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.

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2. Mercato - Charleston Restaurant Review
3. Virginia’s on King - Charleston Restaurant Review

Somewhere along the line, though, I lost much of my desire to pick southern Italian restaurants for dates or other nights out. I think this must have been shortly after I moved out on my own and it sank in that, instead of spending $15 at a restaurant, I could buy a pound of pasta at the Harris Teeter for $1. And it’s not like I don’t appreciate good chicken parmigiana, but I find it really difficult to drop $20 on anything that I could pretty easily make myself at home for half as much.

This provides a lot of the explanation for why I hadn’t been to Mercato, one of Charleston’s most visually appealing restaurants, since it opened in 2006. Even from the outside, the space looks very impressive. The large windows that nearly make up the entirety of the restaurant’s front wall showcase the dark luxurious dining room, a site that’s especially striking at night. Still, regardless of the aesthetics, the restaurant is what it is, and I was nervous because you can only dress standard Italian fare up so much.

Despite Mercato’s expensive appearance, I think most diners will be pleasantly surprised to learn that its menu prices are pretty reasonable. Sure, you could find Italian food for a little less money elsewhere in town, but not by much, and certainly not in as romantic a setting with quality live jazz. Appetizers at Mercato (with the exception of the Antipasti Platter) fall between $6-10, pizzas (like the Spicy Sausage with caramelized onions, tomato, and fontina cheese - $12) and pastas can be had from $10 to $17, and entrees range from $16 all the way to $28.

Although we were tempted by the Crispy Fried Calamari ($10) that every table in the restaurant seemed to be ordering, we decided to start a little lighter with Beef Carpaccio ($10). The thinly sliced pieces of raw Wagyu were topped with roasted red peppers, arugula, and a light lemon-garlic aioli and served with crostini. If you’re hesitant about the prospect of eating raw beef, I urge you to give Mercato’s carpaccio a try. The meat tasted incredibly fresh and was well complimented by the flavors of the pepper and the aioli, neither of which overwhelmed the delicate flavor of the meat. I would suggest, however, avoiding eating the crostini with your Wagyu, because the meat tended to get lost amidst the thick, crunchy bread.

Next, we chose the classic Caprese Salad ($8), a wonderfully simple dish that is, in my mind, Italy’s second greatest contribution to the world, right after Da Vinci. It’s difficult to mess up a caprese salad (if you give me fresh mozzarella, tomatoes, and basil in any form, I’m almost certain to be happy) and Mercato’s version did nothing to disappoint. The only way the dish could have been improved was if tomatoes were a little better quality, but it’s still pretty early in the year, so I don’t think you can blame them for that.

For my entree, I opted for the Veal Marsala ($19), which was unquestionably the best dish of the night. Lightly breaded and sautéed with Porcini mushrooms, onions, and marsala wine, one bite of my veal was enough to make my partner jealous. The meat was perfectly tender, and the mildly sweet sauce was delicious. I was a little disappointed to learn that Mercato doesn’t make their own spaghetti in house (although I was told that they do make some pasta on-site), but I can’t complain because it tasted fine to me.

My partner settled on the Spaghetti Cabonara ($14), which struggled to match-up with the marsala. The dish was serviceable, but not particularly impressive in any way. The pancetta was tasty, but we wished there was more of it, and we both were left wishing that she had gone with her plan-B, the Wild Mushroom Risotto ($15) with mascarpone and white truffle oil.

For dessert, we considered the Tiramisu, before deciding on the Cioccolata e Vaniglia ($8), a flourless chocolate cake with a molten nutella center, topped with housemade gelato. Our opinions on the result were split. While I, as a confessed chocolate addict, was enjoyed how rich the cake was, my partner thought it was a bit much. The rich, creamy gelato was excellent, and the nutella was an interesting deviation from standard molten chocolate filled cakes.

