Charleston Restaurant News Restaurant Openings

I Met Andrew Zimmern, Y’all

June 14, 2017

How’s that for a headline? I mean, to be fair, I sort of stalked him through a crowd and enlisted the help of Charleston Foodie Babe to corner him into taking a pic, but still…a photo’s a photo.

Even if it’s not the greatest photo quality. Still counts!

Last week, I had the pleasure of being invited to a media open house for the new restaurant 1Kept in the Renaissance Hotel (replacing Barony Tavern, RIP). I had a plus one and invited my friend and fellow food blogger, Elise from Cookin’ With Booze. She’s also a fellow CofC grad, and a Yelp Elite and… (come to think of it, she might be trying to bodysnatch me…)

‘Cept she remembered the booze for the photo, so she’s already one step ahead of me.

The space is totally revamped from when it was Barony Tavern, instead of a campy hunting lodge, it now feels a lot more upscale without losing the rustic charm that I loved.

Love seeing this big guy in @1kept by @eater_charleston! Article by @erperkin. Photographed by @leslieryann. Excellent work by @mitchellhillcharleston. . . . . #1kept #eatercharleston #mitchellhill #chicagoartist #ostrich #design #bravo

A post shared by Josh Brown (@joshbrownfineart) on Jun 9, 2017 at 1:39pm PDT

Andrew Zimmern is the Renaissance Hotels’ “Global Navigator” which as I understand it is basically a fancy word for “spokesman.” He was in town to help kick off the restaurant’s debut, and spent the day hanging out with awesome Charleston people like The Cocktail Bandits, Mike Lata, and Elise Testone. Hardly anyone seemed that impressed that he was there, but Elise and I definitely got a little starstruck. In fact, I think I still have the nail marks in my arm from where she grabbed me and whisper-shrieked “he’s here!” when he walked in.

Host of 1 Kept Opening Party! Andrew Zimmern checking out @rencharleston new digs & restaurant. #businessunusual

A post shared by Simone Bruderer (@simonebruderer) on Jun 8, 2017 at 6:15pm PDT

The drinks available were your choice of a Moscow Mule or a Negroni, and it was Negroni week so obviously I had to try that (although you know I tried both cocktails and even let the Cocktail Bandits slip me a shot of tequila, because that’s how I roll).

The food was not as prevalent, and honestly as far as passed hors d’oeuvres go, not that impressive. But I also don’t think it was indicative of their actual menu.

Watermelon gazpacho with crab: best bite of the night-refreshing, sweet, a lot of crab
Pimento cheese toast: tomato jam on top had a nice sweetness that complemented the sharpness of the cheese
Skewer with pork and fruit: (I did not try this, but according to Elise) “the fruit was soaked in something and tasted artificial”
Steak with chimichurri: chimichurri had nice flavor, steak was really chewy and too big of a piece for a 1 bite appetizer. The potato offered little-to-no flavor

In addition to listening to Andrew introduce the new space, we also were treated to a mini-concert with Elise Testone, which was a very special treat.

Just juggling oysters with Andrew Zimmern.. ? #andrewzimmern #oysters #charleston #renhotels #businessunusual #bizarrefoods @chefaz

A post shared by Elise Testone (@elisetestone) on Jun 9, 2017 at 1:28pm PDT

Can’t wait to try out the actual food soon! Also, be sure to follow Elise on Instagram: @CookinWithBooze

4 Comments

Restaurant Reviews

The Watch Rooftop Kitchen and Spirits

November 17, 2016

I love that Charleston has had a resurgence in hotel restaurants lately. When I travel, I generally try to avoid hotel restaurants, as I find the food to usually be subpar and overpriced. The hotel restaurants downtown Charleston, however, are a totally different beast, and as a local, I’m more than happy to check in for dinner for the night.

I love The Watch because its rooftop is one of the best in Charleston. On a clear night you get breathtaking sunset views and you also get to look into the residential sector of the city and see all the steeples dotting the horizon (hence the moniker The Holy City).

Surprisingly not because we’re full of pot holes (although that’s also true).

It was raining when we visited, so we had to dine inside rather than out on one of their beautiful patios, but the space was still bright and airy, with lots of khakis, whites, and blues throughout. We started with cocktails. I opted for the Hugo’s Punch (Striped Pig Rum, blueberry, lemonade, $12), which was fantastic. It was fruity without being overwhelming, and sweet without being cloyingly so. I would 100% order this again.

Even if it turns my teeth purple.

Caty got the The Copper Still (High Wire Vodka, brandied cherry syrup, ginger beer, $12) which was fantastic. It was basically a twist on a classic Moscow Mule, but the brandied cherry syrup gave it a nice warm feeling.

Warms you up from the inside.

