Low Country Jon's Profile
Top Chef Texas Finale Part 2 - Ep. #17 - 02/29/12 (Spoilers)
I happened to run into Keith tonight at a Southern Foodways Alliance event here in Charleston. We talked a little bit about the show, so I knew he was pulling for Paul in the finale, ha ha! He struck me as a genuinely nice guy, just the way he came across on TV.
Any Great Food Places On the Drive Between Charleston and Raleigh?
I will second Sue's recommendation for McCabe's. It's the best BBQ I've had in SC. Scott's is also very good and very spicy but quite a bit further out of the way.
Husk Experience (Charleston)
I believe they offer the burgers in the dining room for lunch but only at the bar during dinner. I don't really get having bar items that aren't available in the dining room, but I figure it's the restaurant's prerogative if they want to do that. I think Husk's sister restaurant McCrady's has a similar policy or used to at any rate.
My wife and I have been to Husk probably six or seven times, and while there have been a couple of disappointments, there is an excitement about the restaurant's philosophy and cooking that keeps us coming back. Their smoked and fried pig's ear flavored with teriyaki aged in bourbon casks was one of the best things I've tasted this year, hands down.
The response to the request for salt the original poster mentioned is definitely off-putting, but I wonder if there's not more behind this than meets the eye. I read that Husk sources its salt from deposits on an island off the coast of Louisiana via an exclusive arrangement with the Tabasco company which owns the island. All of which is to say they may not be willing to put the precious stuff in shakers for table use. If so, it would probably be a better alternative to make an exception to their "all-southern" rule and just provide ordinary table salt upon request. They could label it "non-southern salt" if it made them feel better! ;-)
I agree that Husk is probably dealing with being over-hyped right now. It's important to remember the restaurant is still not a year old. The couple of disappointments I've had there were not of the magnitude I suffered at FIG not so many years ago before FIG raised its game. The advantage of being a local I guess is you can stick with a place and watch it grow over the long run.
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McCrady's Restaurant
2 Unity Alley, Charleston, SC 29401
Ayden NC, Collard Capital of the World: Collard Shack, Bum’s, and J & I Kitchen
I got to try laing (with taro leaves) when I was in the Philippines in January...once of my favorite dishes on the trip and definitely my favorite vegetarian dish (a rarity in Filipino cuisine). Laing is also, probably, the original basis for the decidely non-vegetarian dish known as Bicol Express.
Reid’s Chicken “Home of Da’ Dip” in Granite Quarry
Glad Reid's was open when you visited! I wonder why the chicken had an off-taste? Old fryer oil or just funky chicken maybe? It's been quite awhile since I had their chicken. I liked it, but it was a little on the spicy side for me.
CBJ heading to Lexington and Edenton . . . and where to eat in between
Wow, that does sound like a dream team! Skylight's BBQ stands out as one of the most distinctive I've ever had, though it's been some 15 years since I tried it. I just went to Scott's a few weeks ago, and I would rank their 'cue among the top two I've tried in SC.
I do share the concern that competition BBQ elevates 'cue as an American institution at the expense of the traditions and regional differences that make the history and foodways of BBQ so compelling. And specifically I think KCBS makes a big mistake not having a whole hog category at most (all?) of their events. Seems like they had an optional whole hog category for awhile, but it looks like maybe that's not so anymore? Let me know if I'm wrong.
CBJ heading to Lexington and Edenton . . . and where to eat in between
How was Reid's, Melanie? I saw your flickr pics.
CBJ heading to Lexington and Edenton . . . and where to eat in between
It's been too many years (decades really) since I've been to Ocracoke for me to make any specific recs, but you may want to keep your eye out for fig preserves while you are there. I read an article in "Our State" magazine a couple of years ago that talked about the very old and very popular tradition of making preserves from the fruit of the local trees in mid-summer when it ripens. Hopefully some of last year's goodness will still be available during your visit.
CBJ heading to Lexington and Edenton . . . and where to eat in between
Melanie, I've yet to have BBQ in the Salisbury area that I considered great. It might be too much of a detour, but I highly recommend the dipped chicken at Keaton's as an alternative. Here's a link to a discussion: http://chowhound.chow.com/topics/549458
Not as famous, Reid's in Granite Quarry also does a good dipped chicken, and they are only a few minutes off the interstate--but you may want to call first as their hours can be irregular. Here is their info: 408 Hwy 52, 408 Salisbury Avenue, Granite Quarry 28072, (704) 209-0905.
BTW, at Lexington BBQ#1, I definitely recommend the course chopped outside brown if you are eating there and a mix of course chopped outside brown and inside white for take-away (pure outside brown may dry out a bit on reheating).
