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Wild Olive

April 5, 2013

So, I’ve mentioned before that Wild Olive is my mom’s favorite restaurant in Charleston (and possibly all of South Carolina), but I’ve never actually taken the time to write it up before. Since I had the pleasure of dining there a couple weeks back, I made sure to take lots of photos to put on this blog. Looking back at the photos, the’yre pretty terrible (low light + cell phone camera = crappy pictures), so I’ll just have to woo you over with my words (and pictures I find on Google). Here’s an interior shot I took before the sun set.

And this is one of the better ones.

I’ve been with my mom a couple of times. She absolutely loves the “marinated warm olives,” so we always end up ordering those.

This picture comes from the Wild Olive website and makes me really wish I liked olives.

I love the “house cured salumi with mozzarella, caponata, chicken liver rustica crostini” appetizer because it is delicious. I know a lot of people see “chicken liver” and get grossed out, but trust me. It is so freaking good. I also love the fresh mozzarella, but let’s face it, I am a sucker for fresh mozzarella. Plus, salami/salumi is delicious, and they give you a bunch of different kinds of salami on a platter, so how can you go wrong with that?

As you can see, I took this from the Wild Olive website. I wish my pictures looked this fly.

I also really love the arancini balls there, or as they’re listed on the menu, “suppli al telefono risotto fritters stuffed with sausage, spinach, parmesan, mozzarella.” So delicious. They’re not big like the ones they make in Boston, but they’re still really yummy. When you bite/cut into them they’re hot, cheesy, and really delicious.

Also, I am always a huge fan of anything deep fried and stuffed with cheese.

The most recent time I went with my new friend Regina, we started with the beef carpaccio (beef carpaccio with parmesan, horseradish aioli, melba toast, arugula, Sicilian sea salt). It’s basically like a beef salami and I really loved it. I think the sea salt and horseradish aioli added a nice element to the dish as a whole. The consistency kind of threw me off a little bit, because it’s very soft. I’m glad they gave me the crostini to balance it out.

As you can see, I took a piece from the middle of the plate before I remembered to take the picture.

We also got the bruschetta which is different than normal bruschetta as it came topped with rapini, purple cape beans, chile flake, garlic, and pecorino sardo. I think they change it out seasonally, because I’ve seen different pictures online. It was kind of weird eating bread with beans on it, but I think I really liked it. They did a really good job of balancing the flavors of each ingredient.

I’ll have an entire salad on my bread, please. Thanks!

I usually try to be adventurous, so I was intrigued by the “squid ink linguine with local shrimp, tomato, garlic, fresh spicy red chile, basil.” However, I’m not crazy about shrimp pasta, but I really wanted to be able to say that I’ve had squid ink pasta before. I asked the waiter how it was and he said “It’s good, but it basically tastes like seafood pasta. If you don’t like fishy tasting food, don’t get it.” So. Instead I was lame and basic and opted for the chicken parmesan. I know, I know. But it’s SO GOOD. It comes with “potato alfredo, marinara, mozzarella, arugula,” and it is SO good.

This picture I grabbed from Charleston Crafted

Last time we went, my mom got the “Grilled Stevenson Place Farms grass-fed steak with smashed fried and truffled Yukon gold potatoes,” but she doesn’t love truffle oil, so instead she replaced the potatoes with an order of potato gnocchi in marinara sauce. As I recall, she loved it.

Even though that steak is the size of her whole head.

Regina and I also got dessert, because apparently she considers herself something of a tiramisu connoisseur. Luckily for me, she was nice enough to share it with me, and let me say. Wow. That tiramisu is damn good.

This picture I grabbed from Urbanspoon.

I’ve always had a really positive experience every time I’ve gone to Wild Olive. From the food, to the ambience, to the service, to the wine, it’s always a good time. It’s definitely worth driving out to John’s Island!

Ok. Time for my lunch break.

Wild Olive
2867 Maybank Highway
John’s Island S.C. 29455
(843) 737-4177

3 Comments

Restaurant Reviews

Pomegranate On Main

June 14, 2012

Our visit to Pomegranate didn’t get off to a great start. When my mom called early that day to increase our reservation from 6 to 7, the hostess got all flustered, like we’d asked her something totally insane, like “Hi, I’m going to need for you to find me a chair made out of pure gold, because my badonkadonk is too high class to be sitting on anything less.” She chastised us over the phone “Ok… uhmmm….. let me see what I can do… I just…. this is really…. uh. It might be a bit of a problem. But. uhhh…… hold on [1 minute of silence] Ok. You have to call us if anything changes, because we were only planning for six of you. So let us know if you get any more or any less, because we might have to switch tables, which can be a problem… so…. just make sure you call us.” I’ve changed the number of people on a reservation a hundred times. I know for a fact that’s something restaurants deal with on a daily basis, so spare me the lecture and just add an extra chair to our table. It’s really not that big of a deal. Especially since the restaurant was half empty the entire time we were there. It’s not like people were fighting over seats. But, I digress.

