Located in the heart of Harleston Village, directly behind the Wentworth Mansion, Circa 1886 offers one of the most swanky, upscale dining experiences in the city. The atmosphere isn’t particularly romantic, but everything about the space screams “high class.” If you are trying to secure a more romantic setting, be sure to request one of Circa’s booths, which are set off in their own individual alcoves and lend a greater sense of privacy.

Like all great restaurants, Circa’s staff is exceptionally knowledgeable about its menu. However, the thoroughness of our server’s knowledge was particularly impressive given that the restaurant debuted its new, seasonal menu just a week before our meal. Circa’s menu is small, yet diverse, offering a variety of traditional Lowcountry flavors and ingredients. Prices fall in line with Charleston’s other high-end establishments, with appetizers ranging from $10-16, salad course options $9-12, entrees $20-30, and desserts $10-12.

To start, we couldn’t resist the 24-Hour Pork Belly ($11), because - come on - how do you expect me to say no to any meat that’s been slow cooked for a whole day? The pork belly was accompanied by Tupelo honey, Valencia orange slaw, and some delicious baked beans prepared with a mustard sauce. If they host barbecues in heaven, I’m pretty sure this dish would make the menu.

Next, we went with a Tomato Carpaccio Salad ($10). This dish combined slices of heirloom tomatoes, crispy fried green tomatoes, Clemson blue cheese, thin slivers of Bermuda onions, and a basil vinaigrette. If you’re not familiar with Clemson blue cheese, it has a big, sharp, tangy flavor that will blow that bottle of Hidden Valley in your fridge right out of the water. The plate had a nice balance, as the light, fresh flavors of the tomato, onion, and vinaigrette perfectly contrast the richness of the cheese.

For my entree, I went with the one permanent fixture on Chef Marc Collins menu, his trademark Antelope Loin ($30). Our server explained that Collins was introduced to antelope during his time in San Antonio and managed to convince his distributor to keep supplying it to him when he moved on to Charleston. The meat was tender - not gamey at all - and cooked to a perfect medium rare. The loin was served over a creamy Anson Mills grits sauce, topped with a roast tomato and merlot fondue, and served alongside a mildly spicy ragu of corn and leeks. I think antelope may have become my new favorite non-beef red meat.

My partner decided to go the seafood route, ordering the Wild American Salmon ($24). This may have been Circa’s only miss of the evening. As a whole, the dish was acceptable, but the salmon was simply way too salty. The fish was accompanied by diced pineapple, goat cheese, and a Vidalia onion sauce. The one way that the salmon became enjoyable was when it was combined in the same bite as the pineapple, which counteracted the salt with its citrusy sweetness. The plate also featured a spring roll filled with Carolina Gold rice and roasted red pepper. Circa’s take on the spring roll was tasty, but it seemed a bit out of place.

For dessert, we initially had our hearts set on the intriguing Wild Strawberry Float with house made soda, Tahitian vanilla bean ice cream, brown butter cake, Grand Marnier, and cookies ($10), but had to alter our plans when we were informed that they ran out of one of the key ingredients. We instead selected our server’s recommendation, the Blueberries and Cream Souffle ($12).

The souffle itself was delicious, but the item that generated the most conversation of anything that night was the “honeysuckle” ice cream that was served in a little poppy seed lace cup next to it. The flavor was unbelievable. My partner, who spent a lot of time on Sullivan’s Island growing up, was instantly transported back to the days of her youth spent squeezing the tiny drops of sweet nectar out of the ubiquitous flowers. While I didn’t have that same experience growing up (and have never even eaten honeysuckle straight from the plant), I could not believe how perfectly the flavor of the ice cream matched the scent that I know so well. We couldn’t convince our server to tell us what the secret ingredient was, but I’m holding out hope that Chef Collins eventually sells his recipe to Ben & Jerry’s.

