Tonight's Episode: High Times and Short Rib Dreams

           High steppin' Lowcountry living is what High Cotton promises. The surroundings definitely deliver. With live jazz spilling out from the bar into the classic Charleston dinning room, the mood is quickly set. The rich dark woods, oversized palm-frond fans, and antique brickwork reinforce the casual elegance of the restaurant. The chef is already behind the 8-ball, having to live up to such a beautiful space.
          To get ourselves even more in the mood, we quickly select our wines. For The Girl, who is in search of a very light wine, I select the Stella Pinot Grigio ($7). This mild white has a rich floral nose, with mild citrus and acidity, and a quick, clean finish. For myself, I went with the Paso Creek Cabernet ($9). This California red features a rich full body and tastes of cherry, jam, tobacco, and espresso. Very well balanced, and a wonderful finish.

         With our late (9:45) dinner reservation, The Girl wasn't as hungry as usual, so we decided to split the appetizer from the 3 for $30 Restaurant week menu. We went with the Crispy Calamari with creole rémoulade and grilled lemon. Nothing exciting here, just rings of spot-on fried calamari. The rémoulade was very nice, but too little given the size of the rings. Overall a very tasty, if unoriginal, starter.
       For entrées, I stuck with the Restaurant Week menu and went with the Duo of Beef. This plate consisted of braised short rib, carved tri-tip, chanterelle mushrooms, and an artichoke purée. The mushroom-purée combo form a delightfully rich side dish, and a solid counterpoint to the beef. The tri-tip was dead on mid-rare and buttery in texture. The star of the dish, however, was the braised short rib. This rib wasn't fork tender. It was Japanese steak house miso soup spoon tender. The smoky richness is offset by a slightly sweet, almost molasses flavor. What a winner!

         The Girl went to the classic menu for Seared Scallops and Folly River Clams ($25) served with chorizo, cipollini onions, fingerling potatoes, and lemon saffron broth. If you have been an avid follower of this blog you will have realized by now that The Girl LOVES scallops. These scallops are perfectly prepared, seared just enough to give that nice outer texture while preserving the beauty of the natural raw flavor. The clams are plump and slightly briny, while picking up the lemon quite clearly. While I personally love the combination of the chorizo, scallops, and saffron, The Girl found it a little overwhelming. She gives it a B, and wouldn't order it again due to the bold flavors. She, and I, agree that if you enjoy your scallops with aggressive flavor this is a solid dish. If you are like The Girl, and prefer a lighter treatment, maybe you should skip it. (I personally give the dish a solid A-.)

       For dessert The Girl steals my Créme Fraîche Cheesecake, with graham cracker crust and brandied cherries. This is a mild cheesecake without the richness normally associated with cheesecake. The brandied cherries give most of the sweetness, with a rich dark flavor. The graham cracker crust was okay, nothing spectacular. For my dessert, I went with the Grand Marnier Creme Brulée. This is served with a strawberry half, whipped cream, and a candied orange slice. The actual creme of the creme brulée isn't as firm as most, which is actually surprisingly nice. In all honesty I would pour that custard over my Wheaties and call it breakfast. The light orange liqueur flavor is a great palate cleanser. My only complaint is I would have preferred a more pronounced caramel crust.

   
      High Cotton has a charm that extends its welcoming arms and takes you back to a idealized version of Charleston we all love to embrace. The food is a solid take on traditional Southern, nothing that pushes the boundaries of food, just elegant versions of comforting fare. What makes High Cotton worth the trip, and the bill, is the combination of the atmosphere, the service, and the property itself. This restaurant would make a great place to introduce someone to the Southern charm and hospitality that Charleston prides itself on.

