Restaurant Review: The Tattooed Moose

Sorry for the lack of photos-- they've disappeared from my iPhone :(

Walking into the Tattooed Moose you half expect to see the Royal Tenenbaums engaging in a hair of the dog brunch. The vibe is a touch hipster, a touch pub-- it’s a nice combination. As the name suggests, there is, in fact, a moose. It will greet you as you saddle up the the bar for some beer or, like I did, for some duck fat fries. 

They make grilled cheese sandwiches ($5.50) with slices of yellow American here-- the kind I, away from my mother’s health conscious gaze, scarfed down with impunity during my high school lunches. As I am sure you’ll agree, these delightful, greasy pieces of Americana are best dunked in a lot of ketchup. My only issue with The Tattooed Moose’s grilled cheese sandwich was that it wasn’t hot; the American cheese had begun to cool and to congeal. In a perfect world, all grilled cheese sandwiches are cut on the diagonal and as you pull apart the halves, the melted cheese stretches to the thinness of yellow Saran Wrap before breaking into strands. I’m sure, when it’s hot, the grilled cheese sandwiches at the Tattooed Moose do.

Ideally, the Tattooed Moose’s “Lucky #1” Sub ($8.25) would have tasted like a well balanced banh mi sandwich. Oh how I was hoping for those kinds of flavors. My sandwich roll was soggy, the seared pork belly was barely discernible. The flavors of the house made kimchi, wasabi mayo and sweet red chili sauce were muddled not complimentary. The crispy shallots were fried many minutes before and were far past crisp. The Duck Fat Fries ($1.75) were all they were quacked up to be (sorry, I had to). I had to gingerly slap hands away from the heaping pile. 

All in all, the food here was decent. I wouldn’t recommend the Lucky #1 Sub, but the grilled cheese and duck fat fries were good enough I’d give you the thumbs up if that’s what you wanted to order. From all the rave reviews I've read I think I hit the Tattooed Moose on a bad day. I'll definitely be back, if just for the duck fat fries and to give this neighborhood favorite a second chance. 

Restaurant Review: Next Door

It’s sexy Next Door; the lighting is low, the booths are embracing and the food is sure to illicit sounds of absolute delight. Ben Berryhill’s newest culinary endeavor-- you guessed it, basically next door to Red Drum-- is my new favorite place I can’t wait to go back to.

The Atmosphere

I hate to use the hackneyed term “casual elegance” to describe Next Door’s atmosphere, but that’s exactly what the Mount Pleasant bistro offers. The vibe is relaxed but not subdued. There’s a subtle hum of confidence, energy and fun that emanates from the staff, the plates the kitchen produces and the bartender’s faultless musical choices. You’ll want to stay here through multiple courses.

The Staff

Our waiter was impeccable. There’s something to be said for a server who strikes a balance between being making you feel like an inconvenience and watching you like a hawk. He seemed to enjoy our meal right along with us, guiding us through the wine list and the menu, pointing our favorites and “must try” items. 

The Food

Next Door’s menu is crowded with delicious items, many of which use locally sourced produce, seafood and proteins. Of course, this means the menu changes frequently, so if you hear of a dish your friend loves, best head Next Door as soon as possible.

The salad of baby beets, watermelon radishes, baby carrots and house made mozzarella ($8) with a lemon vinaigrette was like a run through Mr. MacGregor’s garden with a lemon twist. So refreshing, so balanced and so delightful. Who says salads need be boring? The root vegetables, roasted, were tender but still satisfyingly crunchy. The mozzarella served as a creamy foil to the salad’s purity. Definitely a must order. 

There’s something about cutting into a poached egg, and how its liquid gold seductively pours from its tender white albumen cradle. Pair that with freshly made pasta, house made ricotta and nutty brown butter and you’ve got the makings of a decadent yet simple dish. Next Door’s poached egg, ham, and ricotta raviolo ($14) is rich and satiating in its sea of nutty brown butter, though definitely one to share. 