Overall, our meal at Circa 1886 was a resounding success. The atmosphere is wonderful, the service was fantastic, and almost everything we ate was excellent. While Sean Brock, Mike Lata, and Bob Waggoner may get the lion’s share of the press in Charleston, Marc Collins is quietly leading a kitchen that’s putting out as good of food as you’ll find anywhere in the city. If you’re somehow flush with cash these days, take a chance and wander behind the Wentworth Mansion for a memorable dinner. I promise your money will be well spent.

Related posts:

1. 39 Rue de Jean - Charleston Restaurant Review
2. Mercato - Charleston Restaurant Review
3. Virginia’s on King - Charleston Restaurant Review

About Nemaline Myopathy and the Foundation (from Andre’s e-mail):

As many of you know our family started A Foundation Building Strength, a 501(c) (3), to raise awareness of this genetic disorder, which causes muscle weakness and early death in its most severe form. NM is such a rare disease that there are very limited resources available for funding treatment related research and supporting affected families. Recently, scientists have discovered mutations in 6 different genes as the primary cause of Nemaline Myopathy allowing efforts to be focused on making a positive impact upon those with the disorder. A Foundation Building Strength is actively supporting research grants targeted at the identification of treatments for NM. With contributions from last year’s event, we have already been able to fund our first research grant! We hope to reach such goals this year as well.

-Visit my personal page and the information on the foundation www.buildingstrength.org http://nemalinemyopathy.kintera.org/faf/donorReg/donorPledge.asp?ievent=300462&supId=203584231

So, if you’ve got the cash I fully encourage all of you to consider attending this fantastic event. It’s being hosted at McCrady’s, so you know the food will be spot on.

Related posts:

1. Enjoying the Bi-annual Arrival of Charleston City Paper’s Dish Dining Guide

Located on East Bay, in the heart of fine dining country, SNOB features an open kitchen which allows diners to watch Chef Frank Lee and his staff work their magic. The dining room is large and open, but unfortunately can be exceptionally noisy once it fills up. I wouldn’t recommend SNOB for an intimate romantic evening, but the food is always priority number one for my girlfriend and I, so we didn’t mind too much.

The menu’s prices are pretty standard for a restaurant of this type, with entrees ranging from $23-$34. The cuisine is largely modern-American with an emphasis on local ingredients and specialties. They offer Charleston standards like shrimp and grits ($16.50) and crab cakes ($23.50), along with more exciting choices including sesame crusted tuna medallions ($15) and grilled barbecue tuna with a mustard barbecue sauce and fried oysters ($25). They also offer interesting daily specials in each menu category.

We decided to open our meal by sharing a bowl of oyster stew ($8.75). Filled with big, tender oysters, yukon gold potatoes, and applewood smoked bacon in a scallop cream broth, this is a fantastic winter stew for a cold day. I’m normally not a huge fan of oysters, but these had a freshness and texture that won me over.

For my entree, I chose one of SNOB’s intriguing specials, something that I had never experienced before. The local rabbit loin ($22) was juicy and full of flavor. For those of you who have never had rabbit, the common response is that it tastes sort of like chicken, but that doesn’t really do it justice. You have to try it for yourself, but I compared the taste to a more gamey blend of chicken and pork loin (not that that is likely all that helpful). Anyhow, it was wonderful. The loin was stuffed with a richly flavored tarragon shallot mousse that complemented the taste and texture of the meat.

The rabbit was delicious, but I was equally enthralled with its accompaniments. The soft, pillowy cheese gnocchi were unreal. They forced me into a full fledged Giada De Laurentiis style, “I’m enjoying this a little too much” face. SNOB’s gnocchi are right on par with Al Di La on my list of best gnocchi ever. Amongst the gnocchi were local grape tomatoes which burst and filled your mouth with flavor the moment you bit into them, and beech mushrooms (a first for me as well) which have a nice, subtle nutty flavor.