The Scores:
Ambiance: 5/5
Service: 4/5
Food: 7.5/10
Value: 3/5
Overall: 19.5/25  Southern charm and comforting dishes in a true Charlestonian restaurant

Tonight's Episode: Steak and a Handshake

           When was the last time you were met at the door to a restaurant by the owner, who looks you dead in the eye, shakes your hand, and genuinely thanks you for taking the time to stop by his restaurant? Doesn't happen nearly as often as it should. Hall's Chophouse prides itself on this and a million other small personal touches to show you at this family steakhouse, you are part of the family.
         The first thing you notice about Hall's is the vibe. This is a very traditional New York style steakhouse. Rich dark woods, thick leather, and a wall-to-wall crush of sharp suits and sexy dresses. The bar at Hall's seems to be a great place to stop in for a quick cocktail before dinner.
         After a short wait, two fingers of scotch, and some people watching, we are lead to our booth on the second floor. If you were to walk into this room and see Frank Sinatra at a table, you wouldn't be surprised. The 1950's feel exudes cool and is a far more relaxing setting for a steak than the more pretentious Grill 225.

             Glancing through the extensive, though not intimidating, wine list I settle on a glass of Row "11" Vinas 3 Pinot Noir, a wonderful full bodied red, with flavors of cherry pie and balsamic. I went with the Row "11" for its easy adaptability to any main dish. The Girl settles on a glass of the finest l'eau glacée.
         A great feature of Hall's is the steak plate. This is a serving dish stacked with an example of the different steaks and cuts available. You have everything from filet to cowboy cut ribeye. It's always nice to see what your meat looks like in precooked form, especially to see the wonderful marbling.

          This being restaurant week, Hall's offers a 3 course for $40 menu in addition to it's normal menu. The Girl went this route starting off with the She Crab Soup. I have zero complaints about this soup. Rich, creamy, and silky without the cloying sweetness most versions exhibit. I went to the classic menu for my starter, choosing the Bacon Steak ($10). Our extremely competent and genuinely friendly waiter CJ informed us that this dish is exactly as it sounds, a thick steak of bacon. Served in three strips topped with heirloom tomato, this is a decadent dish of smoky crisp bacon easily an inch and a half thick. As much as I loved the stack of bacon, I would have loved a sauce to accompany it, perhaps a sweet bourbon reduction. Served as is, I think I would only order as a shared plate as the saltiness does get slightly overwhelming without a sauce to cut it.

           For the entrée, The Girl went with the Allen Brother's Filet Mignon, served with sauté summer squash and mashed potatoes. Cooked to a perfect mid-rare, this is a bright beautiful steak. Seasoning was spot on. I have tasted better steaks, but not many. The sauté feels slightly out of place, though it is delicious. I'm excited to return for a long-bone Tomahawk ribeye, Pittsburgh style.

          For my main, I chose the cedar plank wild salmon ($29), with tomato, cucumber dilled yogurt sauce on the side. I actually ate the sauce as a side item, it was so good. Tight, small mince of cucumber and tomato are brought forward with the fresh dill. What can I say about the salmon? I have honestly NEVER had a better cooked piece of fish. The crust was flaky and lightly spicy, with a wonderful smoke to it. The meat of the fish was juicy and rich, firm and evenly cooked. Man oh man, that is how fish should be cooked!

            For dessert The Girl chose the Chocolate Paté from the Restaurant Week menu. For my dessert, I choose half of The Girl's Chocolate Paté. This turns out to be a thick slab of creamy, rich chocolate topped with fresh berries, a berry sauce, and whip cream. The texture of the chocolate is thick and mousse-like, and very pleasing. The chocolate itself is just to the good side of too rich. The berries give a brightness that accents the chocolate. We both would have preferred a little less of the sauce, letting the chocolate speak a little stronger on its own. An excellent dessert overall.

         Throughout the dinner members of the Hall family make sure to circulate through the restaurant, reminding you that as long as you are in here, you are family. The old jazz standards drifting up from the piano downstairs help seal the deal for the classic atmosphere. The wait staff is as friendly and helpful as can be. There is something just classically American about a steak and a handshake. Encore performance soon to come.

The Scores:
Ambiance: 5/5
Service: 5/5
Food: 8/10
Value: 3/5
Overall: 21/25 An excellent New York style steakhouse whose high prices don't mean fussy service.

Tonight's Episode: St. Louis, not just a rib town.

