One of my favorite bars in Charleston, Bar Mash just released their new spring menus last week. Take a gander and join me for some fried brussels and an Endless Summer cocktail!
One of my favorite bars in Charleston, Bar Mash just released their new spring menus last week. Take a gander and join me for some fried brussels and an Endless Summer cocktail!
The Darling is King Street’s newest seafood offering, taking over the former Union Provisions space. The one time I visited Union Provisions, I was very disappointed; so when I walked into The Darling, I was a little wary and curious to see if they could succeed where UP so clearly failed. I’ve been twice now and I have to say, The Darling is a huge improvement, and a great option for affordable seafood on King Street.
The first time I visited was with TQuizzle for their media dinner. We went all out and tried a little bit of everything on the menu. First, the drinks: Syd had the Basil Daisy (Wodka Vodka, Aperol, Fresh Squeezed Lemon, Sugar, Fresh Basil, $9) which was light and refreshing.
I went the more Caribbean route with the Bermuda Swizzle (Goslings Gold Rum, Falernum, Ginger, Fresh Squeezed Pineapples and Oranges, $9). It tasted just like a drink I’d want to sip on while lounging on the beach in the Bahamas.
Next, the food. We wanted to get a good idea of all the different things on the menu, so we kind of went all over the place. From the raw bar, we started with the Tuna Poke (White Grapes, Shoyu, Sesame Seed, $13). Having been to Hawaii a bunch, TQuizzle was not super impressed with this version of a poke bowl; she wasn’t a huge fan of the grapes. I, however, thought the grapes were a really cool contrast to the big ole chunks of tuna. Granted, this was my first poke experience.
Also from the raw bar, we tried the King Crab Parfait (Avocado, Grapefruit, Sourdough Crumble,
Herb Pistou, $15), which I was a little underwhelmed by. The dish relied heavily on avocado and grapefruit, and it was served as more of a dip than what I was expecting. The flavor was lacking a little bit of depth for the price point.
From the regular menu, we decided to be adventurous and try the Snapper Toast (Potato, Pickled Red Onion, Country Ham, Sourdough, $7), which ended up being one of our favorite things we tried. The bread was buttery and had a nice crunch to it. The pickled red onion gave a bit of acidity and complemented the creaminess of the potato and snapper. Definitely not something I would normally order, but I’m really glad I tried it!
TQuizzle isn’t much of an oyster person, but I am, so I ordered the Baked Oysters with Pimento & Sourdough Soppers ($9 for 3 oysters). If pimento isn’t your thing, the baked oysters also come with maitre’d butter & breadcrumbs for a more traditional offering. I really enjoyed the pimento oysters; they were decadent and very flavorful.
Speaking of decadent and flavorful, we couldn’t resist trying The Darling’s take on a poutine: the Clam Chowder over house cut fries (Local Clams, Vegetables, Sourdough, $9 for just the chowder, $10 over fries). Wow. These were exceptional. They bring a little gravy bowl of clam chowder to the table and pour it over your fries right in front of you (watch the video here), which I really appreciate because it prevents the fries from getting soggy before they’re even served to you.
To finish, we decided to try a couple of the options on the dessert menu. TQuizzle opted for the Bombolini (Doughnut, Lemon Curd, Fruit Preserves, $8), which she really enjoyed. They were light and fluffy little donut balls and I really liked the fruit preserves that came with them.
Since I can never say no to anything chocolate, I opted for the Chocolate Cake Bowl (Buttermilk Anglaise, Toasted Peanuts, Chocolate Sauce, $8). If you like chocolate and cake, you’ll like this. My only complaint was that the cake was a little dry.
On my second visit, I met my friend Basil & Bubbly for happy hour. We sat at the bar and annoyed the bartenders with our constant photography. I started with the Shoulder Monkey (Monkey Shoulder Scotch, Grilled Pineapple and Sage Syrup, Orgeat, Lemon, $9), which was so tasty. I loved the how the tartness of the pineapple cancelled out any of the alcoholic taste from the scotch. I could drink this all night long.
We split an order of the Creole Shrimp (Anson Mills Rice Cakes, Mustard, Bacon, $11), which was fantastic. I’m not sure what they put in those rice cakes, but I want that secret recipe. I’ve never had shrimp that tasted so good. Definitely give this dish a try!
For our second round of drinks, B&B got the Sherry-Colada (Lustau Cream Sherry, Coconut Cream, Fresh Pineapple, Angostura Bitters, $9), which I was a little afraid to try since a drink with Sherry as the base sounded a little strange to me. As it turns out, I was a silly goose because that drink was really delicious. It was light and also tasted like something you’d want to drink while on a beach somewhere.
My second cocktail was the Smoke on the Harbor (Goslings Gold Rum, Lime, Sugar, Compass Box Peat Monster Scotch Rinse, $9), which was a self-proclaimed unique twist on a classic daiquiri. I loved it. It was totally unique and unlike any other daiquiri I’ve had before. Not sweet, but not savory. I highly recommend giving it a try. The cocktails at The Darling are legit. I haven’t had a single one I didn’t like.
To go with our second round of drinks, we decided to split the Lobster Cocktail (Mango, Endive, Lemon Herb Vinaigrette, $14), which was a huge success. The lobster was very tender and not chewy at all. The lemon herb vinaigrette was fresh and with the mango, offered just the perfect amount of citrus to complement the shellfish.
The bartender was really talking up the Warm Date Oat Cake (Coconut Ice Cream, Caramel, $7), as “the dessert people come here to try. It’s what everyone orders,” so we decided to give it a try. Considering that most oat-based desserts tend to not be as sweet, I was really taken aback by how cloyingly sweet this was. I liked the caramel, but it packs a punch. It had the consistency of a really fat sugar cookie, with a firm outer shell and a nice chewy inside, which I really liked (see my aforementioned cake comment). The coconut ice cream was really subtle, and was not nearly as sweet as the caramel, which I was glad for. Overall, a very pleasant dessert if you’re in the mood for something very sweet!
Both of my experiences at The Darling were very positive and I can see this becoming a very popular hangout space for everyone from young professionals to older tourists. Give it a try!
The Darling
513 King Street
Charleston, SC 29403
(843) 641-0821
Congrats! You ran (or walked) a 10k with 40k other people! Now it’s time to celebrate with lots of alcohol and lots of carbs. Here’s where to go:
[Editor’s Note: I’ll be updating as new details come in]
9 am
Open to the public, no cover charge.
The Alley will be hosting their annual post bridge run party on Saturday April 2 starting at 9am.
Guests can recover while enjoying live music from Emily & Page from 10am – Noon, and Undercover Brothers from Noon – 3pm.
There will also be a special Bridge Run themed menu until 1pm:
And the party doesn’t end at 3pm. College basketball fans can enjoy all the action of the Final Four of March Madness.
On Friday April 1, from 5pm – 9pm The Alley is also hosting a Pre Bridge Run “carb overload” dinner:
10 am
Open to the public, no cover charge.
Bay St Biergarten will be serving up bloody marys, mimosas, and a breakfast buffet ($23 for adults, $18 for kids.), as well as bier specials all day long.
Guests that dressed up for the Bridge Run are also encouraged to enter the costume contest for a chance to win $25 in bier bucks.
8:30 am
Open to the public, no cover charge.
Join Carolina Ale House for the offical After Party for the Bridge Run!
Sponsored by Tito’s Vokda and Michelob Ultra.
“Brunch, Bubbles, and Bloody Marys” sponsored by Barefoot Bubbly and Wine. Eli’s Table will feature their famous bacon and ultimate bloody marys.
9 am
Open to the public, no cover charge.
Racers and fans, Fish has got you covered this Cooper River Bridge Run – your favorite brunch menu & drink specials begin at 9am on Saturday, April 2!
Race Day:
#GetOverIt and cross the finish line at FISH on Upper King!
12 pm
Open to the public, no cover charge.
Join the Grand Bohemian Hotel on the rooftop for their Cooper River Bridge Run after party! The rooftop location can’t be beat for brews, Bloody Marys, burgers and bubbles to celebrate the race. Be sure to wear your bib to purchase $3 Bud Light special! For more information please call at 843-724-4144
10 am
Open to the public, no cover charge.
10 am – 12 pm
Open to the public, no cover charge.
Kickin’s Downtown location will have Mic Ultra on tap for $4 in commemorative 39th annual bridge run pint glasses that guests can take home on the back patio. Mic Ultra promoters will also be on scene handing out goodies.
8 am
Open to the public, no cover charge.
Bar Mash will open early at 12 p.m. and Mercantile and Mash will open for regular hours, starting at 8 a.m. Show your runners’ bib for food and beverage specials and enjoy corn hole and live music from Green Levels!
9 am
Open to the public, no cover charge.
Whether you brave the bridge run, or just want to party with those who did, this is going to be quite the bash! The finish line is just steps away from Mynt!
Doors open at 9am
10:30 am
Open to the public, no cover charge.
