cheeses and uses orecchiette pasta. My favorite part about it is that Chef John Zucker made his recipe publicly available, so you can make it at home if you’re so inclined.
Ted’s Butcher Block
My coworkers lovingly refer to the mac & cheese from Ted’s as “Crack and Cheese,” because it’s so addicting. It’s also the only mac on this list that’s served cold. But trust me, it’s still delish.
A new Earth Fare store (#39) is opening in Summerville! This is their newest store and 2nd in the Charleston area, the first of which is across from my new office in South Windermere (btw, did you know it was the 2nd ever Earth Fare franchise? Now you do! You’re welcome.) I had a chance to stop by and preview the store before it opened, and let me tell you: It is beautiful! It’s 23,000 square feet of healthy, organic glory that will inspire you to eat better and live a healthier lifestyle.
Earth Fare prides itself on its high quality standards, which includes no high-fructose corn syrup; no artificial fats, colors, flavors, preservatives, or sweeteners; no antibiotics or synthetic growth hormones in the meat; and no bleached or bromated flour. The Earth Fare in West Ashley was built in the 90’s, so although it is still perfectly good, it is lacking some of the aesthetic charm that the new store has. I’ll touch on some of my favorite features:
Scoop Your Own Ravioli
And they have a flavor called “mac and cheese ravioli.” Uuuuh, yes please.
Scoop Your Own Bath Salts
Sweet citrus, fresh mint, handmade soap…. My bath is going to be so luxurious!
Scoop Your Own Candy
But it’s healthy candy, so it’s basically a vegetable.
Scoop Your Own Bulk Grains & Nuts
Ok, mostly I think I just like scooping things
Try Before You Buy
One thing I really love about Earth Fare is that they know how overwhelming it can be to make the transition from the big brands to smaller, healthier brands. You’re not sure you’re going to like a certain product, and that makes you hesitant to buy it. Earth Fare takes the mystery out of the whole experience. They’ll happily open any product on the shelves and let you try it to make sure you’re buying something that you’ll actually enjoy.
Find the Perfect Cheese
So many cheeses, so little time. Plus, if they don’t care a cheese you’re looking for, they can special order it (as long as it comes from one of their approved vendors & follows their healthy rules).
Natural Beauty
Because you should be just as concerned with what you’re putting on your body as what you’re putting in it.
$6 Meal Deals
Pretty much any day of the week, you can stop by Earth Fare and get dinner for $6, featuring select menu items on different days like rotisserie chickens, pizza, and more!
Local Coffee & Tea
Grind Your Own Nut Butters & Pour Your Own Syrup
Pretty sure I still have a bottle of agave syrup that I bought in early 2010, so I think pouring my own might be a better alternative (and also I should really throw that old container out).
The new store opens on Wednesday morning, and they’re hosting a grand opening party at 7 am on 9/23 (ribbon cutting at 6:45 am). The first 100 people in line will get a gift card of varying values up to $500! There will be product demos, live music, raffles, activities for the kids, and more!
Don’t feel like waking up early to wait in line? No worries! I’m giving away a $25 Earth Fare gift card. Enter to win below!
UPDATE: Congrats to Kendra Nangle who won the $25 gift card!
Fall is my favorite time of year because the weather is cooler, I can finally start wearing my Toms again without feeling like I’m walking in a swamp, and restaurants start introducing fall menus with delicious things like squash and pumpkin in every dish (yes, I know that makes me basic. I’m ok with it).
Tavern & Table on Historic Shem Creek in Mt. Pleasant, will celebrate the flavors of fall with a preview dinner of their new fall menu featuring 7 uniquely prepared dishes and pairings of wine, beer, or cocktails for a one-night-only exclusive event on Wednesday, September 23 at 7pm.
Here’s a sneak peek at the menu:
- Chili
- Duck
- Lamb
- Crab & Artichoke dip
- Lobster grilled cheese
- Smoked roast beef or short rib stroganoff
- Short rib tacos
Tickets are $35, but you should act fast: there are only 40 spots available!
New Sandwiches:
New Burgers:
New Salads:
New Appetizers: