Charleston, SC Archives - Page 8 of 9

Chucktown Tavern [CLOSED]

October 18, 2012

Chucktown Tavern is my favorite bar in Charleston. Hands down. Where else in Charleston can you get a Trashcan? No where. So go order one. I’m not going to tell you what it is, this is something you need to learn for yourself. I know Chucktown Tavern’s not for everyone–it’s far from hipster, there’s karaoke every night, and they close early on Saturday nights–but it has its own special kind of charm that I hold dear to my heart. Sometimes I forget that most of the bars I frequent at night are actually restaurants during the day. I’ve been going to Chucktown Tavern for over 2 years now, and I’d never eaten there before this week. I honestly didn’t even realize they served food.

They do serve up some delicious karaoke, though.

When we arrived, we grabbed a menu clipboard and silverware from a stand at the door and seated ourselves at a booth with a nice view of the TV. The bartender came by to take our drink orders within 2 minutes of when we sat down, which was nice. The menu is very straightforward and unpretentious, nothing fancy or frou-frou about it, which is kind of refreshing for downtown Charleston. We started with an order of the black bean cakes, which were absolutely delicious. Ben was a little iffy at first, because they look like slabs of asphalt (I mean, it’s a black bean cake. It’s hard to make it look pretty), but he ended up loving them. They’re made with black beans, mushrooms, tomatoes, onions, and peppers, and a little bit of flour, pan fried, and topped with a sour cream sauce and served with a side of pico de gallo and jalapeño pepper slices. This was my favorite dish out of everything we ordered–they were soooo good.

I know it doesn’t look it, but it is damn delicious.

Ben was feeling kind of boring, so instead of trying one of their signature stuffed burgers, he opted for an old fashioned 1/3 lb burger topped with cheddar cheese, bacon, lettuce, tomato, onions, and mayo, served with a side of house cut fries and homemade coleslaw. As soon as he took a bite, he started making those noises people make when they really like the food they’re eating. He kept mumbling “this is so good,” but with his mouth full of burger, so it sounded more like “threfsj irskds srrrr grsiodbfdl.”

This burger is straight up de-loy-cious

I’m more adventurous, so I ordered the Swamp Fox burger, a 1/2lb angus beef burger stuffed with chili, cheddar cheese, and bacon, topped with lettuce, tomato, mayo, and homemade coleslaw, served with a side of fries and even more coleslaw. It was divine. Seriously. I never end up finishing an entire burger at a restaurant, let alone a 1/2lb burger stuffed with chili and bacon, but I definitely finished this burger (even though it started to fall apart at the end and I had to finish eating it with a fork, like a barbarian). The chili definitely tasted homemade and had hints of chorizo sausage in it, which I really liked. The meat was really well seasoned and would have been tasty on its own. I think the coleslaw was a really great addition to the burger, as it was made with vinegar (rather than mayo), and gave the burger an extra level of freshness.

Burgerlicious.

The only thing we weren’t really crazy about were the fries. They were definitely hand cut and fresh, but they seemed to me to be a bit overcooked and lacked the fluffy interior one has come to expect from this national staple. In the future, I’ll probably replace the fries with something else on their delicious list of side items, like the mac and cheese….which I totally ordered. (I mean, you had to have known I was going to order it. I order mac and cheese LITERALLY every time it’s on a menu. I’m a sucker) So I ordered the side of macaroni and cheese and I absolutely loved it. It was creamy (rather than baked), and tasted like they made it fresh the second I ordered it. You can definitely tell it’s made with real cheddar cheese and fresh cream. It was basic and extraordinary all at the same time. It’s probably my favorite mac and cheese in Charleston (other than KSG’s mac and cheese eggrolls which are something of a religious experience).

Cheesy nectar of the Gods

They didn’t really have a huge dessert selection (only 3 options), so we chose to skip dessert and opt for the check (which was relatively cheap considering all the food we got). I have to say I couldn’t have been more pleasantly surprised with the entire experience. We had a delicious meal that made me feel like I was eating dinner at my friend’s grandmother’s house (I’d say my grandmother, but they’re both horrible cooks). Everything was fresh and delicious, and made with a certain amount of love and care, which I think is really makes a difference in the food.

Also, there’s a patio!

Chucktown Tavern [CLOSED]
159 Market Street
Charleston, SC 29401
(843) 637-3681

1 Comments

Charleston, SC Restaurant Reviews

39 Rue de Jean

May 17, 2012

For a friend’s birthday, I treated him to dinner at 39 Rue de Jean, a French restaurant in Charleston (that also serves sushi? not really sure how I feel about that). I’d heard really good things from a bunch of friends, so I had pretty high hopes going in. We were seated in a 2 person mini-booth over by the bar. I was a little annoyed because we were basically squished in next to a bar table full of people, so it wasn’t really the private experience I was hoping for. Not to mention, it was super loud, and it only got louder as the night went on. So even though we were only about 3 feet away from each other, we had to yell a bit to be heard.

WHAT APPETIZER DO YOU WANT TO GET?

Our waiter was really funny, and very attentive. He refilled our water regularly and cracked jokes with us, which was nice. I hate it when waiters are too stuffy. He was perfect though, he didn’t hover, but he was always there when we needed him. Ben and I ended up getting the “Plateau de Fromage” (or “cheese plate” for the english speakers) to start off with. It came with four different kind of artisan cheeses, a piece of toast with each cheese, and different accompaniments. I think the offerings change daily, so they brought us a printed out sheet that told what each cheese was, although I had a difficult time telling them apart. I know there were two goat’s milk cheeses and two cow’s milk cheeses. One was served with apricot preserves, one with raspberry preserves, one with blood orange jam, and one with an onion jam of some sort.

Basically, they all tasted like cheese.

Ben also got “onion soup gratineé” (french onion soup) as a second appetizer. It was served molten lava hot, and Ben had to give it a minute to cool down. I’m not really huge on onion soup (I think it just tastes like oily onion water, but to each his own), and this one didn’t really make me change my mind. I mean, it was ok, but it was still just onion soup. Ben really liked it, but it was so hot that it took him a while to eat. By the time it was cool enough to comfortably ingest, our entrees were delivered, which was kind of disappointing.

Sorry it's out of focus. Ben was very impatient

Sorry it’s out of focus. He was very impatient

For my second appetizer, I got a fried goat cheese salad, because I’d obviously not had enough cheese during this meal. But seriously, how do you pass up getting goat cheese at a French restaurant? Answer: You don’t. It was served on a bed of arugula with roasted red and yellow beets on the side. I don’t really like beets, so I didn’t really eat them, but I really liked the way the creaminess of the goat cheese complemented the sourness/acidity of the arugula. It was pretty delicious.

I really don’t understand why all these chefs in Charleston are suddenly in love with beets. I’m pretty sure no one actually enjoys eating beets. They just eat them because it makes them look cultured or something.

For his entree, Ben ordered the braised short ribs topped with espagnole sauce and fresh herbs, with a side of pureed potatoes and garlic spinach. He liked the short ribs, although he declared that they weren’t as good as his grandmother’s recipe. I personally tend to avoid ordering things that I know my mother is the best at cooking (chicken noodle soup, mashed potatoes, spaghetti, etc) because I know I’ll just be disappointed. He really enjoyed the pureed potatoes. He said they were very creamy and not overly salted. He liked the garlic spinach, but it wasn’t really a standout dish. I personally just thought it tasted like spinach, there really was nothing special about it. But overall he really enjoyed his meal.

You can see him in the background furiously attempting to finish his soup. He didn’t.

I was torn between what to get. On the one hand, I love duck confit, and I felt like I should order it at a French restaurant, but they had rabbit on the menu, and I’ve never had rabbit before, so I thought I should try it. I deferred to the waiter on this issue, and he recommended the duck, which I was glad to order, since that’s secretly what I really wanted anyway. It was served with a goat cheese potato croquette (never enough goat cheese), butter poached mushrooms, and a bacon grape emulsion. It was absolutely delicious. I started with the boned portion of the duck first, and it practically melted in my mouth. It was amazing. As I worked my way through the duck, the meat started getting saltier, and by the time I moved on to the second piece of duck, it got to be too salty for me to finish. Not to mention I was completely stuffed from all the food I’d already eaten. The goat cheese potato croquette was one of the most delicious potato dishes I’ve ever eaten. It was so good. I meant to ask the waiter to replace the mushrooms with sauteed vegetables, but I forgot, so I just left them on my plate (I’m not really into eating fungus). I really liked the sauce on the duck, it was sweet and savory and I think it complemented the meat really well. Overall, I’d say I’d probably order the duck again if I went back. I’d just pick off the skin and hope that it wouldn’t be as salty. Also, those mushrooms creep me out. I’m not going to say what I think they look like.

Those mushrooms creep me out. I'm not going to say what I think they look like.

Disembodied penises. They look like disembodied penises.

Even though we had both eaten way too much to justify ordering dessert, we did anyway. There were so many delicious options it was so hard to choose, so Ben and I each ordered something different so we could try a range of desserts. I decided on the white chocolate strawberry mousse torte which consisted of frozen white chocolate mousse, strawberries in sugar cookie crust with strawberry coulis and créme anglaise. When the waiter brought it out, he’d put a candle in it in honor of Ben’s birthday, and sang a rousing chorus of 50 Cent’s “In Da Club.” It was really fun and unexpected. I loved the torte, it was delicious. Ben kept stealing bites because he liked it so much.

“Go shawty, it’s yo birthday.”

Ben ordered Vanilla Bean Créme Brulee, which he’d never had before. It’s one of my mom’s favorite desserts, but I’m not really into pudding, so I don’t really care for it. I didn’t really think this one tasted like vanilla bean at all… or much of anything, really. But Ben made a serious dent in it, which was pretty impressive considering how much we both ate.

It kind of looks like the onion soup.

All in all, I thought the food was ok. We ended up spending more money at Halls Chophouse the next night, and I thought that money was much more well spent there than at 39 Rue de Jean. I know lots of people really love it. I’m just not one of them.

I could take it or leave it.

39 Rue de Jean
39 John Street
Charleston, SC 29403
(843) 722-8881

3 Comments

Charleston, SC Restaurant Reviews

Zen Asian Fusion, Revisited

April 17, 2012

I’ve never done a separate “revisited” review for a restaurant I’ve already reviewed before (I mean, I wrote about multiple visits to Husk in the same article), but if any restaurant deserved a second review, it’s Zen. Not just for the fact that I’ve been there literally 6 times in the past month, but also for the fact that their menu just has so much to choose from, and I really love the way they make their food and the way they interact with their customers. I always feel welcomed whenever I walk through the door. I’m going to summarize a few of the trips I’ve made over the months since my original review. One of the big influences to my decision to go to Zen is that during the Lenten season, I couldn’t eat meat on Fridays, so I was always craving sushi, and when I crave sushi, I go to Zen.

I’m going to wear this hat every time I go eat sushi from now on. Classy.

One Friday, most of my friends were out of town and my boyfriend was otherwise engaged in extreme nerd activities, I decided I’d visit Zen myself and try out sitting at the sushi bar. I’m not sure that I’ve ever actually gone to a sit-down restaurant alone before, so I was both excited and terrified. I of course ordered my standard Tuna Tini, but instead of going with my usual King’s Speech order, I decided to try out the roll of the night, the Kracken roll, in addition to a few specialty cocktails, mango mojito and red sangria. I enjoyed the Kracken roll, although I wasn’t really blown away by it. I guess I’m just spoiled by how much I love the King’s Speech and the Paradise roll. But I really liked the cocktails. They definitely gave you your money’s worth of alcohol, and the flavors really complemented each other in each of the drinks. I also made friends with one of the sushi chefs, Andy, who explained to me what all the different rolls were I saw them creating that other people had ordered and all the different tools they used to create the rolls. It was a totally different experience than sitting at a table, and I highly recommend you trying it at least once.

It’s pretty much an unspoken rule that we go to Zen whenever my mother is in town, and we usually try something new (in addition to our usuals) every time we go. Right after Valentine’s day, we went and decided to try a roll on the menu called the Avatar roll that had no rice or seaweed and was basically tuna wrapped around goat cheese and lobster salad topped with different color caviars. I kicked myself after I was done eating for not taking a picture of it. It was one of the most interesting things I’ve eaten there. I didn’t even mind that it wasn’t crunchy, since it wasn’t really chewy without the seaweed. I love it.

For lack of a better picture, I present to you, SUSHI CAT

Ben and I ordered take out the Friday before I left for Alabama, which is probably the first time I’ve ever ordered sushi to go. I was interested to see how they made it work, especially since I was still going to order that tuni-tini (til the day I die! And even then, I’ll probably make sure they’re served at my funeral) and was unsure of how they were going to package it, and if it would be the same even when it wasn’t fancily plated. The tuna-tini came in a Tupperware container, and although I was sad to see it out of its happy martini glass, it still tasted just as good. The sushi was served in the same basic containers as you’d find them in the supermarket, which was pretty standard. It still had all the flavor and freshness as when it comes to you at the restaurant, which I was pretty impressed by. They even put the sauces that they’d usually decorate the plate with in a little plastic cup so you can still dip your sushi in it to get the full flavor profile the God of Zen intended.

I’m going to start demanding that all of my food be served in a martini glass from now on.

The most recent time we went was with both of my parents on Good Friday. I’d like to shout out to Cindy (I have no idea if I’m spelling that right, I’m so sorry), whose family owns Zen and who’s taken the time to come chat with me almost every time I’ve come in there since I posted my first review. She’s one of the few restaurant owners who’s actually taken the time to read my review (yay! I’m famous!) and talk to me about my comments. She’s always so courteous and personable and I really enjoy talking with her when I visit. She made a special visit over to our table to explain in-depth the different specials they had that night. It was pretty easy to talk us into ordering the specials, she painted a picture with words that I couldn’t resist. As appetizers (in addition to the tuna-tini), we got crab rangoons, and the special of the night, which was a twist on traditional Chinese egg rolls. The egg rolls were stuffed with the typical cabbage mix you’d find in egg rolls, only instead of pork, they used king crab and shrimp. It was served with this sweet and tangy sauce that was really, really great. The idea of shrimp and crab in an egg roll was kind of strange to me, but it worked really well. In fact, I think I might even like it more than the traditional pork. After being so pleasantly surprised by their egg rolls, I think I might give some of their Chinese food options (orange chicken, since it’s my favorite) a try next time I visit.

There were originally 4 pieces of egg roll, but my parents couldn’t wait long enough for me to take a picture, so they snatched them up. Vultures.

The crab rangoons were really good as well, and were also served with a sauce that looked like the one that came with the egg rolls, but was a touch spicier, which I kind of liked better. I really liked the stuffing of the rangoons, and would have liked them to be stuffed fuller than they were. I felt like they kind of skimped on the filling a bit, which is a shame, because it was actually really delicious, especially with the sauce.

As you can see I only barely managed to snap a picture before they were gone. Notice how my dad moved the garnish around to make the plate look less empty.

For my entrée, I tried the special roll of the night, the sunburst roll, at Cindy’s recommendation. I was not disappointed. The roll was basically spicy, crunchy yellow tail and cucumber wrapped in soy paper, topped with salmon, crab, and tuna, and a spicy honey sriracha pepper sauce and little white Chinese rice balls to add a bit of crunch. The roll was served more chilled than warm (which is different than most of the other rolls I order there that have tempura ingredients in them) which I actually found quite refreshing, especially since the rolls itself had a bit of a kick to it. I loved it. It would be the roll I ordered every time I went there, if it was a regular staple on the menu. Apparently the chef only makes a limited batch of the sauce, and I was lucky enough to snag the last sunburst roll of the night. Thank God for small miracles.

Thank you, God of Sushi, for allowing me to delight in this culinary masterpiece.

My mother got our standard King’s Speech Roll, because she loves it and also for just in case I didn’t love mine (which I did). I was glad because I still wanted a bite of the King’s Speech because it’s so delicious. The King’s Speech is Shrimp Tempura with Fresh Green Apple inside, topped with Alaskan King Crab Salad & Red Tobiko in Honey Wasabi, Eel & Sweet Mango Sauce. It’s amazing.

So good, it’ll make you stutter! (badumpshhh)

I also tried their white sangria during this visit, which is made with Yellowtail cabernet sauvignon, St. Germaine elderflower liqueur, and mangoes. I really liked it, and my mom got kind of obsessed, even going so far as to buy all the ingredients to try and recreate it for our Easter dinner (it didn’t really turn out anything like it, but it was still delicious).

Tina is photobombing my sangria picture, looking all crazy as per usual.

With the regularity that I visit Zen and their penchant for creating new and unique sushi dishes (and the sheer amount of non-sushi options I’ve yet to try on the menu) leads me to say with relative confidence that you should probably expect a third review in a few months. They’re just that good. Also, on a completely unrelated note, I’m in love with Instagram. I think it makes my cell phones pictures look 100% less ghetto. What do you think? (It actually doesn’t matter to me whether you like it or not… I like it, and I only just got it, so I’m going to keep using it, so there). Also, I love that when you google image search “Zen Asian Fusion,” the pictures from my first blog are on the 1st page of results. Ballin’

I’m not tech savvy enough to put my own face in there, so just use your God-given imagination.

Bottom Bottom Line: Get the sushi. TUNA TINI. Drink lots of white Sangria.

All these months and I still haven’t remembered to take a proper picture of the restaurant itself. #lazy

Zen Asian Fusion
2037 Sam Rittenberg Boulevard
Charleston, SC 29407-4601
(843) 766-6331

1 Comments

Charleston, SC Restaurant Reviews

Bluerose Café – Closed

March 23, 2012

Update 5/10/18 – The Bluerose has since changed ownership and completely overhauled the menu and restaurant. It’s no longer Irish at all and is, in everything but the name, a completely different restaurant.

“Céad Míle Fáilte!” or “One hundred thousand welcomes!” is what greets you as you enter the door into the unassuming little eatery that is the Bluerose Café. I’d passed this spot about a hundred times before I actually ended up eating there with my family for brunch last Father’s Day. Until I saw the menu, I had no idea that it was an Irish restaurant. Having visited Ireland in the summer of 2010, I was overjoyed when I saw that they had Old Fashioned Irish Breakfast on the menu. I was skeptical, thinking that it wasn’t going to be the same as when I was in Ireland, but really the only thing different was that I was eating in Charleston instead of in Dublin. It was just as delicious as it was when I was in Ireland. From the first bite, I knew this would be one of my new favorite breakfast spots.

I mean, seriously. Do you see this??

I still get the Irish breakfast whenever I go to Bluerose for breakfast (which is more often than is probably healthy). For those of you who may not know, the full Irish breakfast consists of the following: Two eggs, Irish sausage, Rashers (which is pretty much bacon), Black & White pudding (because I don’t want to turn you off of this based on the description, I’ll just say that it’s like sausage. It’s delicious. Don’t Google what it is until after you’ve tried it), early morning potatoes, grilled tomato, and an Irish Scone (they might offer you toast or a biscuit instead, but get the scone. I’m obsessed with Irish scones, they’re so freaking delicious). I usually go with my dad whenever he is in town because he (like me) is obsessed. Last time we went, he ended up ordering the corned beef hash, because that’s pretty much his go-to breakfast order at any restaurant we go to. I think it’s gross, but hey, to each his own.

But he also considers SPAM to be “edible” sooooo…. it’s hard to trust his judgement.

I only recently went to the Bluerose for dinner. They’re only open for dinner Thursday-Saturday night, so you have to catch them when you can. We went on a Thursday around 7, and it was perfect. It wasn’t too crowded, and we even got a chance to talk to the owner, Denis O’Doherty. He’s pretty great—very funny and personable. He teased me about wearing a jacket in March, since it’s so warm out. When we went for lunch on St. Patrick’s Day, we even had the treat of hearing him sing “O Danny Boy” completely a cappella. It was quite moving. For dinner we started off with an appetizer of the Baked Brie. Usually when I order baked brie, it’s encased in some kind of dough that you have to dig through to get to the cheese. The Bluerose baked brie, however, is baked completely dough free…. Naked, if you will. It’s topped with cranberries and pecans and served with warm crustinis to eat it with. It was sooooo good that we fought over who got the last bite (I won. As usual).

I didn’t even need the toast. Just bring me a spoon.

For dinner, I got the Irish Chicken Curry sandwich, with a side of Irish potato cakes and vegetable beef stew with rice. I absolutely loved it. The chicken salad has chopped apples and raisins in it, which gives it a freshness that really complements the curry. The potato cakes are basically like spiced mashed potatoes that are pan-fried, so they’re kind of crispy on the outside. I love them.

or “Curry curry chick chick,” as Tom Haverford would say.

The soup was perfect. It was broth based, with chunks of beef and vegetables that went really well with the rice. It would have been the perfect complement to a grilled cheese sandwich, but it also went really well with my chicken curry, too.

Although I don’t understand why you need crackers for a soup with rice in it.

The prime rib is sautéed with mushrooms, peppers, and onions, and served with au jus for dipping. Normally I don’t like things with mushrooms in it, but this sandwich was delicious. He got it with a side of potato salad, which he didn’t really love, but still ate. And because I was dining with a friend who had a crazy sweet tooth, we obviously had to get some of the homemade desserts they bake and offer daily. My favorite is the buttermilk pie. I’ve always had a hard time describing the consistency of buttermilk pie (also known as chess pie)…. the closest I can say is that it’s almost a custard, but not quite. So yeah. Hope that cleared it up for you.

I almost ate the whole thing before I remembered to take a picture. But at least I cleverly hid that with whipped cream! You totally wouldn’t have known.

Bottom line: Get the irish food and buttermilk pie. Wash it all down with a traditional Irish beer.

I see no Blue Roses. I feel deceived.

Bluerose Cafe
652 Saint Andrews Boulevard
Charleston, SC 29407
843-225-2583

1 Comments

Charleston, SC Restaurant Reviews

JB’s Smokeshack – Closed

February 29, 2012

Update 5/10/18 – It’s with a heavy heart I report the closure of JB’s Smokeshack. The owner retired and tried to sell the business, but no one bought it, so it’s officially closed up shop.

JB’s Smokeshack is the epitome of great barbecue, there are no two ways about it. It embodies all of the characteristics I look for when selecting a quality barbecue joint:

Sweet Tea. Homemade, Paula Deen sweet, and ice cold.
Baked beans with meat in them. Seriously. PUT SOME MEAT IN DEM BEANS.
Pulled pork that tastes delicious before you even put sauce on it. If your meat doesn’t taste like anything before you put the sauce on it, YOU’RE DOING IT WRONG.
And on the subject of sauce, being a southern girl, I prefer my barbecue sauce to be mustard based. But I’m not opposed to vinegar or tomato based sauces. I just like to have the mustard base sauce as an option in case your other sauces suck.
A buffet, so that I am able to shove as much meat into my face as humanly possible… and then some (that’s what she said?).

JB’s does all of this exceptionally well. You know it has to be good for me to be willing to drive 25 minutes out into the middle of banjo country to get there. Their sweet tea is amazing. The perfect level of sweet, in my opinion. But then again, I subscribe to the Gospel According To Paula Deen (Our sacraments are butter, sugar, and butter….it’s pretty great), so to each his own.

You can’t argue with Paula, ya’ll

When it comes to baked beans, I’m pretty sure I’ve never eaten anything like JB’s. They have some of their pulled pork in the beans, so they’re beany and meaty and sweet and savory all at the same time. Their pulled pork is amazing all on its own. I’ve been to plenty of barbeque places that really rely on their sauce to give the barbeque all of the flavor. And while I agree that the sauce is an integral part of the barbeque equation, I don’t think it should be the main flavor factor. The flavor of the pork should complement the sauce and vice versa, each adding its own flavor profiles to the mix, so it’s like a barbeque party in your mouth. JB’s definitely does this superbly. I could seriously eat their pork without any sauce on it at all. But that would be unfair to their fabulous sauces, which I also love. I like to mix the mustard one with Mama’s Sweet and Spicy (which I’m pretty sure is vinegar based), and it’s AMAZING, trust me on this.

We’re gettin’ a little saucy up in here.

And finally, their buffet is outstanding. I love their beans (obviously), macaroni and cheese (although I’ve definitely had better mac n cheese), collards (spicy and meaty, just the way I like it), green beans, fried okra, and fried creamed corn bites (seriously, those are amazing… I could probably eat 100 of them in one sitting).

This is what I imagine heaven looks like.

They also have a meat station which they alternate the offerings of regularly. They’ve had brisket, ham, etc., which they carve for you right there.

Ron Swanson would get teary-eyed looking at this delicious hunk of meat.

They also have some salad on their buffet, which I’m pretty sure they put there just to taunt you. It stares as you judgementally as you load up your plate with meat and beans and macaroni and meat like “Hey fatty. You know you should just be eating salad. You know you’re going to hate yourself later” but I can never actually hear what it’s saying to me over the sound of my own chewing. I usually make three trips to the buffet, loading up on meat and beans, and then collapse on the table, praying for death….

Sweet, meaty death

So I’ve never actually eaten dessert at JB’s. But I’m sure it’s delicious, because everything else sure is. I really want to try the “pluff mud pudding,” which reminds me of the dirt pudding I used to eat when I was in kindergarten. You know, chocolate pudding, crushed up oreos (to look like dirt) and gummy worms. It’s awesome. Ben got the banana pudding but was unimpressed (but once again, CANADIAN).

Man, feels like kindergarten all over again.

So basically it’s awesome. I would recommend fasting for three days or so before visiting, so that you can truly appreciate the meat cornucopia that is JB’s Smokeshack. They’re also really great people who truly take pride in their food, so how can you go wrong with that?

The word “shack” is not an exaggeration.

Bottom line: Get the meat. And the beans. And everything else. DON’T. STOP. EATING.

JB’s Smokeshack
3406 Maybank Highway
Johns Island, SC 29455
(843) 557-0426

4 Comments

Charleston, SC Restaurant Reviews

Five Loaves

December 2, 2011

I have no idea how many times I’ve been to Five Loaves (or 5 Breads as Tina calls it). It’s Lauren’s favorite restaurant and one of my favorite casual lunch spots in Charleston, as well. It’s simple, good food. Nothing pretentious or over the top—soups, sandwiches, and salads. For dinner they offer heartier options such as pastas and meat dishes. Everything I’ve ever had there is delicious. Their soups are homemade, creative, and just plain yummy. Lauren’s favorite is the broccoli, potato, cheddar which she couples with the half version of the tomato and mozzarella salad (although she always replaces the mozzarella with goat cheese, which is sacrilegious, in my opinion… She says “mozzarella doesn’t taste like anything” MOZZARELLA HAS FLAVOR, LAUREN. IT’S MOZZARELLA FLAVORED. IT’S DELICIOUS. HAVE YOU NEVER HAD PIZZA BEFORE?!). I tend to stick to the marinated chicken sandwich on baguette (which comes with the house-made mozzarella cheese, WHICH IS DELICIOUS, LAUREN) with a cup of the chicken chili.

The sandwich is quite delicious.

If they have a really good selection of soup that day and I have a hard time narrowing it down to just one, I opt for the 3 soup pours which allows me to sample three different soups. I strongly recommend this option if you are indecisive like me.

Om nom nom

If you’re going for dinner, I recommend the tri-colored tortellini in the cracked black pepper parmesan cream sauce. It’s amazing. I’ve also had the gnocchi, which is really good. I usually eat half of it and take the other half home to eat for lunch the next day. The portion sizes are pretty big, so you definitely won’t leave feeling hungry.

When food is this good, it’s hard to remember to take a photo before you eat half of it.

I’ve also gotten the chicken parmesan, which also comes with the house-made mozzarella cheese (PEOPLE LOVE MOZZARELLA CHEESE, LAUREN. IT’S NOT JUST ME. YOU’RE THE ONE WHO’S CRAZY), but I don’t really love their tomato sauce that comes on the pasta. I find it kind of bland. The fried goat cheese appetizer is really good if you like goat cheese (which I do). I’ve also had some of their other appetizers. Becca usually gets the turkey sandwich with the cranberry mayo on whole wheat. Tina usually gets the same thing I get (which drives me crazy. I hate getting the same thing as other people at restaurants. I don’t know why. I just do).

Lauren: This is what delicious looks like. Take note. There will be a quiz later.

Anywho. I love Five Loaves. It’s a great place to eat if you’re not looking to eat something super heavy. I love it, and Becca, I will always choose Five Loaves for our Mount Pleasant lunch dates. Just FYI. I’m so excited to go eat there with Lauren whenever she finds it in her heart to grace me with her presence (yes, DC is cool, I GET IT). Only maybe she’ll get something a little heavier so that we don’t have a repeat of Halloweekend (HINTHINT NUDGENUDGE, LAUREN. EAT SOME FREAKING BREAD).