Located just a short walk from where the race ends at Marion Square, O-Ku will open early at 10:30 a.m. with delectable lunch and seasonal cocktail specials through the afternoon. Whether you are running for your personal best, leisurely walking or cheering participants on, O-Ku has the perfect meal to replenish all guests for an afternoon full of celebrations!
“Brunch, Bubbles, and Bloody Marys” sponsored by Barefoot Bubbly and Wine. Queology will also feature their famous bacon and ultimate bloody marys.
12 pm
Open to the public, no cover charge.
Rec Room is hosting its first ever “Under The Bridge Run,” sponsored by Pabst. Runners meet at the corner of Line and King St at 12 pm and dash for Pabst to the Rec Room. After party PBR specials and live music from Lily Slay.
10 am – 10 pm
Open to the public, no cover charge.
Join Revelry Brewing after the bridge run for their 2nd annual bridge run after party! Beer, Man-mosas, Food, Live Music… etc etc etc! They’ll be opening @ 10am Saturday
“Brunch, Bubbles, and Bloody Marys” sponsored by Barefoot Bubbly and Wine. Tabbuli will feature their famous bacon and ultimate bloody marys.
“Brunch, Bubbles, and Bloody Marys” sponsored by Barefoot Bubbly and Wine. Toast will feature their famous bacon and ultimate bloody marys.
If you’d like to be added to this list, please comment below!
Mixson Farmers Market in partnership with GrowFood Carolina kicks off its season with a grand opening celebration on Saturday, April 9 from 10 a.m.-2 p.m. with live music from the V-Tones, kids activities, chef demos, and a Sweet & Savory local pie contest to celebrate Eat Local Month.
April’s harvest will bring an abundance of fresh produce from GrowFood’s network of S.C. farmers, and Slow Food’s Tiny Tastemakers initiative will offer a children’s lesson in strawberry pie waffle cones. A healthy dessert bar will feature freshly made yogurt with fruit and toppings with recipes, instructions on making your own yogurt at home, and info on local farms. The activity costs $5.
For the Sweet & Savory Local Pie Contest, the Cake Farmer Amy Robinette will serve as guest judge and will have pies for sale at the market. Folks can enter by bringing a fresh pie at noon. Must be made with local produce and can be either sweet or savory. Prizes will be awarded to the top pies.
Each month throughout the growing season, Mixson Farmers Market partners with GrowFood Carolina to highlight seasonal ingredients and provide a one-stop shop for fresh produce grown by S.C. farmers. In addition to seasonal fruit and vegetables, the Farmers Market also stocks local cheeses, fresh breads, artisanal grains, honey, jams, jellies, and other goodies. The Farmers Market runs the second Saturdays of each month from 10 a.m.-2 p.m. April through July.
May 14: Honey Do, a day to celebrate local honey with beekeeping demos & much more
June 11: Blueberry Bonanza, an event dedicated to fresh blueberries with live music & chef demos
July 9: Tomayto Tomahto, a celebration of sweet summer tomatoes with tomato pie contest
Last week, Rob Cassi–owner of one of Charleston’s most popular gourmet sandwich restaurants (and one of my favorite restaurants), Persimmon Cafe–broke ground to start construction on his new location in the Summerville Center (next to the new Earth Fare at 1097 Main St), and plans to open in early Summer 2016.
Spanning 1600 square feet with 40 seats inside and 20 seats on their patio, Cassi wants the Persimmon Cafe in Summerville to be an integral part of rising culinary scene as the city continues to develop and add several new restaurants.
Persimmon Cafe plans to hire 20-25 employees, all who will get health insurance and vacation pay. This is a stand alone restaurant that, unlike the one downtown, will not share a space with a laundromat.
Persimmon Cafe in downtown Charleston is located at 226 Calhoun St. Charleston, SC 29401, and has fed the community for 3 years.
Follow on social media:
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/
Instagram: @persimmoncafe
Twitter: @persimmoncafe
I admit that I am a creature of habit. When it comes to restaurants, I tend to stick to Johns Island, James Island, and Downtown. When venturing outside of my usual radius, I tend to stick to old favorites. Poe’s on Sullivan’s Island; La Norteña in North Charleston; Jack’s Cosmic Dogs in Mount Pleasant… but I got out of my comfort zone recently and tried a new place out in Park Circle, the Iron Dog Diner, with my dad.
The Iron Dog Diner is named for the area in which it’s located (apparently, it’s the Iron Dog District, but I definitely didn’t know that!). The space is super cute; it’s very retro chic. I think if I ever had the patience to start a cafe, this is who I’d want to design it.
