Charleston City Paper - Dish Dining Guide, Winter 2022 by CharlestonCityPaper

a Charleston City Paper publication

Winter 2022 || F ree

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COMThe FOR FOO T Issu D e

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The Royale at The Royal Tern

Publisher: Andy Brack

editorial Editor: Sam Spence Contributing Editors: Herb Frazier, Chelsea Grinstead, Michael Pham, Michael Smallwood Staff Writer: Skyler Baldwin Web Editor: Samantha Connors Contributors: Stephanie Barna, Susan Cohen, Suzanne Cohen, Katherine Connor, Eric Doksa, Robert Donovan, Kinsey Gidick, Allston McCrady, Robert F. Moss, Melissa Tunstall, Vanessa Wolf, Mary Scott Hardaway

sales Advertising Director: Cris Temples Account Executives: Hollie Anderson Kristin Byars Ashley Frantz Tony Rhone Gregg Van Leuven Sales Assistant: Melissa Veal

design Rūta Smith

‘Tis the season for cold weather, and especially nowadays, that means being hunkered down indoors. Whether at home or bundled-up with friends and family despite that 40-degree-weather Charlestonians aren’t too fond of, food can be what connects us. Fortunately, this edition of Dish, Charleston City Paper’s quarterly dining guide, is about the significance of food and the comfort each bite can bring. Inside, we sat down and chatted with industry professionals Vivian Howard, Carlos Parades and Nico Quintero, who shared personal anecdotes about the one dish that holds a special plate in their hearts, and caught up with Maryam Ghaznavi of Malika Chai Canteen and the anticipated opening of Ma’am

Saab. Don’t worry, our Top 50 restaurants, showcasing the city’s culinary landscape and its game-changing meals, is here too. And what’s a winter edition without a story on the most warming meal of all? Get the scoop on soup and more in this issue of Dish. —Michael Pham

inside (p6)

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Shell Game

Heating Up

Charleston chefs’ go-to warm, comforting dishes

New riffs on soup simmer in Charleston kitchens

Steamed or ice-cold, oysters showcase flavors of the Lowcountry

Rich flavors of Ma’am Saab and Malika keep guests coming back

Nostalgic Bites

Pots of Plenty

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The Dish Top 50 Our top restaurants in Charleston for Fall 2021

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Charleston’s Favorites Tried and true favorites — a special advertising section

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Chasing Rabbits Chef Amethyst Ganaway reminisces about rabbit stew and her childhood

Art Director: Scott Suchy Production Director: Déla O’Callaghan Graphic Designer: Christina Bailey Staff Photographer: Rūta Smith

distribution Circulation Team: Chris Glenn, Robert Hogg, Stephen Jenkins, David Lampley, John Melnick, Tashana Remsburg, Tony Rhone Published by City Paper Publishing, LLC Members: J. Edward Bell • Andrew C. Brack

o n the cover Nico Quintero’s caldo de pollo, photographed by Rūta Smith. Dish is a publication of the Charleston City Paper and is published quarterly by City Paper Publishing, LLC. All content is copyrighted and the property of City Paper Publishing, LLC. Charleston City Paper P.O. Box 21942 Charleston, SC 29413 (843) 577-5304 charlestoncitypaper.com

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Nostalgic bites

Charleston chefs’ go-to warm, comforting dishes By Michael Pham

Maybe you know the feeling, the way one nostalgic bite can put you in a whole new headspace. Or you’ve at least seen 2007’s Ratatouille, when a spoonful of the title dish sends critic Anton Ego back to his carefree youth, reminding him of home.

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That’s the power food can have. It can take people to another time or place — to a place of peace, comfort and warmth. And this power is universal for home cooks, professional chefs and even those who don’t cook. One bite can stir a lot of memory and emotion. Being a home cook myself, there’s always one dish that’s Carlos Parades my go-to when I’m feeling lazy, cooks around down or homesick: Spam, rice Charleston with and over-easy eggs. A simple his Peruvian dish, I know, but it’s what I ate pop-up, Umay most mornings growing up and reminds me of times when I

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didn’t have the responsibilities I do now. For professional cooks, simplicity is key to invoking that homey feel to warm the mind and body. Chef Vivian Howard of Lenoir and Handy & Hot, for example, cooks a simple chicken and rice dish to find comfort. Carlos Parades of Peruvian pop-up Umay makes a Peruvian chicken stew that reminds him of his late mother. And Nico Quintero, former chef at FIG, cooks Colombian chicken soup to remind him and his family of their Colombian roots.

Carlos Parades’ ají de gallina Ají de gallina — Peruvian chicken stew — is a dish that takes Parades back to his youth, reminding him of his late mother’s cooking. It’s not only a delicious meal, but a gentle reminder of time spent with her. “This is one of the dishes she would always make,” said Parades. “So my memory always comes back to this.” According to Parades, the dish is very easy to make, and if you have old bread sitting around your kitchen, it’s the perfect meal to use it in. “It’s a very traditional Peruvian meal, and even if you’re trying to do it in the states, it’s one of the easiest things to do.” All of the ingredients are easily accessible, whether through a local Mexican supermarket for Peruvian peppers or a grocery store to grab a rotisserie chicken and make a simple broth. To make ají de gallina, the old bread is broken down and soaked in chicken broth with the Peruvian peppers, spices and milk to make a sauce, similar to ajoblanco, a cold Spanish soup. For Parades, pecans, hard-boiled eggs, olives and potatoes are added to the stew, then served with a side of rice. Romaine lettuce can

also be added for some freshness and crunch. “This dish will always be in my heart,” Parades added. “Just by thinking about it, I can smell and taste it, and it gets more delicious every time I eat it.” The dish is also one his wife learned to make for him when he comes back from a trip or for Christmas, he said. “She just understands that it warms my heart.”

Vivian Howard’s chicken and rice “It doesn’t sound like much, but it was the comfort food of my youth and is the comfort food of my adult life, too,” Howard told the City Paper. The dish, according to Howard, requires a whole chicken “boiled to death” — falling apart, in other words — to create a broth full of chicken f lavor. Remove the bird from the water, pull the meat off the bone, heavHoward ily season the broth with salt and pepper, then add the meat and rice back into the broth. “It sounds cheesy, but all that chicken fat, broth and pepper smells like home,” she added. It’s a simple meal, but made at least once a week in her home during the cold months of winter. The benefit of it being such a simple recipe, according to Howard, is that there’s plenty of room to add more flavor and depth

to the dish. Her kids, she said, will eat it as is. But for her, she occasionally sautes greens or adds tomatoes or herbs to the dish. “It can be as basic as you want or as exciting as you want.”

Nico Quintero’s caldo de pollo “When I’m feeling homesick, it’s always been chicken soup,” Quintero said. “But it’s not your traditional chicken noodle soup.” It’s a caldo de pollo, a traditional Latin American soup with chicken and vegetables. However, the difference between the traditional chicken noodle soup and Quintero’s Colombian chicken soup is the Latin ingredients. “It’s like your traditional chicken soup that you had growing up, but with a little twist with stuff that I’ve grown up with,” he said. The dish doesn’t call for much. It’s simple, yet creates a smooth blend of different flavors and textures. When he makes the dish at home, Quintero uses a whole chicken to add a bit of fattiness to the broth and adds potatoes and yuca (a root vegetable) for creaminess, cilantro and limes for acidity, plantains — “if you can find good ones” — for sweetness and Inca corn for a bit of saltiness. “That’s what it’s always kind of been,” he added. “When I was sick, my mom made it for me. When it’s cold outside, I’ll make it for my family, and it’s something that they’re kind of adapting to.” With his wife and children born in the states, making the dish at home, for Quintero, not only serves as a reminder of home for him, but also serves as a way to share his culture and heritage with his family. “It’s like an ode to home.”

The smell of chicken fat, broth and pepper reminds chef Vivian Howard of home Rex Miller

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Nico Quintero’s comforting food at home blends traditional American dishes with Colombian flavors he remembers from his childhood

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POTS OF

PLENTY New riffs on soup simmer in Charleston kitchens By Vanessa Wolf

June 2012 issue of Science detailed an unusual find in Jiangxi province, China: 20,000-year-old pottery shards in Xianrendong Cave. This period, known as the Last Glacial Maximum, predates known periods of human agriculture by at least 10 millenia. Nonetheless, scorch marks on the shards clearly indicated the vessels were used for cooking — most likely to prepare soup.

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Kwei Fei’s tingly beef noodle is perfect for a cold night

These early recipes likely involved acorns and other easily gathered plant materials, but today in Charleston we are fortunate to be in the midst of a different sort of soup renaissance. At Brasserie la Banque, recently opened at 1 Broad St., executive chef Jeb Aldrich is serving a contemporary version of classic French onion soup. Dating back to Roman times, onion soups began humbly, as sustenance for

the poor. In the 18th century, the modern version took root in Paris, eventually being introduced at Henri Mouquin’s New York City restaurant in 1861, with the bready, cheesy embellishments we know today. Aldrich’s version springs from that initial iteration, featuring a seasonal apple cider alongside the classic caramelized onions, crostini and, of course, lots and lots of Gruyere cheese. continued on page 10

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Soup from page 8

Courtesy of Brasserie La Banque

Meanwhile, chef Jeffrey Stoneberger is no stranger to brothy fare, dishing out ramen for years with his 2Nixons popup. Stoneberger grew up on the Eastern shore of Delaware and Maryland, where he notes, “The food is ironically very similar to Lowcountry cuisine with a major difference being the temperate climate and the focus more on the protein than the starch, which is more often the backbone here, with respect to rice and grits.” Along the way, his sights turned across the Pacific. “I love the ethos of Japan. I am a white American dude from Delaware. I fell in love with Japan the way most people do: from afar. I think combining my heritage and cultural experience and my past restaurant experience is why and how I cook what I do. I used to cook modernist, over-the-top expensive food but I honestly didn’t relate with most of the clientele. Now I Counterclockwise focus on the moment where from top: Brasserie you sit at your desk at work la Banque serves and you crave our food.” classic French onion; Along with those craveIndaco’s stuffed able ramen dishes featuring cappalletti is bathed everything from smoked in a fine-tuned brodo; pork and pickles, to braised 2 Nixons’ latest is beef and Oaxacan-style a Southern nod to cheese from Mexico, Japanese shio ramen 2Nixons is currently featuring a nod to the South. His chicken-and-dumpling shio ramen references the subtleties of Japanese tradition while including local flavors of chicken, corn, tomatoes and even pork belly. At Indaco on King Street, chef Mark

Andrew Cebulka

Bolchoz is featuring a parmesan brodo cappelletti. Also known as broth or bouillon, Italian brodo is typically made by simmering bones, meat, vegetables or fish in a steaming vat of water. While it can be eaten alone, Bolchoz’s brothy pasta dish gilds the lily with short rib, ricotta and San Marzano tomatoes in a heart- and body-warming fusion. If that’s not enough, the parmesan brodo also offers delightful mouthfuls of stuffed cappelletti. At James Island’s Kwei Fei, an ancient version of chef David Schuttenberg’s tingly beef noodle may have been the kind of dish that appeared in those early earthen bowls. Discovered by Schuttenberg in an old Chinese cookbook, this noodle dish may be what the doctor ordered on a nippy night. “Because it’s winter, it’s perfect,” he said. It features a braised meat, in this case a beef shank, which he noted, “I think a lot of Western palates would be used to braising a chuck or maybe a short rib, but the textural element in the beef shank is exceptional because of the actual body that it gives to the broth.” Braised in a chicken stock base, Schuttenberg takes the braising liquid and adds seasonal vegetables like bok choy, purple daikon, scallions and cilantro, with “a couple nice spoonfuls of our chili crisp.” While the kitchen team has experimented with pulling their own noodles, they rely on those produced locally by Brian Bertolini. “He makes really great noodles,” said Schuttenberg. “He makes what he would probably call a pappardelle, but I have him cut it a little wider.” In the end, this East-meets-West pot roast is spicy, savory and comforting … And only available during the winter months.

