40-Hours in Charleston, SC

This quick get-away marked my second, much anticipated trip to Charleston. My fist visit was last May for a combined Charleston and Savannah trip: Both cities had been on my domestic ‘bucket list’, and for one reason or another, it never worked out for me to visit either city until a group of friends started planning a trip to Savannah to attend a friend’s graduation from the Savannah College of Art and Design (SCAD). The six day experience was cathartic and almost mystical in its effect and left me wondering why I postponed the inevitable experience of falling in love with these two incredible cities. That trip had me looking for an excuse to plan my next visit, and luckily, a good friend of mine who used to live in the area didn’t need any excuse to return to the Low Country, a place he holds very dear, and one that I have developed an equal admiration for over the past year. So, in late January we decided to plan a last-minute weekend trip to Charleston.

Upon arrival we checked into our hotel, the King Charles Inn (http://kingcharlesinn.com/), a charming boutique property designed in the southern Low Country style that Charleston is known. The hotel is located at 237 Meeting Street, one block from Charleston Place and King Street, the epicenter of Charleston shopping. If you want to be in-the-heart of everything Charleston has to offer, this is a fantastic location. In addition to having an exceptional location, the Inn has an extremely friendly staff and a quant light-service restaurant and pub named BREW. Our packed agenda didn’t leave us time to dine at the in-house restaurant, and speaking of a packed agenda, we needed to quickly refresh before our rapidly approaching dinner reservation at Husk.

FRIDAY ITINERARY

8:45pm – Dinner at Husk – http://www.huskrestaurant.com/home/

10:45pm – Drinks at The Gin Joint – http://theginjoint.com/

Husk

What can be said about dining at Husk: I guess I could begin by quoting James Beard “Best Chef Southeast” 2010, Executive Chef and Proprietor Sean Brock in his statement on the restaurants website. At Husk there are some rules about what can go on the plate: “If it doesn’t come from the South, it’s not coming through the door,” says Brock. The Chef isn’t just making an empty vanity statement about using local and regional ingredients: Brock and staff maintain a 1.5-acre parcel of land on Thornhill Farm, where he is using heirloom seeds to cultivate new crops. “The majority of the produce we cook at Husk comes from this farm,” Brock notes.

Husk is located in a former 1800’s residence on a side street just off King. The restaurant is two-stories with a large front porch and second story veranda, typical of Low Country and Southern residential architecture. Our table was located in the downstairs dining room, a charming space with an original fireplace and other original decorative features. The house like setting, period architecture and stylish décor just added to the entire Low Country dining experience.

Husk’s menu changes daily and each night there are around 7 to 10 First Courses and about the same amount of Main Courses to choose from. The night we were there some stand-out menu items were:

First Courses that caught our attention

Fire Roasted Caper’s Blades Oysters, Sweet-n-Spicy Pepper Juice, Mustard Greens and HUSK Lardo ($15)
Soft Poached Egg, Jimmy Red Corn Grits, Roasted Mushrooms, Fava Greens, Preserved Tomato Broth, ‘Nduja, Manchego ($12)
Carolina Catfish Stew with Edward’s Smoked Sausage, Cornmeal Fried Catfish Nuggets ($12)
Wood Fired Clams, Roasted Pepper and Potato “Chowder,” Hot Sauce with Chicken Fat, Mustard Greens, Crispy Chicken Skins ($14)

Main Courses that caught our attention

Confit Duck Leg with Pan Fried Dumplings, Hakurei Turnips and SC Shiitakes, Cabbage, Black Garlic-Soy ($30)

Slow Cooked Heritage Pork, Sweet Potato and Mustard Greens with VA Apple Cider Jus, Toasted Pecans ($30)

Mark Marhefka’s Triggerfish, Anson Mills Farro, Butternut Squash and Root Vegetables, Meyer Lemon Vinaigrette ($29)

Glazed Blue Ridge Bison Shortrib, Mustard Spaetzle, Roasted Cauliflower, Sweet Onion, Brussels Sprouts ($34)

Feeling adventurous, I settled on the Triggerfish for my entre. Having never tried this fish I wasn’t sure what to expect, other than the description given by the waiter that it was a type of white fish with a slightly sweet undertone. That description was spot-on; the fish was cooked perfectly, and did in fact have a slight sweetness. Since I had never tried this type of fish before, this was the perfect introduction and I was happy that the entre wasn’t swimming in sauce so that the flavor of the fish came through.