Eating Next Door’s seared duck breast with kale, turnips, duck jus and soubise is tortuous. With each bite there’s less to enjoy, without another bite you feel deprived. Earthy, salty, tender and complete with crisp, seared skin this is how one should prepare duck. The Lucinato kale greens are a substantial partner to the game-like bird, maintaining the dish’s natural flavor profile. The turnips provide a sweetness and necessary textural juxtaposition to the tender duck breast and sautéed kale. The duck jus is intense with solicitous sweet and umami flavors and the soubise (béchamel sauce with puréed onions) serves as nice creamy accent. This, too, is a must-order.

The Verdict

Next Door is simply fabulous. The atmosphere, food and staff make this venue a beautiful location for a romantic dinner for two, or, alternatively, a fun outing for a sophisticated group. Expect entrées to be priced between $15 and $25, starters below $15-- though each dish is worth every penny. The wine list is interesting in the best way possible. Ask your server for suggestions.

Three Course Thursdays: Triangle Char and Bar

This originally appeared on my Patch.com column.

Regardless of its origin, the hamburger is to me quintessentially American. One can never have too many great burger joints at one’s disposal. The Charleston area definitely has a few, although I’m not sure I’d count Triangle Char and Bar amongst them.

The Atmosphere

The design, décor and atmosphere of Mount Pleasant’s Triangle Char and Bar is casual, fun and a little bit funky. I love the industrial whimsy of the interior and the fact that the bar opens up to the outdoors. This is especially important on Sundays when the hungry brunch crowd must satiate their appetites with pitchers of mimosas while waiting for a table.

The Service

The two times I’ve visited Triangle Char and Bar the staff has been knowledgeable and helpful. My most recent experience was no exception. I’m not a regular at Triangle Char and Bar so I wasn’t aware that Thursdays are “Three Course Thursdays.” I’m so glad my server clued me into this fantastic deal. Who can pass up a snack (read: appetizer), a burger and a draft beer for $15? I couldn’t.

The Food

I took advantage of the “Three Course Friday” deal and started my meal with livers, fried chicken livers, tasso gravy, stone ground grits and a fried egg. If you’re a fan of fried chicken livers, you have to get this—you’ll be presented with three perfectly fried chicken livers, very creamy grits, beautifully salty tasso gravy and an orb of golden egg yolk prepared to bring the whole dish to life.

I really like burgers. I’m of the belief that designer burgers and “plain jane” burgers both have their place in this world (and my stomach). I also believe that burgers should always be cooked on a flat top or in a skillet and not grilled (tailgating is the only exception). This way, all of the fantastic drippings, fat and flavor that cook out of a burger make its way back. Grilling just doesn’t impart the same flavor or deliver the same juicy patty.

I ordered “the yank”—a burger topped with Swiss cheese, sautéed mushrooms and horseradish mayo. The burger itself was good but took itself out of the running for great because it was dry and a little overcooked (I normally order my burgers medium). The horseradish mayo is delicious. I suggest you request a bit extra on the side for dipping your burger and fries.

In case you were wondering, I ordered an Allagash White for my draft beer. (Yum!)

The Verdict

Whoever thought up “Three Course Thursdays” is a genius. On it’s own, it’s a great deal. For the menu items you have to choose from at Triangle Char and Bar, it’s an absolute steal. Great for hanging out with friends and watching the game, not the ideal setting for a romantic date, Triangle Char and Bar serves up decent burgers and new twists on bar food sure to please a broad spectrum of palates.

What's your favorite burger place? What did you order at Triangle Char and Bar?

Restaurant Review: Eileen's

Having never been to Summerville and being completely in the dark as far as their dining scene is concerned, I chose to follow the advice of my Patch.com column readers and try Eileen’s. Thank you for your recommendations. 

The Atmosphere

Eileen’s is an intimate, dimly lit restaurant. With only 28 seats by my estimation, it’s ideal for a romantic date night or breaking bread with close friends over a dinner that lasts for hours. The darkly painted booths, napkins and accents only add to Eileen’s languorous atmosphere.

The Service

Perhaps it was the drop in temperature, but I have a hunch that our less-than-warm reception was the fact that the combined ages in our party was lower than that of the other patrons. Aside from our initial greeting, the service at Eileen’s was, well, down tempo. We weren’t ignored, but we were the last on the wait staff’s list of tables to check on. Then again, I believe this simply how things work here. Eileen’s wants you to stay and spend a good amount of time breaking bread and drinking wine. 