Husk Review - Charleston
Hey, Danna, I remember you were a fan of Sermet's Corner downtown, so I thought I'd mention that Sermet opened up a sister restaurant on Daniel Island called Sermet's Courtyard. We ate there last weekend (first one they were open) and were pretty impressed.
My Husk reservation is for this Saturday. I've been looking forward to it for awhile. If you follow their Facebook page, you know it's unreal how much national press the restaurant received before it even opened. So glad they didn't go with the original name of Sazerac!
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Sermet's Corner
276 King St, Charleston, SC 29401
Salty Avocados
Lately the Hass avocados I've been buying have tasted salty when they've ripened fully. I've been buying them unripe/hard and letting them ripen on the counter. I've never thought of avocados as being particularly salty, so I'm stumped about what's going on here. Do avocados naturally become saltier as they ripen? I've been using them pretty ripe, what most would consider guacamole stage. Any thoughts?
List of things to eat/food experiences to have in South Carolina
I wish I knew a restaurant that served hobotee--any recs, Sue? For that matter, where to find purloo outside of red rice and hoppin' john? It seems like most places I've visited that claim to serve purloo, like Hominy Grill and Glass Onion, are actually serving faux-purloo where all the ingredients are cooked separately from the rice and then served on top of it.
The Low Country has an absolutely amazing collection of historic cookbooks that document the region's foodways for the last two centuries. My biggest gripe about our otherwise great restaurant scene is how few of these wonderful old recipes ever see the light of day.
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Hominy Grill
207 Rutledge Ave, Charleston, SC 29403
Glass Onion
1219 Savannah Hwy, Charleston, SC 29407
Charleston next week -help narrow choices for us and two 20 somethings with girl friends
Danna, the downtown location of Christophe's is at 363 1/2 King Street, which I think makes it Lower King Street by just a hair, a block or so below Calhoun. Here's their web page: http://www.christophechocolatier.com/file/home.html
I think the times listed on their site are wrong. The hours listed on their FB page look a little more accurate, but you might want to call ahead if you go.
Oh, and this is exciting news I just read this morning in the City Paper--Charleston now has a bakery specializing in macarons, called Macaroon Boutique (not sure why they are using the double-o in the name). It's located on John Street near Paolo's. Here's the article:
http://www.charlestoncitypaper.com/charleston/pastries-come-to-those-who-wait-at-macaroon-boutique/Content?oid=2013252
I'm probably going to check this place out on Saturday.
Charleston next week -help narrow choices for us and two 20 somethings with girl friends
Will second Sue's rec for triggerfish and wreckfish (or wreckbass) if you can find it. Nice thing about wreckfish is you always know it's local since the only commercial fishery is off the Charleston bump. Seeing lots of local mahi and flounder right now, too. The bottom fishing ban, though in limbo, seems to be hurting the availability of grouper and possibly snapper (can't remember if snapper is usually running this time of year).
I was at FIG last weekend and was surprised to see soft shell crab still on the menu. My wife and I did the all apps thing--we always seem to enjoy that more than the entrees. Don't miss the green garlic soup if it's still on the menu. It's incredible--think she crab soup but with green garlic and parmesan. The pork trotters are still great, too. Oh, and do not skip dessert--the sticky sorghum pudding and chocolate&caramel tart are two of the best desserts I've had in a while. All the more amazing since FIG doesn't have a dedicated pastry chef.
Hominy Grill has great desserts, too, though much more homey, of course. Their caramel cake, German chocolate cake, and of course buttermilk pie are all outstanding. I think I like HG's desserts more than anything else on their menu. Their savory dishes never quite hit my sweet spot seasoning wise, but I still enjoy them. I should point out their purloo is good, but not an authentic purloo.
My experience with Virginia's is that the food is good, but not great. I do like the breadth of their menu, though. It's also been a couple of years since I went so they may have improved.
BTW, if you are jonesing for chocolate at some point, try some from Christophe's. His main shop (and where he actually makes his decadent creations) is in Mt. Pleasant, but his wife also runs a branch on King Street downtonwn. I've been impressed by everything I've tried. His truffles are phenomenal--I especially love the peach&pecan one.
The oleander have begun blooming, too, I believe. I don't know what else--anything I see blooming that I can't identify, I just call jessamine! =)
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Hominy Grill
207 Rutledge Ave, Charleston, SC 29403
Charleston before the Bridge Run
Re baked goods, you could stop by Saffron on East Bay. I love their almond croissants and their chocolate ones, too. There's also Village Bakery in the Old Village in Mt. Pleasant--they are mostly a dessert place but I think they will have breakfast items if you get there early enough. There are also a couple of chocolatiers in Mt. Pleasant now, but I haven't been to either one yet.
