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We're planning a trip to Charleston in the spring. Four nights. To see great flowers and eat excellent food. Simple as that. Have to go to McCrady's - probably Husk and Fig too. Any comments or recommendations would be appreciated - especially when it comes to newer places and lunch places (any good "meat & threes" left in Charleston?).
Note that we live in the south (NE Florida). I'm a pretty decent southern cook (except I won't fry chicken at home and get my kitchen all splattered with grease) - like "locavore"/local food - and crab cakes Benedict were a tired concept IMO a long time ago. I'm kind of old - and actually had the original "new-age" shrimp and grits at Crook's Corner in NC when Bill Neal was still alive (how many decades ago was that ?).
BTW - I think Bill Neal's Southern Cooking is back in print - and I recommend it as a holiday gift for your friends who like to cook southern. Robyn
I'm kind of old - and actually had the original "new-age" shrimp and grits at Crook's Corner in NC when Bill Neal was still alive (how many decades ago was that ?).
BTW - I think Bill Neal's Southern Cooking is back in print - and I recommend it as a holiday gift for your friends who like to cook southern. Robyn
Chef Robert Stehling at Hominy Grill in Charleston uses the Bill Neal recipe for shrimp and grits.
The McIntosh is probably the most anticipated Charleston restaurant opening this year. I'm sure you've heard of Chef Jeremiah Bacon (of Carolina's). Well, The McIntosh is his baby. And as a "cape_fisherman," how can you not appreciate Chef Mike Lata at FIG bringing about a new renaissance of using fresh and local seafood, including "bycatch" that used to just be thrown away after the shrimp were picked out of the net (like triggerfish).
The McIntosh is probably the most anticipated Charleston restaurant opening this year. I'm sure you've heard of Chef Jeremiah Bacon (of Carolina's). Well, The McIntosh is his baby. And as a "cape_fisherman," how can you not appreciate Chef Mike Lata at FIG bringing about a new renaissance of using fresh and local seafood, including "bycatch" that used to just be thrown away after the shrimp were picked out of the net (like triggerfish).
Reading your posts reminds me that there are people on here that I really would like to buy dinner and drinks for....and just sit back and listen.
What an evening that would be
The McIntosh is probably the most anticipated Charleston restaurant opening this year. I'm sure you've heard of Chef Jeremiah Bacon (of Carolina's). Well, The McIntosh is his baby. And as a "cape_fisherman," how can you not appreciate Chef Mike Lata at FIG bringing about a new renaissance of using fresh and local seafood, including "bycatch" that used to just be thrown away after the shrimp were picked out of the net (like triggerfish).
Except for looking McIntosh up on the internet I still have not heard any local talk about it. Yes I've heard of J.Bacon. Haven't been to Oak since the change so can't comment.
Not impressed with FIG. Good food, yes...but I can pay 1/2 the price and get good food elsewhere. When I pay downtown prices (which I have no complaints about doing) I expect to be "wow'ed". I didn't leave FIG with that impression.
Not saying that plenty of commercial sized triggerfish aren't scooped up in shrimp trawls, but I've never seen one in a net larger than about 3". I've even seen them the size of the picture pirated below...
The McIntosh is probably the most anticipated Charleston restaurant opening this year. I'm sure you've heard of Chef Jeremiah Bacon (of Carolina's). Well, The McIntosh is his baby. And as a "cape_fisherman," how can you not appreciate Chef Mike Lata at FIG bringing about a new renaissance of using fresh and local seafood, including "bycatch" that used to just be thrown away after the shrimp were picked out of the net (like triggerfish).
Haven't gone away. Just reading what all of you write.
FWIW - I used to do a fair amount of fishing when I was younger (mostly in the Bahamas). Would never eat a trigger fish. They are hard to clean - have a ridiculous amount of bones - and - when large enough to get a nice fillet - can carry ciguatera (like many large reef fish). To me - as someone who worked with a fishing pole - it wasn't a "bycatch" fish - it was a trash fish. When some people in the Bahamas would catch a large reef fish like a trigger fish that they had questions about - they'd feed a small piece to a local cat hanging around their house - and - if the cat was ok the next day - they'd consider it fit for human consumption . So I really don't understand the attraction when it comes to something like trigger fish.
Perhaps one reason trigger fish are "sustainable" is that the people who are most familiar with them won't eat them .
Also - FWIW - I won't eat gulf oysters either. Because too many are being taken illegally in gulf states (including Florida) from beds that have been closed to harvesting as a result of fecal contamination from sewer pipes.
I like innovative takes on local ingredients - as long as they're tasty - and not potentially dangerous to one's health. I'll eat okra cooked in just about any possible way. Because the worst that can happen is I won't like it - but I won't get sick.