The Food

As a special on Wednesday nights, Eileen’s offers five courses, three of which include wine pairings, for $30. The courses are pulled from Eileen’s Mediterranean-inspired menu. Not quite hungry enough for five courses, we opted for starters and entrées.

As a side note, I must applaud the barkeep at Eileen’s. I have never been served a lime so large or freshly cut anywhere. It makes all the difference in a gin and tonic.

Never one to turn down organ meat of any kind, I couldn’t pass up the Sautéed Chicken Livers with Prosciutto and Caramelized Onions ($8) as starter. The plate of chicken livers arrived and my jaw dropped; there were at least five petite chicken livers.

Liver, if overcooked, changes from supple earthiness to grainy, gray matter. There should be someresistance but liver should ultimately succumb to the pressure of your fork. There’s someone in the kitchen at Eileen’s who loves liver just as much as I do and knows how to cook it just right. The accompanying prosciutto was intended for bacon-like crispiness but unfortunately didn’t reach that point. The caramelized onions, a nice twist on the traditional liver and onions combination, were great. I only wish there had been more of them. My only complaint had to do with the red wine sauce thickly pooled at the bottom of the plate. It tasted faintly of wine but most reminiscent of a Chinese take-out restaurant’s “brown sauce.”

As an entrée, I ordered a half portion of the Orechiette with Peas and Proscuitto ($8) in cream sauce. I absolutely love that Eileen’s offers full and half portions of their pasta entrées at dinner. The small pieces of orechiette pasta were cooked to toothsome perfection. Shaped like small little shallow bowls, the orrechiette scooped up the dish’s light cream sauce. The way the ham tasted didn’t make me believe it was actually prosciutto—no matter, everything was quite good nonetheless. 

The Verdict

Eileen’s is a good place for dinner. The Mediterranean and predominantly Italian-inspired menu does play it safe, but it isn’t boring. As such, Eileen’s offers dishes to please every palate while still bringing the residents of Summerville back for more. It’s a restaurant made for conversation, whether between a group of friends or just the two of you.

Have you been to Eileen's? What did you order? Have you tried their five courses and wine pairing menu on Wednesday nights?

Restaurant Review: Pies-On

The Atmosphere
Walking into Pies-On is like venturing back into the 80s—I loved it. The off-white and black checkered linoleum floors, wooden S-shaped booths, tables with red vinyl chairs and mural of the Brooklyn bridge on the wall conjured up my idea of what a New York-style pizzeria would have looked like twenty years ago. Anyone and everyone would be comfortable, and welcomed, here. How could you not feel at home when you hear the best of the 80s is coming through the stereo?

The Service
Pies-On is the type of place you order, sit down and the kitchen staff brings your piping hot pizza pies and steaming calzones to your table.

That being said, everyone was sincerely nice, even when we were the last two people to leave right at 10:00 p.m.

The Food
The menu isn’t limited, but it doesn’t have everything under the sun. I like that about Pies-On. Items are mostly Italian although there are a few American standards like chicken fingers and fries.

Pies-On’s menu is severely reasonably priced. The most expensive item is a large “The Works” pizza for $22. A 10-inch cheese pizza is only $5, and the crust here is much, much better than Domino’s, Pizza Hut or any other chain. You’re getting far more for your money here.

I ordered a 10-inch pizza with ham, bacon and pineapple (my version of a Hawaiian) and a stromboli. My counterpart ordered a 10-inch pepperoni pizza and a pepperoni and cheese calzone.

The calzone and stromboli arrived first. First glance at the stromboli’s crust and I had a good feeling. It had been sprinkled with cheese, herbs and garlic before steaming its way to our table. The calzone was given the same royal treatment.

Sausage, pepperoni, mozzarella cheese, peppers, onions and mushrooms were wrapped in hot, very hot, pizza dough. I knew the moment took a bite of the stromboli I was in love. The interior was juicy without making the exterior dough soggy. It was so good the next day at work my thoughts were consumed by this Italian turnover.