My partner opted for the sauteed duck breast ($25). The dish included skinless breast meat, leg confit, butternut squash casserole, asparagus, and a honey thyme reduction. My partner favored the breast, but the leg was what really impressed me. Slowly cooked in its own fat, the tender confit’s flavor was rich and robust. The thin, crisp skin of the duck literally melted in our mouths, producing another “oh my god” moment for each of us. The reduction was also exquisitely prepared. So much so that my partner asked our server to make sure that he got every drop of it in her to-go box (I guess he was feeling generous, because he ended up giving her an entire little cup of it to take home). We weren’t, however, particularly fond of the casserole. The flavors were fine, but the texture was too mushy, not particularly appetizing.

Overall, SNOB lived up to it’s reputation as one of Charleston’s best restaurants. I frequently get asked variations of the question, “I’ve got a friend/family member coming into town this weekend; where is the one place that they really need to try?” Usually I alternate between FIG and McCrady’s, but Slightly North of Broad will now definitely be a part of the conversation. The service was good–despite the busy atmosphere–and the food was almost flawless. If you haven’t been to SNOB yet, do yourself a favor and see what you’ve been missing.

Related posts:

1. 39 Rue de Jean - Charleston Restaurant Review
2. Circa 1886 - Charleston Restaurant Review
3. Virginia’s on King - Charleston Restaurant Review

Jealous, Charleston?

I just did a McCrady’s review and this dinner had so many courses that I can’t even begin to write a full review. A couple quick comments though:

Top 5 dishes of the night (in no particular order):

Hamachi Sashimi + Crispy Sweetbreads + Smoked Mayonnaise - The hamachi was some of the best sashimi I’ve ever tasted. You wouldn’t expect it with the chefs that were cooking and the other items on the menu, but the smoked mayonnaise was one of the stars of the evening. If McCrady’s would put the smoked mayo from last night, use the pork jowl from the 2nd course as the bacon, and use some of their amazing heirloom tomatoes, they could make the world’s single greatest BLT. I would pay $15 for it, easy.

Foie Gras Rocks + Fig + Pancakes + Maple - My friend Sarah’s favorite dish of the night. The foie gras had been dipped in liquid nitrogen to freeze it and then crumbled on the plate. It absolutely melted in your mouth with that smooth, silky texture that makes foie gras so awesome. The tiny pancakes were topped with a wonderfully light foam/mousse that was packed with flavor but didn’t weigh you down like syrup. Putting a little of the maple on the foie gras was a unique, but beautiful experience.

Country Fried Grouper Steak + Potatoes - The grouper was just a great piece of fish with a light batter surrounding it and topped with a little sausage gravy. The potatoes were pureed and encased in a very thin crispy exterior. I’m not sure whether they were seared or very lightly fried, but the end result was what tasted like the worlds greatest home fries. I felt like this is what they would serve at the Cracker Barrell if they just opened up a new franchise…in Heaven.

McLamb Rib + Butternut + Peanuts - I love lamb and this was some of the best I’ve had. Right on par with how good it was the last time I ate at McCrady’s. The combination of the boiled peanuts with the lamb meat and butternut puree was out of this world.

Canned Soup - Interestingly enough, this actually did come served in a can (fully adorned with Trail Blais logo and nutritional facts). It was a smooth green tomato gazpacho with horseradish. Very refreshing. I wish more Southern restaurants would carry something like this.

Other interesting elements of the meal -

• The Oyster + Pearls remix was served with a tasty melon flavored “Dippin Dots” style ice cream.
• The cole slaw sorbet that was served with crab met mixed reviews. It definitely tasted like cole slaw, but I don’t think most people knew how to feel about that (although, I buy the 4.5 lbs econo-size tub of cole slaw from Sam’s Club every few weeks so it tasted good to me).
• The sweet tea ice cream on the dessert was top notch, why can’t I buy this at the Harris Teeter?! Southerners should have been making this into milkshakes and putting it on top of pies for generations by now!