Just curious if anyone knows. Florida (where I live) is a strict liability state when it comes to serving food in restaurants You serve a normal customer (no allergies - etc.) something and he or she gets sick from the food - you're on the hook. What's the law in South Carolina?
Anyway - hope all of you will continue writing. Perhaps with discussions of meals you've had in local restaurants recently. Happy holidays to all of you, Robyn
A couple of good places, that are close to "meat & three" are both in Mount Pleasant. One is Page's Okra Grill.....super food! If you are on FB, they almost daily post pictures of the daily specials. Wonderful desserts!
There is also Boulevard Diner......SOOOOOO good. The turkey and dressing is good here and the Hummingbird Cake?? Oh my!
Our favorite restaurant is High Cotton on East Bay. The steaks are super and the Henry Bain sauce is great. DH is the seafood eater and has never gotten anything bad there either.
And there is always the Peninsula Grill, expensive yes....but worth it. The best coconut cake ever!
Quote:
Originally Posted by Robyn55
We're planning a trip to Charleston in the spring. Four nights. To see great flowers and eat excellent food. Simple as that. Have to go to McCrady's - probably Husk and Fig too. Any comments or recommendations would be appreciated - especially when it comes to newer places and lunch places (any good "meat & threes" left in Charleston?).
Note that we live in the south (NE Florida). I'm a pretty decent southern cook (except I won't fry chicken at home and get my kitchen all splattered with grease) - like "locavore"/local food - and crab cakes Benedict were a tired concept IMO a long time ago. I'm kind of old - and actually had the original "new-age" shrimp and grits at Crook's Corner in NC when Bill Neal was still alive (how many decades ago was that ?).
BTW - I think Bill Neal's Southern Cooking is back in print - and I recommend it as a holiday gift for your friends who like to cook southern. Robyn
Thought I'd check back on this thread. To see if there's anything new (in terms of new people who can add to the thread - or old posters who can discuss what - if anything - has changed since the last message in the thread).
We have 3 dinner reservations. McCrady's - Husk and Fig. We have 1 free dinner night - no lunch plans. So any additional recommendations would be appreciated. BTW - money isn't an object. I live in the JAX metro area - and there really isn't much in the way of very good or excellent restaurants here. So we don't spend a lot of money on restaurants at home. And our next trip is to Stockholm. Where the price of an average decent restaurant dinner makes the prices at the best restaurants in Charleston seem laughable. OTOH - we don't have to eat "fancy". I like a good meat and three - even a decent southern lunch buffet.
FWIW - I only have 2 requests when it comes to restaurants (apart from good food). I want a full bar (for dinner - doesn't matter at lunch). And I don't like chefs who think that salt should be the dominant taste in a dish (so much food in so many restaurants these days is extremely over-salted).
Also - although it is OT - what is your flower season like right now? We had a very early azalea season here in NE Florida due to the mild winter (the azaleas are almost all gone - kind of unusual here before the end of March). I'd like to go to Middleton Place one day - to see the gardens (last time we were in Charleston in March - we had a hard freeze the night we arrived - and all we saw was brown azalea flowers ). Any amusing places between Charleston and Middleton Place to eat lunch (or is Middleton Place the best)? Any other garden recommendations would be appreciated as well.
Finally - any recommendations for food markets - kitchen stores - etc.? I ran across a place called Maverick Kitchen Store on the internet. Don't know whether it is any good - but it is so close I'm sure it's worth a "look see". Would be willing to go out of the way to see/visit good markets/kitchen stores. We'll be driving - and - if there's good stuff in your markets these days - I can throw a cooler in the car.
I've eaten at 7 out of 10 and the only kind of disappointment was Magnolia's. I've eaten at 82 Queen a few times and have never been disappointed. Loved High Cotton -- only been there once. Village Post was one of the most memorable for me.
Yeah I've heard talk of this Macintosh.......I want to try it and Husk & McCradys...
We all have different ideas of what constitutes a good dining experience...and at different times we all have different ideas of where a good place to eat.
If you make it to Mt Pleasant, visit the Coastal Cupboard - you might want to leave the charge cards in the car! Awesome kitchen store! Welcome | The Coastal Cupboard In the Belle Hall shopping center on Long Point Road.
If you plan a morning trip to Mt P, try Pages' Okra Grill for breakfast or lunch, or if you're on Long Point at lunchtime, the Long Point Grill makes a wonderful shrimp burger.
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. So I really don't understand the attraction when it comes to something like trigger fish.
). Any amusing places between Charleston and Middleton Place to eat lunch (or is Middleton Place the best)? Any other garden recommendations would be appreciated as well.
