This was my first time to Charleston, spent 5 consecutive days there. My days consisted of drinking coffee, eating lunch, taking a nap, waiting for dinner at 9PM. Prefacing all my comments with, its hard to judge somewhere by one visit, regardless of who you are, totally unfair but my thoughts for what it's worth.
Husk
Lived up to what it should be, deserves all the awards it gets.
Deviled Farm Egg with HUSK Crème Fraîche, NC Sturgeon Caviar, Chive and Crispy Bread - Great, I enjoyed mintwood place's pickled deviled eggs a touch more though.
Southern Fried Chicken Skins with Steen’s Cane Syrup and Louisiana Hot Sauce - Was my favorite course, didn't think batter was overwhelming, sweet and spicy totally worked.
Wood Fired Manchester Farms Quail with TN Foie Gras Glazed Root Vegetables and Juniper Jus - Was great, but my least memorable dish of the three.
Awesome drink list, visited the bar a couple days later, ruby's radish stood out to me. So drinkable, so different, taste like the earth in a good way.
Amen Street
She crab soup - Perfect for the weather, my first time having it so hard to compare it to anything.
Capers Blade oysters and Littleneck clams - Good, clams a big step above the oysters, too many shards in the oysters.
FIG
Best meal, HANDS DOWN. I couldn't stop raving about it to Joey. Overall experience including service and drinks made it stand out beyond anything else I had down there. Some of the best service I've had, did not make me feel like a freak for being on vacation by myself, eating four courses, alone, on a Wednesday, at 9PM. All food has that, I've seen this before, but not this well done feeling to it.
KEEGAN-FILLION FARMS CHICKEN LIVER PATÉ dijon, bread and butter pickles, brioche - so well done.
CODDLED SEA ISLAND FARM EGG stone crab, yukon potato cream, leek - perfectly cooked
THACKERY FARMS SUCKLING PIG CONFIT garden carrots, sautéed greens, mustard jus - best dish I had, pork is so overused down there (and up here, and at our restaurant), but would order that all day long.
Sorghum cake - Perfect sweetness, lighter than you would expect.
In an effort for some brevity so I can get ready for service, but not to undermine these places:
Two Boroughs Larder - I was a touch hungover so hard to stomach alot of food, Ramen was good, sweetbreads was delicious but pretty standard. Service great, while i was there, two restaurant owners, and a chef was eating there, so kind of an indication of the type of place it was.
Butcher and Bee - Love the concept, good solid sandwiches and you can see they do so many different types of concepts. Only open for lunch and late night.
McCrady's - Service was ehhh. Food was good, dish that stood out to me was dry aged duck, radishes tossed in beurre monte, duck confit. up there with the pig confit I had at FIG. odd contrast of food to decor, but I really don't have much room to talk.
Cypress - I was little disappointed by the overall experience, mainly my server really threw me for a loop. Really there to try Diehl's charcuterie, had the charcuterie plate, and the house cured meats plate. Server asked if I really just wanted to eat a bunch of cold cuts for dinner, looked at me funny when i declined the wine list and just asked for a beer. Regardless, his program is well respected and from what I tasted deservedly so and some.
Black Tap Coffee - Japanese iced coffee, DELICIOUS, want to find that here.
Steak N Shake Fredricksburg - Need I say more?!?
Tim Ma
Maple Ave Restaurant