Other notes from the evening -

• Got to meet Chef Blais and shake his hand which was very cool. My friends made fun of me for looking like a giddy middle school girl (that’s about as big a celebrity as I’ve met). He’s a very down to earth, very funny guy. He’s a little goofy, but he was a great host for the dinner. He came out every other course and described the reasoning and cooking process behind each dish.
• Spoke briefly to Chef Brock, he said they are planning to continue doing these guest chef dinners, although he didn’t mention any specifics. Seems like a win-win situation though; Charleston gets to try innovative new dishes by great chefs and, for the people in the kitchen, as Brock said, “It’s an excuse to bring my friends in to town and hang out.
• The Long Room at McCrady’s is a very cool place even with 125 people in it. Now I can tell people that I ate in the same room that George Washington did.
• I think we were the only college students there. One waiter apparently thought we worked for the Charlotte Observer instead of the George Street Observer. We should have played along. Probably could have got some nice perks.

All-in-all, it was a great meal, top three in my life from a pure food perspective (I don’t see anything ever beating my last dinner there). For overall experience, though, I’d have to put it at number one. If you have the opportunity to check out one of the next guest chef dinners, I’d definitely check it out. Keep on the lookout for pictures from this event by Paul Cheney over at LetsTalkCharleston.com and on the GSO website.

p.s. If you’ve got any other questions or info you want about the evening, leave me a comment and I’ll gladly answer.

p.p.s. I start my new internship at Leapfrog PR Co. tomorrow. Wish me luck!

Related posts:

1. McCrady’s - Charleston Restaurant Review
2. The Buccaneer Restaurant & Museum - Media Event Notes
3. Chef Sean Brock of McCrady’s to Appear on Food Network Challenge

McCrady’s has received some big time accolades in the past few months, most notably Chef Sean Brock’s “Rising Star Chef” James Beard Award nomination and their appearance near the top of Opinionated About Dining’s list of the Best Restaurants in North America and Europe, both of which I’ve previously discussed here. It is always a major name in the local debates about the best restaurants in the city and the structure itself is a landmark. It was built in 1788 and once hosted a dinner party for George Washington. I had never had the opportunity to dine at McCrady’s before (I’m a college student living on a budget after all), but I’ve always wanted to and was hoping to get the opportunity to do so while they still remembered me from Table Maestro. So, when I learned my mother was coming into town for a weekend I used my best PR skills to pitch her how great an idea having one really nice dinner on her trip would be. Needless to say, my pitch worked and I was granted an opportunity to embark on a three hour, nine-course journey that was unlike any other meal I have ever experienced.

When we arrived at the restaurant and seated, the perfect ambiance of the dining room immediately struck me. Everything from the lighting to the wonderful art on the walls screams of class and sophistication. Our waiter was exceptionally knowledgeable, answering any and all of our questions without more than a moment’s thought. The menu, while not particularly extensive, offers options to please any taste, and the nightly specials display the chef’s creativity (a word that you will find yourself using quite frequently after a dinner at McCrady’s). The menu is broken down into first, second, and main courses and the cuisine is described by the restaurant as “modern American with unique style and presentation,” a wording that really doesn’t give you much of an idea about what to expect. The food at McCrady’s is the result of a unique melding of Chef Brock’s frequently noted interest in molecular gastronomy and his commitment to using the very best and most local ingredients, which frequently come from the restaurant’s own farm on Wadamalaw Island (check out Chef Brock’s blog for pictures and more information).

After placing our orders, we were treated to two tasting dishes selected by the chef. First, an amuse bouche of chilled corn soup with a pickled chanterelle and grape tomato, an excellent, light start to the meal that would follow. Next, we were brought the chef’s rendition of chips and salsa, an item which I’m assuming was drawn from the current tasting menu which focuses on chips and salsa as its theme. This was truly an innovative dish which I couldn’t fully wrap my head around, let alone accurately describe, but in short it was two powders which distinctly tasted like and played the part of tortilla chips and a clear gel that they somehow managed to make taste like a full salsa.

