It had been a while since the VNOB had visited D'Allesandro's. I swear that they just keep getting better and better. And they have now returned to their roots - and have Hoegarten ON TAP! Yes, you read that correctly - it is ON TAP and COLD too! Yum. All I can say that heaven involves D's pizza and Hoegarten on draft. 

Ben & Nick have the formula. Trust the VNOB. 

And now they are getting into homemade ice-cream? I didn't try it last night because they was no room left in the VNOB's personal pizza oven, but it is definately on the menu for a future visit. They have "peanut-butter" flavored ice cream.... need more be said ?

Elliotborough is Hot

Elliotborough has some hot places to eat. Tis true that they aren't Peninsula Grill (and never likely be), but they are pretty awesome - and there is certainly no shortage of good restaurants in the lowcountry overall to compete against. So the comment is not made lightly. Gosh this area is super cool. I may be biased, but seriously, it is a great part of Charleston. 

We have Lucca (which has just been nominated for a James Beard Award), Fuel, Lana, Hominy Grill (best brunch in the area - and Anthony Bourdain would agree), D'Allesandro's, Five Loaves and let's not forget Mia Pomodori - the new pizza place across from Fuel in the old Dave's Seafood building. 

A word about Mia Pomodori. That's some good za (it is no D'Allesandro's from a food quality perspective quite yet), but the atmosphere is cool and the wine is cheap, yet good. You will definately spend a lot less on alcohol at Mia that at D's and walk out just as toasty. And most importantly, the owners are cool (I see they have even hauled their son into work!) The VNOB will be back to support - and you should too. 

And finally, the VNOB paid another visit to Fuel again last week and it was really good. Food was great and the service speedy. Fuel will always have a special place in the VNOB's hungry heart beacuse it was the first review. Fuel was given some direct advice on how to improve and it has done just that. So my congratulations go out to Justin & his staff. Keep putting fuel on that there fire! 

No specific restaurant update tonight, but a couple equally important facts to share: 

One, Trader Joes is the best store ever. Would someone please explain to the VNOB why there is not a store in Charleston? I even have the perfect place picked out for it - the old Jabbers on Rutledge Avenue complete with parking. Alright, I just decided, I am starting a Facebook group to bring the masters of food to Charleston. 

Two, Lucca has been nominated for a 2009 James Beard Award. Um, rock on?! 

http://www.jamesbeard.org/files/2009_JBF_RESTAURANTCHEF_AWARD_SEMIFINALISTS.pdf

Seriously, the food is amazing (even though Ken does have to do something about the sound so that you can hear your dinner companions speak.) But that's a nit. Go Elliotborough! 

And three, D'Allesandro's has Hoegarden on tap. White light is shining down from heavan, dogs and cats are sleeping together, let the world ring out in praise. Halle - FRICKIN - lujah!!

Refueling

Just a quick update to my first post a few months ago which had some "constructive" feedback on Fuel. 

I love Fuel - the ambiance, the location, the concept are all great. In the first six months after they opened, they had some issues with service. That's the summary of the first post.  

But I went back with four people on Friday night - and it was amazing. Service was prompt and attentive and the food was hot and yummy. I had my usual Buffalo Burger (it is made with bison meat) and it was cooked to perfection. 

Go back and check it out. 

And to Fuel (if you follow the VNOB), a job well done and keep it up! 

A Sushi Place That You Should Go To

One of my favorite times is sushi time. I will admit that I lived a very sheltered life (not really, but permit me some poetic license) and did not discover the wonders of sushi until I started travelling with work. Since then, my future wife and I like to refer to ourselves as sushi monsters. Growl...

Although there are several sushi restaurants in Charleston (it is on the ocean after all), there is only one worth mentioning. And that is Oriental Garden on Coleman Boulevard. 

It doesn't look like much from the road. And if you do manage to see its retro neon sign as you drive by, you would probably think twice before purposefully entering the building. The non-descript structure is a once-upon-a-time Dairy Queen. So, hopefully by now, you are building an interesting mental image of the place... But seriously, make the turn, pull in the parking lot, get out of your car, and GO IN. 

The fish is super fresh and it is pretty cheap. My future wife and I frequently walk out of there with a $40 or less tab which includes 5 rolls, seaweed salads and beverages. (Remember I said we are sushi monsters?) I would highly recommend the spicy tuna (the end pieces are the best), the Philadelphia Roll and the salmon/avocado roll. As you can tell, we are traditionalist sushi consumers - we like the simple, fresh and raw combinations. For those of you who appreciate the truely creative rolls, they those choices as well, but I may not be the best to provide commentary. The seaweed salad and meso soup are tremendous as well. 

Now one thing worth mentioning is that since it is an old Dairy Queen, it has a drive thru window. And yes, that means you can call in a sushi order and pick it at the drive thru window. How cool is that? 

The owners (I think they are husband and wife) are in the same positions at the sushi bar night after night. They don't talk much, but always have smiles on their faces. And that is enough for me. Diligent sushi chefs who are more focused on their product versus commiserating with the customers is a sign of quality in my humble opinion. 

And one more thing to note if you are still on the fence about visiting. It's always busy. So just go. I and be a happy sushi monster like the VNOB.  

