Butcher & Bee: Brunch

Posted on March 25, 2012 by Nate

654 King Street Charleston, SC 29403
(843) 619-0202
www.facebook.com/butcherandbee.charleston

I’ve been dying to try this place for the longest time. Here’s the deal: they’re open from 11-3, both lunch time and late night. Brunch on Sunday, occasional ethnic pop-up meals by guest chefs at a proper dinner time. (I’m planning to go to a Gullah Geechee dinner there tonight!)

The place itself is relatively small, tucked away on Upper King with a few outdoor tables and community seating inside. The decor is retro-industrial-chic and the service is friendly.

The menu changes daily, but B&B are great about updating Facebook and Twitter with the latest offerings — that’s why I listed their Facebook page instead of their actual website.

The ingredients are local and high quality, and it shows in the food. I tried the Grits & Eggs and the Maple Dream, and I can’t rave enough about how good the food is. I can say this is where you will find me Sundays at 11 for the foreseeable future. I arrived at 11:06 today and already there were probably 15-20 people in line and placing orders, so I will try to make it more on-the-dot from now on.

First up, the Grits & Eggs. Doesn’t sound too terribly exciting, does it? What won me over was the mention of vegetable hash… I love a good hash. I think we all know eggs and grits can both range from boring/bland to knock-your-socks off, so it was a bit of a risk. Luckily for me, my socks were on the far side of the room in no time. The grits were p-e-r-f-e-c-t, creamy with just enough salt to bring out the flavor, and the eggs were outstanding — you could taste the local freshness in the silky whipped texture. And the hash, the hash! Fresh veggies cooked to perfection, crispy and caramelized on the outside, piping hot and steamy on the inside. Flavor to the nines. Included in the hash were the best brussels sprouts I’ve ever had.

On to the slightly more sinful option: the Maple Dream. Moist and fluffy bread pudding that could hold its own on any dessert menu in town + thick and crispy bacon + fried eggs, all drizzled in maple syrup. The name is accurate: this is what dreams are made of. I personally adore combining salty and sweet, and this is one of the best examples I’ve had yet.

Overall I would probably pick the Grits and Eggs as my favorite, but I’d really really rather not have to choose. And just to make sure I’m getting my point across, I’m afraid this is my new favorite brunch in Charleston… I plan to be a hardcore regular.

One brunch-y note: they don’t have a beer or liquor license, so it’s BYOB, which is fine/fun in my opinion.

Stay tuned as I want to try some of the ethnic pop-up dinners (excited for both Gullah cuisine and Vietnamese), as well as their standard late-night gourmet sandwiches.

Oh, and go try them out!

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Why I Shouldn’t Be Allowed to Drink at Lunch

Posted on September 24, 2011 by Nate

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!

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HōM Burger Boutique

Posted on September 24, 2011 by Nate

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!

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Halls Chophouse, Brunch Edition

Posted on September 17, 2011 by Nate

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?

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Poe’s Tavern

Posted on July 23, 2011 by Nate

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.

Posted in Drink, Food, Locale: Sullivan's Island | Tagged , , | 1 Comment