Also, they’re closed on Sundays. Go figure.

Five Loaves Cafe
43 Cannon Street,
Charleston, SC 29403-6068
(843) 937-4303

Charleston, SC Restaurant Reviews

Early Bird Diner

October 29, 2011

I’ve been to Early Bird Diner a few times, and each time it’s been delicious. I feel like calling it a diner is a little bit misleading, as this food is far and beyond anything you’d find at a typical greasy spoon. One of their breakfast items is curried vegetables and eggs. Try and find curry on a menu at some roadside diner. You can’t. I’ve checked.

This is a curry-free establishment.

I usually get the Country Scramble which is eggs, sausage, cheese, and potatoes scrambled together and topped with sausage gravy. It’s amazing. It also comes with toast/biscuit and a choice of one of their sides, of which there are usually 10 plus options to choose from. I like their fruit salad, it’s very fresh, and a good mix of fruit; not just sad pieces of mushy cantaloupe like most places. I wouldn’t recommend the fried green tomatoes (which is rare, as I love fried green tomatoes); they just don’t really taste like anything. But that’s the only thing I have a problem with at Early Bird.

Let’s put gravy on more stuff.

Last time I went with my dad, he ordered the fried chicken and waffles of the specials menu. The waffles come Belgian style, and they’re almost more savory than they are sweet, even with the maple syrup on top. They’re really good (and this is coming from a girl who doesn’t like Belgian waffles. So that’s really saying something). The chicken is batter-dipped and fried and topped with their house-made honey mustard. The sweetness of the honey mustard paired with the sweetness of the waffles…I don’t know what it is, but it just works. It’s so good. They fried chicken alone is amazing. Tender, juicy, white meat chicken fried perfectly to perfection. The batter that they use is delicious as well. You should definitely give it a try if it’s on the menu.

Gladys Knight would be proud.

Also, they’re open til 4 am on Friday and Saturday nights, so, if you’re like me and you crave really good, higher quality food at 2 am on a Friday night after the bars close, you’re in luck! We actually went last night after a long night of celebrating. Geoff got a club of some sort and, although he didn’t say whether he liked it or not, there was nothing left on his plate by the time he was finished, which is always a good sign. La got the omelet, which she said was probably one of the best omelets she’s ever had.

This omelet was EGGcelent.

Matty V ordered the pancakes. Only no one warned him that the pancakes are the size of dinner plates and they come out stacked three high. He was only able to eat maybe one of the pancakes before he threw in the towel. So a word of warning: Don’t order the pancakes unless you haven’t eaten in over 36 hours or you’re trying to feed your entire family on a budget.

More like MANcakes, amirite.

My new favorite thing is the fried pork chop with pepper jelly. It’s fried perfectly to a crisp and is seasoned excellently. The pepper jelly gives it a great amount of depth and tanginess and it’s a great mixture of salty and sweet.

I want to put this in my face right now.

Early Bird Diner
1644 Savannah Highway
Charleston, SC 29407
(843) 277-2353

Charleston, SC Restaurant Reviews

Halls Chophouse

October 23, 2011

I first learned about Halls Chophouse in my Seminar in Entrepreneurship class where they came to speak to us. I admire that it’s a family run business that is based mainly on quality of service and building and cultivating relationships with their customers. A lot of places talk a lot about customer service, but for many, it’s just that—talk. Halls actually delivers on its promises. They give you great service and great food. Seriously good food. I’ve said before that Husk is my favorite restaurant, but if I’m craving steak, there is not even a competition. Halls would win out every time. Literally the best steak I’ve ever eaten. And this is coming from a girl who doesn’t actually like steak. (Ditto salad. I’ll talk more about the chopped salad later, but trust me—it’s as close to divine as a salad will ever get). I’ve ordered steaks at other restaurants in Charleston before—Peninsula Grill, Husk, Red Drum, 82 Queen, and Grill 225—and there’s no comparison. I haven’t been to Oak yet, and I have a feeling I probably won’t go anytime soon, either. I just can’t imagine they’d be better than Halls.

They’re better than you, Oak, and they know it.

I’ve been to Halls for dinner five times or so. The first time was with my dad and Shay to spend the gift certificate they gave out to my class (that’s good marketing right there. I saved $25 but probably spent 3 times that on the meal for the three of us. And trust me, it was worth every penny). We started off with the she-crab soup which was really good. I hate it when restaurants add too much sherry to their she-crab soup, but Halls does it right. The dominant flavor is the crab, with only a hint of sherry—exactly how a good she-crab soup should be.

Does this qualify as pornography? I hope so.

I then got the Halls Chopped salad, which is Uh- May-Zing. I live for chopped salad. If more restaurants had them, I’d eat salad way more often, and if they all tasted like Halls, I’d actually enjoy eating them. It has lettuce and tomato and celery and black-eyed peas, peppers and bacon and a whole bunch of other stuff in a buttermilk dressing. But it’s perfectly balanced with the dressing. I hate it when my salad is drowning in salad dressing, but the Halls salad is perfect in every sense of the word. I’d say I’d go there just for the salad, but I know there’s no way I’d go there for food and not get a steak.

Touch my salad, and you lose a finger.

Shay got the filet mignon, while my dad opted for the prime rib. This being my first time at Halls (not realizing how amazing their steaks are), I opted for the lobster. The lobster was about 4 pounds and served with plenty of butter.

As it should be.

Shay offered me a bite of her filet (which she’d gotten butterflied and cooked to medium well) and as soon as it touched my tongue, I knew I’d ordered the wrong thing. Don’t get me wrong, the lobster is delicious, but it’s nothing compared to the filet. Did I mention it’s the best filet I’ve ever had? Because it’s the best filet I’ve ever had. The prime rib was top notch as well. I’m pretty sure none of us spoke after the entrées had been delivered; we were too busy enjoying the food to carry on a conversation.