Our first course was the grilled oysters (with fermented garlic butter, lemon, grana padano, and house hot sauce, $ market price), which were fantastic. If you’re not a huge fan of garlic, you won’t care for these, as they don’t hold back (seriously, my breath alone after eating them could kill a vampire). I, however, love garlic and thought they were so tasty. Even Caty who hates oysters thought they were good enough to eat 2.

Meanwhile, I ate the other 10

Up next, we tried the falafel (tzatziki, cucumber, radish, feta, pickled onion, $11), which I was a huge fan of. I loved that the feta was a bit on the milder side, which helped harmonize with the other flavors of the dish. It was super fresh tasting, thanks to the cucumber and radish, and the little tanginess of the pickled onion paired really well with the creaminess of the tzatziki.

This is way more greenery than I usually order with my falafel, but it really works!

We paused on the food here to get another couple of drinks. I opted for the Greyhound Cadet (Citaddelle Gin, Grapefruit. St. Germaine, $12) which was a bit sweeter than my previous drink. I liked that it was still nice and summery, and I could see myself sipping this out on the rooftop while watching the sun set over the city.

I prefer all my drinks have straws in them.

Caty got The Spoleto (Virgil Kaine Ginger Bourbon, Fernet Rinse, Lemon Shrub, $12) which was probably our least favorite of the night. It was so much stronger tasting than the beautiful and light cocktails we’d gotten earlier, and it just didn’t mesh with our main courses.

Caty likes all her cocktails in old timey champagne glasses.

And also I just don’t really like Fernet.

Speaking of main courses, I have to confess something to you: I’ve never ordered shrimp and grits in Charleston. I’ve eaten a number of them before, but on principle, I refuse to order this quintessential dish because it just feels so played out to me. If you’ve had it once, you’ve had it 1,000 times, I’ve thought to myself on more than one occasion. Well let me tell you: the shrimp and grits at The Watch (local shrimp, Geechie Boy Mill grits, caramelized Vidalias, tomato and bacon gravy, $27) were the best I’ve ever had. The shrimp were cooked perfectly, the grits were cheesy and creamy, and the tomato bacon gravy was out of this world.

Life-changing shrimp and grits.

You’d think because Caty’s shrimp & grits were so delicious that I’d have been disappointed in my dinner, but you’d be wrong. I opted for the fish of the moment (grilled local fish, jumbo lump crab succotash, lemon beurre fondue, $29). I’m a sucker for succotash, so I thought it was a great accompaniment, to the perfectly cooked and seasoned tilefish. But what made this dish truly amazing was the lemon beurre fondue, which was truly delectable. It had just a hint of citrus, with a depth of flavor that made me want to slurp it up by the spoonful.

I’ve never been so excited about fish before.

For dessert, we capped off with the Sticky Toffee Pudding (pecan crumble, ice cream, toffee sauce, $8). It was just about as sweet as it looked, but I’m glad we had the vanilla ice cream to tone it down a bit. I still thought it was delicious, and we managed to devour pretty much the entire thing, despite being extremely full from our large meal.

“Sticky toffee pudding” makes me think of Christmas for some reason

All in all, I would recommend trying The Watch out for dinner. Get the shrimp and grits, and try to come on a clear day right around sunset. You won’t regret it!

Just watch what happens! Did you see what I did there??

The Watch Rooftop Kitchen and Spirits
75 Wentworth St,
Charleston, SC 29401
(843) 518-5115

2 Comments

Charleston Restaurant News Events

Where to Watch the Super Bowl in Charleston

February 3, 2016

Ahh, the Super Bowl. America’s favorite buffalo-wing-related-holiday. A chance to officially break those resolutions you’ve been desperately trying to cling to for the past few weeks. Well, let me tell ya: it ain’t no thang but a chicken wang.

Here’s where you can go in Charleston to get your football and chicken wing fix:

Downtown

The Alley

5pm – 11pm
Open to the public, no cover charge.

Special Super Bowl Menu
$4 Carolina Sky Blue Beer & featured Colorado/ Denver beer
$12 Buckets of Bud Light

Bay St Biergarten

3pm-11pm
Open to the public, no cover charge.

Free Wing Eating Contest: Whoever downs the most wings in the allotted time will prevail as the champion and take home a $50 gift card. First ten people to sign up will be entered in the challenge.
$4 Select Biers, $5 Brats, $6 Wings
Wing Platter Specials: 50 wings for $50 or 100 wings for $85. (dine in or take out)
Pong Tournament: Starting at 3pm. Free to enter, free to play. Sign up here: https://a.pgtb.me/PHd02R
- First Place: $100 House Cash
- Second Place: $75 House Cash
- Third Place: $50 House Cash

Kickin’ Chicken

Open to the public, no cover charge.