Thinking outside the box, consider swinging by Fuschia Tea Emporium downtown and getting some of their scones to go. If you dine in, they serve them warm with the whole nine yards--Kerry Gold Irish butter, clotted cream, and jam. I'm not sure if you get the same accoutrements with a take-out order, but I've noticed quite a few customers asking for to-go orders to take with them. (BTW, this is the best place for afternoon tea in Charleston now--it does require an advance reservation so they can prepare the pastries.)
If you are feeling really adventurous, you might look into taking a detour off of I-26 on your way home and swining by Brazillian Bakery Pao in Goose Creek. I'm not sure if/when they are open Sunday, so you'd want to call in advance. Full disclosure: the one time I tried to visit in person, they were closed. But I've had lots of their bread and pastries as my in-laws are some of their best customers. In fact, they will sometimes call my father-in-law to let him know when a fresh batch of something delicious is coming out of the oven. I have no idea the names of any of the baked goods I've eaten from there, but they are always intriguing, consistently good, and sometimes even sublime.
Charleston before the Bridge Run
Danna, consider going to Muse downtown. It's pan-Mediterranean, rather than strictly Italian, but has lots of pasta dishes. Their duck and pork belly appetizers are also great if you like dishes with a sweet touch. I also like their "shrimp and grits" (grilled local shrimp with polenta) better than most of the many other versions of SAG I've tried. I've never had a bad meal at Muse, but there are a few caveats: their longtime chef just departed and service can be a tad slow, so not a good place to eat if you are in a hurry. If you've never been to Muse, the atmosphere alone is worth a visit. The bar and dining area sprawl across two floors and several rooms of a charming single house.
http://www.charlestonmuse.com/websites/index.htm
Chiming in on Mustard Seed in Mt. Pleasant. My wife and I have been regular customers over the years, but I do believe their food has slipped a tad over the last year or so. Not sure why.
Good BBQ along 95
Try McCabe's BBQ in Manning, SC. Here's a review I posted of it last year: http://chowhound.chow.com/topics/633646#4826547
French Broad Taqueria -Marshall NC
Any luck finding the French Broad Taqueria truck?
New Charleston Restaurants
Vespa Pizzeria--a woodburning pizza place on Daniel Island with a focus on local ingredients, sort of like EVO but with more non-pizza items. Helmed by a couple of Rue de Jean/Fat Hen/Wild Olive alums. Supposed to open any week.
Basil-the sequel, slated to open up in Mt. Pleasant in early 2010. Somewhere in the Seaside Farms center I think.
BTW, anyone know when the new Bowen's Island buidling is going to be ready?
authentic mexican in charleston?
Pollo Tropical on Dorchester Road serves some of the best grilled chicken I've ever had. Here's a previous thread:
http://chowhound.chow.com/topics/558752
I hope it's still open--I haven't been by in a few months and it never seemed overly busy.
Buddy Roe's Shrimp Shack - Mt. Pleasant, SC
Despite the abundance of great seafood in the Charleston area, there are not nearly enough seafood "shacks" in my opinion, and I use "shack" in the best sense of the word. See Wee, The Wreck, Bowen's Island, and Fishnet Seafood are among the few that come to mind. Therefore, I was pleased to learn of this hidden-in-plain-sight place dedicated almost exclusively to our wonderful local shrimp. Ambience-wise, maybe it's not as much of a shack as the other places I mentioned, as might be suspected of any place that labels itself a "shack," but its food holds its own in my opinion.
Strangely, I learned of this place from a NY Post article that another chowhound linked to a couple of weeks ago. In other respects, the article was a head scratcher--the writer claimed to be seeking out "authentic" Lowcountry cuisine then went on to recommend Vickery's for the view, not the food. Okay... well, the Buddy Roe's tip was a winner at any rate.
Buddy Roe's is located off Ben Sawyer Blvd. at the minature golf course on the left hand side just before you reach the causeway to Sullivan's Island. You can't really see it from the road but they do have a sign out now. Apparently, Buddy Roe's relocated from somewhere else, I gather, but I'm not sure where the old location was.
Buddy Roe's proclaims on their menu their commitment to using only local, SC shrimp. The only other place that I can think of that is this upfront in their commitment to using local shrimp is The Glass Onion. It's nice not to have to ask, "Is the shrimp local?" I wish more places would get on board with this idea. I'm not sure how they will handle off-season demand, perhaps by using frozen local shirmp as The Glass Onion does. Even our frozen shrimp tastes better than fresh Gulf shrimp (with its iodine twang) or imported shrimp in my opinion.