The Gin Joint

Serving up local and regionally sourced bar food and inspiring cocktails, The Gin Joint is one of those kinds of places I love to be a regular. This is an intimate space and the night we were there, the restaurant was full of groups of late 20 and 30-somethings and couples who appeared to be mostly locals. This being my first visit to The Gin Joint, the heavy local endorsement was a good sign of what was in store for our after-dinner cocktails in a city known for its great dining and drinking culture.

My first after-dinner cocktail was the Card Shark, a Rye drink accompanied by Absinthe and Green Chartreuse that was flavored with two types of bitters and house smoked honey. This is a complex and risky blend of liquors and ingredients that could go wrong quite easily and caught my attention for that very reason. What resulted was a nice drink that remained balanced in spite of the mix of competing flavors that could have been very bitter and off-putting. Introducing smoked honey to the drink gave it a smoky sweetness that countered the bitters, Absinthe and herbaceous-ness of the Green Chartreuse. For me, the fact that this combination of liquors and mixers could have easily made a terrible drink, showcases the knowledge the creators of this cocktail menu have for combining a very complex mix of flavors, as well as showcasing the abilities of their bartender’s. This drink is a testament to The Gin Joint as an outstanding southern cocktail bar.

Wanting to mix-things-up, but still stay in the Whiskey family, I opted for the Colonial Angus as my second drink. While not as complex and challenging as the Card Shark, the Colonial Angus mixes lemon, Fernet, St. Germaine and strawberry with Bourbon. Paring citrus and strawberry with St. Germaine gives this drink a light spring-like quality that is not usually apparent in most Whiskey based cocktails and the Fernet adds a bitter quality to pair with the Bourbon and balance the fruit. As a Bourbon lover, this is a drink that I would like to “try” and re-create on my own at home this summer.

Card Shark (Rittenhouse, Mata Hari Absinthe, Smoked Honey, Fernet, Green Chartreuse, Peychauds, Angostura)
Colonial Angus (Bourbon, Lemon, Fernet, St. Germaine, Strawberry)

SATURDAY ITINERARY

Coffee and morning walk around Charleston

11:30am – Brunch at Poogan’s Porch – http://www.poogansporch.com/

12:30pm – More exploration around Charleston (“below Broad”, Charleston Market, Rainbow Row, Battery Park, etc.)

4:00pm – Afternoon libation at The Rooftop at The Vendue – http://thevendue.com/restaurants/the-rooftop/

4:45pm – Shopping on King Street

8:45pm – Dinner at Peninsula Grill – https://www.peninsulagrill.com/

10:15pm – Whiskey tasting at The Bar at Husk – http://www.huskrestaurant.com/about/bar/

Poogan’s Porch

I have a weakness for shrimp and grits and Poogan’s Porch did not disappoint my craving! Known as a popular brunch spot, Poogan’s Porch also serves lunch and dinner. Like many Charleston restaurants, Poogan’s Porch is located in a converted historic home built in 1888. Story holds that when the owners sold their house in 1976 to be converted into a restaurant, a dog named “Poogan” stayed behind and according to the new owners, “as far as he was concerned, our porch was his. After all, he’d been a neighborhood fixture for years, wandering from porch to porch, in search of back scratches and table scraps, endearing himself to all. From his proud porch perch, he served as official greeter. It seemed only right to name the restaurant after him. Poogan died a natural death in 1979. We still miss him. His porch and restaurant live on in his honor”. As a dog lover, the history of this restaurant makes me love the place even more!

