The honors just keep rolling in for Halls Chophouse! OpenTable diners have voted them the #4 Best Restaurant in America. It was the only restaurant in South Carolina to make the cut.
“We are thrilled and humbled to be recognized by our loyal OpenTable diners,” states restaurant Owner Bill Hall. “We look forward to continuing to provide our guests with exceptional cuisine and hospitality, in addition to debuting a number of new and exciting offerings on the horizon for 2016.”
On Friday Dec. 4, 2015 from 8pm – 2am, Bay St Biergarten will be kicking off the holiday season with their annual Merry Beary Christmas party complete with DJ Rehab spinning Christmas mashups, a Tacky Sweater contest, and more.
DJ Rehab will be spinning Christmas mashups all night long as you enjoy drink specials, like $5 Egg Nog and Cider, plus a Christmas Beer special.
The thing I’m most excited about: tacky sweater contest with a $50 grand prize.
Plus, bring a new, unwrapped toy donation for Toys for Tots and get $5 bier bucks!
5Church Charleston is scheduled to open on Friday, Nov. 20, 2015 in an historic old church (Church of the Redeemer and Harriott Pinckney House) in downtown’s bustling Market Street district. Offering New-American cuisine, creative craft cocktails and visually-stunning décor, 5Church Charleston will be open for dinner, lunch and brunch. The restaurant’s elaborate, modern décor features awe-inspiring stained glass windows, a white concrete bar, black leather banquettes, eye-catching chandeliers, large-scale pop-art and hand-painted written verbiage of Sun Tzu’s “The Art of War” on the church ceiling.
5Church Charleston’s executive chef, Jamie Lynch, will be at the helm, dishing out 5Church menu favorites such as the famed “60 Second” NY Strip Steak and5Church Lamb Burger with red onion marmalade and gorgonzola fondue, along with new, locally sourced dishes unique to the Charleston restaurant. A 150-bottle wine list curated by an in-house certified sommelier and a selection of specialty cocktails and craft beers will complement Lynch’s menu.
5Church Charleston will seat 170 guests with an outdoor patio and bar area, as well as a private dining room available for events. 5Church Charleston is located at 32B North Market St., near the corner of East Bay Street. Complimentary valet parking will be offered for all 5Church Charleston guests.
I’ll be going for dinner tonight, so I’ll let you know what I think!
Winter Squash Soup with Crystalized Pecans – $12/qt.
Duck Sausage Dressing with Smoked Squash, Rye, Parmesan & Fennel – $13/lb.
Roast Corn Pudding with White Cheddar – $12/lb.
Greens Gratin – $10/lb.
Brussels Sprouts w/ Pancetta & Charred Apples – $11/lb.
Pirlou w/ Spicy Sausage, Wild Rice, Mushrooms & Gouda Bechmel – $12/lb.
Potatoes D’affinois – $11/lb.
Classic Cranberry Sauce – $9/pt.
Classic Turkey Gravy – $12/qt.
Château des Bois Mâcon Milly-Lamartin 2013 – $18Lemon custard backed by refreshing minerality ensure that this is indeed Chardonnay from its homeland of Burgundy. Even “non-Chardonnay” lovers seem to embrace the Mâcon. It simply impresses without overwhelming and proves an easy pairing with local seafood, roasted chicken — even turkey!Château des Bois Bourgogne Rouge 2013 – $19Tart red fruit like cranberries and pomegranate entice us immediately, but it’s the finish of dried earth and crushed rocks that seals the deal. This deserves a spot at the Thanksgiving table! Who can resist Pinot Noir from its birthplace? Just be sure to stash away a bottle or two for yourself!
Ted’s offers a 10% discount for wine purchases of six bottles, and a 15% discount on a case (mixed or single selection).
The Darling Oyster Bar, set to open at 513 King Street this winter (aka the old Union Provisions location), has named Joe DiMaio as Chef for the casual neighborhood restaurant.
DiMaio honed his culinary skills at numerous renowned Charleston-area restaurants, including the Old Village Post House and the Ocean Room at the Sanctuary Hotel. That career path has exposed him to classic styles of cooking, which will be showcased on The Darling’s yet-to-be-released menu.
DiMaio counts among his mentors Chef Frank Lee (Post House), and The Darling Oyster Bar’s consultant, Nate Thurston, with whom he worked at the Ocean Room. Most recently DiMaio was Executive Chef at Stars, where he enjoyed participating in a restaurant from concept to opening and beyond. DiMaio earned his culinary degree from the Art Institute of Charleston.
In helping to craft The Darling’s culinary story, DiMaio emphasizes that a chef’s ability to adapt is critical; creating meals that delight guests consistently and with creativity “will help The Darling live up to its moniker as something near and dear to the heart,” he said.
Follow The Darling‘s progress on Facebook and Instagram.
Always supporting the local community and wanting to inspire others to do great things, Bay Street Biergarten launched their inaugural Random Acts of Kindness Week on November 16 with local partners: the Charleston Riverdogs, South Carolina Stingrays, Woodhouse Spa, South Carolina Aquarium, Charleston Wine + Food Festival, North Charleston Coliseum, Elysium Salon, and Nobly. During the week, Bay St Biergarten and area partners will do random acts of kindness both in the restaurant and throughout the city, and ask people to share their experiences and spread the kindness by doing something nice for someone else and sharing it with #ChsRakWeek
To get involved, simply go out and do something nice for someone you don’t know or contact boomer@thebecketagency.com to become a partner. Charleston RAK Week goes through Sunday November 23, 2015.