$12 Buckets of Budweiser, Bud Light, and Michelob Ultra
$3 Shock Top drafts

Republic Garden & Lounge

2 pm – 11 pm
Open to the public, no cover charge.

Free oysters from 2 – 8 pm
Live music with DJ and drink specials all day

Upper Deck Tavern

Open to the public, no cover charge.

Hosting annual chili cook off, newcomers welcome
Game will be broadcast on the TVs

James Island

Kickin’ Chicken

Open to the public, no cover charge.

$12 Buckets of Budweiser, Bud Light, and Michelob Ultra
$3 Shock Top drafts

Johns Island

The Loophole

6pm
Open to the public, no cover charge.

Free oysters
$10 pizzas, $0.25 cent wings
Big screen TVs

Mount Pleasant

Kickin’ Chicken

Open to the public, no cover charge.

$12 Buckets of Budweiser, Bud Light, and Michelob Ultra
$3 Shock Top drafts

Rusty Rudder

4pm
$50, includes food & drinks
Open to the public

$50 includes food from Super Bowl menu, domestic beer, house liquor, and house wine all night long.
Larry David project plays from 4-6 pm

Triangle Char & Bar

6pm
Open to the public, no cover charge.

$12 All-U-Can-Eat wings
$3 Bud Light aluminum bottles

Summerville

Kickin’ Chicken

Open to the public, no cover charge.

$12 Buckets of Budweiser, Bud Light, and Michelob Ultra
$3 Shock Top drafts

Triangle Char & Bar

6pm
Open to the public, no cover charge.

$12 All-U-Can-Eat wings
$3 Bud Light aluminum bottles

Wescott Golf Club

5:30 pm
$20 in advance, $25 at the door

Heavy hors d’oeurve buffet, including buffalo chicken dip, pulled pork sliders, wings, and more.
$13 domestic buckets, $1 jello shots, $5 Panthers Punch, $5 Broncos Brew.
$5 Super Bowl Squares with payout every quarter

West Ashley

Charleston Sports Pub

11 am
Open to the public, no cover charge.

$20 “Super Bowl” ticket that includes a bucket of domestic beer, 12 wings, entry into 4 raffles
Projector screen to watch the game
Tailgate with tents, chairs, and lots of games
Raffles to give away a PS4 bundle with Call of Duty Black Ops 3

Kickin’ Chicken

Open to the public, no cover charge.

$12 Buckets of Budweiser, Bud Light, and Michelob Ultra
$3 Shock Top drafts

Southside 17

$40 – All you can eat & drink

Unlimited domestic bottles, house liquors, draft beers
All you can eat wing buffet
Auctioning off a 50 inch flat screen TV

Triangle Char & Bar

6pm
Open to the public, no cover charge.

$12 All-U-Can-Eat wings
$3 Bud Light aluminum bottles

Beaufort

Hwy 21 Bar & Grill

4:30 pm
$25 per person

$25 includes open bar for well drinks & domestic beer, oyster roast, dinner, and snacks
Big screen TVs

I’ll update as I get more info! Please message me if you’d like to be included on this list.

4 Comments

Charleston Restaurant News Events

Charleston Small Plate Crawl

September 12, 2015

The reason I love restaurant week so much is because I get to try many new restaurants in Charleston with friends who like to share bites off of their plates, so I get a good sampling of what different restaurants have to offer. A new foodie event in Charleston, the Charleston Small Plate Crawl (November 3 – 5, 2015) is offering that very experience, but with a new twist. During the 3-day culinary event, Crawlers travel from restaurant to restaurant, sampling the best of Charleston’s culinary scene. Participating restaurants will offer special Small Plate Menus priced from $4 to $10 showcasing their cuisine and Chef’s talent.

I love the idea of this event!

A Crawl Guide indicates hours each restaurant will be participating during the three day culinary event. Participating restaurants choose from the following time blocks to participate during the Crawl: 7:30-11:00am (Breakfast), 11:30am-3pm (Lunch), 5-10pm (Dinner) and/or 11:30am to 10pm (All Day).

Also, apparently there are selfie contests.

Here’s how the crawl works:

Crawlers peruse restaurant menus, print the Crawl Guide and use the interactive map to plan their path and crawl. A Crawl Guide is not needed, but is useful as a reference for a list of participating restaurants, addresses and hours.
When a Crawler pays at each restaurant, they will scan a Server Card with a QR Code using a QR reader on their mobile device. The first time they scan, they will be taken to http://ChekTrek.com and will be asked to enter their name, email address, and password. They will then be logged into the Crawl system which will check them in at each restaurant as they scan additional Server Card QR codes.
QR readers are available for free via phone app stores. We recommend “QR Code Reader” by Scan, Inc. If a mobile device is not available, Crawlers may write down the alphanumeric code from the Server Card and enter these into http://ChekTrek.com before the end of the Crawl.
If ANYONE in a group purchases a plate, EVERYONE in the group gets to scan the QR code for validation. Sharing is encouraged! Only the person that ordered a Challenge Cocktail can scan the cocktail QR code.
Crawlers are automatically entered into prize drawings based on the number of restaurants they have visited each time they scan a QR Code or enter a Code manually. Prizes will be listed on the Crawl website. When a Crawler visits a restaurant outside of the main core of Charleston restaurants, their prize entries will be doubled. Prize winners will be contacted by email after the Crawl.

