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king street

Charleston Restaurant News

Restaurant Week at CO All September Long

September 2, 2015

One of the things I miss most about working on King Street is being able to go to CO whenever I got a whim. Their vietnamese chicken salad and dac biet pho were standards of my lunchtime repertoire, and their happy hour deals were irresistible. Now that I’m not visiting CO once a week, it’s really put a dent in earning my free trip to Vietnam via their CO Rewards program.

And also my PHOto obsession #puns

And also my PHOto obsession #puns

Lucky for you, CO is treatings its Rewards Members to restaurant week all month long! Rewards Members can enjoy a 3-course selection for $20, 4-course selection for $25, and add on a 3-course cocktail pairing for $17 thru September 30th.  Not a Rewards Member (why not?! It’s free. Get it together, people)? CO will also join other area restaurants in the official South Carolina Restaurant Week from September 9 – 20, offering its prix fixe menu to all guests.

*drooling*

*drooling*

Weekend Roundup

Weekend Roundup: Lazy is the New Black

June 10, 2014

I don’t have a whole lot to report today, as this weekend was relatively uneventful. Thursday, I went to the Grand Opening party at Jeni’s Splendid Ice Creams with a few of my coworkers and ate my weight in some of the best ice cream I’ve ever eaten. If you haven’t had a chance to check it out, I highly recommend you do so. My favorites are the dark chocolate, salted caramel, pineapple upside down cake, and … well they’re all pretty much my favorites.

So much yummy.

So much yummy.

Friday, I grabbed some red curry from Fire Street Food after work and settled in to watch Season 2 of Orange is the New Black on Netflix. I was glad that the weather outside was crummy, so I didn’t feel bad about vegging on my couch all evening eating Thai food.

It's been too long, Fire. Via Yelp

It’s been too long, Fire. Via Yelp

Saturday, I tried to be a little more productive, hitting up a Weight Watchers meeting and doing some circuit training at the gym before picking up lunch from Persimmon Cafe. We played a little Bananagrams at his office before I went back home to settle into the rest of the season of OITNB. My cats were super excited to have me home for the whole day.

Especially Weasley.

Especially Weasley.

Saturday night, I went to a Cards Against Humanity party that my friend Sheena invited me to. It was lots of fun and I laughed a lot. Also, it might’ve been the biggest game of CAH that I’ve ever played, which only made it funnier.

So many deviants in one room together.

So many deviants in one room together.

Sunday, I went to brunch at Butcher and Bee before going to work finishing the last 4 episodes of OITNB. I made some spaghetti squash for dinner and lounged around until it was time to watch Game of Thrones.

I may or may not have had tater tots as an appetizer. Dieting is hard.

I may or may not have had tater tots as an appetizer. Dieting is hard.

Hope everyone has a great week! If you’ve finished Season 2 of OITNB, let me know what you thought of the season in the comments!

Charleston, SC Restaurant Reviews

CO

March 28, 2014

So I’m a recent Vietnamese food convert. I’m kind of surprised it took me this long, but nobody’s perfect. I’ve been eating banh mi for a couple of years now, and am obsessed, but I never really ventured any further into Vietnamese cuisine until one fateful day back in December when I stumbled on a tweet from Foodmancing The Girl talking about how much he loves Pho.

You had me at "free dumplings."

You had me at “free dumplings.”

That first lunch was awesome. I took Foodmancing’s advice and got the pork belly buns (pork belly, pickled cucumber and carrots, hoisin, cilantro, $6), and those suckers were on point.  The buttery bread, the perfectly cooked pork, the crisp pickled veggies…I’m drooling a little just thinking about them. If it wasn’t Friday during Lent, I’d probably head there for lunch right now.

Seriously. They're so good.

Seriously. They’re so good.

The main purpose of my visit, however, was to try Pho for the first time. I was a little intimidated because I didn’t really know what I was getting myself into. I opted for the beef pho (rare beef, rice vermicelli, bean sprouts, cilantro, thai basil, scallions, beef broth, $12) which was so good it’s sinful. Not really knowing what the protocol was, I just dumped in all of the accoutrements, including lots of hot sauce, which added a little more heat to the broth than I was prepared for, but it was still delicious. The beef was sliced really thin and cooked perfectly and the flavors of the soup came together perfectly. I was instantly a fan.