Virginia’s on King, a Southern-style restaurant in the heart of downtown Charleston, invites families and friends to drop the dishes and celebrate Thanksgiving with a special menu. Available only on Thursday, Nov. 26, the feast includes herb stuffed turkey, sweet potatoes, gravy and plenty of Virginia Bennett’s family recipes.
“By pairing Thanksgiving favorites with southern hospitality, we look forward to delivering a memorable experience for families, couples and foodies of all ages,” shares Eddie Wiles, executive chef of Virginia’s on King.
Menu highlights include:
Virginia’s on King’s Thanksgiving Day menu will be served on Nov. 26 during regular restaurant hours of 11:00 a.m. to 9:00 p.m.
On Friday, November 20, Studio 300–an annual nominee for Best Party of the Year by the Charleston City Paper–returns in all its epic glory!
I hope you can join me as I celebrate The Alley’s 3rd anniversary with beats by DJ Natty Heavy, premium cocktails and beers, complimentary appetizers, the famous roller girls, free bowling, free arcade game play, and more over-the-top surprises (Alley has had a aerialists, women on horseback, fire breathers, and snake charmers at previous Studio 300 parties).
Attendees are strongly encouraged to dress in their best disco outfits (I love me a good costume party) as the Alley will transform into one big nightclub inspired by the legendary Studio 54… And as always, expect the unexpected!
Regular admission tickets will be available at $60. Tickets will not be sold at the door. Doors open at 9pm. A portion of proceeds will benefit local education charity Be A Mentor.
ABOUT THE ALLEY CHARLESTON:
Located in the popular Upper King St corridor of Charleston, SC, The Alley Charleston offers an entertainment experience unlike anything in the southeast. In addition to eight lanes of retro bowling and old school arcade games galore, the retrofitted warehouse features a 40ft signature bar made of a reclaimed bowling lane, a 150 seat restaurant, a mezzanine space with lounge area and a 17ft bar, and outside seating.
ABOUT BE A MENTOR:
Through targeted and sustainable youth mentoring programs, Be a Mentor strives to enable youth to develop positive relationships with caring adults, build long-lasting community connections and enhance the development of character and leadership skills in order to lay the foundation for success and empower youth to reach their full potential.
Wild Dunes Resort is contributing to the growing Isle of Palms culinary scene with a renewed focus, announcing its new Sea Island Grill & Lounge Executive Chef, Brett Sparman. With an impressive pedigree of more than 14 years of experience, Sparman will be responsible for overseeing all culinary operations, including innovative menu development for Wild Dunes Resort.
“This is a very exciting time for Wild Dunes Resort’s Food & Beverage program and we are thrilled to have Chef Sparman join the team,” states Frank Fredericks, managing director at Wild Dunes Resort. “Sparman’s passion for fresh, top-quality ingredients will be instrumental in leading the charge to transform the Sea Island Grill into a culinary destination for Charleston area locals and tourists alike.”
Sparman most recently served as the Executive Chef at Luminaria Restaurant & Patio and its sister property The Inn and Spa at Loretto in Santa Fe, NM. Additionally, Sparman spent several years honing his craft in a variety of Dallas’ most respected restaurants, as a Sous Chef at Nobu Dallas and later as Executive Sous Chef at Nana, under the direction of acclaimed Chef Anthony Bombaci.
“I am thrilled to be joining the amazing food and beverage team at Wild Dunes Resort,” says Sparman. “I have long been an admirer of Charleston’s award-winning culinary scene and look forward to bringing a fresh, creative dining experience to Isle of Palms.”
Utilizing locally-grown ingredients, Chef Sparman has enhanced the Sea Island Grill’s Food & Beverage program and introduced new menus featuring expertly-crafted dishes that highlight the essence of distinguished flavor. The Sea Island Grill & Lounge dinner menuis quintessentially Lowcountry-inspired with an elevated interpretation, including appetizers such as She Crab Soup and Pickled Shrimp with remoulade and shaved radish; entrées like Carolina Snapper with wheatberry, roasted corn, butter beans and chive pistou; and Apple-Croissant Bread Pudding for dessert. The restaurant’s Lounge Menu also features new dishes like Crispy Chicken Lollipops and BLT Sliders with pork belly and fried green tomatoes.
The Sea Island Grill & Lounge serves daily breakfast, lunch, dinner and weekend brunch. Diners are invited to experience a three-course prix-fixe dinner menu for $30 per person, served nightly from 5:00-6:30 p.m. For more information on The Sea Island Grill & Lounge or to make a reservation, please call 843.886.2200 or book via Opentable.
This November, Tavern & Table, will be hosting a month long digital pay-it-forward event to help the hungry locally by donating a lunch to the area’s leading hunger-relief charity, LowCountry Food Bank, for every Tavern & Table lunch that guests Instagram using hashtag #lunch4alunch.
WHEN: Monday – Friday Lunch (11am – 3pm) November 2015
WHERE: 100 Church St, Mt Pleasant, SC 29464
One in four children experiences hunger in the Lowcountry. About 15% of people in our community don’t always know where their lunch will come from. Half of the people served by the LCFB are children and seniors. The LCFB serves 200,000 people each year along the SC coast.