Tonight's Episode: The Devil is in the Details

           Where did you go when you really wanted to impress a girl in high school? I'm talking about throw on a tie and jacket impress her? For me, it was Magnolia's. The Uptown/Down South class always made it a sure hit. When you wanted a great night, Magnolia's always came through. Took The Girl there tonight, and we had the same one-word thought: dated.
          The main room, occupying the right side of the restaurant, has beautiful wood floors but oddly modern black pillars with black ironwork. The paintings spaced around the wall are impressionistic floral scenes familiar to any doctor's office. The area where we were seated, behind the bar area, was even worse. Instead of the rich wood floors, we had awful white tile. The far wall is a long mirror, with more of the bad art. The light fixtures are equally dated, and give the entire space an '80s upscale feel. Paying attention to the details, like the dirty and paint chipped baseboards or the dirty napkin under my chair, and you start to get the feeling that someone just doesn't care enough to make sure things are as they should be.  Details will be the theme of the night.
          Both The Girl and I choose the 3 for $30 Restaurant Week menu. For her appetizer, she chose the Butternut Squash Bisque with spiced creme fraîche. The texture was velvety smooth, and the taste was wonderfully sweet but very one note. The size of the serving and the sweetness of the bisque call for something else added, perhaps toasted pumpkin or sesame seeds. For my app, I choose the Apple and Walnut Salad with radicchio, arugula, and a port wine vinaigrette. Again, just missing something. I would have loved a few slices of brie to offset the bitter radicchio and sharp Granny Smith apple. The vinaigrette was beautiful, though. The server, again not focusing on details, served the apps to the wrong person. I wouldn't have mentioned it except she went on to do the same thing with the entrees.

           For her entree, The Girl settled in on the Grilled Sirloin Steak with caramelized cauliflower, smoked bacon, roasted red bliss potatoes, and a creole mustard cream. The steak was cooked perfectly, the cauliflower-bacon mixture was surprisingly tasty, and the sauce was flavorful. The detail missed on this dish was seasoning. Though the steak was perfectly cooked, there was no seasoning. The Girl, who isn't a fan of aggressive seasoning, called it bland. She even left steak on the plate, bored with the flavor.

     
        For myself, I went with the Smoked Pork Loin with hand cut fries, Brussels sprouts, and cheddar cheese with a malt vinegar remoulade, and a burnt onion chutney. The pork was beautiful, and so was the chutney and remoulade. It was hard to eat, however, with the knife provided. I had to ask for a new knife. The Brussels sprouts were not bad, just forgettable. The hand cut fries were very tasty, but they were just a soggy, limp, undercooked mess piled on top. There are defiantly some great elements to this dish, just not well executed.

        For dessert, I went with the chocolate chess pie with caramel and fresh whipped cream. This turned out to be a tasty chocolate brownie in a pie crust, with a nice caramel. Nothing exciting, but tasty. The Girl went with the Lemon Cream Cheesecake, with a strawberry sauce. The cheesecake had a perfect texture, and the lemon mixed with the strawberry sauce was D-LISH. The problem comes in that the slice was half cheesecake, half crust. I am not kidding, half of the slice was crust. When The Girl mentioned this to the waitress, she stated that the slices are very inconsistent, and it seems to depend on who makes it. Again, details. It shouldn't be common knowledge that a dessert is poorly made.

           Walking out of Magnolia's I had a crushing sense of disappointment. This was one of the great restaurants of my youth. Now, it seems content with grabbing tourists and cruise ship passengers and ignoring the details. Maybe the issues with our meal were due to it being the Restaurant Week menu, but this is supposed to be a way for you to find new guests and bring back those who haven't been in a while. The details matter. It really hurts me to write this about what was such a wonderful fixture in Charleston's culinary scene for so long. Maybe that is the problem, though. Maybe it is time for Magnolia's to be retired, or at least reimagined. All I know is that if I had brought The Girl here on a date night before our wedding, this blog might have been Foodmancing My Self.

The Scores:
Ambiance: 1/5
Service: 3/5
Food: 5/10
Value: 2/5
Overall: 11 out of 25, A restaurant a decade past its prime, and no signs of making a comeback

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.