For my first ordered course of the night, I selected the nightly special, sashimi bluefin tuna toro with a cucumber foam and soy glaze ($18). Toro comes from the fatty underbelly of the fish and is the most sought after (and expensive) part of the tuna. The texture of the toro was tender to a degree that you must experience to believe, it basically melts in your mouth. The taste of the tuna was complimented masterfully by the subtle cucumber foam and the soy glaze that packed quite a bit of flavor without overwhelming the fish.

Following our first course, we were pleased to be given another round of chef selected tasting dishes. The first of which was a prawn served with local corn, tomato, and bacon. The prawn was perfectly cooked and the combination of it alongside the corn and bacon made for one of the highlights of my evening. The final tasting course we received that evening was my mother’s favorite dish of the night, a thin slice of house cured meat, which I believe was a lonzino, over potato wrapped with truffle. The meat had a nice, delicate texture with just the right amount of saltiness.

My second ordered course was definitely the simplest, yet possibly best dish I tasted all evening: a salad of locally grown heirloom tomatoes and arugula over housemade ricotta, pine nuts, and raspberry vinegar ($12). I’m admittedly a little obsessed with tomatoes; I find it difficult to resist them when they are green and fried, and impossible to resist them they are paired with fresh mozzarella. This dish featured some of the very best tomato I have ever ingested. Bright, delicious flavor that gave the impression that this particular tomato had been hand picked by a farmer and handed to the chef 10 minutes earlier. The housemade ricotta was wonderfully creamy without any overpowering richness. These two elements paired with the raspberry vinegar forced my face into the same involuntary look of complete joy that Giada de Laurentiis gets every time she ever tastes something on TV.

Our entrees followed and did not disappoint. My mother opted for the local wreckfish($28),which is a white fish, similar to grouper with a nice meaty texture. My mother really enjoyed it, however, while I thought it was good, it didn’t blow me away like many of the other dishes that evening did, perhaps it was merely a victim of stiff competition. I decided to go with the spice roasted rack of lamb with local eggplant, pine nut puree, and golden raisins ($34). The lamb was cooked to an ideal medium-rare that left it wonderfully moist. The flavor combination of the lamb with the pine nut puree was rich and decadent, continuing the gradual, logical progression that the meal had steadfastly followed from the first amuse bouche.

In what may have seemed like an impossibility around the evenings fourth or fifth course, both my mother and I still had room for dessert. Being a sucker for all things chocolate, I chose one of pastry chef Winburn Carmack’s creations that seemed like it may have been designed specifically for me: crispy chocolate mousse topped with milk sorbet and accompanied by espresso and Irish cream glazes ($9). In case you thought there was any possibility that I would express any other emotion but love for this dish, you can go ahead and clear those thoughts from your head right now. The mousse was out of this world, the milk sorbet was light and refreshing, and, if McCrady’s wasn’t such a classy establishment, I would have been very tempted to lick my plate clean. One other interesting part of our dessert course was the sampling of McCrady’s famous liquid nitrogen strawberries that were brought out smoking and ladled onto our plates. Our server instructed us to eat them immediately and we quickly became the stars of our portion of the dining room. As soon as you bite into these ultra chilled fruits, smoke starts uncontrollably bellowing out of your mouth, which makes you look like you just walked out of Snoop Dogg’s tour bus. As we paid our check, we received one final treat, a piece of melt-in-your-mouth-chocolate covered in shredded coconut, a perfect end to a full on perfect meal.