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Tempest devised a way to enjoy a steamy oyster roast at your table Photo Courtesy of Tempest

SHELL GAME Steamed or ice-cold, oysters showcase flavors of the Lowcountry By: Elise DeVoe

yster season is serious business in Charleston. Steamy oyster roasts give us a reason to come together and enjoy the bounty of Lowcountry waterways and cold raw oysters top tasting menus across the city. Throwing your own oyster roast or shucking raw oysters at home can be intimidating — or at least messy. Fortunately, Charleston restaurants are glad to do the

work for you, and offer several raw and roasted preparations to enjoy through the cold season. Downtown, Tempest has a unique indoor dining experience that lets you skip the cold and still enjoy the flavors of a classic Lowcountry oyster roast. Out on Johns Island, shuckers on the raw bar at The Royal Tern know there’s nothing that kicks off an elegant meal like raw oysters.

The Roast at Tempest

Tempest’s menu features local, sustainable South Atlantic seafood and diners have the option to enjoy the seasonal selections in either raw or charcoal-roasted variety. According to chef-partner Jamie Lynch, the hot charcoal grill is the backbone of the menu at Tempest. The Top Chef alum said Tempest didn’t want to be the traditional raw bar, so it drew inspiration from

Lowcountry oyster roasts as well as the New England clam bakes and lobster boils Lynch grew up on. “When we were in the concept phase of Tempest, I wondered, ‘How can we do an oyster roast indoors without having an outdoor setup or go off-site to bring this to our guests every night?’” Lynch said. “And what we found was this Mibrasa oven.” The Mibrasa oven is a Spanish cast-iron

charcoal grill encased in an iron box with grill grates. To make the charcoal-roasted menu items, the Mibrasa oven is filled with lump hardwood charcoal that burns until it’s ripping hot. Lynch explained that this technique is advantageous because the seafood takes on subtle flavors from the charcoal, but avoids any harsh smokiness. The menu at Tempest is built around local seafood, featuring oysters from Lowcountry Oysters, clams from Clammer Dave and Miss Paula’s shrimp from Tarvin Seafood. Guests can order these items a la carte or combine them all on a platter. Raw seafood comes served on a bed of ice and roasted items are delivered on hot river rocks. An honorable mention from the grill is Tempest’s whole fish, Lynch said. “Our whole roasted fish could be bee-

liner snapper, flounder, trout — whatever’s coming right off the boat,” he said. “We whole-roast it in the Mibrasa oven with a tahini glaze.”

The Royale at The Royal Tern If you’re celebrating a special occasion or just getting the gang together, there’s nothing like a cold oyster to set the tone for an indulgent meal. At The Royal Tern, the traditional raw bar halfshell offering gets a little help with The Royale. Fitting its name, The Royale features a raw oyster topped with tuna belly marinated in jalapeno ponzu, topped with tobiko (flying fish roe), toasted sesame seeds continued on page 14

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and micro cilantro. Chef de cuisine Kyle Kryske, who handles cutting the fish at the Johns Island seafood restaurant, said the silky tuna belly sometimes gets tossed, but not at The Royal Tern. “It gives the oyster a fatty feel and when you mix it together you get the richness and the fattiness,” he said. “There’s a little crunch from the toasted sesame and tobiko and then an herbaceousness from the micro cilantro.” Executive chef Dave Pell said The Royal Tern serves Beausoleil oysters from New Brunswick, Canada, for The Royale, which are favored for its delicate flavor. “It’s one of my favorite oysters personally. I feel like it’s a really good oyster for getting people started that maybe don’t think they like oysters. It’s really small, not a lot to chew on, kinda salty, but it has a nice flavor to it. We keep it on the menu at all times because it’s always available. They’re also consistent in size and shape and easy to shuck,” said Pell. The Royal Tern raw bar also features a rotating oyster special, like the recent offering served with a unique black garlic pomegranate mignonette.

Tempest serves a variety of oysters on the half shell, served on ice

Photo Courtesy of Tempest

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HEATING UP Rich flavors of Ma’am Saab and Malika keep guests coming back By Michael Pham

Maryam Ghaznavi and husband Raheel Gauba started Ma’am Saab in 2019

aryam Ghaznavi was a school teacher less than two years ago. Today, she’s preparing to open Ma’am Saab, her flagship Pakistani restaurant downtown, while also running Malika, a fast-service restaurant in Mount Pleasant. With husband Raheel Gauba, the couple started Ma’am Saab pop-ups in 2019, hustled food all over Charleston for pandemictimes delivery and then followed that with a residency at the now-closed Workshop food hall. At the start of 2021, it was announced Ma’am Saab would move to a brick-andmortar location, taking over the landmark Jestine’s Kitchen, which closed in June 2020. In the midst of the renovations for Ma’am Saab, Malika opened in Mount Pleasant Towne Center. Fast forward to the new year, and plans for Ma’am Saab’s long-awaited opening are penciled in for the end of March, Ghaznavi told the City Paper. “The goal is to have the building ready, hopefully by the end of January or February, then start hiring and training,” she said. “We’re looking toward the end of quarter one.” Malika is slated to remain open after the opening of Ma’am Saab. The restaurants will have two different dining styles, with Malika’s counter service and Ma’am Saab’s planned restaurant format. As prep for Ma’am Saab continues, Ghaznavi reflects on the colder months and how to approach preparing the Pakistani cuisine she grew up on for Charleston diners during what could be a slow time. “We had only one past winter of Ma’am Saab being [open], and I remember we were told that ‘Winter’s coming and business will go down,’ and we were expecting that,” Ghaznavi said. “We realized that business and sales numbers would change, but there was still a large interest in our cuisine, so we didn’t really see a huge dip during winter and that

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Find Maryam Ghaznavi at Malika in Mount Pleasant until Ma’am Saab opens downtown this Spring. emotional one, too. “If your food can somehow take anybody, from any culture or any region, and take them back to some memory that they had — that right there is comfort,” she said. “It’s a memory and everything related to it.” As a chef, she wants to introduce dishes from her youth to recreate that feeling of nostalgia, but as a business owner, there’s a risk that a dish won’t sell. To combat that, Malika’s occasional specials help “bring in a flavor and get [customers] comfortable.” “Quite a few things we’ve done as specials, people have come back and asked for. They say, ‘When are you doing that again?’” she said. “So slowly, we are kind of building those comfort dishes for people.” But some guests can’t quite put a finger on why Ghaznavi’s dishes are different, she said. “Other times, when people come in, they say, ‘I don’t know what that was, but it felt like somebody’s grandma made it.’ And that right there means they have some connection.”

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really confirmed how I feel about my cuisine – that it is comforting … It is satisfying.” “With the cold temperature outside, there’s a need for coziness and comfort,” she added. “You just want to go home and drink tea or coffee and wrap up in a blanket, and I think people sort of gravitate toward food that fulfills those same senses.” Pakistani dishes like the curries found in butter chicken or tikka masala, there’s plenty of spice and heat to stimulate those senses. Ghaznavi estimates “almost 99%” of her food is always hot — no shortage of satisfaction as you tuck into plates of chicken biryani. “Most of my cuisine is warm and comfort-friendly,” she said. “We saw a rise of interest in butter chicken, for example, because it is very homey and comforting. Like for me, if I’m looking for something different in the winter time, I’ll get a bowl of pho – that hot, nice broth with chicken. It’s the same with our butter chicken.” But food can be more than just a physical experience, according to Ghaznavi. It’s an

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Jonathan Boncek file photo

Xiao Bao Biscuit’s Okonomiyaki: A Japanese pancake that’s a unique sweet and savory experience

Our go-to restaurants for everything from decadent to down-home fare It’s not easy to pick the 50 best restaurants in town. When nearly a dozen new places open every six months, we’re constantly weighing which are most deserving of this list. But ultimately it comes down to the same criteria, whether we’re going for upscale or more affordable fare. From a sumptuous steak in a four-star dining room to a fancy hot dog down the street, we want to see the cook’s dedication to putting something delicious on the plate. We’re looking for authenticity, quality and care. When someone comes to us asking for a recommendation, these are the places we don’t hesitate to send them. We’ve organized the restaurants in alphabetical order.

167 Raw SEAFOOD

Moderate Downtown. 193 King St. (843) 579-4997 167raw.com Serving Lunch, Dinner (Mon.-Sat.)

Surrounded by high-end boutiques, swanky inns, antique stores and art galleries, 167 Raw’s new King Street home sits along a quiet stretch of storefronts. But fear not, they’re still boasting the same lineup of New England bivalves and lobstah rolls that were much-lauded at their original (teeny) East Bay spot. The first floor of the ever-socharming 19th century building is long and narrow, with original brick walls and a new walnut bar. Bar vet Teddy Nixon is behind the long bar, shaking up the good stuff, while owners Jesse Sandole and HarrisonPanes, donning matching aqua hues, greet regulars at the door. Even with four times (at least) as much seating as their original space, 167 Raw gets packed. Arrive early to tuck into your 10-hour carnita taco and tuna burger. —Mary Scott Hardaway

Babas on Cannon EUROPEAN

Babas on Cannon is one of those places that truly does everything well, even more impressive when you glance at its expansive daily menu. There’s strong espresso, baked goods, avocado toast, salads and sandwiches during the day followed by small bites and aperitifs later at night. Nearly everything is house-made — from peanut milk to banana bread topped with flakey sea salt — and the

ingredients are always local. Want to get in and out quickly? Babas has its own app for easy online ordering. If you’re staying awhile, you’ll find it to be the type of place where the employees want to know your name and remember your order. Babas’ ability to maintain that comfortable neighborhood vibe while keeping customers’ safety front of mind is truly a work of art. With a welcoming space and the food to match, Babas on Cannon delivers on its promise to mimic an old world European cafe. —Parker Milner

Bacco ITALIAN

Moderate Mount Pleasant. 976 Houston Northcutt Blvd. (843) 884-6969 baccocharleston.com Serving Lunch (Tues.-Fri.), Dinner (Tues.–Sat.)

For more than a dozen years, Mount Pleasant’s Bacco has successfully pulled off the idea of that fabled “neighborhood Italian place” you hear about in other cities: small, friendly service with straightforward Southern Italian food that creates regulars out of customers. Start your meal with the fire-roasted olives, warm multivarietal and multi-textured olives straight out of the wood burning oven. The Italian focused cocktail menu is no slouch with a barrel-aged negroni and the Ficcho Bello, a fizzy drink with fig infused vodka with rosemary and cherry bitters. The primi course is where chef Michael Scognamiglio shines. The gnocchi bolognese are little airy pillows tossed in meaty bolognese and the Pappardelle al Telefono is house-made pasta in a bed of tomato basil sauce and mozarella. If you’ve made it this far the secondi course serves dishes like beefy tomato and red wine braised meatballs with polenta, an Italian take on chicken cordon bleu and sausage and peppers that would make your Nona proud. —Robert Donovan

Basic Kitchen CAFE

Moderate Downtown. 82 Wentworth St. (843) 789-4568 basickitchen.com Serving Lunch, Dinner (Mon.-Sat.), Weekend Brunch

In a city filled with hearty Southern cuisine, sometimes it’s tricky to find a flavorful, light meal. Not so at Basic Kitchen — according to co-owner Ben Towill that has been exact continued on page 20

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Moderate Downtown. 11 Cannon St. (843) 284-6260 babasoncannon.com Serving Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner (Tues.-Sun.)

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Top 50 Top 50 from page 19

ly the goal since opening the restaurant with his wife Kate in 2017. “We want to provide massive flavor and a meal that’s hearty but still feels light.” Since taking over as Basic Kitchen executive chef in July 2019, Robin Hollis has homed in on this mission by creating more wholesome dishes that highlight vegetables from local purveyors. BK’s lunch menu is divided into small plates, bowls, salads, sandwiches and sweets. As for dinner selections, Towill says, “We wanted to narrow our focus by adding more classical entrees, and Nathan Wentworth has enhanced our wine program by making it all natural, biodynamic wines.” —Parker Milner

Bertha’s Kitchen SOUL FOOD

Inexpensive Downtown. 2332 Meeting Street Road. (843) 554-6519 Serving Lunch, Dinner (Mon.-Fri.)