The Rooftop Bar at The Vendue

The Rooftop Bar at The Vendue is located on the roof of The Vendue (http://thevendue.com/), a boutique hotel housed in two historic buildings; the oldest dating back to 1780. With over 300 original art pieces installed in the common spaces and gallery guest rooms, The Vendue claims to be Charleston’s first hotel dedicated to the arts. Rooftop Bar at The Vendue is one of three dining options within the hotel and serves as the properties lively cocktail lounge overlooking Waterfront Park and Charleston Harbor. Charleston City Paper has voted The Rooftop Bar Charleston’s “best rooftop bar” since 2007.

Peninsula Grill

Located in the stylish Planters Inn (http://www.plantersinn.com/), Peninsula Grill is a Charleston fine dining staple that is the culinary counterpart to the elegant Low Country hotel to which the restaurant is housed. The décor gives a nod to the areas past by showcasing equestrian art in a rich wood toned interior: The feel is traditional while still remaining open and contemporary in its own right.

This trip to Peninsula Grill marked my second time dining here and the service was as outstanding as I remembered from my first visit. Dinners are pleasantly greeted to the restaurant upon entry which is actually the bar area, appropriately named the ‘Champagne Bar’ as champagne is a main feature of the dark wood bar area. The Champagne Bar menu focuses on oysters, caviar, lobster – small plates that make great accompaniments with a glass (or bottle) of bubbly. If you’re in the mood for a pre-dinner drink that isn’t champagne, you’re in luck; there is a healthy list of Whiskey, Bourbon and Scotch options. There are also classic cocktails with a southern twist like the Bourbon Honey Old Fashioned and the Southern Manhattan.

The main dining area is located right off the Champagne Bar and is a one-room dining area with a semi-open kitchen at the back all looking out to the hotel’s lush courtyard. First course and main courses are fairly static and feature local seafood, pork and beef. I opted for Pan Roasted Jumbo Sea Scallops with Braised Butter Lettuce, Diced Lobster, Garlic-Chive Potatoes and Citrus Lobster Broth ($41) and my dining companion had the Grilled Berkshire Pork Chop with Maple Mashed Sweet Potatoes, Sautéed Spinach, and Honey Bourbon Jus ($36). The restaurant has an extensive wine list to complement any taste that is populated with wines from the new and old world, and while the bottle list is impressive, the wine-by-the-glass options are limited to 5-7 red and white wines respectively.

Desert is a must at the Peninsula Grill, even for someone like me who rarely ever orders it. The reason is because of a cake that has received critical acclaim and fame, the Peninsula Grill Ultimate Coconut Cake®. Since its debut on Valentine’s Day 1997, “Bon Appétit, Saveur, Martha Stewart Living, The New York Times, TODAY Show, and Vogue—in addition to other esteemed culinary and travel media outlets, made the fresh vanilla and coconut infused dessert famous”. I have to say, the 12-layer cake deserves its iconic reputation and warrants ordering a slice for the table, if for nothing, just to say you have tried it!

The Bar at Husk

Bourbon, Whiskey and Rye lovers rejoice! The Bar at Husk offers over 100 Whiskey’s, Bourbon’s and Rye’s by the glass. If you’re not a Whiskey fan, there are many cocktail, craft beer and wine options to choose from. The wine list is organized unlike any I’ve ever seen: Instead of grouping various wines by geography or grape varietal, wine here is grouped by terroir and soil type. What results is a way to choose and enjoy wine by a much more micro-specific taste profile and, as Executive Chef and Proprietor Sean Brock says, further connects “the concepts of Husk’s bar to the mission of the restaurant”; exploring ingredient driven local-cuisine.

The Bar at Husk is a free standing bar located in the converted two-story carriage house on-property adjacent to Husk Restaurant.