My strategy for most things is "throw everything in there and hope it tastes good."

My strategy for most things is “throw everything in there and hope it tastes good.”

When Naomi came to visit, we were excited that CO had a vegan menu for her to choose from. We started out with a couple of fancy cocktails, which were delicious. Naomi really enjoyed her asian pear cider (spiced rum, schnapps, asian pear, cinnamon, $9) and I thought the spiced mandarin caipirinha (cachaca, grand marnier, muddled mandarin & lime, star anise simple syrup, cinnamon, nutmeg, $9.5) was pretty unique and awesome as well.

Look at that smile!

Look at that smile!

and then ordered some Tofu buns (crispy tofu, pickled cucumber and carrots, cilantro, $6) which were really good (although not as good as the pork belly. But as a carnivore, I might be biased). My only complaint is that without the hoisin sauce, they were a little dry.

Tofu and I have an uneasy truce.

Tofu and I have an uneasy truce.

I was trying to branch out and try something other than my usual pho, so I deferred to the waitress who recommended the hanoi noodles (spicy yellow curry, onion, carrots, zucchini, rice noodles, shrimp, shanghai sausage, $14). I really liked it, although the flavors started getting a little overwhelming towards the end. The shanghai sausage wasn’t my favorite, but the shrimp was perfectly cooked and really delicious. Also it’s asian food, so there’s a lot of grease.

Still delicious, though!

Still delicious, though!

Naomi was really sad that the green curry was not vegan for some reason (and they never responded to my tweet asking them why), so she ended up ordering the vegan yakisoba (rice noodles, tofu,  cabbage, carrots, onion, zucchini, garlic, sweet mirin soy sauce, $14) instead. She absolutely loved it and was basically licking the bowl by the end. I really liked how well they cooked the tofu, which is high praise coming from me.

Gotta love a restaurant that gives you plenty of cilantro with every dish.

Gotta love a restaurant that gives you plenty of cilantro with every dish.

Next time I go, I really want to try the curry laksa (shrimp, shredded chicken, bun rice noodles, shredded cucumber, thai basil, baby bok choy, spicy coconut broth) and the mapo doufo (ground pork, tofu, edamame, carrots, black bean garlic sauce), which both sound delicious. If you haven’t been, I highly recommend you check it out, especially their new $4 happy hour special weekdays from 4-7.

Plus the space is just so sexy!

Plus the space is just so sexy!

CO
340 King St
Charleston, SC 29401
(843) 720-3631
Co Menu, Reviews, Photos, Location and Info - Zomato

Charleston, SC Restaurant Reviews

Verde

June 7, 2013

Ok, so I’ve been pretty busy the past couple of weeks, traveling around the Southeastern US, so I haven’t really had a lot of time to go out and eat at any of the places on my Charleston Restaurant wishlist. I’ve mostly been cooking at home and eating at all of my usual haunts. One place that I frequent at least once a week, is Verde. Verde takes up the space where Bruegger’s Bagels used to be, and is basically a giant salad bar. Now, historically I’ve been very anti-salad–I think people only order salads when they either A. don’t like the taste of real food, or B. are on a diet–but I actually really like Verde.

Lookin' at you, Lauren.

Lookin’ at you, Lauren.

First of all, the space is really nice. It’s very clean and open, with a white and lime green color scheme which make you think of freshness, health, cleanliness, and nature. You start by ordering at the counter. You can choose to either build your own salad / wrap, or choose from one of the “Signature Creations.” The first thing you notice when you step up to the counter is the wall of lettuce. At least, that’s what I notice. Maybe you notice the 50 some-odd toppings and dressings you have to choose from. Either way.

Behold, the wall of lettuce.

Behold, the wall of lettuce.

Back to the toppings: Seriously. They have any kind of salad topping you could want. Unless you want something weird, in which case–move back to Seattle, ya Hippie. Laura always chooses to build her own salad, which is never the same twice. You get 4 ingredients included in your salad (while proteins and avocado cost extra, and each additional topping after 4 is an extra $0.50). They also give you a piece of bread with every salad / wrap. Here’s a copy of the menu, so you get an idea.

See what I mean about the green and white?

See what I mean about the green and white?