Head up Meeting Street until you see a twostory robin’s egg blue building with purple trim and a line stretching out the door. The Southern soul food platters here are so tasty, generous and inexpensive, that the line starts forming well before they open for lunch. Businessmen, laborers and far-flung tourists alike shuffle through the quick cafeteria-style service counter loaded with a smorgasbord of meat and threes, such as fried pork chops, fish specials, yams, stewed greens, home-style mac-and-cheese, limas nestled with smoked turkey necks, dark roux okra soup, moist cornbread and fried chicken better than anyone’s Grandma ever made. —Allston McCrady

Bistronomy by Nico FRENCH

Expensive Downtown. 64 Spring St. (843) 410-6221 bistronomybynico.com Serving Dinner (daily), Weekend Brunch

E as tB

ay Deli. c o m

One month after getting the keys to 64 Spring St., Bistronomy by Nico co-owners Nico Romo and Dominique Chantepie opened the French bistro after revamping the space previously occupied by Josephine Wine Bar. Since opening in November 2020, Bistronomy has served playful plates like escargot rice dumplings, goat cheese spring rolls and lobster with candied ginger in a setting reminiscent of a Parisian bistro. The cuisine mirrors the vibrant atmosphere and draws on celebrated dishes from Romo’s 10 years at Fish, which closed in 2017 after 17 years on King Street. Romo calls Bistronomy’s menu approachable French cuisine with an Asian fusion twist. “There were a lot of dishes and food I was doing like the duck steam bun that I had,” Romo told the Charleston City Paper. “I had a big

following then for that food, which I do not do at NICO, which is more flat classic French with an oyster bar.” Look for those duck steamed buns, tuna tartare with shrimp “chips” and a tomato and pankofried mozzarella salad in the small plates section, while the entrees consist of plates like truffle chicken, cassoulet and scallops with coconut rice, all under $30. —Parker Milner

Bowens Island Restaurant SEAFOOD

Moderate James Island. 1870 Bowens Island Road. (843) 795-2757 bowensisland.com Serving Dinner (Tues.-Sat.)

Don’t expect white tablecloth and maitre’d service at Bowens Island. It’s famously no frills, but it’s worth it. The nightly crowds are a testament to the family fish camp. Since its founding in 1946 it’s grown from a grimy, albeit quaint, cinderblock outpost to a pluff-mud pantheon that offers up damn good fried seafood, hushpuppies and cold local beer in its upstairs dining room. Follow your nose downstairs and elbow-out yourself a space at the all-you-can-eat oyster tables and slurp down tasty local oysters by the shovelful that were likely pulled off the marsh that day. Oyster season or not, we have a hard time passing up the Frogmore Stew, a pot full of potatoes, sausage, corn on the cob and shrimp steamed together as God intended it. —Sam Spence

Butcher & Bee MEDITERRANEAN

Moderate Downtown. 1085 Morrison Drive. (843) 619-0202 butcherandbee.com Serving Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner (daily), Weekend Brunch

Going on four years since it moved to a bright, sunny building on Morrison Drive, Butcher & Bee is an elevated restaurant that belies its hipster hangout roots in its old dark, tiny space on Upper King Street. B&B’s menu features a large range of dishes with everything from falafel to decadent burgers to carefully crafted fresh seafood and veggie-forward dishes. An excellent feature present on the menu for brunch, lunch and dinner is B&B’s mezze selection, a collection of small plates with a Middle Eastern and Mediterranean influence. It’s safe to say that pretty much anything you order from here will be incredibly creative. —Suzanne Cohen

continued on page 22

ESCAPE THE EVERYDAY. On the open-air patio, the space comes alive in the evenings with handcrafted cocktails, live music, and late-night bites prepared over open-fire. Mon + Wed .......................... 5-10:30pm Thurs ...........................5 p.m. – 12 a.m. Fri + Sat ........................5 p.m. – 2 a.m. Sunday Brunch......... 11 a.m. – 3 p.m. sunday dinner .............5 – 10:30 p.m.

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charlestoncitypaper.com/dish || 21

JOIN OUR WINE CLUB ASK ABOUT OUR MONTHLY TASTINGS

22 || DISH || Winter 2022

Top 50 Chez Nous

Top 50 from page 20

FRENCH

Charleston Grill MODERN AMERICAN

Very Expensive Downtown. 224 King St. (843) 577-4522 charlestongrill.com Serving Dinner (daily)

Amid ever-shifting culinary fashions, Charleston Grill has remained one of the city’s crown jewels by delivering a consistently flawless dining experience. Executive chef Michelle Weaver’s dishes can be decadently lush, like her beef tenderloin with bourguignon sauce or seared foie gras, spiked with pineapple rum and cashewcoconut granola. The dishes are balanced, ingredient-centric creations, like a delicate charred octopus tossed with chorizo croquettes, served with smooth adobo aioli, while contemporary spins on Southern cuisine are bold and satisfying. The best way to experience the full sweep of the cuisine is to pick out items from each section of Weaver’s menu and sit back to enjoy the house jazz band tucked in the corner. — Robert F. Moss

Expensive Downtown. 6 Payne Court. (843) 579-3060 cheznouschs.com Serving Lunch, Dinner (Tues.-Sun.), Sun. Brunch

Most mornings before lunch, the Chez Nous Instagram feed (@cheznouscharleston) features a picture of the day’s menu, handwritten in black ink on a small white card in executive chef Jill Mathias’ eccentric and highly stylized script. Next comes a separate picture of each and every dish being served that day, taken from above in flawless light. Admittedly, it’s only seven pictures total, since Chez Nous serves just two starters, two entrees and two desserts, and the selection changes daily. The setting is charmingly old and the cuisine Europeaninspired, but it’s hardly a throwback to an older mode of dining. Chez Nous stands alone just as it is, an eccentric outlier. With such a dynamic menu, any review of Chez Nous is by necessity a fleeting snapshot. On my last visit each of the courses balanced a dark, heavier dish with a brighter fish-based option, and each was splendid, though in very different ways. —Robert F. Moss continued on page 24

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Top 50 Top 50 from page 22

Chubby Fish SEAFOOD

Expensive Downtown. 252 Coming St. (843) 222-3949 Serving Dinner (Tues.-Sat.)

Executive chef James London serves a hyper-local, daily changing menu at this vibrant Coming Street restaurant. And while the fish selection may vary, London is known for a few signature preparations. Expect raw oysters, crudos and likely one small plate that incorporates caviar, along with heartier options like king mackerel curry, crab tagliatelle and lamb ribs. We recommend ordering several dishes and sharing with the group before finishing off with sweets from Life Raft Treats’ Cynthia Wong, who supplies Chubby Fish with dessert. Chubby Fish doesn’t take reservations, but it’s well worth the wait for one of 30 or so seats inside the restaurant that prides itself on turning under utilized types of fish into dishes you’ll crave for weeks. —Parker Milner

Coda del Pesce ITALIAN/SEAFOOD

Expensive Isle of Palms. 1130 Ocean Blvd. (843) 242-8570 codadelpesce.com Serving Dinner (Mon.-Sat.)

With Coda del Pesce, chef/owner Ken Vedrinski of longtime downtown mainstay Trattoria Lucca headed out to Isle of Palms to create a beachside Italian seafood restaurant. The beautiful second-story dining room has brick walls, reclaimed wood floors and, in a rarity for the Lowcountry, floor-to-ceiling windows offering a lovely view of the Atlantic. It’s an ideal setting for Vedrinski’s signature high-end Italian fare, which offers plenty of bright flavors and unexpected twists. Masterful pasta anchors the primi selection, which includes ricotta gnudi tossed with house-made duck Italian sausage in tomato sugo. The secondi highlights fresh fish like swordfish and there’s a little heavier fare, too, like naturally raised veal “marsala.” Pair any of these with an Italian wine from the impressive list, and you’ll have one splendid fish tale to share with friends. —Robert F. Moss continued on page 26

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Wishing all of you a happy, safe, and healthy 2022.

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locations

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charlestoncitypaper.com/dish || 25

Oyster roasts Wednesdays | 6pm

26 || DISH || Winter 2022

Top 50 Top 50 from page 24

Daps Breakfast & Imbibe BREAKFAST/BRUNCH

Inexpensive Downtown. 280 Ashley Ave. (843) 718-1098 Serving Breakfast, Brunch (Thurs.-Tues.) dapsbreakfast.com

Breakfast fanatics have found a home at Daps Breakfast & Imbibe, where owners Nick Dowling and Jeremiah Schenzel serve sandwiches, daily specials and whimsical plates like Fruity Pebble pancakes or Cinnamon Toast Crunch sticky buns. But don’t be fooled by the duo’s unorthodox take on the morning meal — each composed plate has a local touch, whether its pork from Holy City Hogs or eggs from Fili-West Farms. The fun-loving atmosphere is the perfect summertime escape, as patrons sip Daps’ canned mimosas on the patio while sinking into the sorghum mayo-topped chickpea sandwich, patty melt or spicy West Coast-style breakfast burrito. —Parker Milner

Dave’s Carry-Out SOUL FOOD/SEAFOOD

Inexpensive Downtown. 42-C Morris St. (843) 577-7943 Serving Lunch, Dinner (Tues.-Sat.)

This soul food joint offers a true taste of

Charleston. For under $10 you can get a takeout box filled to the brim with the best of Lowcountry cooking like pork chops, crispy chicken wings and finger-lickin’ ribs. The selection of sides is small but tasty — try the lima beans, thick steak fries, or rice. The lunch specials change daily, but your best bet is to go with a seafood platter — they range from $10 for a generous portion of shrimp to $20 for shrimp, fish, scallops and devil crab. If you want a true local experience, opt for the lima beans and rice. It’s meaty and filling. A few tables allow customers to dine in, but most folks get their Dave’s to-go, whether for lunch or a greasy late-night snack. —Melissa Tunstall

poached lobster is tossed with orbs of tangy Asian pear, ground peanuts and green Thai basil leaves, while a deconstructed chowder delivers tender clams, mussels, shrimp and a flawless peach-hued scallop within a pool of creamy, savory broth. Each dish is finished with precise visual style that befits the picture-perfect setting. Grab a seat out on the second floor piazza, order a glass of chilled red wine and dive in. —Robert F. Moss

Delaney Oyster House

This hip gastropub has a laid-back vibe. There are communal tables, as well as a chef ’s counter and an expansive outdoor patio. Chef Bob Cook’s menu highlights include the house-made charcuterie and cheese plates, plus upscale bar food like fried tripe, hanger steak, or crispy chicken with green curry sauce. The drink menu is every bit as compelling, rife with small batch cocktails, meads and a host of inventive beers brewed on-site. And happy hour in The Bower when the weather’s nice, well, the price and vibes cannot be beat. —Vanessa Wolf

SEAFOOD

Moderate Downtown. 115 Calhoun St. (843) 594-0099. delaneyoysterhouse.com Serving Lunch, Dinner (daily)

The Neighborhood Dining Group — owners of Husk — have converted an old single house on Calhoun Street into a stunner of a seafood restaurant. The raw bar offerings range from local oysters and clams to hackleback caviar, and executive chef Shamil Velazquez’s inventive small plates are stylish and intensely flavored. Menus have featured rich kombu-

Edmund’s Oast MODERN AMERICAN

Expensive Downtown. 1081 Morrison Drive. (843) 727-1145 edmundsoast.com Serving Dinner (Mon.-Sat.), Sun. Brunch

Estadio TAPAS

Moderate Downtown. 122 Spring St estadio-chs.com Serving Dinner (Tues.-Sat.)