A couple concluding points I really want to drive home: 1) the service at McCrady’s was far and away the best I have ever experienced in a restaurant. I loved Mickey Bakst and his staff at Charleston Grill, but the attentiveness and sense of pacing of McCrady’s staff is unmatched. If we ever had a need someone was available, but I didn’t once feel like I was rushed or smothered. Our courses were brought out in a smooth succession, with just enough time between them to allow for conversation breaks. General Manager André Guillet really has the restaurant running like a well oiled machine. 2) One of the most impressive aspects of my experience at McCrady’s is how they managed to provide us with so many courses over our three hours in the restaurant, but left us feeling merely full and satisfied rather than overwhelmed or stuffed. The meal started out light and, as I mentioned earlier, progressed smoothly through the final course.
All-in-all, my dinner at McCrady’s was, bar-none, the best meal of my life. While I understand that I received a few more items than the average diner would receive, my absolute favorite dishes of the night were those that I ordered off the menu, which you have access to as well. I want to personally thank Andre, Chef Brock, and wine director Clint Sloan for taking the time to come say “Hello” to me, I cannot recommend your restaurant highly enough. For the college students in my readership: start planting the seeds now, whether it’s for parents’ weekend, your birthday, or graduation, you want to convince your parental units to take you here, above anywhere else, if they can afford it. Hell, if you’ve got the money and a significant other who you really want to impress, start saving your pennies, eat ramen and Easy Mac for a few weeks and take them out for a meal they will always remember. Don’t expect to make it out of McCrady’s for less than $65 a person, but rest assured that you will not regret your purchase.

DH’s Extra Note: In direct contrast to my above advice, I will be investing a large portion of my expendable income for August at McCrady’s on August 31st for the 12-course Richard Blais (of Top Chef fame) dinner as he teams up with Chef Brock for what I’m sure will be a mind-opening culinary experience.

Related posts:

1. Richard Blais dinner at McCrady’s - Notes
2. Chef Sean Brock of McCrady’s to Appear on Food Network Challenge
3. Slightly North of Broad (SNOB) - Charleston Restaurant Review

Chef Waggoner said that, to him, this practice is much more than a way to drive repeat business, it is a way to improve customer service and chef performance. He was quoted saying something along the lines of, “I can guarantee that quality improves if you have to look the person in the face.”

I think this is a really positive development in the restaurant industry. As Chef Waggoner said, kitchen staff are more likely to care about each piece of food they put out if they can put a face with the order on the ticket. Likewise, if restaurant patrons feel that the establishment they are dining at actually cares about them they are more likely to feel a connection to the restaurant and recommend it to their friends. Better value for the customers and free word-of-mouth PR for the restaurant. What a concept!

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1. Huge Congratulations to Chef Robert Stehling of Hominy Grill, 2008 James Beard Award Winner for “Best Chef Southeast”
2. Congratulations to Sean Brock and Mike Lata!
3. Chef Sean Brock of McCrady’s to Appear on Food Network Challenge

The James Beard Awards are the most prestigious in the culinary industry. It was a huge deal for Charleston to have three nominees, but it’s an even bigger deal to have a winner. Lata was nominated for Best Chef Southeast for the 2nd year in a row, and I’m confident that both he and Brock will have their own Beard awards before they decide to call it quits.

I’m super jealous that my boss got to attend this weekend’s festivities, but hopefully she was using Charleston’s success as a major marketing tool to convince some big names to come down for next year’s festival.

So congrats again to Chef Stehling, I’m looking forward to enjoying another brunch from the Southeast’s best chef before too long. To all my readers, if somehow you have managed to avoid eating at Hominy Grill up until this point, do yourself a favor and check it out soon before the line out the door stops being four or five people deep and starts looking more like Hyman’s.

Related posts:

1. Congratulations to Chef Bob Waggoner of Charleston Grill for making the cover of Sante Magazine
2. Congratulations to Sean Brock and Mike Lata!
3. Sean Brock Wins Food Network Challenge: The Next Great Chef

I’ve been telling anyone who will listen to me since last fall that FIG is my favorite restaurant in Charleston. If you ever have a little extra cash, do yourself a favor and check it out. Charleston is spoiled by the amount of ridiculously talented chefs we have working on the Peninsula. I don’t think nearly enough college kids realize what an opportunity they have here to experience such great food.

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1. City Paper Reveals Other Contestants on Sean Brock’s Food Network Challenge Episode
2. Sean Brock Wins Food Network Challenge: The Next Great Chef
3. Chef Sean Brock of McCrady’s to Appear on Food Network Challenge