There are two other things that I have to mention before I close this review (which City Paper’s Robert Moss also pointed out after his recent trip). First, the olive oil which accompanies your complimentary bread is out of this world. It’s got an outstanding, light fruity flavor that will make it very difficult not to fill up on bread. The good news about filling up on bread, however, is that you’ll have it in your stomach to soak up the vodka in your Mercato Martini, a combination of homemade limoncello and Firefly Sweet Tea vodka. I’m more of a rum guy, but my partner absolutely loved it.

In whole, I was pleasantly surprised with Mercato. The prices were better than I expected, the atmosphere was great for a couple, and for the most part, we really enjoyed the food. I still don’t see myself dropping this kind of money on southern Italian food very frequently, but my preconceptions about Mercato have been disproved. If you’re looking for this style of food in a classy, upscale atmosphere you should definitely consider heading down to the Market.

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Located, unsurprisingly, at 39 John St., Rue’s menu is largely composed of  classic French offerings, but also features a small selection of sushi. Appetizers fall mainly in the $7 to $14 range, entrees start at $18 (Chicken Francaise) and top out at $27 (Filet Roquefort), and sushi will run you around $5 for sashimi or $7 for a roll.

To start our meal, we opted for one traditional French item and one of the seemingly out of place sushi rolls. In retrospect, I wish we would have asked our server to stagger our appetizers’ arrivals. The two-person tables at Rue de Jean are almost comically small, compared to the size of the plates and the amount of other “stuff” we had on ours. Between the bread basket and plates, the water pitcher and glasses, and the two plates for our dishes, approximately 115 percent of our table’s surface area was accounted for.

Right off the bat, the Escargots ($8) was the high point of the meal. Though I’ve heard many people decry the texture of snails, I actually really enjoyed their tender, meaty consistency. They were served in a delicious garlic and parsley butter sauce, which had a nice tangy flavor.

As much as I thought the sushi seemed like an odd addition to the menu, I have to admit that I think it really works. Rue’s Spicy Tuna Roll ($7) was wonderfully fresh. However, I actually thought the roll could have used a bit more heat, as the sweet Asian chilli sauce they used didn’t provide much spice.

For my entree, I couldn’t resist the Braised Rabbit ($24) in a white wine, creme fraiche, and whole grain mustard sauce. While the flavors in the sauce were a nice combination and the meat was fall-off-the-bone tender, I wasn’t blown away like I had expected to be. The flavor of the meat must have been lost a bit in the braising, as it seemed a little bland. The potatoes dauphinoise which accompanied the rabbit, on the other hand, were incredible. The crisp cheesy crust and perfectly cooked potatoes made this one of the best versions of potatoes gratin I’ve had.

My partner opted for one of my absolute favorite French dishes, Coq au Vin ($20).  The dish has an outstanding aroma. When the red wine, mushrooms, bacon lardons and pearl onions all mingle together and meet your nostrils, you know you’re in for a treat. Like the rabbit, the chicken was unbelievably tender, literally falling apart at the touch of the fork. While Rue’s wasn’t the best version of this dish I’ve ever tasted, it was still definitely a success.

For desert, we went with the White Chocolate Raspberry Torte ($7), which ended up being one of the best plates of the night. White chocolate and raspberry are two of those flavors which seem to have been created with each other in mind. The torte was smooth and creamy, sweet without being too rich, and just undeniably delicious. This was the only item of the night to produce a “Wow” reaction from both of us.

Overall, while 39 Rue de Jean does meet the high standard Charleston residents have come to expect from Holy City Hospitality’s restaurants and its underhyped executive chef, Jason Murphy, I have to admit that I wasn’t as impressed as all the glowing reviews led me to believe I’d be. The food at Rue was good, but not great; service was fine, but perhaps a bit more casual than I’d like in that setting; and I didn’t really pick up any sort of a romantic vibe, as you would expect to find in a higher-end French restaurant. I would much prefer to dine at Coast or Virginia’s.  You could certainly do a whole lot worse in Charleston, but I don’t think I’ll rushing back to Rue de Jean in the near future.

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Coast, a member of the Holy City Hospitality Group which also runs 39 Rue de Jean and Virginia’s on King, isn’t terribly difficult to find (it’s just down a small alley between John Street and Hutson Street off King Street), but you certainly aren’t going to run into it unless you’re out there looking for it.