Ka-ching!

As of right now, confirmed restaurants include Vincent Chicco, Michael’s on the Alley, Saffire, O-Ku, HoM, and Virginia’s on King, with more restaurants to be added in the weeks leading up to the event. Follow the latest Crawl news by following Charleston Small Plate Crawl on Facebook. Columbia residents: The Columbia Small Plate Crawl will be happening in Cola September 22-24!

Charleston, SC Restaurant Reviews

The Rarebit

December 5, 2014

Most nights in Charleston when I end up going out for a drink, I’ll either end up at Rec Room or Rarebit (or realistically, both). Their menu is delicious (and designed by my newest chef obsession, Brannon Florie). Their drinks are creative and tasty and the atmosphere is usually pretty fun. Plus I’m a sucker for their Moscow Mule (Smirnoff vodka, Sweatman’s ginger beer, limeade, $8), which uses the best ginger beer in town.

I’m a sucker for a good mule.

But mostly I go there for the mac and cheese ($3.50 as a side). (Prepare yourself. There will be lots of pictures of mac and cheese in this post). This is probably my second favorite mac and cheese in Charleston. It’s creamy and cheesy and just so delicious.

I mean, just look at it.

All their food is flavorful and fresh, and I’ve never had a bad meal. The Country Fried Steak (skillet fried, battered steak with buttermilk pepper gravy served with creamy mashed potatoes & green beans, $15) is my standby favorite. I order it 9 times out of ten and I’m never disappointed. It’s served hot and crispy, topped with a flavorful pepper gravy…the whole thing just comes together perfectly.

And of course I get it with the mac and cheese. I mean, are you even surprised?

Lily has ordered the Southern Fried Catfish (local farm raised catfish served with mac & cheese and sauteed spinach, $14) is good, too. It’s also served hot and crispy and perfectly seasoned. I’m not usually one to order fish, but I’d definitely order this again.

Oh, hey, look. More mac and cheese!

They even have food for vegans! The Vegetable Rarebit (baked squash, zucchini, seasonal vegetables, spinach & portabella saute served over a chili pepper chutney garnished with a glazed baby carrot, $11), which is awesome. Just make sure they don’t put honey on it like they do their “vegan” burger. Someone in the kitchen is not vegan enough for the vegans I know.

When Naomi ordered this, she definitely thought that carrot was a hot dog and almost passed out.

After 10, they only serve their breakfast menu, which is ok with me, because they consider a Patty Melt (two pressed flat Angus patties topped with American cheese & caramelized onions on rye toast) to be breakfast food. And it’s a great burger (better than their actual burger, in my opinion). Especially at midnight after one too many Moscow Mules.

If there even is such a thing. Photo via Yelp

Speaking of catfish, the Catfish Po Boy (fried catfish with lettuce, tomato & housemade mustard remoulade on a New Orleans French roll, $9) is just awesome. You get the same piece of catfish as pictured above, served on a freshly baked N’awlins roll, with their sweet and tangy mustard remoulade. What’s not to love? We got it was a side of the breakfast potatoes which are also really great. They’re cubed and fried so that they’re nice and crispy on the outside and soft and potato-y on the inside. Exactly what you’d want.

Did I mention that I’m usually here at night?

As far as their sides go, they’re delicious. Here are a few of my favorites (other than the mac & cheese, obviously). The Succotash Salad (lime beans with fresh corn & sundried tomatoes, $3.50 as a side) is healthy food disguised as a treat because it tastes so darn good. A great option if you’re dieting (like me) but don’t want to feel like you’re missing out on all the good food.

Or just don’t even try to pretend like you’re being good and order it with the mac and cheese, which is what I’d do.

The Bacon Lentil Salad (exactly what you’d expect, $3.50 as a side) is also a good “healthy” alternative. Lentils are healthy, right? These guys are delicious and just a little smoky from the bacon. Not your typical southern comfort food, but it gets the job done. Ok, the one thing I’ve been disappointed by in all of my visits, was the Track Burger (pressed flat steak burger with ketchup, mustard, and pickles on a Cuban bun. Single, $4, Double, $6, Cheese, $1). The meat is absolutely perfect, very flavorful and yummy, but the problem is that the patty is just so flat compared to the bun. There’s really no point in even ordering it unless you get a double.

