[Barony Tavern is now closed as of 1/29/17]
In Charleston, chefs are often the biggest local celebrities we have. I get more excited seeing Sean Brock than I do Bill Murray whenever he inevitably pops up downtown. One (of the many) local chefs I follow is Chef Robert Carter. I went to Peninsula Grill shortly before he left and I enjoyed dinner at Carter’s Kitchen weeks after it opened (sorry to report that I wasn’t as impressed with Rutledge Cab Company, but no one’s perfect). When I heard about his newest venture, Barony Tavern, I was pumped to give it a try.
Food always excites me.
The restaurant is located inside the Renaissance Hotel, in the location of the old Wentworth Grill (RIP). The décor and ambience really appealed to me; I loved all the dark wood, deer paraphernalia, and old books. I felt like I was dining in someone’s private library or a study in an old mansion.
Including the creepy “villain behind the portrait with cut out eyes” a la Scooby Doo.
The appetizers were all so tempting, we couldn’t settle on just 1, so we got 3 instead. First, the grilled softshell crab BLT was a special. I’m normally not a fan of softshell crab (usually it’s served fried), but somehow grilled, I actually really liked it. Served with Portuguese slider roll, bacon, marinated roma tomatoes, bibb lettuce, and green goddess aioli. The flavor combo was just delicious.
But I’ll pretty much eat anything with bacon on it.
Our second app was the crispy oysters with a kale pesto and smoked bacon ($10). These oysters positively melted in your mouth. The bacon added a nice hint of smokiness and the kale pesto with the crispy piece of kale on top gave it a really interested texture and flavor that was reminiscent of some Asian food.
And it tastes just as good as it looks.
Our third appetizer was the seared beef carpaccio with okra aioli, fried okra, and arugula salad ($12). My first question after trying this dish is “why isn’t the fried okra just straight up on the menu?” because it was some of the best fried okra I’ve ever had. I loved the super light cornmeal breading and the way it paired with the smoky, salty beef. Like prosciutto on crack.
Plus fried okra.
We also tried the toasted farro salad with oven roasted grapes, baby kale, feta, pistachios, and red wine vinaigrette ($9), which was unique and very tasty. The thing that’s great about farro is that it’s a little heartier of a grain, so you don’t really feel like you’re eating healthy. Also the oven roasted grapes were like little flavor bombs within the salad, which I thought was a great touch and a happy surprise.
And I rarely get excited about a salad.
We also got a side of the caramelized cauliflower with truffled brioche ($7), which was outstanding. It was cheesy and truffle-y and if I hadn’t known better, I don’t think I would’ve guessed that it was cauliflower.
Which is the best way to serve cauliflower.
We were also interested in the basil-marinated duck livers available on the tavern menu from the bar area, which were served with wilted lettuce, tomato coulis and bacon jam ($10). Since I’ve never had duck livers before, I didn’t have a lot to compare it too, but it was very gamey. I liked the contrast of the tomato coulis and the bacon jam which gave it a meaty, sweet flavor. I recommend it if you are feeling adventurous.
Adventurous is my middle name…(not really. It’s Lauren).
For a main course, we decided on the crawfish-stuffed shrimp, which was served with a Charleston “red rice” of orzo and creole butter ($26). The shrimp were cooked perfectly and I thought the dish as a whole was very creative. I enjoyed the orzo, but by that point I was getting full and I didn’t want to waste room in my stomach on orzo when there was still that cauliflower to be eaten.
I love it when food is stuffed into other food/
For dessert, we were interested in one of the specials of the night, which was a piece of chocolate brittle topped with a layer of chocolate mousse, with peanut butter brittle mousse, and a salted caramel sauce. It was rich and decadent and basically heaven on earth.
You had me at “chocolate.”
We also tried a slice of the world-famous coconut cake that is Chef Carter’s specialty. He uses his grandmother’s recipe and it tastes very homemade. It’s perfectly sweet, and packed full of coconut. I definitely recommend it.
“You had me at cake.”
On a secondary visit, I tried the Barony Burger (brioche bun, aged cheddar, bacon, green goddess aioli and fried onions, $16) and it was outstanding. Just the right amount of greasy from the perfectly seasoned meat, plus the tanginess of the aged cheddar and saltiness of the bacon. I thought the green goddess aioli was a great and unique addition which set it apart from other burgers in the city.
Hey burger, you’re coming home with me.
But the real shining star is Chef’s fried chicken (which you can get on his Sunday supper menu). It might be some of the best fried chicken I’ve ever had. Perfectly crispy on the outside; juicy and wonderful on the inside. A chicken lover’s dream.
Fry Fry Chicky Chick.
All in all I think Barony Tavern is a great addition to the culinary scene in Charleston. If the full menu is too expensive, I definitely recommend checking out the tavern menu, as it gives you a great overview of what the food is like for a smaller price.
Barony apparently means “deer” or something? I have no idea.
Barony Tavern
68 Wentworth St
Charleston, SC 29401
(843) 297-4246