I’m gonna eat you, sucka!

They serve their sides family style, meaning that one side serves 2-4 people. They’re pretty big. For sides we got the asparagus with hollandaise and the pepper jack grits. Now, as a southerner, I am particular about my grits. Quaker sells this instant crap that says “Grits” on it, but trust me—those are not grits. Halls serves real grits. Thick and creamy and delicious. Not cheesy enough so that you lose the flavor of the grits themselves, but just cheesy enough to make the dish feel complete. They are all about balance at Halls. It just works perfectly.

How could you not want to eat that whole skillet?

The second time I went to Halls was for my mom’s birthday. It was my parents and me, and we went all out. We got spicy shrimp and tempura lobster as starters. I didn’t really care for the lobster, but my parents loved it. The spicy shrimp were pretty good, but I was expecting them to be boiled shrimp, like you’d find in a Creole or jambalaya, but they were just fried shrimp tossed in a spicy sauce. They were still good, I’d just had my heart set on non-fried shrimp. I once again got the chopped salad while Tina opted for the roasted beet salad (who orders things like that? Really, Tina? Really?). The chopped salad is better. I almost stabbed Tina for trying to steal a forkful of my salad. I don’t play around. For our entrées, I chose the filet.

Did I mention it’s the best filet I’ve ever had? I did? Ok, well I just want you to understand that it’s THE BEST FILET I’VE EVER HAD.

You can get sauces on the side with your steak, like Gorgonzola sauce, or béarnaise, but trust me—you don’t need any sauce. The meat tastes amazing all on its own (that’s what she said!). I can’t remember what Tina and Russ got, because I was too focused on my own food to take the time to care about their choices. All I know is that there was meat, there was a lot of it, and we ate it all. Ron Swanson would be proud.

MEAT TORNADO

For sides this time, we got the asparagus again, and the macaroni and cheese. Macaroni and cheese is one of my weaknesses. It’s the one thing I seem to be unable to resist. It’s my kryptonite. Even when I’m dieting, if there’s mac and cheese within reach, I won’t even hesitate. I just start devouring it without giving myself time to think about it. The mac and cheese at Halls is good. It’s not great, but it’s good. It’s more creamy than cheesy, and I prefer my mac and cheese to be extra cheesy. The waitress was raving about the mac and cheese (she loves it. It’s her favorite), so I guess it’s all a matter of personal preference. I do have to say that I’m a fan of the squiggly noodles. I’d just prefer more cheesy in the saucey pleasey! Next time, I’d just stick with the grits.

Macaroni skillets are what I dream about at night.

You may have noticed that I clarified both of my visits by saying “The first/second time I went for dinner.” This is because Halls has an amazing bar. Rather, they have one drink that I’m obsessed with called the 434 martini. It’s pineapple infused vodka that’s served ice cold and frothy. It’s not overly fruity, but it definitely tastes nothing like alcohol. Except for the fact that it’s straight alcohol. So you don’t realize how much you’ve actually had until you stand up to go to the bathroom after the 5^th one and you almost fall on your face (that’s actually a true story about my dad the night I graduated). The first time I had one was at a party hosted at Halls for my entrepreneurship class after our final exam. It was a 2 hour reception with free food and drinks courtesy of Tommy Baker (anytime there are free drinks involved, you can guarantee I’m going to make an appearance). I made Lily come with me and we started drinking martinis, excited for some free Halls food. We found out, about 3 martinis in, that the “free food” was actually a veggie tray. Don’t get me wrong, I love carrot sticks, but if I’d known that’s all the food I was going to be having, I would have eaten something hearty before I starting downing liquor. Needless to say, Lily and I had a great time.

Don’t be fooled by how pretty it looks. It’s deadly. And delicious

I took my mom to Halls for drinks before we went to Pantheon for the drag show, and we sat at one of the community bar tables drinking and hanging out. One of the Hall family members, usually Billy or Tommy, came by a number of times to make sure we had everything we needed and that we were enjoying ourselves (we were). We stayed for about an hour, and we getting ready to head out to go across the street to O-Ku (they make these habanero-infused vodka martinis with sugared rims that my mother is obsessed with) when Tommy Hall stopped us to ask why we were leaving so soon. My mother, being my mother, told him “We’re going over to O-Ku to get sugar and spice martinis. They’re my favorite.” Tommy Hall replied “O-Ku is great, but did you know we actually invented those? Why don’t you have a seat and I’ll bring you one.” So we sat back down and he brought us a round on the house. Tina was skeptical that they would be as good as O-Ku’s, so she was quite surprised to find out that she actually liked these more. Apparently the ones that Halls makes are spicier. I don’t really do spicy. I took one sip and then had to chug a gallon of water to be able to feel my lips again.

It’s easy to confuse this with the 434. But, you will know you made a mistake IMMEDIATELY after taking a sip.

I’ve literally never had a bad experience at Halls. Every time we leave, Billy is there to shake our hands, or give us a hug and thank us for coming. Once he even chased us down the street, to make sure he thanked us properly. The service continues, even when you’re not at the restaurant. They sent my mom a hand-written thank you note, telling her how much they appreciated her coming into the restaurant on her birthday. They even wished me a happy birthday on Facebook, even though I hadn’t been to Halls in over 2 months. They’re all about the relationships that they build with their customers. Pairing their outstanding customer service with their delectable food (did I mention the filet is the best I ever had??) and you have a recipe for an unforgettable night out.

I may have forgotten to mention the tray of meat.

Summary: Get the steak and the grits. Drink the 434. Tip your server.