After we placed our order with our very friendly waitress, but I got restless so I stood up and wandered around to have a looksie. What caught my eye was the dessert case. “What’s this?” I inquired. “A coffee-glazed cronut ($3). We make them fresh every morning,” the waitress responded. Then she laughed at the way my face lit up. “We’ll start with one of those.” It was light and moist (sorry) and flaky and not overly sweet, which I appreciated. We finished it in under a minute. It paired perfectly with the hot cup of coffee I was nursing.
Former Daniel Island Club and Anson Chef Lee Padgett came out and said hello to us and let us know that the daily special was a Smashed Potato Pancake Topped with White BBQ Pulled Pork, Served with an Apple Pecan Salad ($10). That sounded like my jam, so I ordered that. I really loved the potato pancake, as it was unlike any potato pancake I’ve ever had before. The white BBQ sauce was nice and mild; perfect for brunchtime. I also really loved the apple salad, which was fresh and added just a touch of sweetness to the dish (from the candied pecans). I was particularly impressed with how unique the dish was; I can’t think of any other place in Charleston serving anything like this.
My dad ordered the frittata–mostly because I think he likes saying the word ‘frittata’–which consisted of Oven Baked Eggs Topped with a Pork Belly Hash ($9.50). The pork belly in the hash was cured in the oven with curry, so it has a really nice depth to it, without being overwhelming. I like how perfectly cooked the pork belly was (I hate when it’s too chewy), but this was like fat, happy bacon bombs, which was a perfect compliment to the potatoes. The eggs were light and fluffy and the whole dish was really simple, but beautifully done.
Because we were feeling adventurous, we also ordered the Biscuits and Gravy to split (2 biscuits with milk sausage gravy, $6). The biscuits were amazingly light and fluffy, which was a nice balance to the heavy sausage gravy. This is definitely a stick-to-your-bones kind of breakfast. There was a nice hint of pepper in the gravy without being overwhelming, and I quite enjoyed the consistency of the gravy: not too thin, but also not too thick. Just right.
Because we hadn’t eaten enough, our waitress was able to sweet talk us into ordering dessert (see what I did there??), which was a chocolate chip cookie baked in a little cast iron skillet, topped with 2 generous scoops of vanilla ice cream ($5.99). Chef Padget said the key is “just like cooking cornbread. Get the skillet nice and hot before you put the batter in, so it gets a little crisp on the outside, but stays warm and gooey on the inside.” And boy did it ever. This might be one of the best chocolate chip cookies I’ve ever had.
All in all, we were delightfully pleased with our meal, the service, and the atmosphere of Iron Dog Diner. This gives me an incentive to get out to North Charleston more! If you’re ever in Park Circle area, I suggest stopping by to give IDD a try; they’re open for brunch Tuesday – Sunday and dinner Thursday – Saturday.
Also, here’s a bonus shot of Chef Padgett who was kind enough (and sufficiently weirded out by) my request to get his photo. If you see him, give him a high five or something, because he’s awesome.
Iron Dog Diner
4245 Rivers Ave
North Charleston, SC 29405
(843) 203-4682
Holy City Hospitality is proud to announce the second installment of the Taste of Hutson Alley on Thursday, April 7 from 6:00-8:30 p.m.
The celebration is a refined take on street fair and will take place along the historic alleyway with tastings from six restaurants, wine sampling, beer from Freehouse Brewery and live jazz music featuring Jon Thornton.
“We can’t think of a better way to usher in spring than under the sweeping palmettos and glowing lights of Hutson Alley,” said Marty Wall, managing director at Holy City Hospitality.
39 Rue de Jean
Coast Bar and Grill
Michael’s on the Alley
Vincent Chicco’s
Virginia’s on King
The Victor Social Club
Tickets are now available for $65 and all attendees must be over 21 years of age. For additional information and to purchase tickets, visit the event website.
[Updated: 3/22 with winners]
Slow Food Charleston is organizing an inaugural Snail Awards program to recognize leaders in the community that support the Slow Food movement. The event, set for Monday, March 21 from 6:00 to 9:00pm will take place at The American Theater.
For the event, there will be an awards ceremony that will announce the winners of the following award categories—The Activist, The Provider, The Artist (food & beverage categories), The Snailblazer, and The Place. There is also an award for The Legend ,which will be presented to Chef Mike Lata of FIG and The Ordinary, who was one of the original founders of the Slow Food Charleston chapter and is a starch advocate of supporting local foodways. Lata will receive a custom trophy by Robert Thomas. Winners will receive a custom Le Creuset Dutch Oven with a custom snail knob crafted by Robert Morris. The Snailblazer will receive a $1,000 cash prize.
