Charleston Eats

Dan and I enjoyed a long weekend in Charleston for our anniversary. We like to go somewhere new to celebrate so when we read several articles on Charleston's appeal as a cultural destination, we were in.

As I've shared before, I travel according to food experience opportunities. Exploring regional and cultural foods is one of my main pleasures when traveling. And with a trip to the South, I was looking forward to some fresh seafood and ‘low country’ cuisine.

As we explored the markets and streets of Charleston, we ate many a meals … here are the highlights of our culinary experience:

Entrée: Amen Street wins for best entree. Best two entrees in fact. The crab cakes had a light crunch and were entirely comprised of crab meat - no filler in this dish. The shrimp and grits were also all that they should be - creamy, hearty and with just enough heat to make you return for yet another bite.

Side dish: Hominy Grill takes it for their sweet mashed potatoes. This dish was silky in texture, sweet and divinely rich. With a side dish like this, who needs dessert?

Low country eats: After waiting in the friendly line that famously wraps around the restaurant’s corner, we found the best low country eats at Jestine’s Kitchen. Jestine’s fried chicken basket with okra and coleslaw and a glass of sweet tea to wash it all down. And they had the best cornbread we ate all weekend!

A little food for thought as I reflect on the culinary adventures of Charleston, I find it amusing that listed among the vegetable offerings on several Charleston menus was Mac and Cheese. Ha. Gotta love the South for their comfort food. It was certainly fun to enjoy for a long weekend. Now back to an ever so slightly less indulgent dinner plate.

Need a bigger helping?:
Amen Street Fish and Raw Bar
Hominy Grill
Jestine's Kitchen