Movie, Food and Some Even Better Food

We went to see Quantum of Solace on the weekend at Cinnebarre in Mount Pleasant. I know, it is not on the "Charleston Peninsula" proper, but I can bend the rules once in a while... it's my blog right? 

So, some brief thoughts on the movie before diving into the cuisine. Just so everyone knows, I am a  big James Bond fan - Sean Connery, Roger Moore, yes, even Timothy Dalton and George Lasenby, Pierce Brosnan - they are all great. Daniel Craig is a great Bond too - cool and calculated. Don't get me wrong, I liked the movie (good escapism but don't go in there expecting something based in reality 'cause HE IS JAMES BOND. He WILL defy gravity. He WILL survive from seemingly inescapable situations. However, my only gripe on the flick was it needed a little more of what made past Bond movies successful - more gadgets, more women, and less brute force action. 

Now, onto Cinnebar. First of all, did it really take someone this long to market a movie theater that serves GOOD food and alcholic drink while you watch the movie? I guess so, but I am sure glad that someone finally did. We ordered two glass of red and the veggie burger. Well, it took a reminder from us and 1 hour into the movie for them to finally bring the wine and a cold veggie burger with a side of cold fries. And then they had the gaul to charge us for it! The only good thing about the situation is that the manager was sypathetic to our plight and took care of the bill for us. Regardless, Cinnebar gets a failing grade in this VNOB's opinion. 

So, since we were still hungry, we hoped across the way to one our favorites - Bacco. I know I have promised Bacco its own review as part of a more comprehensive assessment of Charleston's Italian landscape, but the opportunity is now beckoning.

Let me start by saying that Bacco is a damn fine restaurant and the owner, Mike Scognamiglio, is the best of people. He has poured his heart and soul, not to mention his experience as sous chef at Al Di La (another top-tier Charleston Italian restaurant) into Bacco - and it shows. I have visited Bacco numerous times since it opened over 18 months ago and, like a fine wine, it has aged well. One gripe I have with other Charleston-area Italian restaurants is that they get you on the wine - but not at Bacco. All the wines are very reasonable - and very good. Cheap tasty wine - three words destined to be together. 

The food is tremendous. Mike uses fresh local ingredients where possible. His signature dish (in my opinion) is the eggplan parmigiana - which is pure, 100% yum. But the Risi Bisi (a creamy risoto with peas) is a really close second. But the swordrish is a really close second too. Ok, you get the picture. It's all good! 

Oh, I think I have mentioned that a "tell" for restaurant quality is how good the bread is. Well, let me tell you that Bacco has this department taken care of. It is fresh, soft, ciabata like bread that comes with this amazingly fresh olive oil for dipping. Just make sure you don't gorge yourself on bread and oil... I have been known to make such mistakes and no doubt will again :)

A small note on the deserts. Try them. And while you are at it, have a cappuchino. They are really really good. The service is tremendous as well - always prompt and courteous. 

Go to Bacco. Don't go because the VNOB said it is good, but go because your taste buds 

Viva Italia

My world of Italian restaurants keeps getting bigger by the month (and also the length of my runs to work off all those carbs!) So far, I have kept to one restaurant per blog entry, but the Italian landscape in Charleston may force a change in approach.  

Here are the favorites: Bacco, Lucca, Il Corte del Re, and Pane e Vino. Where to start? Good grief - all are phenomenal. 

Let's start with Lucca. In the interests of transparency and to be compliant with Sarbanes Oxley, I have waited to review Lucca (on the advice of a friend) until I had visited three times to install some sense of objectivity since I live in the area. Opinions can warp when proximity plays a part! 

But the restaurant is batting 1000 - it went three for three. When I moved to Elliotborough, Lucca, which used to be the Old Charleston Tea Room where it is rumored that Martin Luther King used to dine when in town, was an abondoned, bat infested building - although it wreaked of potential. And luckily, Elliotborough has someone like Ian Tomlinson (otherwise known as the Baron of Bogard) who was able to tap into the Tea Room's potential. His renovation of the building is nothing short of amazing. And it was a blessing that a visionary like Ken Vedrinksi decided to bet on Elliotborough.  As you sit through dinner, it is easily apparent that Ken's prior experience as chef at South Carolina's only five start restaurant (the Woodlands) and owner of Sienna on Daniel Island shows through in the Lucca experience. 

Onto the food, the wine selection  is amazing. The appetizers are divided into three categories: vegetables, cheeses and meats. Try the cheese with the pear and the honey glazed cheese - both of these will make you thankful that humans are born with taste buds. 

Now let me digress for a moment, one measure of a good restaurant is the quality of bread served. If it is served hot, bonus points are awarded. If some kind of dippin sauce or oil is provided, more bonus points can be awarded. Let me just say that Lucca scores well in the bread category with freshly baked, warm ciabatta and a dipping sauce composed of olive oil with fresh, shredded parmesean cheese mixed in. Like I said, to die for. 

Ok - back to the main course. The first time I went, I had a vegetarian pasta dish - it was ok. But then in subsequent visits, I discovered culinary utopia - the hanger steak. Cooked to perfection, it melts in your mouth - and it is does so even without being laid on a thin bed of mashed potatoes (which  it is) - and it does so even without being surrounded by some kind maple reduction (which it is). 

I'll call it quits for tonight, but expect updates on the others in short order.