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Charleston and Kiawah Island Dining
Charlestonians uphold Southern culture and traditions, and nowhere is this more evident than in the culinary arena. Now, as in Colonial times, Lowcountry cuisine makes creative use of abundant ingredients from coastal waters, marshes, farms and fields. World-class chefs take Southern comfort food to sophisticated levels and consistently garner industry acclaim for Charleston's finest restaurants. As a major culinary destination, Charleston is the New Orleans of the Lowcountry.
Whether your cravings lean towards haute cuisine or Southern comfort food, there's a restaurant downtown to satisfy. Charleston Grill in Charleston Place features one of the city's most popular chefs, whose diverse influences inspire his creative cuisine. After honing his skills in restaurants all over the world, award-winning chef Robert Waggoner settled in Charleston in 1998 and quickly garnered culinary praise. His menu features traditional Lowcountry cuisine with a dash of French influence, demonstrated in such dishes as Frogmore stew and an exotic grilled Nilgai antelope chop. The wait staff is well-versed in all menu selections, and the sommelier is ready to help you navigate the 800-plus vintage wine list. With low lighting, dark wood paneling and live jazz, the restaurant's upscale ambience comes off relaxed. The popularity of the restaurant has made it a destination in its own right.
Circa 1886 occupies the elegantly remodeled carriage house of the Wentworth Mansion. Charleston's rich culinary history serves as the chef's inspiration for contemporary gourmet cuisine that reflects the availability of seasonal ingredients. Vanilla-glazed Berkshire pork chop and lingonberry barbecued organic chicken breast are some of the representative dishes. Like many restaurants of its caliber, Circa 1886 is staffed with an accomplished pastry chef, so save room for dessert.
In more than one way, locally trained chef Rob Carter is a star at Peninsula Grill. His food is sophisticated and complex, yet comfortably familiar. A lengthy wine, champagne and specialty drink list complements a diverse menu centered on seafood, quail, trout, lamb and steak. During dinner the chef often wanders through the dining room and talks with guests. He's widely known for his Ultimate Coconut Cake, made from an old family recipe. Velvet-lined walls and the plush interior of this restaurant bespeak the atmosphere of a cosmopolitan supper club from another era. And why not? Peninsula Grill is in the historic Planters Inn.
George Washington may have quaffed a tankard or two in a tavern on the site of McCrady's; the building dates to 1788. Exposed brick walls, leather upholstery, soaring skylights, plank floors and subtle contemporary accoutrements make up the rich décor. Progressive American cuisine is perfectly executed by talented executive chef Sean Brock, who oversees exacting preparations and the artistic presentation of each dish. Entrees on the world-class menu include venison, lamb, duck and a wide selection of seafood dishes, each graced with delicate sauces and imaginative accompaniments. A chef's tasting menu is available nightly. The 28-page international wine list includes several champagnes and numerous wines by the glass.
More than 25 years in operation and a host of industry accolades have earned 82 Queen Restaurant its place in Charleston restaurant lore. The chef honors his trade by presenting a diverse menu of Lowcountry favorites with French, Caribbean, English, and African culinary influences. A representative dinner might include she crab soup or barbecued shrimp over grits for an appetizer, followed by molasses glazed duck or Frogmore stew as an entrée, finished off with crème brulee or Bourbon pecan pie for dessert. Seating is available in multiple dining rooms of a restored house or outside in a lovely garden courtyard around an oversized magnolia tree.
Robert's of Charleston, namesake of owner, chef and part-time singer Robert Dickson, is often lauded as one of Charleston's most romantic restaurants. Guests can expect a five-course gourmet dinner featuring seafood and beef courses so knowledgeably paired with the right wine that each well-executed dish becomes a playground for the palate. Between courses, the classically trained chef entertains with light opera and Broadway show tunes sung to live piano accompaniment. Robert's of Charleston is great place for a special occasion, and Chef Robert will be happy to honor it with a song.