Finalists and winners were chosen by a panel of esteemed judges including:
A celebration of the winners will follow the ceremony featuring dishes by chefs Kevin Mitchell of the Culinary Institute of Charleston, Nico Romo of FISH, Lauren Mitterer of WildFlour, Jason Stanhope of FIG and Jacques Larson of Wild Olive & The Obstinate Daughter, and John Fleer of Rhubarb in Asheville, North Carolina.
Beverages will be provided by High Wire Distilling, COAST Brewing, Westbrook Brewing and Vicario wines. McCarus Beverage Company is providing a toast to the winners to kick off the celebration of the awards. Entertainment will be by The V-Tones.
Tickets are $80 per person for members, and $90 per person for nonmembers and can be purchased at www.snailawardschs.com.
One of Charleston’s (and my) favorite gourmet sandwich restaurants, Persimmon Cafe, has opened up voting for their Charity Sandwich Contest from Monday March 14 – Friday March 25, 2016.
For two weeks the Charleston community can vote for their favorite local nonprofit that will become the beneficiary of an exclusive sandwich that owner Rob Cassi and the Persimmon Cafe team will be creating. The sandwich will be on the menu for the entire month of April from 4-9pm daily, Monday – Saturday, and a portion of the proceeds will go to the winning charity.
Vote at www.persimmoncares.com before 5pm Friday March 25, 2016.
The sandwich will be announced next week!
I know I’m a little delayed, but I’m only just now recovered from my wine + food hangover. It was a jam-packed weekend and I only went to a couple of events! I can’t even imagine have a full-access pass (although that’s definitely on the list for next year). One of the events that I was most excited about attending was the Culinary Village. So, on Sunday, my parents joined me for a day that we were sure was going to be full of excitement and wonder and delicious food. Little did we know what lay ahead.
Here’s a photo blog showcasing how our day went down:
12:00 – “Oh look! A photo booth! Let’s take a fun photo since we just walked in. None of us have eaten all day, so we should try to find some food right after this!”
12:05 – “Oooooh, cocktails! Don’t mind if I do! And I should probably take one of each, just to test ’em out. Then we’ll find some food.”
12:10 – “No food yet, but I love Striped Pig! Might as well try these out, too. The striped Gin & Juice is so refreshing, but that Lowcountry Tea is STRONG. I smell some food coming up soon, so that’s good.”
12:20 – “Matzoh ball soup is an….interesting choice for a festival. And boy, that’s a small portion of food. Oh well. It’s called the culinary village, so there’s gotta be more food around here somewhere!”
12:30 – “‘Absentroux’? Is that like absinthe? Let’s try it and find out!”
12:35 – “Is that more food up ahead! Yes! It’s….broccoli salad? Uh… ok. It’s pretty tasty, but my head is feeling a little fuzzy, so I should probably eat like 3 of these.”
12:45 – “Ooooh a winery! And they’ve got 5 different kinds of wine, so I should probably try all of them just in case.”
1:00 – “Ooookay, I definitely need to find some food now.”
1:15 – Is that pork and grits I smell? OH THANK YOU MIDDLETON PLACE, YOU’RE SAVING MY LIFE RIGHT NOW.”
1:25 – “Ok, I’m feeling a lot better now! I wonder what’s in the Baker tent. Oh, it’s drinks made with Tanqueray? Let me make myself comfortable.”
1:55 – “Ok, well that was fun hhahahahahaha. Food time! Mmm. I like hummus. How much hummus do I need to eat to equal an actual meal? Let’s find out!”
2:15 – Boy that hummus was delicious but I’m not sure it constitutes as food. Maybe there’s food in the artisan market! Oh, no food, but there are 6 different kinds of old-fashions made with Bittermilk, so…let’s give those a try!”
2:45 – OH BREAD, THANK GOD.
3:15 – “Oh hey, ice cream! Ice cream…with alcohol. *sigh* Well, YOLO.”
3:30 – “Oh look! A beer garden…..Do you think Mellow Mushroom will deliver to Marion Square??”
3:45 – “Shrimp & Grits, you complete me.”
4:00 – “Guess which one of these people was supposed to be the DD? Hint: It’s the one holding the beer. Good thing there’s Uber!”
4:30 – “Alcohol brings people together!”
4:45 – “The line for the port-o-potties is too long, so I’ll just hang here for a bit.”
5:00 – “Over already?! But I haven’t even gotten to the food yet! NEED CARBS.
I’m glad Wine + Food only happens once a year, because I’m going to need that time to recover.