Estadio, which opened on Spring Street in October 2019, is technically the second outpost of a successful Washington, D.C., Spanish-style bar and tapas restaurant. The decor and the deep sherry and gin selection echo the D.C. original, but executive chef Alex Lira’s impressive menu is unique to Charleston. The pintxos and tapas — grilled shrimp on skewers, crisp patatas bravas, tuna-topped “seven minute” eggs — offer beguiling little bites. Fresh local shellfish and savory sofrito- and saffron-laced rice — especially the crispy bits charred to the edges of the flat metal cooking pan — transform the seafood paella into an unforgettable treat. With a slate of sherry cocktails, “gin tonics” made with rare Spanish brands and porróns of wine, Estadio brings a brilliant taste of Spain to the heart of downtown Charleston. —Robert F. Moss

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Our go-to restaurant list

EVO

Fiery Ron’s Home Team BBQ

PIZZA

BARBECUE

Inexpensive North Charleston. 1075 E. Montague Ave. (843) 225-1796 evopizza.com Serving Lunch, Dinner (daily)

At EVO, the use of fresh, local ingredients is key, and they’ve been keeping it local from the very beginning, back when they were a mobile wood-fired oven serving pizza at the farmers market in Marion Square. Large chalkboards decorate the walls, listing local ingredients from various farms, along with daily specials, ranging from house-made sausages to duck crostini. But we’re partial to the pizza. The crust is thin and slightly charred, and the mozzarella is made fresh and pulled in-house twice a day. The pistachio pesto pie was named one of the best pizzas in the country by Food Network Magazine, and the sinful Pork Trifecta keeps customers coming back. Check out the beer list for what’s on tap, and you’ll find plenty of local brews to keep your inner beer snob happy. —Kinsey Gidick

Moderate West Ashley. 1205 Ashley River Road. (843) 225-7427 Downtown. 126 Williman St. (843) 225-7427 Sullivan’s Island. 2209 Middle St. (843) 225-7427 hometeambbq.com Serving Lunch, Dinner (daily), Weekend Brunch

With three Charleston locations plus one up in Columbia and another way out in Aspen, Colorado, pitmaster/chefs Aaron Siegel and Taylor Garrigan have built an acclaimed barbecue empire. Whether you’re at the West Ashley original or at the newer outposts on Sullivan’s Island or downtown, the barbecue offering is anchored by pulled pork, smoked chicken, ribs and a superb salt-and-pepper brisket, all cooked over wood on offset metal pits. Siegel’s and Garrigan’s fine-dining roots show in an array of creative snacks and tacos, like chopped brisket sliders on brioche buns and smoked shrimp tacos with white bean puree. There’s always a cheffy special or two, like pulled pork empanadas or a pit-smoked pork chop with purple cabbage and apple, and don’t miss out on Home Team’s smoked chicken wings with tangy white Alabamastyle sauce. —Robert F. Moss continued on page 28

Rūta Smith file photo

The lobster tail at Nico Romo’s Bistronomy

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28 || DISH || Winter 2022

Top 50 Top 50 from page 27

FIG MODERN AMERICAN

Very Expensive Downtown. 232 Meeting St. (843) 805-5900 eatatfig.com Serving Dinner (Mon.-Sat.)

In 2003, chef Mike Lata set out to prove that ‘food is good.’ After blazing a trail for the robust local farm-to-table restaurant scene, FIG still stands out, winning awards and creating devotees year after year. Although snagging a reservation can be a challenge, the seasonally inspired cuisine and impeccable service are worth the effort. Change is a constant, but stalwart menu standbys like the fish stew provencal and pillowy ricotta gnocchi alla Bolognese never fail to satisfy. Be sure to check out the wine offerings, as — along with two nods for Best Chef Southeast — FIG is also a national James Beard award-winner for Outstanding Wine Program. —Vanessa Wolf

The Glass Onion NEW SOUTHERN

Moderate West Ashley. 1219 Savannah Hwy. (843) 225-1717 ilovetheglassonion.com Serving Lunch, Dinner (Mon.-Sat.), Sat. Brunch

Since 2008, the Glass Onion has exemplified the “neighborhood favorite” category — a restaurant less formal and ambitious than a fine dining spot but still delivering seriously delicious meals. The offering blends the home cooking of chef/owner Chris Stewart’s native Alabama with dishes and styles he absorbed while working in fine dining kitchens first in New Orleans and then in Charleston. That means hearty, savory gumbo brimming with okra and sausage, Cajun boudin balls with Creole mustard and crisp okra beignets served with spicy red remoulade. Pristine local seafood makes for fresh, satisfying plates, like pan-roasted f lounder served over tender braised beans and thick mashed potatoes. A few more adventurous entrees, like a beguilingly dark rabbit ragout with ricotta gnocchi, pop up with regularity alongside hearty Southern classics like shrimp and grits and fried catfish with red rice. It’s a surefire formula for a satisfying meal. —Robert F. Moss

The Grocery MODERN AMERICAN

Expensive Downtown. 4 Cannon St. (843) 302-8825 thegrocerycharleston.com Serving Dinner (Tues.-Sun.), Sun. Brunch

Occupying a space that is at once industrial and inviting, chef/owner Kevin Johnson’s menus are seasonally inspired and passionately local. Utilizing a mix of fresh farmed, fished and foraged ingredients, The Grocery

exemplifies farm-to-table dining. The Southern/Mediterranean offerings have included such highlights as fried oysters with deviled egg sauce and bread and butter pickles. Year-round standbys include the generous portions of Lowcountry seafood pilau and the changing varieties of roasted whole fish, cooked in the restaurant’s massive wood-burning oven. Along with a celebrated Sunday brunch, The Grocery’s innovative cocktail program features standouts like the dirty green tomato, a martini made with pickled green tomato juice. —Vanessa Wolf

Husk Restaurant NEW SOUTHERN

Expensive Downtown. 76 Queen St. (843) 577-2500 huskrestaurant.com Serving Brunch (Sat.-Sun.), Dinner (daily),

Husk has outposts in Nashville, Greenville and Savannah, but this location — housed in a white mansion on Queen Street — is the original. Here, executive chef Travis Grimes carries out the vision of innovative, modern farm-to-table perfection. The kitchen creates such must-try marvels with a frequently changing menu like Southern fried chicken skins, ‘Kentuckyaki’ pigs ear lettuce wraps, or the hulking Carolina heritage pork chop, while dessert offerings include such innovations as the savory-sweet cornbread pudding. There’s a welcoming, rustic atmosphere indoors, but if weather permits, sit out on the upstairs porch and enjoy what is, without hesitation, Southern food at its best. —Vanessa Wolf

Jackrabbit Filly CHINESE

Moderate North Charleston. 4628 Spruill Ave. (843) 4600037 jackrabbitfilly.com Serving Lunch, Dinner (Wed.-Sat.), Sun. Brunch

The menu at Jackrabbit Filly — Shuai and Corrie Wang’s brick-and-mortar jump from their popular Short Grain food truck — takes quintessential Asian fare, and adds some vamp. The pork and cabbage dumplings are where Yangtze meets Ganges, with a rich mix of pork, cabbage, ginger and coriander encased inside the perfectly cooked pasta wrapper. Topped with a pungent chinkiang vinegar and Lao Gan Ma chili crisp sauce, the first bite is like suddenly finding something you hadn’t even realized was missing. Short Grain’s beloved karaage endures — the meat is juicy, the coating crunchy, and the drizzle of lemon mayo and ponzu, along with some togarashi-induced heat, should be presented with the following disclaimer: “The karaage is a small structure made of chick continued on page 30

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30 || DISH || Winter 2022

for OPEN ERVICE S FULLG and N I N I D UT TAKEO soulful

food

Top 50 Top 50 from page 28

en. It is delicious, and you are not ready for it.” While no World Famous Jackrabbit Filly twist contest exists (yet), a similar, multi-tiered, two-foot tall trophy sounds about right. Grab some friends, share the love and share it hard. —Vanessa Wolf

Kwei Fei CHINESE

Moderate James Island. 1977 Maybank Hwy. kweifei.com Serving Dinner (Tues.-Sat.)

Mon-Thu11am-8pm • Fri & Sat 11am-9pm 1219 Savannah Hwy • ILoveTheGlassOnion.com

Set next door to Charleston Pour House in the space previously occupied by The Lot, Kwei Fei’s interior looks the same-ish, except now the chairs are yellow and you’ll find some Asian knick knacks scattered about. But the updates are the only understated thing about Kwei Fei. Pretty much nothing else — from the food to the music to the chef himself — can be described as subtle. Kwei Fei’s menu is an equally wild ride, offering an array of appetizers, entrees and veggie-based sides sorted into blocks labeled “Loud,” “Hot” and “Vibes.” The crescent dumplings are an outstanding way to give your tastebuds a crash course in the events to come. Made with

ground pork and redolent Sichuan pepper, the five plump dumplings are served in a soy-based, vinegary sauce and topped with fresh cilantro and chives. Hot, sour, salty, sweet: everyone’s here. On the “vibes” side of things, vegetarians are well-taken care of with the dry-fried green beans. Here some rice makes sense and adds bulk to the delicate haricots verts, which are coated with an intense, chunky garlic and ginger combo with a little spicy kick. But of course. —Vanessa Wolf

Le Farfalle ITALIAN

Expensive Downtown. 15 Beaufain St. (843) 212-0920 lefarfallecharleston.com Serving Dinner (daily)

Led by celebrated chef Michael Toscano, Le Farfalle is certain to delight. The bright, upscale space is generously laid out with an elegant bar suitable for a quick lunch of agnolotti pasta or a relaxed after-dinner conversation over craft cocktails. Dinner service starts with a slice from the restaurant’s ginormous wedge of ParmigianoReggiano cheese, but matters are then in your own hands. Seasonal appetizer stand outs have included a veal tartare toast served with shoestring fries and a sublime octo-

NOW OPEN

171 E Bay St, Charleston

M-F: 7:30am-2pm, Sa-Su: 7:30am-3pm

Our go-to restaurant list

pus carpaccio. You can’t go wrong with the housemade pastas, and other memorable dinner selections have included a vibrant whole branzino with pine nuts and a tender fried chicken picatta. —Vanessa Wolf

Lenoir NEW SOUTHERN

Downtown. 68 Wentworth St. (843)534-9031 Dineatlenoir.com Serving Dinner (Wed.-Sun.)

Chef Vivian Howard’s first restaurants outside Eastern North Carolina opened in Charleston in the first half of 2021. After PBS’ A Chef ’s Life introduced Howard to audiences far from her first restaurant, Chef & the Farmer in Kinston, N.C., she now has two concepts open in the Wentworthfacing side of the downtown Renaissance Hotel. Handy & Hot checks the boxes as the hotel’s quick-service lobby cafe (with the addition of snackable hand pies and knockout biscuit sandwiches), but Lenoir is where Howard will make her mark. Tables ring the cozy dining room around a central bar, and a steady stream of reinvented Southern specialties flow from the kitchen. With dishes ranging from local crudo and butterbean agnolotti to the K-town patty melt, Howard’s touch as a chef is apparent without taking things too seriously. Chef Tyson

$ 9.95

Detzler brings experience at Chef & the Farmer to Howard’s Charleston kitchen, so you know anything local and seasonal will be a good bet on your table. —Sam Spence

Leon’s Fine Poultry & Oysters SEAFOOD

Moderate Downtown. 698 King St. (843) 531-6500 leonsoystershop.com Serving Lunch, Dinner (daily)

The chargrilled oysters at Leon’s embody the restaurant’s approach to food: unfussy and delicious. The “Fry-Up” platter is a jumble of oysters, shrimp and clams battered and delicately fried and served with a tartar sauce so good we sometimes just dip a fork in it in between bites. If we know anything about restaurateurs Brooks Reitz and Tim Mink, it’s that they know how to design a restaurant that both looks and feels good. This is the kind of place that gets in your regular rotation because it’s comfortable, delicious and reliable. —Stephanie Barna

continued on page 32

Served Monday - Friday 11:30am – 4pm Includes soft drink or iced tea and two sides of the day.

MONDAY

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TUESDAY

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VISIT US FOR AN UNFORGETTABLE EXPERIENCE! milkshakes(boozy or kid friendly) premium coffee, espresso martinis, fine wines, a full bar

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charlestoncitypaper.com/dish || 31

Featuring desserts, gourmet sandwiches,

32 || DISH || Winter 2022

Top 50

Thank You for Voting Us 2021

Best Indian restaurant & Best buffet Runner-up

Top 50 from page 31

Lewis Barbecue BARBECUE

Moderate Downtown. 464 N. Nassau St. (843) 805-9500 lewisbarbecue.com Serving Lunch, Dinner (daily)

Nirlep Indian R ESTAU R A N T

Lunch Buffet tue-sun • 11:30PM 843-763-9923 908 Savannah Hwy.

