May 15, 2006

Charleston Cooks With A Little Bit of This, And A Lot of That: Lowcountry Cuisine Still Has Deep Roots in This City's Thriving Restaurant Scene

I've never been one to see a movie based on the reviews, nor do I stay away from a restaurant due to mediocre opinions from others. In fact, as a food writer, I tend to "tell it", rather than "sell it" either way. Tastes, experiences, and perceptions are so individual; even I don't enjoy hearing over-the-top recommendations, as they never live up to their hype- good or bad. And why plant a seed in someone's head that will either let them down or, worse, make them feel bad should they not enjoy something that somebody else told them they would? A recent trip to a long anticipated destination reinforced what I already knew; 1) always go in with an open mind 2) keep itineraries loose 3) explore 4) never feel obligated to stay, eat, or go anywhere that does not interest you.

I've wanted to visit Charleston, SC for some time now. I fell in love with Savannah, GA a few years back and have been told by my fellow writers and friends that I would surely enjoy Charleston. Southern cooking and hospitality, mixed in with the fabulous architecture and charming landscapes, what is there not to like? So, off we went, my sweetheart Ron and his camera, and me with my list of contacts and press kits.

We were steered in the direction of the Market Pavilion Hotel in the heart of Charleston, a perfect location that put us in the thick of things, on the corner of Market and East Bay Streets, across from the US Customs House Building and the popular (touristy) City Market. This 66-room boutique hotel offers stately charm and impeccable service. Owned and operated by the Palassis Family, the newly renovated building is quite luxurious with plush furnishings, regal guest rooms, and the stylish Grill 225, an upscale steak house with "Lowcountry" twists. Lowcountry cuisine is defined as regional southern foods, land and sea, and preparations that are flavorful and hearty, taking its cues from Cajun, Creole, Caribbean, and even its African descendants.

Executive Chef Demetre Castanas launched Charleston's first USDA Prime steakhouse with the introduction of Grill 225 in 2002. While the menu features traditional steakhouse favorites such as quality meat and fresh seafood, cooking methods and ingredients are of a distinctive Southern flair- lots of flavor. Signature appetizers include Kobe beef tartare with capers and Dijon mustard, the "tuna tower" of vibrant red sushi grade tuna, lump crab meat, silky avocado and spicy Chile oil, and decadent prosciutto wrapped shrimp over creamy white truffle risotto. Fried green tomatoes were thick and crispy and delicious, a staple in southern households. The jumbo lump crab cakes lived up to its raves, as it was all crab, a hint of spice, and lightly sautéed to perfection.

For the beef entrees, simple char was not enough, as the meat is highly seasoned with a dry rub that is salty and pungent. We had a surf and turf combination of shrimp scampi and filet mignon. In true steakhouse fashion the portions are generous, but with so much flavor on one plate it can sometimes be overwhelming. Other beef dishes include the "fromage" with Roquefort cheese, apple wood smoked bacon, and port wine reduction, and a steak foie gras dish with truffled béarnaise, parmesan cheese and fig demi glace. Again, lots of flavors and textures going on. Our favorite creamed spinach side dish also had that over-the-top edge to it with the addition of cheese and all sorts of extras that were not needed. Buttery hashbrown potatoes are just that- buttery. Adventurous eaters will enjoy the zest of Grill 225. More simplistic appetites should stay with the raw bar offerings and grilled beef cuts such as the prime rib and veal rib chop. Desserts are a must as they are a work of art as well as absolutely mouthwatering as we tasted with the key lime pyramid dusted with cocoa and the chocolate mousse cake with dancing leg cookies! The wine list is impressive, global, and offers fabulous varietals by the glass. Market Pavilion Hotel & Grill 225, 225 East Bay Street, (877) 440-2250

We awoke to great coffee and breakfast treats each morning on the concierge level. Our host, Gerald, was always a cheery start to our day and full of great recommendations and information about our surroundings. We ventured out for a stroll along the Cooper River and Waterfront Park on our first full day in Charleston (and after that hearty meal the night before). Manicured gardens and walkways line the entire stretch along the residential side of the river. The mansions are unique in that they are all multi-leveled, quite high actually, with turn-of-the-century architecture, pastel colors, long shutters to frame the large windows, wrap around balconies, and private narrow driveways with beautiful wooden garage doors with wrought iron framing. The more pristine dwellings are just as impressive and magnificently kept. Like any city, there's a more urban side of town which is in the process of an aggressive revitalization campaign to further boost the tourism industry and provide more housing for its growing population and workforce.

