Last week I joined my two friends Ashley and Rachel at Tavern & Table for dinner and drinks. It's always nice to have girls' night and catch up with friends. I was excited to finally try the food for the first time. I've been before but only to enjoy cocktails and the gorgeous view on their deck. To be completely honest, I've heard mixed reviews about the place as far as the food is concerned. I am all for opinions and reading reviews, especially when I'm traveling. However, when it comes to local spots, I prefer to give them a chance at least once and see for myself.
I have to talk about the atmosphere of the restaurant first. The chic rustic décor inside gives off a charming vibe, complemented by the beautiful Shem Creek, depicting the epitome of a lowcountry view in Charleston.
Now to the food. I took into consideration some of the things I've been told that I just had to try before ordering. We decided to go with a few plates for the table to share. Let's just say I was not disappointed with anything we ate. Here is a little dinner break down, dish by dish.
One of my favorite things we ordered was the glazed fig and prosciutto flatbread. Hot out of the wood fired brick oven, this crispy crusted flatbread was topped with the perfect combination of sweet (from the figs) and salty (from the prosciutto). Fontina cheese, balsamic onions and wild arugula completed the package. It would have been nice to order a few of these to go.
If you're not a fan of Brussels sprouts, the smoked bacon and Parmesan cream will make you change your mind. These veggies may not have been figure-friendly, but they sure were worth every calorie.
For a little something on the lighter side, the chimichurri steak salad was a good option. It came with a little bit of everything, including couscous, sweet corn, sour cherries, toasted pumpkin seeds, oven roasted tomatoes, arugula and, wait for it...basil buttermilk dressing.
Last, but not least, we had to order the shishito peppers, one of the specials of the eveing. Normally I'm not a huge pepper fan because I can't handle the heat, but these peppers were perfectly charred with lots of flavor, and were not hot at all.
Oh, and I must mention another one other favorite we ordered, which was the "Burnt End" Mac+Cheese. I'm a little speechless, and photoless for that matter. It came out after the other dishes and I got so excited that I forgot to snap a pic to add to the library of many others I had already taken. Simply put, it was a bowl of cheesy goodness with a brisket bonus!
Since you can't take a bite out of these photos you will just have to go check the place out for yourself. I know I'm sure glad I did.