Lewis’ building houses four custom-built smokers and a sausage smoker that can cook 1,600 links at a time, all hand-built by Lewis and his father. Once inside you’ll queue up to have meat hand-sliced by one of two meat-cutters stationed behind a long counter directing you to opposite ends. Lewis’ “life changing” beef brisket is definitely the star. The infinitely tender meat has a salty, peppery crust and shines with melted fat. But there’s also juicy smoked turkey, pulled pork, pork ribs and Texas sausage called “hot guts” available and priced by the pound (or hot guts by the link). After your tray is filled with your order of meats, choose your sides from mustardy potato salad, lemon slaw, cowboy beans and rich green chile corn pudding. —Robert Donovan

Serving Lunch Tue-Sun | Dinner Tue-Sun | 11:30AM-3PM, 5PM-10PM GF, Vegan and Vegetarian Options • Delivery with DoorDash & UberEats

Maison FRENCH

Expensive Downtown. 708 King St.(843) 990-9165 maisoncharleston.com Serving Dinner (Mon.-Sat.)

Maison shares a low, unassuming King Street building with a climbing gym, but step inside and you’ll find an immaculate invocation of a stylish French bistro. There’s a pewter-topped bar, hexagonal white and black floor tiles and Parisian-style bistro chairs with white and black woven backs. The menu options — escargots, steak frites au poivre, coq au vin — seem to hew to traditional bistro standards at first, but chef Vandy Vanderwarker gives each a creative, flavorful spin. The sultry coq au vin is a deconstructed delight, with long-marinated chicken that’s braised, shredded and blended with roasted ramps into an intensely flavored patty. A thick wedge of monkfish tail has a smooth, buttery bite beneath its golden brown sear, heightened by the unexpected richness of roasted chicken butter sauce. With deep, intense flavors and a playful sensibility, Maison’s daring interpretations of traditional French plates are a welcome addition to the Charleston scene. —Robert F. Moss continued on page 34

A Casual Mexican-Inspired Taqueria & Bar

BREAKFAST SERVED ALL DAY EVERY DAY

The Best Food Under the Sun!

COMFORT FOOD MADE WITH CARE MENUS DIFFER BY LOCATION

SUMMERVILLE 110 Miles Jamison Rd 843-225-6201

MT. PLEASANT JOHNS ISLAND 1039 Johnnie Dodds Blvd 1797 Main Rd 843-856-7796 843-718-1858

SUNRISE-BISTRO.com

SATURDAY & SUNDAY

202 Coleman Blvd, Mt. Pleasant (just off Shem Creek) 843-388-3625 TheShelterKitchenAndBar.com

charlestoncitypaper.com/dish || 33

HOMEMADE BAGELS • OMELETS • CREPES • BENEDICTS SHRIMP & GRITS • SANDWICHES • WRAPS • SALADS • PIZZAS

DEEP EDDY BLOODY MARYS

34 || DISH || Winter 2022

Top 50

MODERN TRADITIONAL OAXACAN CUISINE

INGREDIENTS AND TECHNIQUES

NEW! BREAKFAST DAILY 9 - 11AM

MONDAY-SATURDAY 9AM-9:30 PM • BREAKFAST 9AM-11 AM • ALL DAY MENU 11AM-9:30 PM TEQUILA & TACO HOUR MONDAY – SATURDAY 3-6 PM 100-A SPRING ST • 843-764-9343 • PINKCACTUSCHS.COM

Rūta Smith file photo

The Daps team turns out fun takes on breakfast standards at the Westside restaurant Top 50 from page 32

Malagon TAPAS

Moderate Downtown. 33 Spring St. (843) 926-0475 Serving Lunch, Dinner (Tues.-Sun.)

LUNCH DINNER

LATE NIGHT DAILY SPECIALS

714 Rutledge Ave., Downtown • 843-641-0469 • Follow us Check out our full menu at moescrosstowntavern.com VOTED CHARLESTON’S BEST NEIGHBORHOOD BAR

Even experienced tapas lovers may find themselves a bit wide-eyed at Malagon — the comprehensive menu isn’t fooling around. Rather, it gets right down to some sweet tapas tenderness, starting with familiar snacks like marcona almonds and dates wrapped in ham. The mojama (cured tuna belly) is a classic treat. Firm and salty, it’s often referred to as the jamón of the sea. Accompanied by roughly a dozen baby potatoes, tender chunks of octopus have a silky texture similar to that of a rare scallop. The mild flavors of the two soft ingredients are dominated by the sprinkling of smoked paprika on top. Despite being ‘small plates’ and probably owing in part to all the potatoes, your meal can be surprisingly filling and notably affordable. Malagon is not only

doing something different, they’re doing it extremely well. —Vanessa Wolf

Melfi’s ITALIAN

Expensive Downtown. 721 King St. (843) 513-0307 eatatmelfis.com Serving Dinner (daily)

Named for the family who once ran a pharmacy in the same space, Melfi’s menu offers updated takes on Italian staples. The polished, old-school dining room is warm and buzzy, providing a welcome backdrop to get your carbs on. Slip into a leather booth and proceed to feast on house-made linguine tossed with crab, or “Roman-ish” pizza, like the Mr. Wally, made with vodka sauce, Fresno peppers, sliced salami and meaty hen-of-the-woods mushrooms. Don’t miss the delicate tuna crudo with buttery pine nuts and Calabrian chile vinaigrette. continued on page 36

COME VISIT FOR A

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charlestoncitypaper.com/dish || 35

Save the Dates

Cork Shuckin’ Festival: Feb 26th NEW! Renaissance Festival: Late Spring

Nominate Vickerys!

Lunch & Dinner

36 || DISH || Winter 2022

Top 50 Top 50 from page 34

Negroni aficionados will appreciate the choice of four innovative variations. —Vanessa Wolf

Nana’s Uptown SOUL FOOD

Inexpensive North Charleston. 5117 Dorchester Road. (843) 937-9311 Serving Lunch and Dinner (Tues.-Sat.)

Downtown’s Nana’s Seafood & Soul closed in 2020 after nearly two decades on Line Street, but fans of the family owned and operated restaurant can still find its affordable Lowcountry fare at Nana’s Uptown, located in North Charleston at 5117 Dorchester Road. Mother and son duo Carolyn and Kenyatta McNeil’s takeout- and delivery-only outpost specializes in seafood, with options like flounder, whiting, shrimp, scallops and more. But that’s not all you’ll find at Nana’s. The chicken wings are a must as are daily specials like crab legs with garlic shrimp. For sides, expect the classics, with the baked mac n cheese and bread pudding stealing the show and don’t forget to wash it all down with Nana’s signature pineapple sweet tea. If we’ve learned anything over the past year, it’s that high quality takeout is something that can’t

be taken for granted. Nana’s Uptown delivers every time, offering the North Charleston community an affordable option serving authentic eats. —Parker Milner

Neon Tiger VEGAN

Moderate Downtown. 654 King St. (843) 640-3902 Serving Dinner (Tues.-Sun.)

One of a handful of all-vegan establishments in Charleston, Neon Tiger doesn’t shy away from getting creative with its upscale offerings. The crispy konjac shrimp and trumpet mushroom calamari are two standout appetizer options for traditional seafood lovers. For a more classic veggie-forward meal, look to main dishes like lentil ragout and veggie bowl. But, if you want to venture out and see just what the chefs at Neon Tiger can do with an all plant-based menu, opt for the reuben sandwich with seitan smoked meat or the “Big Buffalo Chicken” sandwich that captures everything you love about a chicken sandwich — sans meat. And while you’re at it, order a pizza for the table to split like the barbecue jackfruit or formaggio and champignon. Whether you’re vegan or just curious looking to try something new, the creativity and flavor of Neon Tiger’s menu will impress. —Samantha Connors

NICO

Oak Steakhouse

FRENCH

STEAKHOUSE

Expensive Mount Pleasant. 201 Coleman Blvd. (843) 352-7969 Serving Dinner (daily) and Weekend Brunch

Expensive Downtown. 17 Broad St. (843) 722-4220 oaksteakhouserestaurant.com Serving Dinner (daily)

NICO was the fine dining establishment Shem Creek had been waiting for when it opened in 2018. You wouldn’t know it based on the buzzing atmosphere and trendy decor, but NICO is located in a former Pizza Hut, adding to the restaurant’s allure. Executive chef Nico Romo’s menu has hints of flash with beautifully arranged raw bar platters and dishes like whole roasted lobster. Each plate that comes out of the open kitchen is a display of classic French techniques using South Carolina ingredients. Take his bouillabaisse de Marseille, which incorporates local fish, shrimp, mussels, clams and scallops, resulting in a perfect rendition of the famous French dish. Eating at NICO feels comfortable and thrilling at the same time, meaning guests are always wanting to come back for more. If you’re looking for ambiance, showstopping dishes and plenty of fresh oysters, NICO is your spot. —Parker Milner

Located in a restored 150-year-old bank building, Oak is a long-running favorite for a big Charleston night out. Hefty prime ribeyes and strips are the main attractions, with luxurious family-style accompaniments like creamy whipped potatoes and lobster mac and cheese. Within the traditional steakhouse format there is always a twist or two, like a daily local seafood special or beef belly with sorghum barbecue sauce. The deep wine list focuses on California reds, and the service is reliably top-notch, regardless of whether you eat downstairs in the bar area, with its exposed brick walls and clubby red leather booths, or at the white cloth-draped tables in the second story dining room, its high windows looking out over Broad Street. —Robert F. Moss

continued on page 38

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BOWEN’S ISLAND RESTAURANT Whether you’re a first-time guest or a long-time regular, our aim is to serve you simple, excellent seafood. Just 5 minutes from Folly Beach, we’re famous for our locally harvested oysters, fried shrimp, hushpuppies, Frogmore stew, cold beer, and undisturbed views of the river, marshes, islands, and wildlife.

1870 BOWENS ISLAND RD • 843.795.2757 TUE - SAT, 4:30-9:30PM • BOWENSISLAND.COM

charlestoncitypaper.com/dish || 37

BOWENS ISLAND RESTAURANT

38 || DISH || Winter 2022

Top 50 The Ordinary

Top 50 from page 36

The Obstinate Daughter SEAFOOD/SOUTHERN

Moderate Sullivan’s Island. 2063 Middle St. (843) 416-5020 theobstinatedaughter.com Serving Lunch (Mon.-Fri.), Dinner (daily), Weekend Brunch

Available at Buxton Books and other fine retailers

CHARLESTONFACTS.COM

At The Obstinate Daughter, executive chef Jacques Larson’s big, open kitchen has a plancha and a wood-fired oven, and he uses it to create a beguiling array of pizzas, pastas and small plates. The pizzas bear tempting toppings, like clams and roasted fennel or pork meatballs and red peppers. The dishes on the rotating “plates” menu range in size from “Geechie frites” (long strips of fried polenta) to a crispy duck with carrot farrotto, cipollini and chermoula. Fluffy ricotta gnocchi are topped with an intensely f lavorful short rib ragu with tender strands of beef in a pool of reddish orange tomato-tinged jus. OD boasts a cheery, casual environment for enjoying Larson’s impressive parade of delicate but f lavorful dishes. And that makes it one of the best upscale dining destinations not just out on the beaches, but anywhere in town. —Robert F. Moss

SEAFOOD

Expensive Downtown. 544 King St. (843) 414-7060 eattheordinary.com Serving Dinner (Tues.-Sun.)

In December 2012, a historic King Street bank building found new life as an upscale oyster hall. The Ordinary — second child of Adam Nemirow and chef Mike Lata — opened with soaring 22-foot ceilings, the promise of locally sourced seafood and lots of buzz. Today such concepts are a dime a dozen (on the half-shell, please). But The Ordinary was the first of its kind, and I would argue, still the best. While regularly packed and filled with an upbeat ambiance, the high ceilings diffuse the jovial noise to a pleasant buzz. Along with six daily varieties of raw oysters on the half shell, the house-smoked oysters are not to be missed. Presented in an oil and vinegar-filled preserve jar and spiked with slices of crisp pickled celery, the six oysters are so gently smoked that they are still raw. As a result, each is tender and juicy, the delicate hint of ocean flavor touched with woodsy smoke. Served with fancied-up saltines (brushed with butter and Old Bay), rich, cold creme continued on page 40

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40 || DISH || Winter 2022

Top 50 Top 50 from page 38

Pink Cactus MEXICAN

fraiche and vibrant hot sauce, the combination is outstanding: cool, crisp and smoky all at once. —Vanessa Wolf

Peninsula Grill NEW SOUTHERN

Very Expensive Downtown. 112 N. Market St. (843) 723-0700 peninsulagrill.com Serving Dinner (daily)

There are milestones in life that require a fancy steak. Or at least the kind of place where one can get a fancy steak. If you’re in the midst of such an occasion, Peninsula Grill has got you covered. Even after more than two decades, Peninsula Grill continues to impress with its luxurious fare. Take, for instance, the seared foie gras. The dish is deserving of a modeling contract, with the perfectly cooked slice of delicate liver resting atop artful smears of cinnamon-infused strawberry coulis and aged balsamic reduction. Backed by a vibrant fence of fresh strawberry slices and a crisp arugula salad, this is about as good as foie gras gets. —Vanessa Wolf

Moderate Downtown. 100 A Spring St. (843) 764-9343 pinkcactuschs.com Serving Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner (Mon.-Sat.)