Occupying a former warehouse, the interior of Coast features 40-foot ceilings and beautiful exposed brick walls. Though the space isn’t terribly romantic, it does provide a nice balance between low lit ambiance and a trendy, modern feel.

On the night we dined, our very friendly and knowledgeable server let us know that Coast was premiering its new menu, featuring several intriguing additions. While this threw a wrench in my pre-trip ordering plans, I was more than happy to take a bit of extra time to explore my new options. The new items all fall in line with the previous price points, with starters ranging from $7 to $13 (with most settling in right around $10) and entrees starting in the upper teens and capping out in the mid-twenties. A couple of the new items I didn’t get a chance to try, but will look to next time around include Crab & Avocado Ravioli ($9) and Togarishi Yellowfin Tuna with tropical salsa and cilantro vinaigrette ($13).

To start, we opted for Cornmeal Encrusted Oysters ($10) and Cioppino ($8).

Crisp to the bite but incredibly tender inside, these oysters represented some of the better fried seafood I’ve ever ingested. They were topped with caviar, served over a papaya coulis, and finished with a scoop of deliciously fresh tropical salsa.

The Cioppino is a hearty tomato based soup brimming with crab meat, shrimp, squid, and mussels. All of the soup’s seafood elements were cooked perfectly and the aroma of the creamy tomato broth was wonderful. I was also impressed by the portion size, which was plenty for two people (a rarity in this economy where I’ve discovered most restaurants are serving about half as much for the same price).

For my entree, I went with one of the new additions to the menu, the Crab Encrusted Tilapia ($19). What impressed me most about this dish was how Chef David Pell and his staff were able to keep the subtle taste of the tilapia from being completely overwhelmed by the bolder flavors of the crab meat and parmesan cream in the topping. Another nice component was the sweet tomato relish which cut through the richness and served as an excellent contrast to the plate’s savory elements.

My date chose another of Coast’s newcomers, the Caprese Escolar ($21). I was excited to try this dish because I’ve never seen mozzarella and tomatoes served alongside fish in this way. Where this dish really shined was in the first few minutes when the fish was still hot and melted the creamy, fresh cheese in your mouth. I also really enjoyed the smokey oak flavor of the grill that permeated the tomatoes and the buttery white fish. I’d be remiss if I forgot to mention the unbelievably tasty basil pesto mashed potatoes, which I couldn’t stop myself from stealing bites of at every opportunity.

Unfortunately, my girlfriend wasn’t really able to enjoy it because the fish made her mouth itchy and uncomfortable. I think she may have discovered a new food allergy (she’s leaning toward the fish, but I’m thinking it may have something to do with the wood used in Coast’s grill).

Overall, now that I have made my first trip back to Coast since I mooched off of my roommates during Parent’s Weekend of our freshman year, I fully plan on making a concerted effort to get there more often.

Apart from my girlfriend’s itchy encounter with the escolar, I really can’t find any flaws in Coast’s execution. The service was polite and efficient, our portions were generous, the food quality was excellent, and the prices are pretty reasonable for the location. If you have friends or family coming into town, Coast should be right near the top of your list when they invariably ask you to take them out for seafood.

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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.

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I came away from my only previous experience at Poogan’s Porch a little baffled by its popularity. The food wasn’t bad, but I felt like there were any number of other establishments offering a better product for equal or less money. The fact that Poogan’s is a regular stop on the local ghost tours doesn’t do anything to deter the perception that it’s just another tourist trap like Hyman’s and Jestine’s (although, I’ll admit that I have been thinking of giving the latter a second chance as well).

One possible reason to return: an obscenely good deal that’s almost impossible to resist. Such is currently the case at Poogan’s, where they are currently featuring a rollback to 1978 menu prices from Sunday-Thursday every week. Since that may be an abstract concept to some of us who were still a good eight years away from being born, it translates to entree prices in the $7-$10 range. Sounds good with economy the way it is, huh?