The calzone was filled to the brim with ricotta cheese, mozzarella cheese and pepperoni. I snagged this baby and ate it, along with the left over stromboli, for lunch the next day. It was so, so good. Neither the stromboli nor the calzone needed the accompanying marinara sauce.

The “Hawaiian” and pepperoni pizzas arrived so hot we had to wait a few minutes before chowing down. My cheesy pizza was topped with pineapple, ham and bacon. The best part? Definitely the bacon. It clearly had been chopped and the fat rendered prior to being put on the pizza. No Bacon Bits here.

The Verdict

Though I don’t live in Goose Creek, if you’re looking for pizza in that part of town this is definitely the place you need to go. Unpretentious and inexpensive, Pies-On packs a lot of flavor into everything it makes. This hole in the wall pizza joint goes to show you don’t need to charge an arm and a leg to make people happy and, most importantly, make good food.

A Night In Jacob's Kitchen

The bar had been set high before I even walked through the front door of Jacob’s Kitchen, the southern restaurant located at 148 Civitas Street in I’On. I called earlier in the day to make a reservation. “Are we celebrating anything this evening? Girl’s night out? A birthday? Are there any dietary considerations we should be made aware of?” asked Dan, the voice at the other end of the phone.

“No,” I replied, “Though we do have a vegetarian joining us.”

“Not a problem,” said Dan. “We offer a variety of vegetarian choices. We’ll also be happy to modify any of the other items on the menu.”

“If the phone service is any indication,” I thought, “Tonight is going to be fantastic.”

I was wrong.

The Atmosphere

Jacob’s Kitchen is a small restaurant attached to the Inn at I’On. The association with the boutique inn is discernable considering the hostess’ stand feels a bit like a hotel check in. Though comfortable, the restaurant’s interior is nondescript. The walls and napkins are beige, the tables and chairs are brown and the hanging light fixtures are black. Unfortunately, Jacob’s Kitchen doesn’t offer the warmth or hospitality one would expect from a restaurant that’s part of a boutique inn, let alone one located in I’On.

The Service

The service was, by far, the most disappointing aspect of the meal. My two cohorts and I were having some difficulty deciding what to order, as many of the menu items sounded good. Our server was attentive at first, coming back to check on us twice before he left us to “give us some time to decide.” He gave us far too much time; time enough to notice that he had taken drink and dinner orders for one table that had been seated many, many minutes after us. Time enough for the table to our left to become disgruntled enough to get up and leave due to being ignored.

During the meal itself, our server never refilled our water glasses. After placing our dinner orders, we overheard another server reciting what sounded like the evening’s dinner specials to the table behind us. This was the first we had heard of them. 

The Food

As far as the food is concerned at Jacob’s Kitchen, there aren’t many dishes that scream traditional southern cuisine. Shrimp and Grits ($12) is the only obvious exception. There are, however, southern touches here and there, which align with the restaurant’s ‘new southern cuisine’ theme. The Kobe Beef Burger ($10) is topped with pimento cheese. The Olive Oil Braised Duck ($16) includes a warm white bean and asparagus salad, and the Kobe Beef Meatloaf ($12.50) is partnered with succotash and red eye gravy.

To start, I ordered the Asparagus “Fries” ($6). Fried in beer batter and served with a Cajun aioli, I’d definitely recommend these to anyone. Each asparagus stalk was fried to perfection; the batter itself was crispy, delicious and fluffy. The asparagus themselves were cooked all the way through yet still had a crunch. The Cajun-spiced aioli was a nice touch, though not completely needed.

As an entrée I ordered the Bronzed Scallop & Shrimp Salad ($13). Grilled shrimp and scallops arrived before me atop mixed greens tossed in a buttermilk lime dressing served with artichoke hearts, tomatoes, a large fried grit crouton, cucumbers, crumbled goat cheese, and mesquite grilled onions. I found myself taking extra bites willing myself to like this uninspired salad. Aside from the cold grilled mesquite onions and undercooked scallops my biggest complaint was the disharmonious flavors in the buttermilk lime dressing. The tang of the buttermilk did not work in concert with the tang of the goat cheese. The addition of lime did not help. Three different notes of sourness resulted in unpleasant discord on my tongue. I left almost all of my salad on my plate.

