top of page

Sweet and savory scenes from Charleston Restaurant Week

Writer's picture: Steven KeithSteven Keith

Travis Kelce has the Super Bowl. Meryl Streep has the Oscars. Beyonce has the Grammys. And I, my friends, have Charleston Restaurant Week, which is the most epic culinary celebration of the year rolled up into five delicious days.

Mahi-mahi with red pepper risotto and glazed carrots from Ristorante Abruzzi
Mahi-mahi with red pepper risotto and glazed carrots from Ristorante Abruzzi






Featuring more than a dozen local restaurants offering special three-course meals for a set price, it really is the most wonderful time of the year for local foodies.


Now that the 2025 edition is a wrap, let’s look at some of the highlights of another successful event.


Brisket … for Dessert?


I can’t say that I’ve ever had brisket and carbs for all three courses during a meal before – as an appetizer, an entree and a dessert. Until now!


Brisket-fat caramel bread pudding from Dem 2 Brothers
Brisket-fat caramel bread pudding from Dem 2

Although there were other tantalizing options on the menu at Dem 2 Brothers & A Grill on Summers Street downtown, there I was chowing down on amazing BBQ-glazed brisket burnt ends with smoked tomato jam over polenta, followed by coffee-crusted brisket with sweet corn risotto and charred broccolini.


And for dessert? How about a smokehouse brisket-fat caramel bread pudding with bourbon glaze, vanilla bean whipped cream and candied pecans.


It was brisket, brisket and more delicious brisket. And it was worth every decadent bite.


An Appealing Pear-ing


Red wine-poached pear dessert
Red wine-poached pear from Abruzzi

Coming fresh off the heels of Chef Chase Collier’s James Beard nomination for “Best Chef: Southeast,” Ristorante Abruzzi at the ballpark received a ton of praise from diners throughout the week. We stopped by as well and I can attest the accolades were well-deserved.


The smoked trout ravioli was a unique take on a classic dish, the venison ragu with fresh and pillowy radiator pasta was unctuous and the red wine-poached pear with whipped mascarpone and almond crumble was the dessert of the week for me.


Oh, the Pasta-bilities!


Parmesan chicken and cheese revioli
Parm-chicken cheese ravioli from Bricks & Barrels

There were two recurring dishes that kept popping up on many menus last week. Pasta (or some version thereof) showed up nine times, with cheesecake (or something similar) appearing seven times.


As odds would have it, I enjoyed two of those pasta dishes myself.


In addition to the voluptuous venison ragu mentioned above, Bricks & Barrels also served a tender and surprisingly moist Parmesan-crusted chicken breast over six-cheese ravioli bathed in tangy marinara.



I saved half for leftovers, which were even better the next day.


Seek and Ye’ Shall Find


Korean meatballs with broccolini
Glazed Korean meatballs from Black Sheep

Most years I carefully plan my Restaurant Week reservations well in advance, ensuring I confirm tables at all the places I want to go. One year I even visited two restaurants each night – one for an early seating, one for a later table – which is something my constitution and waistline will no longer allow.


But due to this year’s late announcement, I decided to take a different approach and not make any reservations in advance. My thinking was I would wait and see what places readers were most excited about and then try to score seats at those spots.


It’s a risky proposition, but it worked!


To be clear, if you want to ensure you get into a restaurant during this event, reservations are strongly encouraged. But not having one doesn’t necessarily mean you have to give up. You never know when a table may open up!


Another Reason for the Season


Brisket burnt ends over polenta
Brisket burnt ends from Dem 2 Brothers

Although Charleston Restaurant Week was originally conceived to help boost restaurant business during a time of year that is traditionally very slow, an added benefit has been encouraging customers to dine at places they may not have visited before.


I’ve heard that over and over, including from several of you this year.


Case in point:


“For no particular reason, we never got around to visiting Bricks & Barrels, so that’s one of the reasons we chose it for Restaurant Week,” reader Jack Cipoletti told me.


“We were not disappointed and will go back again. When paying our tab, our waiter asked us to please come back and see ’em – and we will. The service was outstanding, appetizers were good, entrées were excellent and desserts couldn’t have been better.”


• • •


Steven Keith is a food writer and restaurant critic known as “The Food Guy” who writes a weekly column for the Charleston Gazette-Mail and has appeared in several state, regional and national culinary publications. Follow him online at www.wvfoodguy.com or on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and Pinterest. He can be reached at 304-380-6096 or at wvfoodguy@aol.com.

2 views0 comments

Recent Posts

See All

Comments


bottom of page