So, last week I decided to take advantage of the deal and see if things were different the second time around.

To start our meal, we opted for two Charleston favorites–she-crab soup ($3) and fried green tomatoes ($3). While Poogan’s F.G.T. certainly aren’t Earth-shatteringly unique, they are definitely pretty damn good. What makes this particular version so great is batter. Poogan’s F.G.T. are fried to absolute perfection–golden brown, crisp, and not too greasy. I’ve ordered this Southern staple at about a million restaurants in my lifetime, but Poogan’s variety is easily among my all-time favorites. The Cajun remoulade that accompanies the tomatoes was wonderful, but I enjoy them just as much by themselves.

The she-crab soup, while above average, is a bit heavy for my taste. The right flavors were all there, but after a few spoonfuls I could actually feel my BMI rising. I wish more local restaurants would make an attempt at poaching Chef Frank McMahon’s she-crab recipe over at Hank’s. McMahon’s version has the perfect consistency and just the right amount of sherry.

For my entree, I opted for the Pecan-crusted Fried Flounder ($9). Every halfway-decent restaurant excels at something, and after my first bite of flounder it became obvious that Poogan’s expertise is its staff’s unbelievable knack for frying things. The crust was crisp and crunchy without being too heavy. The subtle nutty flavor of the pecans also added a really nice base note. It was just really pleasant to bite into. Unfortunately, the second bite wasn’t quite as pleasant.

One of the reasons I was drawn to the dish was the mention of the honey-Dijon glaze. Now, let it be known that I’m a full blown mustard addict. At any one time, I have at least three different varieties in my refrigerator (most importantly a bottle of Bertman’s Ballpark Mustard–a Cleveland tradition–which I import from Ohio). Suffice it to say, I was expecting good things. When I excitedly dipped my next bite of flounder into the sauce and popped it into my mouth, however, I got a strange feeling that I’ve only previously had while eating sushi. It was that sinus clearing burning sensation that happens when you unexpectedly catch a chunk of wasabi with your chopsticks. Seriously, the sauce was just a little absurd. The Dijon completely overpowered the taste of the fish, crust, and may have possibly permanently melted a few of my taste buds. It wasn’t all bad though. After a few bites I managed to get a grip on the maximum amount of sauce I could use without smothering the other flavors. Once I got to this point and could taste a bit of the sweetness of the honey, it was smooth sailing.

My partner opted for the Pan Fried Porkchop ($8). Topped with sun-dried tomatoes and a country ham gravy, the porkchop was tender, juicy, and free of burning sensations. I wish the flavor of the sun-dried tomatoes would have come through a little more clearly, but, still, the gravy was tasty and it was a successful dish.

Overall, while Poogan’s Porch isn’t likely to blow anyone away, it’s certainly more serviceable than I remembered. If you have an opportunity to make it out before the current promotion is done, I would definitely recommend taking advantage of the opportunity. Apart from the items we ordered, there were several other intriguing (and incredibly priced) options. Shrimp & Grits, steak, and pork tenderloin could each be had for under $10. You can’t beat that. After the current promotion is over and prices return to normal, it’s your call as to whether Poogan’s is a worthy investment. If you do go, however, be sure to tip well, my roommate works there and we can always use the beer money.

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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.

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The Buccaneer is occupying the Faber St. location that has been empty since City Bar shut down a couple years ago. The McCrady’s ownership group, never one to skimp on decor, dished out a whopping $500,000 to fill the massive restaurant with one of the most impressive collections of pirate memorabilia in the country. The restaurant is dedicated to the Carolina coast’s “golden age of piracy.” Don’t be turned off when you hear about the restaurant’s pirate theme, it’s anything but campy.

The cuisine is described as “American bistro-meets Lowcountry,” but these official descriptions never really help much. Basically you’re going to find a lot of typical Charleston items (e.g., She-crab soup, crab cakes, shrimp & grits) and a few unique twists (e.g., fried green tomato fries, shrimp and ham stuffed collards). The prices are reasonable, with entrees ranging from $11 up to $18. The restaurant’s kitchen will also be open until 1 a.m. on the weekends, serving a late night menu with a variety of appetizers and sandwiches from the lunch menu.