We passed restaurant upon restaurant, reading all of the menus along the way. After sipping Manhattans at a neighborhood haunt, we headed to AW Shucks where fried seafood, shrimp and grits, and good ol' pub fare round out the menu. The Noisy Oyster around the corner is another casual restaurant featuring Lowcountry cuisine. Both places sold us on their simple fare and fresh oysters on the half shell. Chowders and gumbo are extremely filling and can stand on their own (great to share). These are great spots to hang out in between excursions. By the way, there are enough bars to keep Charleston afloat should prohibition make a comeback. AW Shucks, 70 State Street, (843) 723-1151 Noisy Oyster, 24 N. Market Street, (843) 723.0044, www.noisyoysterseafood.com

Seeing a definite pattern in the menus we were reading, I decided to take a cooking class at "Charleston Cooks!" a fantastic kitchen store and culinary school in town. The state-of-the-art demonstration kitchen is set up a la Food TV with seating for 20, monitors overhead for easy observing, and staffed with local talented chefs. General Manager/Instructor Danielle Wecksler took us the through the history and ABCs of Lowcountry cooking, "Yes, we love our bacon and butter," she mused, "and we like to salt our food as well, " she continued, "it's all about flavor. We use the surrounding bounty as seen with our seafood and shellfish and ingredients such as rice, beans, grains and vegetables. But those, in themselves, are not flavorful foods." Point taken. I learned a lot, ate, shopped, and spent a fun afternoon with the girls at Charleston Cooks! I highly recommend checking out their schedule if you're in town. Charleston Cooks!, 194 East Bay Street, (843) 722-1212, www.mavericksouthernkitchens.com/cooks.html

Numerous restaurants were recommended to us and lots of online hours were spent checking them all out. Our concierge, Gerald, even pointed us in a few directions. So many places, so little time. A recommended hot spot was Carolina's, a landmark in Charleston's culinary history, tucked away on a tiny side street. New Executive Chef Tin Dizdarevic and Pastry Chef Ann Ladson Stafford, both from New York, recently came on board to rejuvenate the restaurant's appeal. Still elegant with that Southern charm, peach color walls, terra cotta flooring, and soft lighting, both chefs have taken the menu to a whole new level. Sure enough, shrimp and grits are on the menu, as are fried green tomatoes and crab cakes. The shrimp and crabmeat wontons were suggested but fell short, but the roasted sweetbreads with butternut squash puree made up for the dumplings. Their signature dish, Fruits de Mer, is (changes often) a combination of roasted snapper with fennel and blood orange, grilled Day Boat scallops and sautéed spinach, grilled wild shrimp, and poached Maine lobster finished with lobster and white truffle bisque. The presentation is stunning and each taste is unique. Desserts are the real showstopper here. Chef Stafford loves dessert, and it shows in her fluffy chiffon-like Meyer lemon cake, rich white chocolate panna cotta, and a scrumptious brioche French toast with maple cream, brown butter custard and banana chip ice cream. All-in-all, Carolina's will not disappoint. Carolina's Restaurant, 10 Exchange Street, (843) 724-3800, www.carolinasrestaurant.com