But I digress. The flavored shirmp baskets are the main attraction on the menu--fried shrimp tossed in one of ten different sauces and served with french fries and slaw. You can upgrade your fries to sweet potato fries (very good) or onion rings for a surcharge. Hushpuppies (pretty good) were also extra. And of course, you can order your shrimp sans sauce if you choose.
My wife and I sampled shrimp baskets with the sweet bourbon sauce and the hot bacon sauce. Both were good but the hot bacon was our favorite--tangy, bacony, and just slightly sweet. The shrimp themselves were small-to-medium sized, delicately battered and fried, and about 15 to a basket. Quite good! For someone who is not overly fond of the traditional cocktail and tartar sauces, I really like this idea of choosing from a variety of other sauces. On return visits, I do plan to ask for the sauce on the side in order to preserve the texture of the batter a bit more. Still, all in all, the shrimp held up quite well under the sauce.
I've seen some gripes online about the size and number of shrimp for the price of the basket. Well, as to shrimp size, if you are committed to using local shrimp, there will be variations in size. We're now into brown shrimp season, and they tend to be smaller. I don't mind small shrimp myself as long as they are sweet and tender, and these were. As for price and number, 15 shrimp for $11.99 is no great bargain, and I'd love to see a couple of hushpuppies thrown in at that price, but neither is it out of line with a lot of the seafood joints around town that may not even be using local shrimp. I'm willing to pay that price for great local shrimp, no problem.
In addition to their food, Buddy Roe's seems to be a nice watering hole and music venue with quite a bit of outside seating. We visited on a Sunday afternoon and it was pretty quiet.
Here's a link to their menu: http://lcfl.halfoffdeals.com/promo/restaurant/78262_menu1.jpg
I hope this place gets the support it needs to survive.
Any Steamed Crabs in Charleston?
This is an interesting topic because I think our local blue crab often gets short shrift in comparison to our local shrimp and even our local oysters. Maybe it's because the commercial crabbing industry here is small while recreational crabbing is hugely popular--find a dock or a pier over a creek and you'll likely find a crab trap tied to it. I guess a lot of locals would question the wisdom of paying money at a restaurant for something they can catch for free in their own backyards. As a result, whole blue crab is a bit of a rarity on Charleston menus. You are a lot more likely to see she crab soup than any other form of crab, and whatever crab you find, there's little guarantee that it will be local. I was at an upscale restaurant last night that prides itself on offering local seafood, but when I asked where they got their crab meat from, the waiter reported it was from the Gulf. Go figure.
All this being said, I notice that Charleston Crab House does offer local blue crab "seasonally" on its menu-- I'd call ahead if I were you. If you are interested in buying live blue crabs to cook yourself, Raul's Seafood on Shem Creek sells them, along with plenty of nice local shrimp and whatever fish they are pulling out of the water at the time.
Also, there is this place, Fishnet Seafood. They fry, yes, fry, whole hard-shelled blue crabs minus the top shell. I haven't made it out there yet, but the Charleston City Paper gave them an awesome write-up a couple years ago:
http://www.charlestoncitypaper.com/gyrobase/Content?oid=oid%3A16032
I did call to confirm they are still open, and this thread has put them back on my radar. I hope to visit one of these days soon.
Let us know where you end up!
McCabe's BBQ - Manning, SC
My wife and I took a road trip last Saturday to Manning for the specific purpose of visiting McCabe's. This is probably the farthest we've ever traveled just for BBQ or any other food for that matter. What should have been a 90 minute one-way trip to Manning turned into a two hour one thanks to the wisdom of the Highway Department, who closed down one lane of 26 north of Summerville and backed up traffic for almost 10 miles. The trip back to Charleston was closer to 90 minutes.
True to the rule of thumb that SC BBQ places that bear Scottish names serve V&P BBQ (and those that bear German names serve mustard 'cue), McCabe's dishes out whole hog 'cue with a vinegar and pepper sauce. Though the dining area is small, it is attached to a complex of buildings that includes the pit house, where the pigs are cooked over wood coals.
Unique to the numerous versions of Carolina 'cue that I've sampled, McCabe's pulls their pork in long strands or ropes. With plastic forks the only utensils at hand, I was reduced to sucking up some of the strands spaghetti-style. It takes a little getting used to, but I actually liked this "long-pulled" style of 'cue. The pork itself was moist and subtly smoky, except when hitting pieces of bark or outside brown, where the smoke flavor was much more pronounced. The sauce itself surprised me a little--there was definitely a little sweetener of some kind balancing the vinegar tartness. I actually liked this quite a bit.
