For my final night in Charleston I reserved a seat at McCrady’s restaurant. The intimate dining room features an open kitchen and large u-shaped table with 14 seats. The entrance is located within a downtown alleyway where you enter McCrady’s Tavern, but those who are there for the tasting-menu only experience are shown to the dining room in the back.
I was seated in the first chair closest to the kitchen and appreciated the close view of the talented chefs creating every dish. The tasting menu costs $125 per person. The wine pairing is $80 while the reserve pairings are $160. I went with the regular pairing.
Things started off with a glass of sparkling extra brut rosé. The first few courses included a lovely Barrier Island oyster with aji dulce, yuzu with buttermilk, a carrot jerky, and a foie gras tart.
The next wine was a white from Austria. I decided to add the $35 caviar supplement which topped the tofu with cabbage and kaffir lime. An extra brut champagne was paired with a scallop with pumpkin and sunflower. An Assyrtiko from Santorini was great with the cobia poached in chicken fat with a seaweed milk purée topped with crispy chicken skins seasoned with apple skin furikake.
Up next, a chardonnay from Big Table Farm winery in Oregon’s Willamette Valley for the rice with benne seeds and horseradish foam. A red wine from France was paired with the aged beef with sunchoke and black truffle.
So far, so good. The kitchen was a pleasure to watch and the service was super attentive. The next course was a wonderful beef tartare with grilled bread.
I was getting pretty full, but the dessert courses were coming up. A yummy yogurt popsicle coated with Carolina African Runner peanuts was served.
A nice dessert wine from Hungary was poured and a tasty warm parsnip cake with celeriac cream and white chocolate was served soon after.
To conclude the meal, the final bites included a chocolate bonbon with sweet potato and benne seeds and an amaro cube dusted with sugar and Sichuan peppercorn.
Dinner at McCrady’s was a fantastic dining experience. The service was incredible and I loved the intimate dining room. The dishes were presented beautifully and were backed by great flavors. I enjoyed the wines as well.
After dinner, I stopped by a couple King Street bars and eventually met up with my cousin who I haven’t seen in years. Good times!
The following afternoon I decided to have lunch at Cuban Gypsy Pantry before heading to the airport. The bright casual eatery serves Cuban coffee, sandwiches, and entrees.
I ordered and paid at the counter then took a seat at a corner table. I had the Cuban Sandwich, their version of the classic is made with pulled pork, salami, ham, cheese, pickles, green sauce, and mustard then pressed until crispy. I enjoyed it with Green Fries which are seasoned fries topped with house cilantro and mustard sauce, dill and sweet pickles, and scallions.
I walked around downtown Charleston for a bit longer to take in the nice weather before catching my flight.
What a great Thanksgiving week! My first time in Charleston was fun, wonderful, and delicious! I met some great people too. Thank you, Charleston!
McCrady’s
2 Unity Alley
Charleston, SC 29401
(843)577-0025
Website
Cuban Gypsy Pantry
141 Calhoun Street
Charleston, SC 29401
(843) 872-5487
Website