My favorite salad (obsessed is a good word) is the Mesa Verde (romaine, roasted chicken, grape tomatoes, red onion, avocado, black beans, corn, fresh cilantro, and tortilla strips with chipotle lime vinaigrette, finished with a fresh squeeze of lime). I usually don’t get the corn or tortilla strips (because… gross). I absolutely love their chipotle lime vinaigrette, it is so yummy. And the fresh squeeze of lime at the end just makes everything taste fresh and  delicious. I freaking love this salad. I make it at home all the time (but it’s really just easier to let them do it).

I think I like it because it doesn't actually taste like salad.

I think I like it because it doesn’t actually taste like salad.

You also get the option of getting your salad chopped or tossed. If you get it tossed, they basically stir your salad up and then put it in the bowl. I always get it chopped, which is where they take this medieval torture-looking device (like a double-headed pizza cutter), and attack your salad until it’s mincemeat in a bowl. That’s my favorite part. They charge upwards of like $28 bucks to buy one from them, but if you’re trying to chop a salad at home you can just use a single-blade pizza cutter. It literally works exactly the same way (trust me, I’ve tried).

That second blade is pretty redundant, if you ask me.

That second blade is pretty redundant, if you ask me.

Basically, if you’re on King Street and looking for a fast, healthy lunch that tastes as good as it is good for you, I highly recommend you visit Verde. Plus, they have a lot of cool, natural drinks to try, and they offer King of Pops popsicles (which are really good. TRY ONE). Also get their loyalty card–Buy 10 salads / wraps, get your 11th one free (I’m only 3 away!)

I'm kind of craving a salad right now. I feel like I've been body snatched.

I’m kind of craving a salad right now. I feel like I’ve been body snatched.

Verde
347 King Street
Charleston, SC  29401
(843) 579-2884

Verde Menu, Reviews, Photos, Location and Info - Zomato

Charleston, SC Restaurant Reviews

Fire Street Food

March 8, 2013

Dude, I freaking love Fire. I eat here once a week. Sometimes twice. It’s kind of a problem. In fact, I think Blue Ion is single handedly keeping them in business (anytime you want to start giving us that discount, would be great!). In fact, I’m using all of my self control to not walk the twenty feet across the street to go get some curry right now. Seriously, I’m addicted. Although I do occasionally miss Tacone, I’m so glad it replaced that weird “Burger Babies” place that I never actually tried because the name freaked me out.

Basically what I pictured every time I heard "Burger Babies." ...gross

Basically what I pictured every time I heard “Burger Babies.” …gross

First of all, while I’ve never actually ordered the pad thai, I’ve mooched enough off of other people to know that it’s good. It’s not necessarily the best pad thai I’ve ever had, but it’s tasty and flavorful and when you’re craving pad thai, this will definitely do the trick.

I'm glad I have friends who put up with me taking pictures of their food all the time.

I’m glad I have friends who put up with me taking pictures of their food all the time.

My favorite thing at Fire is the curry. Specifically the Red curry. It’s my kryptonite. It’s so damn good, there simply aren’t enough words in the English language for me to accurately convey how much I love this stuff. I know everyone in Charleston freaks out over Basil, but I’ll take Fire’s Red Curry over Basil’s EVERY DAY OF THE WEEK. Seriously. I’d eat it 7 days straight. Ben likes the yellow curry best, and the green is good too, but red is definitely my favorite.

OMG. I want this right now. RIGHT NOW.

OMG. I want this right now. RIGHT NOW.

I went there once craving a sandwich, and got their fried fish sandwich with sweet spicy mayo, lettuce, tomatoes, onion, pickles, and avocado. It was delicious. If I wasn’t on a diet, I’d eat that sandwich all the time. It’s very fresh and I love that they have all these great, flavorful veggies on it.

Fish Sandwich

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

They also have burgers, chicken sandwiches, and sushi so it’s the perfect spot to go with friends or a date who’s not into curry (although the space is a bit cramped, so you might consider taking your food to go). Basically, try this place. It’s straight up deloycious.

I'm honestly a little surprised that I'm not in this picture.

I’m honestly a little surprised that I’m not in this picture.

Fire Street Food
293 King St
Charleston, SC 29401
(843) 641-0152
Fire Street Food Menu, Reviews, Photos, Location and Info - Zomato