Of course, I tasted everything else that came to the table.

Jacob’s Wedgie ($5.50) was a great take on the classic wedge salad. The iceberg wedge was crisp, ice cold and refreshing with just the right amount of bacon, tomatoes and a fantastic house made blue cheese dressing.

The Steamed Mussels ($9) were good but not outstanding. As she began slurping the lemon-herb and white wine broth at the bottom of the bowl my friend came across bits of sand and grit. The flavors were good, just a bit too lemony for me personally.

One large bite into one of the Shrimp Spring Rolls ($7) and I wondered, “Where’s the shrimp?” Though the portion size is large, the Shrimp Spring Rolls aren’t anything special.

The Verdict

It will be awhile before I return to Jacob’s Kitchen.  The service was aggravatingly disappointing and the food was a let down. Sadly, my time and money would have been better spent dining in my own kitchen.

Restaurant Review: Uno Mas

I have the worst luck with Mexican restaurants. My visits to Cantina Laredo and Taco Lu both left me dissatisfied. Unfortunately my first visit to Uno Mas ended the same way.

Uno Mas is located just off North Highway 17 at 880 Allbritton Boulevard. The interior is quirky, in a good way. That’s one of my favorite things about Mexican restaurants the décor always puts you in the mood for a good time and Uno Mas is no exception.

One glance at Uno Mas’ lunch menu and I was excited. That’s another thing I love about Mexican restaurants; how can you go wrong with fresh flavors like lime and cilantro paired with deliciously spicy proteins? So often Mexican cuisine is undervalued and underestimated for it’s complexities. In addition, Uno Mas belongs to the same family of restaurants as Boulevard Diner, the Village Bakery and Mustard Seed, a flavor-packed favorite restaurant of mine. I couldn’t wait to try Sal’s spin on South of the Border dishes.

How do two soft tacos filled with Mahi Mahi, jicama slaw, cumin cilantro mayo and mango salsa sound to you? It sounded good to me, too—that’s why I ordered it. Served with jicama and roasted corn slaw this lunch entrée sounded filling and fresh without putting me in the mood for a nap back at work.

The Mahi Mahi tasted fishy.  There was barely any mango salsa. The jicama and roasted corn slaw were delicious and fresh, but slaw shouldn’t be the best part of your meal. I devoured the slaw and ate one taco, but left one on my plate.

Our waiter possessed a shy eagerness to please—it was after all his first day on the job. He was very attentive and very, very sweet. He kept our diet cokes filled and prepared us to-go cups, which earned him bonus points on top of a perfect service score.

Even though I left dissatisfied with my meal, I’ll still be giving Uno Mas a second try. Every restaurant has an “off” day and I did hit the restaurant at the tail end of the lunch shift. The menu still has items I want to try (Grilled Shrimp Quesadilla, Sopa de Lima, Pork Enchilada).

Have you been to Uno Mas? What was your experience like? What should I order next time?

Restaurant Review: Bricco Bracco

You can also read this review of Bricco Bracco on my weekly column on Mount Pleasant Patch.com

 You’ll be greeted by the warmth of the kitchen and the smell of garlic as soon as you walk through the doors of Bricco Bracco, the Italian restaurant located at 1161 Basketweave Drive in Mount Pleasant.

The Atmosphere

Bricco Bracco offers a comfortable and unpretentious atmosphere. The open kitchen in the back of the restaurant sends periodic wafts of Italian fare over the heads of its patrons. Though the restaurant has a family feel to it, it’s equally appropriate for date night.

The Service

The staff here is to be applauded. During my visit my entrée took almost 30 minutes to appear after my Caesar Salad. The waitress handled the situation quite well.  Our water glasses were never empty and despite being busy for a Wednesday night we were not forgotten. On several occasions the manager stepped in to freshly grind black pepper and ask if he could get us anything. Our waitress also had a great sense of humor and even appreciated my deadpan sarcasm, responding by leaving a playful note on my delicious leftovers.

