If you were thinking about opening a restaurant, there are few places that would be more attractive options than the downtown peninsula of our fair city. Charleston is a major tourist destination with a reputation for great food. People come to the Lowcountry looking forward to opening their wallets for a fantastic meal. So, what could compel Fred Neuville, one of the city’s best chefs, to pick a location for his new restaurant that is not only off the peninsula, but essentially in the middle of nowhere? On the Fat Hen’s website, Neuville, formerly the executive chef of Coast and 39 Rue de Jean, asserts that he was “striving to create a neighborhood restaurant with a relaxed atmosphere” in what he claims is a “fast-growing area”. While Johns Island is still a long way away from becoming a thriving metropolis, that doesn’t appear to be having any negative effects on the Fat Hen’s business.

After making the trek down Maybank Highway into the wooded depths of Johns Island and arriving at the Fat Hen, the first thing that struck me was a sense of disbelief at how packed the parking lot was. I was particularly taken aback because my friend and I arrived at nearly 9 p.m. on a Thursday evening, hardly primetime for the restaurant business. We were even more surprised when the hostess informed us that our party of two should expect a nearly hour long wait.

When we were eventually seated in a corner of the Fat Hen’s modern country-style dining room, we eagerly poured over the menu. Chef Neuville merges traditional French dishes with local, Lowcountry ingredients and ideas. Looking to be adventurous, my partner and I decided to order the pâté maison, a first for both of us. The pâté ($7.50) was a tangy, delicately sweet paste of chicken livers and spices and was served with crostinis and an assortment of sauces. It’s a unique taste that might not be for everyone, but I really enjoyed it and definitely recommend trying it at least once. For our second appetizer, we chose one of my all-time favorites, the fried green tomato and crab napoleon ($9.95). I’ve ordered this dish at a number of restaurants, so the Fat Hen’s rendition had some lofty expectations to live up to, which it not only matched, but wholly surpassed. The fried green tomatoes had a light, but crisp batter and were topped with a small mound of perfectly fresh lump crab meat. All of this was served over a roasted red pepper coulis which provided a nice accent without overpowering the main elements.

Entrée choices ranged from meat loaf made from in-house ground beef and pork ($12.95) to salmon béarnaise ($18.95). I originally had my heart set on the seared grouper ($18.95), but was forced to change my selection to the grilled tuna ($20.95) when our server informed us that they were sold out. This inconvenience ended up being a gift, however, because my tuna was excellent. It was seared textbook rare, topped with a sweet tomato jam, and served over a delicious, creamy avocado butter. On the side, it was accompanied by an almond rice pilaf and creamy garlic spinach, both of which I thoroughly enjoyed. My partner raved about her flounder Niçoise ($17.95), which was topped with olives, capers, and tomatoes, and served with bacon cheese grits.

In whole, our meal was overwhelmingly a success. The dining room was a bit too loud and crowded, and the appetizer portions seemed too small to justify their prices, but the food was all wonderful and our server was pleasant and attentive. You should expect to spend between $25-35 a person and be thoroughly happy with your purchase. So, next time you’re looking to escape the hoards of tourists downtown but still want a top notch meal, don’t be afraid to journey out to the only reason worth visiting Johns Island.

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