Sugar Bakeshop:
59 1/2 Cannon Street
Charleston, SC 29403
(843) 579-2891
www.sugarbake.com
After a hearty lunch at HōM (along with a few vodka martinis), I couldn’t help but swing by Sugar on Cannon to pick up a few sweet treats. The one in the back has an icing with raw honey that is like no cupcake frosting I’ve ever had. NOM!
563 King St, Charleston, SC 29403
843-573-7505
www.homcharleston.com
I love when restaurants take something simple and old-fashioned and make it trendy and fresh. HōM, way up Upper King, does just that with the hamburger. (Though I can’t stop calling them HōMburgers in my head.)
First off, word to the wise. Everything here is insanely rich, so if you’re looking for light and butter-free, look elsewhere. HōM is a sinful treat for the senses.
Starting with the fried pickles. If one can be a connoisseur of fried pickles, I surely am. And I’ve never had any like the sort at HōM. Sweet bread and butter pickles are the pickle of choice here, and for the fried appetizer they get coated in a thick, sweet pancake-y batter. Sounds crazy, no? The breading is soft and like a pancake on the inside, but oh-so-crispy on the outside. Dip those sweet suckers in the chipotle ranch sauce, and bam! you’ve got a sinful new take on fried pickles.
But let’s face it, you’ll come here for the burgers. I would not normally describe myself as a fan of the hamburger. I run screaming at the idea of gristle or funny meat texture. If a cookout has hamburgers and hot dogs, I typically stick with the dogs. Luckily, places like HōM keep my foot in the door of the hamburger world. I know there are amazing burgers at Poe’s on Sullivan’s Island and at Rue de Jean, but HōM is my new jam. THE MOST perfect hamburger you could imagine. Buttery toasted buns, soft pillowy burger texture, ridiculous flavor… my mouth is watering at the memory.
I’ve sampled a couple of the burgers so far, including the Southern, with a fried green tomato, pimiento cheese, onions, bread and butter pickles and chipotle ranch.
Delicious. And in the background there are Bacon Ranch Fries. Ehh. So close to perfection. The fries themselves are perfect, but the bacon ranch flavor is kind of a bacon bits / vending machine flavor. Good, but in a trashy salt-overload kind of way. I’ll probably get the standard fries next time, which come with a choice of two creative dipping sauces. (Hellooooo roasted garlic mayo or smoked onion remoulade!)
But on to my favorite little star of the evening. The Mushroom Swiss burger is a masterpiece. Portobello mushrooms, caramelized onions, baby swiss and dijon. To DIE for. Not gonna lie, I may be dragging myself into the real world in a minute just to get another one of these. Crazy bananas good. So go and give HōM a try!
434 King Street
Charleston, SC 29403
(843) 727-0090
www.hallschophouse.com
If you live in Charleston you know that brunching is a must. Some of the best food in this town can be had from 10-2 on the Lord’s Day. And speaking of him, Hall’s Chophouse delivers one of the best foodie spreads in town with their weekly Gospel Brunch.
While I typically think of the alcohol-infused brunch crowds as distinctly separate from the church crowds (until 12:30ish, at least), Hall’s slams them together in a fun and original combo. Bangin’ piano and soulful Gospel music radiate from the grand piano downstairs while patrons sip on signature Bloody Marys or bellinis. It’s quite festive. Wait until 12:30 or 1 to hear Miss Crystal, a rare talent that will belt out additional classic tunes like “At Last” by Etta James.
But I digress. What got me in the door was the food, and boy does Hall’s know how to do brunch! Even the opener is delicious: instead of standard rolls or croissants, Hall’s serves up delicious eggy popovers that will steer you too far from hungry if you’re not careful.
Hold off from the temptation if you can, because these entrees are Worth It. If you’re feeling indulgent, try the fresh and rich Crabcakes Benedict:
On a side note, the breakfast potatoes shown are in no way meant to be interpreted as a plate filler. I love me some nicely crafted potatoes, and these are the BEST. I would eat just the potatoes for a breakfast and be fully satisfied.
Next up, unique Shrimp & Grits with tasso ham gravy and pepperjack cheese grits. Delicious!
And last, but so very far from least, is the Filet Mignon. 8oz of pure heaven, bacon-wrapped and smothered in house sauce, with three eggs and potatoes or pepperjack grits. My new favorite breakfast! And at nearly half off compared to dinner, I really can’t justify not ordering this every time I go. So much for sampling the whole menu.
Let’s recap: killer food, great drinks, amazing live piano and singing… where will you be this Sabbath?
2210 Middle St
Sullivan’s Island, South Carolina 29482
(843) 883-0083
www.poestavern.com
Can’t believe I have not yet featured Poe’s! One of my favorite “feels like I’m on vacation” spots in town, Poe’s Tavern is a gourmet burger joint dedicated to preserving the memory of Edgar Allen Poe, who lived on Sullivan’s Island while enlisted in the Army.