The Food

Make no mistake; this isn’t an old-world style Italian restaurant. There are a few nods to traditional Italian cuisine with dishes like Veal Saltimbocca, Chicken Marsala and Eggplant Parmesan on the menu, but Bricco Bracco balances its offerings with more modern plates, too, like Spaghetti with Veal Meatballs and some in-house creations.

I began the meal with a Caesar Salad. The dressing was good, albeit disappointing. The menu promised anchovies and I didn’t detect the fish’s brininess whatsoever. The dressing was also more pesto-like than Caesar-like and the croutons were stale.

Waiting 30 minutes between courses in a small restaurant on a Wednesday night isn’t exactly a deal breaker, but it’s unwelcome. However, all of my sourness disappeared after one bite of my Salmon Bricco Bracco: pan seared salmon atop a very healthy serving of tomato basil risotto with essence of basil and French fried leeks.

There are a few dishes that indicate the quality of your kitchen staff. If you’re in a French restaurant it’s soufflé. In an Italian restaurant it’s risotto. It’s a dish that requires patience and timing. It’s not a dish that every one makes well. Bricco Bracco makes fantastic risotto. Risotto so fantastic that it may just be worth a 30-minute wait. The classic combination of tomato and basil skyrockets to a whole new level when it’s no longer limited to a caprese salad. It tastes like all the best parts of a tomato; there’s the tiniest bit of vine-ripened sweetness and a touch of tomato’s ubiquitous acidity at play in this dish. Both are brought out by subtle hints of basil. The pan seared salmon was well cooked. I appreciated that Bricco Bracco kept the salmon’s seasonings simple and let the fish’s natural fattiness and flavors shine instead of competing with the tomato basil risotto. The French fried leeks were a nice touch (although not really needed) but I won’t say no to something fried.

My friend, who tagged along for the evening, ordered the Bruschetta Pizza. As a vegetarian, she seemed pleased with the meat-free options on the menu. The Bruschetta Pizza was good: crispy pizza crust topped with plum tomatoes, fresh mozzarella, arugula, Bermuda onions and a drizzle of balsamic vinegar. Everything was fresh and had a lot of flavor. 

The Verdict

Bricco Bracco is a good casual Italian restaurant that caters to families with children and to couples who are out for a “just us two” meal. The menu isn’t adventurous but the traditional flavors of Italy are absolutely present in their dishes. If everything is as good as the Salmon Bricco Bracco, this may be my new favorite Italian restaurant.

 

The Anatomy of the Perfect Lunch Spot: the Square Onion

When I worked as the public relations intern for a company in Jacksonville, Fla. I always bitched lamented there wasn’t a better selection of perfect lunch spots nearby. The perfect lunch spot has three components: it’s fast, it’s good and it’s close to your office. Easy enough, right?

Most employees have between 30 minutes and an hour for lunch, so wherever you’re headed has to be close. The ideal lunch spot is within walking distance or is reachable by car within 5-7 minutes; otherwise you’re wasting your freedom time in transit. Bringing your lunch doesn’t count. You never left your desk, which makes you a loser.

Lunchtime is one of the best parts of the day! Wherever you’re headed to satiate your midday hunger should be delicious. A good lunch spot serves good food and has a menu that you won’t get tired of too quickly.

What’s the point in going to a good place that’s close to your office if the service is always slow? Exactly. Your boss will only accept the “The service took forever!” excuse so many times. Besides, rushing through your meal is not good for you and counterintuitive to going out to lunch in the first place.

Luckily, I don’t need to look much farther than the Square Onion in I’On for a perfect lunch spot—it’s fast, it’s close and it’s tasty.

My first time to this delectable and quaint lunch spot was fantastic. My friend, Mark, told me to order the Goose, a warm roast beef sandwich with melted mozzarella, fresh basil and tomatoes with a balsamic drizzle atop rosemary foccacia. The sandwich arrived within 5 minutes.

So often foccacia can be a heavy bread choice, but this wasn’t. It was sturdy enough to handle the heft of the lean roast beef and light enough that I didn’t return to work feeling like I’d consumed too much. The roast beef was, well, beefy—a good thing. The melted fresh mozzarella, basil and tomatoes ended each bite with a flavorful summertime zing that balanced what could have been an otherwise heavy sandwich. Delicious!

