Just Back From Charleston

As many of you know, Charleston, SC is one of the best cities to visit anywhere. Full of history and charm, it bustles like a larger city and feels like a smaller one because it is so compact. We did no buggy ride, no harbor cruise, and no plantation visits. We did visit the market and we did eat. One of the best things about Charleston is the cuisine. You cannot throw a rock in Charleston without hitting a great restaurant. The Blossom, the Magnolia, Hyman's Seafood, the Wreck, Poogan's Porch, and Sullivan's all come to mind. On our laid-back weekend there, I rediscovered an old favorite and enjoyed a Charleston landmark restaurant for the first time.

The old favorite is the Sweetwater Cafe on Market Street, a half block west of the Meeting Street. Despite its location in the heart of tourist Charleston, Sweetwater is a favorite of local people for breakfast and lunch. I found out about it several years back while on a business trip. It is always full but the waiting is limited most of the time. I've never been for lunch, but I have enjoyed breakfast there on many occasions. The breakfast menu is varied and reasonably priced. While a traditional menu, it offers such delicacies as a shrimp omelet and that Low Country classic shrimp and grits. The shrimp and grits are the finest anywhere, perfectly spiced with a great pepper gravy and succulent shrimp.

The new found landmark would be Jestine's Kitchen on Meeting Street. I have driven or walked by this restaurant probably two dozen times when in Charleston and always said I'd try it sometime. It never worked out because I'm always looking for seafood when there. Jestine's Kitchen is all about Low Country Southern home cooking. If you want something fried, Jestine's is the place to go. It will make you think of you grandma's house, because the food is wonderful and the portions are generous. Carolyn had fried chicken, which she shared, and I had fried shrimp. Both were outstanding, and vegetables menu (including mac and cheese) was excellent too. All of us Oconee folks know the finest fried chicken anywhere can be found at the Walhalla Steakhouse. But let me tell you, Jestine's is not far behind, tender and juicy and full of flavor. When it came time for dessert, the choices were varied and the food was killer good. I recommend the lemon custard pie or the coconut cream pie.

Needless to say, don't think you are going to Jestine's and cut back on calories. It ain't happening. Be prepared to stand in line about anytime you go. It's small, and recent exposure in Southern Living and on Rachel Ray's 40 Dollars a Day television show have raised the national profile of an establishment familiar to native Charlestonians for years. Next time you have the good fortune to visit this jewel of a city, try these two fine culinary establishments. I am confident that you will not be disappointed.