God, I HATE IT when people actually make me do my job!

Everything was fine when we got there, no issues over seating or numbers, which was good. Tina and I ordered their signature pomegranate martini, which is very, very strong, and very, very sweet. It was good, but it took me the entire meal to finish. We started out with an appetizer trio sampler, because we’re indecisive and hungry so we couldn’t pick just one thing. You can customize your trio based on what appeals to you, so I picked the Mast Khiyar (mixture of freshly diced cucumbers, yogurt, raisins, walnuts and fresh herbs), Borani Spinach (blend of sauteed spinach, onion, yogurt and garlic), and Hummus. Tina was apprehensive about the cucumber thing because it had raisins in it, but it ended up being her favorite of the three. It was almost like tzatziki, and you really couldn’t even tell that there were raisins in it. I think we made good choices (especially since the other options were all eggplant based, and I don’t really do eggplant). The hummus was good, although it didn’t compare to the hummus we had at the Moroccan restaurant in Duluth, which is the best hummus I’ve ever had. The spinach thing tasted a lot like the Palak dishes you find at indian restaurants. The appetizers were served with fresh, hot pita bread, which was delicious, and a tray of mint leaves and fresh feta cheese. All the mint ended up going in our water, because we’re school children who can’t behave ourselves in public.

Ben got all excited to arrange his plate all artistically so I could take a picture of it. It really doesn’t take a lot with him.

For my entree, I ordered a Chinjeh Soltani, which was a combination plate consisting of one Koobideh kabob (blend of ground tenderloin and ground chuck, seasoned and charboiled) and one Chinjeh kabob (cuts of tenderloin, marinated in a saffron yogurt combination, charbroiled). The dishes were all served with a grilled tomato and complementing rice dish. Even though mine was just basic basmati rice, it’s probably the most flavorful rice I’ve ever eaten. You’re supposed to squish up the tomato and mix it in with the rice and then squeeze the lime all over it. So I did that. It was so good. Everything was delicious. The piece of meat that’s cut up in the picture is the Chinjeh, and the long stick is the koobideh. I can’t really say which one I liked better. They were both so, so good.

I mean, who doesn’t love a good stick o’ meat?

Sean and Ben both got the same thing, the Torsh Soltani, which was one Koobideh kabob (blend of ground tenderloin and ground chuck, seasoned and charboiled) and one Torsh kabob (cuts of tenderloin, marinated in a zesty sweet and sour Pomegranate sauce mixed with walnuts, charbroiled). Sean ordered special rice with lentils and golden raisins, which was also really freaking delicious. Ben got the same rice as me, so I’m only going to show a picture of Sean’s, because even though they ordered the same thing, I thought Sean’s meat tasted better (that’s what she said?). Christine decided to be different and order a chicken kabob. It wasn’t that interesting, and neither is she (jk jk! I love you Christinalena!). You can see it in the background of Sean’s picture.

“Special” rice for a “special” little man.

Tina and Jenn got a chicken soltani, which was one chicken kabob (marinated in a lemon saffron sauce, charbroiled) and one barg kabob (tenderloin, marinated in a traditional Persian marinade of onion and saffron, charbroiled). I liked the barg, but I still think the torsh was my favorite. Tina’s came with basmati cranberry rice which was probably my favorite of all the rices I tried. It had that great balance of savory and sweet and tart. It was awesome. The chicken was good, but I don’t think it could even hold a candle to the beef. All of the beef dishes were absolutely outstanding, but the chicken was just kind of…. chicken. I mean, it was good, it just didn’t blow me away like the beef dishes did.

Now I’m getting hungry and can’t think of anything funny to say. Boo.

Dad decided to be unique and get something completely different from everyone else. He opted for the rack of lamb (marinated in a rosemary sauce, charbroiled), and lorded over it like a troll guarding a bridge. He reluctantly shared with us after we berated him enough, and I have to say that the lamb was pretty fantastic. I’m picky when it comes to lamb, because a lot of times lamb can be fatty and tough, but this was tender and lean, and the flavor was really outstanding. His came with the same rice as Sean’s (basmati rice with lentils and golden raisins).

Pictured: Why you shouldn’t get gremlins wet.

We opted out of dessert, mostly because we were all stuffed, but also because they didn’t really sound that great. Even though it’s not the best middle eastern food I’ve ever had, it’s definitely the best middle eastern food in Greenville, so if you’re not afraid of GIANT STICKS OF MEAT, then I highly recommend you check it out.

Order the beef or the lamb with cranberry basmati rice. Also, be damn sure how many people are coming with you before you make a reservation, lest you give the hostess a brain aneurysm.

Pomegranate On Main
618 S.Main St
Greenville, SC 29201
(864) 241-3012

2 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