[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

[Update: Chef Blake Joyal is no longer heading the kitchen at Screen Door and they’ve changed the menu significantly since this post was written.]

In Charleston, it seems like new restaurants are popping up every other week. You’d think that would mean that I’d be bored or jaded by restaurant openings; but you’d be wrong. One new restaurant that I’ve been really excited for is Chef Blake Joyal’s new venture, The Screen Door on James Island.

I love the open kitchen!

It’s taking over kind of a cursed location (I think it’s been 2 or 3 different restaurants in the time that I’ve lived here). I was lucky enough to be invited to a preview party for Screen Door to taste some of the dishes and drinks that might make the menu and see the newly remodeled space.

And also take some bathroom selfies, because I do what I want.

Everyone was super friendly from the moment we walked through the door until the moment we tapped out, too full for even one more delicious morsel. When we first walked in, I was struck by how open the space is. I loved the way the pizza and grill area were viewable from basically anywhere in the restaurant, as it immerses you in the whole experience.

I also am a huge fan of the ambience. They really went all out with the “screen door” theme, from the giant screen door hanging from the ceiling, to the many screen doors that make up the patio area.

I can see myself spending lots of time out here.

Because the menu wasn’t completely finalized when we were there, there is a chance that not everything I tried will end up on the menu when they actually open, which will be a shame, because it was all delicious.

Pizza ovens are my favorite type of oven.

I’ll go in order of my favorites:

Lettuce Wraps

There are mushrooms in it and I still listed it as #1, so that should tell you how good it is.

Slow cooked pork butt, housemade curry, daikon radish, sumac, roasted peanuts. When I first bit into the lettuce wrap, it actually took my breath away with how good it was. I loved that it was kind of peanut-y and the curry was actually a great complement to the pork. I could eat these all day long.

Oysters

I could’ve eaten a whole plate of these, but I managed to rein it in.

Local Ace blades with toasted curry, fennel butter with borate & fennel pollen. These might be my new favorite oysters anywhere, including Leon’s.

Lamb Ribs

Yes, I did just say the words “lamb ribs.”

Dry rubbed lamb ribs, braised in duck fat with chimmichuri. These melted in your mouth. I had no idea they were lamb until I asked about them. I highly recommend these.

Roasted Chicken

There’s a little chicken left on that plate. Sorry, I am a Hoover when it comes to delicious food.

Fresh turmeric, garlic, chili rubbed and brined sous vide for 36 hours. The chicken was wonderfully juicy and had a great smoky taste from the grill. It was awesome.

Beef Sliders

These were so simple and so yummy.

House-ground wagyu chuck brisket and short rib with grayson grease, caper aioli, and bacon. These were like an amped up burger. Perfectly juicy with an element unlike any other burger I’ve ever had, likely from the caper aioli.

Shrimp Skewers

There used to be many more skewers on this plate.

Blackened shrimp with compressed, pickled watermelon, black olive tapenade, fava beans, pistachio vinaigrette, and toasted pistachio. The pickled watermelon had a crazy consistency; I actually thought it was tuna at first. I think this one was the craziest mixture of flavors, but they combined really well. I never would’ve thought to put these things together, but I guess that’s why I’m not a chef.

Soft Shell Crab

Still not sure I love softshell crab.

Tempura fried with papaya noodle salad, toasted rice, fish sauce, lime, chili, and cilantro. This probably would’ve ranked higher if I was a bigger fan of soft shell crabs. The flavor of the dish as a whole was great—I loved the tangy sweetness of the papaya salad—was great. It’s just the crab that I’m kind of weird about. However, I think if softies are your thing, you would’ve been very happy!

Pizza

And just the right size for me to not share with anyone!

White anchovies, fulian oregano, buffalo mozzarella, poached farm egg. I think I would’ve liked this a lot more if it was sans anchovies. The anchovies made the pizza really salty, which wasn’t my favorite. But everything about the pizza other than that was great, so I’m really looking forward to what other pizzas they’re going to have.

The bar area. How comfy!

There are 5 signature cocktails at Screen Door which were created by their head bartender, Matthew McGarry. Because I’m nothing if not thorough, I decided to try each one of them FOR SCIENCE and I’ll rank them below:

Mother of Dragons

These are dangerously good.

Ingredients: Pineapple, jalapeno rum, orange blossom water, strawberry calamansi syrup, aromatic bitters, with a grilled pineapple skewer.
My favorite of the 5 cocktails. It was just a little sweet and had just the right amount of kick on the back end. I was expecting it to be a lot spicier, but it was very subtle, which I appreciated because I am a wimp when it comes to that sort of thing. This I will definitely be ordering again.

Zinfandel Wine Punch

My knight in glowy armor.

Ingredients: aperol, lemon juice, cava, zinfandel agave, orange zest,
This drink tasted like summertime to me. Had a little bit of a wine taste, but there was more of a fresh fruitiness to it that made me wish I was lounging poolside somewhere. Bring your own drink umbrella for this one.

Pacific Rim Coyote

I will only drink cocktails with leaves in them from now on.

Ingredients: Blanco tequila, lime juice, hibiscus agave, kaffir lime tincture, lime zest, kaffir leaf garnish
This drink tasted kind of like a margarita on steroids. None of that syrupy sweet & sour mix (thank goodness), instead focusing on the natural sweet & sour taste of the hibiscus agave and lime juice. So good.

Folly Fog

Just look at that rim!

Ingredients: Earl Grey infused vodka, Orchard Pear, Pernod, Ground Early Grey, Orange half moon
This one was so unique. If you like Earl Grey tea, you’re going to love this one. I liked that it was atypical and unlike anything I’ve ever had before. Who knew tea and vodka paired so well together?

Old Friend

Ingredients: Willet Rye, barolo chinato, aperol, cocchi di torino vermouth, kumquat bitters, expressed orange peel
I think this was probably my least favorite. It tasted not unlike an old fashioned (hence the name), which I tend to not really care for.

They rolled out the yellow carpet, just for me!

Now that Screen Door officially opened this weekend, I’m looking forward to stopping by and making this one of my regular haunts!

Screen Door
1271 Folly Road
Charleston, SC 29412
843-573-7200