           There are plenty of options for pizza in Charleston. You can find everything from a big ol' floppy slice of New York to the casserole that Chicagoan's misname a deep-dish pizza. If you want to try one of the lesser known styles, head on over to New Moon on John's Island for a St. Louis style pie.
          New Moon is a modern styled pub, with your usual selection of appetizers, sandwiches and salads to go with your pies. We decided to split an order of Johnny chips ($7). These are a pile of fresh cut potato chip style fries, covered with chicken, cheese, bacon, and a ranch drizzle. The chips themselves are perfectly salted, and even the ones at the bottom of the pile were crisp. The bacon, cheese, and ranch all make sense, but the chicken is under seasoned. I would have loved maybe a teriyaki, a buffalo, or a BBQ glaze on the chicken....or maybe an option to choose. Chicken aside, these chips will keep you digging to the bottom of the basket.

          The Pizza menu shows that someone is brilliant, with a great sense of humor. The Hurricane ($14) is topped with a mustard based sauce covered with a cheese blend, grilled chicken and bacon. After baking, the pie is topped with diced tomato, banana pepper, jalapeno pepper and pineapple with buttermilk ranch drizzle. The Baked Potato ($12) is a layer of homestyle sliced potatoes, cheese, bacon, green onions, and ranch drizzle. All pies are 12 inch St. Louis style, which is small enough for one person who is hungry, or big enough for two if you go for an appetizer.
          I know what most of you are wondering at this point. What is a St. Louis style pizza? These pizzas are usually a yeast-less thin crust, almost like a cracker. Unlike New York style thin crust, these pizzas do not bend easily. Instead of the normal triangle cut, a St. Louis style pizza will be served in a party cut, a series of rectangles that are smaller and easily handled. This party cut and crispy cracker style crust allow you to go right to the edge with the toppings. The lack of yeast also allows the cracker-like crust to remain crispy far longer than normal pizza.
         For all the possible strange and new combinations, we settled on the $10 pizza of the week, The BBQ Chicken (Normally $13). This bad boy comes with a Blue Moon BBQ base loaded with cheese, grilled chicken, bacon, red onion, and fresh cilantro after baking. The Blue Moon BBQ is a little sweeter than I normally care for, but it plays very well with the cilantro. I love that they dice the onion fine, while leaving the bacon in longer strips. The crisp crust is light and very satisfying, and the cheese blend adds a nice saltiness to the slice. I would have preferred a more tangy BBQ, but in the end there wasn't a crumb left. 

           We stopped by New Moon on a Saturday afternoon.  For football season they are opening up for lunch, which is new, so we had the place to ourselves. The service was excellent, but again we had the place to ourselves. They also have a patio, and on Monday evenings a pizza bar with salad and soda for $10.
          New Moon isn't my favorite pizza. I'm still a New York kind of guy. That doesn't mean I didn't enjoy the pie (should have got one to go), nor does it mean I won't be back (I'm dying to try the Hurricane). This is the kind of pie you can go crazy with, and not feel bloated and greasy when you finish it. Take the time to head on out to John's Island, and see what kind of pie the Midwest has to offer.

The Scores:
Ambiance: 2/5
Service: 4/5
Food: 7/10
Value: 5/5
Overall: 18 out of 25, a neighborhood gem that gives Charleston a new vision of a classic dish

Tonight's Episode: My Big Fat Greek Honeymoon

            When it comes to honeymoons, what pops into your head? All inclusive resorts in the Caribbean? Mai-Tais in Waikiki? For the Girl and I, it had to be touring 3000 year old Grecian temples. Well, that and laying on a beach in Crete.
           My first piece of advice on going to Greece is to remember that even though they invented democracy, standing in line is beyond them. From the flight over to getting into the many ancient ruins, chances are you will have to employ some bump and squeeze to get to your destination. This is also the way the Greeks drive. Be prepared.

         This would be our hotel, the Grande Bretagne. If you want to sleep in gilded age luxury, this is the spot. Rooms with marble floors and chandeliers, a roof top restaurant with a view of the Acropolis, stunning views of Syntagma (Constitution Square), and one of the best restaurants in the city. My advice is to try and score an upgrade to the 6th floor, which comes with butler service and all the exterior rooms have balconies.