The next day I met up with a group of chocolate lovers. That's right. I was going on a chocolate tour with South Carolina native and food historian Amanda Dew Manning of Carolina Food Pros, a unique company whose mission it is to promote and preserve South Carolina's rich culinary heritage. Amanda is an enthusiastic food industry supporter and quite connected throughout the local restaurant and retail markets. Our tour took us to several local restaurants with some of the top pastry chefs in the area. No surprise, Chef Ladson was our first stop where we learned how she makes her chocolate nubs ice cream. Another fun stop was at the more modern Tristan restaurant, where Chef Jered Young demonstrated his five-spice chocolate ganache tart and then sent us off with a bag full of sweet treats. Other programs on Amanda's agenda include a chef's kitchen tour, a taste of SC culinary history tour, and even a farmers and artisan producers tour. Carolina Food Pros is a great find for food and history lovers. (877) SC-TASTE, www.carolinafoodpros.com

Back at the hotel, we wandered up to the rooftop bar/pool area for some fresh air and the view overlooking downtown Charleston. Lots of ideas for where to have dinner were swirling about. Only one thing to do, drop by them all! After a glass of wine and some hors d'oeuvres with Gerald, we ventured to The Boathouse Restaurant, a more casual style seafood restaurant and gathering place. We were advised to skip this place, as it was "not like all the other great places in town " and was "part of a larger restaurant group". No matter, I was curious. Sure enough, Ron and I loved this place from the moment we walked through the doors. The Boathouse has lots of atmosphere. The fun nautical theme is felt throughout with wooden boats, sailing paraphernalia, artwork and old photos. The friendliest staff adds to the high energy. While sipping a great sauvignon blanc, we noshed on creative and fresh sushi rolls including a delicious "surf and turf" roll of beef carpaccio wrapped around spicy tuna. We indulged in a martini glass of the best macaroni cheese we've ever had, which is on their bar menu, filled with great snacks such as mini burgers, fried shrimp, and icy raw bar items. Steamed mussels and clams smelled delightfully aromatic. Wishing we could stay for dinner, it was on to the next restaurant for a little more research. Boathouse On East Bay, 549 East Bay Street, (843) 577-7171, www.boathouserestaurants.com

Fulton 15, a hidden trattoria that had been talked about by numerous locals, as well as visitors, was touted as a romantic regional Italian eatery. We must have been there on an off night. My point about doing your own thing, taking recommendations with a grain of salt, and following your own instincts was reinforced here. The uninterested staff made us feel awkward, the limited wine choices were weak, the menu was a disappointment, and our entrees went uneaten due to pasty pasta and a meatless veal shank. It just wasn't in the stars that night for Fulton Five. We brought our dissatisfaction to our waiter's attention but were met with attitude. So, we left.

On our walk back towards the hotel, and before our ghost tour at 11:00pm, we passed by Tristan, the sleek restaurant where I had met the pastry chef on the chocolate tour. We decided to check it out. The space is dazzling at night, eclectic and sophisticated. The open kitchen creates quite a stir throughout the dining room. We ended up in the cozy bar for a glass of wine. The bartender was a hoot and took very good care of us. We sipped our wine, good wine, and perused the menu. It was a bit all over the map, the theme for most restaurants in the area, but we liked the menu choices overall and decide on the wild boar lasagna with porcini pasta, micro basil, perigueux sauce (a rich brown sauce flavored with Mardeira and truffles,braised plum tomato, and ricotta salata. Yes, it too was multi-layered with flavors and textures, but it was subtle and the flavors blended well together. Chef Ciaran Duffy, who recently took over the kitchen, has created a more modern menu than that of the surrounding restaurants. Pleased with our spontaneity, we headed back to the Market Pavilion to our comfy room to sleep off the day...and the food. Tristan, 55 South Market Street, (843) 534-2155, www.tristandining.com

Before leaving the next morning, we quickly popped into the nearby candy stores. Pecan rolls with nougat, chocolate covered everything, lots of fudge, and those delectable sweet, thin, crispy benne (sesame seed) wafers were calling our name. We never did make it to Magnolia's, Cypress, High Cotton, or Trotters, but now that we have a better understanding of Lowcountry cuisine it'll be easier to make more informed choices when we return. We loved our Charleston adventure and would definitely come back for some more of that southern hospitality.

Photo Credit: Ron Dubin www.rtd13.com