Pink Cactus is dishing authentic Oaxacan cuisine on Spring Street, where owner Brooke Warden serves breakfast, lunch and dinner. Warden combines approachable hits like tacos, queso and enchiladas with more experimental plates like her carnitas-stuffed chile relleno or birria taco platter. Wash it all down with Pink Cactus’ signature pink margarita, which is garnished with black sea salt. Boasting one of the best happy hours in Charleston — which is highlighted by $5 margaritas, $3 Tecates and $5 tacos and queso fundido — Pink Cactus is a favorite among tourists and locals alike. Don’t miss out on breakfast, served Monday-Saturday from 9-11 a.m., when Warden churns out hearty tortas, breakfast tacos, chilaquiles and more. —Parker Milner

Post House Restaurant MODERN AMERICAN

Expensive Mount Pleasant. 101 Pitt St. (843) 203-7678 theposthouseinn.com Serving Dinner (daily); Weekend Brunch

Post House Restaurant opened in Mount Pleasant in August 2020 after undergoing significant renovations led by Kate and Ben Towill of design and hospitality firm Basic Projects. Evan Gaudreau, a 2019 James Beard Foundation Rising Star Chef nominee, served as the kitchen’s first executive chef, a role that was later assumed by Isles of Palms native Nathan Hood. Post House is a reincarnation of The Old Village Post House, which closed in February 2019 after 16 years at 101 Pitt St. The Towills completely redesigned the circa-1896 space, moving the main dining room to the back of the restaurant and the bar to face Pitt Street. The space is adorned with antiques, vintage rugs, local art, archival wallpaper and handcrafted fixtures. You’ll find seasonal snacks, raw bar options, fresh pastas, local seafood and an assortment of vegetarian dishes at Post House. Local seafood massaman curry, Carolina heritage farm pork with creamy kimchi collard greens and a “backbar” cheeseburger are some of the main dishes that pair with starters like lamb wraps or

Anson Mills cornbread. Post House also features an expansive wine list with bottles from around the world, and those looking for a staycation can grab a room in the quaint inn connected to the restaurant. —Parker Milner

Renzo PIZZA

Moderate Downtown. 384 Huger St. (843) 952-7864 renzochs.com Serving Dinner (Tues.-Sat.)

This former storefront-turned-hip neighborhood trattoria has a wood-fired oven and knows how to use it. Along with tempting starters like warm homemade sourdough bread or charred cauliflower florets with savory mushoom XO sauce, the menu features a trio of pastas, plus an array of creative Neapolitan-style pizzas. Feeling adventurous? The Cheli offers a tomato base with lamb sausage, tangy pickled peppers, honey and za’atar. There’s a bagel brunch on Sundays, plus Renzo offers one of the area’s largest selections of nat wine. —Vanessa Wolf

continued on page 42

Eating

2021 EATING and DRINKING WINNERS

Best North Charleston Restaurant EVO Pizzeria Best Outdoor Patio Saltwater Cowboys Best Oysters 167 Raw Best Pitmaster Rodney Scott, Rodney Scott’s BBQ Best Pizza - Gourmet EVO Pizzeria Best Pizza - Traditional D’Allesandro’s Pizza Best Place to Buy Local Seafood Crosby’s Seafood Co. Best Poke Poke Bros. Best Raw Bar 167 Raw Best Restaurant Halls Chophouse Best Restaurant for Vegetarians Five Loaves Cafe Best Restaurant When Someone Else is Paying Halls Chophouse Best Ribs Rodney Scott’s BBQ Best Romantic Restaurant 82 Queen Best Salad California Dreaming Best Seafood 167 Raw Best She-Crab Soup 82 Queen Best Shrimp & Grits Page’s Okra Grill Best Soul Food Bertha’s Kitchen Best Steak Halls Chophouse Best Sub Sandwich / Hoagie Jersey Mike’s Best Sullivan’s Island Brunch The Obstinate Daughter Best Sullivan’s Island Restaurant The Obstinate Daughter Best Summerville Brunch Five Loaves Cafe Best Summerville Restaurant Halls Chophouse Best Sunday Brunch Halls Chophouse Best Sushi O-Ku Best Sweet Tea Chick-Fil-A Best Tacos Taco Boy Best Tapas Barsa Tapas Lounge & Bar Best Thai Basil Best Vietnamese Xiao Bao Biscuit Best Wait Staff Halls Chophouse Best Waterfront Dining Fleet Landing Best West Ashley Brunch Early Bird Diner Best West Ashley Restaurant The Glass Onion Best Wings Home Team BBQ

Drinking

Best Adult Establishment Best Authentic Pub Best Bar Staff Best Bartender

King Street Cabaret Blind Tiger Pub Low Tide Brewing Shana Swain, Zen Asian Bistro

2022 Nominations Coming Soon!

charlestoncitypaper.com/dish || 41

Best Asian Fusion Xiao Bao Biscuit Best Bagels Bagel Nation Best Bakery Baguette Magic Best Barbecue Lewis Barbecue Best Biscuits Callie’s Hot Little Biscuit Best Breakfast Page’s Okra Grill Best Brisket Lewis Barbecue Best Buffet Duke’s Barbecue Best Burger Poe’s Tavern Best Caterer Home Team BBQ Best Charcuterie goat.sheep.cow Best Cheap Meal Five Loaves Cafe Best Cheesesteak DB’s Cheesesteaks, Hoagies & More Best Chef Nico Romo Best Chicken Fingers Boxcar Betty’s Best Chinese Red Orchids China Bistro Best Chocolatier Christophe Artisan Chocolatier Best Coffee House Kudu Coffee & Craft Beer Best Daniel Island Restaurant Sermet’s Courtyard Best Deli East Bay Deli Best Desserts Kaminsky’s Dessert Cafe Best Doughnut Shop Krispy Kreme Best Downtown Brunch Halls Chophouse Best Downtown Restaurant Halls Chophouse Best Folly Beach Brunch Lost Dog Cafe Best Folly Beach Restaurant Taco Boy Best Food Truck Roti Rolls Best French 39 Rue de Jean Best Fried Chicken Boxcar Betty’s Best Fries Tattooed Moose Best Gelato Carmella’s Best Gourmet Sandwich Five Loaves Cafe Best Greek Stella’s Best Gyro My Big Fat Greek Trailer Best Hot Dogs Jack’s Cosmic Dogs Best Ice Cream Ye Ole Fashioned Best Indian Nirlep Indian Restaurant Best IOP Brunch Acme Lowcountry Kitchen Best IOP Restaurant Acme Lowcountry Kitchen Best Italian Wild Olive Best James Island Brunch Black Magic Cafe Best James Island Restaurant Bowens Island Restaurant Best Japanese O-Ku Best Johns Island Brunch Fat Hen Best Johns Island Restaurant Wild Olive Best Juice / Smoothie Bar Huriyali Best Kid-Friendly Restaurant Home Team BBQ Best Late Night Menu Waffle House Best Local Artisanal Food Product Rio Bertolini’s Pasta Best Local Legacy Restaurant Bowens Island Restaurant Best Mac and Cheese Home Team BBQ Best Meat & 3 Veggies Page’s Okra Grill Best Mexican Restaurant Santi’s Restaurante Mexicano Best Milkshake Ye Ole Fashioned Best Mount Pleasant Brunch Page’s Okra Grill Best Mount Pleasant Restaurant NICO Oysters + Seafood Best Nachos Home Team BBQ Best New Restaurant Neon Tiger Best North Charleston Brunch Jackrabbit Filly

Best Beer Retail Selection Total Wine & More Best Beer Selection on Tap Bay Street Biergarten Best Bloody Mary Page’s Okra Grill Best Bottled Beer Edmund’s Oast Exchange Best Bouncers AC’s Bar & Grill Best Cheap Beer Deal Recovery Room Tavern Best Cocktails The Gin Joint Best Cold Beer Recovery Room Tavern Best College Bar AC’s Bar & Grill Best Dance Club The Commodore Best Daniel Island Bar Daniel Island Grille Best Distillery Firefly Distillery Best Downtown Bar Blind Tiger Pub Best Folly Beach Bar Taco Boy Best Folly Beach Happy Hour Surf Bar Best Frozen Drinks Home Team BBQ Best Happy Hour Water’s Edge Best IOP Bar The Windjammer Best IOP Happy Hour The Windjammer Best James Island Bar Charleston Pour House Best James Island Happy Hour Bohemian Bull Best Johns Island Bar Tattooed Moose Best Johns Island Happy Hour Tattooed Moose Best Late Night Bar Recovery Room Tavern Best Local Beer Edmund’s Oast Brewing Co., Something Cold Best Local Brewery Holy City Brewing Best Local Brewery Taproom Edmund’s Oast Brewing Co. Best Local Cocktail Mixer Charleston Bloody Mary Mix Best Local Spirit Firefly Sweet Tea Vodka Best Margarita Mex 1 Coastal Cantina Best Martini Halls Chophouse Best Mount Pleasant Bar Saltwater Cowboys Red’s Ice House Best Mount Pleasant Happy Hour Best Neighborhood Bar Moe’s Crosstown Tavern Best New Bar Tobin’s Market Best No Frills Watering Hole The Royal American Best North Charleston Bar Madra Rua Irish Pub Best North Charleston Happy Hour Madra Rua Irish Pub Best Pet Friendly Bar/Restaurant The Barrel Best Rooftop Bar The Rooftop at The Vendue Best Sommelier Sam Cooper, Halls Chophouse Best Sports Bar Home Team BBQ Best Sullivan’s Island Bar Home Team BBQ Best Sullivan’s Island Happy Hour Home Team BBQ Best Summerville Bar Madra Rua Irish Pub Best Summerville Happy Hour Madra Rua Irish Pub Best Upscale Bar Halls Chophouse Best Waterfront Bar Saltwater Cowboys Best West Ashley Bar Gene’s Haufbrau Best West Ashley Happy Hour Gene’s Haufbrau Best Wine Selection (Bar/Restaurant) Avondale Wine & Cheese Best Wine Selection (Retail) Total Wine & More

42 || DISH || Winter 2022

Top 50 Top 50 from page 40

Rodney Scott’s BBQ BARBECUE

Inexpensive Downtown. 1011 King St. (843) 990-9535 rodneyscottsbbq.com Serving Lunch, Dinner (daily)

Rodney Scott made waves in 2017 when, after two decades of cooking hogs at his family’s acclaimed operation in Hemingway, he brought his traditional burn barrel style of barbecue down to Charleston. That splendid whole hog — basted in a pepper-laced sauce and pulled into long, succulent strands — remains the foundation of Scott’s offering on King Street, but he’s added a few new options for the city crowd, like meaty spareribs, crisp fried catfish and craft beer on tap. The flawless collards and the ribeye sandwiches, made from pit-smoked steak sliced thin and piled high on soft rolls, are must-try sleepers. Now, with a second restaurant open in Birmingham and two more in the works, Rodney Scott is exporting South Carolinastyle whole hog cookery across the entire South. —Robert F. Moss

Royal Tern SEAFOOD

Expensive Johns Island. 3005 Maybank Hwy. (843) 718-3434 theroyaltern.com Serving Dinner (Mon.-Sat.)