Pictured here with the Track Burger and (you guessed it), mac and cheese.

Are you bored with all the mac and cheese pictures yet?

I went with Lala one time when she ordered the Tomato Soup (roasted tomato and basil puree, $5), which I really enjoyed. I’m a little iffy about tomato soups, but this one tasted homemade and not like it came out of a can. It also had a bit of creaminess to it that I really appreciated. She ordered it with a side of grits ($3.50 as a side), which came out really dense and a bit dry, still in the shape of the scoop they portioned it with. They were a little disappointing, but not bad. She also got bacon (because hey, why not) which tasted like bacon.

I love it when food keeps the shape of the thing it was in before it was on your plate. Love. It.

It can get a little crowded on a weekend night, but I love the atmosphere of the place. The wait staff is dressed in like a modern take on a 1950’s diner, and the decor is fun and modern as well. It’s usually pretty dark inside, and seating is a bit limited, but I still love it.

I’m obsessed with the decor in here. How cute is that light??| Photo via Acacia Falzone Photography

The Rarebit
474 King St
Charleston, SC 29403
(843) 974-5483

1 Comments

Charleston, SC Restaurant Reviews

Edmund’s Oast

August 22, 2014

I’ve been to Edmund’s Oast a couple of times. First for brunch, and then for dinner. For brunch, I went with Lily, on a lazy Sunday morning after a night of drinking and debauchery. When we walked in, I was struck by how massive the beer list is. It’s not even a list, it’s a whole wall.

I’ll have one of everything!

I also really liked the design of the menu. Simple yet sophisticated.

So many words!

We started with an order of the cornbread (served with honey butter, $4) which is absolutely mindblowing. I think it might be the best cornbread I’ve ever had. And that honey butter. OMG. I can’t even explain it, you’ll just have to try it for yourself. Somehow, we hit the jackpot, and they accidentally sent out a second cornbread, which Lily and I devoured before they’d realized their mistake.

Seriously. Is this made out of angels?

They change their menus weekly, so I don’t know exactly what I ordered, but it was delicious. I ordered a dish that was a play on biscuits and gravy. It was potatoes confit with jerky gravy, cornbread (more cornbread!) and sunnyside eggs. Now, I don’t love eggs, and I can really only eat them scrambled (it’s a texture thing). It was so freaking good.

You had me at “Potatoes.”

Lily had braised pancetta with polenta, slow poached far eggs & smokey greens. That braised pancetta was unreal. Lily fought my fork away when I tried to steal a taste off of her plate, but I managed to sneak some away when she succumbed to the bliss of her breakfast and closed her eyes for a second.

With a side of sunburn.

We also split a side of bacon, because we’re lardos. It turned out to be a good decision, because it was awesome. Plus they smoke all of the meat in house, so it would’ve been wrong to not try the bacon. Right?

Right?!

Here’s where they age / smoke all of the meat. It’s cool how much it adds to the ambiance while still being functional. I love this place!

Can I come back here every weekend??

The second time I visited was with my mom for dinner, and we went all out (as one usually does when Tina’s involved). Since it was after 5, and they had such a nice selection of specialty cocktails, Tina decided to try a Red Wedding cocktail (Elijah Craig 12 year, amaro averna, orange peel, hibiscus thyme sweet tea ice cubes, $12), which seemed appropriate because we were going to be watching Game of Thrones later that night. She loved this cocktail, and despite it being kind of pricey, ordered a second one. She loved that the flavor of the drink changed as the ice cubes melted, and she said it tasted unlike anything she’d had before.

I mean, how could you not??

When you first walk into EO, one of the first things you notice is the massive beer wall, 48 taps chock full of local and not-so-local ales that you can try. One of the beers they brew in house, the PB&J beer had always intrigued me, so I decided to give it a try. OMG. It is so good. It sounds like it might taste overly sweet or overpowering, but it’s anything but. You get a slight sweetness when you first sip, and a hint of peanut butter after you swallow. I’m a fan.

Even though they apparently don’t have it anymore. Sadness.

To start, we got the “Gin Joint” style Jerky (1.50), which was cut thin, appropriately tough, and super flavorful. It had a very “real” taste. Nothing artificial here. Slightly firm, but also crisp that made is seem homemade and like a lot of work was put into it.

Even if it was a little more on the “well done” side.

At the waitress’s recommendation, we also ordered the braised lamb meatballs(apricots, argus cider, mint, $12) as an appetizer. Although this was probably my least favorite dish of the meal, it was still very flavorful and yummy. I really liked the salty-sweet aspect that the apricot added, and I liked that they were kind of spongy, but not frozen tasting.