With a string of successful restaurants in the area, Chef Brett McKee has been a favorite among Charlestonians for more than 15 years. Oak Steakhouse, his 2005 addition to the upscale dining scene, has already received national acclaim. The classic steakhouse menu weaves Chef McKee's signature Italian dishes with wet-aged USDA Prime beef grilled over oak chips. Samplings include a 28-ounce porterhouse, pesto-encrusted rack of lamb, grilled Atlantic salmon steaks and veal osso buco. Exquisite flavors and presentation, a wine list of world vintages and professional service guarantee a complete dining experience. Like many of Charleston's fine restaurants, Oak Steakhouse is located in a historic property, in this case an elegantly restored former bank.
The chef at High Cotton says he likes to "let the ingredients speak for themselves" in straightforward, flavorful dishes prepared from the choicest meats, game, poultry and seafood. Consider these menu options: Colorado lamb with mint au jus, Bourbon glazed Eden Farms pork, barbecued Carolina trout or a whopping 24-ounce rib-eye steak. Start or end the evening in the lounge, one of the most popular watering holes in the city. Housed in a historic warehouse, this chic restaurant exudes Southern gentility and dignified ambience.
Basil is an upscale Thai restaurant offering an extensive menu. Patrons can watch the chef skillfully perform his art in the exhibition kitchen as they wait for colorful, artfully presented dishes. Each reasonably priced selection can be ordered at the desired level of spiciness. Pad Thai and red curry crispy duck are the house specialties.
Chef Robert Stehling boasts he doesn't open any cans in the kitchen of his nationally acclaimed restaurant, Hominy Grill, and a meal here easily supports that statement. With a strong commitment to using only the freshest local ingredients, the chef delivers beautiful interpretations of Southern comfort food. Shrimp Creole, grilled soft shell crab and a fried green tomato sandwich are among a large repertoire of longstanding favorites.
The menu of nouveau French cuisine at bustling Gaulart & Maliclet features a variety of sandwiches, fresh breads, pates, cheeses, ooh-la-la desserts and wines as well as seafood, chicken and vegetarian entrees. The popular Thursday night fondue makes for a fun dining experience to share with friends. Expect seating at community tables or counters, and don't be surprised by the frenetic pace of the servers.
Dining options await outside of Charleston proper, too. Fresh local ingredients dictate the daily menu of contemporary Italian selections at Sienna on Daniel Island. Along with such traditional favorites as Grandma Volpe's Italian wedding soup, you'll find a list of imaginative entrees (filed under "Secondi" on the menu) including scaloppini of Sonoma duck, crispy Maine lobster and Neiman Ranch pork. Tasting menus also are available with or without wine pairings. Attended by skilled staff, Sienna patrons enjoy comfortable dining in a casually elegant atmosphere.
The Dining Room at Woodlands Summerville elevates dining to a gastronomic adventure. An ever-changing menu takes artful advantage of local fresh fish, meat, fowl and vegetables--plus selections from the global market--while bringing an element of surprise to every meal. You can put together a four-course dinner from a list of imaginative appetizer, salad, entrée and dessert options, or simply go with one of the specialty tasting menus. Better yet, let the chefs dazzle you with the "Ultimate Menu," a multicourse dinner created on the spot. A sommelier will provide pairing recommendations or expound on your own selection. The Dining Room at Woodlands is an excellent choice for a special occasion, never mind that the experience itself promises to become one you'll want to repeat often.
At The Old Post Office Edisto Island, the heritage of fine Lowcountry and Southern cuisine is preserved through extraordinary preparations of local seafood, meat and game. Grits as an accompaniment to Southern upscale dining was popularized here, and all dishes are prepared fresh daily using hand-selected ingredients. The rustic building, circa 1880, has housed the popular restaurant since 1988. Reservations are strongly recommended, and so is the shrimp and grits. Then again, everything on the menu is well worth the drive to Edisto Island.
Gullah Cuisine, an unassuming roadside restaurant in Mount Pleasant, has been serving scrumptious comfort food since 1997. The menu includes a variety of traditional Gullah and Lowcountry favorites said to be "food that speaks to ya." The menu includes hoppin' John, Gullah rice and shrimp with hominy, collard greens, okra soup, macaroni and cheese, succotash, candied yams and other seasonal favorites, but you can always get barbequed chicken and pork as well a very distinctive fried chicken. Original Gullah arts and crafts complement the restaurant's heritage theme.
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