Charleston Gems

Dining out in Charleston was a seafood lovers dream. From crab dip to she-crab soup to thick rings of calamari… anything from the ocean ended up on our plates. We did our best not to overeat at every meal and had to resort to ordering mostly appetizers at each restaurant because we knew we wouldn’t be able to control ourselves once the food was dropped at our table.

Of course our first stop was 82 Queen, the restaurant where my sweet friend used to work in another life and where he expertly learned to make the crab cakes that I reference every few newsletters. Crab cake lived up to—maybe even defied—its reputation. Served with a tomato remoulade and a splash of red pepper coulis, the plump puck of crab was a perfect way to pop our Charleston dining cherry. She-crab soup was also incredibly tasty, especially after I was instructed to dribble a few drops of sherry onto each spoonful. Shrimp and grits were barbecue-y and creamy. We were grateful for the small portion, knowing that we’d have been in food comatose for the rest of the day had we been presented with any more.

At Blossom, we miraculously avoided the calamari—an item on which we consistently are feeding—but could not resist ordering another crab cake. This one came with asparagus and mustard. We liked it as we like most crab-packed cakes and these were especially so, though nothing rivaled the nostalgically delicious 82 Queen rendition. The scallops at Blossom were fantastic in their own rite. Accompanied by sweet onion polenta flecked with applewood smoked bacon and a drizzle of brandied apple jus, the scallop dish was a frenetic fusion of crispy and creamy, of sweet and savory. An herb-roasted portabella mushroom salad with pecorino and apples was an excellent supplement to the seafood.

The culmination of our dining exploits came at Fleet’s Landing where we indulged in fried green tomatoes with blue crab, old bay dusted shrimp, cold crab dip—our favorite of the trip, and, because we could resist no longer, “steak” calamari—which turned out to be extremely thick, buttermilk-drenched, and addictive.

We were able only to put a small dent in the sea-soaked world of Charleston cuisine; however, I foresee us diving back in very soon. You can never have too many crab cakes.