         The roof top bar, where breakfast is also served, is a great place to start the evening. At dusk they light the Acropolis, first in green and then white. The drink menu is filled with the classics, including one of the best old fashioneds I have ever had. They also do feature drinks such as a creme brûlée martini and a mint julep. Visit, have one well-made expensive drink, then head out to the city.

        Before I get into some of the food we had, let me give you a little advice. Don't eat lunch before 2pm. That will allow you to eat dinner at the proper time, between 10pm and midnight. If you eat any earlier you will stand out like a sore thumb and miss the fun and vibrance of the Greek taverna scene. Check to see if there is a service charge and a cover charge. If no service charge, move on to tipping. When tipping at a restaurant, only tip on good service, and no more than 10%. The price of your meals are inflated since the wait staff receive a portion of your check. Every meal will have a cover charge. This covers the water and bread you receive to start the meal. You pay this if you eat the bread and drink the water or not. Don't argue, you will just look like an ass. Don't order dessert unless there is something incredible on the menu. After every meal you will receive either fresh watermelon or other small dessert, as well as a jug of Ouzo. Remember to ask for your bill. If you don't, it will never come. Plan for an hour to eat any meal, even if it is only one course.  Don't tip your taxi driver unless he/she was SUPER helpful, they don't expect a tip. Everywhere you go you will see dogs sleeping on the sidewalk. They range from indifferent to friendly. Their job is to chase away the pigeons. Don't be alarmed.

     Well, now that we have that out of the way, let's get to some food. Greece is famous for its Tavernas. They are very similar to French cafes, small enclosed space with large open air seating. Most menus in Athens are very similar, focusing on fresh local ingredients prepared in traditional ways. There were some standouts though.
     Stay in the Parakala (Old City) for the best food and views. For a slightly more upscale dinner, I suggest a place called Daphne's. Since it is located on the pedestrian street of Lysikratous, a cab will drop you about a block from the restaurant. Situated in a beautiful courtyard, this upscale take on classic Greek cuisine is a favorite of everyone from Bill Clinton to Bill Cosby. The girl and I split a wonderful dish of scallops in an orange sauce. For the main course, she went with the grilled chicken breast. This turned out to be two breasts from the chicken version of Pamela Anderson, and could have easily fed a family of four.  The chicken was excellently seasoned and served with a delightful array of vegetables. I went with the stewed rabbit, fork tender and not the least bit gamey. Here we broke our no dessert rule, with a modern rice pudding for me and the chocolate mousse gateau for her. While mine was excellent, I am pretty sure The Girl was ready to marry hers. Next time we are in Athens, we are defiantly getting dessert from Daphne's

          Our favorite place to eat, and we dined there twice, is around the corner from Daphne's at a traditional taverna named Plakiotissa. Between our two visits I had appetizers of grilled sausages which were like a mild chorizo and absolutely brilliant and baked butter beans in a tomato broth that were addictive. For entrees I had moussaka, which is an eggplant based sheppard's pie to me. Wonderfully seasoned and not in the least bit greasy. My other entree was far and away the best grilled octopus I have ever tasted. They say the only preparation is to boil it before grilling, but I have never had such tender octopus. The Girl went with the stewed meatballs, which would put any Italian mother to shame.

                 In between all the eating, don't forget to take some trips to see the sights. While I normally don't do the group tours, having a knowledgeable guide to help you through this city with several thousand years of interesting history doesn't hurt. The Acropolis is a must, of course. A day trip to the home of the Oracle of Delphi is also worth the time. Just remember, most of the great sites are on the side of a steep mountain, all the paths are paved in worn smooth marble, and Greece has no concept of suing for negligence so there are no guard rails anywhere.

               Well, ancient temples are great, The Girl needs some beach time. Lets take the ferry to Crete! Eight hours on a very comfortable huge boat, with a pretty nice restaurant. Not a bad way to travel. My advice is to do the ferry once, then fly for any further island hopping.