Like if Swedish meatballs were made of lamb and tasted nothing like Swedish meatballs.

I ordered the chicken gizzard and duck heart tagliatelle because I was feeling adventurous after the amazing bone marrow pasta I had in NYC, and was not disappointed. Tina was really grossed out by the idea of the dish, but was absolutely astounded by how good it tasted. I would probably order this every time I go back. The noodles tasted homemade and were the perfect vehicle for the sauce. So yummy.

I think the only part of a duck I haven’t eaten now is the feet.

Tina got the Chicken and rice porridge which was so delicious. She’s always really nervous about getting chicken soups because she considers hers to be the end-all-be-all. She just kept saying “Oh my god, this is so yummmeh,” every time she ate a spoonful. So I’d say that’s a hit.

And this one was juuuuust right!

For dessert, we couldn’t resist the call of the fudgy brownie with graham crackers and meringue. This dessert is possibly heaven on earth. If heaven had a flavor this is what it would be. I don’t even think I can accurately describe it here, so just go order it and be astounded. Like. It’s SO GOOD. I can’t get over it.

I don’t think I’ll ever have a brownie this good ever again.

The waitress recommended the dessert cocktail, which we were a little skeptical of since it had egg in it, but we decided to go for it to try something new. Not my favorite.

Can’t win ’em all!

Tina also ordered the cookie sandwich (because, why not?) and it was delicious and simple. I want to start making this at home.

I love cookies and sandwiches, so this is the best of both worlds.

We ordered the strawberry cake as well, and it came to the table after the chocolate thing. I think we would’ve loved it a lot more if we’d eaten it before the chocolate orgasm dish, but after that brownie, all other desserts pale in comparison. I think if you’re less of a chocolate person, you’d much prefer this strawberry cake, which was tangy and fruity and not so sweet, but somehow that was ok.

And plus, look at how pretty it is!

I’d have to say that this was an outstanding meal, and I can’t wait to go back again. Plus, the atmosphere is something else. I absolutely love it here.

It’s like modern medieval.

Edmund’s Oast
1081 Morrison Dr
Charleston, SC 29403
(843) 727-1145

4 Comments

Weekend Roundup

Weekend Roundup: We Eat All Our Meals In Courses

July 28, 2014

This has been quite an exciting week! On Tuesday I went to Myrtle Beach to visit Christine and her mom on their vacation and ate at a delightful little cafe called Croissants Bistro & Bakery, which was absolutely delicious. We had a watermelon salad, some banging meatloaf, a delicious veggie platter (with homemade falafel israeli couscous), and a triple chocolate torte for dessert. I’d definitely go back again!

Lovely ladies at the beach, looking only slightly rachet!

We’re so cute, we’ll probably break the Internet.

Thursday, I made a delicious dinner using some bleu cheese burger patties from Publix, fresh veggies from my parents’ garden, and buns from Brown’s Court Bakery. It was like having a gourmet meal cook right in my own kitchen! If you haven’t tried the baked goods from Brown’s Court yet, I really don’t know what you’re doing with your life. The double chocolate chip cookie I got for dessert was life changing.

I’m basically a professional chef.

Friday, Lala came to town and we had a quick dinner of Persimmon Cafe before driving over to Mount Pleasant to jump off our meal at Sky Zone. We played 3D Dodgeball (which I was terrible at), jumped into the foam pit (which I was also terrible at getting out of), jump dunked some basketballs, and just generally jumped around. Lauren and I went home and watched some quality ABC family movies on Netflix before passing out around midnight.

Because who can resist the call of Joey Lawrence and Melissa Joan Hart??

Saturday morning, we got up early for the Farmer’s Market Culinary Tour by Culinary Tours of Charleston. We started at the Farmer’s Market and picked out a bunch of veggies and cheeses for Chef Garrett from Southend Brewery to use in preparing a 5-course meal for us. It was a really awesome experience and I’ll be reviewing it in full detail later!

With Chef Garrett of Southend Brewery!

I also took her by the matchstick social office to see where the magic is made. She really enjoyed the lip couch.

After hoooours.

We also lounged at the pool and tried our hand at a mixology competition in my kitchen between the 2 of us.

Because straws with hipster glasses are all the rage in mixology today.

For dinner, La and I went to White Duck Taco on James Island to try some new tacos and continue our drink exploration with some watermelon sangria and white peach sangria. Totally delish!

Tacos on tacos on tacos.

Sunday, we had a 3-course brunch at Halls Chophouse, which was spectacular as always. Lauren left shortly afterward and I spent the rest of the afternoon in a food coma watching Arrested Development.

So fancy.

It was a pretty awesome weekend. How was yours?