I ate the edamame salad in two seconds. With every bite I wondered, “I wonder if they’ll give me the recipe for this?”

In short, I plan on going back. You can follow the Square Onion on Twitter @SquareOnion

Do you know of any great local lunch spots?

Breakfast at Charleston's Café

As familiar with the Charleston dining scene as I am, it can be a difficult deciding where to eat. Charleston’s Café is one of my go-to places. Trust me, this is where you want to be eating breakfast.


THE ATMOSPHERE


Charleston’s Café, located just off of US-17, is not fancy by any means, but that’s okay. The moment you step inside its doors you immediately recognize it as an establishment where the food comes first and the décor doesn’t really matter. Nondescript wooden tables and chairs fill the dining rooms and a large black chalkboard lists the daily specials.


THE SERVICE


Unfortunately, the service this visit was definitely lacking due much in part to the large Father’s Day brunch crowd.


THE FOOD


My eyes scanned the list of daily specials before we were seated. The Belgian Waffle Sandwich with Bacon, Scrambled Eggs and Fried Chicken with Maple Mayonnaise was already a lead contender before I’d opened my breakfast menu.


I couldn’t pass up a twist on the classic chicken and waffles and decided on the special, though I asked that my eggs be cooked over easy instead of scrambled. My cohort ordered one of Charleston Café’s most popular items, Amber’s Choice, a crab cake topped with eggs, hollandaise, shrimp and smoked sausage.

A Twist on Chicken and Waffles

Amber's Choice

Our breakfast entrées came out quickly. I was presented with a mountain of food: the best waffle I’ve ever had topped with a layer of maple mayonnaise, crispy bacon, juicy fried chicken and crowned with an over easy egg that anointed the entire dish with runny gold.


My cohort’s meal wasn’t as satisfying. The crab cake had an odd metallic taste suggesting that the crab was probably canned. Too much lemon disguised the metallic flavor with as much success as perfume masks foul odors. Everything else on the plate, however, was good.


Having consumed enough calories to sustain a small army, we ordered dessert. We split an order of the Bourbon Pecan Pie and the Deep Fried Vanilla Bread Pudding. Don’t light a match near the Bourbon Pecan Pie—or take a Breathalyzer test after eating a slice. The Deep Fried Vanilla Bread Pudding was a great idea in theory, but the execution of the comfort food favorite completely failed. The outside of the bread pudding was fried food heaven but the inside of the fried bread pudding was grossly unexpected. Its texture reminded me of the soap-making scene in Fight Club.

Bourbon Pecan Pie

Fried Bread Pudding

THE VERDICT


Charleston’s Café is the perfect place for both locals and out of town guests as the menu offers a variety of traditional and local, southern inspired fare. There’s something on the menu for just about anyone and you can’t disagree with the restaurant’s reasonable prices. Be prepared for a potential wait during peak brunch times and make sure to check out the specials board.

Restaurant Review: Eurasia

It took us most of Saturday to decide on a place to eat. We tossed ideas in the air and shot them down like a marksman blasting clay pigeons. We wanted someplace quintessentially Charleston and yet new. Our solution? Eurasia.


Located off of Houston Northcutt to the left of Whole Foods in Mt. Pleasant, Eurasia is delicious. Its menu changes from time to time (the seafood stew that drew us there initially wasn’t offered during our visit) focusing on regional Southern fare with Asian influences.


To start, we ordered cocktails. I ordered a Firefly Fuzzy Fly—which is basically a skinny version of a fuzzy navel. My friend, Amanda, ordered the Blueberry Mojito. My cocktail was sweet as can be and went down way too smoothly. This is where things begin to get a little bit fuzzy.


Our waitress raved that the vegetable spring rolls were “outrageously good!” and “the best in the world.” So, of course, we had to have an order. Served with a spicy nostril-clearing Chinese mustard and another dipping sauce (I told you—things got fuzzy) the bias-cut veggie rolls were gone in a flash. From what I recall, they were good but not the best in the world. It can be easy to oversell a product when you’re an enthusiastic employee but it’s always better to undersell than under deliver.