                So for Crete we wanted the beach, but close to the 12th century Venetian port of Chania. We ended up at the Galini Sea View Hotel, in Agia Marina. While the hotel is beautiful, and the beaches wonderful, Agia Marina bears a striking resemblance to Myrtle Beach. Instead of the endless Rednecks, though, you end up with Nordic families with the men competing for the smallest speedo. What should have been a resort hotel instead rang with the Hokey Pokey in Sweedish. All the restaurants in the area have the exact same menu, which isn't a bad thing, and they face out onto the beach, which is wonderful. The waters of the Aegean in this area is crystal clear. My advice is to stay in Chania itself, and take a cab to the beach. 

        Chania, the old Venetian port city, is simply stunning. Buildings range in in age from 300 to 900 years old. The port has a 15th century mosque, a 13th century Venetian port, and a beautiful lighthouse. Shopping in town is wonderful, but don't forget to negotiate. If you pay sticker price, you're a sucker. The nightlife in this city is also lively. Midnight on a Sunday will find the port-facing restaurants packed to the walls and street performers everywhere.  Chania, like most of Crete, sees very few American tourists, but most people speak at least some English. 

       The Taverna I recommend in Chania is Apostolis, located on the inner harbor next to the Porto de Colombo Hotel. I recommend this spot not only for its food, but because the manager is actually from Queens. The food, though, is wonderful. The Girl chose the shrimps, which were fully incased head on tiny lobsters, with a beautiful grilled flavor. I opted for the grilled swordfish, which was seasoned in the typical Greek understated style. Letting this fish speak for itself is a great idea. Sip some Ouzo and enjoy the nightlife.

             After a week in Greece, we had to head home. This will not be our last time in this land of myth and majesty. Athens and Chania combine the cafe scene of Paris with the Historical legacy of Rome, roll it together, and serve it with a laid back shrug and a jug of Ouzo. The warm climate, beautiful beaches, fresh food, and friendly faces are sure to charm you and make you wonder why you would ever want to return to the real word. Now if only the property listings would tell me what a square meter was.

Tonight's Episode: Men Without Women

           There is a day every boy dreams of. He spends years wondering about it and what joys it will bring. He and his friends put their heads together and share ideas and visions of just what their day will be like. Before you know it, that day has arrived. The Bachelor party. Okay, wait....that's a Girl and her wedding. We just assume bachelor parties are exactly like the Hangover.
          What to do for such a momentous and all important event? Well, it is summer, I'm a sports fan, and I love to eat. Baseball road trip to DC and New York? Sounds like a plan to me. The best man Hairless Carey, his twin brother Inches Davis, and your's truly load up the Range Rover and head on out bright and early on a stormy Friday morning, Red Bull pulsing through my veins, and the iPod set to Road Trip.
            First stop finds us in Washington, DC. The Nationals vs the Rockies. All 12 Nationals fans pour into the beautiful stadium. MEAT, who we met up with in DC after he took the bus down from Philly (I'm as surprised as you that I have friends in Philly), directed me straight to Ben's Chili Bowl. Obviously as a stadium concession stand it is not as wonderful as the home location, which means Ben's might be one of the best eats in America. I had the Half Smoke pork and beef sausage with onions and cheese, drowned in enough of Ben's chili to fill Lake Tahoe. The natural casing on the half-smoke has a wonderful, crisp snap and the smoky taste is to die for. The chili, oh the chili. Just enough heat to get your lips smacking, with deep rich meaty texture.
            Luckily I had my second Half Smoke polished off before the sickly funny moment of the night. Nationals pitcher John Lannan delivers a pitch that is lined right back into his face. The entire stadium goes dead silent. MEAT, at the top of his lungs, yells "IN YOUR FACE, LANNAN!" Have I mentioned he lives in Philly?
           Our next stop that evening is at Bilbo Baggins Global Restaurant, Old Town Alexandria. This is strictly a Beer stop, as Bilbo Baggins is famed for its 150 microbrews. It is actually a pretty neat little joint, with a very laid back vibe. I start off with the Unterl, a dark amber Bavarian beer with a strong fruity back. The intense yeast make this 4.8% beer feel like it has a higher alcohol content. Next stop was Founder's Old Curmudgeon Ale. At 10% ABV, this is a much stronger beer, brewed with molasses and enough barley malt to knock an elephant flat on his tuchus. There was a third beer, I'm pretty sure, but after being up for 20 hours and the 10% alcohol in the second beer I don't remember anything about it.
5 am comes around way too fast after that Old Curmudgeon Ale. Coffee is my friend. We jump in the Range Rover and head to New York City. First stop in town? Yankee Stadium.
           While MEAT has knocked off all but three stadiums (none of which were built when he had his epic summer), the rest of us have been to far fewer. I went to the old Yankee Stadium, the dingy and dirty House that Ruth Built. This stadium is on another level. Majestic is the first word that comes to mind. Soaring. Epic. Overwhelming. Too much. While the sausage I had was good, the more important part of this game was that we were in the stands to see Derek Jeter's 3000th hit. The entire stadium erupted in jubilation unlike anything I have seen! Everywhere you looked there were people screaming and crying and hugging. I may be a Red Sox fan, but I am so thankful I was there for this.
           Time for the night out! For dinner we head to the Habana Room in Midtown. This fun little upscale Cuban restaurant is now one of my favorite spots. The service was great, the food was stunning, and the mojitos were perfect. First thing to hit your table is a plate of plantain chips with a black bean spread. The chips were fried perfectly crisp, and the saltiness of the spread is a perfect contrast to the chip's sweetness. For my drink I went with several Classic Mojitos ($9), made with muddled lime, Santa Teresa Rum, sugarcane, and mint. Each progressive drink was better than the last. For an app, I choose the Ceviche ($12) with shrimp, cilantro, avocado, red onions, citrus & roasted tomato salsa. The fresh clean taste is a revelation. I honestly could eat this dish at any time of day, any day, any season. Perfectly balanced flavor. For the entree I went with the Churrasco ($25) which is a grilled skirt steak with black beans and rice and a tomato salad. The tomato salad is a great side dish, though the black beans and rice were a little dry. The steak itself was seasoned with a confident hand, and seared exactly the way you would hope this beautiful piece of meat would be. This is a first class steak, and well worth your time. The guys all enjoyed theirs as well, from white bean and manchengo cheese salads, to spice rubbed salmon. I highly recommend you give Habana Room a shot.