1 Comments

Charleston, SC Restaurant Reviews

Taco Mamacita [CLOSED]

July 25, 2014

*Note: I received a free gift certificate from Taco Mamacita to come by and try their food. That does not impact my review of them at all*

I was invited not long ago to try Taco Mamacita by one of their marketing managers after they started serving brunch. She sent me a gift certificate for 2 for brunch, and so I gladly made the trek out to Sully’s for a tex-mexican brunch with a friend.

Olè!

Since I was starving ( and had a gift certificate), I of course wanted to order one of everything on the menu. I started with a mimosa (what is brunch without one, after all), which tasted like a mimosa. Nothing necessarily special (but then again, that’s not why I order mimosas. There’s only so many ways to mix OJ and champagne). It was only when we left that I noticed that they do a strawberry coconut mojito, which is like MY JAM. Next time.

I have a mimosa addiction.

We started with an order of the dip trio (queso, mango salsa, and guacamole). I loved the mango salsa and I think would’ve preferred just getting a full order of that. I loved that the guac tasted like fresh avocado and didn’t have a whole lot going on; it was simple. I think the queso was my least favorite of the trio, not to say that it wasn’t good, it just wasn’t anything special.

What would Mexican brunch be without chips and dip??

The person I was with ordered the Peruvian chicken, which I’d never tried before, and was super excited about it. He thought it was flavorful and spicy, and that it was good, but it didn’t live up to the expectations of the Peruvian chicken that he had in Peru and in Peruvian restaurants. I thought it was good and tasted not unlike a rotisserie chicken, which you can’t go wrong with. He got 2 sides with it, chipotle turnip greens, and Mexican street corn. The Mexican street corn was on point, I’d venture to say even better than Taco Boy. He hated the turnip greens, expecting them to be more like collard greens, which they were not. I really liked them, although they were spicier than I was expecting.

Apparently “Peruvian Chicken” means “Half of a chicken.”

We also tried the breakfast torta with chorizo and a side of the homefries. The chorizo torta was good, a little greasy (but hey, it’s chorizo), but taste-wise it was yummy. We ended up taking it home because we were so stuffed, but my friend ate it for lunch the next day and said it was just as good.

A sandwich that’s still good on day 2 is impressive.

The homefries were really disappointing. They were dry and overcooked and I was really disappointed. The waitress recommended them highly, so I think maybe we just got the leftovers from an earlier cooked batch, but still, I was hoping for more.

Maybe I’m just weird?

I also ordered the fish taco, because I love fish tacos, and was underwhelmed. I thought it was flavorless and disappointing. I was really hoping for more, especially since it was more expensive than places downtown like Taco Boy or Taco Spot.

If you’ve got “Taco” in the name, you should make sure that your tacos are the best thing on the menu.

All in all, I’d say this was a perfectly acceptable place to go to brunch, lunch, or dinner. Although I probably wouldn’t make a special trip specifically out to Sullivan’s to eat here like I would with Poe’s or Obstinate Daughter, I definitely wouldn’t be opposed to grabbing some lunch if we were already in the area, especially since they have a really nice patio.

Just look at how pretty it is! via Facebook

1 Comments

Charleston, SC Restaurant Reviews

Leon’s Oyster Shop

June 20, 2014

Last week when Cullen and Taylor were visiting, we all decided to try out a new lunch spot downtown. Cullen was craving oysters, so we thought we might give Leon’s a shot, since it had gotten pretty good reviews so far. When we got there, I ordered a diet coke, and knew right away it was going to be a great lunch when they served it to me in an old-timey glass bottle.

Mmm… My lifeblood.

We started with raw oysters (cocktail sauce, mignonette, saltines, Market price), which we split between the 4 of us. I’m a little iffy about oysters (ew, slimy!) but these were outstanding. They tasted great and were surprisingly un-slimy. We topped them with a spritz of fresh lemon juice, cocktail sauce, and mignonette sauce, which was delicious. I’d absolutely order these again.

Even non-oyster lovers can love these oysters.

I know they look slimy here, but I promise you they really weren’t.

We also decided to try the char-grilled oysters (half dozen, lemon, parsley, butter, parmesan, $10). To be honest, I thought these were going to taste like grilled oysters, but instead they tasted exactly like oysters Rockefeller (which is also on the menu), and although they weren’t exactly what I was expecting, they were still out of this world, so none of us were disappointed. I loved the cheesiness of the parmesan and how the butter and parsley perfect complemented it. I also loved the bread they served it with. Extra buttery and toasted perfectly. Mmmm.

I never thought I’d crave oysters, but that’s exactly what I’m doing right now.

For an entrée, Cullen and I both decided to get the fish sandwich (fried or grilled, lettuce, tomato, duke’s mayo, $13). The catch of the day was Mahi, so we both decided to try it fried. They serve it on these big fresh buns from Browns Court Bakery, which are delicious all on their own, and the sandwich came together like something from a symphony.