The media lunch gave me a chance to sample a variety of things, so I won’t get into everything, but here were the highlights. As I expected, the fried green tomato fries were fantastic. I was afraid the batter would get soggy, but they maintained their crispness and were complimented nicely by the tangy remoulade. The crab dip was rich and creamy with a nice full crab flavor.

For my entree, I chose the fried green tomato and crab blt. It was stuffed full of big pieces of lump crab meat, thick slices of tomato, and crisp bacon on a crunchy baguette style roll. Other people at my table opted for the Queen Anne’s crabcake and chicken orecchiette corfu. While the chicken didn’t particularly stand out to me in taste, it certainly did make an impression with its size. In fact, the portions at The Buccaneer are almost uniformly huge. Compared to most other places around the Market, this place represents a tremendous value. If it isn’t hurt too badly by the just-off-the-beaten-path location, The Buccaneer is going to steal some serious business from the Bubba Gump’s and A.W. Shucks of the the world.

Of the three desserts I sampled, I was most impressed by the warm, delicious pecan pie. Then again, I’m a sucker for pecan pie in general, so I may be biased.

In general, I think The Buccaneer should be a welcome addition to Charleston’s downtown dining scene. The Market really needed a more value oriented alternative to its plethora of fine dining and overpriced fried seafood options. The restaurant is now open, so I encourage you to check it out and let me know what you thought.

(DH’s note: I think I deserve some sort of award for writing that entire post without one pirate pun or use of “booty” or “plunder.”)

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I’m not trying to say that I only enjoy fine dining–if I felt that way I would starve to death pretty quickly–but I do try my best to patronize as many of Charleston’s most unique and innovative restaurants as possible.

With that in mind, I’m a little disappointed in myself. How could any self-respecting semi-food snob wait 10 months to visit his city’s only “holistic soul food” cafe? Blame it on ignorance or whatever you’d like, but I corrected my mistake last Thursday, when I made my way over to Reid Street for dinner at Alluette’s Cafe.

From the outside, Alluette’s Cafe isn’t much to look at. It’s in a pretty nondescript strip mall on the border of the sketchy side of town. The inside continues the low key theme. Alluette’s, named for its proprietor Alluette Jones, only has about a half dozen tables, none of which adhere to any recognizable pattern. The walls are covered in paintings by local Gullah artists and the book shelves are filled with titles promising “natural cures.”

The menu, which makes Alluette’s commitment to fresh, local, and organic ingredients abundantly clear, is fairly small, but complemented by a sizable list of daily specials. It’s important to choose something you’re pretty sure you’ll like, however, because the prices at Alluette’s are way higher than you would suspect in that location.

We chose to start with a cup of the fish stew ($7 for what appeared to be about 6 oz.). Warm and hearty with loads of delicious vegetables and wild-caught salmon, it would be the perfect cure for a cold winter night. The tomato basil-based stew wonderfully combines flavors from the farm and the ocean.

From there, we moved on to entrees. Relying on the recommendations of just about everyone who has ever been to Alluette’s Cafe, I went with the fried local shrimp ($19). I’ve always thought that all fried shrimp were roughly the same, but boy was I wrong.

Alluette’s fried shrimp have a light, crispy exterior that doesn’t drown out the taste of the shrimp. They are seasoned with a healthy dose of dill and served with a spicy cayenne mayonnaise. I have to agree with Robert Moss of the City Paper’s assertion that Alluette’s is dishing out the best fried shrimp in the city.

My partner opted for the chicken salad ($15). Served over a bed of some the freshest, tastiest local veggies I’ve tasted in quite a while, this dish would be an absolutely ideal light meal if the price tag wasn’t so absurd. Fifteen dollars for a single, albeit delicious, scoop of chicken salad and some greens just isn’t a reasonable purchase for anyone living on a budget.