Sides on the buffet included excellent fried chicken, hash and rice, perloo (pilau), slaw, sweet potatoes, okra and tomatoes, butter beans, green beans, and hushpuppies. I really liked the perloo, a pork version. The hash was also pretty good--based on appearance, I'm guessing it was an offal hash, but it didn't have an "organy" flavor to it; instead, black pepper seemed to be the most distinct flavor. The hushpuppies were just okay--a little dry and flavorless for my tastes. I like how the range of food at a place like McCabe's very much resembles the spread you get at an eastern NC BBQ joint, with the exception that SC's rice culture substitutes perloo and hash with rice in place of BBQ potatoes and Brunswick stew.
So was the overall experience worth the drive? I'd say it's a definite yes. This is the best V&P 'cue I've had in SC. I don't think I'll make a habit of driving all the way to Manning just for the BBQ, but I can definitely see myself detouring out there if I'm passing by I-95 and have a little time to kill. This is more than I can say for my impression of Sweatman's, which I liked pretty well but sort of saw as a "one and done" deal after my visit.
McCabe's is open Thursday through Saturday only. The Saturday hours are 10 am to 3 pm and I think it's the same for the rest of the days, but calling ahead is never a bad idea.
Special thanks to GrillMaster for this post about how drink orders are handled at McCabe's: http://chowhound.chow.com/topics/513894#4148591 Without it, I probably wouldn't have had a clue where our sweet teas ended up!
Best BBQ near Charleston
Agreed. I'm another born and raised southerner who likes Momma Brown's. From what I understand from various quotes I've read from the owners, they appear to cook whole hogs using an open pit in an off-site location. I think they likely do use gas or possibly a gas/wood combo. There is little to no smoke flavor to their cue but that is not all that unusal for whole hog joints. They do apparently slaughter their own pigs, which is pretty old school. I've never had anything from their buffet that tasted like it was from a can, but I tend to concentrate on the cue, fried chicken, hash, red rice, beans or peas, slaw, hushpuppies, and fried catfish (on catfish night). All those items have been consistently good to excellent.
Now, my favorite BBQ in the immediate Charleston area is probably from the Hickory Hawg on John's Island. It never seems to get much press, probably because they do Lexington (NC) style cue in an area where loyalties seem to be split between V&P (the original Low Country style) and mustard (the style that migrated down the I-26 corridor with the various Bessinger brothers). HH cooks shoulders over all wood and finishes the chopped pork with a great, slightly sweet Western NC sauce (vinegar with tomato). They also have the best ribs I've had in the area.
Paolo's vs. Gelateria Modica
I'm now sorry I didn't go to Modica more often. I will be attending a Spoleto event nearby this weekend, so I will try to drop in and have a pistachio gelato in your honor, Danna! If I hear anything about the owners' future plans, I'll let you know.
Paolo's vs. Gelateria Modica
According to the Charleston Post and Courier, Modica is closing in June:
http://www.postandcourier.com/news/2009/may/28/chew_on_this83919/
Loose tea in Charlotte?
This is sad news. My wife and I have been regulars at Tea Rex for years, and we always make a point of stopping in when we're back in town. I'm glad to know they will continue their online business, but we will miss hanging out with Wayne and Chris at the shop.
Two Chowhounds’ Road Trip (now in SC & NC)
The liver and rice dish was liver hash, one of many variations of hash you will find in SC. Made from every part of the pig (but traditionally what was left over after you smoked a whole hog) and served over rice, hash can range from the disturbing to the sublime. I've never read an adequate explanation of why SC developed hash while NC and GA both have Brunswick stew instead.
Charleston, Sc - staying at Best Western
Yes, those restaurants are all within walking distance of MUSC.
Beaufort, Savannah / Charleston help
I would not recommend Peninsula Grill for a romantic meal. Leaving aside that I'm not the biggest fan of their food (except their desserts), the place is too loud to be very romantic in my opinion. I would suggest instead Circa 1886, McCrady's, or an upstairs booth at Cypress Grill. A little less on the high dollar side, Muse can also be quite atmospheric, and the food there is great as well. At any of these places, if you have a particular request for a seating situation (booth, small room, etc.), it wouldn't hurt to ask when you make a reservation. One of the most memorable and romantic meals I've had in Charleston was at one of the elevated window tables at The Library many years ago. This restaurant has gone through many changes and chefs in the intervening years, but I've recently heard good things about the current chef and menu. It's on my list of places to revisit.
