Amazing Dinner

McCrady’s Restaurant provided one of the most memorable dining experiences I have had anywhere in years last Friday.  It was so perfect, I just had to write about it.  My friend, Chip, and I were greeted warmly at the reception stand and immediately shown to our beautiful table in front of one of the room’s two enormous fireplaces.  We opted to order from McCrady’s four course tasting menu which is very reasonably priced at $60 per person (not including wine).

McCrady’s was one of the earliest adopters to begin purchasing from local farmers and in fact, their Executive Chef, Sean Brock, has his own farm.  Our first courses were an artfully arranged beet salad with huckleberries and almonds and a dish of red peas with cauliflower, fennel and a slow cooked pullet egg.  Divine.  The dishes were paired with Leitz Dry Riesling.  Next were a perfectly poached nugget of grouper and a dish of clams and oysters with fennel and saffron cream.  With this I had a glass of Albarino, one of my favorite Spanish whites.  From the meat courses we selected a duo of pork and duck aged and roasted on the bone.  Both were superb and beautifully complimented by Chateau Musar 2002, a red blend from Lebanon that I would never have chosen, but our server, Jodi, assured me it was the perfect choice.  Because of the portion sizes and the slow pace, we still had room for dessert.  We chose the warm walnut cake and the selection of artisanal cheeses.  In addition to the tasting menu, McCrady’s offers an á la carte menu and “bar bites” that can be enjoyed in their cozy bar area.

The setting was beautiful, the food exquisite, and the service flawless.  All led to a truly extraordinary dining experience.  If you can make a trip to McCrady’s, I highly recommend it.  And yes, they are participating in the upcoming Charleston Restaurant Week!  Go!