03/16/09

Great

by twavy

I love Carolina's Restaurant LLC on 10 Exchange St, Charleston South Carolina 29401 ON Exchange St

I love Carolina's Restaurant LLC on 10 Exchange St, Charleston South Carolina 29401 ON Exchange St

• Pros: Best
• Cons: nono

03/15/09

Bland, uninspired, and boring

by charlottefolks

My wife and I ate here on a recent visit to Charleston. WE love the city and had heard wonderful thngs about this restaurant. To begin, the restaurant was too dark. I understand mood lighting, but when you need a flashlight to read the menu, it's going a bit too far. I ordered the PIE mussels, which I've had many places before, including Prince Edward Island. The mussels arrived and were "bloated" and fishy-tasting. I immediately had the sensation of mussels that were not fresh.

I then ordered their home made cavatelli. This was even worse...boring and under-cooked. It seriously tasted like Kraft macaroni and cheese that you'd buy in a box. The waitress was kind enough to remove the items from our bill. We tipped her on what the bill would have been as she was very nice.

But this place is way too expensive for the mediocre quality of food that it serves. Stay away.

• Pros: It's in Charleston
• Cons: Oh...where to begin?

02/06/09

BEST CHEF IN CHARLESTON

by callmepicky

This is a jewel among Charleston's crowded restaurant scene. Chef, Jeremiah Bacon, worked under Eric Ripert and Thomas Keller, two of the best chef's in the world, (if you watch Top Chef, you've seen them) and came back to Charleston because he's a local boy and boy was that a good thing for Charleston.

Everything that comes out of his kitchen is amazing. Not flashy or trendy, but deceptively simple in a way that lets the quality of the local seasonal food shine through. It's hard to recommend a specific dish because this is a seasonal menu that changes according to what's freshest and and available locally, much of which is grown for him on a local plantation. I am, as my screen name implies, a litlle picky, but I've tried things he's cooked, ( like pork belly), that I never thought I'd like and wanted to clean the plate. His beef carpaccio is delicious when it's on the seasonal menu and the won tons and calamari are always on it and a favorite of many. The hanger steak that's on it now is amazing. Upscale comfort food! The scallops are a lighter alternative and always impeccable. ( I don't understand the previous nysnob review, trust me, nothing in that rings true!) He cooked under Eric Ripert, who specilizes in fish, so he'd have to know what he was doing

with seafood.

The restaurant gives you several alternatives for dining, (although you should make reservations in advance if you want to be sure you get the area you want). The Perdita's room is intimate, romantic and slightly more formal, in the sidewalk room you can people watch. The bar area is lively and you can even eat at the bar if you don't mind waiting for a seat when it's busy. It can be noisy at times for some people. But, there are three banquets in the bar where you get the energy of the bar with a little of the clubbiness of the Perdita's room and it's easier to talk. Make reservations if you want one of these tables. We're locals and this is a neigborhood favorite and a Charleston tradition.

• Pros: Excellent Service.Romantic Dining Room. Valet Parking.