“Hey girl, can I buy you a fish sandwich?”

Lily apparently had not yet eaten enough oysters, so she decided to try the fried oyster sandwich (lettuce, tomato, avocado, comeback sauce, $13). I’m not sure what comeback sauce is, but this sandwich was on point. Lily ate it in like 2.5 seconds, but I snuck a bite in when she wasn’t looking. This sandwich was awesome; the oysters were fried perfectly, the breading was nice and crisp, and you can tell they served it as soon as they cooked it because it was still nice and hot, and the breading hadn’t yet had an opportunity to get soggy.

Oysters, oysters, everywhere.

Taylor opted for the shrimp sandwich (fried or grilled; lettuce, tomato, avocado, comeback sauce, $13). Because we had all decided to clog our arteries together, she also opted to get it fried, and though I tend to prefer grilled shrimp, this sandwich was delicious. Idk if I would’ve though to put avocado on a shrimp sandwich, but it really, really worked.

That bun, though.

There’s so much more on the menu that I want to try—from the fried chicken, to the fried clam wraps, to the shrimp toast—so you can bet that I’ll be back…and soon!

Chabby chic, it's the new thing. Via Southern Living

Chabby chic, it’s the new thing. Photo: Lacy Morris / Southern Living

Leon’s Oyster Shop
(843) 531-6500
698 King St
Charleston, SC 29403

Weekend Roundup

Weekend Roundup: Charleston Like A Tourist

June 17, 2014

I kicked off this weekend with the Florida Georgia Line and Nelly concert at the Joe in Charleston with Cullen and Taylor, and we had a great time jamming out under the stars.

I’m not even ashamed to say I enjoyed myself.

Friday kicked off Girls Weekend, hosted by my roommate Regina, in which a bunch of her friends and family came down to tour Charleston and experience some of her favorite restaurants and attractions in honor of her 1 year anniversary of moving down here! We started the weekend off with dinner at FIG, which was kind of a disaster, as the manager was very rude to our group and the whole situation was just awkward and uncomfortable. Lily and I finished the evening at Rarebit. I’m obsessed with the macaroni and cheese at Rarebit, and the patty melt is really good as well! You should check it out if you haven’t been.

If mac & cheese was a diet food, I’d be so skinny!

Saturday was a jam packed day. We got our nails done at Tips-2-Toes on George St. downtown, Regina’s favorite nail salon (mine is Luxia in West Ashley, in case you were wondering). I picked a white-pink color, which was really pretty.

I'm as surprised as you are that I didn't pink something neon and glittery.

I’m as surprised as you are that I didn’t pick something neon and glittery.

We then drove to North Charleston for lunch at Nigel’s Good Food, a delicious soul food restaurant on Ashley Phosphate. Regina had been a couple of times, but this was my first time. We split an order of the whiskey shrimp, geechie wings, and fried green tomatoes with the table, and everything was delicious. For my entree, I ordered the Lowcountry Ravioli (Grilled Chicken, Bacon, Collards Greens, Black-eye Pea & Corn Relish & Cheese stuffed Ravioli tossed in a Whiskey Cream Sauce, $11.95) and it was super yummy. I’ll definitely be back!

I want to eat all of that food right now.

After lunch, I joined the girls at Frothy Beard, for a quick brewery tour before we headed back downtown for my first ever Carriage Tour. I was originally dreading it because I hate being the car stuck behind the horse tours downtown, but it ended up being a lot of fun and very educational!

And only about 80% as smelly as I thought it was going to be!

After the tour, we headed to Wadmalaw Island to see the Angel Oak Tree, which was spectacular as always. We also went out to the Firefly Distillery, but arrived too late to do any of the tastings. The man working there was really rude to us when we arrived, telling us “We’re closed. Y’all need to plan better,” even though we got there 10 minutes before they closed, and just wanted to look around for a few minutes. Having worked in customer service for a long time, being rude (even at closing time) isn’t a way to treat your loyal customers.

But the Angel Oak is always polite.

Sunday, we had a 4-hour long brunch at Halls Chophouse. It was my first time visiting for brunch, and it was outstanding (as usual). The service we received was top notch and everyone agreed that this was the highlight of their trip. I ordered the chicken-fried bison and waffle sandwich and split some grits with Lily. She ordered the “Lowcountry Biscuits and Gravy” which was less biscuits and gravy, and more biscuits and succotash with fried oysters, but it was delicious either way. It was an amazing meal, but I immediately went into a food coma for the rest of the afternoon.

Halls is so good it shouldn’t be legal.

What did you guys think of that Game of Thrones finale?! I can’t believe it’s already over!

1 Comments

Older Posts