I don’t get to Poe’s as often as I’d like because it’s so freakin’ popular. Parking is tight, lines aren’t uncommon, and service can be slow because of the crowds. But that doesn’t mean I don’t love the place. (You should too.)
From my perspective, Poe’s has a lot going for it. As previously mentioned, Sullivan’s Island is my favorite spot to relax on the weekends in good weather. I also love a good historical twist, so I appreciate all I’ve learned about Poe by visiting the modern-day Tavern. Lastly, I’m obviously into food, and I’m never disappointed when I find a way to squeeze into a table here.
The menu at Poe’s is straightforward. Beyond standard apps and salads, they have Poe-themed burgers and sandwiches (choice of burger or chicken) and fish tacos. I’m not a huge fan of hamburgers, but when the craving comes I eat my burger at Poe’s — that’s what they’re most famous for. If I’m not in a burger mood, I’ll happily tackle their fish tacos with mahi mahi and pico de gallo or Yellowfin tuna and pineapple relish.
The burgers are definitely worth writing home, though. They grind their own high-quality meat, resulting in a soft and fluffy gristle-free masterpiece you can even order rare if the mood strikes you.
Today I fell back on a standard favorite, the Tell-Tale Heart (remember I said the Poe theme runs deep): a burger with Applewood bacon, cheddar cheese and topped with grilled onions and a fried egg. The sandwiches and burgers come with fries that are everything fries should be — I guarantee there won’t be any left on the plate when you’re done.
As I mentioned, all the Poe-themed sandwiches come with a choice of burger or chicken. Here we have a chicken version of The Black Cat, with grilled onions, Edgar’s Drunken Chili (it has Yuengling beer in it, y’all!), Applewood bacon and pimiento cheese.
Basically, you can’t go wrong. Another of my favorites is the Gold Bug Plus: a burger topped with garlic-infused blue cheese that is ridiculous — like no other cheese I’ve had. And yes, Sullivan’s Island inspired him to write The Gold Bug… clearly it’s a magical place.
18 Pinckney Street
Charleston, SC 29401
843.534.2434
http://www.crucafe.com
Where to begin? Other than the fun Motley Cru(e) reference, I should share that Cru Cafe is my very favorite restaurant in Charleston. Lots of reasons why.
Let’s start with the location — a great old-timey Charleston house just a block off the touristy Market. Near the water and lots of attractions, but just enough off the beaten path to be quietly quaint. The inside retains the old-house feel, though in this weather I prefer one of the four tables on the Charleston side porch. Either way, seating is limited and Cru is the place to be, so I would recommend booking a few days in advance if you want to go. The up-side is that it has more of an intimate, familial feel than most anywhere else on the peninsula. Another positive for the location — you can easily take a stroll to the water/pier/pineapple fountain at East Bay & Vendue after dinner, perfect for walking off the sin while you watch sailboats glide by.
I like to think of the food here as classy refined Southern fare with an experimental twist — think wasabi mashed potatoes, a Cru Catering item I’ve heard countless people rave about. (Perhaps it should be on the menu at the Cafe as well? Hint hint!)
Another great example is my favorite appetizer: fried calamari with an Asian slaw and sesami dressing. I would say I’m a so-so fan of calamari, but the stuff at Cru is far better than any I’ve had elsewhere, and a must-order when I go. Beyond the perfectly crispy and warm calamari itself, the whole dish is set off by the cold and tangy/salty/sweet Asian slaw and dressing, a flavor combination that puts this app in a league of its own.
While the appetizers are out of this world, the entrees luckily live up to a similar reputation. Here as another example of a brilliant Southern fusion dish is the grilled swordfish (sometimes Mahi Mahi). This fancy fish sits on a bed of perfectly cooked stone ground grits — and I know my grits, y’all — and is piled high with shrimp jambalaya and delicately fried onions. The fish and shrimp are also perfectly cooked, and the sausage is killer. Not too salty, not too spicy, the complex flavor presented here is a work of art.
And while I appreciate that art, I often fall back on my favorite at Cru. The deceivingly-simple-sounding fried chicken is a world-class meal, and not your mama’s chicken! I love absolutely every detail. First, they pound the chicken super-thin. Then, they wrap it around poblano peppers and fresh mozzarella cheese, into a ball. The ball gets lightly breaded and deep-fried. For presentation the chicken is sliced in half so the cheese and peppers can start oozing out. The breading is thin and extremely crispy, the chicken is moist and flavorful, and the cheese and peppers are an oozey delight.
But wait, that’s not all! The chicken-ball is served on a bed of mouthwatering potato gratin that is heavy on the cheese — that delicious crispy-brown kind of cheese, and lots of it. It takes the indulgence of the dish a step further than the chicken. Meanwhile, for light relief, the chicken is flanked by seasonal sauteed veggies on one side and a honey chipotle salsa on the other. It is a Southern gourmet dream.