Halls Chophouse
434 King Street
Charleston, SC 29403
(843) 727-0090

8 Comments

Charleston, SC Restaurant Reviews

Slightly North of Broad

October 1, 2011

I dragged Becca with me to SNOB this past week to use a gift card someone had given my mom before it expired. I’d heard really good things about SNOB and I’ve always wanted to try it, so I was super pumped to have someone to go with. It was starting to look like I was going to have to go by myself, and then I would have ended up on that “People Eating Alone” tumblr, and I’m not quite at that stage of hermitude yet (I think I might copyright “hermitude” so that you have to pay me money every time you use it. I always make up the best words).

No cats allowed? In that case, Sydney. Party of one.

We started with the Curry Butternut Squash Soup, the Prince Edward Island Mussels, and the Tuna Crudo. The soup was amazing, and huge. We were sharing it and still didn’t manage to finish it all (although not for lack of trying). I didn’t care for the mussels. They were really chewy and didn’t really have any flavor. It’s hard to beat my dad’s mussels though, so they had really tough competition to start off with. The Tuna Crudo was really good, too. Simple yet delicious. It was basically a salad with tuna and arugula, avocado, radish, and this really delicious citrus vinaigrette. Superb. The waitress didn’t even judge us for ordering three appetizers like the guy at Poogan’s Porch (I’ll never go back there again. That guy was such a pretentious jerk). Our waitress at SNOB was not pretentious at all, which was unexpected considering the name of the restaurant (buh dum PSHHH).

“Just bring me one of everything, and no one gets hurt.”

For dinner I got the sautéed duck breast (medium well), with a confit duck, goat cheese & green pea risotto, carrots, turnips, topped with a honey thyme reduction. It was, without a doubt, the best duck I’ve ever eaten (don’t tell my Dad). The risotto I could eat for days and days. It was so good. I’m not sure my vocabulary is evolved enough to be able to describe how good it was. Becca got the grilled beef tenderloin, jumbo lump crab cake, béarnaise, green peppercorn sauce. I think it may have come with some potatoes of some sort, but I was too busy obsessing over how good my duck was to notice her food.

LOOK AT THAT DUCK. Sheer perfection.

Being the fatties that we are, we of course ordered dessert (and the waitress didn’t even judge us for it, which was nice). I got the apple crisp and Becca got the banana cream pie, which was actually pretty delicious considering the fact that I don’t usually like anything banana flavored or with bananas in it. It was pretty scrum-didli-umptious. All in all it was a pretty freaking delicious dinner.

Bananalicious.

Summary: Get the duck. Avoid the Mussels. Banana Cream Pie is amazing.

I always have to say the word “Maverick” with a Sarah Palin accent.

Slightly North of Broad
192 East Bay Street
Charleston, SC 29401
(843) 723-3424

Charleston, SC Restaurant Reviews

Zen Asian Fusion

August 3, 2011

The sushi at Zen is amazing. There are no two ways about it. I’ve been there like 6 or 8 times and only once has a roll disappointed me flavor-wise. I like my sushi rolls to have a little bit of crunch to them, whether it be from tempura flakes, cucumbers, fruit, etc. The Sweetie roll, although described as containing “spicy crunchy tuna” was not crunchy at all. It tasted fine (if you like tuna, which I do), but I just didn’t like the lack of crunch. Although, the roll itself was very pretty.

Perfect for the single-cat lady looking to feel extra lonely on Valentine’s Day.

The rolls at Zen are all very pretty. They like to use different color soy papers instead of the standard black seaweed, so the different rolls are different colors. They’re all about presentation. My favorites are the King’s Speech, the Paradise Roll, and the Holy Moly. My dad is obsessed with the King’s Speech. He didn’t even like sushi before we came to Zen, and now he’s a sushi addict.

“Hi my name is Russell, and I have a sushi addiction”

The King’s Speech is tempura shrimp and green apple wrapped in Soy Paper, topped with king crab salad and red tobiko. The sauces are really delicious, too. They’re all different colors. One of them is a light green wasabi with honey, one is a mango sauce, and one is an eel sauce. They complement the sushi roll perfectly. The Paradise roll is unlike any roll I’ve ever eaten anywhere else. It’s a spicy lobster salad, shrimp tempura, and banana tempura wrapped in soybean paper and topped with a mango sauce. It’s the perfect blend of spicy, sweet, salty, and banana. I can’t even describe the flavor, you just need to try it. The Holy Moly roll is tuna, crab, avocado and greens, rolled in seaweed and deep fried. It’s served still warm, and crunchy on the outside with a creamy garlic sauce. This is one of my mom’s favorites.

King’s Speech on the upper right, Paradise on the lower left. Delicious all around.

Also, if you go, you need to get the Tuna-tini appetizer. It’s amazing. Becca and I ate one apiece when we went there. It’s basically tuna and crunch and crab salad with ponzu sauce and and seaweed. But it’s so delicious and flavorful and I could eat 10 by myself. It’s so good. So good, in fact, Becca and I are going to go eat there tonight! (all this talk about sushi has got me craving it, and the hot pocket I had for lunch just isn’t cutting it). The service has also been really good every time I’ve been there. The waiters and waitresses are attentive, courteous, and personable. The atmosphere is really nice, as well. It feels very asian inside, with a lot of dark wood and gold accents. It’s very classy.

Oh, snap! Is that Dexter on that TV screen? How much classier can you get?!

The Thai food from Zen isn’t very good. I got the pad Thai one of the first times I went there, and I could barely finish it. They added something to the sauce, something smoky that rendered it almost inedible for me. And if you know me, you know that something has to be really terrible in order for me to not eat it. I’ve never had any of their Chinese food, or any of the other Asian food they serve, so I can’t speak to how well they do in that aspect. I will say, however, that the sushi is AMAZING (in case you haven’t gotten that from my earlier ravings).

I love sushi like a fat kid loves cake.

Zen Asian Fusion
2037 Sam Rittenberg Boulevard
Charleston, SC 29407-4601
(843) 766-6331

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