For dessert, we were tempted by Alluette’s giant cookies ($3) but ended up selecting the bread pudding ($6). The pudding was full of raisins and nice, crunchy apples. The flavors were all right, but I found it to be a little on the dry side.

Another interesting item to note is Alluette’s sweet tea, which is sweetened with fruit juice instead of sugar. On the day we went, they were serving a pineapple tea which I really enjoyed. It’s a particularly attractive option for those of us who get turned off by the amount of sugar many restaurants around these parts put in their tea.

Overall, the food at Alluette’s was excellent, but I don’t know how highly I can recommend it, given the cost. I can’t really blame Alluette for that, though. It’s got to be difficult enough to turn a profit in a restaurant that small, but I imagine it gets significantly harder when you commit to the quality of ingredients she does.

So, if you’ve got money to burn, by all means move Alluette’s toward the top of your “must-try” list. However, if you’re like me and $30 dinners are a substantial investment, you might be better off heading down to your neighborhood vegetable stand and trying to recreate some of Alluette’s dishes yourself.

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While anyone who has spent more than a few days in Charleston could point you to many restaurants in this town with better seafood than Hyman’s, until recently, they may have struggled to identify establishments that represent a step up from Jestine’s, within that same genre of cuisine.

Since opening in December 2007, Virginia’s on King, the latest offering from Holy City Hospitality (Coast Bar & Grill, 39 Rue de Jean), has solidified itself, alongside Hominy Grill, as one of Charleston’s leaders in traditional Southern food.

Even before starting our meal, my partner and I were impressed with Virginia’s dining room. The dark panel and worn brick walls give the space an air of sophistication that I imagine must be reminiscent of the dinner parties thrown by the restaurant’s namesake, Virginia Bennett.

For our appetizers, we opted for one dish we can’t get enough of, and another that we had never tried before. The traditional tomato pie ($7) was wonderful, with balsamic vinegar adding a tangy twist to this late summer-early fall classic. The pan-fried chicken livers ($6) were a first for both of us, and we enjoyed them more than we expected to. The soft, almost chewy texture may not be for everyone, but combined with caramelized onions and bacon, the flavor more than made up for it.

On the other hand, we found the she-crab soup ($4 cup / $8 bowl), which is supposed to be one of Virginia’s specialties, to be almost completely inedible. The flavor wasn’t awful, but I really felt like I was eating a bowl of straight heavy cream and sherry with little bits of crab meat. I know that she-crab is never described as a light soup, but I couldn’t manage to eat more than a few bites of Virginia’s version.

After struggling to choose our entrees (almost all of Virginia’s offerings looked enticing), I settled on the hazelnut marinated venison ($19). Cooked perfectly medium-rare and served on top of a tremendous earthy and flavorful mushroom gravy, the meat was so juicy and tender that I felt it just might melt in my mouth. My partner went for the aged ribeye ($24), which came topped with homemade pimento cheese. I was skeptical about how well this would work, given pimento cheese’s tendency to overpower any other flavor it encounters, but it ended up being the highlight of the evening. The bold tastes of both components of the dish played equal roles with the spice of the peppers serving as an unusual but delicious compliment to the steak.

As for side dishes, I was surprisingly fond of the creamed corn and the corn bread with broccoli, but was underwhelmed by the baked macaroni and cheese, which came out of the kitchen lukewarm. It’s worth noting, however, that my partner said it was better when she reheated it so the cheese was warm and gooey the next day.

For dessert, we chose the pecan pie ($6). Drizzled with dark chocolate sauce and served with vanilla ice cream, this warm, decadent pie was a perfect way to end the evening.

All-in-all, our meal at Virginia’s on King was definitely a success. Besides my disappointment with the soup, my only other complaint would be that the food at Virginia’s was simply too rich for me to dine there on a regular basis. Still, the quality of the product is more than enough to justify the fact that you’re likely to leave the restaurant discussing your plans to eat nothing but salads for the next week. So, next time you’re missing home cooked meals and are distressed at the thought of microwaving another box of Easy Mac for dinner, consider heading to Virginia’s; it’s only a block from campus, but can transport you to wherever home is.

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