Set on Johns Island between Wild Olive and The Fat Hen, The Royal Tern is a welcome and well-positioned addition to that existing pair of successful Maybank Hwy restaurants. With a focus on fish, the menu offers an aquarium-full of options. Along with a raw bar, there are fried “and chips” platters, elegant small plates and four variations of cooked oysters. Add to that a handful of sandwiches, a half-dozen seafood entrees and a hat trick of wood-fired steaks. The building is also glorious. Outside, it’s effortlessly stylish and would look just as appropriate nestled amongst a row of upscale beachfront estates. Inside, the chic, airy space boasts wood floors and high ceilings adorned with dramatic lights that resemble giant clusters of white grapes. The interior incorporates a number of current trends, including an open kitchen, marble-topped bar and miles of banquette seating. One of the best-looking joints in the area, The Royal Tern offers a hip place to scratch a variety of seafood itches on Johns Island. —Vanessa Wolf

Shiki SEAFOOD

Moderate Downtown. 334 E Bay St. (843) 720-8568 shikicharleston.com Serving Dinner (Mon.-Sat.)

One of downtown’s longest standing restaurants, Shiki delivers fresh sushi rolls, nigiri and more in a cozy, newly renovated dining room, which is set to reopen this summer. Owner Hae Gon “David” Park opened Shiki at 334 E. Bay St. in 2001 after moving to Charleston from New York City, where he worked at esteemed sushi restaurants like Yuraku, serving as head sushi chef for five years. The chef prides himself on sourcing the highestquality fish and his technique when making rolls, sashimi and nigiri is second to none. Patrons who want to go big can order the chef ’s choice “omakase,” which translates to “I’ll leave it up to you” in Japanese. Chef Park will bring out a seemingly endless assortment of sashimi and nigiri bites, allowing guests to try a little bit of everything. For less devout sushi enthusiasts, there’s approachable options like tempura shrimp and avocado rolls, teriyaki beef, pork katsu and more. Shiki’s menu hasn’t changed much over the years, but why would it, as the restaurant helps fill a void

in a city that has very few sushi-focused restaurants. Next time you’re in the mood for high quality sushi, give this family owned and operated restaurant a try. —Parker Milner

Slightly North of Broad NEW SOUTHERN

Expensive Downtown. 192 East Bay St. (843) 723-3424 snobcharleston.com Serving Lunch (Mon.-Fri.), Dinner (daily), Weekend Brunch

Slightly North of Broad (SNOB) is the perfect place to take visiting friends for their first taste of Charleston cuisine, for it embodies so much of what makes the city’s dining scene special. Since taking the reins in 2016, executive chef Russ Moore has deftly balanced the restaurant’s traditional dishes with more forward-looking fare. Pristinely fresh seafood gets an elegant Southern touch on plates like New Bedford scallops with tomato ham hock broth or seared tuna topped with crisp fried oysters and tart yellow “mustard Q” sauce. SNOB was a local charcuterie pioneer and a platter of hearty country pate, savory pork rillettes and lush chicken liver continued on page 44

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charlestoncitypaper.com/dish || 43

We invite you to join us for a communal dinner dining experience where you’ll have the best seats in the house. The five -course chef’s table experience is a traditional Mexican menu, created by Chef Raul Sanchez, and changes weekly to reflect seasonal ingredients.

44 || DISH || Winter 2022

Top 50 Top 50 from page 42

Wild Olive ITALIAN

mousse is the perfect evening starter. —Robert F. Moss

Stella’s GREEK

Moderate Downtown. 114 St. Philip St. (843) 400-0026 stellascharleston.com Serving Lunch (Mon.-Fri.), Dinner (Mon.-Sat.)

It’s hard to say what’s most striking about Stella’s on St. Philip Street. Is it the hip, yet boisterous vibe? The large portions at an incredibly reasonable price point? Or is it the vast, authentic and consistently delicious menu? Regardless of your ultimate conclusion, this is a trifecta worth a visit… Or five. The grilled octopus and spanakopita are simple perfection, while the saganaki is a visual showstopper and an excuse to pig out on cheese. Stella’s own recipes — namely her calamari and braised lamb shank with No. 5 noodles and brown butter shank sauce, are at once comforting and elevated, testimony to the woman who inspired it all. —Vanessa Wolf

Moderate Johns Island. 2867 Maybank Hwy. (843) 737-4177 wildoliverestaurant.com Serving Dinner (daily)

Right off Maybank Highway sits Wild Olive, chef Jacques Larson’s haven for exquisite Italian fare. Since 2009 it has served as the go-to place for anniversary dinners and reunions with old friends. A comfortable bar greets those looking for a casual bite but don’t let that relaxed atmosphere deceive you. Larson’s food is anything but. Incredible (and decadent) risotto fritters stuffed with sausage, spinach, Parmesan and mozzarella are a great way to start. And always ask about the specials, of which there are plenty. A past highlight was a pappardelle with prosciutto, pork and escarole. Larson is a firm believer in local and his conviction permeates everything on the plate. —Kinsey Gidick

Jonathan Boncek file photo

continued on page 46

Lewis Barbecue smokes tender beef brisket on its four handmade offset smokers

FLIPADELPHIA FLIP CUP TOURNAMENT WED, FEB 2 AT 6PM AT RUSTY BULL BREWING

CHARLESTON BLUEGRASS FESTIVAL CAMPING FRI, MAR 18 - SAT, MAR 19 AT WOODLANDS NATURE RESERVE

.COM

LOCAL · LOW FEES · GREAT EVENTS

OYSTERS ON THE POINT WITH EMPIRE STRIKES BRASS SAT, FEB 5 FROM 2PM - 6PM AT CHARLESTON HARBOR RESORT AND MARINA

OYSTERS ON THE POINT WITH GINO CASTILLO AND THE CUBAN COWBOYS SAT, MAR 26 FROM 2PM - 6PM AT CHARLESTON HARBOR RESORT AND MARINA

SATURDAY SOMM SCHOOL

Beginning January 15, Edmund’s Oast Exchange general manager and certified sommelier Sarah O’Kelley will lead classes that serve as preparation for an entry level wine certification or to simply enhance any wine lover’s aptitude. Attendees will learn the basics of grape growing, winemaking, blind evaluation, and take a tour of the major wine regions of the world.

HOSTING AN EVENT? For more information on using City Paper Tickets for your next event contact us at melissa@charlestoncitypaper.com

charlestoncitypaper.com/dish || 45

11 AM TO 12:30 PM WEEKLY AT EDMUND’S OAST EXCHANGE

46 || DISH || Winter 2022

Top 50 Zero Restaurant + Bar

Top 50 from page 44

MODERN AMERICAN

Xiao Bao Biscuit

Expensive Downtown. 0 George St. (843) 817-7900 zerogeorge.com Serving Dinner (Tues.-Sun.)

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Inexpensive Downtown. 224 Rutledge Ave. xiaobaobiscuit.com Serving Lunch, Dinner (Mon.-Sat.)

What started as a pop-up with a devout following eventually found a dedicated shrine much to the delight of all who crave a wide swath of Asian flavors (Chinese, Vietnamese, Korean, Japanese, Thai, Taiwanese) interpreted with fresh Lowcountry ingredients. The dishes are not for the meek or unadventurous; each packs escalating levels of heat. On the gentler scale is the popular Okonomiyaki, a Japanese cabbage pancake criss-crossed with drizzles of sriracha and Japanese mayo, then topped with a runny-yolk egg. On the spicy end of the scale is the Mapo Dofu, whose cubes of tofu incinerate your taste buds with swirls of chili oil, leaving heat seekers crying through tears of gratitude as they lick their plates clean. Cool your palate with a coconut milk or a (nonalcoholic) lemongrass ginger beer. —Allston McCrady

On the grounds of the elegant Zero George Street Boutique Hotel, Zero Restaurant + Bar’s romantic dining room is set in a former carriage house built in 1804. Here, chef Vinson Petrillo whips up innovative tasting menus with the option of four or seven courses, plus optional wine pairings. Selections vary with the seasons, but anticipate such treats as lightly grilled mackerel served with foie gras and local citrus, or venison prepared with vadouvan curry and taleggio cheese. Hit up happy hour for a craft cocktail; whether wielding a lead pipe or the candlestick, the bourbon-based Colonel Mustard is sure to pack a punch. —Vanessa Wolf

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CHARLESTON’S

FAVORITES TRIED AND TRUE HOLY CITY EATERIES A SPECIAL ADVERTISING SECTION

BEECH Beech bowl, sweet fire bowl, chicken bowl, avacado toast, avie monkey smoothie 864 Island Park Dr, Daniel Island 315 King St., Charleston 1739 Maybank Hwy., James Island Mt. Pleasant: Opens Feb 2022 beechrestaurants.com

BOHEMIAN BULL Build your own burger, wings, classic reuben, southern fried chicken sandwich 1531 Folly Road, James Island 843-225-1817 • bohemianbull.com

BOOZE POPS Gourmet wine pops, martini pops, jello shots, organic spiked ice- various flavors. 424 King St., Charleston, various locations boozepop.com

CARMELLA’S CAFE & DESSRT BAR Cannoli cake, chocolate peanut butter cake, espresso martini, carrot cake, dubliner coffee cocktail 198 E Bay St Charleston 843-722-5893 • carmellasdessertbar.com

CAROLINE’S ALOHA BAR Duck club sliders, pub burger, crab rangoons, beer cheese loaded tots, shrimp skewers. 15 Magnolia Road, Avondale 843-769-0228 • carolinesalohabar.com

COWBOY BRAZILIAN STEAKHOUSE Features a “parade” of 16 USDA Prime cuts of beef, lamb, chicken and pork carved tableside by our Gauchos. 2411 Mall Dr., North Charleston 843-744-9000 cowboybraziliansteakhouse.com

BOWENS ISLAND RESTAURANT Locally harvested oysters, fried shrimp, hushpuppies, Frogmore stew 1870 Bowens Island Road, Charleston 843-795-2757 bowensisland.com

THE CRAB SHACKS Snow crab bucket, she crab soup, fried shrimp 8486 Dorchester Road, Coosaw Creek 843-552-7171 26 Center St., Folly Beach 843-588-3080 1901 Ashley River Road, West Ashley 843-763-4494 • crabshacks.com

CANTINA 76 Peruvian shrimp taco, beef brisket taco, roasted chicken salad, chicken quesadilla, veggie taco 819 Coleman Blvd., Mount Pleasant 843-388-7717 219 Farm Lake View Road, Kiawah Island 843-737-4607 • cantina76.com

DEEP WATER VINEYARD Palmetto pepper jalepeno wine, eden’s temptation spiced cyser (mead), magnolia white wine, sea island red wine, zinfandel red wine. 6775 Bears Bluff Road, Wadmalaw Island 843-559-6867 • deepwatervineyard.com

BOWENS ISLAND RESTAURANT

DUKE’S BBQ Meat + 2 or 3, meatloaf (Wednedays), fried flounder & red rice (Fridays), BBQ by the pound, banana pudding 331 Folly Road, Charleston 843-789-4801• facebook.com/DukesSC

GENE’S HAUFBRAU Buffayaki or Southern fried wings, hand breaded chicken tenders, the motherload burger, fried pork chop sandwich, chicken quesadilla 817 Savannah Hwy., Charleston 843-225-4363 • genes.beer

EAST BAY DELI Chief Reuben, The Citadel, buffalo chicken wrap, crunchy salad 1120 Oakland Market Road, Mount Pleasant 843-216-5423, 334 E. Bay St. Ste. H, Downtown 843- 723-1234, 405 Dorchester Road, North Charleston 843-747-1235, 858 Savannah Highway, West Ashley 843-571-2244, 9135 University Blvd., North Charleston 843-553-7374 2519 N. Main St. B, Summerville 843-471-2444 • eastbaydeli.com

THE GLASS ONION Upbeat spot serving refined, locally sourced soul-food favorites in charming environs. 1219 Savannah Highway, Charleston 843-225-1717 • ilovetheglassonion.com

EL MOLINO SUPERMARKET Taco Box, Birria Tacos, Aguas Frescas, Tortillas 1610 Sam Rittenberg Blvd., West Ashley 843-225-8244 facebook.com/elmolinosupermarket