On to the entrées (and a dark and stormy for me)! I ordered the green curry seafood bowl. I’m a sucker for seafood and curry, so this was an obvious selection for me. I wish I had ordered something else. The green curry was overpowered by what my drunken palate told me was sweetened coconut milk. I couldn’t taste the delicate nuances of the green curry itself. The seafood was cooked beautifully and so was the rice (no small feat!) but the saccharin curry was just too much. So, I didn’t finish my entrée and drank more.

Amanda ordered something with fish and really good mashed potatoes. Her dish was by far the winner that night. At this point she handed me her unfinished second beverage.

As it was a celebratory meal we couldn’t pass up dessert. By this time my friend Lauren had popped in for a cocktail and to join us for the sweet ending to our dinner. Amanda and I both wanted the doughnuts and coffee crème brûlée but our server told us we’d be better off splitting the dessert—the crème brulee was pretty big. Not big on sharing (we are only children) we ordered another dessert, an inside out s’mores bombe that came with a campfire: a flaming pile of salt.

The clear dessert winner was the crème brulee. Two orders would have just been fine with everyone. The doughnut holes were hot and freshly fried (YUM). The inside-out bombe was… interesting. The glaring problem with the s'mores-inspired bombe was its consistency. There were too many similar soft textures and no crunch to break up the smoothness. 

On a final note, I have to applaud how nice and helpful the staff is at Eurasia. Our waitress was clearly excited about where she worked, something that's great to see anywhere but especially in a service industry. The owner remembered my friend, Lauren, who hosted her birthday dinner this year at his restaurant. We'll definitely be back.

Restaurant Review: La Fourchette

For Mother’s Day I took my mother and my godmother to La Fourchette. Located at 432 King Street in downtown Charleston, S.C., this bistro is my new favorite spot for authentically prepared French food. Seemingly, every menu item is delicious. If you want your mother to love you take her to this restaurant.

La Fourchette is by no means a large restaurant. In fact, it’s quite small and I like it. There’s an unequivocal connection between the table, the wait staff and the kitchen this way-- it's all very intimate. You know when the kitchen is frying duck-fat fries.

To start, we ordered two appetizers. Both of our selections were specials that evening; a duck liver pâté served with crisp French bread and homemade preserves and sautéed sweetbreads. The pâté, as it ought to be, was undeniably creamy. The sweetness of the homemade preserves and the crunch of the toasted French bread complimented the pâté’s inherent richness allowing you to eat every bite without feeling over-indulgent.

La Fourchette’s sweetbreads were an exemplum of the ingenuity and hallmark balance true French cooking exhibits. Leave it to the French to take an otherwise useless “leftover” and turn it into a savory and phenomenal item. Served with a cream sauce and sautéed spinach hinted with lemon, the perfectly panfried sweetbreads were by far my favorite of the two appetizers. This needs to be a permanent fixture on La Fourchette’s menu.

For the main event the three of us chose very differently. My mother, true to form, ordered mussels. These phenomenally large bivalves tasted of the ocean were perfectly cooked and perfumed with white wine.

I ordered Le Steak Frites Salade: a refreshing side salad of butter lettuce (my favorite!) in a lemon vinaigrette, duck-fat French fries (oh, honey) and medium rare hanger steak dripping with garlicky butter. Délicieux!

My godmother ordered the highlight of the meal. If you go to La Fourchette you simply must order the Vélouté de Tomate au Romarin (chilled tomato and rosemary soup with cucumbers). It is absolutely jaw-droppingly good and yet mind-numbingly simple. This soup is one of those fabulous creations you wish you could replicate (and due to its identifiable flavor profile you feel you could) but know your version will never quite live up to the valor of the original. This is better than any gazpacho you have ever had. I don't have a photo, but that's because we all dove right in and gulped this masterpiece down.

In addition to her chilled tomato soup, my godmother (en français: ma marraine) ordered Les Crevettes et Coquilles à la Nage et Pistou (shrimp and scallops in a light broth with French pesto, provençal tomatoes, puff pastry and asparagus), which was light and perfect for a hot day.

I'll definitely be returning to La Fourchette. This place is fantastic. Although for the restaurant's size I recommend reservations.