             Time for MORE DRINKING!!!!! We head out with Kevin and Inches Davis's cousin, Bobby, who takes us to his neighborhood, the West Village. First stop is Julius, a bar that has been in operation since 1867. It happens to be the oldest Gay Bar in the city. It also happens to serve one hell of a cheeseburger. I never thought I'd be at a Gay Bar during my bachelor party, but it was actually a fun little spot. Time to move on, though.
           We finish the night at The Highlands, a Scottish Gastropub. The vast array of Scotches on the wall sadly go unnoticed by the hip and trendy set that fill the bar with an ever increasing level of noise. I'm sure it is a great spot, maybe just not on a Saturday night.
           Sunday morning comes along too early, though I have some consolation. We are ready to leave town, but not before a stop at Katz Deli. Katz is the one restaurant I always make a stop at when in New York, and not because Meg Ryan faked an orgasm at one of the tables. It is for the beef tongue sandwich and matzo ball soup. Many people can't get past the idea of eating beef tongue, but imagine you made pastrami from filet mignon........no savor that thought.....and you have beef tongue. Buttery, beefy, and it just melts on your tongue. There is absolutely no reason why beef tongue isn't the most popular meat in America. Just remember, this is a cash only joint.

             The drive home was time for WAWA gas station subs and Red Bull, but also a time to just enjoy the hectic, long, and tasty weekend we had. Not every bachelor party is like the Hangover with strip clubs and roofs, but not every bachelor party has you in Yankee Stadium when Derek Jeter has his 3000th hit.

The Scores for Habana Room
Ambiance: 4/5
Service: 4/5
Food: 9/10
Value: 3/5
Overall: 20 out of 25, High end Cuban in Midtown, and it won't cost you a fortune

The Scores for Katz Deli
Ambiance: 2/5
Service: 3/5 (expect to have everyone be New York Friendly to you)
Food: 10/10
Value: 3/5
Overall: 18 out of 25 New York deli that delivers the real deal when it comes to sandwiches