HERD PROVISIONS Double Herd burger, short rib poutine, house made veg burger, brussels in garlic shoyu, beef carpaccio. 106 Grove St., Charleston 843-637-4145 herdprovisionscharleston.com

FLEET LANDING Charleston Shrimp & Grits, Stuffed Hush Puppies, Lowcountry Seafood Pasta, Triggerfish Sandwich, Crab Cakes. 186 Concord St, Charelston (843) 722-8100 Fleetlanding.net

HOLY CITY BREWING Holy City burger, chicken wings, soft pretzels 1021 Aragon Ave., North Charleston 843-459-2948 holycitybrewing.com

GALPAO GAUCHO A traditional Brazilian steakhouse, offers a menu with 17 different cuts of grilled meat, salads and iconic cheese bread. 167 East Bay St., Charleston 854-999-3950 • galpaogauchousa.com

HALLS CHOPHOUSE Filet mignon, pepper jack creamed corn skillet, Southern caramel cake, fried green tomatoes, Halls chop salad 434 King St., Charleston 300 Nexton Square Dr., Summerville 843-727-0090 hallschophouse.com

GABRIELLE AT HOTEL BENNETT Bold and flavorful dining overlooking Marion Square. 404 King Street, Downtown 844-713-0404 GabrielleDining.com

JALISCO Roasted shrimp, tamales, enchiladas, taco birria, carne asada 1271 Folly Road, Charleston 843-638-8844 Jalisco-chs.com

KAMINSKY’S DESSERT CAFÉ Tollhouse pie, mountain of chocolate three layer cake, bourbon pecan pie, milkshakes, specialty coffees, and cookie sundae 78 N. Market St., Downtown 843-853-8270 2 Magnolia Road, West Ashley 854-429-1777 Kaminskys.com

KISS CAFE Hash it out, Nunzio perfect french dip, the New Yorker, and specialty mimosas. 1802 Crowne Commons Way, Johns Island • 843-405-8808 • kiss-cafe.com

MALIKA PAKISTANI CHAI CANTINA Chicken tikka masala, shakkar kandi chaat, chapli kabab plate, cholay biryani, masala fries 1333 Theater Dr., Mt Pleasant malikacanteen.com

MAYA CHARLESTON Aguachile, tuna tostada, al pastor taco, pollo en mole negro, enchiladas de calabaza 479-B King St., Charelston 843-789-4299 • mayachs.com

Nirlep Indian R ESTAU R A N T NIRLEP INDIAN RESTAURANT Chicken tikka masala, garlic naan, lamb/ goat curry, samosas, lunch buffet 908 Savannah Hwy, West Ashley 843-763-9923 nirlepindianrestaurant.com

OASIS CHARLESTON A sanctuary of sorts. Check our our smoothies, bowls and wraps! 476 Meeting St., Charleston toasttab.com/oasis-charleston-476meeting-street/v3

OYSTER HOUSE Oyster shooter, whole crispy flounder, snapper, coast seafood special, she crab soup, roasted beet salad 35 S. Market St., Charleston 843-853-2900 oysterhouse.menu

PADDOCK & WHISKY Paddock old fashion, race day, rosemary gin and tonic, broiled oysters, tartare 1074 E Montague Ave., Park Circle 843-203-4238 1962 Maybank Hwy., James Island 843-225-5877 Paddockandwhisky.com

SUNRISE BISTRO Breakfast burrito, open faced omelets, grits bowl, shrimp and grits 1039 Johnnie Dodds Ave., Mt Pleasant 843-856-7796 1797 Main Road, Johns Island 843-718-1858 110 Miles Jamison Road, Summerville 843-225-6201 • sunrise-bistro.com

PINK CACTUS Don’t miss our killer tamales, tacos, enchiladas, tortas, quesadillas and most importantly — margaritas! 100 A Spring St., Charleston 843-764-9343 • pinkcactuschs.com

TATTOOED MOOSE Mike’s famous duck club, lucky #1 sub, blue cheese duck fat fries, cheesesteak egg rolls, brunch burger 137 Morrison Dr., Charleston 843-277-2990 tattooedmoose.com

POKE BROS Signature bowls like “The Duke” or the “Johnny Utah”, or build your own bowl. Mochi ice cream. GF options. 5070 International Blvd., North Charleston 644-H1 Long Point Road, Mount Pleasant • 843-800-5600 eatpokebros.com

TBONZ GILL & GRILL World-famous wings, tommy texas cheese fries, double patty burger, drunken ribeye, texas melt, baby back ribs 80 North Market St., Downtown 843-577-2511 1668 Old Towne Road, West Ashley 843-556-2478 • tbonzgillandgrill.com

RED’S ICE HOUSE Bubba shrimp platter, smokehouse platter, palmetto burger, old bay shrimp salad, wild buffalo chicken wrap 98 Church Street, Mount Pleasant redsicehouse.com 843-388-0003 redsicehouse.com RUBY SUNSHINE Cochon benedict, bananas foster pain perdu, chicken st. Charles benedict, white chocolate bread pudding pancakes. 171 East Bay St, Charelston 843-253-8188 • rubysunshine.com

THE SHELTER Chicken bog, shrimp and grits, patty melt, brisket melt, golden beat salad, bbq pork quesadilla 202 Coleman Blvd., Mount Pleasant 843-388-3625 theshelterkitchenandbar.com

VICKERY’S Lowcountry sauté, shrimp, sausage and grits, classic Cuban sandwich, mahi club, cashew encrusted tuna salad 1313 Shrimp Boat Lane, Mt. Pleasant 843-884-4440 • vickerysmtp.com

THE WASHOUT Washout burger, blackened mahi tacos, lobster roll, seared tuna wrap, mac n cheese bites, fried shrimp & flounder 41 Center St., Folly Beach 843-633-0143 • follywashout.com

WILD COMMON Wild Common’s culinary experiences feature executive chef Orlando Pagán’s custom tasting menu in one of Charleston’s most inspired spaces. 103 Spring St., Charleston• 843-817-7311 wildcommoncharleston.com

charlestoncitypaper.com/dish || 49

MEX 1 COASTAL CANTINA Taco tailgate box, Mex 1 margarita mix, guacamole and quesadillas 817 St Andrews Blvd., West Ashley 843-751-4001 2205 Middle St., Sullivan’s Island 843882-8172 1109 Park West Blvd., Mount Pleasant 843-352-9699 mex1coastalcantina.com

MOE’S CROSSTOWN Eye opener burger, moe’s extraordinary blt, pierogies, wings 714 Rutledge Ave, Downtown 843-641-0469 moescrosstowntavern.com

PEARLZ Lump crab cakes, Pearlz fried shrimp dinner, Pearlz signature burger, shrimp & grits, New England lobster roll, cod sliders 153 East Bay St., Downtown 843-577-5755 9 Magnolia Road, West Ashley 843-573-2277 PearlzOysterBar.com

50 || DISH || Winter 2022

E SSAY

CHASING RABBITS That rabbit stew from when I was 7 By Amethyst Ganaway I got six rabbits sent to me recently. Please, don’t ask — I have good friends in high places. And yes, my freezer looked like a tiny meat locker. So, I’ve been trying to recreate this stew I had one time as a kid in Eutawville, S.C. The memory is beginning to get foggy now, but I remember small things, like the haze in the early morning air. The smell of grass and soil, and the sound of chickens scurrying along. It was an older wooden house, lot’s of what I assume to be shiplap (shoutout to Fixer Upper), and I remember the warmth of the small, old-school kitchen. I’ve romanticized this place and event probably a bit in my head, but it’s a good memory, and one that I can recognize now was pivotal in my development. So, I cling to it. I was about 7 probably, maybe younger, and I was a country girl and tomboy to the core. I’d been running around outside exploring, and staying out of grown folks’ business, and had finally been called in to wash up and eat. Something smelled really good, and I was handed a bowl and spoon. I saw rice and I saw gravy and I went to work-probably asking for hot sauce at some point too. I was a scrawny little ol’ thang, probably all of 50 pounds soaking wet, but I tore that bowl up. I remember asking after finishing what it was I’d eaten, and the man who’d served it to me said it was rabbit. I casually shrugged it off, like, “Oh, bet. Well, that was fire.” (But in a 7-year-old Amethyst voice.) Because it was. It was simple, something familiar and in no way concerning or off-putting to me. I probably should have been more upset at the thought of the bunnies I’d often seen growing up hiding in berry thickets and tall grass being slaughtered and served for dinner. I remember us staying a bit longer, and me asking to take some of the chicken eggs home to try to hatch on my own. By the time we’d gotten back to our home, I’d fallen asleep and smushed most of those eggs (yikes), and went on about my night, sleeping peacefully since I’d worn myself out and eaten a stick-to-your-bones type of meal. Rabbit was something I’d never eaten, but that meal and that day has always been one that stuck out in my mind and I’ve been chasing it ever since. I want to live simply and eat well, with chickens in my yard and a screened-in front porch. I want to wake up to hazy mornings with dew-stained grass, chirping birds and the sound of slow-creeping cars, crunching in the gravel as they come up a dirt road. Comfort to me is found in a sort of symbiosis with nature and community and culture. And I’d found part of that that day in a bowl of rabbit stew and rice.

Photos by Rūta Smith

Amethyst Ganaway’s

Rabbit Stew This dish can be made in a crockpot, slow cooker, or on the stove top, and the rabbit can be substituted for chicken. INGREDIENTS Neutral flavored oil (vegetable, canola, etc.) 1 Three-pound rabbit, cut into small pieces and patted dry with a paper towel Kosher salt Ground black pepper 2 large yellow onions, thinly sliced 1½ pounds sliced mushrooms of your choice (I used a mix of shiitake, bella, and oyster) 3 tablespoons all purpose flour 6 cups water or chicken stock Garlic powder Onion powder Paprika 1 bunch fresh thyme 2 small bunches fresh sage 1 small bunch fresh oregano 1 sprig fresh rosemary STEPS In a large Dutch oven or oven-safe roasting pan with a lid, heat enough oil to cover the bottom

Rabbit has been hard to get lately, and super expensive, as so many other ingredients that I grew up eating that were usually found in abundance and for cheap because they weren’t prime butcher cuts. The less-popular types of proteins our great-grandmothers and grandfathers ate got pushed aside as they assimilated and moved further into modern culture, and using local ingredients became less mainstream, especially as local farmers got pushed over by Big Ag. I’ve found the best way to get these ingredients — if you can’t legally and safely get them on your own — is to find those people in your communities who do. (Or just go online like the fancy chefs do if you don’t mind

of the pan over medium high heat for about 1-2 minutes. While oil is heating, liberally season rabbit with salt and pepper in a bowl. Carefully add rabbit pieces to the pan and sear until brown, about 5-6 minutes. Flip and repeat with the other side. When all of the rabbit pieces are browned, carefully remove them and set aside and reduce heat in the pan to medium. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Add about 2 tablespoons of oil to your pan and add sliced onions. Stir the onions frequently so that they brown but don’t burn, for about 3-4 minutes. Onions should be softened and slightly caramelized. Add mushrooms and stir well. Continue stirring onions and mushrooms for about 5-8 minutes until they have cooked down and are soft and brown but still have shape. Add flour and stir very well, making sure there are no lumps or white pieces, and let cook for an additional 2-3 minutes, stirring until well combined and flour is no longer white. Add about 1 cup of water or stock, and bring the heat up to high, stirring vigorously to mix well. Add the remaining liquid and bring to a boil for about 5 minutes until the mixture has slightly reduced. Reduce heat to medium and season to taste. Add in the rabbit and fresh herbs, turn off the heat, and cover tightly with a lid or foil. Carefully place into the oven and let cook until tender, at least 2 hours, but the longer the better. Serve alone, or over rice.

spending the extra cash.) I have a few steady sources now from working in the food industry, so it’s been a journey during the pandemic. And with a recent move back to Charleston it’s time for me to recreate that dish. My recipe is my own, and I’m looking for something in my mind from over 20 years ago, so it’s not anywhere near what I had as a kid. But, it makes my house, literally and I guess metaphorically, feel and smell warm. And it’s a dish I hope you can find comfort in too. Amethyst Ganaway, a North Charleston native, is a chef, food writer and food historian specializing in Southern, African-American and African diaspora foodways.

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52 || DISH || Summer 2013

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